While we pride ourselves here at 1460 ESPN Yakima (KUTI) on covering local prep sports (see: 2017 high school football schedule) we are fully aware that we cannot possibly be at every game.

That is why we doff our cap in the direction of longtime valley resident Jeff Place.


Place, a 1978 graduate of Granger High who now resides in Zillah, has been publishing a sports newsletter dating back to May of 1991 that focuses almost exclusively on Yakima Valley high school sports.

Before that, Jeff began a career in broadcasting in 1979 as an intern at all-sports station (KSPO) in Spokane before landing his first "real" gig at KENE in Toppenish in 1980. Since then, he has called in excess of 20 state championship games -- including two NWAACC basketball finals -- and continues to call the action on his website JeffPlace.com.

Recently he unveiled his 2017 schedule of varsity football broadcasts that spotlights primarily Lower Valley schools such as perennial powerhouse Prosser as well as Toppenish, Zillah and Grandview.

I had the opportunity to call the 1997 state AA football championship game from the Tacoma Dome when my alma mater, West Valley, advanced to the finals. Jeff was kind enough to join me on the broadcast. His knowledge of the history of valley sports was immeasurable in its usefulness to me that night and I don't know if I truly ever thanked him.

With that, THANK YOU Jeff! Long may you wear the headphones and paint the pictures with a mic!

JeffPlace.com 2017 High School Football Broadcast Schedule

  • Fri., Sep. 1 - Naches at Toppenish
  • Fri., Sep. 8 - Zillah at Prosser
  • Fri., Sep. 15 - Prosser at Othello
  • Fri., Sep. 22 - Selah at Prosser
  • Fri., Sep. 29 - Prosser at Grandview
  • Fri., Oct. 6 - Ellensburg at Prosser
  • Fri., Oct. 13 - Prosser at Toppenish

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