Cross country coaches love preaching the values of hard work and consistency when it comes to improvement on race day. Davis senior Josh Whitney is discovering just how far commitment to those values can take him, especially when combined with elite closing speed. His talent caught the attention of Pirates coach Sandra Martinez during her first year — Whitney's freshman season — and he's grown significantly in both stature and ability to become one of the Yakima Valley's top runners. "He was one of our guys (his freshman year), and he's just so talented," Martinez said. "Since we met him he's the kid that always wants more and then you just kind of have to watch out." Competitors at Saturday's Sunfair Invitational will surely be aware of Whitney after his sub-15 5K at the Bellevue Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 19, followed by a league meet win at Sunnyside on Sept. 24. He took the lead in the second mile and pulled away late at South Hill Park to run a 15:30, beating Eisenhower standout and Sun City track and cross country club teammate Kian Compton for the first time in a head-to-head race. Whitney's only other high school cross country win came at the same course at the 2025 Sun Burn, when he clocked a 16:51 to finish nearly 40 seconds ahead of everyone. As a 5-foot-6 freshman, Whitney ran a season-best 17:52 at the district meet, only good enough for 36th and well behind the league's individual state qualifiers. "I feel like I've just been consistent," said Whitney, who's also enjoyed the benefits of growing more than six inches taller. "A part of it's also I haven't gotten injured." He gave significant credit to his coaches, starting with Erik and Aleah Mickelson at Sun City. Martinez and her assistant coaches, Donovan Barnhart and Josh Assink, have guided Whitney through high school, and he said his ascendance wouldn't have happened without them. Whitney also swims for the Pirates and believes that's contributed to him staying injury-free while providing valuable cross training. He went to the pool virtually every day over the past summer, often after an easy morning run and a regular workout with the team in the afternoon. Steady progress saw Whitney nearly break the 17-minute mark and qualify for his first 4A state cross country championships as a sophomore. He took a big leap at the end of track season, beating his personal-best by nearly 15 seconds to clock a 4:27 in the 1,600 meters at the district meet. Martinez started to see Whitney come into his own as a junior, when he ran a season-best 15:59 at Bellevue and then recorded a 15:55 on a tougher course at Walla Walla to finish fourth at the district meet. That success carried over into track season and culminated with his first district title in the 800 meters after overtaking multiple runners in the last 100 meters for a personal-best 1:56.15. "Just watching him last year run the 800 we were going in like 'oh, we’re just going to qualify timewise, right?'" Martinez said. "He’s got the speed and he just amazes me every time he races." Whitney has trusted his kick more than ever since that win and believes he's at his best waiting for the right time to make a decisive move, rather than pushing the pace from the start. Martinez said Whitney's growing confidence means he's no longer afraid to try and stay with runners who used to be well ahead of him, like Compton, who finished fourth at 4A state last year. At Bellevue in his first individual race of the year, Whitney stuck with Sunset's Ronan Olsen before pulling away in the final mile to capture second place by nine seconds. Whitney's time of 14:56 on the flat and slightly short course stands as the fastest 5K by a Yakima Valley athlete since Eisenhower's Jonas Price ran a 14:49 at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational in 2019. Running 65 miles for the week in early September left Whitney with tired legs for the two fastest races of his cross country career, though that's almost expected and certainly not a concern at this point in the season. A desire to run better on hills led Whitney to ask coaches for more hill workouts, which should benefit him at courses like Franklin Park this Saturday and Pasco's Sun Willows Golf Course if he makes it back to state for the third straight year. Whitney, a 4.0 student planning to study engineering, hopes to run in college and believes he'd be a middle distance runner in the spring while running cross country in the fall. Martinez acknowledged Whitney possesses the speed to be successful in the 800 but also sees him as a "true distance runner" who could excel in the 5K and 10K on the track. She's eager to see what Whitney can accomplish this year once he begins tapering by lowering his weekly mileage and cuts his cross training. Martinez also praised Whitney's leadership for the Pirates, and Barnhart said he shows maturity beyond his years when it comes to keeping his priorities straight. "Regardless of what ends up happening, I think the growth that we've seen from him has made us all very, very proud," Barnhart said. "Every time that we've ever tried to give him projections, he's tended to do what we want and beyond. I'm not willing to bet against him on most things."...

YAKIMA – Davis senior Paige Gasseling, a standout forward for the Pirates’ back-to-back Class 4A basketball state champions, committed to play at North Idaho College. The 6 foot Gasseling, who has earned all-CBBN honors the last two seasons in both volleyball and basketball, made the announcement Wednesday on social media. The traditionally national ranked North Idaho College Women's Basketball Program competes in NJCAA Division I as a member of the Scenic West Athletic Conference. Gasseling's commitment follows teammates Isa Garcia’s commitment to Western Washington University and Cheyenne Hull, who gave her pledge to Oregon last month. This upcoming basketball season, Gasseling, Garcia and Hull will be joined by fellow seniors Averie Brandt and Kobe Johnson for reigning WSGBCA Coach of the Year Akil White. The Pirates are favored to win their third straight WIAA State Championship. ...

YAKIMA – Davis senior Isa Garcia, a sharp-shooter for the Pirates’ back-to-back Class 4A basketball state champions, committed to play at Western Washington. The 5-foot-8 guard made the announcement late Wednesday morning on social media.’ Garcia, who has earned first-team all-CBBN honors the last two seasons, was second leading scorer during the regular season, averaging more that 16 points per game. She also canned a second-best 43 3-pointers as the Pirates finished the season 24-2, defeating Sumner in the title game for the second year in a row. Davis did not lose to a Washington opponent this past winter. Garcia averaged a team-best 19.3 points in the state tournament, while sinking nine 3-pointers as 47.4% shooting. In the Tacoma Dome in 2025, she scored 15.3 points per game and made 10 of 17 3-pointers to help the program secure its first state championship. Garcia’s commitment follows teammate Cheyenne Hull, who gave her pledge to Oregon last month. The Pirates are favored to win their third straight state championship. Garcia and Hull will be joined by fellow seniors Averie Brandt, Kobe Johnson and Paige Gasseling for reigning WSGBCA Coach of the Year Akil White. WWU won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season title with a 15-3 league record, one game ahead of Central Washington. The Vikings finished second in the GNAC tournament, and advanced to the second round of the Division II tournament....

HOUSTON — Before Esmeralda Enriquez became a Division I basketball player and before the junior college accolades, basketball was simply an activity she and her brother shared. Growing up in Yakima, Washington, Enriquez was one of six children. Without many toys or forms of entertainment at home, the siblings would walk about a block from their house to play basketball at a nearby elementary school. "My brother liked playing basketball, so we would just go outside and play," Enriquez said. What started as a way to stay busy and spend time together eventually became something much bigger and more personal. Now a Cougar, Enriquez continues this basketball journey while carrying the experiences, values, and pride that shaped a Mexican American upbringing. For Enriquez, heritage is inseparable from the story. Spanish was her first language, and growing up in Yakima meant being surrounded by a large Mexican community. Her mother worked as a farmworker, and Enriquez grew up watching people work toward better opportunities. "Seeing all the people who came to America for a better life and seeing how hard they work regardless of the situation is inspiring," Enriquez said. That example of perseverance stayed. FROM JUCO TO D1 - "It's been hard, but hard isn't always a bad thing," Enriquez said about the transition from junior college to Division I basketball. "There's a lot to learn and a lot to get used to, but being in uncomfortable situations helps you grow. I'm trying to embrace that." Houston offered an opportunity to continue growing as a player while experiencing a community that reflected valued diversity. "The diversity, not just with basketball, but within the community," Enriquez said of what drew her to Houston. But coming to Houston also meant stepping outside familiar surroundings. "Coming here is kind of a culture shock; growing up around Mexicans is all I knew," Enriquez said. The adjustment has offered another opportunity to grow. Enriquez understands the significance of being a Hispanic athlete competing at the Division I level. The numbers are small, but she does not view them as a limitation. "It's cool," Enriquez said. "When you look at the numbers, being Hispanic, the odds are kind of against you." Instead, she views the journey as proof that where someone starts does not have to determine where they finish. "I feel like my whole life I didn't really have much going for me, but it's definitely a testimony that, with perseverance, you're not limited to your surroundings," Enriquez said. "You decide who you want to be and what you're going to be." DAWG MENTALITY That mindset is reflected in the way Enriquez plays. "I'm a dog. I'm relentless. I'm a hustle player, always finding ways to affect the game," she said. This relentless approach helped earn recognition and accolades before arriving at Houston. But while those accomplishments gave confidence, Enriquez does not allow them to define what she's worth. "I don't think my achievements represent my value as a person," Enriquez said. "But I am very confident in myself, and it was nice to know that other people believe in me." One person Enriquez looks to for inspiration is Mexican boxer Saul Canelo Alvarez. Though the sports are different, Enriquez admires Alvarez for the same qualities she tries to bring to basketball: hard work, perseverance and pride in where he comes from. "He just resembles hard work and work ethic," Enriquez said. "He's really proud to be Mexican. I really look up to that." Those qualities have become part of Enriquez's own identity. SI SE PUEDE - The path from outdoor basketball courts in Yakima to Division I basketball in Houston has been shaped by challenges, change and the example of those who came before. Now, she hopes this story can serve as an example for the next generation. "Si se puede," Enriquez said. "Your mind is the most powerful thing you have. If you put your mind into what you are passionate about, anything is possible." And for Enriquez, that belief goes beyond basketball. "People should know that just because you grew up one way doesn't mean you have to stay that way," she said. "There are so many opportunities out there, but you have to be willing to put in the work and believe in God's plan for you because every day you wake up with a purpose." From a basketball hoop a block from her childhood home to the bright lights of Division I basketball, Enriquez continues to write a personal story built on hard work, perseverance and pride in where she comes from. ...