MIKE MAYNARD
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Mavs cheer successful in state competition
BATTLE GROUND — The Moses Lake Mavericks competitive cheer squad took home hardware this year at the state competition in Battle Ground. Head Coach Mikey Carlile called it a great experience for her team, as they capped off another successful season. “We had a great weekend,” she said. “They definitely improved every time that we competed (this season), and they worked really hard on taking the judges feedback and implementing it into our routine. They had a great season.”
Basin boys basketball roundup, Feb. 2 – 7
MOSES LAKE — As the regular season concludes this week, district competition is going to ramp up fast. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record as they head into their final week of regular season competition.
Mavs girls show grit in home loss
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks girls squad (4-16) suffered a 54-34 loss at home to the Eastmont Wildcats. Despite the loss, the players never waned in their effort on the court, Head Coach Matt Strophy said.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Feb. 3 – 7
MOSES LAKE — As we enter the final week of the regular season for most basin girls basketball teams, several are making their final pushes for the postseason while others look to finish strong. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
MLHS boys fend off Eastmont rally
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (13-6) held the Eastmont Wildcats comeback attempt in the second half to win 79-76 Friday. Head Coach Craig Groth said the Wildcats made it tough in the second half, but his guys made enough plays by the end of it.
Roylance signs with Spokane Falls volleyball
MOSES LAKE — Lilliana Roylance is bound for the Northwest Athletic Conference after signing her letter of intent to play volleyball for the Sasquatches at Spokane Falls Community College. Roylance said she was excited for her signing day to arrive.
Tigers victorious as Jacks push them to the limit
QUINCY — As a ruckus crowd packed the gym at Quincy High School as the Ephrata Tigers defeated the Jacks 37-28 on the road in a highly competitive dual that came down to the last match. Tigers Head Coach Joe Knox said he was proud of how his wrestlers competed Thursday.
Tigers defeat Jacks in Battle of the Basin
QUINCY — The Ephrata Tigers overcame the Quincy Jacks in a 38-36 nailbiter dual on the road Thursday. Head Coach Raul Tejeda was proud of his team for pulling out the win despite missing some key wrestlers. “It was tough. We didn't have a full varsity lineup. We threw in some (junior varsity wrestlers) in there, and we honestly didn't think we were going to win. This one is going to be a real tough one to get some points out there, but they came through,” Tejeda said.
MLHS’s Martinez signs with E. Oregon
MOSES LAKE — Mavericks volleyball player Kardyn Martinez signed her letter of intent with Eastern Oregon University to play soccer Thursday after earning recognition on the pitch while playing club soccer. Though it was nerve wracking for the day to arrive, she said, she is excited for what is to come. “There's nothing that can really prepare you for it, but I'm super excited, and I'm super thankful that everybody could be here and support me. It's a huge support system with (the volleyball team), I have everybody's back and they have my back, so it's just really exciting,” Martinez said.
Bierlink drops 64 in double-OT thriller
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (6-15) fell to the Toppenish Wildcats 93-96 in double overtime Tuesday. Despite the loss, Pierce Bierlink put together a historic performance with 64 points. Head Coach Scott Bierlink said the atmosphere in the gym made for a memorable night.
COLUMN: A rare shot at redemption
This might be the most exciting Super Bowl matchup we have seen in a while. The Seattle Seahawks are back in the championship game for the first time since their heartbreaking loss to the New England Patriots in 2015.
Lady Huskies show fight in loss to Ellensburg
“We knew what we were going to have to deal with going into it,” Tovar said. “I thought the girls showed resilience, they kept fighting all the way to the end, and I felt like the second half looked better than the first half. There's some good things to take away from it, but unfortunately these kinds of games show the girls where all that offseason work comes in.”
Huskies boys win nailbiter at home
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (8-12) overcame the Ellensburg Bulldogs 71-68 at home Tuesday night. Head Coach Juan Garcia was proud of how his players battled through adversity. OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies (8-12) overcame the Ellensburg Bulldogs 71-68 at home Tuesday night. Head Coach Juan Garcia was proud of how his players battled through adversity.
Mavericks co-league champions, as Vasquez heads to state
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks (12-3) are the co-Big Nine champions alongside Eastmont in bowling this season. In addition to a league title, Abby Vasquez is heading to the state competition. “It's exciting,” Vasquez said. “As of right now, it's underwhelming almost, because it hasn't set in yet. I'm sure the second I walk into the building, I'm just going to come crashing down.”
Eagles late rally falls short at home
CHENEY — The Eastern Washington Eagles (11-11) fell 71-62 to the Northern Colorado Bears Saturday, despite a late rally in the fourth quarter, according to a statement by EWU Athletics. Head Coach Joddie Gleason said her players showed toughness in the second half, despite the loss.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Jan. 26 – Feb. 2
MOSES LAKE — As the regular season wraps up, local teams are looking to finish strong. In the last week, teams have made progress toward the postseason. See below where your favorite team stands and their current record.
Basin boys basketball roundup, Jan. 27 – Feb. 2
MOSES LAKE — As the regular season wraps up, space in the postseason bracket is getting tighter. Several local teams are making their final pushes for a spot, see below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
Moses Lake Scorpions cheer team earns gold
MOSES LAKE — On Saturday, the Moses Lake Scorpions competed in the Washington Special Olympics district cheer competition where they earned a gold medal in the level one group. Head Coach Kerry Aronsohn said it was great to see Moses Lake host the first ever district competition.
Coyotes 18U hosts Moses Lake Winter Classic
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Coyotes 18U hockey team went 2-1-1 as they hosted the Winter Classic Tournament at the Moses Lake Ice Rink. Head Coach Scott Freidig said the tournament was a success.
Lady Vikings rally in fourth quarter for statement win
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Lady Vikings (21-2) defeated Walla Walla Community College Warriors 60-46 Saturday. With this win, they sit firmly in first place of the Eastern Region of the Northwest Athletic Conference. Head Coach Preston Wilks was ecstatic after the win.
Basin sports schedule, Feb. 2-9
MOSES LAKE — As the conclusion of the regular season nears, teams are starting to push for the best tournament seeding possible in their respective sports. See below where your favorite team is headed next.
Lady Jacks push past Prosser
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks defeated the Prosser Mustangs 58-24 Thursday at home as they try to finish the season strong. Head Coach Mark Kondo said his wrestlers did a good job in their win as they get ready for the postseason.
Jacks boys overcome early deficit to win at home
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks overcame a slow start against the Prosser Mustangs to earn a 40-29 league win at home. Head Coach Breck Webley was happy to his wrestlers come out victorious against a tough opponent.
Kast, Wardenaar lead Royal to win over Wahluke
MATTAWA — The Royal Knights (14-3) defeated the Wahluke Warriors (1-16) 70-22 Tuesday to take another win in the South Central Athletic Conference. Knights Coach Farrah Wardenaar is happy about the momentum her players are building.
Moses Lake Tribe qualifies for AAU state competition
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Tribe’s 6th grade Amateur Athletic Union basketball team has qualified for the state competition. Head Coach Tom Howard is happy with the experience his players are getting this season. “There’re five on five tournaments, and there's so many tournaments nowadays, a lot of them are state qualifiers, and if you get first or second in your grade division, you qualify for state. We've gotten second twice this year, which is awesome for our girls... and it just gives you confidence,” Howard said.
COLUMN: The Lady Vikings are making noise this season
I reluctantly want to call attention to some of the sentiments I heard about Big Bend Community College athletics when I first arrived in the Basin in the summer. I was told not to expect much out of them, and winning does not tend to be a thing for the Vikings.
Knights defeat Wahluke, extend win streak to four
MATTAWA — The Royal Knights (14-2) defeated the Wahluke Warriors (8-9) 76-43 Tuesday as they took another step toward top seeding in the South Central Athletic Conference. Head Coach Tim Ravet was happy with how his team passed the ball.
Decubber signs to Walla Walla CC
MOSES LAKE — Caitlin Decubber was all-smiles Tuesday as she signed her letter of intent to officially become the newest member of the Walla Walla Community College Warriors. She is continuing her career as a dual-sport athlete as she will play for the volleyball and softball teams.
Coyotes 14U go undefeated in Spokane tourney
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Coyotes 14U hockey team swept the competition 5-0 over the weekend to win the Frozen Face Off in Spokane. Despite a delayed start to their season, Head Coach Dan Niehenke was proud of how hard his team played.
Basin boys basketball roundup, Jan. 19 – 24
MOSES LAKE — The competition across the Basin is heating up as boys basketball can see the end of the regular season on the horizon. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Jan. 19 – 24
MOSES LAKE — As teams enter the final stretch of the regular season, not only are teams taking time to recognize their seniors, but many are battling for top seeding in their conferences. See below where your favorite teams stand and their current record.
Lady Vikings defend home court, sit atop East region
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings (19-2) defeated the Blue Mountain Community College Timberwolves 81-29 Saturday. Head Coach Preston Wilks said his players maintained their standard of play.
Quincy boys defeat Ephrata, 72-39
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (5-13) kept their postseason hopes alive after defeating the Ephrata Tigers (3-13) 72-39 Friday. Quincy Head Coach Scott Bierlink was proud of how his players came out energetic.
Jacks’ strong first half leads to victory over Tigers
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (4-13) defended home court after they defeated the Ephrata Tigers (2-14) 59-32 Friday. Head Coach Johan Farias was jovial to see his players earn a win over their rivals. “I feel excited, it's always great to go out there against your rivals and win like that, especially with the packed house. This was awesome for the girls,” Farias said.
Armendariz celebrates 100th win on senior night
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks girls wrestling squad defeated the Davis Pirates 54-22 Thursday while also taking the opportunity to celebrate Elyssa Armendariz for surpassing 100 match wins at Moses Lake.
Energetic start leads Mavs to victory on senior night
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks defeated the Davis Pirates 47-24 Thursday in their final home meet of the season. Head Coach Jose Tanguma was happy to see his seniors recognized before the dual began.
Wildcats baseball fourth in preseason poll
ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Wildcats baseball squad was ranked fourth in the Greater Northwest Conference preseason poll Thursday, according to statement by GNAC.
Broncos defeated in final home duel
RITZVILLE — The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Broncos fell to the Colfax Bulldogs 53-24 Wednesday. Despite the loss, Head Coach Jason Hilzer felt his wrestlers still competed hard.
COLUMN: Is Kenneth Walker ready to step up?
This Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks face their toughest test in the playoffs when they host the Los Angeles Rams. One of the major storylines heading into this matchup is running back Zach Charbonnet being ruled out, leaving Kenneth Walker to carry the load. Which raises the question, is he capable? In the modern world of the NFL, a lot of coaches preach the imperativeness of the run game. When effective, it can open up other strategies on offense, like play action. Passing lanes open up as defenses have to show respect to the threat in the backfield.
Huskies defeat Jacks in dual meet
OTHELLO — The Othello Huskies boys and girls wrestling were victorious over the Quincy Jacks Tuesday. The boys won 43-31 while the girls won 52-21 as they push into the latter half of the regular season. “We're getting better on our feet,” Othello Girls Head Coach Sammy Rocha said. “One of the problems that we've had the last couple of weeks is (that) we're not attacking on our feet. We're playing too much defense. We're scoring okay on defense, but we're trying to get to the postseason when we're the first ones to score.” Both teams took to the mats simultaneously for a dual meet Tuesday. Both Huskie teams jumped out to a lead early and did not let up throughout the night. The boys were first to secure the team win.
Bierlink hits 2K points, as Jacks overcome Huskies
QUINCY — The Quincy Jacks (4-13) defeated the Othello Huskies (6-10) 77-52 Saturday as Pierce Bierlink hit 2,000 career points. “He's probably one of my hardest working players I've ever coached, and he's just a gym rat, he loves getting in there. I think he knew coming into the season that he's capable of scoring big points,” Head Coach Scott Bierlink said.
Men’s college basketball recap
MOSES LAKE — With each passing day, March hoops draws nearer. As Washington men's basketball teams start to make their push toward the postseason, see below how they have fared and where they stand. Gonzaga (19-1) The Zags are on a roll, winning their 12th straight game Saturday against Seattle University. Mario Saint-Supéry finished with 20 points, Jalen Warley scored 14 and Davis Fogle put up 13. The Bulldogs out-rebounded Seattle 44-24 as they sealed a 71-50 win. The Bulldogs are currently ranked as the eighth-best team in the nation, according to the Associated Press rankings. On average, the Zags’ best scorers have been Graham Ike with 18 per game and Braden Huff with 17 per game. Ike also averages eight rebounds per game, which leads the team this season.
Basin girls basketball roundup, Jan. 13 – 19
MOSES LAKE — Girls hoops has wrapped another week of competition as we surpass the halfway mark of the regular season. See below where your favorite teams stand and there current records.
Mavs unified hoops take the court
MOSES LAKE — Unified basketball is underway for the Mavericks as they faced the Othello Huskies Jan. 14, where Othello won 62-40. While in most sports winning is the key goal, for the Mavs and Huskies, it’s about having fun, Moses Lake High School Head Coach Sara White said.
Basin boys basketball roundup, Jan. 13 – 19
MOSES LAKE — High school hoops are well underway as local teams hit the hardwood last week. Several were tested on the road as they push further into league competition. Check below to see where your favorite teams stand and their current records.
Eagles defense earns statement win on the road
POCATELLO, IDAHO — The Eastern Washington Eagles (4-14, 2-3) defeated the Idaho State Bengals 84-66 on the road Saturday. Associate Head Coach Ryan Lundgren was proud of how the Eagles played from tip-off. “The key to this one was we came out very aggressive,” Lundgren said. “We knew they were a very aggressive team, and I thought we hit them with the first punch. They didn’t react very well there in the first half.” Isaiah Moses had a game-high 22 points. Alton Hamilton IV followed with 15 points and a team-best nine rebounds, while Kiree Huie and Johnny Radford each added 12. JoJo Anderson rounded out the scoring in double figures with 11 points, and Huie anchored the defense with three blocks.
Knights lose on buzzer beater at home
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-2) were defeated 88-84 by the Zillah Leopards after a buzzer beater three that also drew a foul. Despite the loss, Head Coach Tim Ravet said it was important his players experience a competitive game like this. “It was a good fight,” Ravet said. “It's games (like that) you got to play in that if you want to do something special at the end of the season, you got to have games like that. Obviously, we probably learned more from a loss than a win.”
Knights fall short at home
ROYAL CITY — The Royal Knights (11-3) were defeated 60-42 by the Zillah Leopards in Royal City Friday. Despite the loss, Head Coach Farrah Wardenaar said they know they can compete with them. “They're a good team; the thing we need to focus on is that we can play with them. We need to change a few things, do a few things better, keep people out of foul trouble and we can hang with that team,” Wardenaar said.
Tigers rally from deficit to defeat Selah
EPHRATA — The Ephrata Tigers defeated the Selah Vikings 51-30 on the road Thursday. Head Coach Raul Tejeda said the Vikings brought a tougher challenge to the Tigers this year. “First few matches (we) were kind of like, ‘This is going to be a tough duel.’ And it was, but we're pretty stacked on the middle weight to the heavyweight (classes). So that was kind of a sudden relief, but yeah, they're getting better and it was a good duel,” Tejeda said.
Lady Vikings sit atop region after win over Spokane
MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Vikings (17-1) extended their win streak to eight after defeating the Spokane Sasquatch 74-43 Wednesday in Moses Lake. Despite a lull in the third quarter, Head Coach Preston Wilks said the team performed really well. “We ended the game on a real positive note, which is always good, because that can carry over to the next game, and our next game is super important,” Wilks said.