West Valley gets opt-up extension

YAKIMA, Wash. — Tuesday’s deadline turned into more time for West Valley and its decision whether or not it will continue to opt up from Class 2A to 3A for the next classification cycle starting in the fall.

Faced with potential upheaval in the Columbia Basin Big Nine Conference, West Valley requested more time from the WIAA to consider its decision and it was granted into next month sometime before the Executive Board meets Jan. 22-23.

While the West Valley School Board voted in October to stay 3A, that decision was made with the expectation that the CBBN would maintain its current structure of 4A and 3A divisions.

Then, last Thursday and less than a week before the WIAA’s deadline for opt-up declarations, the CBBN’s 15 principals voted 8-7 to form North and South divisions next year.

School districts in the Tri-Cities pressed for the new alignment to reduce travel costs and student time out of class. The vote was split directly along the proposed division lines — Richland, Hanford, Chiawana, Pasco, Kennewick, Kamiakin, Southridge and Walla Walla in the South and Eastmont, Wenatchee, Davis, Eisenhower, West Valley, Moses Lake and Sunnyside in the North.

Such a realignment is now under dispute by the schools in the North, and thus West Valley made the request for an extension on its opt-up decision.

“We’d like the process (of the dispute) to hash itself out so we can see where we are,” West Valley athletic director Joe Coscarart said. “We’re not impacting any other schools, bumping them up or down, in asking for more time. We need to see where this goes.”

Schools in the North have two overriding issues: 1) one division deciding on its own to benefit itself while burdening the other with nearly all the conference’s travel cost, and, 2) the principals’ vote did not meet the conference’s by-laws of requiring a super majority for such a divisional shift. That would require 12 yes votes.

Some fear if the South holds fast to its intent, it could lead to secession from the CBBN and the creation of two leagues.

Sunnyside athletic director Bill Daley said Tuesday he will submit a letter to the YVIAA requesting that the District 5 Executive Board add the issue to its agenda for a regularly scheduled Jan. 4 meeting.

“Our hope is that the superintendents would be invited in and the dispute heard, opening up a conversation,” Daley said. “We’d like this put on hold and figure out how we can mutually benefit each other.”

Sitting geographically in the middle of the escalating debate is Daley’s school, which would see its travel costs go up in a North alignment and would rather be closer to its 3A brethren in the Tri-Cities.

“We would have our travel costs go up, and we would be pulled away from schools in our same classification,” Daley said of the change in divisions. “If West Valley went to the CWAC, we would be the only 3A school in the North — that’s no-man’s land.”

Daley, who said Sunnyside’s numbers could rise to 4A starting with the 2014 cycle, said the best course requires more time to address how the entire conference can help its members.

“This is such a dynamic issue, and it’s been forced into a very quick turnaround,” he said. “I’d like to see us maintain the two divisions we have, develop a one-year task force and form a plan to best serve all of us. For now let’s share the burden (of travel) and plan for the future.”

 

Henton, Yaks wait for MRI

Top scorer will have injured right knee examined on Jan. 4||

YAKIMA, Wash. — For now, Cody Butler is holding his breath.

The Yakima Valley women’s basketball coach said Tuesday that leading scorer Brandi Henton will have an MRI on her right knee on Jan. 4 to determine the damage sustained during Sunday’s YVCC win over Clackamas.

Butler said Henton has flown home to Modesto, Calif. to spend Christmas with her family and will not play in the Lower Columbia Tournament Dec. 28-30.

“We’re doing this as a precautionary measure,” Butler said. “Doctors normally wait a few days to do MRIs to let the swelling go down, and we’re not going to risk hurting her worse in a preseason tournament.”

Henton was injured during the first half of Sunday’s 72-53 win for the Clackamas Crossover championship.

“She landed awkwardly on a jump stop, and the knee buckled a little bit,” Butler said. “What we’re really hoping is that she was more scared than anything. We’ll find out more when she comes back to Yakima.”

A 5-foot-9 guard, Henton came to YVCC this season after playing one year at Long Beach State, where as a true freshman she was the 49ers’ second-leading scorer.

Henton learned of Yakima Valley through an administrator at her high school, Modesto Christian, who knew Butler. She has said she wants to play one year for the Yaks and then move up to an Atlantic Coast Conference program.

Through nine games Henton has averaged 24.67 points, tops in the NWAACC, including a 42-point game against Walla Walla and a 39-point outburst Saturday night in YVCC’s win over Southwestern Oregon.

“She scored 39 points in 23 minutes,” Butler said. “She was 9 for 15 on 3-pointers.”

Representatives from Oregon, Oregon State, Boise State and the University of Portland watched Henton last weekend, Butler said, and he also has been contacted by Tennessee and Virginia Tech.

Regardless of the MRI results and when or if Henton plays later this season, Butler said he is confident she’ll get a an NCAA Division I scholarship.

The Yaks, who won the NWAACC title last March, have another D-I recruit in guard Simone Jordan, who was pursued by Gonzaga before playing one season at North Idaho. Jordan had a triple-double of 25 points, 14 rebounds and 10 steals Sunday.

Yakima Valley, 7-2, is ranked sixth in the most recent NWAACC coaches poll.

 

Kamiakin hands Davis its first loss

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Holding on with a 25-point final period, Kamiakin’s boys won their non-league showdown with Davis, 67-59, on the Braves’ home floor Tuesday night.

The Pirates, who came in 4-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state among 4A schools by the Seattle Times and Tacoma News Tribune, charged out to a 17-8 lead after the first quarter and was within 42-39 heading into the fourth quarter.

David Trimble produced 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists for Davis, and Carlos Perea-Vijarro (12) and Devonte Luckett (11) also hit double figures.

Kamiakin, ranked fifth in 3A by the Seattle Times, improved to 7-0 with the help of Justin Pedley’s 21 points.

The Braves outscored Davis 15-4 at the foul line.

 

Prep boys basketball — Granger edges Cashmere

GRANGER, Wash. — Andrew Reddout and Christian Ochoa posted double-doubles Tuesday night as unbeaten Granger subdued Cashmere 64-56 in a non-league matchup of highly-ranked Class 1A teams.

Reddout recorded game-high totals of 22 points and 12 rebounds while Ochoa had 17 points and 10 boards for the Spartans, who came into the game ranked third by The News-Tribune of Tacoma. Cashmere was ranked first.

Brandon Castro added 15 points, five assists and five steals for Granger, which improved to 7-0.

 LA SALLE 54, SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN 53 (OT): At West Valley, Gus Bonny’s 15-footer with five seconds left in overtime boosted the Lightning past SC.

Matt Maki’s 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in regulation put the game into overtime.

Ty Lighty and Bret Oldham scored 16 points each to lead the Lightning (2-4). Trevor Wagenaar led the Knights with 25 points.

 BURBANK 57, CLE ELUM 34: At Burbank, Nathan Roberts, Matt Chambers and Chris Rychman combined for 36 points to power the Coyotes.

ROYAL 73, KITTITAS 48: At Kittitas, Danny Vermeer’s 13 points led the Knights, who jumped ahead early with a 22-point opening period. Isaac Johnson paced Kittitas (2-3) with a game-high 18 points.

 YAKAMA TRIBAL 51, WHITE SWAN JV 47: At Yakama Tribal, Gabe White Crow and Tanner Thomas combined for 31 points for the Eagles (3-2).

 CWAC

ELLENSBURG 71, EPHRATA 38: At Ellensburg, Reece Ravet and Garrett Doebler combined for nine of the Bulldogs’ 11 3-pointers as their team improved to 7-0.

Ellensburg was 11 for 17 on 3-pointers. Ravet finished with 24 points.

 GRANDVIEW 51, EAST VALLEY 28: At Grandview, sophomore Isaiah Ruiz hit five 3-pointers, scored 17 points and added five assists as the Greyhounds remained unbeaten in league.

 PROSSER 49, SELAH 47: At Selah, Wade French scored 14 points and Danny Raap had 10 as the Mustangs made 8 of 12 fourth-quarter free throws to overtake Selah.

Cody Roberts had 12 points for the Vikingss.

TOPPENISH 65, OTHELLO 57: At Othello, Kyle Jamison and Shannon Isadore combined for 43 points and the hot-shooting Wildcats pulled away in the second half.

Jamison scored 18 of his 25 points after intermission.

 

Girls prep basketball — Defense leads Knights past La Salle

YAKIMA, Wash. — Buckling down with a big defensive effort in the second half, Sunnyside Christian’s girls kept their unbeaten record intact with a 40-33 victory over previous undefeated La Salle in non-league play Tuesday at West Valley.

Marisa Broersma’s 12 points led the 6-0 Knights, who trailed by eight at the break but outscored La Salle 27-12 in the second half.

Katy McGree and Deanna Avalos scored nine points each for La Salle (5-1).

KAMIAKIN 72, DAVIS 55: At Kamiakin, freshman Alexis Gratton hit two 3-pointers and scored 17 points for the Pirates (2-3) and teammate Hiedi Ceja popped in 10 points.

Courtney Nelson and Sira Toure tallied 18 points each for the unbeaten Braves (8-0).

CASHMERE 75, GRANGER 55: At Granger, freshman Breanne Knishka led five players in double figures with 15 points for the undefeated Bulldogs, who beat 3A Eastmont 70-50 last week.

Lyndsay Oswalt of Granger (5-2) led all scorers with 21 points.

BURBANK 33, CLE ELUM 28: At Cle Elum, Carlee Creager put together 17 points, eight rebounds, eight steals and three blocks for Cle Elum (4-4).

KITTITAS 59, ROYAL 22: At Kittitas, Tori O’Shaughnessy had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Dakota Adams added 10 points and eight rebounds to lead Kittitas (2-3).

WHITE SWAN JV 57, YAKAMA TRIBAL 27: At Toppenish, Marissa Spencer had 14 points, and Nacona Abram added 13 to lead White Swan’s junior varsity.

CWAC

TOPPENISH 59, OTHELLO 13: At Othello, sophomore Kaleea Zick scored 16 points and Osiris Rodriguez added 12 points and four steals as the Wildcats (6-1) won their fifth straight game.

SELAH 57, PROSSER 49: At Selah, Kailee Wood scored 21 points and Kacey Hartman grabbed 14 rebounds as the Vikings built an early lead by holding Prosser to 16 points in the first half.

Helen Petersen and Sydney Mercer combined for 25 points for the Mustangs.

EPHRATA 50, ELLENSBURG 41: At Ellensburg, Kelsey Yenney led the Tigers with 15 points as they beat Ellensburg in a CWAC league game. Trew Tucker led the Bulldogs (0-5, 2-7) with 10 points.

12/20/11 Prep basketball summaries

BOYS

Prosser 49, Selah 47

PROSSER — Hamilton 7, Danny Raap 10, Schutt 6, Kilian 1, Frank 3, T. Flores 0, Baker 8, Wade French 14, A. Flores 0. SELAH — Hernandez 0, Weeks, 7, Dyer 9, Hanratty 2, Fleming 2, Andrew Gonzalez 11, Towery 4, Magana 0, Cody Roberts 12.

Prosser  13  17  4  15 —  49 Selah  11  9  16  11 —  47

Highlights: Roberts (S) 9 rebs; Schutt (P) 6 reb.

Grandview 51, East Valley 28

EAST VALLEY — Navarro 2, K. Janis 2, Z. Janis 2, Davila 6, Powell 0, Justin Juarez 13, Ackley 0, Karnes 2, Himes 0, Harris 1. GRANDVIEW — Morales 0, Mendoza 3, Godinez 0, Lara 2, Sal Escobedo 16, Gonzalez 8, Carpenter 2, Curtis 3, Isaiah Ruiz 17.

East Valley  11  6  3  8 —  28 Grandview  9  14  10  18 —  51

Highlights: Ruiz (G) 5-8 3p, 5 asts; Hector Godinez (G) 6 rebs, 4 asts.

Toppenish 65, Othello 57

TOPPENISH — R. Isadore 4, Kyle Jamison 25, Shannon Isadore 18, Pacheco 0, Gudino 2, Whalawitsa 0, Joh. Piper 2, Wes Williams 12, Jos. Piper 2. OTHELLO — Jacob Tovar 15, Caleb Garza 10, Walker 5, Scott 7, David Garza 10, Rodgers 6, Mollotte 4.

Toppenish  15  6  23  21 —  65 Othello  14  11  15  17 —  57

Highlights: S. Isadore (T) 5 reb, 2 ats; Jamison (T) 2 asts; Sal Gudino (T) 3 rebs; Wesley Williams (T) 2 rebs; Adrian Pacheco (T) 3 asts; Jos. Piper (T) 4 rebs; Joh. Piper (T) 2 rebs.

Ellensburg 71, Ephrata 38

EPHRATA — Pheasant 5, Sears 0, T. Clark 3, Lange 3, Lovitt 3, Laird 9, M. Clark 8, Neilsen 3, Bottineau 2, Bentern 5, Hildebrand 0. ELLENSBURG — Gigstead 3, Hull 0, Ledgard 3, Mitchell 8, Bennett 3, David Jacobs 10, Graham 4, Garrett Doebler 16, Strom 0, Reece Ravet 24.

Ephrata  9  11  8  10 —  38 Ellensburg  30  14  14  13 —  71

Highlights:  Mac Mitchell (El) 6 rebs; Graham (El) 6 stls; Strom (El) 5 asts; Bennett (El) 5 asts.

Kamiakin 67, Davis 59

DAVIS — Kupp 2, Navarro 9, Devonte Luckett 11, David Trimble 16, Wright 5, Carlos Perea-Vijiarro 12, Lizotte 0, Allen 4. KAMIAKIN — Cooper Clyde 12, Shoop 0, Wilmoth 5, Javan Williams 10, Zach En’Wezoh 14, Justin Pedley 21, Hunt 3, Quinn 2.

Davis  17  9  13  20 —  59 Kamiakin  8  22  12  25 —  67

Highlights: Trimble (D) 9 reb., 6 asts; Javan Williams (K) 12 reb.; Pedley (K) 10 reb.; Cody Wilmoth (K) 7 asts.

Granger 64, Cashmere 56

CASHMERE — McElroy 8, Collins 0, Cooper Elliott 14, Darlington 10, Trenton Johnson 13, Boyd 6, Christensen 5. GRANGER — Pacheco 0, J. Castro 0, Rodarte 0, Brandon Castro 15, Oswalt 2, Andrade 2, Christian Ochoa 17, Cervantes 6, Brown 0, Andrew Reddout 22.

Cashmere  8  21  9  18 —  56 Granger  16  15  14  19 —  64

Highlights: Coleman McElroy (C) 8 rebs; Elliott (C) 9 rebs; Johnson (C) 8 rebs; Andrade (G) 8 rebs; Ochoa (G) 10 rebs; Reddout (G) 12 rebs, 7 asts; Esau Cervantes (G) 4 stls; Brandon Castro (G) 5 stls, 5 asts.

Royal 73, Kittitas 48

ROYAL — Bruno 3, Ramirez 7, Castellon 6, Dixon 2, Reed Lefler 12, Danny Vermeer 13, Montoya 2, F. Leitz 6, N. Leitz 8, Kent Christensen 10, Whitaker 2, C. Christensen 2. KITTITAS — Leaton 0, Driver 8, McDaniel 3, Giusti 0, Grindrod 8, McIrvin 1, Dorman 4, Poole 2, Eslinger 4, Isaac Johnson 18.

Royal  22  16  19  16 —  73 Kittitas  13  14  5  16 —  48

La Salle 54, Sunnyside Christian 53 (OT)

SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN — T. Wagenaar 25, Puterbaugh 0, Haak 3, Brouwer 11, Driesen 0, Hoff 0, VanWingerden 0, Broersma 14, Cervantes 0, Scheerstra 0. LA SALLE — Trestn Garza 0, Chambard 2, Smith 2, Ty Lighty 16, Gus Bonny 12, Hoon 2, Matt Maki 3, Glazier 0, Leach 0, Pesek 1, Bret Oldham 16, Stohr 0.

Sunnyside Chr.  17  10  15  8 6 —  53 La Salle  5  11  13  18 7 —  54

Highlights: Kevin Smith 5 stls, 4 rebs; Ty Lighty 5 asts.

Burbank 57, Cle Elum 34

CLE ELUM — Newman 9, Kostenko 5, Kretschman 5, Braxton 4, Fogleberg 5, Alexander 4, Wallace 2, Dellinger 0, Allen 0. BURBANK — McBride 3, Hanshew 2, Lawrence 8, Nathan Roberts 16, Matt Chambers 10, Bertsch 2, McVicker 0, Miller 4, Chris Rychman 10.

Cle Elum  3  12  10  9 —  34 Burbank  11  12  15  19 —  57

Highlights: Newman (CE) 9 rebs, 3 stls; Wallace (CE) 8 rebs;  Alexander (CE) 3 blks.

Yakama Tribal 51, White Swan JV 47

WHITE SWAN JV — Spencer 0, B. Phillips 2, T. Hull 0, Wyena 2, Aleck 0, Kobie Lewis 10, Aiden Phillips 17, T. Hull 5, Sam 9, Andy 2. YAKAMA TRIBAL — Chevez 0, Holguin 6, Arquette 0, Rojas 0, Jim 0, Scabbyrobe 7, Gabe White Crow 16, Tanner Thomas 15, John 0, Wahsise 5, Heath 2, Mills 0.

White Swan JV  12  6  12  17 —  47 Yakama Tribal  12  17  7  15 —  51

Highlights: Andre Holguin (YT) 9 rebs; Joseph Scabbyrobe 9 rebs; Calvin Wahsise (YT) 8 asts; Joe Scabbyrobe (YT) 5 blks.

GIRLS

Selah 57, Prosser 49

PROSSER — Karissa Flores 10, Adams 0, Sydney Mercer 12, Davis 0, Morrow 2, Garza 2, Helen Petersen 13, Durbin 6, Wiley 4. SELAH — Kailee Wood 21, Adkison 0, Dexter 9, Huckabee 2, Merritt 9, Sarah Bersing 12, Hartman 0, Rath 4.

Prosser  5  11  14  19 —  49 Selah  12  15  14  16 —  57

Highlights: Kacey Hartman (S) 14 rebs; Cheyenne Merritt (S) 5 asts.

East Valley 65, Grandview 50

EAST VALLEY — Betancourth 0, Ross 3, Yasi Mohsenian 19, Garcia-Stubbs 0, Tassia Merkle 10, Yates 3, Hodgson 9, Ward 6, Ramynke 0, Mikaela Zimmer 15. GRANDVIEW — Guillan 3, Breanna Lopez 12, Parrish 8, Espinoza 7, Marissa Caballero 14, Trinidad 2, Hall 4, Candido 0.

East Valley  20  16  17  12 —  65 Grandview  10  12  19  9 —  50

Highlights: Zimmer (EV) 9 rebs; Hodgson (EV) 7 rebs; Mohsenian (EV) 9 asts; Merkle (EV) 4 stls; Payton Parrish (G) 7 rebs, 4 asts; Caballero (G) 4 asts; Lopez (G) 4-5 3p.

Toppenish 59, Othello 13

TOPPENISH — Garcia 0, Zuniga 6, Osiris Rodriguez 12, Carriedo 6, Bremer 4, Gregory 6, Godina 4, Kaleea Zick 16, Greene 3. OTHELLO — Ab. Garza 2, Villarreal 0, An, Garza 3, Bullis 2, Hayduk 2, I. Garza 2, Gonzales 0, Fleishman 2.

Toppenish  17  13  16  13 —  59 Othello  2  7  2  2 —  13

Highlights: Belen Carriedo (T) 6 rebs; Rodriguez (T) 4 stls.

Ephrata 50, Ellensburg 41

EPHRATA — Kelsey Yenney 15, Weaver 6, Buchert 9, Boyd 6, Barnes 0, DeHoog 2, Lotz 3, T. Woods 9. ELLENSBURG — N. Gruber 7, G. Gruber 9, Quirk 0, Strom 6, Trew Tucker 10, Moffat 2, Swanson 4, Orcutt 3, Malcolm 0.

Ephrata  17  18  5  10 —  50 Ellensburg  7  9  15  10 —  41

Kamiakin 72, Davis 55

DAVIS —  Juarez 6, Perez 9, Salazar 1, Alvarado 2, Alexis Gratton 17, Hiedi Ceja 10, Billups 1, Fowler 6, Johnson 3. KAMIAKIN — Nelson 18, Roueche 7, Ooro 6, Sierra Toure 18, Guice 12, Khadidja Toure 5, K. Nelson 2, Schwauble 0, Miller 4, Ellison 0, Hanson 0.

Davis  12  14  15  14 —  55 Kamiakin  21  20  18  13 —  72

Cashmere 75, Granger 55

CASHMERE — Gaby Gonzalez 14, Kowatsch 0, Spanjer 3, Sites 10, Johnson 6, Caudill 4, Angela Knishka 10, Tymes 12, Turner 1, Breanne Knishka 15. GRANGER — L. Wapsheli 4, A. Wapsheli 1, Angelica Oliveros 10, Villa 1, Brook John 14, Lyndsay Oswalt 21, Blodgett 4, Reyes 0.

Cashmere  20  24  21  10 —  75 Granger  9  15  14  17 —  55

Kittitas 59, Royal 22

ROYAL — Jenks 0, Bwendiman 0, Arauja 4, L. Christianson 4, Squeochs 0, M. Christianson 6, Hebdon 0, Guadarrama 3, Smith 5. KITTITAS — Kilgore 4, Larsen 0, Steiner 9, Reno 6, Dakota Adams 10, Lawrence 9, As. Sabin 0, Tori O’Shaughnessy 18, Lakula 0, Baker 2, Al. Sabin 0.

Royal  6  8  2  6 —  22 Kittitas  18  17  13  11 —  59

Highlights: O’Shaughnessy (K) 13 rebs; Adams (K) 8 rebs; Kilgore (K) 7 stls; Lawrence (K) 6 stls, 8 asts.

Sunnyside Christian 40, La Salle 33

SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN — Haak 7, Williams 0, DeGroot 3, Long 4, den Hoed 4, Brower 0, Melissa Broesma 12, Van Belle 5, Wavrin 5. LA SALLE — Patterson 2, E. Avalos 0, Martin 3, K. McGree 9, Andringa 2, D. Avalos 9, Sattler 8, C. McGree 0, Boutillier 0, Zeutenhorst 0, Standley 0.

Sunnyside Christian  6  7  16  11 —  40 La Salle  12  9  4  8 —  33

Highlights: Andringa (L) 8 rebs.

Burbank 33, Cle Elum 28

CLE ELUM — Carlee Creager 17, Andrus 4, Gutierrez 2, Burchak 1, Ferguson 4, Potts 0, Owens 0, Allen 0. BURBANK — Lott 2, Dixon 6, R. Roberts 10, H. McBride 10, Mosqueda 5, Magallon 0, Aguillar 0, Martineau 0.

Cle Elum  6  6  8  8 —  28 Burbank  9  6  13  5 —  33

Highlights: Ferguson (C) 10 rebs, Creager (C) 8 rebs, 8 stls, 3 blks; Potts (C) 7 rebs, 2 blks.

White Swan JV 57, Yakama Tribal 27

WHITE SWAN JV — Nacona Abram 13, Ryan 8, Hoptowit 2, Whitesell 7, Shock 0, Ramsey 2, Dill 8, Saluskin 3, Marissa Spencer 14. YAKAMA TRIBAL — Johnson 4, Stewart 2, Wahtomy 2, Ayala 2, Wyena 2, A. John 0, Wong 9, Tupelo 0, Heath 4, Walsey 0, T. John 0, Wallahee 2.

White Swan JV  17  12  14  14 —  57 Yakama Tribal  6  6  6  9 —  27

West Valley gets opt-up extension

Tuesday’s deadline turned into more time for West Valley and its decision whether or not it will continue to opt up from Class 2A to 3A for the next classification cycle starting in the fall.
Faced with potential upheaval in the Columbia Basin Big Nine Conference, West Valley requested more time from the WIAA to consider its decision and it was granted into next month sometime before the Executive Board meets Jan. 22-23.
While the West Valley School Board voted in October to stay 3A, that decision was made with the expectation that the CBBN would maintain its current structure of 4A and 3A divisions.
Then, last Thursday and less than a week before the WIAA’s deadline for opt-up declarations, the CBBN’s 15 principals voted 8-7 to form North and South divisions next year.
School districts in the Tri-Cities pressed for the new alignment to reduce travel costs and student time out of class. The vote was split directly along the proposed division lines — Richland, Hanford, Chiawana, Pasco, Kennewick, Kamiakin, Southridge and Walla Walla in the South and Eastmont, Wenatchee, Davis, Eisenhower, West Valley, Moses Lake and Sunnyside in the North.
Such a realignment is now under dispute by the schools in the North, and thus West Valley made the request for an extension on its opt-up decision.
“We’d like the process (of the dispute) to hash itself out so we can see where we are,” West Valley athletic director Joe Coscarart said. “We’re not impacting any other schools, bumping them up or down, in asking for more time. We need to see where this goes.”
Schools in the North have two overriding issues: 1) one division deciding on its own to benefit itself while burdening the other with nearly all the conference’s travel cost, and, 2) the principals’ vote did not meet the conference’s by-laws of requiring a super majority for such a divisional shift. That would require 12 yes votes.
Some fear if the South holds fast to its intent, it could lead to secession from the CBBN and the creation of two leagues.
Sunnyside athletic director Bill Daley said Tuesday he will submit a letter to the YVIAA requesting that the District 5 Executive Board add the issue to its agenda for a regularly scheduled Jan. 4 meeting.
“Our hope is that the superintendents would be invited in and the dispute heard, opening up a conversation,” Daley said. “We’d like this put on hold and figure out how we can mutually benefit each other.”
Sitting geographically in the middle of the escalating debate is Daley’s school, which would see its travel costs go up in a North alignment and would rather be closer to its 3A brethren in the Tri-Cities.
“We would have our travel costs go up, and we would be pulled away from schools in our same classification,” Daley said of the change in divisions. “If West Valley went to the CWAC, we would be the only 3A school in the North — that’s no-man’s land.”
Daley, who said Sunnyside’s numbers could rise to 4A starting with the 2014 cycle, said the best course requires more time to address how the entire conference can help its members.
“This is such a dynamic issue, and it’s been forced into a very quick turnaround,” he said. “I’d like to see us maintain the two divisions we have, develop a one-year task force and form a plan to best serve all of us. For now let’s share the burden (of travel) and plan for the future.”

Blazing the William O. Douglas Heritage Trail

 

YAKIMA, Wash. — It’s not officially done, but the William O. Douglas Heritage Trail has been done.

The 85-mile route between Davis High in Yakima and Ohanapecosh has, of course, been traveled by its namesake, whose love and advocacy for the great outdoors inspired those who have spent the last six years making the trail a reality.

Even before the trail’s route is finalized and all its right-of-way issues ironed out, others have already navigated its length — linking existing trails and roadways — both in one long, uninterrupted stretch and in starts and stops.

And they know others are eager to follow.

“Oh yeah,” said Faye Bradford, a Backcountry Horsemen of Washington representative who rode most of the route — minus the not-horse-friendly city part — with a friend over four days in August. “They’re lining up.”

What those future trail travelers experience, say two Yakima women who hiked the trail’s length in five day-long segments spread out over four months last summer, may be cathartic.

That was the feeling Yakima hikers Susan Paolella and Kyle Sonnabend-Liberty felt when they crested the ridge at Jumpoff Lookout, southeast of Rimrock Lake, and looked at both where they had come from and where they were going.

“You could see Jumpoff Meadows below. I think you could see the Goat Rocks, too,” Sonnabend-Liberty said. “The most incredible feeling was ‘Here we are.’ We could look back and see Yakima, and to go from the shrub steppe and then be in the mountains, you realize you’ve walked from Yakima to the mountains.”

The stretch of hiking from the expansive openness of Snow Mountain Ranch to Jumpoff, Paolella said, “was absolutely gorgeous. You have this view that opens the whole valley up. You go from shrub steppe — dry, beautiful in its own way … then you walk and get into patches of pine trees and lupine … and then you get to Jumpoff, and you get Rimrock and Mount Rainier and Goose Egg Mountain and Kloochman Rock.

“It’s so scenic.”

Paolella’s husband Ray, a former Yakima city attorney and one of the driving forces behind the trail’s inception, had hiked the trail in 2005. He had been part of a group of about 150 people who gathered in downtown Yakima to begin what was to be the inaugural hike of the Douglas Trail, but four days later the only ones left from that original throng to reach the boundary of Mount Rainier National Park were Ray Paolella and another avid Yakima hiker, Jeff Hagen.

It is, after all, a long way.

Which is why its staunchest advocates are hoping its long-term attraction will be as a bunch of shorter routes, not one long one, following its unveiling on June 9, 2012. (The group had hoped to have the official opening take place on June 2, 2012’s National Trails Day, but didn’t want the timing to conflict with the Gap2Gap, set for June 2.)

“What we will actually be releasing and promoting and opening in June of next year is a series of the most usable day-hike sections of the trail,” said Ted Gamlem, who heads up the task force establishing the route. “For most people it will represent places they can now go to and walk or ride the trail, because not a lot of people will do the whole 80 miles.

“The long sections, like Cowiche Mill Road to Rimrock, and the one that goes up Sand Ridge and over Cowlitz Pass, we’re going to be looking at those as probably backpacking sections, maybe three-day kind of usages,” Gamlem said. “But even with everything we can describe as a day hike, we’re looking at some scenic loop hikes that run off the regular trail alignment.”

Even that alignment is not finalized.

While the route is established from Davis High through the Cowiche Canyon Conservancy’s Snow Mountain Ranch property, the next section to the west is still a question mark. The current temporary route follows Cowiche Mill Road, but the task force would like to incorporate Hatton Road because of its pioneering history as a transportation route.

But Hatton crosses through two privately-owned parcels.

“Because of that, where we establish the trail has to be specifically approved by the landowners,” Gamlem said. “That hasn’t been done at this point.”

Where Cowiche Mill Road reaches Reynolds Creek, the route follows a Green Dot road that trail travelers can follow through Louie Way Gap to Jumpoff Lookout — one of the William O. Douglas Trail’s high points, both figuratively and literally.

“When we got up towards Louie Way Gap, you could look back and see the town of Yakima,” recalls Bradford of her August ride of the route with another Backcountry Horseman member, Pam Bailey of Yakima. “It was really beautiful.

“I was really surprised because I thought there would be more wooded area. I thought I wouldn’t be able to see all the scenic views.”

Those scenic views also included deep snowfields in the William O. Douglas Wilderness — so deep, in fact, that they ended up doing the last section of the route coming back up out of Ohanapecosh on the Laughing Water Creek Trail, instead coming out that way. And, of course, wildlife.

“We saw five bull elk with these huge antlers,” Bailey said. “We were enjoying watching them when we finally realized — Oh! Pictures! — but by the time we managed to get the camera out it was too late.”

For Susan Paolella and Kyle Sonnabend-Liberty, the trip had other poignant factors. Paolella has ancestors who hiked from Yakima to Mount Rainier in 1881, following largely the same route she did last year. And both she and Sonnabend-Liberty read and were inspired by two Douglas-penned books — his early-years autobiography, “Go East, Young Man,” and “Of Men and Mountains,” which details many of his hikes in the Cascades.

After her horseback journey over the length of the trail, Faye Bradford came away a bit pleasantly surprised at one particular aspect.

“With all the fences up nowadays, that a person could actually go from (Yakima) to Mount Rainier National Park,” she said, “was easier than I thought it would be.”

More information

These hikers and horseback riders in this story, as well as other volunteers working on behalf of the William O. Douglas Heritage Trail, have used Global Positioning System (GPS) devices to assist the trail’s task force in mapping the trail and having accurate mileage counts along the route.

Task force members will be meeting on Jan. 4 with Forest Service officials to work on finalizing all route details from Louie Way Gap to Mount Rainier National Park.

For updates on the William O. Douglas Heritage Trail prior to the official June opening, including right-of-way progress reports and specifics on the different sections of the trail, go to williamodouglas.wordpress.com/.

Northwest Sportsman: Salmon forecasts give anglers reason for additional Christmas cheer

YAKIMA, Wash. — The anglers in the Northwest received an early Christmas present last week when the officials who predict the Columbia River salmon runs dropped all kinds of good news into our fishing stockings.

In their forecast for spring chinook, summer chinook and sockeye salmon, the Oregon Technical Advisory Committee is predicting some outstanding numbers for the Columbia River and some of its tributaries.

The report forecasts a 2012 return of 314,200 spring chinook salmon to the Columbia above Bonneville Dam. Those fish are headed to Wind River, Drano Lake, the Klickitat and Yakima rivers, the Upper Columbia and the Snake River.

If the numbers pan out as predicted, this could be one of the best returns in more than 30 years. It would top last year’s run by 93,000 fish.

Of course the prognostication is just that — a guess, albeit an educated one. In recent years the biologists and salmon experts have had troubles with their numbers. In four of the last seven years they have over-forecast the run numbers considerably, and then last year they under-forecasted by about 20,000.

Over-forecasting can create some logistical problems in setting sports and commercial fishing seasons, because everyone wants what they consider to be their fair share of the highly coveted spring salmon run. If the managers think there are more fish due to arrive than actually show up, it sets up the potential for over-harvest by commercial fishermen, impacting the rates of mortality on wild salmon.

So, with almost 100,000 more upriver spring chinook this year than last, it’s looking like 2012 could be a great year to gear up and get out after them.

Similar trends of more fish this year versus last could also be seen in the summer chinook run and the sockeye salmon. Fall chinook numbers figure to be similar to last summer.

Last year about 80,000 summer chinook entered the Columbia. Just in the past few years there have been enough fish to open sport fishing seasons for summer chinook, including openings on the lower, mid and upper Columbia.

This year some 91,000 summer-run chinook salmon are predicted to return, making it quite likely more fisheries will open for sport anglers in different sections of the Columbia.

Summer-run chinook start returning in June, and are normally bigger than the spring chinook that run from February through May in the Columbia.

Making their way up the Columbia at about the same time as the summer chinook will be the sockeye salmon. In the past several summers, anglers have had the chance to catch these smaller, but great-eating fish. Most of the sockeye are bound for the Okanogan River in North Central Washington. A really good sockeye fishery has developed below the Wanapum and Wells dams and at the mouth of the Okanogan in July and August.

Fall salmon run forecasts aren’t quite as rosy, but they aren’t bad, either. Officials say it looks like the fall chinook run will be right around the 600,000 number it was last year. The upriver bright chinook that spawn in the Columbia below Priest Rapids Dam are part of that fall chinook number, but the biologists are optimistic about the 2012 brights because of a better-than-average return of jacks earlier this fall.

In 2012, fall coho, including fish that return to the Klickitat River and Yakima, should be a little better than the 270,000 that returned earlier this fall.

All in all, it looks like 2012 should be a great year for salmon fishing on the Columbia and its tributaries — that is, if the fish show up as predicted. Let’s hope they do.

With this kind of news, you might even add some new salmon gear to your Christmas list. Not to be too greedy because we’ve already received a nice little gift to make the holidays brighter, but a new salmon rod, reel or some new plugs should be well used and much appreciated in the seasons to come.

• Rob Phillips is a freelance outdoor writer and partner in the advertising firm of Smith, Phillips & DiPietro. He can be reached at rwphillips@spdadvertising.com.

12/20/11 What’s Happening

‘Heart of Cascades’ officially in the books ||

With last Thursday’s closing of the final phase, the “Heart of the Cascades” — a four-year project designed to eliminate checkerboard ownership patterns in critical wildlife habit in the Rock Creek/Bald Mountain area — is in the books.

The final phase involved the transfer of 7,711 acres of Plum Creek lands within the Wenatchee National Forest north and east of State Route 410.

A deal was done through cooperation of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and The Nature Conservancy with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. RMEF worked with Plum Creek to transfer 3,904 acres to the WDFW while the Conservancy transferred another 3,807 to WDFW.

Coming on the heels of a 2009 transaction that resulted in the WDFW receiving 2,675 acres, the multi-phase project has augmented the Oak Creek Wildlife Area by more than 10,000 acres of habitat supporting such rare or protected species as spotted owls, bull trout, steelhead, elk, bighorn sheep and mountain goats.

RMEF president David Allen called it “a very complex project” that “helped ‘block up’ public land in larger contiguous holdings’ that will better protect habitat for elk and other big game.

“And what’s good for big game,” Allen said, “is also good for big-game hunters.”

DNR public hearing Jan. 5 in Ellensburg ||

The state Department of Natural Resources will hold two public hearings, one of them in Ellensburg, to take public input on proposed changes to its rules governing state forest practices.

The Ellensburg meeting is set for 6 p.m. Jan. 5 at the DNR’s Southeast Region office in Ellensburg (713 E. Bowers), following a Jan. 3 meeting at the DNR’s Olympia headquarters.

The public comment period will run through Jan. 6 on the proposed changes to various Washington Administrative Codes (WACs) governing activities on private and state forest lands.

For more on the proposed rules, go to www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/, look for Forest Practices Rules and click on the link for Current Rule Making Activity.

BIRD ALERT

The Toppenish and Yakima Christmas Bird Counts were held over the weekend, with some really good birds found in each.

The Yakima Training Center proved to be a hotspot for Saturday’s Yakima count, with four owls being spotted — including a beautiful snowy owl from the arctic tundra, a long-eared owl, barn owl and two great horned owls. Two golden eagles and a northern shrike were also observed on the YTC. Other birds of note around the count circle included brown creeper, both red-naped and red breasted sapsucker, saw-whet owl and both cedar and bohemian waxwings.

The Toppenish counters found very little open water on Sunday, but still came up with an impressive list of waterfowl. The best bird was probably a snow goose seen hanging out with a large group of Canada geese.

Bird-count volunteers at the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge found everything pretty much frozen over, but still managed to come up with an American bittern, Virginia rail, marsh wren and two juvenile northern shrike.

The adult peregrine falcon that has frequented water towers in Toppenish was spotted busily plucking a pigeon breakfast, with an occasional feather drifting down. The bird is definitely feeding well; if you look closely below the Toppenish water tower, you will see the carnage of pigeon carcasses accumulating under the tower.

Please call bird sightings in to the Yakima Valley Audubon phone line at 509-248-1963.

— Kerry L. Turley

AROUND AND ABOUT

MASTER HUNTERS: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will accept enrollment applications Jan. 1-Feb. 15 for its Master Hunter Permit program. Master hunters are enlisted by the WDFW for controlled hunts to remove problem animals that damage property or threaten public safety, and also participate in volunteer projects involving access to private lands, habitat enhancement, and landowner relations.

ON THE CALENDAR

TODAY: The Cascadians’ Tuesdays have a snowshoe trek tentatively scheduled for today. The group meets at 8 a.m. at the 40th Avenue Bi-Mart parking lot, so if you’re coming, bring warm clothes, lunch and snowshoes — and cross-country skis if you’ve got ’em. After all, things might change.

THURSDAY: Nope, the Cascadian Pokies are taking this one off. They’re too busy imparting fond Christmas wishes.

SATURDAY: Yes, it’s Christmas Eve, so there might not be a bunch of people looking for a ski/snowshoe trip. But if you are, a handful of Cascadians and guests will be doing a ski/snowshoe trek in the Clear Lake area if the snow levels cooperate. For meeting time and place, call Mike or Sue at 972-2615.

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