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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 2016)
SPORTS WEEKEND, AUGUST 27-28, 2016 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS HERMISTON Bulldogs put fi nishing fi rst Hermiston looking to leave it all on the fi eld in 2016 By MATT ENTRUP East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris Hermiston’s Dayshawn Neal (2) goes against Andrew James during a drill in football practice on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at Kennison Field in Hermiston. When the Hermiston Bulldogs examined their 2015 football season they knew there was only one thing that could alleviate the regret that stemmed d’Alene (ID). The Bulldogs were tied 13-13 after one quarter against Hanford, but didn’t score again until the fourth quarter on their way to a 41-20 season-opening loss. Then Hermiston was in position to get its fi rst win trailing Springfi eld 24-20 at halftime on the road, but was outscored 28-0 in the second half. Against Coeur d’Alene the Bulldogs trailed 8-3 after one, but starting quar- terback Dayshawn Neal broke his ankle and the team again didn’t add any points See BULLDOGS/2B PENDLETON College Football Oregon picks Prukop as QB from a 4-6 campaign. “Last year when we looked back on our season we realized in a lot of games we didn’t fi nish,” said senior offensive lineman Kaden Caldwell. “We had a lot of games where when it got to the fourth quarter or after halftime we kind of slacked off, we didn’t fi nish games. We’re going to push that this year because I feel like we could have had more wins under our belt if we would have fi nished.” The games Caldwell is referencing came in Weeks 1, 3 and 5 against Hanford (WA), Springfi eld and Coeur Buckaroos buying in Pendle- ton’s De- ven Page attempts to cut between Daniel Berdahl (6) and Morgan Holcomb (11) on Thursday during the Buck Bowl & BBQ in Pendle- ton. Freshmah Justin Herbert listed as backup Associated Press EUGENE — Montana State graduate transfer Dakota Prukop is listed atop Oregon’s depth chart at quarterback for the season opener. The No. 24 Ducks released the depth chart for the fi rst week of the season Friday. Prukop was listed ahead of freshman J u s t i n Prukop Herbert on the two-deep for the home game against UC Davis on Sept. 3. Prukop passed for 3,025 yards and 28 touchdowns with 10 interceptions at Montana State last year. He also rushed for 774 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Big Sky team that fi nished 5-6. He follows in the footsteps of Oregon’s starter for the opener last season, Vernon Adams, a graduate transfer from Eastern Washington. Herbert, a local prospect out See OREGON/3B Staff photo by E.J. Harris Pendleton keys in on postseason with many returning faces By ERIC SINGER East Oregonian The 2015 season was one to forget for the Pendleton Buckaroos. What started off as a hopeful campaign led by experienced upperclassmen quickly turned to one of disappointment. After starting off 2-1, Pendleton went just 1-5 the rest of the way as the starting lineup and overall team depth was ravished by injuries. But the outlook for 2016 is back to being bright for the Buckaroos, as fi fth-year head coach Erik Davis says the mix of returning players and senior leaders has his team confi dent in themselves and looking toward getting back to the postseason. “These guys don’t complain, they show up and put their work in and it all starts with our senior leadership this year,” Davis said. “Practices have been great this year and I think we’re as prepared as we can be.” The biggest change that the Buckaroos have in 2016 is at the quarterback position, where junior Nick Bower steps in after serving as the backup to Kai Quinn last season. Bower saw limited action last season, completing 3-5 passes for 176 yards and one touchdown. Bower says his transition into the starting spot has brought its chal- lenges, but he’s happy with where his progression is at right now. “It’s been great so far,” Bower said. “I just have to make some reads quicker but that’ll come with game speed but I’m confi dent I’ll get it worked out quickly.” Once the passing game fi nds its rhythm, it has the potential to make the Buckaroos very dangerous on offense. To go with Bower’s strong right arm and quick feet, Pendleton deploys talented receivers such as See BUCKAROOS/2B MLB Hernandez dazzles as Mariners beat Sox Seattle’s ace improves to 5-0 since returning from disabled list By MIKE CRANSTON Associated Press CHICAGO — Felix Hernandez was so excited to face Chris Sale he loaded up on caffeine before the game and briefl y got dizzy. King Felix needed the extra energy to beat the dominant White Sox ace. Sale struck out 14 but got outpitched Seattle Chicago 3 1 by Hernandez and the Seattle bullpen, and the Mariners ended a three-game skid Friday night by beating Chicago 3-1. Hernandez (9-4) improved to 5-0 in eight starts since returning from the disabled list, throwing 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball. But he said he was “scared” as he was attended to before the third inning. “Everything went black. I couldn’t feel my legs and I was a little dizzy,” Hernandez said. “I had a few Red Bulls and that was probably what it was.” Sale (15-7) gave up fi ve hits and walked none in his fi fth complete game of the season. He retired the fi nal 16 batters, striking out 10 of them. “I guess it looks good on paper but you want to come out on top in a game like that, no doubt,” Sale said. “I think we defi nitely had a good matchup tonight. It’s what people came to see and the wrong team came out on top, it depends on who you ask, I guess. Sometimes you run into people like See MARINERS/2B AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez throws against the Chicago White Sox during the fi rst inning of Friday’s game in Chicago. Sports shorts Ducks LB suspended indefi nitely EUGENE (AP) — Defensive end Torrodney Prevot has been suspended indefi nitely by No. 24 Oregon for violating the university’s and athletic department’s code of conduct. Coach Mark Helfrich FACES announced the suspension in a statement released on Friday night. It said his status as a student-ath- lete would be re-evaluated at the conclusion of the university’s process. The University of Oregon Police Department confi rmed that Prevot Prevot is under investigation, but did not provide additional details. The Eugene police referred the matter to the university police. Prevot was not included on the two-deep depth chart that the Ducks released earlier in the day for the season opener at home against UC Davis on Sept. 3. “If you’re a real competitor, you look at that and say, ‘OK, lace ‘em up. Let’s go. I don’t care how many players you have over there; we’re still going to take you down.’” — Kobe Bryant Former Los Angeles Lakers guard speaking on The Jim Rome Show on Friday on how he would’ve reacted as a player to Kevin Durant’s decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent this past offseason. Gene Sauers, Kirk Triplett share Boeing Classic lead SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) U.S. Senior Open champion Gene Sauers eagled the par-5 18th hole Friday for a 7-under 65 and a share of the Boeing Classic lead with Kirk Triplett. Coming off his breakthrough victory two weeks ago in Ohio, the 54-year-old Sauers played the four par-5 holes in 5 under with the eagle and three birdies. He won three times on the PGA Tour. Triplett had fi ve- and four-hole birdie streaks at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge. Also 54, he followed a bogey on the 11th his second hole of the day with fi ve straight birdies and added a birdie on 18. On his second nine, he bogeyed the third, then ran off four in a row. Triplett won the American Family Insur- ance Championship in June in Wisconsin for his fi fth victory on the 50-and-over tour. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 2006 — Marco Andretti, 19, becomes the youngest winner of a major open- wheel event, beating Dario Franchitti by 0.66 seconds to take the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. 2011 — Seattle’s Lamar Neagle scores his fi rst career hat trick on a record-setting afternoon as the Sounders beat the Columbus Crew 6-2. Seattle’s offensive outburst overshadows a record- breaking day for Columbus’ Jeff Cunningham, who became the leading goal- scorer in MLS history (134) when he converts a penalty kick in the 59th minute. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com