SPORTS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016
1B
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HEPPNER
Mustangs, Prospectors meet again
Heppner hosts
Grant Union
for quarterfi nal
game Saturday
Football
Grant Union
Heppner
Prospectors Mustangs
(6-3)
(7-2)
• Saturday, 1 p.m.
• at Morrow County
Fairgrounds, Heppner
By ERIC SINGER
East Oregonian
On Sept. 9, the Heppner
Mustangs hosted the Grant
Union Prospectors for a
regular season game that
can be best described as a
learning experience for both
sides.
Both Heppner and Grant
Union trotted out numerous
new starters and contributors
on both sides of the ball
for the 2016 season and it
showed. The teams combined
for seven turnovers in that
match-up, but in the end
Heppner prevailed with a
36-20 victory thanks to a
quicky start on offense and
a defense that hung on just
enough to keep the Mustangs
out in front for good.
Now nine weeks later,
those two teams will square
off on Les Payne Field
once again this weekend as
the No. 4 seed Mustangs
will host the No. 5 seed
Prospectors for a Class 2A
quarterfi nal on Saturday
afternoon. Heppner coach
Greg Grant says that both
teams are much improved
from that fi rst meeting, and
that his team has not put a
lot of time refl ecting on the
game in terms of preparation
this week.
“I don’t think it’ll mean
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
Mustang running back Coby Dougherty (24) races downfi eld during a football state playoff game against Gold
Beach on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Heppner.
a whole heck of a lot,”
Grant says. “We saw them,
they saw us ... we’re just
expecting a good game from
a really good football team.”
At stake on Saturday is a
trip to the state semifi nals,
where Heppner has been
for the past three years and
a place that Grant Union is
hoping to get back to for
the fi rst time since 2013.
The Mustangs hope that
their home fi eld advantage
continues to give the advan-
tage that it has over these past
few years.
“I think it’s a good thing,”
Grant said. “It’s something
you have to work hard for
and have to earn. This will
be the eighth home playoff
game here in four years, and
that’s pretty good.”
Heppner is coming into
the game with a full head of
steam fresh off of a 55-20 win
over Gold Beach in which
the Mustangs outgained
Gold Beach 361-182. The
Mustang starters only played
the fi rst half of the game as
they dominated Gold Beach
to a 49-6 halftime lead,
though Grant says there is
still plenty to improve upon
for Saturday.
“I think there’s a lot of
things to work on. At this
point of the season it’s all
about habits formed and how
you handle the mental side of
the game,” Grant said. “Effort
is obviously something that
will play in, so they need to
bring great intensity and play
at their best.”
Another
advantage
Heppner holds is playoff
experience, as guys like
Logan Grieb, Kevin Murray,
Tim Jaca, and Wyatt Steagall
were all key contributors
to Heppner’s state champi-
onship last year and have
really stepped up as leaders
in the postseason according
to Grant.
“I think it’s been a natural
fl ow of things, the seniors
and
most
experienced
players need to set the tone,”
Grant said, “and those guys
have taken the younger kids
and set good examples.”
Heppner’s defense will
have its hands full with
Grant Union’s offense again
Saturday, led by junior quar-
terback Wade Reimers. The
6-3 quarterback had a solid
game against the Mustangs
in Week 2, throwing for
130 yards and running for
121 yards and one touch-
down. Grant Union actually
outgained Heppner 304-302
in offensive yardage in that
game as well.
Grant says this time
around playing a clean foot-
ball game will be the biggest
key for his team to come out
with the victory.
“It’s always a game
of turnovers, so limiting
turnovers and penalties and
doing as many things right
as possible we will have a
chance,” he said.
Kick off is set for 1 p.m.
at Les Payne Field at the
Morrow County Fairgrounds
in Heppner.
———
Contact Eric at esinger@
eastoregonian.com or (541)
966-0839. Follow him on
Twitter @ByEricSinger.
College Volleyball
EOU sweeps top conference honors
Chamberlain named
Player of the Year,
Morehead takes
Coach of the Year
East Oregonian
Photo courtesy of Eastern Oregon University Athletics
The Eastern Oregon University volleyball team poses with its regular
season Cascade Collegiate Conference championship banner and tro-
phy at the CCC awards banquet on Thursday in La Grande.
Chamberlain
LA GRANDE — The Eastern
Oregon Mountaineer volleyball
team was the best in the Cascade
Collegiate Conference once again
in 2016, winning the conference
Morehead
title with a 26-2 overall record and
a mere one loss in league play.
On Thursday night, two big
pieces of the Mountaineer team
were recognized for their efforts
as head coach Kaki McLean
Morehead was named CCC
Coach of the Year and senior
setter Rachelle Chamberlain
was selected as the conference’s
Player of the Year at the all-con-
ference awards banquet.
For Morehead, it’s the third
straight season she has brought
home the Coach of the Year trophy
as 2016 also marked her Moun-
taineers’ third straight league title.
The 10th year coach has compiled
a 208-81 (.776) record in her time
See EOU/2B
NFL
Seahawks struggling to get rest for defense
Seattle faces tough
test with New England
on short week
By TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
RENTON, Wash. — Just as
the Seattle Seahawks are evolving
offensively and appearing to fi nd
success, they have another problem
emerging.
In the last few weeks, Seattle
can’t get off the fi eld on defense.
And it’s not the best time to be
Seattle
New England
Seahawks
Patriots
(5-2-1)
(7-1)
• Sunday, 5:30 p.m.
• at Gillette Stadium
• TV: NBC
struggling on that side of the ball
about to go on the road, on a short
week and face Tom Brady and New
England on Sunday night.
In the past two weeks, Seattle
has started to display signs that
maybe the wear of its overtime tie
with Arizona on Oct. 23 is starting
to impact its defense. Combined
with an offense that seems to be
abandoning their attempt at running
the ball and controlling time of
possession, the Seahawks defense
has been asked to be on the fi eld for
an inordinate amount of time lately.
“We’re playing a little bit more
ball but at the same time I think
we’re doing some good things,”
Seattle defensive end Cliff Avril
said.
While the players say this is
not an issue and Seattle coach Pete
Carroll is almost defi ant that the
See SEAHAWKS/2B
AP Photo/Elaine Thompson
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy,, right, rushes against
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, left, and free safe-
ty Earl Thomas (29) in the fi rst half of Monday’s game in Seattle.
Sports shorts
Seattle’s Sherman fi ned for hit
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Seattle Seahawks
cornerback Richard Sherman confi rmed he’s
been fi ned by the NFL for unnecessary roughness
for his hit on Buffalo kicker Dan Carpenter in last
Monday’s game against the Bills.
Sherman said Thursday that
the explanation and wording of
the letter from the league makes it
nearly impossible for him to appeal.
Sherman said the justifi cation in the
letter was that the hit came after the
whistle was blown.
Sherman was not penalized for
Sherman
unnecessary roughness on the play.
He was fl agged for being offside, but referee Walt
Anderson’s explanation after the game said he
didn’t believe the contact was excessive enough
to warrant an unnecessary roughness foul. NFL
head of offi ciating Dean Blandino said that
interpretation was incorrect and Sherman should
have received a personal foul on the play.
“It sucks that he had to
do what he did, but I
stand behind him 100
percent with the decision
that he made because
you only have one
brain, and football is
(only) for so long.“
— T.J. Daniel
Oregon senior defensive lineman
on the decision of teammate Can-
ton Kaumatule to take a medical
medical hardship due to concus-
sion-related concerns and end
his playing career. The sophmore
defensive lineman was a former
fi ve-star recruit.
Sounders forward Morris
voted MLS Rookie of the Year
NEW YORK (AP) — Seattle forward
Jordan Morris has been voted Major League
Soccer’s Rookie of the Year after scoring
12 goals in his fi rst professional season.
The 21-year-old made his
national team debut two years
ago while still at Stanford.
He received an average
of 45 percent of the vote in
balloting by players, media
and club management that
was announced Thursday.
Morris
He will miss Friday’s World
Cup qualifi er against Mexico because of a
hamstring injury.
Philadelphia right back Keegan Rosen-
berry was second at 31 percent, followed
by New York City midfi elder Jack Harrison
at 15 percent.
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1911 — Carlisle Indian
School of Carlisle, Pa., led by
Jim Thorpe, beats nationally
ranked Harvard 18-15 before
25,000 in Cambridge, Mass.
Thorpe scores all the points for
Carlisle, a touchdown, extra
point and four fi eld goals.
2001 — In his sixth career
start, Shaun Alexander has 266
yards rushing on 35 carries
and an 88-yard touchdown
run to lead Seattle past AFC
West-leading Oakland 34-27.
2012 — Antron Brown
becomes the fi rst black
champion in any NHRA pro
series when he wins the Top
Fuel title at the season-ending
event.
Contact us at 541-966-0838 or
sports@eastoregonian.com