SPORTS
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2017
1B
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Prep Football
Five Bulldogs, four Buckaroos land on all-state teams
All fi ve Dawgs earn
fi rst team recognition
By ERIC SINGER
East Oregonian
Staff photo by E.J. Harris
Hermiston quarterback Andrew James splits Churchill defend-
ers Jax Arnold (12) and Kannon Ruano in the 5A state champi-
onship game in Hillsboro. James is one of fi ve Bulldogs to earn
all-state honors.
As a junior, Hermiston’s
Dayshawn Neal burst onto the
prep scene as one of the top wide
receivers in the state of Oregon. He
capped that year with a second team
all-state selection, but already knew
what his goal was for his senior year
with the Bulldogs.
“I’m honored (for second team),”
Neal told the East Oregonian last
year, “but at the same time that sets
a new goal for me for next season,
gotta get that fi rst team.”
Neal followed through on his
goal this fall and showed again that
he was one of the best athletes in 5A
football, and the coaches agreed. On
Wednesday, Neal was selected to
the fi rst team all-state as a receiver
and a defensive back after grabbing
70 receptions for 1,118 yards and
17 touchdowns on offense and 62
tackles with four interceptions on
defense.
He is one of fi ve Bulldogs to earn
all-state honors. Junior quarterback
Andrew James (3,515 all-purpose
yards, 40 total TD), senior offensive
lineman Beau Blake, senior defen-
sive back Joey Gutierrez (70 tackles,
6 INT) and senior linebacker Jona-
than Hinkle (122 tackles, 4 INT)
were all named to the fi rst team.
Hinkle (1,424 rushing yards, 18 TD)
was also named as a second team
running back.
Third-year head coach David
Faaeteete also earned Coach of the
Year honors for leading Hermiston
to its second state championship in
school history.
Hermiston’s longtime rival, the
Pendleton Buckaroos, were repre-
sented with four all-state selections.
Senior wide receiver Shaw Jerome
(51 catches, 636 yards, 6 TD) was
a second team pick, while senior
defensive lineman Greg Lee (76
tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss), junior
linebacker Kirk Liscom (118 tackles,
6 tackles-for-loss) and junior punter
Gabe Umbarger were all honorable
mention picks.
Pendleton native and Wilsonville
senior Draco Bynum was a fi rst team
all-state selection at defensive line
and a second team selection at tight
end.
James and Neal are part of six
fi nalists for state Offensive Player of
See ALL-STATE/2B
College Basketball
Pro Basketball
Ducks
lose in
battle of
Top-10
teams
McCollum helps Blazers snap skid
By DAVID BRANDT
Associated Press
STARKVILLE, Miss.
— Teaira McCowan
completely dominated the
fi rst half. After the break,
Victoria Vivians took over.
Mississippi State might
not be quite
as
deep Women’s
as it was Basketball
last season
during its run
to the NCAA
Oregon
champion-
ship game.
But
the
Bulldogs’
stars proved Miss. State
they’re more
than capable
of carrying
the team during a marquee
matchup.
McCowan scored a
career-high 35 points and
Vivians added 30 to lead
No. 5 Mississippi State
over No. 9 Oregon 90-79
on Wednesday night.
“Tonight we were pretty
good, especially offen-
sively,” Mississippi State
coach Vic Schaefer said.
“I just think we’re hard
to deal with offensively. I
think people are having a
hard time guarding us right
now.”
The 6-foot-7 McCowan
was nearly unstoppable,
grabbing 19 rebounds and
making 15 of 18 shots
from the fi eld. She blocked
fi ve shots and had 12 of her
rebounds on the offensive
end.
She scored 21 points
and had 10 rebounds
before halftime, scoring
after offensive rebounds
and off well-timed passes.
“When
she’s
like
tonight
—
engaged
and focused — she’s a
See BASKETBALL/2B
79
90
By STEVEN WINE
Associated Press
MIAMI — Damian Lillard
scored seven of his 18 points in
the fi nal 3:16, and the Portland
Trail Blazers overcame a 16-point
second-half defi cit to break their
fi ve-game losing streak, beating
the
Miami
NBA
Heat 102-95 on
Wednesday night.
Lillard,
who
came into the
Portland
game averaging
26.6 points, had
only one fi eld
goal in the fi rst 31
minutes. But he
converted a three-
Miami
point play put the
Trail Blazers ahead
to stay, 98-95,
and sank two free
throws on their next possession for
a fi ve-point lead.
CJ McCollum scored 28 points
for the Trail Blazers (14-13). They
climbed back above .500 and
improved to 7-5 on the road. The
Heat (13-14) fell below .500 and
dropped to 5-7 at home.
Miami reserve Wayne Ellington
sank seven 3-pointers and scored
a season-high 24 points. Dion
Waiters added 17 points for the
Heat, who were hurt by three
missed free throws down the
stretch.
Both teams were short-handed.
Heat forward Justise Winslow left
the game in the fi rst half with a
left knee strain and did not return,
and guard Tyler Johnson sat out
because of a migraine.
Miami was also without center
Hassan Whiteside for a seventh
consecutive games because of a
bone bruise in his left knee.
Al-Farouq Aminu had 15 points
and 13 rebounds for Portland.
Ellington went 5 for 5 from
3-point range in the fi rst quarter,
helping Miami to a 33-21 lead.
The Heat were up by 16 in the
second quarter and again in the
third, but a 12-1 run by the Trail
Blazers got them back in the game.
Lillard’s driving dunk tied it at 86
with seven minutes left.
TIP-INS
Miami’s Kelly Olynyk had
a slight edge in the matchup of
former Gonzaga centers. He had
10 points and six rebounds in
28 minutes, and Portland’s Zach
Collins had nine points and three
rebounds in 21 minutes.
102
95
AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
Portland Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum celebrates after hitting a three-point shot during the fi rst half
of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat on Wednesday in Miami.
INJURY REPORT
Trail Blazers: C Jusuf Nurkic
(sprained right ankle) missed his
third game in a row. ... F/C Meyers
Leonard (illness) also sat out. ...
F Maurice Harkless (bruised left
quad) returned after missing two
games.
Heat: Coach Erik Spoelstra
said Whiteside is working out and
feeling better, but he’s not ready to
return to practice.
UP NEXT
Miami: The Heat play at Char-
lotte on Friday night.
Portland: The Trail Blazers
continue a fi ve-game trip when
they play Friday night at Orlando.
Sports shorts
Thunder beat Pacers in George’s
return to Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Paul George made
a winning return to Indiana, hitting the clinching
free throws with 10.7 seconds left in the
Oklahoma City Thunder’s 100-95 victory over
the Pacers on Wednesday night.
Steven Adams had 23 points
and 13 rebounds and Russell
Westbrook fi nished with 10 points,
17 rebounds and 12 assists in his
ninth triple-double this season.
Victor Oladipo led the
George
Pacers with 19 points and Bojan
Bogdanovic scored 15.
George was booed loudly during introduc-
tions and every time he touched the ball. Fans
only cheered for George when he was called for
a foul or made a mistake and it seemed to take
a toll on the four-time All-Star. He fi nished 12
points on 3-of-14 shooting, had two rebounds
and four turnovers.
“I want to say I am sorry
for the way handled the
press conference. I know
not everybody that was
there is here. But I was rude
and inappropriate, and I
just want to say I apologize
for it ... I got an earful from
my mom. That’s how I was
raised and I appreciate you
guys for understanding.”
— Marcus Mariota
The Tennessee Titans QB start-
ed his media availability on
Wednesday by apologizing for
being short with media during
Sunday’s press conference follow-
ing the 12-7 loss to Arizona.
Seahawks add depth at LB,
place OL Aboushi in IR
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — With concerns
about depth at linebacker, the Seattle Seahawks
have promoted linebacker Paul Dawson off
their practice squad and placed offensive
lineman Oday Aboushi on
injured reserve.
The Seahawks made the
roster moves Wednesday before
beginning preparations for Sunday’s matchup
against the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle is uncer-
tain of the status of linebackers Bobby Wagner
(hamstring) and K.J. Wright (concussion).
Dawson was a third-round pick of the
Bengals in 2015. He played 13 games in his
fi rst two seasons before signing on to Seattle’s
practice squad in November.
Aboushi started eight games for Seattle at
right guard before suffering a season-ending
shoulder injury in Week 11 against Atlanta.
Rookie Ethan Pocic has fi lled in at the position.
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1986 — Dan Marino of
the Miami Dolphins sets an
NFL record with the seventh
400-yard game of his career
as he passes for 403 yards and
fi ve touchdowns in an overtime
victory over the Los Angeles
Rams.
1997 — The New York
Jets equal the NFL mark for
greatest turnaround in modern
NFL history with their 31-0
victory over Tampa Bay. The
Jets, 1-15 last season, post their
ninth win of the season.
2008 — Oakland becomes
the fi rst team to lose at least 11
games in six straight seasons
after their 49-26 loss to New
England.
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