Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current, February 11, 2015, Image 6

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    FEBRUARY 11, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM
A6 WEDNESDAY,
SPORTS
PREP BASKETBALL • SCHEDULE
End-of-season Lady Bulldogs ground Eagles
predictions
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
W
DLWLW¶V)HEUXDU\
already? Where
KDVWLPHJRQH"
Basketball playoffs are
ULJKWDURXQGWKHFRUQHU
DQGWKLQJVDUHVWDUWLQJ
WRJHWUHDOO\UHDOO\
LQWHUHVWLQJ
:KLOHRUGLQDULO\,¶G
start with Hermiston,
WKH%XOOGRJVVWLOO
have a week or so left
LQ&ROXPELD5LYHU
&RQIHUHQFHSOD\
8PDWLOOD6WDQ¿HOGDQG
Echo, on the other hand,
are all almost done with
WKHLUVFKHGXOHVVR,
ZRQ¶WJHWDKHDGRIP\VHOI
DQGVWDUWLQJORRNLQJDWWKH
playoffs for Hermiston.
:H¶OOJHWWKHUHLQGXH
time, and faster than we
realize.
So, to Umatilla.
SAM BARBEE
FROM THE SIDELINES
Sports reporter
Riverside Thursday and
a road test at Vale — will
say a lot about the Lady
9LNV¶PLQGVHWKHDGLQJ
into the postseason. Keep
an eye on them.
The Umatilla boys
have been a bit of a
different story, but not
LQDEDGZD\7KH\¶YH
KDGSUREOHPVVWULQJLQJ
ZLQVWRJHWKHUEXW
WKH\¶YHDOVRKDGDFRXSOH
KHDUWEUHDNLQJDQG
PRPHQWXPVWRSSLQJ
ORVVHV$IWHUZLQQLQJ
LWV¿UVWWZROHDJXH
JDPHV8PDWLOODFRXOGQ¶W
overcome a couple
ODWHJDPHPLVWDNHVDQG
ORVWWR6WDQ¿HOG
Earlier in the season, the
9LNLQJVORVWWR1\VVDDQG
7KHJLUOVVWDUWHGRII
&UHVZHOOE\DFRPELQHG
WKHLUVHDVRQVXSHUKRW,Q ¿YHSRLQWV5HFHQWO\WKH
WKHLU¿UVWQLQHJDPHVWKH ER\VKDGDWKUHHJDPH
/DG\9LNVZHUHDQG
win streak snapped by
UROOLQJ7KHLUWKUHHORVVHV 1\VVD,W¶VEHHQWRXJK
were to La Grande, a
IRUWKH9LNLQJVWRJHWDQ\
JRRG$WHDP.HQQHG\ PRPHQWXPJRLQJEXW
a top-ranked 3A team at
WKH\¶UHVWLOOLQDUHDOO\
the time, and Union, a 1A JRRGSRVLWLRQPRYLQJ
power.
into the stretch run.
7RVD\WKLQJVDUHJRLQJ
7KH\¶UHEXW
EDGO\QRZLVQ¶WTXLWH
5-2 in EOL play. The
DFFXUDWH6XUHOHDGLQJ
two losses have come to
scorer Aleesha Watson
Nyssa, who beat Umatilla
KDVEHHQVWUXJJOLQJ
2-1 in the season series
IURPWKHÀRRU6XUHWKH
this year. So, Umatilla
9LNLQJVORVWEDFNWREDFN ZLOOSUREDEO\¿QLVKZLWK
FRQWHVWVZLWKOHDJXH
WKH1RVHHGEDUULQJ
ULYDODQGGHIHQGLQJVWDWH
VRPHWKLQJXQIRUHVHHQDQG
champion Vale. Sure,
ZHLUGKDSSHQLQJ
they only scored 36
8PDWLOOD¶VGDQJHURXV
SRLQWVLQWKHLUODVWJDPH
EHFDXVHLWKDVQ¶WSOD\HG
DJDLQVW1\VVDEXWWKDW
its best basketball yet.
GRHVQ¶WPHDQWKHEXVLV
This is a team that can
broken and needs to be
JHWKRWDQGGRVRPH
DEDQGRQHG,WMXVWPHDQV WKLQJVZKHQLWKDVQR
WKHURDGWKH\¶UHRQKDV
RWKHURSWLRQV,W¶VDEDFN
JRWWHQDELWURXJKHUDQG
DJDLQVWWKHZDOOWHDP
the ride will be a little
that nobody thinks will
EXPS\7KHUHLVQ¶WDQ\
GRDQ\WKLQJ7KDWPDNHV
UHDVRQWRJHWRYHUO\
WKH9LNLQJVGDQJHURXV
upset. The Lady Viks
Look for them to win
are still 5-2 in Eastern
VRPHJDPHVPD\EHWKH\
2UHJRQ/HDJXHSOD\
ZHUHQ¶WH[SHFWHGWR
and ranked ninth by the
OSAA. They have scored
WKH¿IWKPRVWSRLQWV
,IHHOUHDOO\EDGIRU
LQ$JLUOVEDVNHWEDOO
WKH6WDQ¿HOGER\V,WKDV
ZKLFKLVJRRG
HYHU\WKLQJWRGRZLWK
for the seventh-best per
how they lost to Heppner.
JDPHDYHUDJH
6WDQ¿HOGZDVXSWZR
They are still just two
JDPHVEDFNRI9DOHZLWK with seconds left when a
WZROHIWWRSOD\LQFOXGLQJ 7LJHUIRXOHGD0XVWDQJ
DVKHZDVKHDYLQJRQH
RQHDJDLQVW9DOH1RZLI
Vale and Umatilla were to from half-court as time
H[SLUHG+HSSQHUPDGH
¿QLVKWLHGDWRSWKH(2/
all three free throws
Vale would still take the
WRSVHHGKHDGLQJLQWRWKH and came away with an
district tournament, as the improbable win. Such a
KHDUWEUHDNLQJORVVIRU
VRXWKHUQ9LNLQJVZRXOG
6WDQ¿HOG2EYLRXVO\WKH
have the tiebreaker 2-1
RYHUWKHQRUWKHUQ9LNLQJV VWDNHVDUHQ¶WDVKLJKEXW
it felt like a Bill Buckner
,ZRXOGVWLOOH[SHFW
PRPHQWVQDWFKLQJGHIHDW
Umatilla to make a state
from the jaws of victory.
UXQ0D\EHWKH\¶YH
peaked too soon; maybe
Those are losses that
WKH\KDYHQ¶W7KHVHQH[W
FDQUHDOO\EHGLI¿FXOW
WZRJDPHV8PDWLOODKDV
²DKRPHJDPHDJDLQVW
SEE PREDICTIONS/A7
UMATILLA
STANFIELD
GO SEE IT
Wednesday, February 11
No events scheduled
Thursday, February 12
Girls Basketball
Umatilla vs. Riverside, 6 p.m.
Boys Basketball
Umatilla vs. Riverside, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 13
Girls Basketball
Hermiston vs. Pendleton, 7 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOGYV&XOYHUSP
Echo vs. Wallowa, 6 p.m.
Boys Basketball
Hermiston vs. Pendleton, 5:15 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOGYV&XOYHUSP
Echo vs. Wallowa, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 14
Swimming
Hermiston @ district meet @ Hood River, 11 a.m.
Girls Basketball
Umatilla @ Vale, 5 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOG#,UULJRQSP
Boys Basketball
Umatilla @ Vale, 6:30 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOG#,UULJRQSP
'HVSLWH D SRRU VKRRWLQJ
SHUIRUPDQFHLQWKH¿UVWTXDU-
WHURILWVJDPH7XHVGD\QLJKW
WKH1R+HUPLVWRQ%XOOGRJV
(17-3, 5-0) steamrolled past
the Hood River Valley Ea-
JOHVLQWKH'DZJKRXVH
VHWWLQJ XS D VKRZGRZQ ZLWK
Pendleton on Friday.
7KH%XOOGRJVKDGDURFN\
VWDUW KRZHYHU ,W ZDVQ¶W WKH
GHIHQVH7KH%XOOGRJVIRUFHG
12 turnovers. Offensively, the
%XOOGRJV KDG JRRG ORRNV DW
the basket, but their shots just
ZHUHQ¶WJRLQJLQ
They resolved those issues
ODWHU KRZHYHU DQG -DQVHQ
Edmiston led all scorers with
SRLQWVLQFOXGLQJLQWKH
WKLUG TXDUWHU 7DYLQ +HDG-
LQJV KDG LQFOXGLQJ NH\
UXQVSDUNLQJ EDVNHWV LQ WKH
VHFRQGTXDUWHUDQG$EL'URW-
zmann had 12.
&RDFK 6WHYH +RIIHUW VDLG
WKLVZDVDFODVVLFWUDSJDPH
+HUPLVWRQZDVFRPLQJRIID
ELJ ZLQ DW7KH 'DOOHV
last Friday and has the show-
GRZQZLWK3HQGOHWRQFRPLQJ
up this Friday.
“We have to do a better
MRERIIRFXVLQJRQWKRVHWUDS
JDPHV DQG SXW SHRSOH DZD\
OLNHZHGLGHDUO\VRWKHUH¶VQR
TXHVWLRQ´KHVDLG
“(We just have to) play
RXU RZQ JDPH´ +HDGLQJV
DGGHG³1RPDWWHUZKRZH¶UH
SOD\LQJWKH1RWHDPLQWKH
VWDWHRUZKRHYHUZH¶UHSOD\-
LQJ:HKDYHWRMXVWSOD\RXU
RZQ JDPH DQG HDUQ RXU UH-
VSHFWDQGSOD\OLNHZH¶UHRQH
of the top teams in the state.”
/DWHLQWKHIRXUWKTXDUWHU
ZLWK WKH JDPH DOO EXW GHFLG-
ed, injured Hermiston senior
-D]PLQ *XWLHUUH] JRW RQ WKH
ÀRRUIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHDWKRPH
WKLV VHDVRQ 6KH HYHQ JRW LQ
the scorebook with two points
off free throws.
³,W¶VQLFHIRUKHU´+RIIHUW
VDLGRI*XWLHUUH]³6KH¶VDVH-
nior. She believes. She loves
this team, and for her to be on
WKH ÀRRU DQG VFRUH OLNH VKH
GLG ² LW¶V SUHWW\ VDWLVI\LQJ
7KHJLUOVHQMR\HGLW´
)RU D ZKLOH WKRXJK LW
looked like Hermiston would
QHYHUJHWWRWKDWSRLQW
'RZQ LQ WKH ¿UVW
TXDUWHU +RIIHUW HPSWLHG KLV
bench in an attempt to spark
D UXQ +HUPLVWRQ VWLOO VWUXJ-
SAM BARBEE PHOTO
Hermiston’s Abi Drotzmann (12) rises for a layup over a host of Hood River Valley Eagles
during a Columbia River Conference girls basketball game Tuesday night in Hermiston.
JOHGWRSXWLQEDVNHWVDQGJHW
DQ\WKLQJ JRLQJ RIIHQVLYHO\
DV +RRG 5LYHU NHSW KDQGLQJ
over the ball.
With Hermiston down
WKHUXQVWDUWHG7KH%XOO-
GRJV ¿QLVKHG WKH ¿UVW KDOI
RQ D UXQ WKDW +HDGLQJV
kicked off with about three
minutes left. The senior hit a
IUHHWKURZDPLGUDQJHMXPS-
HU DQG WKHQ D EDOO WR JLYH
+HUPLVWRQDOHDG
³:H UHDOL]HG ZH ZHUHQ¶W
SOD\LQJ WR RXU SRWHQWLDO´
+HDGLQJVVDLG
7KH%XOOGRJV¶OHDGZRXOG
RQO\ JURZ DQG E\ WKH WKLUG
TXDUWHULWJUHZHYHQIDVWHU
To start the penultimate
period, Drotzmann, Maddy
-XXODQG(GPLVWRQDOOVFRUHG
WR JLYH +HUPLVWRQ D
OHDG /DWH LQ WKH TXDUWHU WKH
GHHSUDQJH ERPEV VWDUWHG WR
fall when Edmiston hit three
DQG+HDGLQJVJRWRQHWRJR
The fourth was all about
JHWWLQJWKHEHQFKLQWKHJDPH
LQFOXGLQJWKHWKUHHPLQXWHVRI
SOD\LQJWLPHIRU*XWLHUUH]
Hoffert said his Bull-
GRJV DUH VWLOO DQVZHULQJ
VWDWHZLGH TXHVWLRQV DERXW
their dominance this sea-
VRQ +H VDLG WKH ¿UVW KDOI
UDLVHG TXHVWLRQV DQG WKH
second half answered
them.
³,¶P VXUH SHRSOH DUH VWLOO
JRQQD KDYH TXHVWLRQV IRU
ZKDWHYHU UHDVRQ WRQLJKW
ZKLFK DUHQ¶W UHDOO\ ZDUUDQW-
ed after our second-half per-
IRUPDQFH´ KH VDLG ³,W¶V WKH
critics. We call them the lions
because they come after you
ZKHQ \RX¶UH ZHDN :H MXVW
KDYHWRXQGHUVWDQGWKDWWKDW¶V
JRQQDKDSSHQDQGZHMXVWJR
IURP JDPH WR JDPH DQG ZH
deal with it.”
Hermiston hosts rival
Pendleton at 7 p.m. Friday.
Bulldog girls gearing up for second
tough battle against Pendleton at home
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
Last week, the Pendle-
WRQ JLUOV EDVNHWEDOO WHDP
JDYH +HUPLVWRQ DOO LW
FRXOG KDQGOH DW :DUEHUJ
&RXUW +HUPLVWRQ ZHQW RQ
a late run to take control
RI D YHU\ HYHQ JDPH DQG
ZDOW]HGDZD\ZLWKD
win.
2Q)ULGD\WKH\¶OOWU\WR
GR LW DOO RYHU DJDLQ ZKHQ
Pendleton heads to the
'DZJKRXVH WR WDNH RQ WKH
%XOOGRJVLQWKHVHFRQGLQ-
VWDOOPHQWRIWKH:DURQ
On paper, these teams
are similar.
Hermiston is ranked
VHFRQG3HQGOHWRQVL[WKE\
WKH 2UHJRQ 6FKRRO$FWLYL-
ties Association. Hermis-
WRQLVLQWKH&R-
OXPELD 5LYHU &RQIHUHQFH
and Pendleton is 13-6, 3-1
LQ OHDJXH 3ULRU WR 7XHV-
day, Hermiston has scored
1,036 points, Pendleton
1,030. Both teams have a
PL[RI VL]H DQG VSHHG DQG
H[SHULHQFHDQG\RXWK
The only real difference
is the level of success ei-
WKHUSURJUDPKDVKDG
7KH+HUPLVWRQSURJUDP
KDVGRPLQDWHGLQWKH&5&
VLQFH LWV LQFHSWLRQ ¿YH
\HDUV DJR 6LQFH WKHQ WKH
%XOOGRJVKDYHORVWMXVWRQH
OHDJXH JDPH RQ WKHLU ZD\
WR ¿YH OHDJXH FKDPSLRQ-
VKLSV +HUPLVWRQ¶V WKLUG
SODFH ¿QLVK LQ ODVW \HDU¶V
state tournament was just a
repeat from 2013.
Pendleton,
however,
KDVQ¶W HQMR\HG WKH VDPH
success Hermiston has.
,WV ODVW VWDWH WRXUQDPHQW
appearance was in 2013,
when the Lady Bucks lost
in the play-in round. Be-
IRUHWKHQWKH\¶UHODVWVWDWH
DSSHDUDQFH ZDV LQ
ZKHQ DJDLQ WKH /DG\
Bucks were ousted in the
play-in round.
3DVW JDPHV WKLV VHDVRQ
will factor more into Fri-
GD\¶VULYDOU\PDWFKXSWKDQ
past seasons will, especial-
O\WKHEDFNDQGIRUWKJDPH
last week.
$IWHU WKDW JDPH /DG\
Bucks coach Michelle Go-
mez said the Buckaroos
did what they wanted to
do: ran the offense and
GHIHQVH DFFRUGLQJ WR SODQ
but they just turned the ball
over too many times. She
said, however, her team
NQRZV LW FDQ SOD\ DJDLQVW
an opponent of Hermis-
WRQ¶VFDOLEHU
On the other hand,
+HUPLVWRQ¶VEHQFKSOD\HUV
KDG NH\ UROHV LQ WKH WLJKW
JDPH LQFOXGLQJ 5LOHLJK
Andreason, who sparked
WKHJRDKHDGUXQ$IWHUWKH
JDPHDVVLVWDQWFRDFK-XDQ
5RGULJXH]VDLGLWZDVJRRG
to see players from the
EHQFK ¿OOLQJ LQ WKH JDSV
offensively, especially be-
FDXVHFORVHJDPHVZLOOEH-
come more common in the
postseason.
At the same time,
Hermiston has been vul-
nerable at times at home.
$OO WKUHH RI WKH %XOOGRJV¶
losses have come at home:
to Kamiakin, Beaverton
and Sunnyside. Hermiston
is 3-3 at home and 13-0
DZD\IURPWKH'DZJKRXVH
3HQGOHWRQKRZHYHULV
DZD\IURP:DUEHUJ&RXUW
,I 3HQGOHWRQ ZLQV WKH
Buckaroos will tie Herm-
LVWRQ IRU ¿UVW SODFH LQ
WKH &5& ZLWK MXVW WKUHH
JDPHV WR JR$ +HUPLVWRQ
loss Friday could muddle
WKH VWDQGLQJV DQG IRUFH D
winner-take-all matchup
RQ )HE WR GHFLGH WKH
OHDJXHWLWOH
+HUPLVWRQ PLJKW KDYH
DQ DGYDQWDJH WKHQ DV WKH
JDPH ZLOO EH SOD\HG LQ
Pendleton.
'URW]PDQQWRVLJQZLWK/LQ¿HOG
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
The Hermiston School
District announced Tues-
GD\ +HUPLVWRQ +LJK
School senior Abi Drotz-
PDQQ ZLOO VLJQ D 1DWLRQDO
/HWWHURI,QWHQWWRSOD\VRIW-
EDOO DW /LQ¿HOG 8QLYHUVLW\
LQ 0F0LQQYLOOH 2UHJRQ
today.
6KHMRLQVDSURJUDPWKDW
KDVZRQVWUDLJKW1RUWK-
ZHVW &RQIHUHQFH WLWOHV DQG
KDV ZRQ 1&$$ 'LYLVLRQ
,,, WLWOHV WZLFH LQ WKH ODVW
decade (2007, 2011).
³,¶PH[FLWHGWRFRQWLQXH
my softball career at Lin-
¿HOG ZKHUH WKH\ KDYH D
VWURQJ WUDGLWLRQ RI VRIWEDOO
and academic success,”
Drotzmann said in a press
release issued by the school
district.
'URW]PDQQ D OHIW ¿HOG-
HU RQ +HUPLVWRQ¶V VRIWEDOO
WHDP KLW ODVW VHDVRQ
DV D MXQLRU DQG VOXJJHG DQ
DPD]LQJ RQ WKH ZD\
WRD¿UVWWHDPDOO&ROXPELD
5LYHU&RQIHUHQFHQRG$F-
FRUGLQJWRWKHSUHVVUHOHDVH
as a sophomore, Drotzmann
was named second-team all
state and helped the Bull-
GRJVWRWKHVWDWHFKDPSLRQ-
VKLSJDPHZKHUHWKH\ZHUH
bested by Sandy 1-0.
Over the summer, Drot-
zmann played for the NW
Bullets 16 Gold team and
continued her success on
the diamond. Drotzmann
DJDLQ KDG KLJK EDWWLQJ WR-
WDOV KLWWLQJ DQ 2%3
RI VOXJJHG DQG
GULOOHG HLJKW KRPH UXQV
This summer, Drotzmann
will compete for NW Blaze
*ROG
6HH 6DWXUGD\¶V HGLWLRQ
of the Hermiston Herald for
the full story of Drotzmann
DIWHUKHUVLJQLQJFHUHPRQ\