CWAC All-League achievements have officially been announced for spring sports. Here is the complete list of Selah’s all-league athletes.  Congrats on a great season!

BASEBALL: 

League MVP: 

Eian Peralta, Senior 

First Team: 

James Hull, Senior 

Second Team: 

Mason Bailey, Senior 

Rowdy Mullins, Junior 

Braxton Young, Freshman

Honorable Mention: 

Beau Benjamin, Junior 

Keaton Pitzer, Junior 

SOFTBALL:

First Team: 

Maddie Telles, Senior 

Second Team: 

Ellie Urlacher, Junior 

Kyra Rudick, Sophomore  

Honorable Mention: 

Taylee Gonzales, Sophomore 

SOCCER:

First Team: 

Nico Rodriguez-Burdeaux, Senior 

Second Team: 

Miles Case, Senior 

Rylan Tilley, Junior 

Carlos Cardenas, Sophomore

Jack Nuemeyer, Senior 

Honorable Mention: 

Colton Shea, Junior 

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD: 

First Team: 

Madi Huri, Senior 

Allyson Garza, Senior 

Chloe Myers, Freshman

Clara Holmes, Senior 

Honorable Mention:

Isabella Escamilla, Senior

Mallory Keller, Sophomore

Kadence Goldberg, Sophomore

Chloe Myers, Freshman

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD:

First Team: 

Nicolas Spencer, Senior 

Owen Moultray, Junior 

Second Team: 

Nathan Shipley, Senior 

Noah Lorton, Senior 

Hayden Gill, Senior 

Honorable Mention: 

Caleb Williams, Junior 

Hayden Gill, Senior 

Josh Borchert, Junior 

GIRLS TENNIS: 

Singles Player of the Year: 

Macie Ladd, Senior 

Second Team: 

Kendra Adams/Janae Hall, Senior

BOYS TENNIS:

Second Team: 

Ben Michael/Caleb Adams, Senior/Freshman

Honorable Mention:

Ethan Sausen, Junior 

GIRLS GOLF:

Second Team: 

Kaylee Putnam, Junior 

Kaylin Warner, Senior 

BOYS GOLF:

Honorable Mention:

Drew Lucas, Junior 

BOYS TRACK       GIRLS TRACK

League: 2-4           League: 5-1

BOYS TENNIS       GIRLS TENNIS

League: 3-9            League: 5-7

SOFTBALL           BASEBALL

League: 5-7          League: 11-1

Spring Sports post-season is here! As the competition rises, many wonder where Selah stands among the other schools. Here is an end-of-season update on Selah High School’s spring sports

Starting off strong, Selah Baseball has had a fantastic season so far. With an 11-1 record and a state qualification, the boys are ready to make a run for a state title. Led by Senior pitcher Eian Peralta, the team is sure to have a great ending to their season. They play their first round of state games this upcoming weekend in Anacortes. 

The softball team is making its way to the end of districts. With a 5-7 record, they have made it through the first 2 rounds of districts. With a district championship on their belt from last season, they are hopeful that they will head to state for the second year in a row. They play Tuesday in a winner-to-state, loser-out game against East Valley at Carlon Park. 

The boy's soccer team's season has come to an end. Even though they did not make it to state this season, they still had a great season with an 8-8 record. 

The Vikings Tennis team has had a good season so far. Their dedication to the sport is evident, and their victories prove their hard work and commitment. Remember to cheer for them as they go to East Valley to compete in districts.

The Track Team continues to shine as they make their way to districts. With each meet, their dedication to the sport and teamwork demonstrates the athlete's deduction. Make sure to cheer for the Track team as they journey to Prosser for the CWAC district champion's meet.

BASEBALL

League: 7-1

Overall: 10-2

RPI: 3rd

James Hull brought the Vikings the newest victory while pitching the entire game. The baseball boys are doing well with a 10-2 overall record.

SOFTBALL (FASTPITCH)

League: 2-2

Overall: 2-5

RPI: 42nd

The Vikings got their first 2 league wins last Friday against Ellensburg. Kyra Rudick was 4-4 with 2 homeruns. 

BOYS SOCCER

League: 4-3

Overall: 5-6

RPI: 37th

On the 10th of April, the soccer boys had an astounding win against Prosser 5-2.

BOYS GOLF

League: 5th

Make sure to cheer for the Viking golf team today as they head to Chelan to compete in an 18-team tournament. 

BOYS TENNIS                 GIRLS TENNIS

League: 1-2      League: 0-3

Overall: 1-4       Overall: 1-3

Check out the Boy's and Girl's tennis as they practice this week. Cheer them on for their upcoming match against 5 other teams on the 11th.

For many, baseball season is the most exciting time of the year filled with spirited competition and impressive displays of athleticism. Last season, Selah was one of the best in Washington with a fourth-place finish at state and a 19-2 record. However, this leaves many wondering what this year will look like for the Vikings with many starters last year not available.  

They will need to replace starting pitcher Carter Seely, catcher Grant Chapman, and first baseman Ryan Bair who all graduated last year.  They will also be missing left fielder Evan Ancira who is out for the year and DH/pitcher/catcher Justin Busey who transferred to Ike.

This year, Selah has 3 returning starting seniors, starting pitcher Eian Peralta, shortstop James Hull, and right fielder Mason Bailey all of which will have a big impact on the Viking's season. 

Junior Rowdy Mullins is sure to have an impact on Selah this season. He is the likely candidate to fill the 2nd starting pitcher role after taking over the relief spot last year.  He showed competitiveness on the mound and Selah will need him to step up this year if they are going to make another run.  

Beau Benjamin, another Junior infielder for the Vikings who started at 2nd base last year will be coming back to keep some consistency in the infield. Benjamin’s athleticism and quick reaction time makes for him to be a great help in the infield. 

Selah should get some big help from incoming freshmen this year. Braxton Young should see the field quite a bit this season. With quick hands in the infield, and a strong bat at the plate, he should be a great addition to the team this year. 

Other players who will be crucial to the success this year are Keaton Pitzer a junior who started in center field last year, Lucas Williams is set to take on the catching role filling the big shoes left by Grant Chapman, and Dylan Kingston who will be a utility player that brings a ton of athleticism and he will fill in where he is needed.

Senior Mason Bailey says, “I’m excited to play Lynden this year considering we lost to them last year during the state tournament. I feel like this year we will compete and have to work even harder for a winning spot.”

This season, the Vikings will compete for the District title once again. This season's biggest rivals will be Ellensburg. Although Selah beat them in the 2023 season, Ellensburg was second in the CWAC, falling behind the Vikings. Ellensburg and Selah should create a competitive atmosphere, and make for a fun game when they play. 

The Vikings first game this season is the jamboree on March 8th, against Eisenhower at home. They then play Nooksack Valley, Saturday March 9th, at home at 11:00 and 1:00.  Selah should have a good year, utilizing key returning players and a few underclassmen to create another great team. 

Ricky Carmicheal gets the title Greatest Of All Time due to his talent on a dirt bike. With 67 amateur motocross championships, 9 of them being at the prestigious Loretta Lynns Ranch, he has proven himself as an incredible rider. In 1996, Carmicheal attended his first professional race in motocross, where later in the year he was awarded Rookie of the Year. Going into the ‘97 season, riding on a pro circuit Kawasaki bike, he achieved his first professional championship.

Going into the ‘98 season, Carimicheal had an undefeated season winning every round in the 125cc class. In 1999 he started to race the 250cc in Supercross but had a bad start due to the new bike. Ricky Carmicheal returned to the 125cc class for motocross and was able to get his third championship and last championship with Pro Circuit Kawasaki.

The 2000 season was off to a great start with a win at Daytona and an additional five podium finishes. On the 250cc, he was on Team Chevy Trucks Kawasaki and was able to get yet another championship and his first in the premier class (250cc). In this season he also got to ride alongside Travis Pastrana and Ryan Hughes in the Motocross of Nations.

In 2002, Carmicheal switched to Honda before another championship in Supercross. Going 24 out of 24 with an undefeated season Carmicheal holds the record of winning every race, a perfect season. In the 2003 season, there was no surprise that Carmicheal would win both championships, going 24 out of 24 win streak once again this time on a CRF450R instead of a CR250R.

In 2005, Ricky Carmichael switched to Makita Suzuki and once again won every championship that season along with the Motocross of Nations win for the U.S. However, this was when Carmichael decided to retire. In the 2005 season, Carmicheal secured his 5th Athlete of the Year reward from the AMA.

Later, Ricky Carmicheal went on to druce NASCAR and competed for Rookie of the Year, although he did not attend every round. Ricky Carmichael is now an announcer at every Supercross round. Carmichael owns a farm in Cairo, Georgia called The GOAT Farm, and is very limited to who can ride it. The only way to go to the track besides personally knowing him is by winning a championship at Loretta Lynn’s.

Brock Purdy, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, was born in Queen Creek, Arizona. Purdy would eventually play high school football at Perry High in Gilbert, AZ where he would lead his high school team to two state championships. 

Coming out of high school, Purdy had three stars coming in at 6’1 and weighing in at 200 pounds. He was strongly criticized by retired Alabama coach Saban "You're below average in height. Your arm strength is whatever. Your accuracy is average.” Purdy would use this criticism to fuel the Iowa State Cyclones, throwing for 12,170 career passing yards, and completing 993 of 1,467 pass attempts. During his time at Iowa State, Purdy won the starting job and played two full starting seasons, finishing with an overall record of 23-15 and 9th ranked nationally.

Purdy would declare his campaign for the NFL draft in 2022 where he was picked last (262 overall) by the San Francisco 49ers leaving him as “Mr. Irrelevant.” During the 2022-2023 season, Purdy would get a chance to prove himself despite being the shadow of starter, Jimmy Garoppolo and 2021 1st-round pick Trey Lance. Due to injuries, Garoppolo and Lance were unable to play and Mr. Irrelevant was forced to step up midway through the season where he would take the 49ers to the NFC Championship before suffering from a torn UCL and finishing the season with a 13-4 record. 

With much speculation on the starting quarterback as the 2023-2024 season

 neared, the 49ers decided to start Brock Purdy and trade away both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance. Brock Purdy would go on to prove he is much more than a “system quarterback” by leading the league in passer ratings and taking the 49ers to Super Bowl 58. Unfortunately, the 2023-2024 season would come to a devastating end in the Superbowl against the Kansas City Chiefs with a record of 12-5.

Selah boys overcame a 6 point deficit in the 4th quarter to run away with a win against the Red Devils from East Valley 79-69.  Selah was once again led by Jackson Pepper who had 27 points and 8 assists.

The Vikings got off to a hot start to start the game leading 12-0, with Rylan Tilley and Beau Benjamin tallying 8 of those 12 points.  Selah's bigs also were big contributors with Eli Wright posting a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds and Jaiden Alexander totaling 9 points. 

Selah will play Prosser Saturday night in Prosser in a winner goes to state and loser out game.  

Selah was led by Braylee Pendleton and Elise Kingston who got off to a fast start to beat Ephrata in a loser out district game.  Selah was up 19-8 after the 1st quarter and never gave up the lead winning 62-53.

Pendleton and Kingston both had 17 points and they were followed by starters Adley Franklin and Yobi Ruark who had 13 and 12 respectively.

Selah will face Prosser on Friday who lost in overtime in the district championship game against Ellensburg.  This game will be for the 2nd and final berth into the state tournament.  The game will take place in Prosser Friday night.

Selah boys held on to win a close game against Ephrata in a loser out district game.  They took a 12 point lead into halftime and held off an Ephrata surge to win the game 59-55.

Jackson Pepper scored 27 points with 8 coming in the last few minutes to ensure a win for the Vikings.  Rylan Tilley added 9 points for the Vikings who will play East Valley Thursday in another loser out game.  The winner will face the loser of the Prosser/Grandview game for a chance at state.

Selah's defense led the Vikings to a win over East Valley Monday night.  They held the Red Devils to just 4 points in the 1st quarter and  outscored them 18-4 to close out the game in the 4th quarter.

Braylee Pendleton led Selah in scoring with 13 points, but they had a very balanced attack with 4 others within 5 points. Elise Kingston had 12, Yobi Ruark scored 11, Adley Franklin put in 9, and Sydnee Coons scored 8.

Selah faces Ephrata Wednesday night at 6 at home.  Selah has beaten Ephrata 2 of the 3 times they have played this year

Selah and Grandview battled back and forth until Grandview pulled away at the end of the 4th quarter.  Going into the 4th quarter Selah was down by just 1 point, however, Grandview outscored them 23-16 in that final period.

Grandview took advantage of the large free throw disparity by taking 24 free throws compared to just 11 from Selah.  Selah had all 5 starters in double figures led by Jackson Pepper's 16 points.  Rylan and Jaiden both had 14, while Beau Benjamin had 13 and Eli Wright tossed in 12.  

Selah will host Ephrata in a loser out game Tuesday night at 6:00.  

Prosser jumped out to an early lead and continued to increase the lead each quarter.  Selah struggled to score in the first half with Prosser holding them to just 18 points.  

Elise Kingston led the Vikings in points scored with 13, as she was the only one in double figures.  Selah looks to bounce back on Monday hosting East Valley in a loser out game.

The NFL has been around for 103 years, and there have been some amazing players. Today, we will be looking at the top 5 best safeties of all time based on their respective stats and a little of my opinion. This list constantly changes due to how many amazing athletes continue to grow into great football players.

#5 Kam Chancellor - Kam Chancellor AKA BamBamKam was drafted 133rd overall by the Seahawks in the 2010 NFL draft out of Virginia. He ended up retiring after the 2017 season after complications with a neck injury and a threat of paralysis. He ended up finishing his career with 420 solo tackles and 186 assists, 2 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 12 interceptions, and 44 passes defended. Kam Chancellor was known for 

terrorizing opposing defenses with his linebacker body type playing safety. 

#4 Sean Taylor - Sean Taylor was drafted 4th overall by the Redskins in the 2004 NFL draft out of Florida. His career was sadly cut short after being shot at his residence in Miami, Florida in 2007. Even though he only played 55 games he ended his career with 245 solo tackles and 99 assists, 2 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 12 interceptions, and 41 passes defended. Sean Taylor was known for his fast and smart playstyle. Kam Chancellor was amazing throughout his career but when you compare him to Sean Taylor it is crazy because Sean did everything Kam did but in less time. 

#3 Ed Reed - Ed Reed was drafted 24th overall by the Ravens in the 2002 NFL draft out of Florida. His career lasted 13 seasons until he retired after the 2015 season. Over the 13 seasons that he did play he amassed some amazing stats, including 531 solo tackles and 112 assisted, 6 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, 10 fumble recoveries, 64 passes intercepted (he returned them for over 1700 yards, and 7 touchdowns), 154 passes defended. Ed Reed was truly a generational talent.

#2 Brian Dawkins - Brian Dawkins AKA Weapon X was drafted 61st overall by the Eagles in the 1996 NFL draft. His career lasted a fulfilling 16 seasons until he retired in 2012. Throughout the 16 seasons he did play he racked up 895 solo tackles and 236 assists, 26 sacks, 32 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, 37 interceptions, and 120 passes defended. Brian Dawkins was a game-changer and shaped the way safeties play now.

#1 Ronnie Lott - Ronnie Lott was drafted 8th overall by the 49ers in the 1981 NFL draft. Ronnie played 14 NFL seasons after he retired in 1995. During those 14 seasons, he had 1146 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, 17 fumble recoveries, and 63 interceptions. Ronnie Lott was one of the first safeties to perform this well and is one of the first to show how dominant a hard-hitting safety could be.

The history of the two bikes going head to head in the sport of motocross

A two-stroke engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes of the piston during only one crankshaft resolution. Two strokes run on an oil and gas mixture. A four-stroke engine is an internal combustion engine that utilizes four distinct piston strokes (intake, compression, power, and exhaust) to complete one operating cycle. The piston makes two complete passes in the cylinder to complete one operating cycle. 

In the motorcycle heyday, two-stroke engines were noticeably lighter and provided more reliable power. The speed at which they accelerated right out of the gate was astounding. The two strokes were less expensive and simpler to maintain because they had fewer components. Even with today's sophisticated engines, the power output of an equivalent displacement two-stroke is significantly higher than its counterpart in a less complicated package. 

The game changed in 1997 when Yamaha introduced the YZM400, a four-stroke designed to compete in the AMA Supercross series. The challenge was to create a legal bike that was light enough, yet produced enough power delivery and adequate torque. Over the next decade, more manufacturers jumped on board, and the four-stroke bikes evolved. Not only had the four-stroke gained power and reliability, but they also became lighter and easier to ride. Fuel injection was a bonus to the package, along with lower emissions. 

For two-stroke enthusiasts, the only thing better than the roar of the engine and the sweet smell of pre-mix race fuel is attempting to contain the power beneath the seat of a vintage bike. There’s no denying the fun factor. 

Before winning Red Bull Straight Rhythm in 2019, 28-year-old Ken Roczen had never participated in a two-stroke motocross race. The three-time AMA champion acknowledges that the bike is a different animal even if he soon got used to its quirks.

"We no longer spend any time at all on two strokes," remarked Roczen. "We just don't ride them enough, even if some manufacturers also have more recent models. When comparing the power delivery to a four-stroke, there is a significant difference. 

A four-stroke engine provides a large amount of reserve power and a very stable power range," he continued, "They are obviously quite different when using two strokes. They resemble light switches in that they are slightly flat on the bottom, then they rise and flatten out on the top. And the whole power band is a lot different, not to mention that they’re two-stroke and carburetor bikes. You just have to treat this whole thing with a lot of respect, try to stay healthy, that’s for sure.”

Even though they currently compete with four-stroke motorcycles, modern riders still hold their two-stroke ancestors in high respect. In one of the most memorable races in the 2019 Red Bull Straight Rhythm 125 class competition, for instance, AJ Catanzaro rode a vintage bike commemorating renowned rider Jeremy McGrath, while his opponent, Luke Renzland, raced a period-perfect setup of James "Bubba" Stewart, his biggest inspiration.

That particular semi-final encounter was won by Catanzaro, but in the end, he lost to Carson Brown. Still, the respect for the heyday of motocross was appropriately observed and will continue at Huntington Beach on October 15. 

Selah boys run away with a win against the Bulldogs after a very slow start where they were down 21-14 after the 1st quarter.  They held Ellensburg to just 4 points in the 2nd quarter which allowed them to take a 5 point lead into halftime and then pushed that lead up to 18 points in the 4th quarter before finally winning 68-60.

Jackson Pepper led the way for the Vikings with 35 points and hitting the 1,000 point milestone for career points.  Beau Benjamin added on 14 points with a couple steals to help ensure the win.

Selah plays Grandview this Saturday in Grandview where the winner will play for the district championship.

After starting slow with a 9-9 tie after the 1st quarter, Selah pulled away to a healthy 18 point win against Ephrata who they just beat last week in the final game of the season.  

Elise Kingston led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Braylee Pendleton who hit a couple early 2nd half 3's and ending with 10 points and 7 assists.  

Selah plays #2 seed Prosser this Friday night in Prosser.

In the past couple of years, the transfer portal has become a large factor for college teams and recruiters. The debate on the portal goes back and forth between if it should be kept, or gotten rid of. While there are pros and cons for both sides of the argument, most believe the transfer portal is too valuable to take out of the game. 

The biggest pro the transfer portal provides for collegiate athletes is a new home for the player. For most athletes, the reason they enter the portal is because they are unhappy with their current home. Whether this is unhappiness with the coaches, playing time, or the school itself, being picked up in the transfer portal can provide a mentally stable place for them to continue playing the sport. 

Although the transfer portal gives many athletes the opportunity to finish their education and career at a school that's a good fit for them, there are also a few downsides to the portal. When someone transfers out of a school, for whatever reason, it leaves the school to find another player who is as good or better than that player to fill the position on their team. 

A great example of this is Jordy Bahl, a previous 2 time Women's College World Series Champion with the Oklahoma Sooners, who now plays softball for the Nebraska Huskers. Bahl was the starting pitcher for the Sooners, leading them to victory 44 out of the 46 times she started. Bahl entered the portal after her sophomore year, leaving the Sooners without their #1 pitcher. This also means Nebraska just got that much better. 

Last season, there were 238 WSOC D1 transfers. 218 of these transfers went from one D1 school to the next D1 school. Out of the 20 athletes left, only 1 player went from a D3 to a D1. This is a small population of college athletes who continued their careers, some who continued their careers at a higher level. 

The amount of impact the transfer portal has on college athletics is extremely high. There are many pros and cons of the portal. While this argument continues, the fight for whether the portal should stay in the game, or get taken out is still going on.

The Pacific Racing Organization is the Northwest premier racing series run by the Devols. This motocross series is one of the biggest in the Pacific Northwest. The 2024 season is coming up fast with many competitors ready to defend titles and even dominate in the next class.

In 2023 P.R.O. was stacked with many riders in each class, with lots of competition for every rider. In each class, there were many battles, crashes, and even injuries that made the 2023 season interesting. There is a wide range of classes starting from the PW class (4-6) all the way to 50+ Relic. Anyone can join the fun with the wide range of divisions offered! 

Schedule for 2024

Horn Rapids MX - Richland, WA (March 2nd - 3rd)

Horn Rapids MX - Richland, WA (April 6th - 7th)

Airway Heights -  Spokane, WA (May 18th- 19th)

Moto Pacific -  Kent, WA (June 1st - 2nd)

Fossil Bowl June - Clarkia, ID (22nd - 23rd)

In the pro class, last year's champion Cody Windgardener won with 211 points. Following behind him Brahn Bjornson with 111 points. Rounding out the top 3 was Jaron Forney with 109 points. Cody Windgardener is out for most of this season with an injury, meaning he can't defend his title in the unlimited A (pro class) opening this year up for a new champion.

The 2024 season is coming up fast, do you have what it takes to become the next champion?

The 2024 Supercross season is approaching fast with only a few weeks left. Coming into the 2024 season Eli Tomac will be back racing along with Cooper Webb who came back to Yamaha this last year, after his Achilles injury last fall. Tomac said he's feeling better than ever and even more comfortable on his Yamaha 450. Chase Sexton, the 2023 season champion, has moved to RedBull KTM alongside Aaron Plessinger in the 450 class. Chase said that he is having problems with his suspension coming into the season this year with only a few weeks and has been between Florida and California prepping for Anaheim 1. 

The power ranking in the 450 class is: 

Jett Lawrence (Landsborough, Queensland)

Eli Tomac (Cortez, Colarado)

Chase Sexton(Mendota, Illinois 

Ken Roxzen(Mattstedt, Germany)

Cooper Webb(Newport, North Carolina)

In the  250 class, the rookie of the year in the 2023 season Haiden Deegan is looking ready for this supercross season on his star racing Yamaha 250f. 

The power rankings for round one are:

Haiden Deegan (temecula, california)

Jo Shimoda (suzaka, Japan)

RJ Hampshire(los angeles, California)

Levi Kitchen(Washougal, Washington)

Tom Vialle(Avignon, France)

With the 2024 season almost starting, who do you think will take this year's championship for super motocross and win half a million dollars?

The 2023-24 College Football season is coming to a close. With the College Football National Championship being less than a week away, many wonder who will take home the trophy. With both the University of Washington and the University of Michigan being undefeated, the game should be filled with heavy competition. 

The University of Michigan has been ranked 1st overall in the season. This past weekend, Michigan played rival Alabama in the Rose Bowl. Michigan continued their winning streak with an overtime win. The team has standout players such as J.J. McCarthy, a junior for the Wolverines, who is one of the key pieces to the team's success. With over 2800 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, McCarthy is sure to have a stellar performance this upcoming game. 

The University of Washington has been ranked within the top 5 all season. With a win against Texas this past weekend in the Sugar Bowl, their win streak continues into this next game. One reason for their success is Heisman Finalist, Michael Penix Jr. Penix, a quarterback for the Huskies, had a great weekend during the Sugar Bowl. Throwing 430 yards and 2 touchdowns, it is clear he is an important player and is destined to perform well in the upcoming game. 

The College Football National Championship has 2 fantastic teams this season. While most predict the University of Michigan will take home the trophy this year, both teams will put up a fight in this extremely competitive game. The game is on Monday, January 8th.