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4A | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021 | APPEAL TRIBUNE Pioneers Continued from Page 2A puts on my 4-year-old’s face when she’s on the sidelines, and I hear her scream ‘Go mom!’ nothing tops that,” Gonzales said. “I know that I’m doing what this league stands for and that’s showing women that they can do this. Women can play football.” Dedicated to the game Running back Willielee Missouri thinks of three things when in the game – catch the ball, find the blocker and run. “I try not to think so much because that’s when the nerves come,” the 33- year-old Missouri said. Missouri weaves in and out of de- fenses, speeding past the opponent. As a running back, her eyes are on the goal line. She believes her experience with other sports has helped prepare her for this. She strategizes and takes what she’s learned from basketball, track and cross country and applies it to football. She stays on her toes when looking for the football, similar to the shuffle she used when playing basketball. However, Missouri wishes she and her teammates had the opportunity to play the sport sooner. “That’s the hard thing for women, is we know the sport, but we don’t really know the sport,” Missouri said. “Some people love football and can tell you about the players on the field, but actu- ally being out there and learning the dif- ferent lingo ... that’s the hard thing for women.” This is one of the reasons Missouri thinks her teammates are that much more dedicated. Playing for the Capital Pioneers requires a commitment of time and money. The investment is worth it to Missou- ri. Football has given her an outlet to stay physical, a place to meet friends, and taught her the patience to deal with what she can’t control. “I want to play football until I can’t anymore,” Missouri said. Running back Angel Snyder (22) is tackled during the game against the Portland Fighting Shockwave on Saturday, May 15, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. ABIGAIL DOLLINS / STATESMAN JOURNAL they all help support and watch out for her, she says. It’s that chemistry and the relationships formed off the field that helps the Pioneers perform on the field. “I’ve gotten closer with a lot of the girls, and to be honest, some of them treat me like their kid, which is really funny,” Huffman said. Huffman is preparing to go to Oregon State University, majoring in wildlife bi- ology/management. a busier schedule, she’s unsure if she’ll be able to squeeze in another season with the Capital Pio- neers, although she hopes to. Age is no obstacle Leaving a legacy Wide receiver and kicker Caitlin Huffman is one of the youngest players on the team at 18. The McNary High School senior joined the Capital Pio- neers in 2020. “When I walked on the field, I already felt a part of their group,” she said. Huffman doesn’t mind the age gap between herself and some of the other players. While some are twice her age, Growing up, both of Maria Rivera’s parents worked. And some days Rivera and her siblings had to take care of each other. Right before her sophomore year, Rivera became pregnant at 16 with her first son. A few years later, she had her two daughters. With three kids by the age of 19, there was no time for sports. Now 32, Rivera looks back on spend- ing much of her young adult years as a stay-at-home mom. “It’s time to take care of myself,” Ri- vera said she told herself before signing up for flag football. . Rivera played flag football in 2014 and found herself invested in the com- petition, but she wanted more of a chal- lenge. That’s when she pursued tackle football. “If you really want it, if you really en- joy it, you’ll find a way,” Rivera said. “I want to keep pushing, I want to keep go- ing.” Now an experienced athlete, Rivera plays as a tight end for the Capital Pio- neers. She’s even inspired her daugh- ters and their friends to have an interest in the sport. “There are little ones looking up to me,” Rivera said. “If I can have that much of an impact on my daughters, imagine how much of an impact as a whole women’s team we can have on our community.” U-pick Looking ahead The Pioneers are currently undefeat- ed, 4-0, and preparing for their next home game. They have conquered expe- rienced teams like the Portland Fighting Shockwave and recently defeated the Seattle Spartans, 44-0. The team face the Shockwave during a rematch at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, at Stayton High School. The entry fee for the game is $5. “We said we wanted to make a team and we did it,” Pioneers running back Willielee Missouri said. “Seeing it grow is wonderful and being able to do it with a bunch of ladies that are really putting their heart and soul into it makes it even more enjoyable.” Abigail Dollins is a multimedia jour- nalist for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at adollins@ statesmanjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at @abigaildollins. Koch Family Farm Where: 4745 Raybell Road NE, St. Paul Phone: (503) 538-6834 What you can pick there: Strawber- ries, marionberries, boysenberries, raspberries, tomatoes, corn, green beans, pickling cucumbers, winter squash, carving pumpkins Open: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Information: h www.kochfamilyfarm.com h Koch Family Farm (Facebook) Continued from Page 3A Miller Farm Where: 4935 Riverside Road South, Salem Phone: 503-580-5767 What you can pick there: Blueber- ries, raspberries, blackberries Opening date: To be announced Information: millerfarm.wordpress.com Sublimity Minto Island Growers Where: 3394 Brown Island Road South, Salem Phone: 503-931-6840 What you can pick there: Strawber- ries, blueberries, tomatoes Opening date: Around the second week of June Information: h mintogrowers.com h Minto Island Growers (Facebook) Jensen Blueberries Sweet Ann strawberries are picked at Boones Ferry Berry Farm on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 in Hubbard, Oregon. ABIGAIL DOLLINS / STATESMAN JOURNAL Stuart Olson Farms Where: 6925 Joseph St SE Salem Phone: 503-362-5942 What you can pick there: Strawber- ries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, peaches Open: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday Information: h www.olsonfarms.com h Stuart Olson Farms (Facebook) Rick Johnson Farm Where: 3310 Perkins Street NE Salem Phone: 503-393-0859 What you can pick there: Cherries, blueberries, peaches, apples and grapes Open: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday Information: Rick Johnson Farm (Facebook) Phone: 503-362-8857 Where: 5975 Culver Dr. SE Salem What you can pick there: Blueberries Phone: 503-393-2758 Opening date: June 29 What you can pick there: Blueber- Information:www.wvpie.com/ ries events-and-tours/u-pick/ Open: End of June Information: Silverton h thankyouberrymuchfarms.com h Thank You Berry Much Farms (Facebook) Harpole’s Produce True North Orchards Where: 5650 Lardon Road NE Sa- lem Phone: 503-348-4312 What you can pick there: Apples, figs, plums, pears, walnuts, table grapes Opening date: August Information: h truenorthorchards.com h True North Orchards (Facebook) Where: 8071 Mt. Angel Hwy NE Silver- ton Phone: (971) 338-0468 What you can pick there: Strawber- ries, corn, tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, peppers, raspberries, summer squash, winter squash, carving pumpkins Open: 9 a.m. to noon at Gallon House Information: Harpole’s Produce (Face- book) St. Paul A small u-pick blueberry field located a mile outside of Sublimity and operated by owners Annette and Mark Jensen. A family friendly field, Jensen Blueberries offer Duke, Blue Crop, Legacy and Pink Lemonade varieties. Where: 8485 Anderson Road Sublim- ity Phone: 503-769-4244 What you can pick there: Blueberries Opening date: July 1. Information:Jensen’s Blueberries (Facebook) Sublimity Blueberries Bobbi and Tyke Sherwood started Sublimity Blueberries in 1995 when they planted more than 400 Blue Crop blue- berry plants. Where: 11991 Ashley Lane SE Sublimi- ty Phone: 503-551-5941 What you can pick there: Blueberries Opening date: July Information: h sublimityblueberries.com h Sublimity Blueberries (Facebook) Woodburn Elliott Prairie U-Pick Vince Woods Farm Vaughan Cherry Farm Where: 6875 Hazelgreen Road NE Salem Phone: (503) 304-2015 What you can pick there: Cherries Open: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday Information: Vaughan Cherry Farm (Facebook) Thank You Berry Much Farms Where: 6435 62nd Ave NE, Salem French Prairie Gardens Phone: 503-393-0120 What you can pick there: Pump- Where: 17673 French Prairie Road NE St. kins Paul Opening date: October 1 Phone: (503) 633-8445 Information:www.vincewoods- What you can pick there: Strawberries farm.com available only during Berries, Brews, and BBQ’s festival the first three weekends in Willamette Valley Pie Company June Information: Where: 2994 82nd Avenue NE, Sa- h www.FPGardens.com lem h French Prairie Gardens (Facebook) A family owned U-pick blueberry farm started nearly 30 years ago. Blue- berries are herbicide and pesticide free, fertilized organically as needed. Where: 32747 S Orchard Lane Wood- burn Phone: 503-634-2615 What you can pick there: Blueberries Opening date: Early July Information:Elliott Prairie Farm (Facebook)
