BY PARKER HODGE
It will be a busy start to 2024 with five more players knocking on the door of 1,000 career points. The five would be in addition to Malia Ruud, Haylee Johnson, Madison Reibel and Peter Dress who already have broken the barrier this season. That could mean as many as nine players conference would achieve the milestone this season, which would be the most in the history of the Mid-Columbia Conference history in a single season.
Here is an update on where the players I’m tracking currently stand in the race to 1,000. Girls point totals are through Jan. 5 games. Boys point totals are through Jan. 2 games.
BOYS
Southridge’s Jesse Tijerina (senior) should make the mark in the next eight games or so with his 19.5 points per game average. As on Jan. 2, he has 858 points and would be the first Southridge boys player to reach four figures since Tristan Smith in 2020.
GIRLS
Hermiston’s Izzy Simmons (junior) will be the first player to reach 1,000 in the new year. Through Jan. 5 games, she sits at 996 points, needing just four to break into four figures. The Bulldogs play on Jan. 6 hosting Chiawana. Simmons averages 18.22 points per game and just set a career and school record with 40 points in Hermiston’s win over Hanford.
Senior Macie Milum has 948 points to her credit and is racing to score the 52 points needed to reach 1k. Milum is averaging 13.5 points per game and should break the mark in the middle of the month.
Hanford’s leading scorer Lynnea Moran is at 914 points after setting an individual school record with 36 points at Hermiston on Jan. 2. She needs 86 points to join her sister Iliana Moran in the school’s 1,000-point club.
Finally, Kamiakin’s Nicole Wertenberger should reach the mark near the end of the regular season or just as the post season gets underway. The Braves’ leading scorer sits at 817 points, but is averaging 19.55 per game, including several games recently of 22-30 points. If she can continue at that pace, she’ll reach the milestone in February.