Richland boys, Chiawana girls leading respective MCC basketball standings

We’ve reached the quarter point of league play in the Mid-Columbia Conference basketball wars, and almost everyone is spending their post-Christmas time with tournaments.

A couple notes: Richland’s boys look good, especially after trouncing a very good visiting Davis team 97-68 on Dec. 21. The Bombers have the holiday break off with a 3-0 MCC start, and 6-0 in overall play. … Chiawana, Hermiston and Kennewick boys have all jumped quickly out of the gate with 3-1 MCC records.… After losing to visiting Prosser in their opener, the Chiawana girls have caught fire by going 4-0 in conference play as well as winning five straight games. … Hermiston, Kamiakin and Kennewick are all right behind the Riverhawks with 3-1 MCC records.

Top five scoring leaders for MCC boys (thanks to Parker Hodge): 1, Landen Northrop, Richland, 33.5 points; 2, Daniel Trotenya, Kennewick, 22.3; 3, Lance Horntvedt, Richland, 22.0; 4, Truman Bullington, Walla Walla, 19.0; 5, Reece Rheinschmidt, Hanford, 18.8.

Top five scoring leaders for MCC girls (again, thanks to Mr. Hodge): 1, Mackenzie Schulz, Richland, 23.1 points; 2, Izzy Simmons, Hermiston, 18.3; 3, Malia Ruud, Chiawana, 17.3; 4, Liv Whitemarsh, Kamiakin, 16.7; 5, Mariah Montez, Pasco, 16.3.

3A-4A MCC BOYS STANDINGS

Richland (4A) 3-0 MCC, 6-0 overall

Chiawana (4A) 3-1, 6-1

Hermiston (3A) 3-1, 5-1

Kennewick (3A) 3-1, 4-2

Kamiakin (4A) 2-2, 3-3

Walla Walla (3A) 1-2, 3-3

Southridge (3A) 0-2, 1-5

Pasco (4A) 0-3, 1-4

Hanford (4A) 0-3, 0-5

Dec. 23

Chiawana 78, Eisenhower 41

Dec. 27

Eastmont vs. Hermiston, CWU, Ellensburg, 9 a.m.

Kennewick vs. Sunnyside, West Valley High School, Spokane, 8 p.m.

Lewis & Clark at Kamiakin, 6:30 p.m.

Ridgeline at Chiawana, 5 p.m.

Dec. 28

Ellensburg vs. Hermiston, CWU, Ellensburg, 7:30 p.m.

Hanford at Moses Lake, 4:30 p.m.

Kennewick vs. Rogers-Spokane, West Valley High School, Spokane, 5 p.m.

Lewis & Clark at Chiawana, 12 p.m.

Ridgeline at Kamiakin, 1:30 p.m.

Southridge at Ferris, 2 p.m.

Wenatchee at Walla Walla, 5 p.m.

Dec. 30

Southridge at Pasco, 7:30 p.m.

3A-4A MCC GIRLS STANDINGS

Chiawana (4A) 4-0 MCC, 5-1 overall

Hermiston (3A) 3-1, 5-1

Kennewick (3A) 3-1, 4-1

Kamiakin (4A) 3-1, 5-2

Southridge (3A) 1-1, 4-1

Walla Walla (3A) 1-2, 2-4

Pasco (4A) 0-3, 0-4

Hanford (4A) 0-3, 0-5

Richland (4A) 0-3, 0-6

Dec. 26

Chiawana 66, Glacier Peak 52

Dec. 27

Chiawana at Top of the Peak tournament, Glacier Peak.

Grandview at Southridge, 3:30 p.m.

Hermiston vs. Ellensburg, CWU, Ellensburg, 7:30 p.m.

Kennewick vs. Sandpoint, West Valley High School, Spokane, 1:30 p.m.

Dec. 28

Chiawana at Top of the Peak tournament, Glacier Peak.

Eastmont vs. Hermiston, CWU, Ellensburg, 12 p.m.

Eisenhower at Richland, 3:15 p.m.

Kennewick vs. Mt. Spokane, West Valley High School, Spokane, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 30

Southridge at Pasco, 5:45 p.m.

Dec. 31

Walla Walla at Ferris, 2 p.m.

College football

Montana Western’s football team went 10-2 this season and made it to the NAIA quarterfinals, beating Dickinson State 41-14 in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Morningside University of Iowa 31-24 in those quarterfinals.

There are 11 players from the Mid-Columbia on the WMU roster, including redshirt sophomore running back Jake Humphrey (Walla Walla), who was named second-team All-Frontier Conference at his position.

Humphrey had 948 yards rushing and scored 12 touchdowns for the Bulldogs, He also caught 5 passes for 116 yards and scored two more TDs.

Sophomore defensive back Landon Charlton (Richland) played in all 12 games for WMU, while redshirt freshman wide receiver Seth Shook (Richland) played in eight games — catching 4 passes for 58 yards and a score.

Devin Crow (Kamiakin) and Trevor Hoopes (Southridge) — both redshirt freshmen and defensive linemen — played in seven games this season.

In addition, the Bulldogs roster has redshirt-sophomore defensive back Dean Boyce (Richland), redshirt-freshman OL Bryer Hughes (Southridge), redshirt senior quarterback Kaden Jenks (Royal), redshirt freshman QB Cameron Kitchens (Richland), redshirt freshman defensive lineman Giovanni Love (Othello), and redshirt freshman linebacker Daunte Ramos (Sunnyside).

Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Herald.