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Tuesday, March 1, 2022
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TROPHY HUNTING
A10
hermiston
rallies to
knock off
everett
simmons hits shot
at the buzzer to keep
Bulldogs alive
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
cimmiyotti, Joe sherman and Brock hisler,
along with junior Tucker ashbeck and sopho-
more Landon Mitchell, but they also have talent
on the bench that rotates in.
heppner has outscored opponents 63-42
this season, and prides itself on its defense.
The Mustangs don’t have a lot of height, which
might make Thursday’s game interesting, but
they have plenty of weapons.
“We have done what we have had to do to
get to this point,” rosenbalm said. “There are
some personnel issues we might be able to take
advantage of. We have some 6-1, 6-2 kids who
play bigger than what they are. We are quick
across the board and can throw some different
schemes out on the floor. They are going to have
to rotate their defense and maybe we can take
advantage.”
Knapp coach Paul Isom said they will not
take the Mustangs for granted.
“heppner seems like a really good team,”
said Isom, a 2007 Knappa graduate who played
on the Loggers’ third-place state team in 2007.
“I have watched them a couple of times, and it
seems like they always have a different guy who
is leading the way. also, being heppner, you
know they will be physical and athletic. Jeremy
and the staff there do a really nice job of keeping
teams off balance with their changing defenses.”
Two of Knappa’s big weapons this season
have been twin towers in seniors carter Morrill
(6-7) and Logan Morrill (6-9). Logan starts for
the Loggers, while Carter comes off the bench.
Forward Brandon Gale, is deadly from
3-point range, Drew Miller is the off guard,
while guards shane McMahan and Tanner Jack-
son control the flow of the game out front.
“similar to heppner, we are a really balanced
team offensively,” Isom said. “Our calling card
eVereTT, Wash. — Fresh-
man Izzy simmons scored 12
of her 16 points in the fourth
quarter — including the
game-winner at the buzzer — as
hermiston rallied to beat everett
53-51 in a 3a regional basketball
game saturday, Feb. 26, at ever-
ett community college.
“I’m going to start calling
them the cardiac Kids,” herm-
iston coach Jay ego said. “They
have no give up in them. everett
is a good team and their length
really caused us trouble. They
started 5-5, 5-11, 5-11, 5-10 and
6-1 players. someone asked us if
we were a soccer team.”
hermiston (16-10) will play
Kelso at 3:45 p.m. on March 2
at the Tacoma dome in a state
loser-out game. The winner will
advance to the final eight.
It’s the first Hardwood Clas-
sic appearance for hermiston,
who joined the Washington
Interscholastic activities asso-
ciation in 2018.
everett, which hasn’t been
to the state tournament in more
than 25 years, finished its season
12-8.
The Bulldogs trailed 33-41
heading into the fourth quar-
ter, where they outscored the
seagulls 20-10.
hermiston trailed by seven
points with 5 minutes left in the
game, but pulled with 49-47
down the stretch.
ella sylvester scored to give
the seagulls a 51-49 lead with
1:47 to go, but simmons scored
a game-tying layup with 30
seconds left to even the score.
With 13.8 seconds left on the
clock, everett turned the ball
over and the Bulldogs went to
work.
hermiston brought the ball
up the court, and with time
running out, dri coleman
drove the lane but did not have
a shot. she kicked the ball out to
simmons, who drove the key for
a layup as time expired.
“It was really exciting,”
simmons said. “This has never
happened to a hermiston team
before. We are headed to the
Tacoma dome. We are proving
everyone wrong who said we
couldn’t do it. We like to make
things exciting.”
Though she is just a fresh-
man, simmons said she is
adjusting to be a team leader.
“It’s like a dream,” she
said. “I never thought I’d be
in this position, or getting the
game-winning shot, or being the
one who leads us to the Tacoma
dome. It’s amazing.”
The seagulls led 17-13 after
the first quarter, but extended
their lead to 29-19 at the half.
“We trailed the whole game
until it was zeros,” ego said.
See State, Page A11
See Bulldogs, Page A11
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File
LEFT: Heppner’s Caden George (3) puts up a shot during the first half Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, as the Mustangs defeated the Bandon Loggers 62-49 in the
first round of the Oregon School Activities Association 2A State Tournament at Heppner High School. Heppner on Thursday, March 3, plays Knappa in
the 2A state basketball tournament in Pendleton. RIGHT: Stanfield’s Maggie Sharp (21) drives toward the basket Feb. 1, 2022, on the way to defeating the
Enterprise Outlaws 40-31 in Stanfield. The Tigers on Thursday, March 3, play No. 1 Salem Academy in the 2A state basketball tournament in Pendleton.
Heppner boys, Stanfield girls go to state
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
P
eNdLeTON — The 2a state
basketball tournament will
invade Pendleton this week,
with two local teams among
those battling for a state title.
The heppner boys and the
stanfield girls will test their luck, starting
Thursday, March 3.
The girls’ quarterfinal games on Thurs-
day will be played at the Pendleton conven-
tion center, while the boys will be at Pendleton
high school.
Tickets for the tournament are 100% digital
and can be purchased at www.osaa.org/shop/
tickets.
The Blue Mountain conference district
champion Mustangs (21-3) will open play at
8:15 p.m. against No. 2-ranked Knappa at Pend-
leton high school.
The Loggers (25-1) are the top team out of
the Northwest League, finishing 15-0 in league
play. Their lone loss was their season opener
against Western christian on dec. 3.
“This is in our backyard,” heppner coach
Jeremy rosenbalm said. “We are up to the
challenge. These kids have been in high profile
games before. at the end of the day, they real-
ize we are in the final eight and we are playing
against an extremely talented team. Once the
ball goes up, it’s anyone’s game. They know
what it takes to get the job done. I’m excited to
go on this experience with them.”
Other games in the quarterfinals include
Kennedy vs. Western christian, east Linn
christian academy vs. Bonanza and regis vs.
salem academy.
“everybody there is good and they deserve to
be there,” rosenbalm said. “at some point, you
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File
Heppner’s David Cribbs (1) looks to pass during
the first half Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, against the
Bandon Loggers in the first round of the Or-
egon School Activities Association 2A State
Tournament at Heppner High School. Heppner
won 62-49 and on Thursday, March 3, faces
Knappa in the 2A state basketball tournament
in Pendleton.
are going to get matched up with really good
teams. We are excited to have the opportunity
to be where we are at.”
The Mustangs are led by seniors Kason
ON THE SLATE
Schedule subject to change
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
Prep girls basketball
3A state tournament: Hermiston vs.
Kelso, Tacoma Dome, 3:45 p.m.
Prep boys basketball
1A state tournament: Nixyaawii vs.
Powder Valley, Baker High School,
8:15 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 3
Prep girls basketball
1A state tournament: Nixyaawii vs.
Country Christian, Baker High School,
3:15 p.m.
1A state tournament: Echo vs. North
Douglas, Baker High School, 8:15 p.m.
2A state state tournament, Pendle-
ton Convention Center
Stanfield vs. Salem Academy, 1:30 p.m.
Gervais vs. Bandon, 3:15 p.m.
Faith Bible vs. Union, 6:30 p.m.
Lakeview vs. Central Linn, 8:15 p.m.
Prep boys basketball
3A state tournament: Umatilla vs.
Cascade Christian, North Bend High
School, 3:15 p.m.
2A state state tournament, Pendle-
ton High School
Kennedy vs. Western Christian,
1:30 p.m.
East Linn Christian Academy vs.
Bonanza, 3:35 p.m.
Regis vs. Salem Academy, 6:30 p.m.
Heppner vs. Knappa, 8:15 p.m.
College track and field
Eastern Oregon at NAIA Indoor Cham-
pionships, Brookings, South Dakota,
TBA
FRIDAY, MARCH 4
College track and field
Eastern Oregon at NAIA Indoor Cham-
pionships, Brookings, South Dakota,
TBA
College softball
Eastern Oregon at Bushnell (2), 1 p.m.
Clackamas at Blue Mountain (2), 2 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5
Prep girls basketball
1A state tournament: Nixyaawii vs.TBD
1A state tournament: Echo vs. TBD
2A state tournament: Stanfield vs. TBD
College men’s wrestling
Eastern Oregon at NAIA National
Championships, Wichita, Kansas, TBA
Prep boys basketball
1A state tournament: Nixyaawii vs.TBD
2A state tournament: Heppner vs. TBD
3A state tournament: Umatilla, vs. TBD
College track and field
Eastern Oregon at NAIA Indoor Cham-
pionships, Brookings, South Dakota,
TBA
College baseball
College of Idaho at Eastern Oregon (2),
11 a.m.
Columbia Basin at Blue Mountain (2),
11 a.m.
College softball
Eastern Oregon at Bushnell (2), 11 a.m.
Mt. Hood at Blue Mountain (2), noon
College women’s lacrosse
Eastern Oregon at Corban, 1 p.m.
SUNDAY, MARCH 6
College baseball
College of Idaho at Eastern Oregon (2),
11 a.m.
Blue Mountain at Columbia Basin (2),
11 a.m.