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THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2022
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READY FOR THE
NEXT CHAPTER
Hermiston’s
Baker will
play volleyball
at Lower
Columbia
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
H
ERMISTON — A
last-minute invi-
tation to an open
gym at Lower
Columbia College
led to an opportunity to play college
volleyball for Hermiston senior
Kambree Baker.
“They said, ‘Can you be here
tomorrow? There’s an open gym
and campus tour,’” Baker said. “I
was a little skeptical, but once we
started, we were playing at a high
level and we were having fun. The
culture really wowed me in that
one visit. I knew it was where I
was meant to be. My mom (Tricia
Mooney) said she could tell I liked it
there by the way I played out there.
I’ve wanted to play college volley-
ball for so long.”
A conversation with the coaches
led to an off er she could not refuse.
Lower Columbia coach Carri
Smith said Baker’s positive energy
is what fi rst caught her attention.
“She came in with a ‘no fear’
attitude as a newbie in my open
gym and owned her position with
class and ease,” Smith said. “She
showed her strength as a middle
hitter, putting away most balls she
was given, and did a good job read-
ing the setters to get a good jump on
her block. She also got along really
well with everyone in the gym. Her
energy and personality just clicked
with everyone on the court.”
Despite the glowing review,
Smith said the 5-foot-11 Baker will
have to battle for playing time this
season.
“She will be fi ghting with two
other returning middle hitters
(Jayden Foster and Olivia Kelzen-
berg) for time on the court,” Smith
Kathy Aney/East Oregonian, File
Hermiston’s Kambree Baker blocks against Kennewick on Oct. 12, 2021,
at the Dawg House in Hermiston. Baker has signed to play volleyball at
Lower Columbia College.
said. “She is the only incoming
freshman in that position.”
Baker said she has no problem
earning her playing time.
“I’m a fi ghter,” she said. “I’m a
competitor. It fuels your determina-
tion and drive to get better.”
The Red Devils, who compete in
the Northwest Athletic Conference
West, fi nished 12-10 overall and 7-5
in the West standings the past fall.
They fi nished their season with
losses to Lane Community College
and Whatcom Community College
at the NWAC Volleyball Champi-
onships in November.
Under coach Carri Smith,
Lower Columbia has been to the
NWAC Championships seven out
of the past eight years (there was no
tournament in 2021 because of the
coronavirus). The Red Devils won
the NWAC title in 2016 and were
fi fth in 2017 and 2018.
Baker also went on visits to
Columbia Basin College, Blue
Mountain Community College
and Oregon Institute of Technol-
ogy, but it was LCC that felt like
the perfect fi t.
“I heard about fi nding the right
fi t, but I really didn’t know it was
a thing,” Baker said. “Then I went
on my visit. It’s a real thing. I really
liked the coaches and how they
marketed the program to me. I’m
really excited.”
Baker wants to major in dental
hygiene, and LCC off ers a pre-den-
tal hygiene program that gives
students a solid foundation in the
basic sciences required for the fi eld.
“Then I will transfer and fi nish
my degree,” Baker said. “Where
will depend if I want to keep on
playing.”
A love for the sport
Baker has been playing volley-
ball since the fourth grade when
she lived in Pendleton.
“I moved to Hermiston just
before seventh grade and I played
in middle school,” Baker said. “I’ve
always gravitated toward it. I love
the team atmosphere and playing
with girls who become your best
friends. It’s always been so much
fun for me.”
After her fi nal year of middle
school volleyball, Baker started
playing club ball with the Eastern
Heat. After two years, she moved
up to the Shockwave, and now she
plays for Club Gold 18 Blue out of
the Tri-Cities.
“When I got to high school,
I was playing club year round,”
Baker said. “I love playing on
the Club Gold team. Playing club
elevates your love of play so much.”
During her senior season with
the Bulldogs, Baker dived for a ball
during a match at Kennewick High
School and hurt her right hand.
“I played a couple of more
matches and it still hurt,” she said.
“Trainer Dan (Emery) said I should
get an X-ray. It showed I broke a
bone on the outside of my hand.”
Baker got a hard brace to wear
off the court, but had to wear a soft
brace on the court during matches.
“I had to hit with my left hand,”
Baker said. “It made me grow as a
player. I gained a lot of court aware-
ness. It was a blessing in disguise.”
Baker fi nished her senior season
with 112 kills, eight solo blocks and
30 block assists.
“With all the obstacles thrown
at Kambree in her senior year, she
fought through them with resil-
ience and grit,” Hermiston coach
Megan Bunn said. “She learned
to be versatile and to work with
anything that was thrown at her.
I will continue to reference her as
a player with both heart and the
volleyball skills that the future girls
in my program should strive to be.”
Baker also participates in track
at Hermiston, and is a big fan of
Emilee Strot’s weight training class.
“The weight class has been the
best part of my high school career,”
Baker said. “Coach Strot is just
phenomenal. I feel 10 times more
prepared and confi dent in myself
as an athlete and a young woman.
There is a confi dence and a power.
You know what you are doing
in the weight room and you can
handle yourself. It’s very empow-
ering.”
Baker will graduate June 9,
head off for a family vacation in
Mexico, then it’s back to work.
“I’ve got to get ready for my
next chapter,” she said.
A10
ON THE SLATE
Schedule is subject to change
THURSDAY, MAY 5
Prep baseball
Pilot Rock at Sherman, 4 p.m.
Boys soccer
Hermiston at Southridge, 7 p.m.
Prep tennis
Stanfi eld/Echo at Four Rivers, 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, MAY 6
Prep baseball
Irrigon at Burns (2), 1 p.m.
Riverside at Nyssa (2), 1 p.m. (MT)
Umatilla at Joseph (2), 1 p.m.
Ridgeview at Pendleton (2), 3 p.m.
Prep softball
Umatilla at Enterprise (2), 1 p.m.
Riverside at Nyssa (2), 1 p.m. (MT)
Irrigon at Burns (2), 1 p.m.
Echo/Stanfi eld at Heppner/Ione (2), 1 p.m.
Pilot Rock at Elgin (2), 2 p.m.
Pendleton at Ridgeview (2), 3 p.m.
Prep golf
Heppner, Echo at Enterprise Invite, Alpine
Meadows Golf Club, 10 a.m.
Track and fi eld
Hermiston at Richland Twilight, Hanford,
TBD
Irrigon, McLoughlin, Pendleton, Riverside,
Stanfi eld/Echo, Umatilla, Weston-McEwen
at Baker Invite, 10 a.m.
Ione at Pirate Invite, Bickleton, 3:30 p.m.
Prep tennis
Pendleton at Sherman, 3 p.m.
Ione/Heppner at Stanfi eld/Echo, TBD
Prep lacrosse
Richland at Hermiston, 7:30 p.m.
College softball
Yakima Valley at Blue Mountain (2), 2 p.m.
SATURDAY, MAY 7
Prep baseball
Heppner at Stanfi eld/Echo (2), 11 a.m.
Pilot Rock at Dufur (2), 11 a.m.
Grant Union at Weston-McEwen (2), 11 a.m.
Prep softball
Weston-McEwen at Grant Union (2), noon
Boys soccer
District 8 tournament: Hermiston at Mead,
noon
Track and fi eld
Griswold, Heppner, Ione at Condon Invita-
tional, 1 p.m.
Pirate Senior Night Relays, Riverside, 4 p.m.
College baseball
Columbia Basin at Blue Mountain (2), 1 p.m.
College softball
Wenatchee Valley at Blue Mountain (2),
noon
MONDAY, MAY 9
Prep baseball
Irrigon at Pendleton JV, 4:30 p.m.
Prep golf
Heppner, Echo at district championships,
Birch Creek Golf Club, TBD
Pendleton girls at district champion-
ships, Greenback at Heron Lakes, Portland,
10:40 a.m.
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EAST OREGONIAN • HERMISTON HERALD • BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE • WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
103 Announcements
354 Auction Sales
354 Auction Sales
401 Garage/Yard Sales
NOTICE OF SALE
EZ Storage of Hermiston
2315 Hwy 395 S., Hermiston
MULTIPLE ESTATE
AUCTION
Estate Auction
May 14, 2022
921 Vining St.
Milton-Freewater, Oregon
Auction at 10am.
Preview at 9am
Yard Sale: 5/7, 9am-5pm, 630 N
Dunne, Stanfield. Men’s tools,
household, yard furniture, cloth-
ing, plants (raspberry), lawn
mower, clean. 630 N Dunne,
Stanfield, Or.
1969 Chevelle Malibu, 2007
Cargo/food trailer, 1993 Chevy
pickup, Suzuki 4 wheeler w/
snow plow, 2 smoker/barbecue
trailers, Club car golf cart, 36”
Blackstone grill, Hamms beer
sign, refrigerators, freezers,
washer/dryer, outdoor furniture,
yard decor, refrigerated food
prep station, inflatable pontoon
boat, garden tools, Rigid table
saw, Dewalt radial arm saw,
tools, archery, stainless tables,
large barbecue, kitchen appli-
ances, 2 flat panels tv’s, cabi-
nets, king bedroom set (5 pc),
dining table and chairs, fire-
wood, charcoal, Playboy collec-
tion, movies, albums, CD’s. For
pictures go to 4-Z’s Auction on
Facebook. Some items will be
on Hi-Bid under Ford’s Auction.
All sales final. Sold as is. 10%
buyer’s premium in place. For
info call Mike: 541-571-6280.
Ford Bonney Auctioneer.
502 Real Estate
Alicia Enriquez
S19/21
Public sale on site
May 10, 2022 - 11:00am
CLASSIFIEDS
Saturday, May 7th
80824 Kik Rd
Hermiston, Oregon
Auction starts at 11:00am,
preview at 10:00am
Miller Welder, air tools, auto
body tools from McBee Estate.
Large selection of instruments,
two trombones Conn Olds, four
flutes Bundy, Atlas, YinGjie ac-
cordian, Olympia guitar, banjo,
mandolin, Deagan xylophone,
Buescher Aristocrat saxo-
phone, nail gun, hand tools, en-
gine puller, furniture, beds, old
record albums, lamps, old milk
cans, Dairy Gold 64, 72, 74.
Knick knacks, collectibles.
Check for pictures on our Face-
book page Fords Auction. All
items are sold as is. Buyer’s
premium 10%. Pickup and pay
the sale day.
Contact us for estate sales and
consignments. Licensed and
bonded in Washington. 541-
561-5798 Ford or 541-314-3153
Colby
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