Page 2B SPORTS East Oregonian Saturday, October 31, 2015 HERMISTON %XOOGRJV¶(GPLVWRQLQNVZLWK/HZLV&ODUN6WDWH Hermiston senior to join Frontier Conference power survival, but it was clear to Hoffert she had the talent DQGVPDUWVWRSOD\DWWKHQH[W level. “The smarts is the big WKLQJ%DVNHWEDOO,4LVKXJH´ he said. “She sees the game By SAM BARBEE like I do at times. She sees East Oregonian the game the way you want After Jansen Edmiston’s and recognizes things. She’s freshman year, one in which starting to take initiative in she was thrust into the KHUVHOIDQGGLUHFWWUDI¿F´ Edmiston said Hoffert’s starting point guard role after never playing a minute at the guidance has been the key to high school level, Hermiston her current opportunities. “If I didn’t have Hoffert, head coach Steve Hoffert knew she could be a good I wouldn’t have been pushed LQWR YDUVLW\ IUHVKPDQ \HDU´ college player. As she enters her senior she said, “and that helped season this winter, Hoffert me realize, ‘Oh, you need to now thinks she can be a great start doing more drills.’ But college player, and will have also he helped my love for a chance to do so at Lewis- basketball because he makes Clark State University in practices fun and more Lewiston, Idaho after signing HQMR\DEOH´ Lewis-Clark State, known her national letter of intent on Wednesday afternoon. as L-C State or simply L-C, Edmiston plans to study competes in the Frontier either mathematics or “some- League of the National Asso- ciation of Intercollegiate WKLQJLQWKHKHDOWK¿HOG´ 6KH VDLG KHU ¿UVW KLJK Athletics (NAIA) and is one school season was a trial by of the better programs. The Warriors will start this season ¿UH “How I did it (was), ranked 19th in the preseason ‘Either you’re gonna coaches’ poll. Last season, survive it, or you’re gonna /& ¿QLVKHG DQG ORVW GLH¶´ (GPLVWRQ VDLG RI WKDW LQ WKH TXDUWHU¿QDOV RI freshman year. “So you can the Frontier League Tourna- do whatever you had to do to ment to No. 23 Great Falls, VXUYLYH´ then played eventual national She may have seen it as champ Oklahoma City in Prep Cross Country Cardenas wearing WDUJHWDWVWDWH¿QDOV Locals compete in Eugene Saturday East Oregonian Umatilla senior Fabian Cardenas will be running with a big target on his back at the OSAA 3A/2A/1A cross country state championship meet today in Eugene. Not only is the standout Viking the defending state champion, he’s also run the fastest 5,000 meters of any runner entered in Saturday’s race this season. Cardenas set a new personal record back in September at the highly competitive Nike Portland XC meet with a time of 15 minutes, 31 seconds. He hasn’t neared that mark since, but only because he hasn’t been pushed to. Cardenas won last year’s state title with a time of 16:02 Cardenas on the same Lane Community College course he’ll run Saturday, and won his district title in a time of 16:00.42. But even though only one other runner has cracked 16 minutes this season, Cardenas will still have to be on WRSRIKLVJDPHWRKROGRIIDWDOHQWHG¿HOGRIFKDOOHQJHUV Jefferson sophomore Hassan Ibrahim crashed into the sub-16 ranks at his district meet with a winning WLPHRIDQG¿QLVKHGVHFRQGWR&DUGHQDVDW the Sep. 12 Ultimook Race. ,EUDKLP¿QLVKHGWKDWODVW\HDU¶V$VWDWH¿QDOV running a 16:02 for David Douglas. Another small school runner looking to track down Cardenas is his good friend Hayden Scott, who also KDVFRPSHWHGDWVWDWHDWDKLJKHUFODVVL¿FDWLRQZKHQ he went with the 5A Hermiston Bulldogs in 2013. Scott was second to Cardenas at districts and was within a few paces until Cardenas pulled away in the ¿QDOPLOH Scott’s 16:24.7 at districts ranks seventh in the state WKLVVHDVRQ2WKHUUXQQHUVLQWKHVWDWH¶VWRS¿YHHQWHULQJ the meet are Kennedy senior Adrian Parra (16:08.2), East Linn Christian junior Josh Miner (16:20.2) and Central Linn senior David Glenn (16:20.8). &DUGHQDVDQG6FRWWZLOOMXVWEHWKH¿UVWORFDOVWR compete at LCC on Saturday, though, since their race begins at 10:35 a.m. Following them at 11:15 will be the 4A girls and WKH 0DF+L 3LRQHHUV ZKLFK TXDOL¿HG DV D WHDP E\ placing second at their district meet last weekend. 6HQLRU (OLVH *ULI¿WK LV WKHLU WRS UXQQHU DQG LV making her second run at state after placing 57th as a junior. Her best time this season is 21:52.1, which is good for just 82nd on the best marks list for 4A. Following a break in action, the 5A girls will then take the course at 1:15 p.m. Pendleton’s Delaney Clem will be making her fourth starting line at Eugene in that race after she won her district title last weekend. Her quickest time this season is 19:31.1, which is 16th on the 5A list. Summit junior Olivia Brooks holds the top time (17:45.2) and Silverton senior Maddie Fuhrman is second (18:05.2). Also in that race will be Hermiston sophomores Melany Solorio and Morgan Hancock. Solorio ran her best time of the season two weeks ago in 20:31.3 at the Kyle Burnside Wildhorse Invite, which ranks her 55th in 5A. Hancock hasn’t been able to top her IURPHDUO\LQWKHVHDVRQDQGHQWHUVKHU¿UVW VWDWH¿HOGUDQNHGWK The last race for locals is the 5A boys at 1:50. +HUPLVWRQ ¿QLVKHG WKLUG DW VWDWH ODVW \HDU DQG UHWXUQ ZLWK ¿YH RI WKHLU WRS VL[ IURP WKDW WHDP ² Hayden Earl, Josiah Niederwerfer, Angel Castellanos, Donell Rome and Isaac Sanchez. Graydon Fritz and (PPDQXHO,EDUUDZLOOUDFHDWVWDWHIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH +HUPLVWRQZDVZLWKLQ¿YHSRLQWVRIGLVWULFWFKDP- pion Hood River, but will also have to contend with very fast Summit and Crater teams to make it into the state’s top three again. Hermiston’s fastest time this year was posted by Niederwerfer with 16:26.6 at the Wildhorse Invite (31st in 5A), but Earl and Sanchez were the Bulldogs’ top two individuals at districts. Crater senior Walter Vail enters with the No. 1 ranking and a season-best of 14:57.2. (.765) mark and is the all-time winningest coach in L-C women’s basketball history. “They make it to the national tournament every \HDU´ (GPLVWRQ VDLG ³, didn’t want to go somewhere (with little success) because I GRQ¶WOLNHORVLQJ´ Edmiston was also inter- ested in Northwest Christian University where Hoffert’s daughter attends, but L-C and the surrounding town here too much to deny after a recruiting trip at the begin- ning of fall. Edmiston said the success of the Warriors program also LQÀXHQFHG KHU GHFLVLRQ 6KH said she didn’t want to go from a program with a lot of local support and success to a program without those things. L-C provides both. The town of Lewiston, with a population of about 32,000, was reminiscent of Sam Barbee photo/file In this Feb. 24, 2015, file photo, Hermiston’s Jansen Hermiston with two rivers Edmiston looks to create space for a shot during the and a similar climate. She first quarter of Hermiston’s 53-44 win over Pendleton practiced with the Warriors at Warberg Court. while on her trip and thought that was the best choice for WKH ¿UVW URXQG RI WKH 1$,$ an overall record of 343-119 her. “They’re really supported, Division I National Champi- (.742) and a 192-35 (.846) record at home. Between like our girls basketball is onships, losing 63-61. Under the direction of 2006 and 2012, Orr led supported (L-C’s) is really 15-year veteran Brian Orr, WKH :DUULRUV WR VL[ VWUDLJKW VXSSRUWHG´ (GPLVWRQ VDLG the Warriors have dominated QDWLRQDO ¿QDOV DSSHDUDQFHV “It kind of just reminded me the Frontier League. Orr has while compiling a 252-77 of home, and the girls are super nice and the coach is VXSHUQLFH´ Edmiston was offered a full scholarship following her campus visit, and was given two weeks to make a decision. Hoffert said he and Edmiston talked several times before she eventually took the offer. But she didn’t commit right away, and she wasn’t asked for a commitment right away. Orr gave her two weeks to decide, though she didn’t take all of them. “I said, ‘You know what? Here’s the deal: We can tell this guy (Orr) we can wait, but what are we waiting for? If you like the place, if you like the girls, you like the team, you like the (coach), what are you waiting for? Because he’s offered you HYHU\WKLQJ´KHVDLG³µ7KLQN about saying no and waiting IRU WKH QH[W RIIHU +RZ stressful would that be?’ I ZDVKDSS\VKHWRRNLW´ So, at the beginning of WKHPRQWK(GPLVWRQQRWL¿HG Orr of her decision. “I kind of just want to say thank you to everyone who supported me on my way since third grade, all P\ FRDFKHV P\ SDUHQWV´ Edmiston said. “Thank you to everyone who supported PH´ %8//'2*6Bucks hurt themselves with mistakes of game time that was capped play, 80 yard drive in 3:34 of off by a four-yard read-option game time, capped off with keeper by Hunsaker for his a 36-yard play-action touch- third rushing touchdown of the down pass from Hunsaker half to increase the Bulldogs’ to Tucker Salinas to put the lead to 28-6. In that quarter, the Herm- Bulldogs on top 14-6. Then after forcing a three- iston offense had a pretty and-out from the Bucks, the balanced attack of QB keepers, Bulldogs struck quickly again base runs, and play-action as Hunsaker ran a quarter- passes. Hunsaker says that back-draw up the middle and balance will be crucial for the scampered 74 yards for a Bulldogs in the playoffs. “We have to be able to run touchdown to put Hermiston the ball and get the play-action on top 21-6 with just under VL[ PLQXWHV OHIW LQ WKH VHFRQG SDVV´ KH VDLG ³:H GLG WKDW tonight and got some pretty big quarter. After forcing another Pend- SOD\VRXWRILW´ The Buckaroos had their OHWRQSXQWRQWKHQH[WSRVVHV- fair share of chances in the sion, the Bulldogs offense JDPH KRZHYHU ,Q WKH ¿UVW made quick work yet again in quarter, running back Jamal WKHTXDUWHUGUDZLQJXSD¿YH Vann busted out a 64-yard play, 66 yard drive in just 1:14 Continued from 1B touchdown run that would have tied the game at 7-7. Instead, it was wiped out due to a holding call on receiver Trevor Sweet, adding to the long list of big-play touchdowns the Bucks have had called back this season for penalties. Pendleton had another chance in the fourth quarter, starting a drive from its own ¿YH \DUG OLQH DQG GULYLQJ DOO the way down to Hermiston’s 10 yard line. But the drive would stall with no points, as Kai Quinn was intercepted in the corner of the end zone on fourth down. Even with the loss, Davis ZDV SOHDVHG ZLWK WKH ¿JKW KH saw from his team. ³7KH\QHYHUTXLW´KHVDLG “They fought all the way to the bitter end and that’s all I can really ask for out of 16-, 17-, 18-year-old kids. Were we outmanned a few times this year? Yeah but we didn’t quit DQGZHFDQEXLOGRIIRIWKDW´ For Hermiston, the Bulldogs ZLOOQRZZDLWWR¿QGRXWWKHLU playoff opponent. But even with the win, Faaeteete said the game ended with a little bit of a sour taste in his mouth. “I think we shot ourselves LQWKHIRRWLQWKHVHFRQGKDOI´ he said. “We didn’t come out DV HQHUJL]HG DV WKH ¿UVW KDOI :H KDYH WR ¿QLVK EHWWHU ZH didn’t tonight and it showed. ²²²² Contact Eric Singer at esinger@eastoregonian.com, (541) 966-0839, or follow on Twitter @ByEricSinger. 35(3)227%$//Riverside stuns Nyssa in double OT Sunday. “We’re off to the playoffs half and controlled things, but DQGZH¶UHSUHWW\H[FLWHG´6DODV WKH\ SOD\HG XV KDUG´ *UDQW said. said. “I think we had to play harder and longer than we ,55,*21 3,/27 have all year long and I think 52&. ² $W ,UULJRQ WKH WKDWZDVJRRGIRUXV´ Knights ran out to a 50-0 half- +HSSQHU ¿QLVKHG ZLWK time lead before hitting cruise yards on 60 plays from scrim- control in their Columbia Basin mage and Kindle led them with &RQIHUHQFH¿QDOHRQ)ULGD\ 120 yards on 23 carries. Grieb Statistics were not available, ¿QLVKHGZLWKUHFHLYLQJ\DUGV but Irrigon coach Steve Sheller to go with 29 rushing and Clark said the rushing attack was on was 5-for-11 passing for 105 point. yards, two touchdowns and one “The offensive line blocked interception. really well and Fredy (Vera) Heppner earns a guaranteed UDQWKHEDOOOLNHFUD]\´KHVDLG home playoff game by virtue “Austin Rice had some good of its league title, but Weston- ORQJUXQVDVZHOO´ McEwen must hope for one of But the highlight of the Class 2A’s four at-large berths game went to seldom-used DIWHU¿QLVKLQJLQWKLUGSODFH senior Marty Brown on Senior The TigerScots were in good Night. With Vera applying shape at press time with a No. pressure, Brown stepped in 10 ranking that would earn front of a Pilot Rock pass for them the second berth. Rank- an interception, then returned it ings freeze at 10 p.m. Saturday 60 yards for a touchdown while night. shedding would-be tacklers on 7KH ¿UVW URXQG RI WKH VWDWH the way. SOD\RIIVEHJLQVQH[W)ULGD\ “The kids were going crazy, everybody was happy to see 67$1),(/'&8/9(5 WKDW´6KHOOHUVDLG 26 ² $W 6WDQ¿HOG 7K\OHU Irrigon (6-3, 2-3) had its Monkus scorched Culver on ¿UVWZLQQLQJVHDVRQLQSURJUDP the ground and the Tigers (8-1, KLVWRU\ WKLV \HDU DQG ¿QLVKHG 4-1 CBC) held off the Bulldogs fourth in the CBC. Irrigon will (3-6, 1-4) on Friday to earn rely on its No. 13 OSAA ranking second place in the Columbia WRGHOLYHULWV¿UVWSOD\RIIEHUWK Basin Conference. ZKLFK ZRQ¶W EH RI¿FLDO XQWLO 0RQNXV ¿QLVKHG ZLWK 10 p.m. Saturday night when yards on 20 carries and scored the OSAA freezes its rankings. four touchdowns. Dylan Irrigon was in line for the fourth Grogan added 127 yards on 17 DQG ¿QDO DWODUJH EHUWK ZKHQ rushes and completed 5-of-6 the EO went to press. passes for 100 yards. 5,9(56,'( 1<66$ ³,WZDVDKDUGKLWWLQJJDPH´ 6WDQ¿HOG FRDFK 'DY\ 6DODV 27 ² $W 1\VVD WKH said. “ Culver is tough. They Pirates forced a three-way tie could have easily been 5-3 as for second place in the Eastern opposed to 3-5 (coming into the Oregon League with their JDPH7KH¿UVWKDOIZHGLGQ¶W double-overtime upset win on play super great on defense, but the road. ,W ZDV 5LYHUVLGH¶V ¿UVW the second half we were able to control their running back league win since 2010 and its ¿UVWZLQRYHU1\VVD5LYHUVLGH -DLGHQ-RQHV´ Justin Keeney also scored did not compete in a league in IRU 6WDQ¿HOG DQG UDQ IRU 2013-14) Coach Dave Boor said the yards on seven carries. 6WDQ¿HOG OHG DW KDOI- key to victory was pretty basic. ³:H ¿QDOO\ SXW WRJHWKHU D time. The Tigers will learn who FRPSOHWH JDPH´ KH VDLG ³:H WKHLU ¿UVWURXQG RSSRQHQW LQ had some players that don’t get the state playoffs will be on to play that much have to step Continued from 1B up, and they went in there and battled. That’s how you win football games is 11 guys on WKH¿HOGZRUNLQJWRJHWKHUDVD XQLW´ Statistics were not available, but Boor highlighted strong games by running back Ricardo Mendoza and defensive end Austin Thompson. 5LYHUVLGH VFRUHG ¿UVW EXW Nyssa answered to make it 6-6 and Felipe Olvera gave Riverside the halftime lead with a long interception return for a touchdown. A two-point conversion made it 14-6. Nyssa tied the score again with a 99-yard drive and two-point conversion, forcing overtime. Riverside failed to score on its overtime possession, but forced a turnover when Nyssa had the ball, then stopped them on fourth down when the Bull- dogs began the second overtime with the ball. Olvera then handed the Pirates the win with a 23-yard touchdown run. “It was a big win, the kids learned a lot the last couple ZHHNVDERXWFRPSHWLQJ´%RRU said. “It’s a process, and some- times people want to speed the process up, but sometimes you have to have these moments to OHDUQ´ Boor wasn’t sure what the tiebreaker would be to determine which team earns the second playoff berth from the EOL. “I don’t really care, I just ZDQW WR HQMR\ WKH NLGV ¿QDOO\ SOD\LQJ IRXU IXOO TXDUWHUV´ KH said. 9$/( 80$7,//$ 6 ² $W 8PDWLOOD WKH 9DOH 9LNLQJV ¿QLVKHG RII an undefeated Eastern Oregon League season for the league title on Friday. No game details were reported. Umatilla (5-4, 1-2) still has a chance to reach the state play- RIIVDQG¿QLVKHGLQDWKUHHZD\ tie for second with Riverside and Nyssa. The tie-breaking criteria was not known at press time. 3(55<'$/( $5/,1*721&21'21 ²$W3HUU\GDOHWKH3LUDWHV¶ league-leading offense was too much for the Honkers to contain in Friday’s regular VHDVRQ ¿QDOH 1R GHWDLOV ZHUH reported. The Honkers (4-3, 3-3 6'¿QLVKHGIRXUWKLQ6SHFLDO District 4 and outside of the playoffs. (&+202180(17 '$<9,//( ² $W (FKR the Cougars headed into the offseason with a bang on Friday after routing the Tigers in each WHDP¶V VHDVRQ ¿QDOH 'HWDLOV were not reported. 7KH ZLQ VQDSSHG D ¿YH game skid for Echo (3-6, 1-4 SD1), which improved to 3-2 at home this season. The Cougars scored just 68 total points during their losing streak. (FKR ¿QLVKHG WK LQ WKH 11-team Special District 1. Monument/Dayville (1-8, 0-5) was 11th. ,21( 6287+ :$6&2 ² $W ,RQH WKH &DUGLQDOV ¿QLVKHG on a high note with Friday’s Special District 4 rout. Ione led 46-0 after one quarter and was led by Cord Flynn and Alessandro Panozzo with three touchdowns each. Flynn rushed for two and returned and interception for the other. Panozzo rushed for two and caught the other. ³,W ZDV QLFH WR ¿QLVK XS VWURQJ´ VDLG ,RQH FRDFK 6WDQ Weiper. “We didn’t do as well as we’d hoped this year but we ¿QLVKHG XS VWURQJ DQG HYHU\- body got a chance to play and KDGIXQ´ Weiper also got a glimpse RI QH[W VHDVRQ ZKHQ IUHVKPDQ $DURQ 6P\WKH WRRN KLV ¿UVW carry from scrimmage in a high school game and ran it 55 yards for a touchdown. He added another later in the game. South Wasco (0-8, 0-6) was playing without its starting quarterback (concussion). ,RQH¿QLVKHGWKHVHDVRQ¿IWK in SD4.