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TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2022
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A10
Hermiston
bodybuilder
preps for
nationals
By ERICK PETERSON
East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File
Hermiston’s Izzy Simmons puts up a shot Dec. 3, 2021, during the second half against the Sunnyside Grizzlies at Hermiston High School. Sim-
mons is a freshman point guard who has been central to the Bulldogs getting off to an 8-2 record this season.
UNFORGETTABLE
Hermiston’s
Simmons is
making waves
in the MCC
See Nationals, Page A11
ON THE SLATE
Schedule subject to change
TUESDAY, JAN. 11
Prep girls bowling
Kennewick at Hermiston, 3 p.m.
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
Prep girls basketball
Hermiston at Chiawana, 5:45 p.m.
McLoughlin at Umatilla, 6 p.m.
Heppner at Riverside, 6 p.m.
Echo at Ione/Arlington, 6 p.m.
Pendleton at Walla Walla, 7:30 p.m.
H
ERMISTON — Izzy Simmons
hit the Mid-Columbia Confer-
ence basketball scene this season,
draining 3s from all over the court,
driving the lane and leaving opposing coaches
wondering, “Who’s this girl?”
Simmons is a 5-foot-7 freshman point guard
for Hermiston High School, who has helped
the Bulldogs to an 8-2 record this season.
“She has a great shot, good vision and
handles the ball well,” Kamiakin coach Lane
Schumacher said. “She has the Steph Curry
snap-it-from-anywhere release. She will be
wreaking havoc in the league for three-and-
half more years. She is fun to watch, but a
nightmare to coach against.”
So far this season, Simmons leads the
league in scoring with 19.7 points a game.
Her season high is 31 points, while her season
low is two points. She also leads the Bulldogs
with 5.1 assists, 11 rebounds and 4.1 steals per
game.
“When I fi rst saw her, I thought she was
good for a freshman,” Hermiston coach Jay
Ego said. “I don’t know what really good is
for her. She’s impressive for someone as young
as she is. She fi lls up the stat sheet and is so
unselfi sh. She will make the right play. Her
work ethic is really good too. You will never
see her showboat. She has respect for oppo-
nents, respect for her teammates, and respect
for the game.”
Simmons has grown up with a basketball
in her hands. She started playing in the second
grade, and was a star player in AAU circles.
Still she was a little surprised when Ego named
her a starter as a freshman.
“At fi rst, I was a little shocked,” Simmons
HERMISTON — Bodybuilder
Terrell Duncan is less than 15 weeks
from taking the stage in his next
competition.
Duncan is preparing for a couple
of Washington shows. The fi rst is
The Empire Classic, April 22 in
Spokane, and the next is The Emerald
Cup Bodybuilding & Fitness Expo,
which will take place April 29-30 in
Bellevue.
“I live for this stuff ,” he said. “I
love going to the gym and training
all year round.”
Both shows are National Physique
Committee national qualifi ers. As
such, top placers of these shows will
be eligible for competition at the 2022
NPC National Championships in Las
Vegas. If Duncan can win at Nation-
als, he will achieve one of his biggest
goals — becoming a pro in the Inter-
national Federation of BodyBuilding
and Fitness.
At 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 210
pounds, Duncan is working to get
down to 190 pounds, which will
make him eligible for the classic
physique division, where compet-
itors display bodies with plenty of
muscle but with a focus on symme-
Prep boys basketball
Hermiston at Chiawana, 7:30 p.m.
McLoughlin at Umatilla, 7:30 p.m.
Heppner at Riverside, 7:30 p.m.
Echo at Ione/Arlington, 7:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12
Prep girls basketball
Nixyaawii at Griswold, 6 p.m.
Prep boys basketball
Nixyaawii at Griswold, 7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, JAN. 13
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Hermiston’s Izzy Simmons drives the ball up the court Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, during the Bull-
dogs 70-69 loss to Kennewick in Hermiston.
said. “There are some seniors and juniors who
have been part of the program for a long time,
but personally, I knew I worked hard enough
to be a starter. I was ready to do what I do and
what I love. It is just a game for me, it doesn’t
matter their age or height, I just play my game.”
Part of that game is from beyond the arc.
She has made 30 3-pointers this season, and is
shooting 36.6% from behind the 3-point line.
“She’s a great little player with phenome-
nal shooting ability,” Schumacher said. “She
can shoot from 23 feet like it is a free throw.”
Simmons said she likes to create during
the game, not just sit back and launch the deep
ball.
“That’s the way I have played,” she said.
“You attack. If you can shoot you shoot or pass
it off . One of my favorite parts is being able to
shock teams that I can shoot the 3 and shoot
that far.”
Simmons let opponents know how danger-
ous she was from the opening game when she
had 26 points and 14 rebounds against Davis.
“When she opened that fi rst game, the
numbers she presented against a quality oppo-
nent on the road were pretty shocking,” Ego
said. “I have been doing this a long time, and
she is one of the best I have seen. She is an elite
shooter, there’s no doubt about it.”
Playing in the MCC is no easy chore, even
for a veteran player. Simmons said she’s glad
she has teammates to show her the way, and
together they have done good things.
“There are a lot of girls who I didn’t know
would be as good as they are,” Simmons said
of players in the MCC. “The defense is better,
and you have to be quicker shooting the ball.
I kind of underestimated them. I think they
underestimated us. I think they thought Herm-
iston was no good, but we are one of the teams
to beat.”
The Bulldogs are on their third coach in
four years, but Simmons said Ego knows his
stuff .
See Simmons, Page A11
Prep boys swimming
Hermiston at Hood River Valley, 3:15 p.m.
Prep girls bowling
Hermiston at Hanford, 3:30 p.m.
Prep girls wrestling
Kamiakin at Hermiston, 6 p.m.
Prep boys wrestling
Kamiakin at Hermiston, 7 p.m.
La Grande at Pendleton, TBD
FRIDAY, JAN. 14
Prep girls basketball
Burns at Umatilla, 5 p.m.
Ridgeview at Pendleton, 5 p.m.
Walla Walla at Hermiston, 5:45 p.m.
Baker at McLoughlin, 6 p.m.
Irrigon at Riverside, 6 p.m.
Heppner at Pilot Rock, 6 p.m.
Enterprise at Weston-McEwen, 6 p.m.
Joseph at Griswold, 6 p.m.
Nixyaawii at Cove, 6 p.m.
Echo at Klickitat/Glenwood, 6 p.m.
Ione/Arlington at Trout Lake, 6 p.m.
Grant Union at Stanfi eld, 6 p.m.
Prep boys basketball
Pendleton at Ridgeview, 6:30 p.m.
Burns at Umatilla, 6:30 p.m.
Walla Walla at Hermiston, 7:30 p.m.
Baker at McLoughlin, 7:30 p.m.
Irrigon at Riverside, 7:30 p.m.
Heppner at Pilot Rock, 7:30 p.m.
Enterprise at Weston-McEwen, 7:30 p.m.
Joseph at Griswold, 7:30 p.m.
Nixyaawii at Cove, 7:30 p.m.
Echo at Klickitat/Glenwood, 7:30 p.m.
Ione/Arlington at Trout Lake, 7:30 p.m.
Grant Union at Stanfi eld, 7:30 p.m.
SPORTS SHORT
Boise State adds transfer QB from Oregon State
Idaho Press
BOISE — Boise State has
added a quarterback to its roster,
with the Broncos announcing the
signing of Oregon State transfer
Sam Vidlak on Sunday, Jan. 9.
Vidlak was a freshman for the
Beavers this past season, playing
12 snaps during a 42-0 win against
Idaho on Sept. 18. He was 2 for 3
with eight yards in his only action
of the year.
The Applegate native was
rated as a three-star recruit by
247Sports and Scout coming out
of Hidden Valley High School. He
was the No. 4 recruit in the state of
Oregon, according to 247Sports,
and the No. 18 pro style quarter-
back nationally.
As a junior in 2019, Vidlak led
Oregon in completion percent-
age (76.7), passing yards (3,404)
and touchdowns (44), earning
All-State Off ensive Player of the
Year honors. He led the Mustangs
to their first state title game
appearance in 41 years, where
he set state title game records
in completions (39) and pass-
ing yards (479) in a 41-34 loss to
Santiam Christian.
The addition of Vidlak gives
Boise State added depth in the
quarterback room after backup
Jack Sears transferred last month.
Hank Bachmeier fi gures to be the
opening day starter for the fourth
straight season, but after that the
Broncos will be young in the posi-
tion. Redshirt freshman Andy
Peters appeared in one game for
the Broncos in 2020, while true
freshman Taylen Green appeared
in two games this fall.
Boise State also has freshmen
Colton Fitzgerald and Colt Fulton
on its roster and signed Maddux
Madsen during the early signing
period.
Sean Meagher/The Oregonian, File
Oregon State University quarterback Sam Vidlak reads the fi eld as the
Beavers hold their 2021 Spring Game on May 8, 2021, at Reser Stadium
in Corvallis. Vidlak has signed to play for Boise State University.