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By the students, for the students of Central Washington University

The Observer

By the students, for the students of Central Washington University

The Observer

By the students, for the students of Central Washington University

The Observer

All content by Zac Hereth
Drew Harris leads the huddle during a timeout.

Former CWU basketball star shines on the sidelines

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
June 6, 2016

On Jan. 2, the first round of pregame shoot around started just like any other for Central Washington University’s men’s basketball team, but then some shocking news would make the first game of the...

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NBA needs to bounce playoff format

NBA needs to bounce playoff format

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 26, 2016

The NBA is in the midst of two competitive series as the finals approach, and I could really care less. Just like last year, the year before and the year before that, I just can’t get that excited...

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Tony Pacheco leaves CWU rugby

Tony Pacheco leaves CWU rugby

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 19, 2016

After six years as head coach of Central Washington University’s men’s rugby team, Tony Pacheco has resigned. Pacheco, who has been the program’s only coach since its elevation to varsity status...

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He's Abel: Community helps raise thousands to help former football player

He’s Abel: Community helps raise thousands to help former football player

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 19, 2016

Sometimes, it’s not about the what, it’s about the who. The who being two off-duty EMTs who were boating in the Columbia River, near Crescent Bar, when they witnessed a man’s worst day. On...

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Cano leads Mariners to early success

Cano leads Mariners to early success

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 12, 2016

The Mariners are winning baseball games, and I hardly know what to think of it. Could it be true? Are they a quality team? The starting rotation has lived up to the preseason hype, the bullpen has...

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The Seahawks addressed their offensive line issues by drafting Germain Ifedi with their first pick.

Seahawks nailed it with 2016 draft

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 5, 2016

I hate to be the guy that jumps on what has already been said, but it’s hard not to like what the Seahawks did with their draft class this past weekend. Whether it was ending up with five picks in...

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Senior Jake Levin attempts to pickoff a Western Oregon baserunner.

Wildcats claw for GNAC baseball title

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 5, 2016

This weekend, the Wildcat baseball team has a chance to do something they’ve never done before—win a regular-season GNAC Championship. If Central can win the regular-season title, it will host...

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OPINION: What's your major? IDGAF

OPINION: What’s your major? IDGAF

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
May 4, 2016

This past weekend, just like any other, I was at the bar with a couple of my friends, blowing off some steam after another long week of jumping through hoops as I prepare to graduate. I was enjoying...

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Lacrosse ends playoff drought

Lacrosse ends playoff drought

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 28, 2016

In 2008, Tiger Woods won his last major championship on the PGA Tour, Kevin Durant was named NBA Rookie of the Year as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics and Central’s Lacrosse Club made its last playoff...

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Are Felix's control problems for real?

Are Felix’s control problems for real?

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 21, 2016

For over a decade, Felix Hernandez has been the shining gem of the Seattle Mariners franchise. As “The King”  began his 12th season on the mound something has been off—his command. Through just...

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Swim club makes waves

Swim club makes waves

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 21, 2016

Central’s Swim Club hosted its first Inland Northwest Region Championship swim meet on April 2, which was a record-setting fundraising event for the swimmers. The club raised close to $3,500 at the...

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Seahawks need another draft like 2012

Seahawks need another draft like 2012

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 14, 2016

In order to be considered a true dynasty, the Seahawks need to win one, or more likely two, Super Bowls in the next few years. This year’s draft class needs to emulate that of 2012 in order for Seattle...

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Senior infielder Tanner Romo has posted a .388 batting average this season

Wildcats’ bats set pace for GNAC

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 7, 2016

Despite sitting in fourth place in the GNAC standings, Central’s baseball team has been tearing it up offensively after a slow start. As a team the Wildcats are batting .301, which is 33 points...

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Triple H and Roman Reigns squared off in the main event at Wrestlemania 32.

Wrestlemania lives up to the hype

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 7, 2016

Despite a lackluster main event match between Roman Reigns and Triple H, Wrestlemania 32 lived up to the hype of being the ultimate sports entertainment event of the year. The event featured two...

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Sophomore wing Seth Halliman looks to pass to a teammate during a home match.

Scrum for Varsity Cup starts at home

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
April 7, 2016

Central’s men’s rugby team starts its  trek for the Varsity Cup Rugby Championship on the Wildcat Rugby Pitch this Saturday with a match against the UCLA Bruins. The Wildcats are getting the...

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Spring could be Central’s time

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
March 10, 2016

As spring rolls into Ellensburg, we know one thing for sure—there will be wind—but this spring may bloom into an exciting sports season for Central. Fall brought some excitement when the volleyball...

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Season recap: Three highs, lows from women's basketball

Season recap: Three highs, lows from women’s basketball

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
March 10, 2016

Although Central’s women’s basketball team was knocked out in the first round of the GNAC tournament last Thursday, this year was the team’s best season in nearly a decade. The Wildcats, 17-12...

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Women’s GNAC tournament preview

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
March 3, 2016

Before the hiring of head coach Jeff Harada, Central’s women’s basketball team struggled to find its way in the GNAC conference. Now, in Harada’s second year at Central, the Wildcats finished...

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Give Jesus a chance

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
March 3, 2016

Given that Jesus Montero reported to camp 40 pounds overweight two seasons ago, I never thought I’d say this, but it’s time to give Montero a chance. The Mariners signed left-handed hitter Adam...

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Freshman guard Mandy Steward defends the perimeter in Central's final regular season game.

Central freshmen honored

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
March 3, 2016

For the second straight season, a Wildcat women’s basketball player has taken home the honor of GNAC Freshman of the Year. Freshman guard Mandy Steward joined fellow backcourt member, sophomore Jasmin...

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Wildcats look for bats to heat up in Cali

Wildcats look for bats to heat up in Cali

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
February 25, 2016

The Wildcats’ baseball team took home two victories on the back half of a two-day, four-game series against Corban University last weekend. The wins have provided the team some momentum heading into...

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Five things for the Seahawks to do this offseason

Five things for the Seahawks to do this offseason

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
February 25, 2016

The Seahawks have some big decisions to make this offseason, when 19 of their players will become unrestricted free agents. Here are the five things Seattle needs to do this offseason: Upgrade the...

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Former Mariner Logan Morrison's look of disappointment sums up the Seattle's disappointing 2015 season.

M’s need to make me believe

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
February 18, 2016

After the Seahawks season came to an end about two weeks earlier than Seattle sports fans had been getting used to, I started to see tweets about fans getting excited for the Mariners season to start. That...

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Todd overcomes ankle injury

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
February 18, 2016

Five games into his senior season of football, Jordan Todd broke his ankle against Azusa Pacific University, ending his football career. Before Todd was actually diagnosed with a break, there was some...

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An ode to Beast Mode

An ode to Beast Mode

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
February 11, 2016

After six years, two Beast Quakes, 6,347 rushing yards, 65 touchdowns and one Super Bowl ring as a Seahawk, Marshawn Lynch is calling it quits. Whether you think of Lynch as a thug or see the running...

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Women's rugby rise

Women’s rugby rise

Zac Hereth and Austin Bennett
February 9, 2016

Part two of our two week series chronicling the rise of Central's rugby program. Part one can be read here. When women’s rugby became a varsity sport, its success may have been an afterthought...

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Junior pitcher Mitch Yada, Central's returning leader in innings pitched, has a preseason bullpen session.

Wildcats ready to claw back to top

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
February 4, 2016

After winning the GNAC tournament in 2014, Central was picked to dethrone Western Oregon University (WOU) from their reign of dominance as GNAC regular season champs last season, but it didn’t happen. The...

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Time to bring the noise Central

Time to bring the noise Central

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 21, 2016

Last week, 537 people were in attendance to watch Central’s women’s basketball team take on the second-ranked team in the country—a pivotal match-up for a Wildcat team coming off its biggest road...

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Parker becomes a vocal leader

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 21, 2016

When attending a Central women’s basketball game, there are no guarantees about what will happen. However, over the past four years, Jasmine Parker swatting a shot has been just as close to a guarantee...

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Women's rugby named College Team of the Year

Women’s rugby named College Team of the Year

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 21, 2016

After falling short against Penn State University (PSU) for the women’s rugby national championship, the Wildcat women were named Women’s College Team of the Year by ThisIsAmericanRugby.com. The...

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Senior Forward Jasmine Parker sets up for a jumper against #2 Alaska Anchorage.

#2 Seawolves stifle WIldcats

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 14, 2016

A match-up with the second-ranked team in the nation proved to be too much for the Wildcats in a 66-42 loss to the Seawolves of the University of Alaska Anchorage. Central had two leads all game, the...

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Senior center Jasmine Parker, GNAC leader in blocks, drives on her defender.

Central women look to knock off #2 in the nation

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 14, 2016

Last Saturday, Central left Bellingham with its first win against Western Washington University (WWU) on the road since 2008. The win improved the team’s record to 10-4 overall and 3-3 in GNAC play....

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Medical weed coming soon to recreational shops in Washington

Medical weed coming soon to recreational shops in Washington

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 14, 2016

On July 1, the previously unregulated medical marijuana market will merge with Washington’s current retail marijuana system. According to Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) Spokesman...

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OPINION: Lucky wild card finish proves Seahawks are team of destiny

OPINION: Lucky wild card finish proves Seahawks are team of destiny

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
January 10, 2016

Coming off of one of the luckiest finishes in playoff history, it’s hard not to think that this year’s Seahawks squad is a team of destiny. The Seahawks offense sputtered, and Russell Wilson was...

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Central's volleyball team fell just short of a GNAC title this season. This week, they'll have their chance to prove they're the best in the west.

NCAA Tournament bound

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
December 6, 2015
For the fourth straight season, Central’s volleyball team is heading to NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament, after finishing third in the GNAC with a 16-4 conference record...
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Central sports update

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
November 19, 2015

Volleyball Central dropped out of the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) Top-25 poll, despite picking up a pair of victories in three-set sweeps against Saint Martin’s University (SMU)...

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Equestrians rein in horses for show

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
November 17, 2015

Central’s equestrian club is saddling up for its annual Interscholastic Horse Show Association (IHSA) Double Western Horse Show this Saturday, Nov. 14 and Sunday, Nov. 15 at Orrion Farms. This western-style...

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OPINION: In Dipoto we trust

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
November 16, 2015

The Jerry Dipoto era has officially started in Seattle as the new Mariner’s general manager made his first big-move of the offseason. Dipoto traded utilityman Brad Miller, first baseman Logan Morrison...

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Wildcats swamp Gators

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
November 13, 2015

Central’s women overcame a sloppy first quarter to win their season-opener against San Francisco State Universtiy (SFSU), 59-39. The Wildcats held SFSU to 10 field goals on 63 attempts, including...

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Central senior un-Quirks the block party

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 29, 2015

Senior middle blocker Kaitlin Quirk is helping lead the charge for Central’s GNAC-leading volleyball team. She is one-half of Central’s front-line duo that is leading their NCAA Division II team...

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Rivalry gone stale

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 29, 2015

The most intense rivalry in football over the last three years is officially over to me. After watching last week’s boring game, that featured 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick sticking his tail...

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Central sports update

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 29, 2015

Women’s Cross Country Central’s women’s cross country team had two runners finish in the top-seven, leading to a third place team finish at the GNAC championship in Bellingham, Wash. on Saturday,...

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Left dry–not high–for retail pot in Ellensburg

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 29, 2015

The Ellensburg City Council passed an emergency six-month moratorium on the establishment of recreational marijuana retail businesses, one week after the state Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) started accepting...

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Nicholson Pavilions indoor facilities are used by 13 different varsity teams.

Central hosts ‘Pack the Pav’

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 22, 2015

Central’s basketball teams will be having their own version of a traditional college basketball Midnight Madness event when they host Pack the Pav on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. The main feature of...

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Central's frontline leads the nation in blocks per set.

Wildcats set for pivotal road trip

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 22, 2015

Central’s women’s volleyball team, in a three-way tie for second place in the GNAC, is heading west for important road games facing Simon Fraser University (SFU) and conference-leading Western Washington...

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Wildcat sports update

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 22, 2015

Soccer Central’s women’s soccer team split its games this past week. They fell to Western Washington University (WWU), ranked second in NCAA Division II, 1-0 at home and beat Northwest Nazarene...

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Sports clubs stronger than ever

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 14, 2015

Since the club sport program was officially created at Central in 2000, nearly 20 teams have been added to the program for a total of 24 different club sports students can participate in. Some of the...

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Relax 12’s

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 14, 2015

“Relax.” That simple word came out of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodger’s mouth after the Packers 0-2 start last season. It’s time for Seahawks fans to take the advice of last year’s...

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Wildcat women put in their work on the pitch before a pivotal stretch of the GNAC season.

Soccer reaches goal off field

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 8, 2015

Central’s soccer team is working hard on the field this season, but their work off the field has made an impact on the community and the culture of Central athletics. The team started a GoFundMe...

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Central cross country working on their paces a week before the WWU invitational meet.

Wildcats quest to viking territory

Jon Olsen-Koziol and Zac Hereth
October 8, 2015

Central’s cross-country team is preparing for the Western Washington University Invitational; an important GNAC meet on Saturday, Oct. 10. Every GNAC team will be competing at the meet, with the exceptions...

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The Wildcat women work on their ball handling

Central soccer looks for kick-start

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 7, 2015

Coming off of last season’s fourth-place conference finish and a berth in the GNAC tournament, the Wildcats women’s soccer team has stumbled out of the gates with two losses to start their conference...

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Junior wide receiver Jesse Zalk celebrates.

Football team gets even at home

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 7, 2015

Central’s football team begins conference play with a new permanent starting quarterback after junior Jake Nelson left the team Monday, Sept. 26. The team is coming off back-to-back blowout home wins,...

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Jake Nelson (right) watches drills in his last week of practice.

Jake Nelson leaves football team

Zac Hereth, Sports Editor
October 5, 2015

After passing for 4,254 yards and combining for 46 touchdowns in just over two seasons, junior quarterback Jake Nelson left the Central football team Monday Sept. 28. Nelson’s departure came just...

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Breaking down the best beards in professional sports today

Breaking down the best beards in professional sports today

Zac Hereth, Staff Reporter
May 27, 2015

You can’t have great sports without great beards. Whether it’s the traditional hockey playoff beard, the baseball hitting streak beard or the good luck beard for whatever achievement the team is striving...

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Local talent was strongly represented in last weekend's NFL Draft

Local talent was strongly represented in last weekend’s NFL Draft

Zac Hereth, Staff Reporter
May 6, 2015

The University of Washington (UW) Huskies’ defense was able to dominate the first round and a half of the NFL Draft this past weekend with four players going in the top 44 draft picks. Auburn, Wash....

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Dani Eggleston; tough, driven Central track star

Dani Eggleston; tough, driven Central track star

Zac Hereth, Staff Reporter
April 28, 2015
Central track star Dani Eggleston is running and leaping over Central’s records after breaking her own record in the steeplechase at the San Francisco Distance Carnival on April 3.
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Lower prices encourage business at Cannabis Central

Lower prices encourage business at Cannabis Central

Zac Hereth, Contributing Writer
April 13, 2015

After 29 years in the car sales business, Rob Hendrix applied for a marijuana retailer’s license, along with his wife Diane Hendrix, in December of 2013. This led to the opening of Cannabis Central,...

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Western Oregon University player leads off as junior first baseman Randy Fuller looks to make a play.

Righting the ship

Zac Hereth, Staff Reporter
April 10, 2015
The Central Wildcats baseball team hopes the long ride over won’t be the only drive they’re associated with as they take on the Montana State University Billings Yellow Jackets in a big four game series.
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Creating a new form of tourism in pot states

Creating a new form of tourism in pot states

Zac Hereth, Contributing Writer
February 11, 2015

Cannabis tourism is a new industry growing in Washington since the opening of recreational marijuana shops this past summer. Even New York Magazine has an article on the “need-to-knows” of buying...

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