MIKE MAYNARD
Recent Stories
COLUMN: Welcome home Eugenio Suarez
On July 31, the Seattle Mariners went all in on their season by trading for Eugenio Suarez. The Mariners are having an impressive season. Currently, they’re fifth in the American League, and the game differential between the teams above them is not far apart. If a few games go their way, they could be sitting in the top three.
Meagan Karstetter ready to compete in senior season
MOSES LAKE — For Meagan Karstetter, the Carroll College 2025-26 women's basketball season will not be taken for granted. In her first three seasons with the Fighting Saints, she had to fight for her spot each year – but she would not change a thing. “I'm feeling like it's going to go fast," Karstetter said. “I got to make the most of it, but we brought some new transfers in. I think we'll end up back in Sioux City."
Washington athletes nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year award
MOSES LAKE – On July 30, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced eight conference athletes were nominated for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year award. Four nominees are from Washington schools, according to a statement by GNAC. One nominee being Sunny Huerta from Central Washington. “I'm so happy for Sunny to be nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year,” Central Washington Head Women’s Basketball Coach Randi Richardson said. “During her time here at (Central Washington University) she has worked incredibly hard in the classroom and on the court to achieve all that she has been able to achieve. She has always embodied all the qualities of someone wearing a Wildcat uniform we could ever want.”
Allison Stanley ready to be a Knight
MOSES LAKE – For Allison Stanley, sports have been a part of her life ever since she could walk, she said. She played every sport one could think of. Even dirt bike racing, but she wound up falling in love with softball, she said. “It was just the competitiveness, and you had to fight for everything. It wasn't just handed to you. You had to win every at-bat, and just that competitive edge that I always got from softball and how I'm always chasing to be better,” Stanley said.
Basin athletes compete at Battle on the Columbia
KENNEWICK — On Saturday, students at Freewind Martial Arts Studio traveled to Kennewick for the Battle on the Columbia tournament. According to Brandi Guertin, manager and instructor at Freewind, tournaments like these help gauge progress. “Proud of everybody that showed up and competed,” Brandi said. “Martial arts is an ever-learning, evolving art and when we go to tournaments, we get to see what some of the other arts have to offer in their style of performance, and sometimes we can identify where a tool or a technique might work well with something that we do as well.”
BBCC volleyball coach starts tenure with tradition
MOSES LAKE – Last week, Vikings volleyball held an annual camp for local volleyball players ranging from third grade to the 12th grade. This year's camp was led by new head coach Lindsey Linthicum, who thought starting with tradition was a great way to kickstart a new era. “I knew that there was a camp that the previous coach and other previous coaches had always put on (camps) at the end of July. So, I just figured, ‘You know what? Let's just keep the tradition rolling.’ That's something that I'm big on. I came here 15 years ago to play and fell in love with this place,” Linthicum said.
Jacks softball alum, Morris, moving forward
QUINCY – This fall, former Jacks softball player Emilee Morris will be attending Saint Martin University to play for the Saints. Her journey to Lacey, Washington, was not a linear path. After walking away from Lamar Community College, she was content never playing again, she said. “It was just like a whole wave of just anger where I just like, I threw away all my cleats, I threw away a bunch of stuff, and I was kind of just like, I'm okay with never playing again,” Morris said.
Freewind martial artists compete in Kennewick
KENNEWICK – On Saturday, Freewind Martial Arts studio traveled to Kennewick for the Battle on the Columbia tournament. Several students represented Freewind throughout the day in sparring, weapons and stick sparring competitions. Full coverage of Freewind’s performance in the tournament will be in Tuesday’s edition of the paper.
Knights’ Brown eager to hit the pitch for the Huskies
ROYAL CITY – On May 28, Knights soccer player, Anderson Brown, announced his commitment to play for the University of Washington’s soccer program. According to Brown, he is glad to finally put this decision behind him. “It was a long decision, but (I feel) little sense of relief, but also some hunger, too, to get ready to be at the division one level,” Brown said.
COLUMN: Must win weeks for the Seahawks
As the NFL preseason kicks off August 7, it’s time to think about every possible outcome for our favorite teams. For some teams, assessing the most important games or points of the season can be quite easy. As a lifelong Bengals fan, it's weeks one and two. The last few years, they have started 0-2 and it’s been the ultimate momentum killer for them, coupled with injuries and team drama. However, what about the Seahawks? Where do they need to be successful the most throughout this season in order to secure their spot in the playoffs next January?
Moses Lake athletes hit national track competition
MOSES LAKE – Last week, three athletes from Moses Lake Athletics Club competed in the USA Track and Field Nationals event. Brody Baker, Jaedynn Dietmeyer and Liam O’Shea traveled to Savannah, Georgia from July 21 to July 27. Looking back, Dietmeyer called it a great experience.
Sanchez ready for her new home
ROYAL CITY — A recent graduate from the Knights softball program is ready for the next step in her athletic journey. Madison Sanchez is making the move from Walla Walla to Whitworth this fall. “I wasn't sure if I wanted to play on and I wasn't sure if I wanted to just go to school, but I took a tour of the college with some of the players, and I got a really good insight into the team that they have ... it was awesome to watch how they all worked together and just how they all communicated like they were one big family,” Sanchez said.
Jacks summer baseball returns
QUINCY – Earlier this month, the Quincy Jackrabbits completed their first season of summer baseball since before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Cami Kukes, after the Jacks moved to the Central Washington Athletic Conference, she noticed a void for summer baseball opportunities in the area.
Sixers 14U season concludes with championship appearance
ELLENSBURG — The Central Washington Sixers 14U baseball team (24-14-2) concluded their season in the Bullpen Series: Season Finale tournament Sunday. According to head coach Ray Lopez, his players left it all on the field.
Sixers 14U rake in two solid wins in Saturday play
ELLENSBURG – On Saturday, the Central Washington Sixers 14U began their final tournament of their summer season. They went 2-0 in their two games Saturday. Head coach Ray Lopez had praise for one of his players' efforts. “Our first game kind of started off a little slow there, but we put some bats together. Drake Hansen started off for us, and got a triple in there, cleared the bases, so that kind of set the momentum,” Lopez said.
Moses Lake BMX receiving track upgrades
MOSES LAKE – On Wednesday, Moses Lake BMX announced on their Facebook page they were making changes to their track. According to track operator Jeff Niehenke, they are adding a patio cover to the snack shack and ADA sidewalks. “Having this has always been the vision for the facility,” Niehenke said. “All the other tracks in the state have concessions. We're trying to take it a step above and put it in some shade and paved sidewalks and patio. So, it's really going to make the facility look a lot nicer and just add so much more atmosphere to the facility, where people want to come and hang out in the evenings and race and grab some food.”
Eagles volleyball earns team academic award
CHENEY – On Monday, Eastern Washington University athletics announced the volleyball team received the American Volleyball Coaches Associations team academic award. According to their statement, they also received the AVCA team academic honor roll distinction.
Wildcats selected to finish second in preseason poll
ELLENSBURG – On Thursday, the Central Washington Wildcats were selected to finish second in the Lone Star Conference, according to a statement by CWU athletics. The 2025 preseason poll also indicated the Wildcats received four first-place votes. “It's an honor that the schools in the LSC think that highly of us,” CWU Head Football Coach Chris Fisk said.
The Mariners need to seize the moment
Whenever a trade deadline rolls around, it’s always a great opportunity to assess your favorite team’s production. For the Seattle Mariners, they sit right on the fence of opportunity. Depending on what moves they make before the trade deadline on July 31, they could go from just being a playoff hopeful, to a World Series contender. Their success this season cannot be denied.
Legion A Warriors playoff run ends in Medical Lake
COULEE CITY – The ACH Legion A Warriors ended their season July 20 after a competitive 8-13 loss against the Medical Lake Dirt Dawgs. Despite the loss, head coach Hunter Lee was happy for his players to get the experience of playoff baseball. “It was a great experience for our guys to be able to play in a playoff type format, and in a bunch of games and not a lot of days, lots of guys got to pitch, played a ton of baseball and close games for all of them. It was a great experience for us,” he said.
Mavericks Eli Anderson competes at Fargo National Championship
MOSES LAKE — On July 14, Mavericks boys wrestler Eli Anderson competed in the Fargo National Championship in Fargo, North Dakota. While he did not get the outcome he hoped for, Anderson feels like it was a valuable experience. “The tournament itself was really big, and there was a lot of good talent there from across the nation, and so I felt like just being there was really special and unique. I learned a lot as well,” Anderson said.
Sixers 14U fall in Meltdown championship
MOSES LAKE — Last weekend, Central Washington Sixers 14U baseball competed in the Moses Lake Meltdown tournament. Despite falling short in the championship game, head coach Rey Lopez said his players played some of their best baseball all summer. “We lost the championship game, but it was probably one of our best games of the season,” he said. “Overall, I was really pleased with everyone's performance. You know, they didn't give up. They played really hard ... the boys improved individually, and it showed; they played with heart.”
Kicking it in McCosh Park
MOSES LAKE — On Friday, Freewind Martial Arts held the third and final seminar of a three-part series in McCosh Park. According to Freewind Manager and Assistant Instructor Brandi Guertin, the seminars were a success. “I'm really happy about the success. Everybody that came got more than what we had anticipated them getting out of it, to witness the growth and the confidence; that's why we do this,” she said.
Montemayor closing chapter at Othello
OTHELLO – When Jordan Montemayor looks back at his baseball career at Othello High School, he said he wouldn't change a thing. “It's crazy that it's over. It went by in a heartbeat, but I had a lot of fun, and I wouldn't change anything if I went back. I would do it all the same way again,” he said.
Freewind martial arts hosts weapons Wednesday seminar
MOSES LAKE – On Wednesday, Freewind Martial Arts hosted the second of three seminars with Weapons Wednesday. Attendees were led by instructor Jacob Guertin through various movements with wooden sticks. Guertin said he was happy with the turnout and teaching kids something new. “Everybody got (to learn) something new, even if they had prior experience. For those that haven't done martial arts in the past, I feel like it was a good introduction to weapons,” he said.
Legion A splits doubleheader in playoffs
HARTLINE – On Wednesday, the ACH Legion A Warriors hosted the first round of their playoffs in Hartline. They split their doubleheader against the Trail Orioles A and the Cheney Summer Hawks A teams. Head coach Hunter Lee said he was proud of how his team rallied. “We got the job done. We want at least one (win), so we get to advance to the knockout round this weekend, but we definitely have to limit the walks and hits by pitches,” Lee said.
Nesmith wins state championship at veterans golf tournament
MOSES LAKE – On Sunday, Nick Nesmith, Moses Lake, competed in the Veteran Golfers Association’s state championship and won to qualify for the West Region Championship in August. According to Nesmith, he won by eight strokes. “When I looked at the score sheet on my 18th hole, I saw that I had won by eight strokes, and the next thing I got was a text message from my wife telling me ‘Congratulations,’” he said.
Big shoes to fill in Tigers softball
EPHRATA – With the recent retirement of Ephrata softball head coach Heather Wood, the program will have to look for a new head coach for the first time since 2002. According to athletic director Bryan Johnson, the new coach will have big shoes to fill. “Heather has done a lot over the years for the softball program and just created a really positive and competitive culture, that won't be easy to replace,” Johnson said.
ACH American Legion 18U ready for playoffs
COULEE CITY – The ACH American Legion 18U baseball team concluded a successful weekend of competition. Across two doubleheaders and a single game on Sunday, American Legion went 4-1. Head coach Mike Correia said he is pleased with his team battling injury bugs. “The fact that we got through three double headers and then another single on Sunday last week, with really six guys that have a lot of pitching experience, and then we had to put in some guys that didn't have a lot of pitching experience, I'm pretty happy with it,” Correia said.
Sixers 14U come up short in Sunday action
ELLENSBURG – On Sunday, the Central Washington Sixers 14U baseball team were defeated in the championship round of the Clash of Kittitas tournament. They fell to the Spokane Expos with a final score of 8-11. Baseball is a game of inches, according to head coach Rey Lopez. “Really proud of the boys who worked really hard,” Lopez said. “It is disappointing as a coach, just because the time and the effort that the boys put in, and they were looking forward to going in and winning the championship game.”
ACH Legion A secures fourth place in league
COULEE CITY – On Sunday, the ACH Legion A baseball team swept the North Idaho Lakers in a doubleheader in Sandpoint, Idaho. With their two wins, they secured fourth place in their league. “It was great,” Head Coach Hunter Lee said. “It was exactly what we needed to do with those two wins. We clinched fourth place in our league, which means that we get to host this upcoming Wednesday. So it was, it was a really big result for us.”
Freewind martial arts holding seminars
MOSES LAKE – On Monday, Freewind Martial Arts hosted a seminar for community members. One of three this week, Monday’s seminar was called Mat Monday. According to instructor Jacob Guertin, the goal was for people to take something from the seminar even if they do not sign up for classes. “I want to benefit people as a whole. If someone walks into a seminar and they learn something, then I've accomplished something, I want them to take something, no matter how small, for the rest of their life,” he said.
Huskies’ Ozuna ready for Big Bend baseball
OTHELLO – In the top of the fifth inning of the regional game of the Othello Huskies versus WF West Kal El Ozuna made a play he said he will never forget. Two Huskies inch away from second and third base as he steps up to bat. “We were down five to zero to start the game out, and we just kept clawing our way back,” he said.
Sixers 14U tie, win in Saturday play
ELLENSBURG – The Central Washington Sixers 14U baseball team played two games in the Clash of Kittitas tournament Saturday. They tied in their first game and took home a win in their second. Center fielder and pitcher, Cash Curtis said they had to wake up in the first game. “The first game was really bad. Nobody was awake. We woke up in the second half of the first game and we just carried the energy to the second game,” he said.
ACH Legion A splits Tuesday doubleheader
COULEE CITY — The ACH Legion A baseball team split its doubleheader Tuesday against the Tri-County North Stars A and Cheney Summer Hawks teams. They were defeated 7-3 by the North Stars but bounced back and ended Tuesday with a 12-11 win over the Hawks. “The first one was pretty competitive, and then the second one, we won on a walk off,” head coach Hunter Lee said. “So that was a fun experience. It was a little bit closer than we would have liked, but it was good to come out with a win.”
Sixers 18U falls to Moundtime 18U on Thursday
MOSES LAKE — On Thursday, the Central Washington Sixers 18U baseball team traveled to Puyallup to play the Moundtime 18U team. They lost control of the game early and were defeated with a final score of 8-0. “Today's game didn't go so well,” Sixers head coach Jason Laugen said. “Pitching just didn't perform, and we had a hard time hitting the baseball as well. So, all around it wasn't a great effort on the day.”
Local BMX rider heading to world championships in Denmark
MOSES LAKE – Alli Kay Tatum started riding dirt bikes in 2021 when she was 12-years-old. Four years later, she is going the UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. “It was just surreal, it finally happened. I never thought it would happen, but I was just really excited,” she said.
COLUMN: Name, image and likeness is good for college sports, just mismanaged
In the last few years of collegiate sports, we have seen name, image and likeness, NIL, completely flip the sports world on its head. Many fans across social media and in discussions have made claims that it has ruined the sports they love.
Hofheins ready to join the Pirates next spring
MOSES LAKE — Being a dual-sport athlete is no easy task, but Raegen Hofheins has done it her whole life. In fact, she had trouble narrowing down to two sports when she got to Moses Lake High School. “I have always been a pretty active person. When I was little, I played probably five sports at a time, and once I hit middle school, going into high school, I had to decide on which ones were my favorites, and I have played softball since I was 4 years old,” Hofheins said. Hofheins also opted to keep up with volleyball during her time at Moses Lake.
Thomas ready for new beginnings at Eastern
MOSES LAKE – Growing up, Kyson Thomas was more of a basketball fan than football. It was not until he reached Moses Lake High School that he developed a deeper passion for football, he said. “I really didn't plan on playing football. I played my freshman year on the freshman team. Then going into my sophomore year, I was actually just going to stop playing in general, but (Moses Lake) got a new head coach (Brett Jay), and then also hired my dad. So, I kept playing, and then it just took off from there,” he said.
Othello's Coronado ready for junior year at CWU
OTHELLO – Ever since she was little, Annalee Coronado has loved the game of basketball. She has dedicated most of her youth to training and developing as a player to reach the collegiate level. “My sister had a good group of girls growing up that she played with and that’s what drew me to it. I saw my big sister doing it. My dad pushed me to do it, and I started when I was in second grade,” she said.
Texas State joins cougs in Pac-12 conference
SAN MARCOS, Texas – On Monday, the Pac-12 conference announced that the Texas State Bobcats are joining the Pac-12 conference, beginning in the 2026 season. They will be the conference’s ninth team. “We are extremely excited to welcome Texas State as a foundational member of the new Pac-12," said Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould. “It is a new day in college sports and the most opportune time to launch a new league that is positioned to succeed in today's landscape with student-athletes in mind.”
AG World raises $80,000 in annual golf classic
MOSES LAKE – On Thursday June 5, AG World hosted its 12th annual golf classic at the Links at Moses Pointe where they raised money for the Ronald McDonald house in Spokane. Event organizer and AG World CEO, Bryan Henninger, said the event was a success. “We had a good turnout here at Moses Pointe. We were close to capacity,” Henninger said. “It was a good day, and we do things a little different. We've got lots of activities and fun stuff on the course, including some food on the course. So, we try and keep it upbeat and a little different than your normal golf events.”
Darnold could revive the Seahawks
MOSES LAKE – As we creep closer to the start of the NFL season, fans across the league will be clamoring to see how their team’s retooled rosters will fare against the competition. One player that will be viewed under a microscope by fans this season is Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold had been labeled a draft bust after failing to live up to the expectations of the New York Jets. After short stints with the Panthers and 49ers, Darnold signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Up until that point, he had never thrown more than 19 touchdowns in a season.
Soap Lake 3-on-3 tournament coming Saturday
SOAP LAKE — The second annual Soap Lake Prevention Coalition 3-on-3 basketball tournament will tip off Saturday morning to raise awareness of vaping, according to Katy Buchanan of the Youth Empowerment Project. “The Prevention Coalition is about bringing organizations together in the community that help give kids positive activities to do so they don't get involved in drugs,” Buchanan said.
Futsal courts open at kiwanis park in Othello
OTHELLO – On Tuesday, the Othello Parks and Recreation held a ribbon cutting for their new futsal courts at Kiwanis Park. Othello Parks and Recreation Coordinator Valerie Hernandez said the event was special for the Othello community. “Today is more than a ribbon cutting. It is a celebration of community collaboration and shared commitment to recreation and youth development,’ she said.
Sixer 18U complete another busy weekend
MOSES LAKE – Over the weekend, the Central Washington Sixers 18U team went 3-1 across four games. Head coach Jason Laugen was pleased with what he saw from his team over the weekend. “Overall, we played pretty well. We were in an 18U tournament. We're a team of a bunch of 16- and 17-year-olds, and so we're playing up a little bit, and the kids played really well,” he said.
Warden wrestling hosts annual golf fundraiser
WARDEN — On Saturday, the Warden High School wrestling program held its annual golf fundraiser at Sage Hills Golf Course. According to Warden assistant wrestling coach Alan Martinez, they exceeded last year’s total of $14,000 by raising roughly $16,000 this year. “Our head coach, Johnny Hernandez, says all the time, we have one of the best communities around,” Martinez said. “For whatever reason, there’s a lot of love for this program. There’s a lot of history, and our alumni always come by, and they show out and they take care of us, and then our kids and our future kids who are coming to the program get to benefit from that.” Tee off was at 9 a.m. Saturday and the weather was suitable for golfing with clear skies and reasonably warm weather. According to Martinez, the turnout hit maximum capacity to the point they had to borrow carts from other businesses ahead of time.
Jessie Young all-in at Freewind Martial Arts
MOSES LAKE – According to Jessie Young, martial arts was not something she thought she would take interest in. However, after giving Freewind Martial Arts a few tries, she was all in. “After the first lesson, I was totally hooked. I was not ready for it; I could not do push-ups or sit-ups or run around the mat like everybody else, but I absolutely fell in love with it.
Swinging to support Cougars hitting the mat
WARDEN – On Saturday, the Warden wrestling program put together their annual golf tournament to raise money for their program. They hope to continue using the money raised at this event for opportunities in their program and to help their athletes. The event saw high turnout, and full coverage of the event will be in the Tuesday edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.