West Plains spring sports team seasons are beginning to heat up, with most in the middle of their respective league schedules.
CHENEY
Baseball
The Blackhawks were still looking for their first season win as of press time, April 8, starting Greater Spokane League play at 0-8, 0-11 overall.
Boys soccer
Cheney 0-3 in GSL 3A competition, 2-6 overall so far in 2026. The Blackhawks first win came March 23, 2-1 over GSL 2A West Valley, followed by a 4-0 shutout of Medical Lake April 7.
Fastpitch softball
The Blackhawks were third in the GSL 3A standings, fourth overall as of April 8. At 5-3 in league, 6-3 overall, Cheney trailed league and 3A leader Mt. Spokane (8-1, 10-1) by 2.5 games and third-place University (6-2, 7-3) by one game.
The Blackhawks finished sixth in the GSL overall in 2025, fourth among 3A schools, at 8-10, 8-14 overall.
Track and field
The Blackhawks are 1-0 in GSL 3A meets after a sweep of visiting Ridgeline in the league-season opener April 1. The boys downed the Falcons 104-41 while the girls edged the visitors 76-70.
While not a big team in turnout, head coach Derek Slaughter said both boys and girls combine experience, leadership and consistent competitiveness with a talented younger group eager to improve. Several athletes will compete strongly in multiple events, and Slaughter said the “energy and team culture have been strong early on.”
Cheney has a number of athletes ranked in the GSL top-10 in most events, led by sophomore Alisa Messing who is No. 1 in all three spring events (100 meters, 200 and 400). Messing is the leader in these three events in District 6 as well, and the leader in the 100 and 200 in 3A state overall.
Sophomore Aniyah Hagan leads the 300-meter hurdle event and is third in the 100 hurdles.
In the field, senior April Passey is second in the long and triple jumps, Burton is second in the high jump with freshman Allie Saccomanno second in the javelin and senior Lacey Holsten second in the discus. Senior Delia Keller is third in the pole vault.
For the boys on the track, junior Colton Hallett is first in the 300 hurdles and second in the 110 hurdles. Sophomore Andrew Ward is second in the 800 with sophomore Xander Hagan third in the 100.
In the field, senior Juleon Horyst is second in the high jump while junior Jackson Randall is third in the javelin. Slaughter said freshman Abram Weins, currently fourth in the GSL, is one to watch in the high jump.
“We may not have the biggest team, but we have athletes who are willing to work and improve, and that’s what we’re focused on every day,” Slaughter said. “If we continue to progress, we expect to be competing at a high level by the end of the season.”
MEDICAL LAKE
Baseball
The Cardinals are off to a 5-3 start in their campaign to defend their 2025 Northeast A League regular season title. Medical Lake wins have all come against Northeast 2B league teams, with the NEA season opener scheduled for April 18, a doubleheader at Colville (5-2).
Boys soccer
The Cardinals are 1-0 in NEA pitch action, 2-4-1 overall. That win came against Colville on April 2 as Medical Lake scored two second-half goals — the game-winner coming in the 78th minute from Josh Haynes — to knock off the Crimson Hawks 3-2.
The Cardinals are looking to improve on last year’s NEA regular-season and District 6 titles. Medical Lake missed a state berth in 2025 with a loss to Cashmere in the District 5/6 crossover tournament.
Fastpitch softball
The Cardinals are 2-4 in nonleague action, with NEA competition opening April 17 with a doubleheader against Colville. Medical Lake’s wins both came against Tri-Cities Prep in a season-opening doubleheader March, 22-1 and 26-9.
The Cardinals are looking to improve on last year’s 2-8 NEA finish, 7-13 overall. Head coach Ivanna Lomas and assistants Hailey Cheevers and Nick Puzycki have eight returning varsity players, led by seniors Isabel Barry and Layla Armes.
Also returning are Mary Plute, Grace Burns, Alexis Gabric, Emma Michaud, Faethe Puzycki and Maureena Were. New varsity players are Isabel Armes, Evalynn Benitez, Josephine Boyd and Azalea Lamont.
Key players to watch begin with Barry, who is the Cardinals’ leading hitter with a .529 average to go with a 1.000 errorless fielding percentage. Armes is next in fielding with a .951, with Boyd leading the team in RBIs with 10.
“The girls came into the season swinging, taking two wins at Tri-Cities Prep,” Cheevers said. “Since then, they’ve been up against teams with great pitching and consistent bats.”
Cheevers added one of the exciting aspects of the team for the coaches has been the leadership of Armes. Cheevers said the senior works hard on the field and in the dugout, keeping the team up and providing tips to the younger players.
“We’re hopeful that type of energy continues and thrives with this group leading to wins in league,” Cheevers added.
Golf
The Medical Lake girls golf team is pictured above as follows: Back row- Cheyenne Hatch, Madison Griffis, Mikalyn Walker, Makenna Leitz, Hannah Ose. Front row- Brooklynn DeVore, Precious Faulman, Princess Faulman, Lilly Lambert, Makenzie Stoltz. Not pictured- Wynter Evans, Maddie Furness
Twelve girls have turned out for head coach Jerry Ornelas and assistant coach Brent Griffis 2026 squad. The Cardinals have two returners from 2025 in juniors Madison Griffis and Brooklynn DeVore with one senior, Mikalyn Walker.
“The other 10 are pretty new to golf,” Ornelas said.
Right now, the Cardinals starting varsity lineup begins with Griffis and DeVore, followed by Makenzie Stoltz, Walker and Precious Faulman. The sixth and final spot is still up for grabs.
“We have a pretty close race between three golfers trying to get that final spot,” Ornelas said.
Griffis and DeVore are the two ML golfers to watch this season since both competed at state in 2025. Both finished in the top-25 in 1A competition at Liberty Lake Golf Course, with Griffis seventh at 166 strokes over two rounds and DeVore 24th with a two-day 195.
Overlake High School’s Kendria Wang was state champion at 145, with Medical Lake senior Kali Rowe second at 152.
Ornelas said both Griffis and DeVore have improved over the offseason. Others to watch are Walker, Stoltz and Faulman.
“They are making great progress each week,” Ornelas said. “I am excited to see how they do in our first league match on April 17.”
Track and field
The Cardinals are set to open their NEA league season on April 15 at Colville.
League leaders so far for the girls begin with sophomore Aniela Daniels, first in both the 100 and 200. Second in track event standings are junior Autumn Trout in the 400, sophomore Lilly Kelm in the 3,200 and junior Makalia McKenney in the 100 hurdles, with freshman Aya McNeill third in the 800.
In the field, sophomore Dylan Stoltz is second in the high jump with McKenney third in the long jump.
For the Cardinal boys, junior Aiden Murillo is first in the 400, sophomore Mercury Bergquist is second in the 1,600 meters with sophomore Steven Shotts third in the 800 and 1,600.
The highest ranked Cardinal in the boys field events is senior Kaeden Kelson, fifth in the triple jump, although several others have cracked the top-10.
