FOOTBALL
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
5A SPECIAL DISTRICT 1
T
he Columbia River Conference
and Intermountain Conference
will be combined with the
exception of The Dalles to form
Special District 1 this season. There
will be four playoff spots available
from the eight-team league.
Projected Finish
Summit Storm
Hermiston Bulldogs
Redmond Panthers
Mountain View Cougars
Pendleton Buckaroos
Bend Lava Bears
Hood River Valley Eagles
Ridgeview Ravens
East Oregonian/Hermiston Herald
Page 3
Hermiston Bulldogs
Hermiston
senior
Mitch
Brown
takes a
handoff
during a
practice on
Tuesday,
Aug. 23 at
Kennison
Field in
Hermiston.
Brown is
expected
to see a lot
of carries
for Herm-
iston this
season.
(Rankings based on coaches and media votes.)
2015 Results
Week 1
vs Hanford (WA) L 41-20
Week 2 at Kamiakin (WA)
L 54-6
Week 3
at Springfi eld
L 52-20
Week 4
at Lewiston (ID) L 56-37
Week 5 vs Coeur d’Alene (ID) L 42-10
Week 6
vs Sandy
W 13-7
Week 7
at The Dalles* W 56-10
Week 8
at Hood River* W 36-28
Week 9
at Pendleton* W 28-12
1st Round vs Wilsonville
L 49-14
2016 Schedule
Sept. 2
Sept. 9
Sept. 16
Sept. 23
Sept. 30
Oct. 7
Oct. 14
Oct. 21
Oct. 28
Staff photo by
E.J. Harris
Players To Watch
John Bledsoe, Summit (SR)
vs Union (WA)
at Lewiston (ID)
vs Mountain View*
vs Summit*
at Hood River*
vs Ridgeview*
at Bend*
at Redmond*
vs Pendleton*
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
*-League game
Quarterback (6-foot-3, 200 lbs)
Bledsoe was the 5A
Offensive Player of the Year
for the state-champion
Storm in 2015. He passed
for 212 yards a game with
31 touchdowns and three
interceptions.
Vaemu Ena, Hermiston (SR)
Safety/Wide receiver (6-foot-1, 183 lbs)
Ena was an honorable
mention All-State safety
as a junior, and recorded
40 tackles and fi ve inter-
ceptions. He’ll also have an
expanded role on offense
this season.
Head coach: David Faaeteete, 2nd year
(9th overall)
Assistant coaches: Scott Hammond
(Def. coordinator), 1st year (6th over-
all); Matt Bruck (wide
receivers), 5th year;
Eddie Lopez (defensive
line), 5th year; Travis
Jones (running backs),
2nd year; Mike Mosher
(quarterbacks), 1st year;
Rick Wells (offensive
line), 1st year; Oliver
Browning (linebackers/special teams),
1st year; Anthony Volker, 5th year;
Jerrod Munsterman, 2nd year; Gary
Posten, 1st year; Andy Hall, 1st year.
Returning lettermen: 18
Brent Yeakey, Ridgeview (SR)
Running back/Linebacker (6-foot-0, 220 lbs)
Yeakey was an honorable
mention All-State running
back last season after he
racked up 1,305 yards at
7.2 per carry with 12 touch-
downs.
Michael Jones, Hood River (JR)
Running back (6-foot-0, 180 lbs)
Jones was an honorable
mention All-State running
back that helped the Eagles
offense average 33.8 points
a game last season.
Columbia River Conference
Conf. Overall
Hermiston*
3-0
4-6
Hood River*
2-1
5-5
Pendleton
1-2
3-6
The Dalles
0-3
1-7
Pendleton Buckaroos
Head coach: Erik Davis, 5th year
Assistant coaches: Fred Phillips (def.
coordinator/linebackers), 10th year;
Josh Linehan (offensive line), 7th year;
Aaron Schmidt (wide receivers), 7th
year; Wes Armstrong (running backs),
1st year; Drew Hubel (quarterbacks),
2nd year; Marc Sokoloski (defensive
backs), 7th year; Ron Murphy (defensive
line), 2nd year; Nels Nelson (stats)
Returning lettermen: 26
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
vs Summit
vs Ontario
at La Grande
at Bend
vs Ridgeview
at AC Davis (WA)
at Hood River*
vs The Dalles*
vs Hermiston*
Intermountain Conference
Conf. Overall
Summit*
4-0
12-1
Redmond*
3-1
8-3
Bend*
2-2
6-4
Ridgeview
1-3
4-5
Mountain View 0-4
1-8
2016 Schedule
*-Made playoff s
*-League game
Sept. 2
Sept. 9
Sept. 16
Sept. 23
Sept. 30
Oct. 7
Oct. 14
Oct. 21
Oct. 28
4A GREATER OREGON LEAGUE
N
ot much changes in the GOL
for 2016 as all four teams
were relatively young last
season and return several key
starters. The only new head coach is
at Mac-Hi, but Gary Robertson isn’t
totally new and was an assistant
last season. The league gets two
automatic postseason berths, but
the No. 3 team could also have a
chance to play its way in based on
OSAA ranking.
Projected Finish
La Grande Tigers
Baker Bulldogs
Ontario Tigers
McLoughlin Pioneers
(Rankings based on coaches and media votes.)
2015 Final Standings
La Grande*
Baker*
Ontario
McLoughlin
*- Made playoffs
On offense: The Bulldogs are looking
for balanced production out of their
West Coast offense that utilizes zone
blocking on the line. The Bulldogs
threw the ball just 38 percent of the
time last season, but 36 percent of their
runs were by quarterbacks, and more
than half were by seniors. With Neal (85
carries) moving to receiver Hermiston
may be closer to a 50-50 split in 2016.
On defense: Hermiston uses multiple
fronts to attack opposing offenses with
the emphasis on playing sound funda-
mental defense. The unit returns three
of its top six tacklers but none that
recorded a sack in 2015.
Faaeteete’s key to the season:
“Take it one day at a time, bring a pos-
itive attitude to practice, play fast, play
hard, and fi nish every play, every down,
in every game.”
Pendleton’s Nick
Lani (2) gets
wrapped up by
Kirk Liscom (21)
and Morgan Hol-
comb (11) during
the Buck Bowl &
BBQ in Pendleton.
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
2015 Results
2015 Final Standings
Conf.
3-0
2-1
1-2
0-3
Returning All-CRC: Kaden Caldwell,
DL/OL, sr.; Vaemu Ena, DB/WR, sr.;
Tucker Salinas, WR/DB, sr.; John Henry
Line, LB, sr.; Mitch Brown, RB/KR, sr.;
Corey Mason, DT, sr.; Jerry Ramirez, HB,
sr.; Brady Christianson, WR, sr.; AJ Fer-
nandez, OT/DT, jr.; Tyler Rorhman, DB/
WR, jr.; Joe Gutierrez, DB/WR, jr.
Other returning starters: Dayshawn
Neal, DB/WR, jr.; Beau Blake, OG/DT, jr.
Other seniors: Adan Gutierrez, OL/DL;
Nick Jones, WR/DB; Oscar Lopez, DL/P;
Ryan Lawson, DL/OL; Emilio Landin,
DL/OL; Bradlee Giutsi, TE/LB/DL; Cody
Moss, Brandon Possada.
Impact transfer: Damien McLeod, LB/
QB, sr. (Ridgeview)
Newcomers: Sophomore quarterback
Andrew James will start at quarterback.
James quarterbacked the freshman
team last season.
Overall
7-2
5-5
1-7
0-8
L 62-13
W 27-13
W 25-24
L 26-23
L 41-27
L 26-19
L 42-21
W 49-20
L 28-12
at La Grande
at Putnam
at Summit*
at Ridgeview*
vs Redmond*
at Mountain View*
vs Hood River*
vs Bend*
at Hermiston*
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
Returning All-CRC: Nick Lani, WR/S,
sr.; Sebastian Corona, K/WR, sr.; Deven
Page, RB/DL, sr.; Jamal Vann, RB/DE, sr.;
Grant Kennedy, OL/LB, sr.; Cade Ander-
son, OL/LB, sr.
Other returning starters: Gabe Walk-
er, RB/DL, sr.; Morgan Holcomb, LB, sr.;
Matt Fowler, TE/DE, sr.; Jacob Dicker-
son, OL/DL, sr.; Shaw Jerome, WR/DB,
jr.; Tanner Stephan, WR/DB, jr.; Brendon
Bedolla, LB/RB, jr.
Newcomers: Junior Nick Bower will
start at quarterback, and several
sophomores are vying for time at wide
receiver.
On offense: The Buckaroos want to
keep defenses guessing out of its
spread formations, and one way the
Bucks plan to do this is with additional
runs and screens.
On defense: The Bucks’ formation will
largely depend on personnel, and the
Bucks return all-league players at each
level. They’ll look to keep opposing of-
fenses out of rhythm using aggressive
pass rushes and tight coverage.
Davis’ keys to the season:
“Continue to develop an overall program.
Continue to push for 100 percent ‘buy in’
to what we are trying to do. We have to
stay healthy fi rst and foremost. Nick Bower
will need to develop quickly, and have a
running back or two have breakout sea-
sons. Defensively, we have to stop run!”
McLoughlin Pioneers
Head coach: Gary Robertson, 1st year
(2nd overall)
Assistant coaches: Rory Simpson
(def. coordinator), 2nd year; Jim Gilmore
(linemen), 1st year; Jeff Bockert (running
backs/linebackers), 1st year.
Returning lettermen: 17
Returning All-GOL: Donald Clark, OL/
DL, sr.; Riley Chester, WR/DB, sr.
Other returning starters: Tylor
Fehrenbacker, RB/DB, sr.; Robert Walton,
OL/DL, sr.; Kaden Kilburg,
RB/DB, sr.; Austin Leonetti,
QB/DB, sr.; Spencer Wells,
TE/DL, jr.; Salvador Patino,
OL/LB, jr.; Michael Breeding,
RB/DB, jr.; Levi Gregerson,
OL/LB, jr.; Kyler Kelly, OL/DL,
jr.; Justin Carlson, OL/DL, jr.;
Josh Torres, OL/LB, jr.; Drew Birdwell, QB/
DB, jr.; Cruz Garcia, OL/DL, jr.; Brandyn
Chaney, OL/DL, jr.; Sam Carlson, RB/LB, so.
On offense: Robertson is also the
team’s offensive coordinator, and will
look to push the tempo with a spread
offense. It’s a completely new system for
the Pioneers, but Robertson said they are
picking up the concepts quickly.
On defense: The Pioneers will run a
4-3 base formation and Robertson said
he wants his defenders using a “predator
mentality.” Like on offense, defenders
Players To Watch
Andrew Peasley,
La Grande (JR)
Connor Brandt,
La Grande (SR)
Zach Forsythe,
Ontario (SR)
Quarterback (6-foot-2, 180 lbs)
DE/Guard (6-foot-2, 220 lbs)
Center/LB (5-foot-11, 180 lbs)
Peasley was
the GOL Of-
fensive Player
of the Year
and honor-
able mention
All-State as
a sophomore. He passed
for 1,753 yards with 21
touchdowns and three
interceptions. He added
12 rushing TDs.
Brandt was
the GOL De-
fensive Player
of the Year, a
Second Team
All-State de-
fender, and an honorable
mention All-State guard
on offense.
Forsythe was
an honorable
mention All-
State center
as well as
First Team
All-GOL. He was also
Second Team All-GOL on
defense.
Mac-Hi’s Spencer
Wells (55) sacks
Weston-McEw-
en quarterback
Brent Speed
during their
game in Athena
during Week 4 of
the 2015 season.
Wells is one of
many returners
on defense for
the Pioneers.
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
are being asked to learn a new system,
which should be a welcome change. The
Pioneers had the dubious distinction of
allowing the most points (390) while also
scoring the fewest (30) in Class 4A last
season.
Robertson’s key to the season:
“Conditioning will be our key to
success. We are undersized and slower
than most, so conditioning is our forte.”
2015 results
2016 Schedule
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
at Waitsburg (WA)
vs Crook County
vs The Dalles
at Weston-McEwen
at DeSales (WA)
at La Grande*
vs Ontario*
vs Baker*
L 45-7
L 60-0
L 43-0
L 37-6
L 33-7
L 56-3
L 56-7
L 60-0
Sept. 1
Sept. 9
Sept. 16
Sept. 23
Oct. 7
Oct. 14
Oct. 21
vs Waitsburg (WA)
vs DeSales (WA)
at The Dalles
at Riverside
at Ontario*
vs La Grande*
at Baker*
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
6 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
*-League game
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