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B1
Local players, coaches named to Shrine game
Annual game
now includes
5A players
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Erik
Davis believes there is more
to football than Xs and Os.
The Pendleton coach looked
not only for talent when draft-
ing this year’s East team for the
70th annual East-West Shrine
Game, but players with good
character.
“You want a true repre-
sentation from the diff erent
levels,” Davis said. “We want
top-end character kids. We
want to push that. We will
coach football and have a good
time, but being good humans
and understanding why you
Browning
Burnette
Davis
Hansell
Hisler
White
EAST-WEST SHRINE GAME
East Roster
Coaches: Erik Davis, Pendleton; Steve
Stebbins, South Umpqua; Kenzie Hansell,
Weston-McEwen.
Team: Reece Dixon, Powder Valley; Conley
Martin, Adrian; Gunner Yates, Coquille; Brock
Hisler, Heppner; Gavin Patterson, Lakeview;
Justin Hodge, Grant Union; Carter Burnette,
Stanfi eld; Cooper Lang, Bandon; Theo White,
Weston-McEwen; Tanner Steele, Vale; Thomas
Mentes, Southerlin; Austin Waits, Cascade
Christian; Camp Lacouture, Siuslaw; Teagan
De Forest, La Pine; Stephen Machin, La Pine;
Jackson Risinger, Santiam Christian; Kade
Johnson, South Umpqua; Cole Jorgensen, La
Grande; Jazeon Hammick, Gladstone; Gauge
Bloomer, Baker; Tulson Higgins, Henley; Jake
Behrman, Estacada; Nate Tramp, Maza-
ma; Joey Comyford, North Valley; Trenton
Hughes, Hood River Valley; Caden Lasater,
Crater; Gabe Robles, Redmond; Gabe Brown-
ing, Pendleton; Brycen Thomas, Churchill;
Ryan Asplund, Ridgeview.
Local alternates: Conor Brosnan, Hep-
pner; Taylor Rollins, Ione/Arlington; Kason
Cimmiyotti, Heppner; Aiden Gunter, Pendle-
ton; Blane Peal, Weston-McEwen; Jace Coe,
Heppner.
NWAC EAST
are here is important. If they
buy in, the winning takes care
of itself.”
The game, set for Aug. 6
at Baker High School, will
feature four players from area
schools: Brock Hisler from
Heppner, Carter Burnette of
Stanfi eld, Theo White from
Weston-McEwen and Gabe
Browning of Pendleton.
While the Shrine Game has
showcased players from the
1A to the 4A level in the past,
this year it broadened its hori-
zons to include players from
the 5A level.
“Kids from Adrian get
to hang out with kids from
Pendleton,” Davis said. “This
allows them to experience
things they generally don’t
get to. The team that comes
together at the end, generally
wins the game.”
Hisler, who earned Blue
Mountain Conference honors
at running back and line-
backer, also was named the 2A
Defensive Back of the Year,
which includes linebackers
and defensive backs.
Hisler ran for 1,153 yards
and 12 touchdowns for the
Mustangs, who lost in the 2A
state semifi nals to Coquille.
He also had 97 tackles and
three fumble recoveries.
Browning, who was a
fi rst team Northwest Oregon
Conference East selection at
defensive back, earned 5A
second team all-state honors.
He fi nished the season with
fi ve interceptions to lead all
5A players.
White was a first team
BMC receiver and defensive
lineman. He also earned 2A
all-state honors at both posi-
See Shrine, Page B2
GRISWOLD TRACK
Porter takes over
His family has left
a lasting legacy at
the high school
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian, File
Blue Mountain’s Chad Napoleon (24) puts up a shot in the
fi rst half Feb. 23, 2022, during BMCC’s 96-92 victory over
Walla Walla Community College in Pendleton.
BMCC’s Napoleon
earns top honors
Women’s team
has 3 players
garner awards
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Blue
Mou nt ai n Com mu n it y
College freshman Chad
Napoleon was selected to the
Northwest Athletic Confer-
ence East fi rst team, and he
was named Freshman of the
Year by the region coaches.
“He is very deserving of
this award and I am proud
and excited for him,” BMCC
men’s basketball coach Doug
Baxter said in a news release.
“I am really excited to see him
develop over the off season to
help get us to the NWAC tour-
nament next season.”
Napoleon is the first
BMCC men’s basketball
player to earn an NWAC
postseason award since Dedi
Seme in 2017-18.
A 6-foot-5 center/forward
from Delray Beach, Flor-
ida, Napoleon started all
25 games for the Timber-
wolves. He averaged 25
points and 8.4 rebounds per
game. He also shot 57.4%
from the floor and 74.3%
NWAC EAST MEN
Player of the Year: Isaac
Jones, so., Wenatchee
Valley
Freshman of the Year:
Chad Napoleon, Blue
Mountain
Defensive Player of the
Year: Isaac Jones, so.,
Wenatchee Valley
Coach of the Year: Jere-
my Harden, Wenatchee
Valley
First Team: Chad Napo-
leon, fr., Blue Mountain; Ty-
ler Kurtz, fr., Columbia Ba-
sin; Julius Mims, so., North
Idaho; Quentin Raynor,
so., Yakima Valley; Jander
Cline, so., Walla Walla.
from the free-throw line.
“Chad has worked
extremely hard to get where
he is,” Baxter said. “He has
a big personality that really
carried over into our play
this season, and he brings a
level of passion and competi-
tion that brings out the best in
every player. Chad plays with
the love and passion for the
game that any coach wants to
see in a player, and is a great
See BMCC, Page B2
H
ELIX — Doc Porter knew
he wanted to work with a
high school track program
when he left college. Little
did he know he would be running his
own program a year later.
Porter, a 2016 Pendleton graduate,
took the coaching job at Griswold High
School this spring, and after a few fi rst-
week jitters, he has settled in to teach-
ing everything from sprints to throws.
“I didn’t see myself coaching alone
this soon,” Porter said. “It has defi nitely
been a challenge. A year ago, I was the
athlete. It has been fun to take what I
learned from high school and college
coaches and relay that to the kids, and
not make the same missteps that I did.”
As with many things in a small
town, news gets passed around before
it hits the intended party.
“My husband had mentioned to me
having Doc come and coach,” Gris-
wold Athletic Director Tammie Parker
said. “Before I reached out, we checked
with his dad (Kevin) to make sure it
wouldn’t be an issue with the farm.
Kevin said it wouldn’t be. I reached out
to Doc. He has fresh eyes just coming
off a successful college track career. I
thought he’d be a good fi t.”
Porter, who ran at Central Washing-
ton University, said things have been
interesting, but it also has been fun.
“With my mom (Whitney) being
a teacher and understanding how to
write lesson plans, it’s helped me get
my feet under me,” Porter said. “It has
been a lot of fun. I was anxious to start.
They seem to be having fun. As long
as we keep getting better each day, I
don’t know if there is much more I can
ask for.”
The Grizzlies have 12 athletes out,
which is twice as many as last year.
Porter has sprinters, throwers and a
middle distance runner.
“I did the 4x100, 4x400, 200, 400
and 800 in college, and today I taught
discus,” he said. “The great thing is,
we trained along with the throwers
in college, now I watch videos and
get information. I am getting into the
discus now. I am committed.”
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Doc Porter, the new track coach at Griswold, poses for a portrait Tuesday, March
15, 2022, at the school’s track in Helix.
Porter said he knows not everyone
wants to run or throw in college, but
he wants to teach the ones who want
to learn.
“I’m really more concerned that
the kids are enjoying their season and
having a good time,” he said.
Parker also has been impressed with
how things have been going.
“I have stopped by practice a
couple of times,” she said. “The kids
seem to be enjoying themselves, and
his enthusiasm shows. He is knocking
it out of the ballpark as far as we are
concerned.”
The Grizzlies will open their season
April 1 at the Carnival of Speed in
Milton-Freewater.
“I competed in that in high school,”
Porter said. “It’s a good get-your-feet-
wet meet.”
Porter won the 400 meters in a time
of 51.49 seconds at the event his senior
year. It was the fi rst time he had ever
run the distance.
He would later place fifth at the
5A state meet in the event in a time of
50.23. He also was part of the Bucks’
4x400 relay team that fi nished second
(3:21.63).
The apple doesn’t fall
far from the tree
While Porter never went to Gris-
wold, he has pretty impressive family
ties to the school.
His dad, Kevin, was a standout
basketball and track athlete for the
Grizzlies, as was his uncle Tim Porter,
who holds the school record in the high
jump with a height of 6-9. Tim broke his
dad Charlie’s record in 1986.
See Porter, Page B2
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