Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland talk about high school sports first from the perspective of our jobs, then our fandom comes out when we talk pro sports
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
It has been a minute since our last podcast.
Life gets in the way sometimes. But we promise, it is still free to listen to our podcast!
Anyway, today we look forward to 2026 in high school sports and talk about a number of WIAA amendments that will be voted on soon by member districts.
We also do a 2025 in review in high school sports.
Plus we must revisit Tony’s great story of the Wedge Jersey Sacrifice for the Mariners. Did it work? Let us know what you think with an email.
Plus, I give an additional minute at the end of the podcast for a special salute.
This latest episode was recorded on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.
Our podcast format is simple: A longtime sports reporter (Paul Valencia) discusses high school sports, and more, with longtime sports administrators and former coaches. Cale Piland is the former head football coach at Evergreen and Union and is now the athletic director for Evergreen Public Schools. Tony Liberatore is a former assistant coach and athletic director at Columbia River and is now an associate principal at Fort Vancouver.
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:
- Clark County Baseball presents Baseballism Kickoff this week with action all over the region
Thirty-six teams from across the Northwest, including two state champs, are competing in free high school baseball tournaments at local turf fields in Vancouver, Camas, and Ridgefield. - The Study of Sports Podcast March 13, 2026: We discuss the state basketball tournaments, the incredible run from Columbia River boys, the state placing for Evergreen girls, and more
Reporter Paul Valencia and sports administrators Tony Liberatore and Cale Piland discuss a series of subjects around the WIAA’s state basketball tournaments, plus we get into some Mariners baseball talk and NFL free agency/trade cancellations - Falcon Baseball Academy to host inaugural Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market at Prairie High School
Prairie High School’s Falcon Baseball Academy will host its first Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market on May 2, inviting local vendors and community members to support the school’s baseball program and student activities. - Trophy games: Columbia River boys finish fifth, Evergreen girls take sixth at state tournaments
Columbia River’s boys and Evergreen’s girls both reached the final day of their state basketball tournaments, returning to Vancouver with fifth- and sixth-place trophies. - High school state basketball: Columbia River suffers heartache in overtime loss in semifinals
Columbia River’s run to the Class 2A semifinals ended on a buzzer-beater in overtime, while Evergreen advanced to a trophy game and several other Clark County teams wrapped up their state tournament seasons.
