B2 SPORTS East Oregonian Friday, February 15, 2019 Logano and Harvick lead Ford sweeps in Daytona qualifying By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer Austin American-Statesman via AP/Ricardo B. Brazziell, File In this Jan. 15, 2019, file photo, Major League Soccer Com- missioner Don Garber announces that Austin will be an expansion franchise for the 2021 season in Austin, Texas. MLS extends commissioner Garber’s contract through 2023 NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Gar- ber’s contract has been extended by league owners for five years through 2023. Garber’s previous con- tract expired at the end of 2018. He was hired in August 1999 to succeed Doug Logan, MLS’s first commissioner. Garber, 61, spent 15 years with the NFL. He was senior vice president of its international division when he was recruited for MLS by Robert Kraft and Lamar Hunt, owners of teams in both leagues. Gar- ber was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame last year. Under his leadership, MLS has more than dou- bled in size from 12 to 27 teams and helped develop a boom in soccer stadium construction in the U.S. and Canada. MLS teams have 20 soccer specific sta- diums, up from just the one in Columbus, Ohio, when Garber joined MLS, and Minnesota’s Allianz Field opens this year. Additional stadiums are planned for Austin, Texas; Cincinnati; Colum- bus; Miami; and Nashville, Tennessee. Garber’s new deal was announced on Thursday. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano won the Day- tona 500 qualifying races in a pair of Ford sweeps that have the new Mustang posi- tioned for a strong show- ing in “The Great American Race.” Harvick won the first of the 150-mile qualifying races Thursday night that set the field for NASCAR’s showcase event. Logano used a last-lap pass for the lead in the second one. Both Harvick and Logano led podium sweeps for Ford, which this year is racing the Mustang in NASCAR’s top series. The qualifying races set the starting lineup for Sun- day’s season-opening Day- tona 500, and Ford driv- ers locked down the second through fourth rows. William Byron and Alex Bowman, in Chevrolets for Hendrick Motorsports, swept the top two spots in time trials last week and represent the youngest start- ing row in Daytona 500 his- tory. Byron is 21 and Bow- man is 25. Harvick’s victory was uneventful beyond Jim- mie Johnson’s involve- ment in his second wreck of Speedweeks. Logano, meanwhile, was fourth on the final lap when he pulled out of line to try for the win. The reigning AP Photo/John Raoux Kevin Harvick crosses the finish line to win the first of two qualifying auto races for the NASCAR Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday in Daytona Beach, Fla. NASCAR champion got a solid push from Team Pen- ske teammate Ryan Blaney to move to the front and earn his spot alongside Har- vick in Sunday’s race. “Cool to see a couple of Mustangs in victory lane already,” Logano said. “The big one’s still Sunday. It’s a confidence builder for everyone.” Logano was followed by Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola as Mustang driv- ers went 1-2-3 in both races. Harvick led Ricky Sten- house Jr. and Paul Menard in the first race for the ini- tial Ford sweep. The tally represents four different teams, with Stew- art-Haas Racing flexing its power to put Harvick, Bow- yer and Almirola up front in the Daytona 500. Stenhouse represents Roush Fenway Racing, Logano drives for Roger Penske and Menard for the Wood Brothers. All have been ordered by Ford leaders to work together and win the Day- tona 500. “Everybody at Ford Per- formance always makes it well known that they expect us to work together, do everything we can to get a blue oval in victory lane, especially the Mustang now that we’re running it,” Sten- house said. “We’re getting, I would say, pretty good at it. This is a race that they’re all circling every year for us to win.” Toyota has so far been shut out of Speedweeks as Johnson won last weekend’s exhibition race in a Hen- drick Chevrolet. The highest-starting Toy- ota drivers will be Denny Hamlin and Matt DiBened- etto in the fifth row. Parker Kligerman earned the transfer spot into the 500 during the first quali- fying race, while Brendan Gaughan earned the final slot in the 40-car field. Joey Gase and Ryan Truex both missed qualify- ing for their first Daytona 500. Harvick, meanwhile, wrecked in the first practice of the season at Daytona International Speedway. He was collected the next day in a 16-car crash triggered by Jimmie Johnson in the first race of Speedweeks. It took his third time out for Harvick to finally get it right. “We tore up so many of these superspeedway cars, it’s just good to finally bring one to victory lane,” Har- vick said. Johnson, meanwhile, ended the event facing crit- icism for another on-track incident. The seven-time cham- pion went three-wide 25 laps into the race, caus- ing Kyle Busch to spin and bringing out a caution. Johnson sent an apology through his team, but Busch was unforgiving. “Tell him I don’t want to hear it. Tell him to use his eyeballs. That’s twice in two races he’s done the same thing,” Busch said, using expletives to note that Johnson also caused a 16-car accident Sunday. Dawgs: ‘They are Huth: ‘I want this meet to be my best’ anxious to play’ Continued from Page B1 Continued from Page B1 “If we can’t play tomor- row, things will get wild,” Hermiston coach Casey Arstein said. “I’ve heard from Larry (Usher, ath- letic director) about the six scenarios. We just have to be ready to play when we can.” Weather issues can- celed the first game last Friday, then again Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Bulldogs have had regular practices, but Arstein said they are ready to play after being idle for two weeks. “They have kept a good attitude,” he said of his players, “but they are anx- ious to play.” It will be the third meeting between the Bull- dogs and Lions (11-10) this season. Hermiston (14-6) won the first meeting 72-64, and the second 64-63. The Bulldogs have had school a couple of days the Lions have not, and have been able to practice. Ken- newick has not had a for- mal practice since last Thursday. “We had a shoot-around last Friday, but that was the last time we were together,” Lions coach Bradyn Leyde said. “We are a well-rested group. We have a segment of kids who are in the gym anyway, whether it be at the Southridge Complex or they have a gym mem- bership. I think they have been getting together, but it makes a difference when you can’t be with them. It’s a little disheartening.” Kennewick beat North Central in the first round Feb. 5 to advance to play Hermiston in the semifinals. “It kinda kills the momentum,” Leyde said of the delays. If Friday’s game is played, the winner will advance to the champion- ship game against the win- ner of the Shadle Park-Mt. Spokane game at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Spokane Arena. The loser will play Kamiakin in a loser-out game Saturday at a time and location yet to be determined. Admission prices for Friday, set by the WIAA, are $7 for adults and $5 for students. Hermiston Athletics will cover the admission cost for students who want to attend the game. Natural born swimmer Before Huth took to swimming, she tried every- thing — basketball, soccer, baseball — you name it. But nothing seemed to click. “I tried all the basic sports,” she said. “I was just checking them off the list, until I got to swimming.” Huth joined the Pendle- ton Swim Association when she was 9 years old, and felt right at home. She’s been a member ever since. “I feel like I connect with the water,” she said. “I’m naturally drawn towards it.” Her family history could have something to do with that — her uncle Tracy Huth remains the No. 10 swim- mer at Oakland University in Michigan for the 1650 freestyle with a 15:53.44 time that he recorded in 1983. He was also a three- time NCAA Division II Swimmer of the Year, and won the 200- and 400-meter individual medleys all four Hermiston, which lost a 51-48 game in over- time to North Central on Feb. 5, still awaits its next opponent. The Bulldogs will play the loser of Friday’s Ken- newick-Mt. Spokane game Saturday at a time and loca- tion yet to be determined. In Friday’s other semi- final, Kamiakin is hosting North Central. court again. “When you go six or seven practices without a game, it grinds on them,” coach Zach Dong said of his team. “They’re ready to get out there and compete.” The Pendleton girls (8-11, 4-1 IMC) and boys (14-5, 4-1) are both still scheduled to face Red- mond on Friday night. The boys will stay at home, and the girls will hit the road. Both games are scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. ing hard at the PSA — and her career in the pool won’t end there. A bigger splash This fall, Huth will attend Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, seeking a degree in nurs- ing with minors in Spanish SCOREBOARD LOCAL SLATE FRIDAY, FEB. 15 Boys Basketball Nixyaawii at Old Oregon League Dis- tricts (at Baker), 2:30 p.m. Umatilla at Nyssa, 5 p.m. Mac-Hi at La Grande, 5:30 p.m. Stanfield vs. Enterprise (at Pendleton Convention Center), 6 p.m. Pendleton at Redmond, 6:30 p.m. Echo at Big Sky League Districts (at Madras) Girls Basketball Heppner vs. Enterprise (at Pendleton Convention Center), 2:45 p.m. Echo vs. Ione (at Madras), 6 p.m. Kennewick at Hermiston, 6 p.m. Redmond at Pendleton, 6:30 p.m. Stanfield vs. Union (at Pendleton Con- vention Center), 7:45 p.m. Boys Wrestling Hermiston at Mat Classic XXXI (at Tacoma), 8:30 a.m. Heppner at Districts (at Halfway), 2 p.m. Swimming Pendleton at State Championships (at Beaverton), 1:45 p.m. SATURDAY, FEB. 16 postponed, unlike their Hood River Valley games. “Still, I think there’s a high likelihood that (Fri- day’s) game could be can- celed,” Porter said. “And if we get to Monday, we’ll have five games to get in by the end of the week, somehow.” The boys have missed out on just one prac- tice over the past week, but are ready to hit the years of his college career. He also coached the wom- en’s team from 1987-1997, and was Oakland’s athletic director for seven years until he left the position in January 2014. And Huth carries on that family legacy year-round. When she’s not competing with the Bucks, she’s work- 3A Girls Bucks: ‘They’re ready to get out there and compete’ Continued from Page B1 Staff photo by Kathy Aney Pendleton swimmer Landry Huth will compete at the state championships this weekend in the 200-yard freestyle, 100- yard breaststroke and two relays. and kinesiology. Because the school doesn’t have a swim team, Huth plans to join Lew- iston’s city club team: the Lewis Clark Neptunes, which she hopes to partici- pate in all four years of her time in college. And after that, Huth wants to start a career as either a pediatric nurse or an athletic trainer for a high school or college. “Either way, you’re going to be working with kids, and I do that really, really well,” Huth said. “From the begin- ning, you need to make sure kids are happy and healthy. I want to be able to help them.” But before all of that, Huth will hit the water as a Buck for one last time in Beaverton on Friday, with finals to follow at 1 p.m. on Saturday. “This is the biggest meet of my career,” she said. “I’m hoping I can drop some time. I want this meet to be my best.” Boys Basketball Nixyaawii at Old Oregon League Dis- tricts (at Baker), 3 p.m. Heppner at Blue Mountain Conference Districts (at Pendleton Convention Cen- ter), 6 p.m. Echo at Big Sky Districts (at Madras) Girls Basketball Ione at Big Sky Districts (at Madras), noon Echo at Big Sky Districts (at Madras) Boys Wrestling Hermiston at Mat Classic XXXI (at Tacoma), 9:45 a.m. Irrigon at Burns, 9 a.m. Heppner at Districts (at Halfway), 10 a.m. Swimming Pendleton at State Championships (at Beaverton), 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18 Boys Basketball Hood River Valley at Pendleton, 4:30 p.m. Girls Basketball Pendleton at Hood River Valley, 3 p.m. NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Toronto Boston Philadelphia Brooklyn New York Southeast Charlotte Miami Orlando Washington Atlanta Central Milwaukee Indiana Detroit Chicago Cleveland W 43 37 37 30 11 W 27 26 27 24 19 W 43 38 26 14 12 L 16 21 21 29 47 L 30 30 32 34 39 L 14 20 30 44 46 Pct .729 .638 .638 .508 .190 Pct .474 .464 .458 .414 .328 Pct .754 .655 .464 .241 .207 GB — 5½ 5½ 13 31½ GB — ½ 1 3½ 8½ GB — 5½ 16½ 29½ 31½ WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest W L Pct GB Houston 33 24 .579 — San Antonio 33 26 .559 1 Dallas 26 31 .456 7 New Orleans 26 33 .441 8 Memphis 23 36 .390 11 Northwest W L Pct GB Denver 39 18 .684 — Oklahoma City 37 20 .649 2 Portland 34 23 .596 5 Utah 32 25 .561 7 Minnesota 27 30 .474 12 Pacific W L Pct GB Golden State 41 16 .719 — L.A. Clippers 32 27 .542 10 Sacramento 30 27 .526 11 L.A. Lakers 28 29 .491 13 Phoenix 11 48 .186 31 ——— Thursday’s Games Orlando 127, Charlotte 89 New York 106, Atlanta 91 New Orleans 131, Oklahoma City 122 Friday’s Games Team World vs. Team USA at Charlotte, N.C., 6 p.m. Saturday’s Games No games scheduled. Sunday’s Games 2019 NBA All-Star Game Team LeBron West vs. Team Giannis East at Charlotte, N.C., 5 p.m. Monday’s Games No games scheduled. Tuesday’s Games No games scheduled. Wednesday, Feb. 20 No games scheduled. Thursday, Feb. 21 Miami at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. Phoenix at Cleveland, 4 p.m. Portland at Brooklyn, 4:30 p.m. Boston at Milwaukee, 5 p.m. Houston at L.A. Lakers, 7:30 p.m. Sacramento at Golden State, 7:30 p.m. NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic GP W L OT Pts GF GA Tampa Bay 58 43 11 4 90 229 159 Toronto 56 35 18 3 73 200 159 Boston 57 32 17 8 72 168 148 Montreal 57 31 19 7 69 173 165 Buffalo 56 28 21 7 63 165 171 Florida 56 24 24 8 56 171 194 Detroit 58 23 28 7 53 162 190 Ottawa 57 21 31 5 47 175 208 Metropolitan GP W L OT Pts GF GA N.Y. Islanders 57 34 17 6 74 164 136 Washington 57 31 19 7 69 192 183 Columbus 56 32 21 3 67 180 170 Pittsburgh 57 30 20 7 67 196 174 Carolina 57 29 22 6 64 167 164 Philadelphia 57 26 24 7 59 167 190 N.Y. Rangers 56 24 24 8 56 159 186 New Jersey 57 21 28 8 50 164 199 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central GP W L OT Pts GF GA Winnipeg 58 36 19 3 75 199 167 Nashville 60 34 21 5 73 185 155 St. Louis 56 29 22 5 63 167 162 Dallas 57 29 23 5 63 145 146 Minnesota 57 27 25 5 59 160 167 Colorado 57 23 23 11 57 186 189 Chicago 58 24 25 9 57 190 211 Pacific GP W L OT Pts GF GA San Jose 57 34 16 7 75 210 177 Calgary 57 34 16 7 75 207 170 Vegas 58 31 23 4 66 172 162 Vancouver 58 25 26 7 57 164 182 Arizona 57 25 27 5 55 150 167 Edmonton 56 24 27 5 53 160 187 Anaheim 57 22 26 9 53 128 182 Los Angeles 56 23 28 5 51 136 171 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per confer- ence advance to playoffs. Wednesday’s Games Pittsburgh 3, Edmonton 1 Anaheim 1, Vancouver 0 Thursday’s Games N.Y. Islanders 3, Columbus 0 Florida 3, Calgary 2, SO Detroit 3, Ottawa 2 Tampa Bay 6, Dallas 0 Colorado 4, Winnipeg 1 Nashville 3, Montreal 1 Chicago 5, New Jersey 2 St. Louis 4, Arizona 0 Toronto at Vegas, 7 p.m. Vancouver at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m. Washington at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Friday’s Games N.Y. Rangers at Buffalo, 4 p.m. Edmonton at Carolina, 4:30 p.m. New Jersey at Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. Boston at Anaheim, 7 p.m. Saturday’s Games Calgary at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m. Detroit at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. St. Louis at Colorado, 12 p.m. Toronto at Arizona, 4 p.m. Ottawa at Winnipeg, 4 p.m. Edmonton at N.Y. Islanders, 4 p.m. Montreal at Tampa Bay, 4 p.m. Dallas at Carolina, 5 p.m. Columbus at Chicago, 5:30 p.m. Vancouver at San Jose, 7 p.m. Nashville at Vegas, 7 p.m. Boston at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m. Sunday’s Games N.Y. Rangers at Pittsburgh, 9:30 a.m. St. Louis at Minnesota, 12 p.m. Buffalo at New Jersey, 3 p.m. Philadelphia at Detroit, 3 p.m. Montreal at Florida, 4 p.m. Washington at Anaheim, 6 p.m.