Seven starting seniors lost means new openings on Richland - SWX Right Now-Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WA

RICHLAND, Wash. -- At the high school level, spring sports are set to begin, and Richland Bombers softball returns with a lot of holes to fill. Last season Richland finished third at the 4A state tournament. The Bombers have to replace seven senior starters, but they have key returnees in cancer survivor Monika Hebky and University of Oregon commit April Utecht. Is there any competition between the Bomber softball and baseball teams, which both finished third at state?

"Um, not really," head softball coach Casey Emery said. "Actually I think the girls end of it, they root for the boys. They want them to do really well. There's really no competition as far as who's going to go higher than the other. If we had won a state championship and they took second, there might be a little ribbing there, but being third and third, there's really nothing to discuss there."