Stat Hound Media was created in the summer of 2025 by former Yakima Herald-Republic sports editor Jerrel Swenning, who has been in sports journalism three decades with 17 of those leading the award-winning department of the YHR.

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Swenning launched the site to help fill the gaps created by the loss of newspapers and shrinking staffs at Central Washington news organizations.

 

The focus is the Columbia Basin Big Nine, Central Washington Athletic Conference and the South Central Athletic Conference.

 

Along with him, Stat Hound will feature the work of fellow journalist including former YHR copy editor and reporter Dave Leder, and photographers Sean Carter, Shane Fuller, Andrew Hamil, Danny Rominger and Sandy

Summers Russell.

 

Throughout the year, Stat Hound also will feature more sports journalists.