Meet the Bombers of '23 - By Hunter Graney

The Richland Bombers boys' basketball team has proven, many times, this year, that they are the team to beat in the MCC. With a record of 8-2 and undefeated in the MCC, here is an evaluation of the successful season so far: 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Player Takeaways

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Jace Woodard

Jace has stepped up this year and shown his ability to be that weapon when we need him. Jace is a great facilitator for the offense and plays both sides of the ball. We saw his ability to clamp on defense against Davis when he came in late and helped shut down their offense. He is a great tool for the team when others get in foul trouble or when facing a highly skilled offense. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Jay Kennedy

Jay came to Richland this year from Tennessee. The tall guard had a slow start, but it only adds to the depth of this team. Jay recently got into a car accident and will be without basketball for a while. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Jack Forbes

A major addition to this roster this season. Jack stepped from last season, which he spent swinging between JV and Varsity. After dropping 25 at Kamiakin, the lengthy guard/forward displayed a crazy amount of potential. Ending the night with five blocks and several rebounds, we witnessed great off-ball skills that came in clutch and will continue to come in clutch as the season progresses. The length and the bounce Jack has allows him to be a dual-threat player. Whether it’s rejecting shots or slamming it down on someone’s head, he can play both sides of the ball. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Sylen Kiesel-Kauhane

Freshman forward who adds to the height of this team. He has seen a good amount of minutes for a freshman. He is an excellent option for a coach to put in down low when the team needs more height on the court. Sy is a great role filler, has great footwork, and matches up solidly on defense. The ceiling for the Freshman is very high and will be great for Richland in the next three years. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Jackson Black

We don’t see much of the senior, but when we do, the student section is at an all-time high. The fan favorite should get minutes, considering how good this team is and how much of a lead they usually hold toward the end of games. Who knows, maybe Jackson will go on a hot streak and make a name for himself. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Landen Northrop

Following in the footsteps of his brother, Landen also holds a prominent role on this team as a freshman. Just like his brother, Landen is a sharpshooter who comes off the bench and can catch teams off guard with his ability to put the ball in the hoop. Landen started the season off starting for the Bombers and could very well be starting once again, depending on the opponent. He makes for a good ball player with his height and lengthiness—definitely a huge addition to the Bombers this season and in the years to come.  

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Jordan Valencia

The shifty, lights-out senior guard has efficient shooting, primarily from behind the arc. Arguably a starter for the Bombers, Jordan has the ability to frustrate defenders with his handles and ability to shoot. The senior guard gets overlooked because of his height but catches you by surprise.

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Brock Streufert

With big shoes to fill, the youngest of the family has gotten the short end of the stick. His injury-filled career has not allowed him to show Bomber fans his true potential. Just now, becoming healthy this year, Brock has shown some shyness in shooting the ball. The tall senior guard is a confidence boost away from being one of the team’s best shooters. Despite not shooting much, Brock plays a key role in facilitating the offense. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Josh Woodard

After a huge season, Josh is still a defender’s nightmare. Leading the team in points, the Bomber’s point guard is everything a defender doesn’t want to deal with. Just like last year, he can still blow by you and take it to the hoop. His ball skills have gotten even better this year, but we haven’t seen the lights-out shooting that we saw last season. Despite not being “hot,” his off-games are most people’s best. Josh is arguably the player of the MCC if he catches a hot streak and makes it rain. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Conner Schulz

The senior forward is another tall and lengthy option for the Bombers to put down low. Despite not getting very many minutes, Conner has let it fly and attacked the hoop when he is given the chance. He has shown the ability to get himself open and create opportunities to get points on the board. We could see more from the 6’2” forward as the season progresses with what he’s shown he can do in the little time he’s been given. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Jase Vopalensky

One of the front runners for Defensive Player of the Year. In his fourth year starting on varsity, Jase is still a lockdown defender. Not only that, but his offense has shown promise. Known for being a pretty efficient shooter, Jase doesn’t take very many shots, but when he does, they usually fall. Coming off an amazing performance against Kamiakin, Jase held the MCC’s leading scorer to 8 points in regular play, but after OT, Jase still kept him to a season-low 11 points. He holds the ability to match up with any player, regardless of their height. Only six games into conference play, Jase has put himself as a front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year. 

• I spoke to Jase and asked him how he felt about the team this season and what the energy is like this season. Jase replied, “The team is my second family. We bonded instantly and have been having fun on and off the court since the start of the season. It’s fun having some young bulls like Landen and Sylen being up with us because I can see myself in both of them. They’re hard workers and are the definition of bomber basketball in my eyes. Being a senior gives me the opportunity to be that guys everyone can lean on, and it’s a pleasure to be playing with some good ballers. This bomber team is a family. I expect a state title run. We have the weapons, and we are getting better every day. I wouldn’t expect anything less from us.”

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

Luke Westerfield

Personally, my choice for most improved. The 6’ 10” Junior has shown drastic improvement down low from last year. He seems to hold more confidence with the ball in his hands, going up strong much more often than he did last year. Not only that, but his footwork has gotten to where it needs to be. Very few teams have the height to keep up with Westerfield, which makes him one of the most valuable players in the league. After an entertaining double-double at Chiawana, Luke put his name out there. If he keeps this level of play up, I think he will enter his name into the running for MVP along with his teammate Josh. 

Prediction: I see no reason why this team can’t win out and head into the playoffs as the 1 seed. After a disappointing finish last season, the Bombers will go into the playoffs with a chip on their shoulder. I predict the bombers will hoist the MCC title and come home from State with a top 6 finish.