CARDINAL SPORTS with Karen Huwe

Waitsburg golf season tees off

The Waitsburg golf team played nine holes at Pomeroy on Friday, March 20. Victor Whitmore, Blake Benevides, Gavin Mikesell, Landen Henry, Jake Lynch, Cody Coulston, and Carter Barron played for no score, enjoying a fun day on a golf course for the first time this season.

On March 23, the team competed in nine holes of golf at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla. Three players played well for their first varsity match. Lynch shot a 43, Barron shot 51, and Blake Benevides ended the day with a score of 52.

"They did great," said Coach Caris Lynch.

The team competed at Bryden Canyon Golf Course in Lewiston on Monday, March 30. Barron scored 108 in 18 holes and qualified for sub districts. Benevides had a 107, and Lynch and Coulston each shot 111. Henry, Whitmore, and Mikesell completed nine holes.

The Cardinals will play the course at Columbia Point in Tri-Cities on Thursday, April 2.

Cardinal Track competed March 28

Waitsburg High School's track team traveled to Valley Christian School in Spokane on Saturday, March 28, to compete in the Icebreaker Relays against sixteen other schools. All the Cardinal athletes competing recorded either a personal best (PB) or season best (SB) mark in at least one event.

The event order is clarified below: 

First, Addison Crenshaw placed 10th in the discus with a PB of 70' 7". In the next event, the shot put, she achieved an SB of 21' 4.5". Olivia Duncan then secured 7th in the shot put, setting a SB mark of 25' 10". Emerson Crenshaw earned a PB in the discus, throwing 55' 5". 

Next, in the field events, Olivia Kiefel recorded PBs in the javelin (62' 0") and long jump (11' 9.5"), followed by a PB in the 200-meter dash (32.14). Audrey Kiefel notched a PB in the long jump (12' 3") and then in the 100-meter dash (15.05). Cheri Mathews placed 11th in the javelin with a throw of 74' 10" and then posted a PB in the 100-meter dash (15.14). 

Finally, in the jumping and running events, Liam Kiefel placed 4th in the triple jump, achieving a PB of 34' 3". He also finished 10th in the 300-meter hurdles with a PB time of 53.82, and had a PB in the discus with a throw of 73' 6".

Summing up the day, coach Hunter Wallace remarked, "Everyone competed well and is continuing to improve."

The Cardinals will compete on April 2nd at Clarkston High School.

HS Baseball Drop Season Opener to Redhawks

WAITSBURG - Isa Reyes started on the mound in the Cardinal's first game of the season on Wednesday, March 25. Reyes pitched four innings, struck out nine, and did not give up a walk.

Rollin Carpenter relieved Reyes in the fifth, struck out two, and issued one walk. Rowdy Cole pitched the seventh inning in the 12 –3 loss to the Touchet Redhawks. Trace Nesje was the catcher. The Cardinals committed nine errors in the game, and the Redhawks had two.

Carpenter and Reyes each had three hits with Reyes recording a triple.  Tyler Coulston hit a double to score two runs. 

Game One Final

Touchet 0 0 1 4 2 1 4 12

Waitsburg 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 3

In the doubleheader's second game, the Cardinals struggled on defense, committing eleven errors and lost 14-5.

Carpenter started on the mound, pitching three innings, striking out three, and walking three. He had three hits and one RBI. Nesje relieved Carpenter in the fourth inning, striking out two and walking one. At the plate, Nesje had two hits. Bryor Paul pitched the last two innings of the game, striking out three and walking two. Reyes hit his first home run of the season and had two RBIs. Colt Boudrieau was the catcher in game two.

Game Two Final

Touchet 1 5 2 0 1 2 3 14

Waitsburg 2 0 0 0 2 0 1 5

"I thought the kids played well. Clearly, we had some first-game jitters. We should continue to improve as the season progresses," said assistant coach Randy Hinchliffe.

The Cardinals will play a doubleheader at Garfield on Friday, April 3.

Cardinal HS softball shows potential in Season Opener loss.

Waitsburg High School softball opened its season at Pomeroy on March 26. Opener nerves may have gotten the best of the Cardinals during the 23-2 loss.

Eighth grader Madyson Potter took the mound for the Cardinals, showing great poise by tallying six strikeouts. With the starting catcher absent, freshman Kayla Kuykendall stepped in and demonstrated remarkable grit behind the plate. In her first game, freshman Shaunna Hilton made an impression, smacking a double to left field.

Coach Tracy Daniel said, "We struggled a bit at the plate as we worked through nerves during our first game. However, I am very proud of the girls. We'll continue working with different combinations on the field to find our best lineup."

The team is scheduled to play Tekoa-Rosalia on Friday, April 3, in Waitsburg. First pitch is at 4 p.m.