EasternWA notebook: All it took for reloading Chiawana girls to click was one bad summer tournament

Reigning 4A/3A Mid-Columbia Conference champions graduated two NCAA D1 players in Kaia Foster and Malia Ruud, but are still a force behind senior Bailee Maldonado

CWU signee Baylee Maldonado is the driving force behind MCC girls basketball champion Chiawana’s 7-0 start this winter. (Amy Cazier / Chiawana athletics)

Months later, coach Gary Jonas doesn’t remember all the loss margins, or who every opponent was. But he remembers what the Chiawana girls basketball team’s overall record was at the Gonzaga University summer camp in June.

The Riverhawks were 1-10.

“We took it in the shorts,” Jonas said.