The three conferences in the Stat Hound footprint are either nearing the midway point of conference play (CBBN), making the turn and starting the second half of league matchup (SCAC) or a game into the back half of the conference contests (CWAC).

Calling that the midpoint of the season, here’s a review of what we’ve seen so far – with our Halfway Honors – and what will shape the race to district play, which starts in roughly four weeks.

CWAC

BOYS (Standings/scoring leaders)

Halfway MVP: OLIVER PEPPER, Selah. The decider in a close race often is the best-player-on-the-best-team approach, and that’s what we did here. The high-scoring junior continues the family tradition of offensive prowess. Grandview senior point guard Frankie Medina, the single-game and career assist leader for the Greyhounds, is a close second with an acknowledgement to Quincy’s Pierce Bierlink, who is trying to repeat as conference scoring champ.

State berths: Two with a third available in a play-in with Northwest Conference.

Favorites to advance to state: Selah and Grandview. Crowded at the top a year ago, this season’s top state hopefuls are pretty clear. The biggest battle is likely to be for the play-in spot with several teams – Prosser, Toppenish, Ellensburg, Othello – all within a game and a half of third place.

Halfway Coach of the Year: JORDAN STARR, Selah. The Vikings lost the bulk of their scoring after advancing to the Class 2A state semifinals and eventually fifth in the SunDome. They’re in contention for another high seed come March. Grandview’s Frankie Medina, the 2025 and 2024 winner of the CWAC Coach of the Year, and Prosser’s Toby Cox also have done stellar jobs replacing strong senior classes from a year ago.

GIRLS (Standings/scoring leaders)

Halfway MVP: HERBIE WRIGHT, Prosser senior. The reign of Ellensburg’s Philip sisters is over with Dylan and Jamison at Montana State. Wright is closing in on a second consecutive league scoring title for first-place Mustangs.

Halfway Coach of the Year: PAYTON BONNY, Grandview. The Greyhounds ended Ellensburg’s 82-game regular-season winning streak last month, just beat Selah on the road and hold the conference’s top spot in the WIAA’s RPI. Bonny also has Grandview aiming for its first state berth since her father, Grandview AD Scott Parrish, was a year from leading the Greyhounds boys to the state title in 2002.

State berths: Two with a third available in a play-in with Northwest Conference.

Favorites to get to state: Oof. Like the boys a year ago, one team (and possibly two) will be left out of the SunDome. For prediction’s sake, we’ll say Prosser is as close to a shoo-in as this group can provide. After that, it’s a matter of who shows up – and who doesn’t – at the district tournament.