Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland talk about high school sports and more
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
Welcome back to the Clark County Today Sports Podcast.
Perfect timing, right? We recorded this episode just an hour or so after Union announced that Steve Pyne is the school’s next football coach.
You know, Steve Pyne, the five-time Oregon state champion coach from Central Catholic. Pyne resigned from Central Catholic to coach at Union? Wow! That was worthy of discussion.
We also talk about the WIAA and RPI and how RPI is just something to get a conversation started. Nothing else. It is not used for seeding purposes toward state tournaments anymore.
Oh, and then we talk high school football scheduling, with the news that Columbia River and Skyview are not scheduled to play each other in the fall of 2024.
And, of course, we have Super Bowl talk. Not a fun matchup for our hosts. We don’t care for these teams, but we will always celebrate the national sport of football.
The podcast format is simple. Tony Liberatore of Vancouver Public Schools and Cale Piland of Evergreen Public Schools give their thoughts, along with Clark County Today reporter Paul Valencia. Liberatore and Piland are longtime sports administrators. And Valencia has been a sports reporter in the region for more than 20 years.
We’re always interested in subject ideas for a future podcast. Email us a subject idea.
Send us your thoughts at: paul.v@clarkcountytoday.com.
Also read:
- The Study of Sports Podcast Jan. 15, 2026: We discuss some hot topics in high school sports across the state, plus we talk college and pro footballReporter Paul Valencia is joined by Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland to discuss current issues in high school sports, along with college and professional football topics.
- Opinion: Kindness is always welcome, even in places where one does not always find itPaul Valencia reflects on how a brief moment of kindness between a journalist and a football coach underscores the importance of respect in journalism and public life.
- The Study of Sports Podcast Dec. 30, 2025: A look ahead to 2026 with WIAA amendments, a year in review in high school sports, plus remembering the Mariners’ magical runThe latest Study of Sports Podcast looks ahead to proposed WIAA amendments, reviews high school sports in 2025, and reflects on the Seattle Mariners’ memorable run.
- Virginia Rodeman defies limits and wins No-Gi World Championship in Brazilian Jiu-JitsuBattle Ground athlete Virginia Rodeman won two divisions at the No-Gi World Championship in Las Vegas, continuing an eight-year rise in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition.
- High school sports: Pac Coast Wrestling to showcase some of the best in the Northwest and beyond Clark County will host major high school sports events next week, highlighted by the Pac Coast Wrestling Championships in Ridgefield and holiday basketball tournaments featuring local teams.






