E AST O REGONIAN
SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022
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A FRESH START
B1
OLD OREGON LEAGUE
Pilot Rock’s
Otteson
transfers to
Pendleton
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Nixyaawii’s Sophie Bronson (24) drives toward the basket
against the Ione/Arlington Cardinals on Feb. 26, 2022, in
the second round of the Oregon School Activities Associ-
ation Class 1A State Tournament in Mission. Bronson was
named the Old Oregon League Player of the Year.
P
ENDLETON —
It wasn’t exactly
the Baltimore
Colts moving to
Indianapolis in
the middle of the night, but
Jace Otteson’s departure
from Pilot Rock to Pend-
leton High School in Janu-
ary surprised a few people,
including the Bucks’ baseball
and football coaches.
The talented sophomore
since has earned himself
playing time on the base-
ball team, and is taking part
in morning weight training
sessions with the football
team.
Otteson was up front in
saying the move was not
sports related.
“Going into spring, I was
unhappy and I was strug-
gling,” he said. “I got into a
Young Life program and made
new friends. It was good for
my mental health. The Young
Life leaders make a big diff er-
ence in kids’ lives. It’s a change
for the better.”
He said he and his family
moved, he knew he might
not be able to play sports, but
the Oregon School Activities
Association cleared him.
POY: Bronson
of Nixyaawii
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian
Pendleton’s Jace Otteson bats against Scappoose on Wednesday, March 23, 2022, at Bob
White Field during the Red Lion Buckaroo Classic. Otteson transferred from Pilot Rock to
Pendleton in January.
“I would have made the
change either way,” he said.
The transition has been a
smooth one for Otteson, who
said he felt welcome from Day
1.
“I feel very fortunate I was
brought into this school,” he
said. “The kids welcomed
me with open arms. The
guys on the (baseball) team
have helped me out a lot, and
the camaraderie has been
eye-opening. They have been
great.”
“As far as 5A, he has talent,”
Pendleton coach TJ Hague-
wood said. “He has shown
growth as a player. He has
athletic skills. He is in a situa-
tion where he is around players
that will make him better. Just
the diff erence in opportunity
can make a diff erence. Jace has
been a solid contributor.”
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound
Otteson has caught in the four
games he has played for the
Bucks. In eight at-bats, he has
one hit, four RBIs, and has
drawn fi ve walks.
“They are very loaded with
players and coaches,” Otteson
said of the Bucks. “They are
great guys and they know the
players they have. I was not
quite there. They brought me
under their wing and helped
me. I am fortunate to play
behind (catcher) Andrew
Demianew. Everything is
more fast paced. The pitch-
ers throw pretty hard. Easton
Corey is throwing like 90 and
Karson Lani is throwing in the
80s.”
See Otteson, Page B2
MISSION — Nixy-
aawii girls basketball
coach Michael BadWar-
rior knows he can count
on Sophie Bronson to be
the fi rst player to show up
for practice with her shoes
on, to sweep the fl oor with-
out being asked, and help
other players fi ne tune their
game.
“She was an overall
leader on and off the court,”
BadWarrior said.
Bronson brought her
dedication to the court
every game, averaging 18.5
points and seven assists
a game for the Golden
Eagles, who qualifi ed for
the 1A state tournament.
Bronson, a junior, was
named Old Oregon League
Player of the Year by the
league coaches.
“On the court, she has
been working and training
her whole life,” BadWarrior
said. “She had a standout
season. She had over 500
points this season. When-
ever we needed to get some-
thing going, she did what
she had to do. She really did
anything and everything
the team needed to win.
She’s extremely unselfi sh.”
The Golden Eagles
fi nished 11-0 in OOL play
and 24-6 overall. At one
point, they won 11 of 12
See Bronson, Page B2
3A ALL-STATE TEAM
Umatilla players earn honors
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
UMATILLA — Coming
off their fourth-place fi nish at
the 3A state basketball tour-
nament, the Umatilla Vikings
had two players selected to the
3A all-state team.
Senior Oscar Campos was
selected to the third team by
the state coaches, while senior
Ulises Armenta was named to
the honorable mention team.
Both players were named
to the 3A all-tournament
team, and both were fi rst-team
Armenta
Campos
picks for the Eastern Oregon
League.
Campos led the Vikings
(18-10) with 12 points a game,
along with 7.6 rebounds, 3.2
steals and 1.8 assists.
“Oscar is one of the hard-
est working kids I have had
a chance to coach,” Umatilla
coach Scott Bow said. “He
brought his energy and enthu-
siasm every time he walked on
the fl oor. He is the true defi ni-
tion of practice like you play,
as he has no off switch. His
ability to always guard bigger
players and work himself into
our leading scorer, rebounder
and in steals. This (all-state
honor) is another example of
the eff ort this guy gave me
everyday.”
Armenta averaged 11.2
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BLUE MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE
Sharp, Masterson earn fi rst team honors
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
STANFIELD — Stan-
field’s Maggie Sharp and
Heppner’s ZaBrena Master-
son were unanimous picks for
the Blue Mountain Conference
fi rst team by the conference
coaches.
Sharp, a junior point guard,
led the Tigers with 11 points,
fi ve assists and fi ve rebounds a
COROLLA
CAMRY
Sharp
Masterson
game. Stanfi eld fi nished sixth
at the 2A state tournament —
the Tigers’ fi rst girls basketball
trophy in school history.
Reeser
HIGHLANDER
Shelby
The Tigers (23-7) also had
senior Alexis Shelby (10 points,
See BMC, Page B2
TUNDRA
ON THE SLATE
Schedule subject to change
SATURDAY, MARCH 26
Prep softball
Umatilla vs. Stayton, Seaside Spring
Break Tournament, 10 a.m.
Pilot Rock vs. Warrenton, Union
Spring Bash, 11 a.m.
Boys soccer
Southridge at Hermiston, 1 p.m.
Track and fi eld
McLoughlin at Hawks Invite, Col-
lege Place, 10 a.m.
College baseball
Southwestern Oregon at Blue
Mountain (2), 11 a.m.
College softball
Blue Mountain at Wenatchee Val-
ley (2), noon
MONDAY, MARCH 28
Prep golf
Hermiston boys at Pendleton,
11 a.m.
Pendleton girls at Wildhorse,
11 a.m.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29
Prep baseball
Madras at Umatilla, 3 p.m.
Heppner at Pilot Rock, 4 p.m.
Irrigon at Stanfi eld/Echo, 4 p.m.
Pasco at Hermiston, 4 p.m.
McLoughlin at Riverside, 4:30 p.m.
Weston-McEwen at College Place,
4:30 p.m.
Prep softball
Pendleton at College Place, 4 p.m.
McLoughlin at Weston-McEwen,
4 p.m.
RAV4
Riverside at Echo/Stanfi eld, 4 p.m.
Heppner/Ione at Irrigon, 4:30 p.m.
Hermiston at Southridge, 5 p.m.
Boys soccer
Hermiston at Kamiakin, 7 p.m.
Prep tennis
Pendleton at La Grande, 3 p.m.
Ione/Heppner at Weston-McEwen,
3:30 p.m.
McLoughlin at Stanfi eld/Echo,
4:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30
College baseball
Blue Mountain at Big Bend (2),
1 p.m.
Prep golf
Hermiston at MCC pod, Canyon
Lakes Golf Course, 1 p.m.
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