Here’s a look at the Kittitas County senior athletes who will continue their careers at the collegiate level. This list will continue to be updated, so if you know of anyone continuing their career at the next level, please email me at cnuanez@kvnews.com. The final list will run in the print edition of the Daily Record during graduation week.

ELLENSBURG HIGH SCHOOL

Kramer Ferrell — The three-time all-state wide receiver will be a preferred walk-on at Oregon State University in the fall. Ferrell, the CWAC Player of the Year in baseball this spring, finished third in state history in receiving yards (4,570) and catches (234) and fourth in touchdowns (55), during his record-setting career.

Sungyoung Lee — The standout sprinter and all-league cornerback will play both football and run track at Willamette University in Salem, Ore. Lee was a two-year starter and two-time all-league pick for EHS in football and he took third in the Class 2A track state meet in the 100 meters last spring.

Kaitlin Quirk – The three-sport standout will participate this weekend in the Class 2A state track and field meet in two events and was an all-league pick in basketball, but it’s on the volleyball court where she shines most. The CWAC Player of the Year in volleyball led her team in kills in all 21 matches last fall. She will play volleyball at Central Washington University for Mario Andaya in the fall.

Hadli Farrand — Farrand was the key facilitator on an EHS offense had five players in the top 15 in the CWAC for goals scored. The midfielder, who was named the CWAC Offensive Player of the Year,  will play for her father, Michael, at Central Washington University in the fall.

Abigail Pellett — The tennis standout three-peated three times during her high school career, winning three straight CWAC district titles, three straight regional finals and qualifying for state each of the last three seasons. This weekend, Pellett goes for her third state medal after placing fifth in 2010. She will play tennis at Carroll University in Minnesota next year.

Joe Montano — Montano was EHS’ leading scorer as the Bulldogs finished 17-5 in their first year under Washington legend Pat Fitterer. Montano averaged 14.3 points per game en route to a first-team all-league selection. He will play basketball at Division III Linfield College in Oregon.

Kurt Davis — Davis was integral to the EHS boys’ basketball team’s success last winter as the team’s sixth man. He averaged nearly seven points per game in a reserve roll and was one of the team’s best 3-point shooters. Davis will try to walk on at BYU-Hawai’i next year.

McKenzie Graf — The two-sport standout was an all-league pick in volleyball and will participate as part of EHS record-setting 4×400 meter relay team at the Class 2A state track meet this weekend. Graf will play volleyball at Bellevue College next fall.

KITTITAS HIGH SCHOOL

Kayvonne Vaver — The three-sport star was a three-time all-league pick in basketball, a three-time all-league pick in volleyball and the Central Washington 2B Player of the Year in volleyball in 2010. She is a three-time all-league pick in softball as well and will lead the Coyotes into the state 2B softball tournament today. Vaver will play basketball at Lower Columbia College next fall.

CLE ELUM-ROSLYN HIGH SCHOOL

Hailey Bator — The southpaw hurler was an all-league pick in volleyball in 2010 and an all-league pick in basketball last winter, but it’s in the softball circle where Bator excels most. The SCAC West Player of the Year last spring will lead the Warriors into the Class 1A tournament this weekend looking for another storied run. Last spring, Bator threw three straight gems as her team finished as the state runner-up, the first trophy in Cle Elum softball history. Bator will pitch at Wenatchee Valley College next year.

Genesis Fonoimoana returns a kick during the CWU spring game Saturday.

As I walked out of the press box of Tomlinson Stadium following the Central Washington University spring football game last Saturday, I heard many fans chatting. A former CWU player who shall remain nameless muttered “Well, that was embarrassing.”

While I agree, the Wildcats did not look stellar on Saturday day — far from it, really — the team is further along than it was at this time last spring. There’s some solid pieces. Entering last fall, there was question marks at EVERY single position with the exception of the spots occupied by Adam Bighill and Eugene Germany.

The Crimson (first-team) defense made the White (first-team) offense look foolish for 90 straight minutes. White team running back Ismael Stinson didn’t have a carry for positive yardage. Ryan Robertson completed 5-of-13 passes for 52 yards. But Saturday was more a case of a really good Crimson defense rather than a terrible White offense.

Last year’s Cats struggled all season offensively, rarely able to get points in the redzone. While it looked like more of the same is coming this year, I’d hesitate to make that judgment just yet. Robertson is not Mike Reilly and he never will be. His improvisation on offense is almost non-existent. But he has experience and he knows the offense better than anyone else CWU could hope to put under center. He isn’t going to set the West Coast on fire, but he can manage the offense just fine.

CWU is already almost set on defense. Four seniors — Andrew Oney, Mike Reno, Taylor Tanasse and Tyrell Nielsen — will anchor the front come fall and all four will be honors candidates. Really, all four could be All-Americas if they stay healthy.The secondary has the team’s best playmaker is Stan Langlow. The sophomore had a league-leading seven interceptions as a freshman. Langlow got two new wingmen in safety transfers Deionte Gordon (Sac State) and Genesis Fonoimoana (Long Beach City College). All three safeties can and will play. All three safeties can and will make waves.

Genesis is a flat stud. He is the biggest game changer I saw out there on Saturday. Once he learns what he is doing in the system, he will wreak havoc.

The Cats have to replace three all-conference linebackers, but safety converts Stetson Shearer and Abraham Muheize seem to be catching on quickly. Although I’m not sure if either one will be of the caliber of Bighill on the outside, this CWU coaching staff knows how to fill needs, so a few new, beastly linebackers will be here come fall. Two years ago, CWU brought in Prince Hall from Alabama and Matt Ah You from BYU. Last season, Jared Silva-Purcell came from Nevada, Paul Wright from Illinois State. CWU will find guys who can play. Stay tuned.

Offensively, the line is good. Robertson is robotic, has almost no swagger or  improvisational skill. When a play breaks down, CWU is almost always in trouble. But he’s gotten over his interception disease of two years ago. And Robertson’s lack of improvisation isn’t all his fault.

This team needs a play maker. They have to have someone to stretch the field, to make a big play. EVERY championship caliber team has one. If you have the squad CWU had last year or the one the Cats have currently , you will be solid, you will win the GNAC, you will go 8-3, you will lose to the two real teams you play during non-conference and you will miss the playoffs. Period. Every year. Gotta have a playmaker. Absolutely have to.

Central Washington University senior Mike Reno, a former standout at Kittitas High School, will wear the vaunted No. 44 jersey for his final season next fall.

The Central Washington University football team opened spring camp Monday. I went to practice on Tuesday. Here’s a few early observations.

– Mike Reno has gotten even bigger. The former standout quarterback at Kittitas High is now a hulking defensive tackle. Between his second and third year, I thought the amount of weight he put on was crazy. I bet the senior put on another 15 pounds in the off-season. And just in time to sport No. 44, handed down from Adam Bighill, as the heart of the CWU defense.

— The defensive line will again be the strength of the team. No only is there experience (81 combined started between Reno, Taylor Tanasse, Tyrell Nielsen and Andrew Oney, all seniors), but the four players are not hungry for stats. They are content to just take up blocks, blow up schemes and disrupt the opposing offense.

— The defensive line will need to be strong because, as of right now at least, CWU is extremely thin at linebacker. I didn’t recognize a single linebacker save Abraham Muheize. Muheize, who played safety last season, is a player I had high hopes for coming out of fall camp. The San Diego native is still the all-time leader is prep history in the state of California in all-purpose yards.

— While Reno, Oney and Tanasse all wreak havoc in the trenches, the health of Nielsen will b important for Central’s success. The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder will be CWU’s best pash-rusher if he can recover from a left knee injury that cut short last season. Nielsen led the team in sacks in 2009, but has missed big chunks of each of the last two seasons with knee trouble. When we spoke on Tuesday, he talked of hating to have to constantly watch, but he said his knee feels good and he and doctors both think he will be ready by fall.

— The Wildcats need a play-maker and that play-maker needs to be Justin Helwege. The senior has shown flashes in the past, but the time is now for him to unlock the true potential in his 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame.

— Ryan Robertson is more comfortable at the quarterback spot than ever. When I talked to him, he talked about last season spending so much time being certain what he was doing first, then directing traffic. This spring, he said he already feels versed enough in the offense that it’s second nature, so he can spend more time guiding the offense. Central will need it, as the rest of the receiving core is lacking experience and one of three sophomores (Louis Davis, Levi Taylor or Ismael Stinson) will start in the backfield in all likelihood.

To read the story from Wednesday’s daily record, click here.

Gonzaga's Kayla Standish, right, a former Ellensburg High School standout, is averaging 30 points per game during the NCAA women's tournament.

Although the madness of March may have come to a premature end in Ellensburg this spring, a little bit of Rodeo City hope remains alive.
Monday night, Ellensburg’s Kayla Standish led the Gonzaga University women’s basketball team to its second upset of the weekend in the NCAA women’s basketball championship. By knocking off UCLA Monday, GU ensured its second straight trip to the Sweet 16 and the road that lies ahead is an inviting one for the Bulldogs.
On the heels of the Central Washington University men hosting and subsequently getting bounced in the West Regional of the NCAA Men’s Division II tournament, Standish showed not all those with Ellensburg ties are cursed this March.
The 2007 Ellensburg High School grad was among the best players in the entire tournament during the opening weekend, leading the 11-seed Bulldogs to a pair of wins over No. 6 Iowa and the No. 3 Bruins. Now, Standish has a legitimate chance to lead her team on a run to the Final Four. Both GU wins were played in Spokane on Gonzaga’s home court. The West Regional beginning Saturday will be in Spokane as well and should be played in front of a jam-packed Kennel.
Gonzaga’s Courtney Vandersloot will get most of the headlines this week on ESPN and in the print media, deservedly so. The senior had 34 points, seven assists, seven rebounds and four steals against Iowa, then went out and topped that effort in front of her biggest fans Monday. Against UCLA, Vandersloot put to rest all argument as to whom is the best point guard in America, solidifying the title by scoring 29 points, nabbing five steals, pulling down seven rebounds and dishing out an eye-popping 17 assists. The ridiculous stat line helped the 5-foot-8 point guard from Kent become the first player in NCAA history, man or woman, to total 2,000 points and 1,000 assists in a career.
While Vandersloot etched her name among legends, it was Standish who lifted the Zags when they needed it most. In each win, the 6-foot-2 forward was impossibly efficient, nailing buckets to boost Gonzaga at crucial times. In Monday’s second half, the junior nailed seven straight shots during a 10-minute stretch, scoring 17 out of 23 of her team’s points before Vandersloot took over down the stretch.
Against Iowa, Standish nailed 11 of 12 second-half field goals to finish a ridiculous 15-for-20 from the field. In each Bulldog win, Standish scored 30 points. Thus far in the tournament, she is shooting an out-of-this-world 77 percent (26-for-34).
If Standish can continue her hot play, Gonzaga has a chance to make its deepest run in program history. Vandersloot is the catalyst and teams around the nation are growing more and more aware of that fact. As the increase in media attention for the senior grows this week, it will be Standish’s time to rise.
Gonzaga has lost just twice in 21 games at the Kennel this season, meaning the prospects are bright. With Vandersloot writing the last chapter of her classic novel at GU brilliantly and Standish putting on offensive clinics down low, Gonzaga has a legitimate shot to keep a bit of the Rodeo City alive until the Final Four.

Following Central Washington’s upset defeat at the hands of Seattle Pacific Friday night, I went to the Tav to enjoy an adult beverage with a fellow sports writer. As we sipped on a cold one, we discussed how on earth the upset had occurred.
Central seemed superior to SPU in every way — athletic talent, momentum of the season, depth, intangibles —  all factors were to CWU’s advantage. Add in that the NCAA West Region game was played on CWU’s home floor in front of a more-than-capacity crowd, and it’s hard to believe CWU could possibly lose. Not to a team the Wildcats had defeated twice before, not when it seemed the stars had aligned for the No. 5 team in America.
As we discussed the shifts of the game — from SPU’s 16-2 advantage in points off turnovers in the first half to the 8-0 run freshman David Downs went on the single-handedly bury Central — I looked down to the end of the bar. Sitting there were Steve Kinder and Damaine Powell, the head coaches of Humboldt State and Cal State-Dominguez Hills, respectively.
When I saw the head coaches of the two best programs in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, I thought perhaps upsets were in the air Friday. HSU, the tournament’s No. 3 seed and the No. 6 team in America, had fallen in the West Region opener to Alaska Anchorage. Dominguez Hills, the second seed in the bracket and the No. 15 team in the country, had been upset by BYU-Hawai’i. The notion that the upsets were meant to be was quickly eliminated in our dissection of the CWU misstep, but it certainly took a perfect combination for the Falcons to topple the top-seeded Cats.
The attendance for Friday’s game was announced as a capacity crowd of 2,519, but there were certainly more Wildcat faithful in attendance. The Pavilion was packed as tight as a sardine can and the atmosphere was electric.
Central began the game bringing the heat, applying more pressure than at any time in the 10 games I’d covered this season. The pressure, something that was always taken to a different level upon the entrance of sparkplug Chris Scott, had been the bread and butter for a team that had lost just once in 2011 and just three times all season. True to form, when Scott and fellow reserve Jody Johnson entered the game at the 14:34 mark, the CWU pressure went through the roof much to the enjoyment of the Nicholson crowd.
As had been trademark all season, CWU went on an instant burst, scoring six straight points to bring Central within one point. What happened next was the key element to ending the Wildcats’ dream run.
Great Northwest Athletic Conference foes stood toe-to-toe with CWU much of the time this winter. The difference during almost all of Central’s 16 GNAC wins was, when the Wildcats threw a haymaker, other teams were floored by it.
Friday, SPU didn’t survive just one CWU attempt at a knockout.  The Falcons chinned three big blows, answering with resounding combinations of their own in holding a lead for all but 23 seconds of the victory.

Following Central’s initial burst, Seattle Pacific fired back, going on a 13-0 run capped by a Ryan Sweet dunk.
As the half wound down, the SPU lead grew to as many as 18 points. Right before halftime, Central went for a body blow, but ended getting its wind knocked out. Central put together a last-minute spurt before intermission, briefly cutting the SPU lead to 10 and seemingly capturing the momentum before halftime. Not so fast, said SPU senior Jeff Downs. The sharpshooter drilled a 3-pointer before capping the half with a fast-break lay-up. Downs’ five-point spurt gave him 14 first-half points and put SPU up 15.
In the second half, CWU again mounted a run. Jamar Berry, on the bench for the second half’s first 11-plus minutes because of foul trouble, came back into the game and drilled a triple. Scott added a pair of free throws and CWU found itself down 53-48 with 7:37 to play.
The momentum belonged to the Cats. That is, until David Downs decided to take over. The true freshman had wilted under the Cats pressure in CWU’s 63-53 win over SPU at Nicholson in January. Friday, he appeared to have ice in his veins.
He got in the lane and was fouled on the Falcons’ next possession. He nailed both free throws. On the next two CWU possessions, he confirmed the Falcons would simply not let a Central haymaker knock them to the mat.

On back-to-back trips down the court, Downs hit NBA-range step-back 3-pointers from right in front of the Nicholson student section, extending the SPU lead to 11 and twisting the dagger 360 degrees in the Wildcats’ hearts.
The loss could have been blamed on Central falling victim to poor officiating — the crew called the worst game I’ve seen at any level in my 14 months covering sports in Ellensburg. The loss could have been blamed on CWU looking ahead – the majority of the Cats sat in the stands and watched HSU and CSDH lose earlier in the day.
Ultimately, Cenral was Mike Tyson all season, connecting on game-changing big blows that killed the will of its opponents. Friday, the Falcons were Buster Douglas, the consummate underdog, understanding if they could take the big punches, eventually the indestructible machine would grow tired.
“We let them punch them in the face first and we never threw a punch back,” said David Downs following the game, referring to his team’s previous two defeats to CWU. “Tonight, we were ready to take it. We hit them first and kept taking it at them.”
Both during and after the game, David Downs hit it right on the chin.

Signing day isn’t until Feb. 2, but the Class of 2011 for the Central Washington University football team already has some verbal commitments from a group of talented recruits.
Highlighting the list of nine prep players who have given their oral commitments to CWU are two players off the recently released Seattle Times “White Chip” recruit list.
The Times releases a list each winter highlighting blue chip (nationally sought after prospects), red chip (cable of starting in a major conference like the Pac-10 or starring in a lesser conference) and white chip (the rest of the top 100 recruits in the state) prospects in the Evergreen State.
The Daily Record confirmed that at least two members of the upcoming recruiting class that will be unveiled Wednesday are white chip recruits.
Highlighting the list of 10 verbally committed future Wildcats is Juanita (Kirkland) High School star Jeremiah Lafasa. The 5-foot-11, 200-pounder is listed as “athlete” under his position on the Times’ list. He was a standout at both running back and linebacker last fall.
Lafasa was a first-team 3A All-KingCo selection each of the past two falls. As a junior, he rushed for 1,136 yards and 13 touchdowns. Last season, he set a school-record by rushing for 1,526 yards in 11 games, helping Juanita post a 9-2 record, its best since 1989. Lafasa also had a pair of interception returns for touchdowns from his linebacker position in Juanita’s upset victory over then-No. 2 Liberty last fall.
His profile on Scout.com says he runs 4.56 seconds in the 40. He also received limited interest from Washington, Washington State, Eastern Washington, Oregon, Oregon State and Boise State. Lafasa’s teammate (and back-up) Andre Casino has also given a verbal to CWU. The 6-foot, 166-pound Casino rushed for 500 yards and four scores in back-up duty last season.
CWU’s other white chip commit is a big one — quite literally. Jackson Wargo of Montesano High School will continue his gridiron career in the crimson and black. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Wargo was a Class 1A first-team all-state selection on the offensive line and an honorable mention all-state pick up front on defense. He will be the second player from Montesano to play for head coach Blaine Bennett. All-America linebacker Adam Bighill just wrapped up his standout career in which he started for four seasons last fall.
CWU’s recruiting class last year was nicknamed the “class of the quarterback” as a trio of prep signal callers signed with the ’Cats. Bennett, the quarterback’s coach and offensive coordinator, said last year he would like to have a quarterback in each class to ensure program depth. This class’ quarterback comes highly touted.
The Oregonian reported that Reynolds High School (Gresham, Ore.) signal caller Colin Walsh will come to Ellensburg to continue slinging the pigskin. The 6-foot-4, 190-pounder led the 6A Mt. Hood League in almost every passing statistic last fall. He threw for more than 300 yards six times in 10 games, and for more than 400 yards twice. For the season, he completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,983 yards (298.3 a game) and 27 touchdowns. He also had scholarship offers from Division II Southwest Minnesota State, Football Championship Series member Idaho State, and Division III powerhouse Linfield.
Walsh is just the second prep recruit from outside Washington to sign with CWU as Bennett enters his fourth year as head coach. Blaine John Bennett, the head coach’s son, was a part of last winter’s recruiting class. Blaine John prepped in Indiana.
Jerid Ronquillo, a wide receiver from Hoquiam High School, comes to CWU with a diverse athletic portfolio. He was a first-team all-league pick on the gridiron last fall after catching 20 passes for 442 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was a Class1A all-state honorable mention pick as well. In track and field, Ronquillo caught some attention by running an 11-second 100-meters and long jumping 22 feet, .75 inches as a junior. He also averaged 14 points per game for the Hoquiam basketball team last winter.
The other four prep standouts who have orally committed all play in the trenches.
Joshua Tippins will come to Ellensburg from one of the state’s most successful football programs in Lynden High School. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound offensive lineman was a member of the back-to-back Class 2A state champions in 2008 and 2009. Tippins was a first-team all-league pick on both the offensive and defensive lines and is slated to play offense at Central.
Sadat Sulley is one of the best raw athletes giving verbal commitment to CWU. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive end/outside linebacker registered a 35-inch vertical and ran a 4.63 40 at a Nike Elite Camp in Portland last year. The second-team South Puget Sound League selection at Spanaway Lake High piled up 70 tackles, including 19 for loss, and nine sacks last fall. He also rushed for 250 yards and four touchdowns from his H-back position.
Patrick Taiwo of Newport High School also has some impressive measurable numbers. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound defensive lineman can bench press 300 pounds, has a 31-inch vertical and runs a 4.67 40 according to his profile on Rivals.com. The team captain had 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks last fall.
Graham-Kapowsin High standout Ryan Blowers was a second-team all-SPSL pick with Sulley on the defensive line last fall. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder is slated to play on the defensive line.
National Signing Day is Wednesday, Feb. 2. CWU coaches are not allowed to comment on players until after they sign a national letter of intent.

Ellensburg High School senior Colby Coates grapples with Cashmere senior Dillon Miller in the finals of the 140-pound bracket at the Ray Westberg Invitiational Saturday.

At last year’s Ray Westberg Invitational, I was flustered to say the least. I’d been in Ellensburg all of nine days and I’d never in my life written a single word about wrestling. I was thrown to the wolves so to speak, having to effectively cover a tournament that I was informed time and again was a big deal in our community. The overwhelming nature of my first Westberg held me back from truly appreciating the event.
Last winter turned me into a wrestling fan. This winter, I’m striving to become an aficionado of the sport. Both my knowledge of the sport and my appreciation of it was given a huge boost this past week due to the 2011 version of the Westberg at Ellensburg High School.
The Westberg is a superb event in concept, in it’s smooth, well-organized operation and in it’s fiercely competitive field of wrestlers. Last Saturday, some of the best wrestling talent in the state came to EHS to display their skills. Tournaments like the Westberg let reporters like me enjoy amazing athletic displays while at the same time learning what other parts of the Evergreen state have to offer in terms of talent.
In a day filled with amazing matches wrestled by phenomenal wrestlers, a few athletes stood out above the rest. During the spotlighted final round (which, by the way, is THE coolest part about high school wrestling), Ares Carpio continued to make a case as one of the best pound-for-pound wrestlers in the state. The 130-pound junior from Todd Beamer High in Federal Way cruised to his second straight Westberg title. He took apart one of the Central Washington Athletic Conference’s best 130-pounders in East Valley (Yakima) High’s Konner Hopkins by a score of 12-4. Carpio, the Class 4A state champ at 119 last season, was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler in the 103-140 pound division for the second year in a row.
Roman Velasquez, the Outstanding Wrestler in the 145-285 weight division, also affirmed himself as one of the Evergreen state’s best. The 171-pounder for Cashmere pinned his way to the Westberg final, then used fluid technique and some of the best takedown defense I’ve ever seen to best defending Class 2A state champion Amando DeLeon of Othello. Velasquez is undefeated this season.
Cashmere senior Dillon Miller’s feverish 14-13 decision over EHS senior Colby Coates was perhaps the most exciting match of the tournament. Coates trailed 12-8 in the final round of a match with a rash of reversals and takedowns. Coates mustered one last burst, taking Miller to the mat, coming inches away from sticking him. But the burst proved to be Coates’ last, as Miller mustered one last surge to earn a near-fall of his own and earn the decision victory in one of the tournament’s most competitive brackets.
And of course, there were the two local boys who brought many fans to their feet with thrilling victories. Tyler Coates of Ellensburg High reassumed the form that helped him win a Greco-Roman national championship. He was a man on a mission against Selah’s Tyler Noble, patting at Noble’s ear guards repeatedly before shooting, twisting and slamming his way into a reverse choke hold that turned into a pin. The match lasted just 46 seconds and afterward, Coates grinned as if he knew he would win easily.
Kittitas head coach Dustin Johnson and I have talked at various points through the season, trying to assess just how good junior 215-pounder Nate Sorensen really is. The kid was the Class B state runner-up in the heavyweight division last season, so it’s not like his domination this season has been a surprise. But Sorensen walked through all his competition leading up to the Westberg, including earning pins in all 20 victories. His only loss came to Jordan Velasco of Omak, one of the top kids in the 215-pound division, all-class. The week leading up to the Westberg, Johnson told me the EHS tournament would be a real measuring stick for Sorensen. Consider the test passed with flying colors. Sorensen walked his way to the finals where his mettle was truly tested in the final by Othello’s Joey Gomez. But Sorensen showed the biggest display of heart in all the tournament’s final matches.
The match’s first two rounds were stalemates. In the third, Sorensen found himself trailing as the final minute approached. Sorensen was on his back, trying to gain leverage, when Gomez twirled with explosion, nearly pinning Sorensen. But Sorensen would not surrender, escaping the near-fall, and earning a standup. With less than 30 seconds left, Sorensen shot successfully, taking Gomez to the mat to assume a 9-7 lead that would prove to be the final margin. As the final buzzer sounded, Sorensen was among the most jubilant of any of Saturday’s champs. After shaking Gomez’s hand, Sorensen reached both hands in the air, eyes to the sky, smile of pure gratification shining for all to see.
It’s these moments that make me love my job. To see Sorensen’s perseverance pay off, to see an uber-talented wrestler like Coates realize his potential, that’s what it’s really all about.
The Ray Westberg Invite is a phenomenal event, one that is run with organization and fluidity. This community is lucky to have great people willing to volunteer their time to help make events like this a reality. I’m glad I’ve settled in enough now in the Rodeo City to enjoy the fantastic spectacle put on at EHS each January.

I’ve been trying to get a hold of Beau Baldwin since early last week. The man can’t be blamed for being so busy. It took him until last night to get back to me. After all, his team has been wrapped up in a whirlwind run that culminated with Eastern Washington University winning the Football Championship Subdivision National Championship.
Baldwin, a Central Washington University alumnus and the CWU football team’s head coach in 2007, led EWU to a dramatic 20-19 comeback win over Delaware on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas. Eastern trailed 19-0 at one point before quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell fired three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to lead the Eagles to their first national championship. The title was the first by a team west of the Mississippi at the FCS level since Montana won the title in 2001. Just five times since the inaugural 1-AA championship in 1978 has a team from the West captured the title.
Baldwin finally gets to breathe, at least until winter conditioning starts later this month. Then the cycle will start all over again. With 16 starters slated to return next fall from this season’s championship squad, you can be sure that EWU will be the team to beat next season.
The Eagles coach took time out of his busy schedule Wednesday to talk with the Daily Record about what the championship means to the state of Washington, the pride he takes in his crimson and black roots, and what’s next on a crazy journey in which his team is currently on top of the world.
Daily Record: Just how crazy has this run to the top been for you and your team?
Baldwin: It’s been a combination of everything, but as busy and crazy and hectic as it’s been, I would do it every year if this is what it means. By no means have I complained one bit. It’s been an absolute blast. We are so excited for our team and our players. It’s something special that they can treasure for the rest of their lives.
On top of that, it’s been exciting for everyone associated with Eastern Washington University. It’s not just the football program. It’s something that’s big for the school, for the city of Cheney, for the city of Spokane and for the state of Washington as a whole.
DR: You took over at Eastern Washington just three years ago. Eastern has always been a solid program (five playoff appearances in the last seven seasons), but you took it to new heights. Did you expect it to happen so fast?
Baldwin: I think some people underestimated some of the good things we had going before I took over for (former head coach) Paul Wulff (now of Washington State). Eastern has had 13 winning seasons in the last 15 and we’ve gone to the national playoffs five times in the last seven seasons. Sometimes, until you get over that hump of getting into a semifinal or finals, when you do get over that hump, some of the great years that are just a fine line from being a spectacular year get over looked or forgotten.
DR: The perception of an East Coast bias is perhaps most prevalent on the FCS level, mainly because most of the dominant FCS powers are back East. Do you think winning this national title solidifies the Big Sky Conference as one of the top leagues in America and brings some recognition to FCS football out West?
Baldwin: I think any time you have someone in your conference keep moving on, you are always pulling for them. I’ve been there rooting on Montana. We are a strong conference, but we don’t get the recognition like some of the conferences back East. I think this national championship further proves what Montana has proven in the past decade. They went in 04, 08, and 09 so it’s not as if the strength of the conference. But more teams and different teams and obviously our national championship takes it to another level.
DR: There were rumblings of All-America running back Taiwan Jones testing the professional waters after another dynamite season (2,149 yards from scrimmage, 17 total touchdowns), but he was lost to a foot injury. With him and 15 other starters coming back, are you excited for next season’s pursuit of a repeat?
Baldwin: The main thing we are focused on is we have zero wins in 2011. We have to have that mindset, that focus. You can never have your eyes in the rearview mirror, whether it’s good or bad. I will be the first to admit I like what our team has coming back. At the same time, you are going to run into all sorts of obstacles than this last year. More teams could give us their best game. You could have more injuries. You have to be ready to find ways to get better and keep changing even though we won it all. We can’t get caught up in listening. All they are going to hear until August is how great they are, and that takes away from your drive, your edge sometimes. We have to focus like we are starting from scratch if we want to make another run at it.
DR: The “Showdown on the Sound” at Qwest Field in Seattle between your team and CWU (a 35-32 EWU victory) was one of the better football games I watched live this year at any level. How did your old squad stack up with your current one?
Baldwin: We had a lot of close games and the game against Central was certainly one of them. Like I said to you after the game, I wasn’t surprised one bit they gave us all we can handle. They have great talent. They’re coached extremely well. They do things right. With Coach (Jeff) Zamberlin before me, and me in ’07 when I had a blast, and Coach (Blaine) Bennett after me, it’s becoming a model program.
Sometimes people get caught up in the Division II, FCS, Division I comparisons. It’s a little blown out of proportion. Especially when you are talking about the top tier Division II and FCS programs. Central’s ability this year didn’t surprise me and believe me, I left Seattle very proud and relieved that we earned a win.
DR: You reference your time as head coach here in 2007. Many of the upperclassmen contributors on last season’s Central squad were guys you recruited. Did it bring you some pride to see some of those guys succeed?
Baldwin: Oh heck yeah. It was a joy to be out there and see those guys pre game and especially after the game. We saw them on film the year before against Idaho State and then when we were preparing to play them and it’s always fun to see guys grow and progress. I know Coach Wulff was pretty proud of some of the stuff some of the guys he brought in when he was here were able to accomplish this year.
(All-America linebacker) Adam Bighill is one of the guys who jumps out at me. He was the first player I went to see on a home visit (in Montesano) when I was the coach there. To see him have such an outstanding career was neat. But there was more than just Adam who fulfilled their potential.
DR: Anytime a coach gets that national championship at a smaller school, the rumblings of him leveraging that into a big-time job always seem to spring up. What does your future hold?
: I’m really excited to be here. A lot gets made of the Central deal and my short stay there, but it was just an incredible circumstance one year after I took the Central job. It’s never been in my mindset to keep climbing. It’s always been my mindset to enjoy wherever I am to the fullest. I’m excited to go out for winter conditioning, I’m excited for spring ball and I’m excited for the challenge of following up an incredible season like the one we just had.

Most college basketball coaches will tell you, pre-season hype is just fine and national polls are great. But it’s the grind of the conference season after the calendar turns to the new year each winter that separates contenders from pretenders.

With the release of this week’s National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 poll this week, the Central Washington University men’s basketball team has its highest ranking since joining NCAA Division II in 1998 with a No. 5 position in the poll. The Wildcats have won their first eight games and the buzz is building.

To basketball enthusiasts in Ellensburg, the ’Cats are still a largely unknown commodity both for the team’s amount of face time in the Rodeo City and because of the abundance of new faces on the roster. Five players in the Wildcats’ rotation are new to this year’s team and the squad hasn’t played in Ellensburg since Nov. 20.

It would be easy for cynics to say the hot start won’t last. It would be understandable to withhold judgmentson this group until after the team is in the meat of its Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule. But the thing about this Central team is, the meatiest part of the team’s schedule may very well be the portion it is flawlessly navigating right now.

Central opened up the winter with back-to-back games against a pair of cupcake visitors to Ellensburg. CWU dispatched of Quest (British Columbia) University 103-38 in its opener before downing Walla Walla College 101-61. Both games were quite frankly absolute jokes. Often times when you watch complete blowouts with your buddies, talk of how one of you could play for the unfortunate losers sometimes arises. In the case of the CWU opener against Quest, the statement wouldn’t have been one of hyperbole. The bench players for the Kermodes were not better than some of the players that run at open gyms at Ellensburg High School on Sunday afternoons.

But since the last time CWU played in Ellensburg, the Wildcats have navigated a hellacious schedule that has brought six straight stiff road challenges. The Wildcats have bested ranked opponents like Metro State and Chaminade. CWU grinded it out with Grand Canyon State, a team that beat GNAC preseason favorite Seattle Pacific.

Central also had two conference games spliced among the gauntlet, answering the call on both Western Oregon and Saint Martin’s home floors. Today, the Wildcats take on Rollins (Fla.) College at the Great Western Shootout in Las Vegas. Rollins was preseason No. 17, so the road doesn’t get any easier. Friday, Central takes on Cal State-San Bernandino.

If Central can return from Sin City unscathed, the Wildcats will have a 10-0 record as the pivotal turning of the calendar brings on a new year and the heart of the GNAC schedule.

I’ve only seen Central play live one time (the debacle against Quest), but I’ve sat in on a few practices and this team has that special aura that great teams possess. I’ve only been doing this newspaper thing for a year in Ellensburg and for just three years overall, but I can tell you, I’ve covered some dandies and this CWU team fits that bill.

Before I came to the Rodeo City, I worked at two different newspapers covering Big Sky Conference sports in Missoula, Mont. My main focus wsa the University of Montana. I was a beat writer for the UM Lady Griz women’s basketball team in 2008 when the team went 28-4, sweeping the Big Sky Conference regular-season and conference tournament titles. I also covered a University of Montana football teams that went to back-to-back national championship games.

This day and age, with so much athletic talent all across America, it takes more than a roster of talented players to be a special team. It takes a certain chemistry, a focus on a common goal, a self-awareness as a group bordering on a sense of urgency to grasp the moment at hand. The championship-caliber UM teams I covered had it and so does this year’s CWU men.

To watch Central practice, you see a group of talented players all accepting the roles bestowed upon them. Jamar Berry, Chris Sprinker, Humberto Perez, Jody Johnson, Drew Harris, … all are players who a few short years ago were playing at other schools, dominating the statistical sheets in an effort to get a look at a four-year school. Now those players have come together, and each one has had to sacrifice shots and stats in the name of a greater good.

I can tell something special is brewing each time I’ve watched the team hustle on the hardwood at Nicholson Pavilion. It’s not just that the players work well together on the court. You can truly tell just by observing post-practice interaction that these guys truly like each other and have a vested interest in a greater goal.

It’s hard to judge a basketball team before each season reaches the new year, but if I were a betting man, I’d put my money behind CWU. If Central can hit the jackpot in Vegas and come home riding a 10-game winning streak, the word hype can be traded for the phrase legitimate contender. As in, the Central Washington men are legitimate contenders to not only win the GNAC championship. This team could realistically host the West Regional of the tourney and make a run at a Division II national title.

Who were once four now are just three.
With two weeks to go in league play, the Central Washington Athletic Conference seems to have sorted itself out. The league, which gets three bids to the regional round of the Class 2A playoffs (I incorrectly stated in last week’s power rankings that the CWAC got four teams), now has a definitive trio of teams to represent it in the postseason.
With a win Friday against Toppenish, Prosser High School can clinch the CWAC and eliminate the Wildcats in one swoop.
Ellensburg High School and Othello High School are still locked in second place at 6-1 as next Thursday’s showdown looms larger by the day. Each team has a cupcake Friday (EHS plays at Ephrata, Othello hosts Grandview) before the two can meet. Both should win, meaning next Thursday’s game will be for the CWAC No. 2 seed.
The league champ will get a bye to the state bracket and will be the No. 1 seed from Distict 5-6-7. The No. 2 team will host a regional playoff game against the No. 3 team from the Great Northern League on Tuesday Nov. 9. The No. 3 CWAC team will go on the road to play the Great Northern No. 2 on Nov. 9 as well.
Got it? If not, just know a win by Prosser means the Mustangs are going to state and Toppenish is not. And only severe missteps will be able to keep Othello or Ellensburg out of the postseason.
CWAC Power Rankings
1. Prosser High School (7-0, 7-1) — The Mustangs have screamed the battle cry “Take back the CWAC” all season long. Prosser is a win over Toppenish away from making the goal a reality.
The Mustangs have already passed their two toughest tests, beating Othello 28-14 and besting Ellensburg 23-20. Friday, the Mustangs will have to handle a Wildcat offensive attack that thrives on running the football.
But Ellensburg brought Toppenish back to earth after three straight wins. And the Wildcats will most likely be without standout wing back Ivan Macias. The senior suffered a head injury against EHS. PHS quarterback T.J. Finn has thrown for 14 touchdowns over the last three weeks combined, and Isaac Anderson ran for 204 yards last week against Quincy. Look for the Mustangs to lock down the league title Friday, dashing any post-season aspirations Toppenish possessed in the process.
2. Ellensburg High School (6-1, 6-2) — The Bulldogs’ offense in the three weeks since losing to Prosser has been simply unstoppable. Ellensburg has scored 160 points (53 points per game) in wins over Selah, Quincy and Toppenish.
The catalyst of it all has been senior quarterback Adam Haberman. The first-year starter looks like a veteran and he has been absolutely on fire during the stretch.

Haberman has completed 36 of 54 pass attempt for 671 yards and 11 touchdowns during the stretch. He has also run for 222 yards on just 21 carries (10.5 yards per carry) and scored four touchdowns on the ground. He found five different receivers for scores during the span.
Look for the Ellensburg offense to explode Friday with a slew of big plays early against a Ephrata team that surrendered 81 points to Prosser in Week 2.

3. Othello High School (6-1, 6-2) — The only reasons the Bulldogs are ranked higher than the Huskies are Ellensburg played Prosser more tightly and EHS beat Toppenish more handily. Othello beat Toppenish 33-7 in Week 4.
The Huskies host a struggling Grandview team Friday with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Running back Caleb Garza gashed Selah for 213 yards and four scores last week. Look for the bruising back to have another big night against the Greyhounds as Othello clinches a playoff spot and builds momentum with EHS on the horizon.
4. Toppenish High School (5-2, 6-2) — The Wildcats won five of their first six CWAC games, with the lone loss coming to Othello. Ellensburg proved that to dismantle Topp High, you simply need to stop the run.
EHS held Toppenish to three yards per carry last week, forcing the Wildcats into third-and-long situations that proved detrimental. Toppenish quarterback Daniel Maldonado completed just one pass for -2 yards and was intercepted twice. Both Josh McClary and Mac Mitchell returned their picks for scores.
Mathematically, Toppenish is still alive in the playoff hunt. But Friday the team must travel to Prosser to face a Mustang squad on the brink of clinching the league title. The run as a contender was nice for a program that has struggled in recent years, but the dream of a post-season berth will have to wait till next year.
5. Everyone else — East Valley, Selah, Quincy, Grandview, Ephrata and Wapato are all eliminated from the postseason conversation.
Ephrata (hosting Ellensburg) and Grandview (at Othello) are the only teams left who have a chance to play spoiler. But a Toppenish upset of Prosser would be the only way an upset by either the Tigers or the Huskies would prove relevant. In other words, these last two weeks are for garnering respect and building positive momentum for next season.
Check out Saturday’s Daily Record sports section for scores from all five CWAC games this week.