Sports

The Cascade Killer Whales swim team capped off another strong campaign by winning a league championship for a second straight year.

Will Huckaby snared a fifth place finish as the Cascade cross country team competed at the Nampa City Meet on Saturday.Huckaby completed the 5,000-meter course at Nampa’s West Park in 19 minutes, 42.81 seconds, good enough for fifth in the junior varsity division.Roby Kirby was next in, placing 36th with a time of 23 minutes, while Kysar Ellsworth gave the Rambler boys a third runner inside the top 40 finishers.Gracie McCammon represented the Cascade girls during the JV race.

Stuart Derrick helped the Cascade football team open the season with a bang, returning the opening kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown during a 56-28 road victory over Wilder on Friday.The Cascade senior also rushed for 261 yards and three touchdowns as the Ramblers traveled to Wilder for their season-opener and brought home a win.

The Meadows Valley volleyball team is back in action this fall, armed with a new head coach and plenty of new faces.ShawnDale Howard has assumed the reins of the Mountaineer program, taking over for former head coach Chrystal Bass.Howard, who attended Meadows Valley schools growing up, served as coach for middle school basketball last year.“I loved volleyball, basketball and softball growing up,” Howard said, “so I’m having a blast coaching and teaching these girls the game.”Howard has 11 athletes on her roster this fall, including seniors Aurora Chesini, a foreign exchange student from Italy, and Talon Brown.Brown, in her fourth year with the Mountaineer netters, is a bit of a veteran.“Talon is our setter and has been great at helping the girls learn and keeping a good attitude,” Howard said.The MV squad will also lean on returners Xaiya Solis and Jackie Steiner.Newcomers Gracie Howard, Janette Montemira, Dakota Larimore and Makira Serjanei will get their first high school action this fall.The MV roster is rounded out by Carolann Bodnar, Mars Wait and Melody Juica.Normally a member of the Long Pin Conference, the Mountaineers will again play a junior varsity schedule this fall.

Kayla Boring-Bartlett and Claire Pierce combined for 18 kills as the Cascade volleyball team opened the season with a victory, defeating Greenleaf Friends Academy, 3-1, last week on the road.Boring-Bartlett collected 10 kills and Pierce added eight kills as the Ramblers rallied from a set down to knock off the Grizzlies during a Long Pin Conference tilt.Senior setter Kielee Mack also chipped in 11 assists to lead Cascade.“They worked together and played a great game,” Rambler coach Alison Haupt said.

Bisbee Henderson landed seven aces as the McCall-Donnelly volleyball team opened Snake River Valley Conference play with a 25-14, 25-23, 25-15 win over Payette last week on the road.Sisters Lexi and Shilah Arnold led the Vandals in kills with 7 and 6, respectively, while Katie Esplin chipped in five kills.M-D also swept Grangeville on Saturday to remain unbeaten through three games.But it was a struggle to get past a league opponent in a match played two days earlier at the Pirates’ gym.“Payette was not our greatest game,” Vandal coach Amber Green said.