Spring sports athletes in Cheney and Medical Lake have been busy with post season competition
over the past week, with some preparing for more.
CHENEY
Baseball
The Blackhawks made a good run at a berth in the 3A state tournament. Cheney opened with a 9-1 upset of top-seeded Ridgeline on May 4 in the District 8 tournament, breaking open a 1-1 tie with eight runs in the final three innings. Quinn Hubbs struck out six and gave up just three hits to the Falcons in the complete game win.
Three days later the Blackhawks found themselves on the short end of the scoring, managing just four hits in a 5-1 second-round loss to Southridge from Tri-Cities. Knocked into the loser-out round and needing to win two games to advance, the Blackhawks blanked fellow Greater Spokane League opponent University 7-0, with Hubbs giving up one hit and again striking out six in the complete game. Hubbs also had three hits and 2 RBI.
Needing a win over third-seeded Mt. Spokane to move on to state, Cheney saw their 5-4 lead evaporate as the Wildcats scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on for a 9-6 win. Clayton Wood had three hits and scored two runs for the Blackhawks, who ended their season at 7-11 in the GSL, 10-14 overall.
Boys soccer
The Blackhawks’ postseason ended abruptly with a pair of losses in the first two rounds of the District 8 tournament. Cheney lost 5-0 to eventual state-qualifier Ridgeline on May 2, followed by a heart-breaking 1-0 loss on the road to fourth-seeded Southridge on May 4. Cheney ended the season in eighth place in the GSL at 2-6, 6-10 overall in head coach Noah Prophet’s first season.
Softball
Cheney saw its playoff run come to a quick end with back-to-back losses to Southridge and Kennewick in District 8 play. Seeded seventh, the Blackhawks fell 12-2 on the road to the second-seeded Suns, May 2.
Needing to win to stay alive, Cheney nearly accomplished that task against the sixth-seeded Lions. The Blackhawks rallied to take a 6-4 lead with five runs in the third and one in the fourth before Kennewick regained the lead with three in the bottom of the fifth.
Kennewick stretched that lead to 10-6 with three more in the sixth before Cheney mounted a fierce rally, scoring seven runs in the top of the seventh to go up 13-10. They couldn’t hold it, however, as the Lions scored four in their half of the inning to seal the win and end the Blackhawks season.
Mia Ashcroft led Cheney at the plate, going 3 for 5 with two runs and two RBI. Cheney ended their season at 12-6 in the GSL, 12-10 overall.
Track and field
The Blackhawks turned in solid performances at the District 8 Sub-District 3A championships May 8 and May 10 at Central Valley High School. The Blackhawks men placed fourth overall with 86 points, trailing North Central, Mead and meet champion Mt. Spokane. The women were third with 93 points, trailing second-place Mt. Spokane by 15 points but well back of Mead’s 198.5 points.
A number of athletes qualified for competition May 17-18 at the District 8 Championships, with a shot at advancing to state competition the following weekend at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma. Top-five finishes for the men were Tucker VanWormer (100, 200), Calvin Hilton (1,600, 3,200), Mason Stinson (300 hurdles), Alma Smith (pole vault), Eugene Hennequin (first in the long jump at 20 feet, 11 inches) and Feesochi Ogbozor (triple jump).
Top-five finishes for the women were Caitlin Shaffer (first in the 100 wheelchair in 36.31 seconds), Karlee Pope (800), Hannah Ward (1,600), Natalie Richards (first in the 100 hurdles with a personal record of 15.72, 300 hurdles), Joy Assonken (shot put, first in the javelin at 123- 0), Clara Browne (discus, javelin) and April Passey (long jump, triple jump).
MEDICAL LAKE
Baseball
The Cardinals run at a Northeast A League title and one of three berths to state came to a quick end with a 4-1 loss to Colville in the tournament’s second round. Colville got all they needed with two runs in the top of the first inning.
AJ Michaud took the loss, giving up just two earned runs in seven innings. Kyle Kipp went 1 for 3 with ML’s only RBI in the bottom of the fourth to pull the Cardinals to within 3-1. Medical Lake ended their season at 7-5 in the NEA, 11-11 overall.
Soccer
The third-seeded Cardinals came up two goals short of a trip to the state 1A tournament. Medical Lake opened with a 5-0 win over sixth-seeded Newport on May 2, but experienced a setback three days later with a 3-2 road loss to second-seeded Riverside.
Needing two wins to advance, the Cardinals got the first with a 3-2 shootout win over fourth-seeded Lakeside on May 9 in a game played at Whitworth University. Back in the title game against Northwest Christian on May 11, the Cardinals took a 4-4 game into overtime where the Crusaders’ Lincoln Crockett notched the “golden goal” winner to send NWC to state and end Medical Lake’s season at 9-3 in the NEA, 13-8 overall.
Softball
The Cardinals were 4-9 in the NEA, 9-11 overall and owners of the fifth seed in league play as playoffs were slated to begin after press time. Medical Lake was schedule to open on the road at fourth-seed Lakeside, May 14.
Track and field
The Cardinals were slated to compete May 17-18 at the 1A District 7 championships at Riverside High School. At press time, Medical Lake male athletes ranked in the District 7 top-10 in their events were Hayden Luzier (200, 400, 800), Aiden Murillo (400, 800), Nakai Ornelas (1,600, 3,200), Silas Dutton (discus), Chuks Okemgbo (high jump), Garrett Montney and Dakotah Phillips (pole vault) and Yeta Holloway, Julian Contreras and Kaeden Kelson (long jump). Cardinal women ranked in the top-10 were Autumn Trout (first in the 100, 200, 400, discus, javelin), Charde’ Luat (100), Adasha Gardner (300 hurdles, 400), Hazel Grubaugh (400), Mya Gardner (800, long jump, triple jump), Allison Appel (800, shot put), Kaylee Dennler (1,600, 3,200), Makalia McKenny (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump) and Chiche Okemgbo (first in the shot put, discus and triple jump, third in javelin).
