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Next stop Blue Mountain
hermiston
standout Gavin
hunter signs with
BMCC baseball
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
hErMisTON — Blue
Mountain Communit y
College baseball coach
Brad Baker has found that
recommendations from his
former players are a valu-
able recruiting tool.
Baker got word from
for mer player Kaden
Enriques that Gavin hunter
of hermiston was worth a
look, and he wasn’t wrong.
“he came for a tryout
and had a good workout,”
Baker said of hunter, who
signed his letter of intent on
Monday, april 19. “i talked
to the coach at hermiston
(Kevin Moore), and he had
nothing but good things to
say about Gavin.”
hunter took a campus
visit and had a workout
with the Timberwolves two
weeks ago. he instantly felt
comfortable with the team
and the school.
“it’s a nice small, local
campus,” hunter said.
“They want to get a winning
culture going on over there,
and i want to be part of that.”
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Hermiston’s Gavin Hunter (0) tags out Walla Walla’s Will
Kytola (11) as Kytola slides into second base during a game
against the Walla Walla Blue Devils on April 16, 2021.
hunter, who plays second
base and pitches for the Bull-
dogs, said Baker talked to
him about possibly moving
to third base.
hunter is hitting .333 this
season, but it’s his defense
that makes him valuable.
“he is my best defensive
player,” Moore said. “he
is pretty smooth. i’ll put
him up against anybody,
that’s how confident I am in
Gavin. i’m ecstatic for him
going to the next level. he’s
just a baseball kid and i’m
glad coach Baker is giving
him a roster spot. he will
be a good addition to the
Timberwolves program.”
The Bulldogs have strug-
gled this season, but hunter
is confident they can turn
things around.
“We just need to clean
things up in the field,” he
said. “We get ahead of
ourselves. We commit one
or two errors and we put
our heads down instead of
getting back in the game.”
hunter has played base-
ball since T-ball. he played
in the hermiston little
league organization, and
once he got to the ameri-
can legion level, he started
playing on teams in the
Tri-Cities in Washington.
he played for the rich-
land rattlers the summer
between eighth grade and
his freshman year of high
school.
he now is in his second
year with the hanford
Flames.
“it’s a blast playing out
there,” hunter said of the
Flames. “There’s a lot of
travel, but it’s worth it.”
Moore applauds hunt-
er’s decision to play summer
ball for a highly competitive
team.
“i’ve really enjoyed
watching Gavin grow as
a baseball player,” Moore
said. “he’s taken baseball
knowledge and used it to his
strengths. Gavin has gotten
stronger over the past three
years. he’s more disciplined
at the plate, he is starting to
get pitches he can hit hard,
and he’s working the count
to his favor.”
Two of hunter’s hanford
Flames teammates — Cole
Cramer and Matt Carlson —
also will play at BMCC.
“at least i will know a
couple of guys,” hunter said.
“i won’t feel completely
alone.”
With the COVid-19
pandemic shifting sports
around, the start of legion
ball is less than a month
away.
“They start May 15,”
hunter said. “i will get one
week of down time between
high school and there, then
a few weeks off before fall
ball at college.”
pendleton’s liscom earns top football honor
Three Bucks
named to
5a-special
District 1 first
team
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
pENdlETON — pendle-
ton’s Kyle liscom was named
the 5a-special district 1
defensive player of the year
by a vote of the conference
coaches.
A junior, Liscom finished
the season with 85 tackles in
six games. he was a unani-
mous selection at linebacker.
“it’s very well-deserved,”
pendleton coach Erik davis
said. “When he led us as a
sophomore in tackles, that is
unheard of. he has a nose for
the football, a high football iQ
and is as tough as can be. it
all stems from hard work and
getting his body ready. he is
a special talent. i’m excited
to have him back for another
year.”
5A-SPECIAL DISTRICT 1 ALL-CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM
PENDLETON PLAYERS
FIRST TEAM
Linebacker — Kyle Liscom, jr. Center —
Clayson Cooley, so. Safety — Tyasin Burns, sr.
SECOND TEAM
Running back — Tyasin Burns, sr. Zaanan
Bane, sr. Wide receiver — Payton Lambert,
so. Defensive line — Blake Swanson, sr.
Isaac Urbina, sr. Linebacker — Sam Cole-
man, sr. Cornerback — Zaanan Bane, sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Wide receiver — Collin Primus, jr. Offensive
tackle — Jacob Griffin, jr. Defensive line —
Tre Williams, jr. Linebacker — David Welch,
sr. Cornerback — Gabe Browning, jr.
THURSDAY, APRIL 22
Prep softball
Echo/Stanfield at Riverside, 4 p.m.
Prep track and field
Pendleton, Crook County at Ridgeview,
3 p.m.
Weston-McEwen, Pilot Rock, Umatilla,
Heppner at Prairie City, 4 p.m.
Riverside at Don Walker Invite, Nyssa,
TBD
Prep boys tennis
LOCAL STANDINGS
Through games played April 21
MEN’S COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
CASCADE COLLEGIATE
CONFERENCE
Team
League Overall
Corban
6-2
11-3
Oregon Tech
6-2
6-2
Bushnell
5-5
5-5
Warner Pacific
3-3
5-6
Southern Oregon
3-3
3-3
Eastern Oregon
3-5
7-7
Multnomah
0-6
1-22
#-Lewis-Clark State
0-0
22-2
#-Northwest
0-0
4-3
#-College of Idaho
0-0
8-9
Note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, Ever-
green and Walla Walla have elected to
opt out of the 2020-21 season.
#-Teams that have opted out of Spring
Conference schedule
NWAC EAST DIVISION
Team
North Idaho
Big Bend
Columbia Basin
Treasure Valley
Wenatchee Valley
Walla Walla
Yakima Valley
Blue Mountain
Spokane
League Overall
3-0
3-0
1-0
1-1
2-1
3-1
2-1
2-1
2-1
2-1
1-1
1-1
0-1
0-1
0-3
0-3
0-3
0-3
WOMEN’S COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
CASCADE COLLEGIATE
CONFERENCE
Team
League Overall
z-Bushnell
9-1
11-2
Eastern Oregon
6-2
12-4
Warner Pacific
3-5
7-7
Corban
4-4
7-4
Oregon Tech
2-4
2-4
Multnomah
0-8
0-15
#-Lewis-Clark State
0-0
14-6
#-Northwest
0-0
6-3
#-College of Idaho
0-0
4-14
Note: Due to COVID-19 concerns, Ever-
green, Southern Oregon and Walla Walla
have elected to opt out of the 2020-21
season.
z-spring season champions
#-Teams that have opted out of Spring
Conference schedule
NWAC EAST DIVISION
Team
Big Bend
Treasure Valley
North Idaho
Walla Walla
Wenatchee Valley
Columbia Basin
Spokane
Blue Mountain
Yakima Valley
League Overall
4-0
4-0
2-0
2-0
0-0
0-0
2-1
2-1
2-1
2-1
1-2
1-2
0-2
0-2
0-3
0-3
0-2
0-2
averaged 24.6
points a game.
“i’m really
p r o u d of
him,” davis
said. “For our
kids to get
recognized is
Liscom
important.”
all told, the Bucks had 13
players earn honors.
“We nominate the kids and
the other coaches vote,” davis
said.
“it’s hard this year, not
everyone played everybody.
it’s hard when you don’t get to
see other players. i think you
play a full season, and play
everybody, i think you get a
Cooley
Weston-McEwen at McLoughlin, 3 p.m.
Prep girls tennis
Weston-McEwen at McLoughlin, 3 p.m.
College baseball
Blue Mountain at Big Bend (2), 1 p.m.
FRIDAY, APRIL 23
Prep baseball
Kamiakin at Hermiston (2), 4 p.m.
Pendleton at La Grande, 4:30 p.m.
Dufur/South Wasco County at River-
side (2), 2 p.m.
Umatilla at Lyle/Wishram/Klickitat/
Trout Lake (2), 3 p.m.
Joseph/Enterprise/Wallowa/Elgin at
Heppner/Ione (2), 2 p.m.
Stanfield/Echo at Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/
Ukiah (2), 2 p.m.
Prep softball
Chiawana at Hermiston (2), 3 p.m.
Heppner/Ione at Umatilla (2), 1 p.m.
Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii at Union/Cove
(2), 3 p.m.
Prep track and field
Ione at Jeff Agar Memorial Invite, Rear-
dan, Wash., 3 p.m.
1-0-1
1-0-1
1-2-1
0-2-0
0-1-0
0-0-0
NWAC EAST DIVISION
Team
Walla Walla
Spokane
Blue Mountain
Columbia Basin
North Idaho
Yakima Valley
Treasure Valley
Wenatchee Valley
League Overall
3-1-1
3-1-1
2-0-1
2-0-1
2-2-0
2-2-0
2-2-0
2-2-0
1-2-0
1-2-0
1-2-0
1-2-0
0-2-0
0-2-0
0-0-0
0-0-0
PREP BASEBALL
5A INTERMOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
Team
Pendleton
The Dalles
Ridgeview
Hood River Valley
Redmond
Crook County
League Overall
3-0
3-1
1-0
1-2
1-1
1-2
1-2
2-2
0-1
0-1
0-2
0-3
4A/3A MID-COLUMBIA
Team
Richland
Kamiakin
Chiawana
Kennewick
Walla Walla
Hanford
Southridge
Hermiston
Pasco
League Overall
6-1
6-1
6-3
6-3
5-2
5-2
4-3
4-3
4-3
4-3
4-5
4-5
3-4
3-4
3-6
3-6
0-8
0-8
3A SPECIAL DISTRICT 5
Team
Vale
Burns
Wallowa Valley
Riverside
Umatilla
Irrigon
Nyssa
League Overall
2-1
2-2
1-1
2-1
0-0
2-0
0-0
2-2
0-0
2-3
0-0
1-1
0-1
0-3
2A/1A SPECIAL DISTRICT 7
Team
League Overall
Sherman/Arlington/
Condon
3-1
3-1
Heppner/Ione
1-0
4-0
Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/
Ukiah
1-2
1-2
Stanfield/Echo
0-0
2-2
Grant Union/Prairie City 0-0
0-1
Weston-McEwen
0-0
0-1
Union/Cove
0-0
0-2
Lyle/Wishram/Klickitat/
Trout Lake
0-2
1-3
Adrian
0-0
0-0
Dufur/South Wasco Co. 0-0
0-0
Glenwood
0-0
0-0
CASCADE COLLEGIATE
CONFERENCE
5A INTERMOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE
Team
League Overall
z-Lewis-Clark State
23-1
31-3
Corban
14-14
15-25
Oregon Tech
12-12
17-21
College of Idaho
11-17
19-24
Eastern Oregon
4-20
4-24
z-clinched CCC regular-season champi-
onship, tournament host
League Overall
4-0
11-3
7-1
7-1
3-1
7-5
4-2
4-2
1-3
2-6
1-3
1-3
1-5
1-7
1-7
1-7
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
1-0-1
1-0-1
2-2-1
0-3-0
0-1-0
0-0-0
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
SOCCER
PREP SOFTBALL
Team
Spokane
Yakima Valley
Columbia Basin
Treasure Valley
Big Bend
Walla Walla
Blue Mountain
Wenatchee Valley
Burns
Spokane
Wenatchee Valley
Columbia Basin
North Idaho
Treasure Valley
Walla Walla
COLLEGE BASEBALL
NWAC EAST DIVISION
also earning first-team
honors were senior Tyasin
Burns at safety and sopho-
more center Clayson Cooley.
Burns, who goes to school
at Nixyaawii, was a unani-
mous selection by the coaches.
he also earned second-team
honors as a running back.
“Tyasin, in my mind, is
a first-team running back,”
Davis said. “But it’s his first
year at pendleton, and you
don’t see everyone. We know
how valuable he was to us. he
proved himself on the defen-
sive side of the ball.”
The 5-foot-9, 200-pound
Cooley was an integral part
of the Bucks’ offense that
Team
League Overall
Pendleton
3-0
4-0
Ridgeview
3-0
4-0
The Dalles/Dufur/
Sherman/Wasco Co.
2-1
3-1
Crook County
1-2
1-3
Hood River Valley
0-3
0-4
Redmond
0-3
0-4
4A/3A MID-COLUMBIA
Team
Kamiakin
Walla Walla
Kennewick
Richland
Chiawana
Hanford
Hermiston
Southridge
Pasco
League Overall
7-3
7-3
6-1
6-1
6-3
6-3
5-3
5-3
3-4
3-4
3-4
3-4
3-6
3-6
2-5
2-5
0-7
0-7
3A SPECIAL DISTRICT 2
few more kids with recogni-
tion.”
la salle quarterback ryan
rosumey was named the
conference’s Offensive Player
of the year, while henry
Buckles out of hood river
Valley was the lineman of
the year, and redmond’s seth
Womack was named Coach of
the year.
ON THE SLATE
Times subject to change
A9
Enterprise, Griswold, Heppner, Pilot
Rock, Stanfield/Echo, Umatilla at
Weston-McEwen, 3 p.m.
Prep boys golf
Heppner at Imbler, 10 a.m.
Prep girls golf
Heppner at Imbler, 10 a.m.
Men’s college basketball
Blue Mountain at Spokane, 7:30 p.m.
Women’s college basketball
Blue Mountain at Spokane, 5:30 p.m.
CASCADE COLLEGIATE
CONFERENCE
Team
League Overall
x-Southern Oregon
20-1
38-2
x-College of Idaho
18-3
30-12
x-Oregon Tech
16-5
32-6
x-Corban
14-7
22-16
Warner Pacific
9-12
17-18
Carroll
7-14
12-26
Eastern Oregon
7-14
12-26
Bushnell
5-16
8-30
Northwest
5-16
6-24
Providence
4-17
4-23
x-clinched playoff berth
NWAC EAST DIVISION
Team
Big Bend
North Idaho
Walla Walla
Wenatchee Valley
Columbia Basin
Treasure Valley
Yakima Valley
Spokane
Blue Mountain
League Overall
2-0
2-4
9-1
10-1
6-3
6-3
3-3
4-4
2-2
2-2
2-6
3-10
1-3
2-4
0-7
0-8
0-0
0-0
COLLEGE MEN’S
SOCCER
NWAC EAST DIVISION
Team
Blue Mountain
League Overall
2-0-1
2-0-1
Team
Burns
Nyssa
Wallowa Valley
Riverside
Umatilla
Vale
Crane
Irrigon
League Overall
2-0
4-0
1-0
1-3
1-1
2-1
0-0
1-2
0-0
0-3
0-3
0-4
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
2A/1A-SD6 SPECIAL DISTRICT 6
Team
League Overall
Union/Cove
4-0
4-0
Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii
0-0
4-0
Stanfield/Echo
0-2
0-2
Weston-McEwen
0-2
0-3
Adrian
0-0
0-0
Elgin
0-0
0-0
Grant Union/Prairie City 0-0
0-0
Heppner/Ione
0-0
0-0
PREP BOYS SOCCER
4A/3A MID-COLUMBIA
Team
Richland
Pasco
Chiawana
Kamiakin
Hermiston
Kennewick
Southridge
Hanford
Walla Walla
League Overall
5-0-0
6-0–0
4-0-0
5-1-0
5-2-0
5-2-0
3-2-0
4-2-0
4-3-0
4-3-0
2-4-0
3-4-0
1-4-0
1–6-0
1-5-0
1-6-0
0-5-0
0-6-0
SPORTS SHORT
Oregon to allow indoor, full-contact sports despite surge
Associated Press
pOrTlaNd — state offi-
cials say despite a four th
surge and rising numbers of
patients hospitalized because of
COVid-19, Oregon Gov. Kate
Brown will ease restrictions by
allowing “indoor full-contact
sports” to restart by the end of
the week.
The Oregonian/Oregonlive
reports the governor’s office and
the Oregon health authority
said the move is in recognition of
“the importance of athletics for
the physical and mental health
of Oregon’s youth athletes,”
although the loosened restric-
tions also apply to adults.
low-contact indoor sports
already were permitted, but the
new rules for the first time since
spring 2020 will allow Orego-
nians of all ages to engage in
indoor basketball, cheerleading,
wrestling and water polo, among
other sports.
Over the past month, new
daily cases have increased about
150%, including 55% in the past
two weeks.
That’s faster than the national
average, with new cases rising in
the united states 4% in the past
two weeks.
The number of hospitalized
patients in Oregon also has
jumped from 106 people a month
ago to 255 on Tuesday, april 20,
roughly a 140% increase. in
the past two weeks, Oregon’s
number of COVid-19 patients
have grown by 49%, compared
with the national average of 10%.
Faith Shurtz,
14, flies
through the air
while per-
forming with
Weston-McEw-
en cheerleaders
during a girls
basketball
game against
McLoughlin on
Dec. 6, 2019.
Ben Lonergan/East
Oregonian, File