Under The Radar

CWU’s Sani, McDaniels make all-region teams

May 16, 2013

Central Washington’s Kyle Sani and Jill McDaniels received all-region recognition Thursday for their performances on the Wildcats baseball and fastpitch teams, respectively. Sani, a senior …

Three YVCC fastpitchers named all-region; Cox makes all-academic team

May 16, 2013

Yakima Valley’s Kayla Reynolds, Sam Boelter and Kylie Harper have been named to the NWAACC’s East Region fastpitch all-star team. Reynolds, a freshman pitcher from …

Central’s Sani, Ferrell earn GNAC honors

May 14, 2013

Central Washington’s Kyle Sani and Kramer Ferrell were among the top award winners announced Tuesday regarding GNAC baseball. Sani was named the conference’s player of …

Discussing pure shooters with WSU coach Ken Bone

May 10, 2013

Had a fun discussion with Washington State coach Ken Bone, in Selah for a Thursday night Cougar booster function, regarding the best pure shooters we’d …

Jake Nelson takes early lead in CWU QB race

May 9, 2013

Blaine Bennett made clear that he hasn’t decided on a starter, but the Central Washington football coach said earlier this week that Jake Nelson, a …

Big week for YVCC baseball & fastpitch

May 7, 2013

Push has come to shove for the Yakima Valley Community College baseball and fastpitch teams. The baseballers host Spokane for a 1 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday …

Cle Elum’s Bator signs with UW fastpitch

May 3, 2013

What had been expected for months became reality earlier this week when Cle Elum’s Hailey Bator, a sophomore pitcher for the Wenatchee Valley College fastpitch …

Central football scrimmage set for Saturday

May 1, 2013

Central Washington, in its second week of spring football, has scheduled a scrimmage for 10 a.m. Saturday. Coach Blaine Bennett said the event will take …

Surging Yaks host Wenatchee Valley; Central’s title hopes slim

April 30, 2013

Yakima Valley, within a game of the East Region lead with eight to play, takes a four-game winning streak into today’s 1 p.m. doubleheader with …

CWU in solid position for first GNAC baseball, fastpitch tourneys

April 25, 2013

Barring the end of life as we know it, Central Washington will be represented in the first GNAC baseball and fastpitch tournaments next month. The …

Cle Elum’s Bator dominating NWAACC fastpitch

April 24, 2013

No wonder Hailey Bator is headed for the University of Washington fastpitch team. Bator, a sophomore left-handed pitcher who starred for Cle Elum before moving …

Goosebump department: Anthem at Boston Bruins game, young cancer patient’s run to daylight

April 19, 2013

Having clicked on ESPN after getting home from work late Wednesday night, I was moved by a film clip that did not directly involve an …

Yaks, Chukars in showdown Wednesday; CWU’s Garza honored

April 16, 2013

First place will be at stake Wednesday when Yakima Valley and Treasure Valley square off for an East Region baseball doubleheader at Parker Field. First …

Rinta named NAIA national coach of the year

April 11, 2013

Though his season is over, Brandon Rinta is still winning. The former Yakima Valley and Central Washington basketball star, who recently completed his second season …

Ex-Bears coach Drabek joins Hillsboro Hops

April 10, 2013

Some of my favorite memories from 10 years of covering the Bears and the Northwest League came in 2010, when Bob Didier was Yakima’s manager …

Updated NWAACC baseball, fastpitch rankings

April 10, 2013

NWAACC baseball coaches poll: 1, Lower Columbia; 2, Everett; 3, Treasure Valley; 4, Tacoma; 5, Mount Hood; 6, Edmonds; 7, YAKIMA VALLEY; 8, Bellevue. Also …

Another former Yak reaches D-II Final Four

March 29, 2013

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Remember Derrick January? If Western Washington’s men reach the NCAA Division II title game, and the Vikings’ opponent is Metro State of …

Central AD finalists announced; Western men win in Elite Eight

March 28, 2013

Central Washington’s search for an athletic director to succeed the retiring Jack Bishop has been narrowed to five finalists. Still in contention for the job, …

Western women fall in national semis

March 27, 2013

The dream season for Trishi Williams and Western Washington’s women’s basketball team is over. The fifth-ranked Vikings saw their 12-game winning streak and hopes of …

Williams, Western reach NCAA Division II national semis

March 26, 2013

Trishi Williams and the Western Washington women’s basketball team beat Nova Southeastern of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 80-76 in overtime Tuesday to reach the NCAA Division …

Central’s McLaughlin makes all-district 2nd team

March 22, 2013

Central Washington junior Mark McLaughlin was named Friday to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II West all-district second team. A 6-foot-6 guard who …

Rice, Boise State fall in first four

March 20, 2013

Former Yakima Valley Community College coach Leon Rice and his Boise State Broncos saw their season end Wednesday night with an 81-70 loss to La …

Williams, Wilkins help Western’s teams reach Elite Eight

March 20, 2013

If you’re impressed by won-lost records, you’ll be impressed by this: Western Washington’s men and women are a combined 58-5 after Tuesday night, which saw …

Williams, Vikings reach West Region semis

March 16, 2013

Mabton’s Trishi Williams recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds Saturday night as Western Washington pulled away from Academy of Art for a …

Western, SPU roll in D-II West Regionals

March 16, 2013

Top-seeded Western Washington and third-seeded Seattle Pacific both won handily Friday to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Division II West Regional tournament at WWU’s …

Central’s McLaughlin named to all-region 2nd team

March 15, 2013

Mark McLaughlin, Central Washington’s leading scorer this past season, has been named to the Daktronics West Region all-star second team. A 6-foot-6 junior guard, McLaughlin …

L-C State loses in Kansas City; Boise State falls in Mountain West tourney

March 14, 2013

The postseason news for Lewis-Clark State and Boise State has not been good. L-C State’s Warriors, competing in their first NAIA national tournament in Kansas …

Rinta’s Warriors No. 5 seed in NAIA tourney; Rice’s Broncos aim for Big Dance

March 12, 2013

Brandon Rinta’s Lewis-Clark State Warriors have been named the No. 5 seed in the NAIA national tournament that starts Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo. The …

And the NWAACC tournament winners are ... Chemeketa (men) and Lane (women)

March 6, 2013

The NWAACC tournament in Kennewick turned out to be an all-Oregon affair with the Chemeketa (Salem) men and Lane (Eugene) women claiming championships. Chemeketa won …

Rinta’s L-C State squad headed (apparently) for nationals; Rice’s BSU Broncos get 20th win

March 5, 2013

Lewis-Clark State’s men, who won their first 18 games this season under former Yakima Valley and Central Washington standout Brandon Rinta, are headed to the …

Davis grad Starr a GNAC academic all-star

February 28, 2013

Jordan Starr, a Central Washington senior guard and a Davis High School graduate, has made the GNAC basketball academic all-conference team. A physical education and …

YVCC’s Ogbaslassie, Williams earn NWAACC honors; men 6th in newest poll

February 27, 2013

Yakima Valley’s Tomas Ogbaslassie and Angelique Williams have received top honors from the NWAACC this season for their play on the Yaks’ basketball teams. Ogbaslassie, …

YVCC men’s first-round NWAACC opponent is ... Clackamas

February 26, 2013

Yakima Valley’s men will oppose Clackamas in the first round of the NWAACC Tournament on Saturday in Kennewick. The Cougars (16-12), from Oregon City, Ore., …

CWU’s Holtman-Fletcher on NCAA Tribute Team

February 22, 2013

Central Washington fastpitch coach Mallory Holtman-Fletcher has been named to the NCAA Division II’s 40th Anniversary Tribute Team. The team, formed in celebration of D-II’s …

YVCC men’s 1st-round foe not yet determined; Western finally loses

February 22, 2013

Yakima Valley’s men, with their regular season completed, know they will play at 4 p.m. on March 2 in the first round of the NWAACC …

YVCC women, men on SWX tonight

February 22, 2013

Yakima Valley Community College’s women and men will be televised live on SWX tonight for their East Region games at Spokane. Women are scheduled to …

Congrats to Davis girls; options for YVCC men and women; Central hoops update

February 19, 2013

First, heartiest congratulations to Davis’ girls on their CBBN district championship win Saturday night at Moses Lake. Having staffed the Pirates’ semifinal win over Eastmont …

YVCC men ranked 7th in newest poll; Yaks men and women host huge games

February 13, 2013

Yakima Valley’s men are ranked seventh in the newest NWAACC coaches poll, which was released Wednesday. At 17-8, the Yaks trail, in order, Big Bend …

Western men are really, really good; Kudos to Central Washington band; Updated GNAC, NWAACC East standings, schedules

February 12, 2013

Western Washington’s men were obviously extraordinarily good last season. They won the NCAA Division II national championship, after all. But this season’s Vikings, under first-year …

Festivities planned for Feb. 16 at YVCC

February 8, 2013

Saturday, Feb. 19, will be a festive occasion at Yakima Valley Community College’s Sherar Gym. In addition to East Region men’s and women’s basketball games …

Central signs 21 football recruits

February 7, 2013

CENTRAL WASHINGTON 2013 Football Signees (Name, height, weight, position(s), school Nick Aumua, 6-2 1/4, 252, DE, Auburn Mountainview; Bo Banner, 6-2, 215, DL, Sehome; Matt …

Mabton’s Williams named GNAC women’s player of the week

February 5, 2013

The story just keeps getting better. Trishi Williams, the Western Washington women’s basketball standout from Mabton, has been named the GNAC player of the week …

Mabton’s Williams gets triple double for Western’s women

February 3, 2013

Trishi Williams, the senior from Mabton who’s enjoying a standout season for Western Washington’s fifth-ranked women’s basketball team, recorded the third triple double in school …

Welcome back (I hope) NBA; updates on L-C State, Boise State

January 23, 2013

First, I’m hoping the sale of the Sacramento Kings to Chris Hansen’s group and their relocation to Seattle goes through, and that the team will …

Yaks No. 6 in newest NWAACC men’s poll

January 19, 2013

Yakima Valley moved up to sixth in this week’s NWAACC men’s basketball poll. The Yaks, 3-1 in the East Region and 13-5 overall, have scored …

RPI arrives on NWAACC hoops scene

January 17, 2013

RPI, which is short for Ratings Percentage Index, has reached the NWAACC level of basketball. A formula used by the NCAA for selection and seeding …

Updated GNAC, NWAACC East standings, scores schedules

January 15, 2013

GNAC standings — Men (conference, season): Western Washington (5-0, 14-0); Alaska Fairbanks (5-1, 10-4); Seattle Pacific (4-1, 11-2); Alaska Anchorage (3-3, 10-4); Central Washington (3-3, …

History on the line Thursday night when Central visits Western

January 9, 2013

The atmosphere will be electric and history will be on the line Thursday night when Central Washington visits Western Washington for a regionally televised GNAC …

GNAC, NWAACC East Region standings, rankings, schedules

January 8, 2013

GNAC STANDINGS Men (conference, season) — Western Washington (3-0, 12-0), Seattle Pacific (3-1, 10-2), Alaska Fairbanks (3-1, 8-4), Western Oregon (2-1, 7-4), Central Washington (2-2, …

Rinta’s L-C State Warriors are 16-0

January 3, 2013

Brandon Rinta’s second season as head coach of the Lewis-Clark State Warriors could not be going better. Not through 16 games, it couldn’t. The Warriors …