Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 2019)
E AST O REGONIAN SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2019 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS | FACEBOOK.COM/EOSPORTS B1 Bowl eligibility looms large when Cougars host Beavers “We don’t need any extra moti- vation for this game,” Smith said. “It feels better to be end of the year playing for something.” The Cougars (5-5, 2-5 Pac-12) have a fi ve-game winning streak over Oregon State but the Beavers are the hotter team. Oregon State (5-5, 4-3) is coming off a 35-34 win over Arizona State at home and has won three of its past four games. The Beavers are having their best season since 2014 under second-year coach Smith. Washington State, meanwhile, had lost fi ve of its previous six before routing Stanford. By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS Associated Press PULLMAN, Wash. — The winner between Oregon State and Washington State on Saturday will become eligible to continue playing into the postseason, and one Cougar is guaranteeing it will be his team. Running back Max Borghi made the prediction after Washing- ton State’s win last weekend over Stanford. “We just gotta carry it into next week and have a great week of prac- tice and prepare for Oregon State because we’re going bowling, guar- anteeing that, because we’re gonna win next week,” said Borghi, who leads the Pac-12 with 6.9 yards per carry and has 60 receptions to lead all running backs nationally. Cougars coach Mike Leach said he wasn’t much for predictions. “We need to focus on our job,” AP Photo/Steve Dykes Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton reacts as time runs out in the team’s NCAA college football game against Arizona State in Corvallis on Nov. 16, 2019. Oregon State won 35-34. Leach said. “If he does a good job of focusing on his job our chances are better.” Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith said he didn’t take Borghi’s comment that seriously. Hot QBs Both teams feature quarterbacks having outstanding seasons. Washington State’s Anthony Gordon leads the nation in pass- ing yards (4,314), passing yards per game (431) and touchdown passes Pirates, Vikings dominate Eastern Oregon League honors Altamirano (39). The senior, in his only year as a starter, has thrown for 400 or more yards in eight games. His 39 touch- down passes broke the team season record of 38 set by Luke Falk and Gardner Minshew. Gordon also has seven receivers with at least 30 catches this season. “It’s been a challenge to get to their quarterback,” Smith said. “They’re not giving up a lot of sacks. And you’ve still got to account for the ground game.” Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton has thrown for 2,306 yards, with 23 touchdowns against only two interceptions. His favorite tar- get is Isaiah Hodgins, who has 73 receptions for 1,021 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns. “Big, strong arm. Fires the ball,” Leach said in describing Luton. “He’s key in elevating their offense.” See Beavers, Page B2 Hermiston has 5 earn MCC cross-country honors Junior Amanda Nygard picks up fi rst-team honors Avalos By ANNIE FOWLER East Oregonian L. Burres P. Burres Cardenas Diaz Durfey Monreal would go on to be crowned the 3A/2A/1A state champions. It was the second season in a row that the Pirates fell in a quarterfi nals matchup. “I felt really good about our season’s per- formance,” said Velasco, who was selected as the EOL’s Coach of the Year. “Even though we lost to the champions, I believe we played a really good game against them.” The Umatilla Vikings, who were right behind the Pirates at No. 2 in the league standings, outnumber Riverside in fi rst-team selections with fi ve. Senior forward Patty Burres, junior forward Devina Monreal, sophomore forward Taylor Durfey, senior defender Lizzy Burres, and junior goalkeeper HERMISTON — Hermiston junior Amanda Nygard was named to the Mid-Columbia Conference cross-country fi rst team, while team- mate Cydney Sanchez was named to the honorable mention team. Runners must compete in both MCC regular-sea- son meets to be considered for the fi rst and second teams. Sanchez did not run in the fi rst Nygard race because of an injury. Sanchez, a soph- omore, who placed 30th at the 3A state meet last month, ran a personal best 19 minutes, 19 sec- Sanchez onds at the MCC/ GSL District 8 Championships, placing seventh. Nygard, who was 55th at the 3A state meet, had a personal best of 19:29.3 on Sept. 21 at the Brooks Fort Steilacoom Invitational. Ella Nelson of Walla Walla, Ger- aldine Correa of Kennewick, and Natalie Ruzauskas of Richland were named Runners of the Year, while Kennewick’s Josh Eerkes was named coach of the Year. Sanchez and Nygard will return next season, along with the rest of the girls team. “We are not losing anyone,” Hermiston coach Troy Blackburn said. “We will have another solid year of training, and good fresh- men coming in. We talked about the future, and they are super focused.” On the boys team, Hermiston See EOL, Page B2 See Cross-country, Page B2 Staff photo by Kathy Aney, File Pacheco Vazquez Marisol Pacheco, of Riverside, makes a kick on goal during an Eastern Oregon League match against the Nyssa Bulldogs on Oct. 26, 2019. Irrigon freshman Caren Cardenas also a fi rst-team selection By BRETT KANE East Oregonian B OARDMAN — Marisol Pacheco scored a team-high 18 goals on the season, with 12 assists, and helped the River- side girls soccer team to eight shutouts along the way. It’s only natural that the Eastern Ore- gon league would name the Pirates’ soph- omore forward as their all-conference Player of the Year. “She’s always the fi rst one to get to the fi eld,” Riverside head coach Carlos Velasco said of Pacheco. “She’s always the fi rst per- son to be ready. She’s always on it. It’s really nice to have a player like her on the team. She’s always talking to her team and moti- vating them. Sometimes, it’s tough for some players, but she’s a natural.” Three of Pacecho’s teammates — senior defender Bianca Avalos, junior defender Jaylene Altamirano, and junior midfi elder Cinthya Diaz — joined her on this season’s EOL all-conference honors. The Pirates (12-3-2, 7-0-1 EOL) fi nished the year as league champions and made a run at the state title, falling 5-0 in the quar- terfi nals to the Catlin Gabel Eagles, who SPORTS SHORTS Yankees plan to not pay $26 million owed Ellsbury By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK — The Yankees plan to not pay Jacoby Ellsbury the remaining $26 million due under his contract, contending he violated the deal by getting unau- thorized medical treatment. New York general manager sent a letter to Ellsbury and his agent, Scott Boras, informing them the team converted his con- tract to a nonguaranteed deal, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Fri- day. The person spoke on condi- tion of anonymity because the team had not made any public statements. Ellsbury has not played since 2017 and was released by the Yan- kees on Wednesday. According to the person who spoke with the AP, the Yankees said he was treated by Dr. Viktor Bouquette of Progressive Medi- cal Center in Atlanta without the team’s permission. Ellsbury is owed more than $26.2 million as part of his $153 million, seven-year contract: more than $21.1 million for the fi nal guaranteed season plus a $5 million buyout of a $21 million team option for 2021. If Ellsbury is not paid, nearly $21.9 million would come off the Yankees’ lux- ury-tax payroll next year. In this Aug. 30, 2017, fi le photo, New York Yankees’ Jacoby Ellsbury reacts after grounding out to end the sixth inning in the fi rst game of the baseball team’s doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium in New York. AP Photo/Bill Kostroun, File
