1st WA state polls for baseball, softball reveal strong Tri-Cities teams for 2024 season
Scorebook Live Washington released its state high school baseball preseason poll last week, and there are plenty of Mid-Columbia teams on the list — including defending state champion Tri-Cities Prep (Class 2B) and Liberty Christian (1B) both getting the nods at No. 1.
But more on them later.
Here are the highlights, in order of classification: Class 4A — 1. Puyallup; 3. Richland; 7. Kamiakin.
Class 3A — 1. West Seattle; 5, Kennewick.
Class 2A — 1. Tumwater.
Class 1A — 1. Cedar Park Christian.
Class 2B — 1. Tri-Cities Prep; 7, River View.
Class 1B — 1. Liberty Christian; 2, DeSales; 8, Sunnyside Christian; 10, Touchet.
There are a couple of big matchups this week.
On Tuesday, Richland visits Kennewick at 5 p.m. at Roy Johnson Field, as Mid-Columbia Conference play begins.
Both Richland and Kennewick are loaded again.
All-MCC standouts for the Lions include Leyton Lind at pitcher, third baseman Connor Salsbury, shortstop Dane Chavez, and catcher-outfielder Dane McClure.
Outfielder Dylin McIntyre moved over to track and field as he prepares to play football this coming fall at Idaho; while pitcher-first baseman Ambrose Driver is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered last November as Kennewick’s football quarterback. Driver has already signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Columbia Basin College.
Richland, meanwhile, has a few standouts too.
Dallas Bennett was a first-team all-MCC pitcher last season, while second baseman John Corbin and outfielder John Simons are solid. Chris Daniels, a third baseman, has already signed a letter of intent to play at New Mexico State next year.
The other key matchup pits River View visiting Tri-Cities Prep in an EWAC 2B doubleheader that starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Last year, Prep and River View were two of the state’s top 2B teams.
Expect more of that this year.
Prep softball
Who has to be the favorite when it comes to state high school softball this spring?
Well in 1B, it has to be Richland’s Liberty Christian — the two-time defending state champions.
Patriots coach Edgar Rogel’s team went a perfect 25-0 last season (46-2 in the past two years), and he has his 1-2 punch of standout pitchers —senior Hannah Butcher and sophomore Bella Rogel — back. In fact, almost everyone returns.
Scorebook Live Washington also believes LC is the team to beat, picking them No. 1 in the 1B preseason rankings.
Butcher, by the way, has already committed to playing next year at Arizona Christian University.
Here is a look at the highlights of SB Live WA’s first batch of state high school softball rankings by classification: Class 4A — 1, Jackson (Everett); 3, Richland.
Class 3A — 1, Snohomish; Received votes, Walla Walla and Kennewick.
Class 2A — 1, North Kitsap; 3, Othello.
Class 1A — 1, Montesano; 2, Royal; Received votes, Kiona-Benton.
Class 2B — 1, Ocosta; 6, Warden.
Class 1B — Liberty Christian; 3, DeSales; 6, Sunnyside Christian.
Women’s basketball
Junior MeiLani McBee (Kennewick) has been one of the University of Hawaii women’s basketball starters all season.
The Rainbow Wahine are 20-9, and finished 17-3 in Big West Conference regular-season play to win the championship.
McBee started all 29 games and averaged 8.1 points.
In Hawaii’s 85-48 CSU Bakersfield win in its regular-season finale on March 8, McBee scored 9 points on 3-for-5 shooting from the 3-point line. She also had 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Hawaii will be playing in the Women’s NIT this week.
▪ Sophomore Iliana Moran (Hanford) started in 18 games for the Rocky Mountain College women’s basketball team, which finished with a 16-13 record this season.
Moran averaged 10.0 points a game, and had 53 assists.
▪ Freshman Leanna Lepe (Kamiakin) was the scoring leader this season for the 10-15 Blue Mountain Community College women’s basketball team, averaging 11.6 points a game. Lepe also has a team-best 2.7 steals a game.
Signing
Richland senior Nathan McClelland signed a letter of intent earlier this month to play for the College of Idaho’s football team this coming fall.
McClelland was a first-team Mid-Columbia Conference offensive lineman last fall for the Bombers. He’s 6-foot-5, 240 pounds.
Boys basketball
Prosser junior Koby McClure was named the MVP by the 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference boys basketball coaches for the regular season recently.
Grandview’s Frankie Medina, who led his team to a second-place finish earlier this month at the 2A state basketball tournament, was named CWAC Coach of the Year.
Joining Koby McClure on the CWAC first team is his brother, senior Kory McClure; as well as Grandview juniors Marcelino Armendariz and Cameron Draculan.
Men’s basketball
Junior Amar Rivers, who played two seasons at Columbia Basin College, averaged 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds for the Western Colorado University’s men’s basketball team this season.
Rivers led the 11-17 Mountaineers in assists with 54, and in blocked shots with 20.
Teammate Spencer Wright (Walla Walla Community College), a junior, averaged 4.0 points this season.
Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.
