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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 2015)
Page 2B SPORTS East Oregonian Friday, November 27, 2015 NFL Romo hurt again as Panthers dominate Cowboys Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cam Newton is still perfect this season. Tony Romo might be out for good with the same injury that sidelined him for seven games. Newton got a big boost from a defense that returned two of Romo’s three interceptions for touchdowns, and the Panthers ran their NFL-best winning streak to 15 regular-season games with a 33-14 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. Romo injured the same left collarbone that sidelined him for all seven games of a losing streak that damaged the playoff hopes for the defending NFC East champion Cowboys (3-8). The 35-year-old with a surgically repaired back said he would have to wait for more test results before knowing if he broke the collarbone again. He was injured in Week 2 at Philadelphia and said the injury had a similar feel this time. Safety Kurt Coleman picked off (AP Photo/Brandon Wade) Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) is helped off the field by team staff after suffering an injury in the second half of Thurs- day’s game against Carolina. Romo’s second pass of the game and took it back 36 yards for the score to help the Panthers become the 16th NFL team to start a season 11-0. Newton did his part as well, getting Carolina’s only offensive touchdown on a 4-yard run for a 30-6 lead moments before Romo’s injury. He had 183 yards passing with several key third-down conversions and another 45 yards rushing. LIONS 45, EAGLES 14 — (AP) Matthew Stafford tied a career KLJK ZLWK ¿YH WRXFKGRZQ SDVVHV three of them to Calvin Johnson, lifting the Detroit Lions to a 45-14 rout of the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. The Lions (4-7) have won three straight this season and three in a row in their annual Thanksgiving game. The Eagles (4-7) are on a three- game losing streak. They have allowed at least 45 points in two straight games in one season for the ¿UVWWLPHLQWHDPKLVWRU\DFFRUGLQJ to STATS. Stafford threw for more than 200 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover by halftime, helping the /LRQVOHDG+H¿QLVKHGRI IRU\DUGVDQGWKUHZ¿YH7'V for the fourth time in his career. Eagles quarterback Mark Sanchez started in place of Sam Bradford, who was inactive with a shoulder injury. Sanchez completed 19 of 27 passes for 199 yards and two TDs. BEARS 17, PACKERS 13 — (AP) Jay Cutler threw for 200 yards and a score and the Chicago Bears held off the Green Bay Packers on fourth-and-goal from the 8 with 22 seconds left for a 17-13 victory Thursday night. Aaron Rodgers’ throw to the HQG ]RQH GHÀHFWHG RII UHFHLYHU Davante Adams’ hands on the rain. James Jones couldn’t hang on to a potential touchdown catch on third down. Cornerback Tracy Porter inter- cepted Rodgers’ pass with 3:19 left at the Bears 45 on the Packers’ previous drive. The highlight of the night for Green Bay turned out to be the return of Brett Favre, whose name and No. 4 was unveiled at halftime next to the team’s other retired numbers. Chicago (5-6) has won three of its last four. The Packers (7-4) lost a second straight home game. LARSON: Youth program integral for Bulldogs’ success Continued from 1B onto his staff where he has remained since. While at Oregon State, Larson decided he wanted to coach. He entered the sport at 4 years old and has done nothing since. Now 30, Larson has been around wrestling for 26 years. As a head coach, he’s inexperienced and admits it DVWKLVZLOOEHKLV¿UVWVHDVRQUXQQLQJD program. But he isn’t inexperienced in wrestling or coaching wrestling at all. He’s know he’s wanted a head coaching job since his early 20s, when his career was still alive. That said, he doesn’t look at his new job as special of a former Hermiston wrestler, and one from the foundation-building years at that. “Hermiston deserves it,” Larson said. “There’s a huge tradition in Hermiston. “There’s a huge wrestling community here. And from what I understand, we want to win. It’s not just me who wants to win. It’s not just the guys. When we go out to Tri-State, when we go to the Reser’s Tournament of Champions, people are seeing that and they want to see Hermiston at the top. That’s good. That keeps our coaching staff, our coaching staff at the (middle school), youth program, it keeps them on their toes.” Larson is a product of Hermiston’s youth wrestling program, and feels it is an integral part of maintaining a state championship-caliber program. There will always be guys joining the team late — as eighth graders, freshmen or later — he said, but it’s important to be coaching the fundamentals and techniques at the lower levels that are being taught at the varsity level. It simply creates cohesion and continuity. Techniques don’t have to be un-learned then re-learned. It’s all the same. “The high school head wrestling coach has to be involved at all levels — (middle school) as well,” Larson said. “If we’re not all on the same page between the kids program and transitioning into (middle school), we could end up with D PHVV ,W¶V GH¿QLWHO\ VRPHWKLQJ WKDW¶V on my mind. Myself and all the other coaches have to have a foot in that program.” Larson put a special emphasis on the middle school program. There isn’t anything wrong with it, he said, but he feels it’s arguably the second-most important level of the program, to the varsity. Like the youth program, the middle school program doesn’t get the visibility of the high school, yet the middle school is crucial to Larson’s plan. “The kids coming in have to know what we’re coaching,” Larson said. “If they already know what we’re teaching in high school, then they’re a step ahead when they come in.” Larson is relaxed at the helm. As a product of the program, he understands the expectations, internal and external, applied to his program. The amount of state championship banners don’t make him nervous, they make him proud. But he isn’t content on merely living with the past glory of the program. He wants more. He doesn’t want to merely win state championships. He wants to win national championships. He doesn’t want a handful of state champions, he wants 14. ³:H GH¿QLWHO\ KDYH JRDOV DQG RXU goals are set high,” Larson said. “We’ve proven we can win in Oregon. Now what’s the next step? And that’s where we want to go. We won last year with a group of kids and it was a tight race at the state tournament. We need to get better.” Staff photo by Sam Barbee Kyle Larson, a 2003 graduate of Hermiston High School, oversees his first practice as head wrestling coach Monday in Hermiston. He was promoted after Shaun Williams took a job at West Valley High School in Spokane. HEPPNER: Trojans bring good offense CIVIL WAR: Continued from 1B so many small things can derail and here we are. We just have to stay doing what we know we can do.” The Mustangs are in a much better state heading into the championship game this week compared to one year ago. Heppner played the title game DJDLQVW %XUQV GRZQ ¿YH VWDUWHUV DQG a few more banged up, contributing to the 49-0 defeat to send the Mustangs home with second place. This year, the Mustangs are mostly healthy and come into the game playing as well as they have all year long. ,Q ODVW ZHHN¶V VHPL¿QDO ZLQ over Regis, the Mustangs started a little slow before turning it on in the second half to come away with the 26-3 victory. The Mustangs forced three second-half interceptions as the defense played lights-out football. Grant says that his teams’ success keys on the trust that his players have with one another. “Our offense and special teams rarely put our defense in too much peril and keep them fresh,” he said. “We just have respectful kids that just do not quit.” The Mustangs defense will have its hands full on Saturday, as Kennedy brings a potent rushing attack that loves to control the clock. It’s led by junior running back Bishop Mitchell and senior fullback Jacob Lopez, who combined for 217 yards on 38 carries LQ WKH 7URMDQV¶ VHPL¿QDO ZLQ RYHU 6WDQ¿HOGODVWZHHN The Trojans also played Heppner’s conference opponent Irrigon in the ¿UVWURXQGRIWKHSOD\RIIVWKLVVHDVRQ giving Grant and the Mustang coaches a slight glimpse at what his team could expect on Saturday. “Every team is different every week, but it gives you an idea,” he said. “But for the most part you throw previous match-ups out the window and just judge them on merit.” The Mustang players and coaches were pleased when the location for the championship game was released on Sunday, as the team will only have to make a 50-minute drive up to Herm- iston for the second year in a row. “It’s nice for the community,too,” said Grant. “It saves them and the team a lot of money on travel and hopefully we’ll have a good crowd.” But as the excitement for the game builds this week, Heppner senior Patrick Collins is taking in every moment, knowing that this will be the last time he suits up with guys he has been playing beside for years. “Win or lose, we’ll all still be brothers.” ——— Contact Eric Singer at esinger@ eastoregonian.com, (541) 966-0839, or follow on Twitter @ByEricSinger. Continued from 1B game. “It was almost like neither team wanted to win,” Oregon coach Rich Brooks was quoted as saying. THE PYRAMID PLAY: The 1933 game was notable because Oregon’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Clyde Devine, who was lifted in the air by his teammates. The Ducks nonetheless defeated Oregon State 13-3, and the so-called Pyramid Play was later banned by the NCAA. HARRINGTON TEARS: In 2000, the No. 8 Beavers denied the ¿IWKUDQNHG 'XFNV D WULS to Pasadena with a 23-13 victory. Afterward, quarter- back Joey Harrington wept in the arms of his father, John, who played the same position for the Ducks in the late 1960s and never beat Oregon State in three tries. BEAVERS DENIED: In 2008 the Beavers were ORRNLQJ WRZDUG WKHLU ¿UVW Rose Bowl in 44 years with D YLFWRU\ LQ WKH ¿QDO JDPH when the Ducks romped to a 65-38 win in Corvallis. The next year the game was dubbed the “War of the Roses” because the winner was guaranteed a Rose Bowl berth. Oregon won 37-33. THE LAST TIME: Last year’s game was an easy 47-19 victory for the Ducks on the road to college IRRWEDOO¶V ¿UVW SOD\RII DQG the title game. Mariota, who would go on to win the Heisman, threw for 367 yards and four touchdowns. SCOREBOARD Local slate PREP FOOTBALL Saturday Heppner vs. Kennedy (at Hermiston), 6 p.m. COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL Friday Eastern Oregon at Northwest Nazarene, 6 p.m. Blue Mountain vs. Portland CC (at Mt. Vernon, Wash.), 6 p.m. Saturday Blue Mountain vs. TBD (at Mt. Vernon, Wash.), TBD Sunday Blue Mountain vs. TBD (at Mt. Vernon, Wash.), TBD COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Friday Eastern Oregon vs. Montana Western (at Caldwell, Idaho), 4 p.m. Saturday Eastern Oregon vs. Montana Tech (at Caldwell, Idaho), 4 p.m. Football OSAA Saturday’s Games Class 6A Semiinals West Linn vs. Sherwood (at Providence Park), Noon Sheldon vs. Jesuit (at Providence Park), 4 p.m. Class 5A Final Summit vs. Ashland (at Hillsboro), 4 p.m. Class 4A Final Cascade vs. Scappoose (at Hillsboro), Noon Class 3A Final Vale vs. Santiam Christian (at Hermiston), 2:30 p.m. Class 2A Final Heppner vs. Kennedy (at Hermiston), 6 p.m. Class 1A Final Crane vs. Dufur (at Hermiston), 11 a.m. NCAA Top 25 Friday’s Games No. 3 Iowa at Nebraska, 12:30 p.m. No. 7 Baylor at No. 15 TCU, 4:30 p.m. No. 16 Navy at No. 21 Houston, 9 a.m. No. 18 Oregon vs. Oregon State, 1 p.m. No. 20 Washington State at Washington, 12:30 p.m. No. 24 Toledo vs. Western Michigan, 9 a.m. NFL AMERICAN CONFERENCE EAST W L T Pct PF PA New England 10 0 0 1.000 323 182 Buffalo 5 5 0 .500 244 227 N.Y. Jets 5 5 0 .500 234 208 Miami 4 6 0 .400 205 249 SOUTH W L T Pct PF PA Indianapolis 5 5 0 .500 224 248 Houston 5 5 0 .500 208 228 Jacksonville 4 6 0 .400 211 268 Tennessee 2 8 0 .200 182 233 NORTH W L T Pct PF PA Cincinnati 8 2 0 .800 266 186 Pittsburgh 6 4 0 .600 236 191 Baltimore 3 7 0 .300 226 249 Cleveland 2 8 0 .200 186 277 WEST W L T Pct PF PA Denver 8 2 0 .800 222 183 Kansas City 5 5 0 .500 257 198 Oakland 4 6 0 .400 240 259 San Diego 2 8 0 .200 213 282 NATIONAL CONFERENCE EAST W L T Pct PF PA N.Y. Giants 5 5 0 .500 273 253 Washington 4 6 0 .400 221 253 Philadelphia 4 7 0 .364 243 274 Dallas 3 8 0 .273 204 261 SOUTH W L T Pct PF PA Carolina 11 0 0 1.000 332 205 Atlanta 6 4 0 .600 250 214 Tampa Bay 5 5 0 .500 236 254 New Orleans 4 6 0 .400 255 315 NORTH W L T Pct PF PA Minnesota 7 3 0 .700 211 184 Green Bay 7 4 0 .636 262 215 Chicago 5 6 0 .455 231 264 Detroit 4 7 0 .364 230 288 WEST W L T Pct PF PA Arizona 8 2 0 .800 336 216 Seattle 5 5 0 .500 228 192 St. Louis 4 6 0 .400 179 199 San Francisco 3 7 0 .300 139 252 ——— Thursday’s Games Detroit 45, Philadelphia 14 Carolina 33, Dallas 14 Chicago 17, Green Bay 13 Sunday’s Games New Orleans at Houston, 10 a.m. Buffalo at Kansas City, 10 a.m. Oakland at Tennessee, 10 a.m. St. Louis at Cincinnati, 10 a.m. Minnesota at Atlanta, 10 a.m. N.Y. Giants at Washington, 10 a.m. Tampa Bay at Indianapolis, 10 a.m. San Diego at Jacksonville, 10 a.m. Miami at N.Y. Jets, 10 a.m. Arizona at San Francisco, 1:05 p.m. Pittsburgh at Seattle, 1:25 p.m. New England at Denver, 5:30 p.m. Monday’s Game Baltimore at Cleveland, 5:30 p.m. Basketball NBA Today’s Games Milwaukee at Orlando, 4 p.m. Cleveland at Charlotte, 4 p.m. Washington at Boston, 4:30 p.m. Miami at New York, 4:30 p.m. Atlanta at Memphis, 5 p.m. Detroit at Oklahoma City, 5 p.m. Philadelphia at Houston, 5 p.m. Chicago at Indiana, 5 p.m. San Antonio at Denver, 6 p.m. Golden State at Phoenix, 6:30 p.m. Minnesota at Sacramento, 7 p.m. New Orleans at L.A. Clippers, 7:30 p.m. Hockey NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W L OT Montreal 23 17 4 2 Ottawa 22 12 5 5 Boston 21 12 8 1 Detroit 22 11 8 3 Tampa Bay 23 11 9 3 Florida 21 8 9 4 Toronto 22 7 10 5 Buffalo 22 8 12 2 Metropolitan Division GP W L OT N.Y. Rangers 22 16 4 2 Washington 21 15 5 1 Pts 36 29 25 25 25 20 19 18 GF 83 73 69 51 55 55 51 46 GA 51 64 61 55 51 56 62 60 Pts GF GA 34 67 43 31 67 47 Pittsburgh 21 13 8 0 26 49 N.Y. Islanders 22 11 8 3 25 62 New Jersey 21 11 9 1 23 51 Carolina 22 8 10 4 20 46 Philadelphia 22 7 10 5 19 39 Columbus 23 9 14 0 18 57 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W L OT Pts GF Dallas 22 17 5 0 34 78 St. Louis 23 14 6 3 31 62 Nashville 21 12 6 3 27 56 Chicago 22 12 8 2 26 62 Minnesota 20 11 6 3 25 59 Winnipeg 23 10 11 2 22 61 Colorado 22 8 13 1 17 63 Pacific Division GP W L OT Pts GF Los Angeles 22 13 8 1 27 55 San Jose 22 13 9 0 26 61 Vancouver 23 9 8 6 24 67 Arizona 21 11 9 1 23 59 Anaheim 23 8 11 4 20 45 Calgary 22 8 13 1 17 53 Edmonton 22 7 14 1 15 56 ———— Today’s Games N.Y. Rangers at Boston, 10 a.m. Nashville at Philadelphia, 12:30 p.m. Winnipeg at Minnesota, 1 p.m. Chicago at Anaheim, 2 p.m. Tampa Bay at Washington, 2 p.m. Carolina at Buffalo, 4 p.m. Montreal at New Jersey, 4 p.m. Pittsburgh at Columbus, 4 p.m. Edmonton at Detroit, 4:30 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Florida, 4:30 p.m. Vancouver at Dallas, 5:30 p.m. Calgary at Arizona, 6 p.m. 49 54 52 62 63 72 GA 57 57 53 57 54 74 67 GA 48 56 62 61 62 80 68 Fully Digital Enya 3 Series Hearing Aid Now $ Only 950 • Enhances Speech • Reduces Noise Call 541-276-3155 Ruud’s Hearing Aid Service Sale price valid on the Resound Enya 3 series. Limit two at the promotional price. No other offers or discounts apply. Discount does not apply to prior sales. Offer expires November 25, 2015. ATHLETE OF THE WEEK C.J. KINDLE Senior - Junior - Heppner Football Stanfield Football Kindle rushed for two touchdowns last week in Heppner’s 26-3 win over Regis in the state semifinals. Heppner returns to the state championship game in Hermiston for the second year in a row this Saturday. P ROUDLY S PONSORED B Y : HERMISTON 800-368-6164 • 541-567-5555 SHOP 24/7 @ TOMSCOUNTRY.COM NEVER OVER PAY WITH OUR LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE! WE DO IT YOUR WAY SO YOU NEVER OVERPAY!