SPORTS
Thursday, December 29, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 3B
College Football
Washington relishes underdog role against No. 1 Alabama
By PAUL NEWBERRY
Associated Press
Peach Bowl
ATLANTA — Over-
looked in the College
Football Playoff, the Wash-
ington Huskies know what’s
expected of them.
One-and-done
against
mighty Alabama.
Actually, after spending a
few days in Atlanta, they sort
of understand the logic.
Now on Eastern time,
some of the Huskies tried to
stay up late watching Boise
State — coach Chris Peters-
en’s former school — play in
the Cactus Bowl.
“It’s been 1 or 2 o’clock
in the morning when some of
these games have been on,”
moaned Washington corner-
back Kevin King. “I wouldn’t
be up every day watching
them. When you’re playing
those later games, everybody
out here (on the East Coast)
is asleep. Maybe they don’t
know about West Coast
football. But everybody will
be watching come Saturday.”
That’s when fourth-seeded
Washington (12-1) takes on
No. 1 and heavily favored
Alabama (13-0) in the Peach
Bowl semifinal game.
The Tide opened as an
11-point pick, and the line
has since climbed to 14
points. The Huskies are by
far the biggest underdog
in the three-year history of
the playoff; in fact, it’s the
#4 Washington #1 Alabama
Huskies
Crimson Tide
(12-1)
(13-0)
• Saturday, Noon
• at Georgia Dome, Atlanta
• TV: ESPN
largest spread for a game that
will go toward determining
the national champion since
the launch of the Bowl
Championship Series — a
one-game matchup between
the two highest-ranked teams
— back in 1998.
Having reveled in the
underdog role all year long,
Washington hopes to use the
double-digit odds as further
incentive to shock Alabama,
and the rest of the nation.
“We won this many games
for a reason,” said Sidney
Jones, another Huskies
defensive back. “Not many
teams could do this.”
Washington can certainly
appreciate what a difficult
journey this has been.
A national powerhouse
under Don James, the Huskies
spent much of the past two
decades trying to rediscover
their swagger. They burned
through five coaches and
managed just one major bowl
appearance, a Rose Bowl
victory at the end of the 2000
season. When things were
Vasha Hunt/AL.com via AP
Washington cheers after the CSX train gives them a toot during Washington’s Peach
Bowl practice window, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, at Georgia State’s football facility
in Atlanta, Ga.
especially grim, Washington
endured six straight losing
seasons — including an 0-12
debacle in 2008.
Enter Petersen, who
took over in 2014 after
transforming Boise State
into the little school that
could compete with the big
boys. The turnaround took a
while — the Huskies went
8-6 in his inaugural season
and limped to a 7-6 mark a
year ago — but it all fell into
place this season.
Respect took even longer.
When the first CFP
rankings came out at the
beginning of November,
Washington was 8-0 but
stuck at No. 5 — behind a
one-loss Texas A&M team.
For Petersen, that played
right into the us-against-the-
world mindset that worked
so well at Boise State.
“A lot of the guys were
angry and stuff,” remem-
bered Budda Baker, the
Huskies’ star safety. “They
were like, ‘How can you put
this team ahead of us? We’re
undefeated,’ and all that type
of stuff. But coach Pete came
in, had a team meeting and
just talked about how that’s
exactly the way we like it.”
It all worked out in the
end, of course. Even after
a loss at home to Southern
Cal , the Huskies claimed
their playoff spot with an
impressive win over Wash-
ington State to close the
regular season and a blowout
of Colorado in the Pac-12
championship game.
Now, they’re outsiders
again.
Alabama is the defending
national champion and in the
playoff for the third year in
a row. The other semifinal
will match Ohio State,
which won it all two years
ago, against Clemson, last
season’s runner-up, in the
Fiesta Bowl.
“Nobody’s
thinking
about Washington,” Baker
said, actually not sounding
all that worked up about the
perceived slight. Petersen
“always talks about that type
of stuff. Let all the media
and everyone else talk about
the other team. You work on
what you need to work on.”
Besides, the odds-makers
won’t have any say in the
outcome of the game.
If it’s any consolation to
the Huskies, the underdog
prevailed in half of the games
over the first two years of the
playoff — including Ohio
State against nine-point
favorite Alabama in the
inaugural semifinals.
“I’m just glad we can still
play the game at the end of
the day,” offensive guard
Jake Eldrenkamp quipped.
“If it was up to the media,
I don’t think we’d have a
chance. The nice thing about
football is once you start the
game, everything is equal on
the playing field.”
Tennis
Former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic retires at 29
Associated Press
AP Photo/Alex Brandon, file
In this Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016 file photo, Ana Ivanovic of
Serbia serves during the first round of the U.S. Open
tennis tournament in New York.
LONDON
—
Ana
Ivanovic retired from tennis
at age 29 Wednesday, ending
a career in which she was
ranked No. 1 in 2008 but can
no longer play at the highest
level because of injuries.
In a live broadcast on
Facebook, Ivanovic said
“it was a difficult decision,
but there is so much to
celebrate.” The Serb won 15
tour titles, including the 2008
French Open, and is now
ranked No. 63.
“It’s been well-known
that I’ve been hampered by
injuries. ... I can only play if
I can perform up to my own
high standards and I can no
longer do that,” she said. “So
it’s time to move on.”
Ivanovic
became
a
UNICEF national ambas-
sador for Serbia in 2007 and
says that position will figure
in her plans.
“I will become an ambas-
sador of sport and healthy life. I
will also explore opportunities
in business, beauty and fashion
among other endeavors,” she
said on her Facebook page.
“I will also have more time
for my philanthropic activities
with my work with UNICEF.
I’ve lived my dreams and I
really hope to help others do
so as well.”
A finalist at Roland Garros
in 2007 and the Australian
Open in 2008, Ivanovic lost
in the first round of this year’s
U.S. Open to 89th-ranked
Denisa Allertova of the
Czech Republic. It was her
second consecutive exit in
the first round at Flushing
Meadows.
Ivanovic announced a
week later she would take the
rest of the season off because
of wrist and toe injuries,
saying she had a recurring
wrist injury and would also
have surgery on a toe she
broke at the Australian Open
in January 2015.
EAST'40OREGON
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100 Homes For Sale
Special Notices
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125
004
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310
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545
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505
Homes with Acreage
Bargain Bin!
Lost & Found
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Business Opportunities
Holiday Happenings
Garage Sales- Athena/ Weston
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Wanted to Buy
Homes for Sale
100
BLUE
JEANS
REALTY.
Residential,
Commercial,
Mountain properties. Call us
today to sell your home or buy
your new property.
“Our office is wherever you are”
Rocky Mikesell
Blue Jeans Realty
541-379-8690
CALL THE “Weekend & After
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Information! Call Matt Vogler,
541.377.9470
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
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MEACHAM - $159,950
64231 MAIN ST. NEWER
TRIPLE WIDE WITH 3 BDRM,
2BATH, BEAUTIFUL DECKS,
LOTS OF STORAGE. CALL KAL
RMLS #15074859
Garton &
Associates
(541) 276-0931
245 Storage Units
135 Lots & Acreage
140 Commerical Property
710 Auto Parts
470 Auctions
420 Feed and Seed
200 Rentals
800 Business/ Service Directory
490 Household Items
335 Employment
100 Homes For Sale
Homes for Sale
100
CURRENT LOW Inventory is
providing a good time to sell! Call
Matt Vogler (The Weekend and
After Hours Realtor) to receive a
Free
Comparative
Market
Analysis specific to your home.
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
MILTON-FREEWATER-$114,900
2BDM home w/great country
feel! New roof, flooring, paint.
Storage shed, greenhouse, and
oversized garage/shop features
a large bonus room above. Molly
541-969-4188 #16074283
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
Homes
For Sale
OVER 1200
eastoregonrealestate.com
PENDLETON - $115,000
Adorable 2 bedroom Cottage in
Sherwood. Featuring updated
windows, doors, trim, laminate
floors. LED recessed lighting and
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lot. MLS 16402108 Call Matt
Vogler 541-377-9470
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
PENDLETON - $126,000
Amazing Views! 2 bed, 2 bath
w/spacious living room, dining
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#16081286
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
PENDLETON - $129,000
Bring an Offer! 3 bdrm, 1 bath
Victorian home with small rental
home. Lots of improvements
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Additional lot can be purchased
for $17,000 directly behind
home. Call Cathy for more info
541-215-0103 RMLS #16032038
Garton &
Associates
(541) 276-0931
Homes for Sale
340 Summer Youth Jobs
255 Roommates Wanted
260 Want to Rent
010 Special Notices
535 Garage Sales- Pilot Rock
475 Fuel and Heating
325 Education/ Schools
020 Personals
555 Garage Sales- Other
500 Antiques
100
PENDLETON - $139,900
UNIQUE - This home has 2,288
sf (m/l) & is located on approx
0.38 ac. Huge “gourmet-type”
kitchen, sunken living room &
“stage” for all those entertainers.
Hardwood floors, carpet. Large
garage, lots of parking for RVs,
boats, etc.. MLS# 15033690 Call
Marge Lapp
Pendleton
Southgate Realty
(541) 276-1957
PENDLETON - $149,900
Invest in the Weat! Triplex! Well
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15428504 Call Marge Lapp
Pendleton
Southgate Realty
(541) 276-1957
PENDLETON - $161,000
Cozy Sherwood 3bed, 2bath
home. C/A, F/A heat, new gas
water heater. Hardwood floors,
viinyl windows, newer kitchen.
Attic storage, fenced, UGS. Jerry
541-969-6378 cell #16594450
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
PENDLETON - $165,000
3bedroom, 1.5 baths w/office or
den. Updated interior, upgraded
electrical/heating,
refinished
hardwood floors. 2107 sf(m/l),
w/full basement. Large yard,
covered patio. Kevin 541-969-
8243cell #16360289
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
Homes for Sale
435 Good Things to Eat
350 Wanted Employment
400 Horse and Tack
150 Real Estate Wanted
720 Trucks
540 Garage Sales- Hermiston
425 Farm Equipment
240 Office Space Available
900 Legal Notices
012 Round-Up
100
PENDLETON - $169,900
NEW! Nice 1,1816 sf(m/l) home
on .36 acre. Large country
kitchen, family room. Cozy living
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(possibly 3) bdrooms, 2 baths.
Great shop, overhead door. RV
parking,
garden
area.
#16430009 Call Marge Lapp
Pendleton
Southgate Realty
(541) 276-1957
Pendleton - $184,900
Huge Shop! 3bedroom, 2bath.
Kitchen w/cherrywood cabinets,
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Marsha
541-377-5152cell.
#16219786
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
PENDLETON - $195,000
McKay Beauty - Huge yard
backs onto Park. Well presented
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living + family rooms. MUST
SEE. Call Kerry 541-377-6855 to
tour. #16670964
TURN HERE REALTY &
TRAVEL
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PENDLETON - $212,000
North Hill rambler w/great view!
3bed, 2.5bath, 2067 sqft(m/l)
mid-century home, large corner
lot.
30ʼX22ʼ
shop/garage,
detached
garage.
Fenced
backyard, patio. Jeff 541-276-
0021 #16242080
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
PENDLETON - $167,500
Easy
Care
2214
sf(m/l),
3bedroom home w/huge family
room. Deck, large fenced
backyard, nice neighborhood.
Close to a brand new school.
Cari
541-377-5058cell
#16363128
Coldwell Banker Whitney
(541) 276-0021
PENDLETON - $219,000
Beautifully updated 4 bed, 3
bath. Updated kitchen refinished
hardwood floors, newer windows,
remodeled bathrooms. Storage
Deluxe
including
office/craft
room, basement pantry, bonus
room and workshop. Sharp! Call
Matt Vogler MLS 16267013
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
BUY IT here! Real estate, house-
wares, pets, cars, produce,
electronics & more… real one-
stop shopping!
CLASSIFIEDS ARE where to
look for apples or apartments,
books or bread machines, car-
pet or cattle… find it here!
Homes for Sale
100
PENDLETON - $219,000
SO MANY EXTRAS - 3bd, 2ba, 2
car garage, 2 living areas.
Private “indoor/outdoor BBQ”,
central vac and more, more,
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park. #16054514
TURN HERE REALTY &
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(541) 377-6855
PENDLETON - $239,000
Fabulous
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16221871
John J. Howard & Assoc.
(541) 377-9470
PENDLETON - $81,880
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Cathy for more info 541-215-
0103
Garton &
Associates
(541) 276-0931
PENDLETON - $99,500
NEW LISTING 3 bdrm, 2ba
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Call Kal for more info 541-969-
7358
Garton &
Associates
(541) 276-0931
PENDLETON - $99,900
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air. #16562807 Call Kerry 541-
377-6855
TURN HERE REALTY &
TRAVEL
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