Warm weather greeted athletes when spring practices started earlier this month on fields, courts and courses throughout the Yakima Valley.
Although the cold may not be completely gone yet, competition’s heating up with several serious state contenders across various sports. Talented athletes like Michigan signee Avery Brewer of Selah, Washington State signee Tyler Stone of East Valley and dominant golfer Ava Olszewski all will be looking to keep leading their teams and showcase how they’ve improved since a year ago.
New standouts will undoubtedly emerge as well, and programs like Selah baseball, Ellensburg track and West Valley tennis will strive to continue dominating their respective leagues. Other teams will look to rise up and surprise, like East Valley softball and Wapato boys soccer managed to do last season.
Here’s a look at some of the numbers for the top storylines, athletes and teams heading into this spring season.
2: Games separating boys soccer league champions Grandview and Quincy and the four teams tied for fourth in the CWAC. The Greyhounds will look to go back to state and Columbia Basin signee Kristian Iniguez leads a veteran Toppenish squad eager to contend.
4: Davis senior Ella Craig expects to contend for a state medal in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles for the fourth year in a row in a third different classification. Craig’s 100 hurdles best of 14.90 is the fourth fastest in Valley history.
La Salle’s Ella Craig competes in the 2B girls 100 meter hurdles on day two of the Class 1A, 2B, 1B state track and field meet Friday, May 30, 2025, in Yakima, Wash.
9: Wins as a pitcher for East Valley’s Tia Ramynke, the CWAC’s reigning MVP after she hit .565 with 15 home runs and helped the Red Devils win their first district title in program history. Fellow first-team All-CWAC senior Presley Weatherley also returns for East Valley.
11: Goals scored by Eisenhower’s first team all-CBBN forward Sergio Mora, including both of the Cadets’ goals in a 2-1 win over rival Davis. The senior leads an Ike team that looked capable of reaching the district championship before four straight losses to end the season.
12: Gracie Glondo’s stockpile of Class 2B state track and field medals. The Cle Elum senior has medaled in the javelin, high jump, long jump and triple jump for three straight years. Her 27-point tally at state last year led the Warriors to a third-place team trophy.
13: Margin of victory in feet for Selah’s Chloe Myers in the Class 2A state discus last year. Entering her junior season Myers already ranks second in Valley history with her best of 145-5, which trails only the 28-year-old record of 148-9.
Selah’s Chloe Myers throws the shot put at the 50th annual Don Holder Relays Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima, Wash.
Evan Abell / Yakima Herald-Republic
15: CBBN golf tournaments won by West Valley junior Ava Olszewski in her first two seasons, including two district titles. She shot a 15-over 157 to finish sixth at the 4A state tournament as a sophomore.
16: Semifinal appearances since 1990 for Selah baseball, which shared its 11th straight CWAC title and won 10 consecutive games before losing twice in Bellingham to take fourth in 2A. First team all-CWAC shortstop and pitcher Braxton Young returns to lead the Vikings.
Selah’s Braxton Young delivers a pitch during a 4-1 win over Othello in the 2A District 5 championship game Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Selah, Wash.
20: Consecutive wins for West Valley baseball after an 0-2 start, including all 18 league games and the district championship. CBBN pitcher of the year Rhyse Elder returns along with first team selections Drayden Birley, Alex Morales, Noah Soptich and Colby Graham.
27: Years between state appearances for Wapato soccer, which qualified for the 1A tournament by reaching the District 5 title game. Senior Eric Romero will lead the offense once again after scoring a Valley-best 14 goals for the Wolves.
78: RBI to go along with 16 home runs and a .611 batting average for Michigan signee Avery Brewer during a standout junior season. The third baseman and pitcher will try to lead defending CWAC champion Selah to its first 2A trophy since 2018.
Selah’s Avery Brewer throws an Archbishop Murphy runner out at home in the 2A state softball tournament Friday, May 23, 2025, in Selah, Wash.
Evan Abell / Yakima Herald-Republic
115: Strikeouts by East Valley’s Brandon Stone, the reigning CWAC player of the year who posted a 0.89 ERA and struck out 12 in a five-inning perfect game win against Selah. The Red Devils shared the CWAC title and reached the 2A state tournament.
150: West Valley senior Pierson Kloster’s two-day score at the 4A state boys golf tournament, good for a career-best 15th place finish. He went on to win the Washington Junior Golf Association Cup at Tacoma’s Meadow Park Golf Course in July.
172: Runs scored by West Valley softball in its 14 wins on the way to a third-place finish in the CBBN. Senior pitchers Ainsley Johnson and Madison Statler, as well as junior outfielder Hayden Harrison, are all back for the Rams.
2K: Eisenhower’s Kian Compton was last year’s state leader in the 2,000-meter steeplechase as just a sophomore. Missing the postseason in 2025 after transferring from West Valley, Compton owns an 800 best of 1:53.75 and ran 1:55 indoors last month.
2014: The year Eisenhower’s Claire Bohoskey became the Valley’s last three-time participant at the 4A state girls singles tennis tournament. Another Cadet, junior Adie Stephen, could accomplish the feat this season after winning her first district title last spring.