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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2017)
SPORTS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 1B FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS PENDLETON Buckaroos ready for Ravens Football Pendleton working to get back in win column Ridgeview Pendleton Ravens Buckaroos (0-3, 0-1) (1-2, 0-1) • Friday, 7 p.m. • at Pendleton High School By ERIC SINGER East Oregonian Staff photo by E.J. Harris Pendleton’s Beau Skinner (10) tackles Summit’s’ Joe Cross in the fi rst half of the Bucks’ 20-19 loss to the Storm on Sept. 15 in Pendleton. The Pendleton Buckaroos walked off the football fi eld on Sept. 15 disappointed and frustrated. Just a few little mistakes kept the Bucks from an upset and possible season- changing win over the Summit Storm and turned it into a 20-19 Storm victory. However, the game was a valu- able lesson to the Buckaroos (1-2, 0-1 Special District 1) and taught the team a key quality about itself. “We’re one of those teams where we’re going to work our hardest to outwork any other team in this league and I think that game showed it,” Pendleton receiver Cam Sand- ford said at practice on Wednesday. “We just had a few lapses that we just need to clean up now and we’ll be good.” But the Bucks have put the Storm behind them and are ready for their next opponent — the Ridgeview Ravens. Ridgeview comes to Pendleton on Friday searching for its fi rst win of the season as the Ravens are in the midst of their See BUCKAROOS/2B HERMISTON Prep Football Pirates, Dawgs aim to get back on track Pioneers set for showdown Riverside, Mac-Hi both aim to keep building on success East Oregonian For the past decade, football success has been hard to come by for the Mac-Hi Pioneers and the Riverside Pirates. Since 2006, Mac-Hi has an overall record of 21-70 (.231 winning Football percentage) and Riverside is 17-86 (.165), with both teams being perennial basement teams in their respective Riverside leagues. Pirates However in 2017, things (2-0) appear to be looking up for both programs and both will have a lot on the line when they meet on the gridiron on Mac-Hi Friday night in Milton-Free- Pioners (2-1) water. The Pioneers come • Fri., 7 p.m. into the game with a 2-1 • at Milton- record after last week’s 35-14 beatdown of Weston- Freewater McEwen and are looking to reach the three-win plateau for the fi rst time since 2010. See PREP FOOTBALL/2B MLB Rangers win as M’s slide continues Associated Press SEATTLE — Rougned Odor’s grand slam capped a seven-run fourth inning and the Texas Rangers held off the Seattle Mariners 8-6 on Wednesday night to make up ground in the playoff chase. The Rangers moved within 2½ games of Minne- Texas sota for the second AL wild card after the Twins lost 11-3 to the New York Yankees. Seattle dropped its fi fth straight and remained four games behind Minnesota. Seattle Seattle, which trailed 7-1 early, pulled to 8-5 on Robinson Cano’s two-run single in the seventh but then left the bases loaded. The Mariners made it 8-6 in the eighth on consecutive doubles by Mike Zunino and Ben Gamel. Andrew Cashner (10-10) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings for Texas. Alex Claudio got six outs for his 10th save. 8 6 Staff photo by Kathy Aney Three Bulldog defenders bring down a Lewiston ball carrier during a game on Sept. 8 at Kennison Field in Hermiston. Hermiston travels back to Bend to take on a tough Summit team By ALEXIS MANSANAREZ East Oregonian In Hermiston’s league opener at Mountain View last week, the Bulldogs faced a team that was undefeated in its already short season and were overpowered en route to a 28-7 loss. Now, Hermiston will make its way back to Bend but this time against a team that proves to be an even greater threat. The Summit Storm (2-1, 1-0 5A-SD1) have not lost a league game since 2014, despite that streak being threatened last week in a nail-biter in Pendleton. While the Storm squeaked by with a 20-19 win, the Bulldogs (1-2, 0-1) struggled some 200 miles away. There’s a simple explanation Football Hermiston Summit Bulldogs Storm (1-2, 0-1) (2-1, 1-0) • Friday, 7 p.m. • at Summit HS, Bend for last week’s game, and it’s something head coach David Faaeteete is hoping gets cleaned up quickly. “We’re just not a very good football team right now,” he said. “We just have got to do a better job at making sure we get the most out of practice.” But preparation is only half of the game. The Bulldogs have had a diffi cult time executing this season, and allowed themselves to fall into early defi cits that they just cannot come back from. Summit is a good second half team, and an even better fourth quarter team — one that Hermiston cannot afford to dig a hole against. The Bulldogs held up well against the Storm last season, holding their dangerous offense to 27 points but struggles for Hermiston’s offense kept the Storm in front for a 27-14 victory. But Summit has not really been challenged in conference play since the double overtime win against Redmond in October 2016, which could explain their fi rst half performance against Pendleton last week. A surprisingly good amount of pressure was put on junior quarterback Henry Bledsoe — the son of former NFL quarterback and now Summit offensive coordinator Drew Bledsoe — forcing him to make uncharacteristic mistakes that allowed the Buckaroos to take an early lead that they would later relinquish. Defensively, the Bulldogs have to ability to do the same. Led by senior linebacker Jonathan Hinkle, who has notched a team-high 16 tackles, Hermiston has already recorded four interceptions for a total of 21 yards and recovered the same amount of fumbles. There is no shortage of skill or experience, as seniors Joey Gutierrez and AJ Fernandez join Hinkle as key play-makers on defense. See DAWGS/2B Sports shorts College football player dies from injury suffered during game WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) — A 19-year-old Midwestern State football player has died after suffering a neck injury while making a tackle during a home game last weekend. School President Suzanne Shipley on Wednesday released a statement mourning the death of cornerback Robert Grays of Houston. Shipley says Grays died Tuesday at a hospital in his hometown. He was critically injured during a game Grays Saturday in Wichita Falls. Athletics department spokesman Blake Barington says Grays suffered a neck injury while making a tackle in the fourth quarter of a 35-13 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville. Grays was taken by ambulance to a Wichita Falls hospital, then transported to Houston. Counselors were available at MSU, a Division II school in the Lone Star Conference. “As an organization, this is a very, very valued championship to us. If I remember correctly, 99 teams started out in this tournament, so for us to hoist the trophy in the knockout stage is pretty impressive for this group.” — Peter Vermes Major League Soccer’s Sporting KC manager said after the club earned its fourth US Open Cup title. Kansas City defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-1. Timbers grant wish, sign 5-year-old goalkeeper for game PORTLAND (AP) — The Portland Timbers have signed 5-year-old goalkeeper Derrick Tellez to a one-game contract. Derrick, who is battling a cancerous brain tumor, was signed Wednesday to grant his wish via Make-A-Wish Oregon. “Derrick is an extremely talented young goalkeeper, and we’re excited to have him signed for this weekend’s game against Orlando City,” said Timbers coach Caleb Porter. After taking part in training on Friday, Derrick will join his new teammates when they take the fi eld at Providence Park for a match against Orlando City on Sunday. He’ll watch from the bench during warmups and stand with the team for the national anthem before rejoining his family for the game. He’ll be included in the team’s offi cial photo, scheduled to be taken Friday. THIS DATE IN SPORTS 1986 — Ken O’Brien’s 43-yard touchdown pass to Wesley Walker at 2:35 in overtime ends one of the highest scoring games in NFL history as the New York Jets defeat the Miami Dolphins 51-45. 2002 — The New York Yankees clinch their fi fth straight AL East title with a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers. 2008 — The United States take back the Ryder Cup with a 16 1/2-11 1/2 victory over Europe. It’s the largest margin of victory for the Americans since 1981. Contact us at 541-966-0838 or sports@eastoregonian.com
