Chiawana, Richland earn WA soccer berths. 11 area teams qualify for football playoffs

With district or regional play completed in most high school sports, here’s the count of Mid-Columbia teams who have qualified for their respective Washington state tournaments:

• 4 girls soccer teams

• 5 small-school volleyball teams

• 11 football teams

Girls soccer

In the 4A district 6 tournament, Chiawana and Richland grabbed both available state berths.

Last week, Chiawana (17-1) beat Lewis & Clark 1-0 to earn the district title.

Richland (15-4) had to eliminate the Greater Spokane League’s top seed, Gonzaga Prep, in a 2-1 shootout just to get a shot at the second berth.

On Saturday, the Bombers traveled to Spokane and blanked Lewis & Clark 4-0 to do so.

So, both Tri-City teams will play state first-round games on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

Chiawana earned a No. 4 ranking by the state seeding committee, and the Riverhawks will play host to No. 13 Issaquah (11-9-2) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Chiawana High School.

Richland is a No. 9 seed and will travel to play No. 8 Lake Stevens (16-1-2) at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

▪ Kiona-Benton (14-7) is a No. 15 seed in the girls 1A state tournament, while Royal (15-6) is a No. 16 seed.

Both teams will hit the road Wednesday in first-round state contests.

Ki-Be visits No. 2 Seton Catholic (19-0) at 7 p.m.; while Royal plays top-ranked Cedar Park Christian of Bothell (18-0-1) at 6 p.m. at Juanita High School in Kirkland.

Prep football

Three Tri-City schools made it into the Class 4A state playoffs in Chiawana (9-1), Richland (7-3) and Kamiakin (8-3).

Chiawana routed Sunnyside 49-0 in a Round of 32 playoff game last Friday night at Edgar Brown Stadium.

Braxton Feldman rushed for 127 yards and 14 carries and scored on TD runs of 9, 50 and 9 yards.

“Braxton, he’s up there with the best we’ve ever had in this program,” said Chiawana coach Scott Bond. “He’s right there among the best.”

Gage Williams also had a strong game for the Riverhawks, scoring on touchdown runs of 4 and 13 yards. Defensively, Williams added 7 tackles with three tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks.

Freshman Cooper Cissne added two interceptions for Chiawana.

The Riverhawks are seeded No. 3 in the tournament, and they will host No. 14 Puyallup at 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, at Edgar Brown Stadium.

Richland rallied to beat Yelm 24-20 last Friday to qualify for state.

Colson Mackey caught 6 passes for 129 yards, with two TD passes from Jackson Woodard.

Jake Brannon added 101 yards rushing on 15 carries, including a 34-yard touchdown scamper that gave Richland the lead for good.

Meanwhile, Bombers linebacker Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane led the team with 16 tackles.

The Bombers are a 13 seed, and they will take on No. 4 Kennedy Catholic at Highline Stadium at 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 15.

Kamiakin just completed a stretch of three games in 12 days, culminating in a 49-20 blowout win on the road at Moses Lake to qualify for state.

The Braves trailed 20-14 at halftime against the Mavericks, but they answered with five consecutive touchdowns in the second half.

The Braves are a 15 seed and will play at No. 2 Sumner at 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16.

3A: Kennewick is our area’s lone 3A state participant after the Lions beat Peninsula 29-9 on Friday night.

Dominic Driver connected for two TD passes with Tanner Larson, and Canaan Hays and Alex Roberts each scored on runs, as the Lions rolled to a victory.

Randy Affholter’s team gets a No. 8 ranking, and they’ll host No. 8 Enumclaw (a 77-0 winner last Friday in a Round of 32 game over Southridge) at 3 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, at Lampson Stadium.

2A: Both Othello and Prosser have qualified for the 2A state playoffs.

Othello earns an 8 seed and the Huskies will play host to No. 9 Sehome at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Prosser gets a 10 seed and will travel to play No. 7 West Valley of Spokane at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16.

1A: Top-ranked Royal gets a first-round by in the state 1A playoffs.

Class 1A is the only classification that doesn’t have a 16-team tournament because of a lack of schools playing football.

So the Knights will await the winner of No. 9 Cascade Christian vs. No. 8 Lynden Christian (played at 1 p.m. Saturday at Blaine High School). That quarterfinal game will be played Nov. 22 or 23.

2B: There are two Tri-City teams that will play in the state 2B tournament.

Tri-Cities Prep earned a No. 8 ranking and will play No. 9 Toledo at Fran Rish Stadium at 2 p.m., Saturday.

Meanwhile, Columbia-Burbank qualified as a No. 14 seed, and the Coyotes will travel to play No. 3 Napavine at 4 p.m., Saturday.

1B: Finally, Liberty Christian of Richland is the top-ranked 1B team headed into the state playoffs.

The Patriots, who won their Round of 32 game by forfeit last Friday when Mary Walker of Springdale didn’t have enough healthy players, will host No. 16 Ocosta. That game will kick off at 5 p.m., Friday at Fran Rish Stadium.

DeSales earned a No. 8 seed, and the Irish will host No. 9 Quilcene at 12 p.m., Saturday Nov. 16.

Volleyball

The Class 4A and 3A tournament fields have yet to be determined because they don’t run until next week.

Meanwhile, three area schools will compete in the 2B state tournament in Yakima that runs Nov. 13-14.

River View is a No. 7 seed, and the Panthers open play at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday against No. 10 Forks. No. 9 Tri-Cities Prep plays No. 8 Liberty of Spangle at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

Warden is a 15 seed and will open play at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday against No. 2 Manson.

In the 1B tournament in Yakima, Walla Walla Valley Academy is a No. 4 seed, and will play at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of No. 20 Pe Ell and No. 13 Soap Lake.

No. 16 Liberty Christian will take on No. 17 Grace Academy at 8 a.m. Wednesday in a loser-out contest to start the tournament.

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.