MIKE MAYNARD

Seahawks favored over Vikings ahead of week 13 matchup

MOSES LAKE — The Seattle Seahawks (8-3) are set for a showdown at Lumen Field against the Minnesota Vikings (4-7) on Sunday at 1 p.m. According to ESPN, the Seahawks have a 69% chance to win. Head Coach Mike MacDonald is confident his players can bring the right level of physicality to the gridiron.

Wahluke ready to bounce back on the court

MATTAWA – The Wahluke Warriors put together a 9-15 season under first year Head Coach Anfernee Cortez. Despite the record, he said last season was great for growth. “I thought there was a lot of learning last season for us, especially with a team full of guys going through their first year starting on varsity. I think just with that, I know there's going to be some growing pains and some learning,” Cortez said.

COLUMN: Head west, they say

This column came together probably as quickly as my decision to move from Columbus, Ohio to Moses Lake. When I graduated from Denison University in May 2024, I remember being overcome with emotion after receiving my degree.

Knights welcome new leader ahead of season

ROYAL CITY – After a successful season last winter where the Royal Knights went 27-3, new Head Coach Tim Ravet is excited to lead them into the future. He is excited to join a winning culture, he said. “That culture is built at home, and you could tell the families and the community care about winning. They're about doing it the right way, about the kids just playing the right way and kind of shaping them from boys to men, it's just the right situation for me,” Ravet said.

Jacks hoopsters eye league breakthrough after transition year

QUINCY – After three straight league titles, the Jacks moved up to the Central Washington Athletic Conference last season and finished 7-14. Despite moving to a higher level of competition, Head Coach Scott Bierlink said he loved how his players competed. “The CWAC last year was loaded,” Scott said. “But we were real competitive. Kept most games close, so I was actually happy with our performance last year.” The Jacks made an appearance in the 2A district tournament play in game against East Valley but fell short 79-58. However, with their first year back in the CWAC behind them, Scott is confident his players will be ready to compete in a league he believes won’t be as top heavy.

Mavs’ historic season ends with quarterfinal appearance

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-1) fell to the Lake Stevens Vikings 76-41 on the road in the quarterfinals of the 4A state football tournament. Despite the loss, Head Coach Brett Jay was proud of how his players fought to the end.

WA college football recap – Week 13

MOSES LAKE — As college football reaches the end of the regular season, most Washington teams are nearing key rivalry games. As they aim for a strong finish, see how they fared in week 13.

Young Broncos roster ready to hit the mats

LIND – As the 2025 wrestling gets started, Head Coach Jason Hilzer’s excitement is growing. He said if he had to pick a favorite sport to coach, it would be wrestling. “I get super excited,” Hilzer said. “I always tell (students), I don't know if I have a favorite sport, but I will tell you, whatever you put into wrestling is what you'll get out. If you want to put 110% in, that's what you're going to get out.” Unlike most other sports structured with starters and backups, Hilzer said wrestling is great because everyone gets to participate because they are spread across multiple weight classes.

ACH Warriors ready for another run to state

COULEE CITY – After falling short by three points in the state championship last season, the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (27-2) return to the court this season with the same expectations. Head Coach Graham Grindy said the standard has been set especially since they return most of last year's roster. “Bringing back what we brought back, statistically, we're bringing back a lot of our major players that led us in scoring, rebounding, defensively, all the areas. We definitely have high hopes,” Graham said.

Knights dominate on the gridiron to advance to semifinals

ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-0) stormed through Seton Catholic Cougars 48-10 in a rematch of last year's 1A state football championship. However, this came in the quarterfinal round as the Knights earned a first round bye.

Team unity, defense lead to undefeated start for Vikings

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Vikings (4-0) extended their win streak to four-straight after defeating the Edmond Tritons 71-38 at home Friday. Head Coach Preston Wilks said he went with his jumbo lineup. “It was a good win for us, because we had our bigger lineup tonight, and so we were a little nervous about (Edmonds) athleticism and their ability to get by us on the perimeter. I'm happy that we held them to 38 points. I had no idea that we'd be able to do that defensively with all our big girls out on the perimeter... they played really well,” Wilks said.

Knights, Mavs, ACH head to state quarterfinals

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, three Basin football teams will look to take the next step in state football competition. The Royal Knights (10-0), Moses Lake Mavericks (11-0) and Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (9-1) will all play in quarterfinal games Saturday afternoon.

Officiating issues lead to questions regarding Mavs game

MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks pulled off a late comeback win over the Bothell Cougars 17-14 in the first round of the 4A state football tournament, wherein multiple possibly inaccurate calls by officials were made against both teams. However, since the conclusion of that game accusations of inappropriate officiating have been made. A parent of a Bothell player made claims that officials overseeing the game had direct ties to Moses Lake and the Mavericks football program. They referenced the Washington Officials Associations code of conduct, which she said states that ties to the team must be disclosed.

COLUMN: Mariners start the offseason right

On Monday, the Seattle Mariners announced that Josh Naylor re-signed with the team on a five-year deal for $92 million. Re-signing the star first baseman is an excellent first step in a successful offseason for the Mariners, who should be looking to reload and make another run at a World Series.

Roberts scores four touchdowns as ACH rolls past Entiat

COULEE CITY – The Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (9-1) defeated the Entiat Tigers 57-14 at home to advance to the quarter finals of the 1B state football tournament. Head Coach Brandon Walsh said his team has come together recently.

College football recap – Week 12

MOSES LAKE – College football across Washington excelled in their matchups. Some of these matchups resulted in teams securing key conference wins while others help team morale as they try to finish the year strong. Washington State (5-5) vs Louisiana Tech The Cougars defense delivered a dominant performance as they stormed their way to a 28-3 win over Louisiana Tech. According to a statement by WSU athletics, this is the fifth time this season the defense has held their opponent to 10 points or fewer. Head Jimmy Rogers had positive feedback about the Cougs’ win.

Huskies’ rally but fall short in playoff loss

OTHELLO – The Othello Huskies (9-2) fell short 24-21 to Sehome in the 2A state football tournament after a late comeback attempt was unsuccessful. Defensive Coordinator Kevin Hale said he was proud of the Huskies giving themselves an opportunity to win, even if it did not go their way. “We had some difficulties and penalties and turnovers. We made it tough on ourselves, but ultimately, we gave ourselves a chance to win at the end and just couldn't quite do it,” Hale said. The Huskies took an 8-7 lead after the first quarter, but Sehome responded in the second quarter, tallying off 10 points to take a nine-point lead at halftime. The Huskies offense erupted in the third quarter with 13 points, but Sehome was able to maintain the lead with another score of their own and hold in the fourth quarter for the win.

Late comeback lifts Mavericks to state quarterfinals

MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks (11-0) defeated the Bothell Cougars 17-14 in a physical first round matchup of the 4A state football tournament. Head Coach Brett Jay was visibly overcome with emotion after their hard-fought win.

Knights set foundation for winning culture

ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (9-10) may have fallen just short of a 1A state tournament bid, but for first year Head Coach Lisa Lawrence, it was about establishing a new culture.

From underdogs to contenders

Wahluke girls soccer sees a culture shift

MATTAWA — After a 7-0 loss in the first round of the 1A state tournament to Seton Catholic, the Wahluke Warriors’ (14-7) season has come to an end. Though a loss is never welcomed with open arms, Head Coach Cele Lopez is still happy with what his team accomplished this season. “I’m just really happy I told the girls yesterday before jumping on the field, ‘We are already winners just by being here,’” Lopez said. Before the season started, Lopez said they had their hands full since they housed a less experienced roster.

Coach reflects on winning season for the Mavericks

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (10-7-1) were eliminated in the first round of the 4A state tournament 8-0 by the Issaquah Eagles. It’s always hard to see a season come to an end, Head Coach Alysha Overland said, but the Mavericks have a lot to be proud of. “This program hasn’t seen state in 10 years now, so the girls battling through everything we’ve faced this season, and getting to that point, I think we’re all just very excited and still proud of the point that they got to,” Overland said. Overland said her players competed well in their game against Issaquah. They were able to hold the Eagles to a 2-0 lead going into halftime. However, in the second half the game escaped the Mavericks as Issaquah put up six goals to seal the win. Overland said the Eagles were a strong team that was well rounded and were efficiently passing the ball.

1B/2B State Volleyball roundup

YAKIMA – Local basin teams, Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors, Lind-Ritzville-Sprague Broncos, and Soap Lake all entered the state tournament this week and competed against fellow 1B and 2B teams across the state. See below the results from the state tournament and some highlights from the tournament.

COLUMN: Is this the year for the Zags?

As the Washington air turns bitter and cold, sports fans will trade in the cold beer, perhaps for a warm cider, as they sit down for the start of the college basketball season. After a second-round exit in the NCAA men's basketball tournament last March, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are poised to bounce back this season.

College football recap – Week 11

MOSES LAKE — As the college football playoff rankings start coming out every Tuesday, teams are starting to battle for a spot in the big dance. However, week 11 proved to be a destructive week for both top Washington football programs.

Leadership, talent drive Mavs to back-to-back state appearances

MOSES LAKE – On Saturday, the Moses Lake Mavericks competed in the 4A state cross country meet. Head Coach Larry Dagnon said he was proud of the effort his runner put forth over the weekend. “We wished we had run faster, obviously, but you could just tell when it was all said and done... that was a fast group of people they were racing with,” Dagnon said.

Basin football roundup – Week 10

MOSES LAKE – Basin football has wrapped up district play, and a few teams are heading to their respective state tournaments. Over the next couple of weeks, they will compete in a series of win or go home games in the pursuit of a state title. See below which teams advanced and their current record.

Soap Lake Salutes Fun Run celebrates veteran contributions

SOAP LAKE — On Saturday, a 2K and 5K fun run was held at Smokiam Park in Soap Lake. The fundraiser event was aimed at raising more awareness around Veterans Day, said event organizer Britton Baker.

Mavs punch ticket to state with district playoff win

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (10-0) defeated the Issaquah Eagles 49-35 at home in the 4A district playoff game to advance to the state tournament. Lineman Theo Kalasountas said it felt good to get a postseason win at home.

Warriors defeated in season finale

MATTAWA – The Wahluke Warriors (2-8) finished their season with a 28-6 loss at home to the Grandview Greyhounds on Thursday. For Keaton Zirker, he was grateful to put on the pads and represent the Warriors one last time.

Longwill’s first year brings culture shift to Jacks football

QUINCY – On Oct. 30, the Quincy Jacks (1-8) finished their season with a loss to the Othello Huskies. Head Coach Seth Longwill still came out proud of the foundation his team built in his first year leading them.

GALLERY: Highlights from Basin sports

MOSES LAKE — The last week of Basin sports saw a lot of stiff competition as district tournament games continue. Here are a few highlights from those games.

Basin soccer roundup Oct. 30 – Nov. 4

MOSES LAKE – District tournaments are well underway as multiple Basin teams are still competing for an opportunity to advance to the state tournament. In the last week some teams have fallen out while others are on the verge of earning a state tourney bid. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.

Soap Lake fun run to support veterans set for Saturday

SOAP LAKE – On Saturday, a 2k and 5k fun run is being held at 10 a.m. at Smokiam Park in Soap Lake. The fundraiser event is aimed at raising more awareness around Veteran’s Day, said event organizer Britton Baker.

COLUMN: Shaheed trade an underrated move

As defensive stars like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were getting traded out of New York, the Seattle Seahawks made an underrated move. They got an absolute speedster, Rashid Shaheed, from the New Orleans Saints for a fourth and fifth round draft pick in 2026.

Wahluke upsets Knights at Royal City

ROYAL CITY — The Wahluke Warriors (12-6) defeated the Royal Knights (13-4) 1-0 on Tuesday after outdueling them in overtime penalty kicks. It was a physical game from the beginning; Warriors Head Coach Cele Lopez said he was proud of the way his players stuck through it.

WA college football recap – Week 10

MOSES LAKE – October football has concluded, and several Washington college football teams are looking to take the next step in the last leg of the season. Some stumbled in week 10 while some get rest up on a bye week. See below how your favorite teams fared over the weekend and their current record.

Basin volleyball roundup Oct. 28 – Nov. 3

MOSES LAKE – The regular season for Basin volleyball has concluded and several teams are neck deep in district tournament competition. With eyes on a state tournament bid, many teams are hoping to peak at the right time. See below where your favorite team stands and their current record.

Lions defeat Eagles to extend win streak to five

MOSES LAKE — On Friday, the Moses Lake Christian Academy/Covenant Christian Lions (7-2) defeated the Soap Lake Eagles (2-6) 53-8 at home. Lions Head Coach Josh Kast said while the offense started hot, he was pleased with how the defense played as well.

Knights defeated in semifinal, hope still alive for state play

NACHES — The Royal Knights (13-4) were defeated 3-0 by the Naches Valley Rangers in the semifinal of the 1A district tournament Saturday. The Rangers captured momentum early and did not let it go.

Basin football roundup – Week 9

MOSES LAKE – Friday was the last day of October football for all and for many Basin teams, the final game of their regular season. As teams gear up for district tournaments, see below where your favorites stand and their current record.

Knights shutout win secures undefeated regular season

ROYAL – On Thursday, the Knights (9-0) football squad followed up the soccer game prior to it with a 76-0 win over the Wapato Wolves. Head Coach Wiley Allred said his players did their jobs to finish the regular season undefeated.

Knights advance in district soccer

ROYAL – The Knights (13-3) defeated Omak 5-0 in the first round of the 1A district tournament on Thursday. Head Coach Jens Jensen said the Knights became dangerous once they settled into the game.

Basin soccer roundup Oct. 23 – Oct. 29

MOSES LAKE – The regular season of Basin soccer has wrapped up, and many local teams are beginning district tournaments. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.

Royal Knights win in 3 sets

ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (8-9) finished their regular season with a 3-0 win over Kiona-Benton on the road. Their win solidified the Knights for a fifth-place tie in the South Central Athletic Conference, Head Coach Lisa Lawrence said.

COLUMN: Seahawks ready for second half of season

As the Seattle Seahawks come out of their bye week, they are 5-2 and tied for second in the NFC West division. With the first half of their season behind them, a lot of questions have been answered.

Jacks eliminated from 2A district tournament

QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (10-7-1) were defeated 2-1 by the Prosser Mustangs and eliminated from the 2A district tournament on Tuesday. Head Coach Jesse Villalobos said the loss was tough because of the potential he saw in his team.

2025 Community Health Partnership Fund award recipients announced

MOSES LAKE – On Oct. 28, Confluence Health and the Wenatchee Valley Medical Group announced in a statement the selection of recipients for the 2025 Community Health Partnership Fund grants.

Basin volleyball roundup Oct. 21 – Oct. 20

MOSES LAKE – The end of Basin volleyball is near, and teams are gearing up for district tournament competition. See below where your favorite team stands and their current record.

College football recap – week 9

MOSES LAKE – It was a strong weekend for Washington college football teams across different levels. All four teams earned convincing wins in week nine.

Royal, Wahluke compete in SCAC League Championship

WALLA WALLA – The Royal Knights and Wahluke Warriors cross country teams travelled to Walla Walla Point Park on Saturday to compete in the South-Central Athletic Conference League Championships. This meet prepared the teams for the coming District 5 1A Championships to qualify for the state meet.