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TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2022
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A10
CALEDONIAN GAMES
HEAVING THE
STONE
Andy Puncochar, 30, of Hillsboro, tosses the heavy stone 30 feet, 1 inch Saturday,
July 9, 2022, in competition at Athena’s Caledonian Games. Dozens of Highland
games athletes competed in the local games.
Photos by Phil Wright/East Oregonian
Scottish highland games competitors gather around judge Alan Wernsing, right in yellow, before events begin Saturday,
July 9, 2022, at Caledonian Games in Athena.
Sean Taylor, 50, of Vancouver, Washington, tosses
a weight over the 13-foot high bar Saturday, July 9,
2022, in competition at Athena’s Caledonian Games.
Vikings under new leadership with Sipe Hermiston LL wins the
Robotics instructor
was an assistant
coach for years
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
UMATILLA — When
Kyle and Heidi Sipe first
arrived in Umatilla for job
interviews in the summer
of 1999, they thought they
would use the interviews as
a practice run as they looked
for employment.
The Umatilla School
District off ered both teach-
ers a job on the spot, and they
have been there ever since.
Kyle Sipe taught math
and science at the middle
school, was an instructional
coach working with new
teachers and now heads up
the high school’s robotics
team and teaches manufac-
turing.
Recently, Sipe added
high school football coach
to his list of duties.
“Post COVID, we have
struggled to fi nd people,”
Sipe said. “It was kind of
my time. I’ve got plenty to
do, but it’s a really good
Mackenzie Whaley/East Oregonian
New Umatilla high School football coach Kyle Sipe poses for
a photo Friday, July 8, 2022, in the school’s weight room. Sipe
has taught math and science and head’s up the high school’s
robotics team, along with other duties.
group of kids and I want to
see them succeed. It was
cool to see their faces when
I announced it. I don’t want
to let them down.”
While building players in
the robotics lab might seem
a little “Weird Science,” a
good portion of the players
out for football are part of
the robotics program.
“I have a lot of kids who
do both — robotics and
football,” Sipe said. “Out
of 45 football players, 20
are crossovers. We have so
many freshmen because of
Dan (Durfey). We will have
a full JV program for the
fi rst time in about 10 years.”
Sipe replaces Chad
Smith, who coached the
Vikings for one season,
posting a 3-3 record in the
Blue Mountain Conference
and 4-4 overall.
Durfey put in fi ve years
with the Vikings before
stepping down to watch his
son Trent play football at
Carroll College. He coaches
at the middle school and said
he would lend a hand as long
as it doesn’t interfere with
his son’s games.
“I was one of Dan’s assis-
tants when he was here,”
Sipe said. “I cannot speak
as to how much Dan did
for the program. Making
academics fi rst, family next
and then we will get to foot-
ball. I wouldn’t be coaching
or even considering this if
not for coaching with Dan.
I am working on getting
him to come back. It’s kind
of a win-win. He attracted
so many kids at the middle
school the past two years.”
Sipe is no stranger to
football. He played four
years at Kettle Falls High
School in Washington, and
was an all-league lineman
on both sides of the ball his
senior year.
See Vikings, Page A11
state softball title 10-12
Team is headed
to Northwest
Regional
Tournament in
California
By ANNIE FOWLER
East Oregonian
MEDFORD — Grace-
lyn Tyree struck out fi ve,
and Kylie Virgil drove
in three runs as Hermis-
ton beat Bend South 9-8
on Sunday, July 10, in the
championship game of the
10-12 state Little League
softball tournament in
Hermiston.
“They worked their
tails off to get where they
are at right now,” Herm-
iston coach Travis Rood
said. “Gracelyn came in
and pitched a phenomenal
game after pitching just
two innings at district. She
got help from the defense.”
Hermiston advances to
the Northwest Regional
Tou r na ment i n Sa n
Bernardino, California,
playing its first game at
noon on July 23 against
Idaho. Also in the regional
bracket are Wyoming,
Washington, Alaska and
Montana.
The regional champion
will advance to the Little
League World Series in
Greenville, North Caro-
lina.
“They are excited to
show what they have at San
Bernardino,” Rood said.
Against Bend South,
Hermiston took a 4-0 lead
after the fi rst inning, and
Virgil hit a two-run triple
in the second inning to
help her team to a 7-5 lead
after two innings.
After the fourth, Herm-
iston led 9-6, and Bend
South added another run
in the fi fth to make it 9-7.
Kenley Venoy went
4-for-4 with four singles
and an RBI for Hermiston.
“Bend South came back
and strung a couple of hits
together, but we had some
errors that allowed runs to
score,” Rood said. “The
girls kept their composure
See Softball, Page A11