CBC players picked up by bigger colleges, extending their men’s basketball careers

Three Columbia Basin College sophomores — Latrell Barker, Jayden Martinez and Ta’Veus Randle — have signed letters of intent to continue their men’s college basketball careers.

Barker, who came to Pasco from Phoenix, with play for NAIA school Mid-American Nazarene. He was the Hawks’ top rebounder with 8.6 boards, and he was second in scoring at 12.4 points per game.

Martinez is a Chiawana grad and was one of CBC’s top 3-point shooters. He will play at Walla Walla University. With the Hawks, Martinez was second in steals at 2.1; and third in scoring (12.3 points) and assists (2.1).

Randle led CBC in scoring (22.9 points), assists (3.2) and steals (2.2). He was second in rebounding with 5.8 per game. In May, Randle signed with NCAA Division 2 Adams State University in Colorado.

The trio was a big reason CBC went 20-9 last season and made it to the Northwest Athletic Conference quarterfinals.

Baseball

Kennewick shortstop Dane Chavez still has one full high school season left. But apparently he’s taken the mystery out of his college plans already.

Chavez has verbally committed to play baseball for Washington State University, when school begin in August of 2025.

Chavez was a first-team All-Mid-Columbia Conference choice at shortstop.

Chavez led the entire MCC with a .479 batting average, and he was No. 1 in runs scored with 28.

▪ Southridge grad Broden Palmer spent this past spring as a true freshman for the University of Portland baseball team.

But the infielder-outfielder on pitched in three games for the Pilots and has decided to enter the transfer portal.

So has a Portland teammate of his, pitcher Caiden Thomsen (Kamiakin).

Palmer has three years of eligibility remaining, while Thomsen has four.

Both athletes are playing summer college baseball — Palmer with the Sawtooth Sockeyes in the Boise area, and Thomsen with the Walla Walla Sweets.

▪ Othello’s Sonny Garza was named the 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for baseball recently, as he led the Huskies to a second-place finish.

Two of Garza’s players — Jordan Montemayor and Sonny Salazar, both juniors — were named to the first team.

Selah senior Eian Peralta was named CWAC baseball MVP by the conference coaches.

▪ Chiawana grad Royce Vandine recently completed two seasons with Lower Columbia Community College.

But his post-high school baseball career isn’t done. Vandine committed to playing at Metro State University in Denver beginning this fall.

The catcher hit .238, with two home runs and 27 this spring with the Red Devils in Longview.

Tennis

Othello seniors Maleyna Alvarez and Mia Carlson were first-team selections as a doubles pair in the 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference’s girls tennis awards.

Selah senior Macie Ladd was named Singles Player of the Year, while Ephrata seniors Molly Evenson and Addison Mills were the Doubles Players of the Year.

Ellensburg’s Nels Winn was named CWAC Girls Tennis Coach of the Year.

Golf

Grandview senior Travis Hoffard was named 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference Boys Golf MVP recently by league coaches.

Othello’s Trevor Salisbury was named Coach of the Year.

Joining Hoffard on the first team is Othello junior Samson McDonald.

▪ Prosser freshman Bella Cha was one of three area athletes named to the 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference Girls Golf first team.

Joining her were two Othello golfers in senior Mariah Murdoch and junior Sami Shade.

Ephrata junior Jayme Dwight was named Girls MVP, while East Valley-Yakima’s Mark Mochel was CWAC Girls Coach of the Year.

Awards

The 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference awarded four college scholarships to senior athletes this spring, and two of them are from the Yakima Valley.

Prosser’s Kory McClure, who starred for the Mustangs in both football and boys basketball, was one of the recipients.

McClure plans on play for the Columbia Basin College men’s basketball team this fall.

Grandview’s Natalia Yanetsko was a standout girls soccer player for the Greyhounds. She will continue her soccer career at Walla Walla Community College beginning in August.

Track and field

Grandview junior Titus Jeffrey was recently named the 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference Boys Field Athlete of the Year.

Jeffrey was one of three area athletes who were also named first team on the CWAC Boys Track and Field squad, as voted on by the coaches. He was named for the throws.

Also on the first team are two Prosser athletes: senior Kai McClure in the horizontal jumps; and junior Hans Ver Mulm in the hurdles.

East Valley-Yakima senior Isaac Ford was named the CWAC Track Athlete of the Year.

East Valley’s Chris Barthell was named CWAC Boys Track and Field Coach of the Year.