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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 2015)
Bonds that last , used to hate my KRPHWRZQ,UHDOO\ did. ,WKRXJKWLWZDV ERULQJ,WKRXJKWLWZDV ODPH,WKRXJKWLWZDV FULPHULGGOHGDQGXJO\ ,WKRXJKWLWVPHOOHG, WKRXJKWLWZDVDWHUULEOH place to raise a family. ,WKRXJKWDOORIWKRVH WKLQJVEHFDXVHWKHVL]H of my world hadn’t EHHQFKDOOHQJHG\HW 7UXH,KDGEHHQRWKHU SODFHVLQWKHUHJLRQDQG WKHFRXQWU\EXW,VWLOO hated my hometown. ,QHYHUZDQWHGWRJR back when we went on DWULSVRPHZKHUH,ZDV DUURJDQWEXWPRVWO\, was naive. ,WWRRNXQWLOFROOHJH ZKHQ,ZDVDZD\ IURP/RQJYLHZIRUDQ extended period of time to fall in love with my hometown. For the first time. 6XGGHQO\,ZDVQ¶W WKLQNLQJDERXWWKH WKLQJV,GLGQ¶WOLNH ,ZDVWKLQNLQJDERXW WKLQJV,PLVVHG, missed the familiarity. ,PLVVHGWKHVPHOORI the three paper mills and their by-products. ,PLVVHGWKHSHRSOH ,PLVVHGP\IDPLO\, PLVVHGWKHNLQGDXJO\ kinda-picturesque man- made lake in the center of town. My world had finally JURZQ,KDGILQDOO\ seen daily life outside RI/RQJYLHZDQG, KDGDUHDOL]DWLRQWKDW you only have one hometown. You only have one place you identify with at a core level. As Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home.” 1RZZKHQ,ORRN back on my 18 and some-odd years in /RQJYLHZ,WKLQNDERXW WKHOHVVRQV,OHDUQHG WKHUH7KHSHRSOH, met, the successes DQGIDLOXUHV,KDG, WKLQNDERXW/RQJYLHZ GDLO\1RWLQDORQJLQJ depressed way, but in a comparative PLQGVHW,FRPSDUHWKH weather, the drivers, WKHEXLOGLQJVWKH WRSRJUDSK\HYHQWKH URDGV/RQJYLHZLVP\ EDVHOLQHDQGHYHU\WKLQJ VSULQJVIURPWKHUH ,ORYHWKDWOLWWOH SODFH,WPDGHPHZKR ,DP This sense of where ,FDPHIURPLVQ¶W XQXVXDO,W¶VDVHQWLPHQW shared by people across the country and world. ,QP\PLQGLW¶VD necessary sentiment to effectively know where one fits into the world in which one lives. 6RZKHQ,JRWRDQ\ KLJKVFKRROEDVNHWEDOO JDPHV,VHHSHRSOH FROM THE SIDELINES Sports reporter who share my fervor for their hometown. People pack these J\PV²ELJDQGVPDOO ²WRZDWFKWKHVFKRRO WKH\JUDGXDWHGIURP compete. Maybe they GLGQ¶WJUDGXDWHIURP that certain school. Maybe their children JUDGXDWHGIURPWKHUH and they’ve become proxy fans, like my dad DQGP\KLJKVFKRRO The two Hermiston IDQV,UHFHQWO\VSRNH ZLWK²-DQ5RVVDQG %HUQLFH+DUODQ²DUH two examples of people who know where they come from. They are +HUPLVWRQ%XOOGRJV WKURXJKDQGWKURXJK DQGWKDW¶VVRPHWKLQJ WKDW,DGPLUH,W¶V VRPHWKLQJ,¶YHFRPHWR terms with myself. :KHQ,JRWR5$ /RQJVSRUWLQJHYHQWV, don’t just watch with a GLVFRQQHFWHGLQWHUHVW, FDUH,OLYHDQGGLHE\ what happens on the field, court or diamond. ,WZDVQ¶WWKDWORQJ DJR,ZDVRXWWKHUH DQG,XQGHUVWDQGZKDW WKHSOD\HUVDUHJRLQJ WKURXJK,UHPHPEHU SOD\LQJIRUWKHJX\V who came before me, SOD\LQJIRUWKHJX\V who used the locker URRPZHLJKWURRP GXJRXWEDWWLQJFDJH EHIRUH,GLG,SOD\HG IRUWKHJX\VZKRFDPH back and lived and died with us. Ross and Harlan, WKRXJKWKH\GLGQ¶WSOD\ DW+HUPLVWRQ+LJKIHHO DVWKRXJKWKH\¶UHDSDUW of the school. And they are. They’ve seen so much happen. They’ve seen the football team JRIURPDQDXWRPDWLF win on opponents’ schedules to state champs. They’ve seen the football stadium JRIURPGHFUHSLWDQG condemned to the best in the state. They’ve VHHQWKHVFKRROJURZ and they still come and support and cheer and JDVSDQGGRHYHU\WKLQJ fans do. $V,ZDVVSHDNLQJ ZLWKWKHP,FRXOGVHH the passion on their faces. They smiled ZKHQWDONLQJDERXW WKH%XOOGRJVDVLI all the fine memories ZHUHIORRGLQJEDFN They spoke of their families, and Harlan WDONHGRIZDWFKLQJWKH FXUUHQWSOD\HUVJURZ up because she’s a custodian at a local elementary school. GO SEE IT Saturday, February 14 Swimming Hermiston @ district meet @ Hood River, 11 a.m. Girls Basketball Umatilla @ Vale, 5 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#,UULJRQSP Boys Basketball Umatilla @ Vale, 6:30 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#,UULJRQSP Sunday, February 15 No events scheduled Monday, February 16 No events scheduled Tuesday, February 17 Girls Basketball Hermiston vs. The Dalles, 7 p.m. Umatilla vs. Nyssa, 5 p.m. Boys Basketball Hermiston @ the Dalles, 7 p.m. Umatilla vs. Vale, 6:30 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOGYV7%'#'LVWULFWV7%' Wednesday, February 18 No events scheduled A9 PREP BASKETBALL • PREP SOFTBALL • SCHEDULE SAM BARBEE SEE BONDS/A10 SPORTS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM Buckaroos nip the Bulldogs BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD The last time the Herm- LVWRQ %XOOGRJV SOD\HG WKH 3HQGOHWRQ%XFNDURRVLWZDV a back-and-forth affair at :DUEHUJ &RXUW WKH 3HQGOH- ton boys would eventually win. )ULGD\ QLJKW LQ +HUPLV- WRQWKHJDPHFRXOGQ¶WKDYH been more different. 7KH%XFNVOHGIRUWKH¿- QDOPLQXWHVRIWKHJDPH EHKLQG :HV 3HUVLQJHU¶V points, seven rebounds and three blocks and they held off a late rally by Hermiston to win 62-51. Austin Nail- ORQOHGWKH%XOOGRJVZLWK SRLQWV.HHJDQ&UDIWRQKDG DQG&KDVH.QXW]KDG “He was the hard- HVWZRUNLQJ NLG RXW WKHUH´ +HUPLVWRQKHDGFRDFK-DNH 0F(OOLJRWWVDLGRI3HUVLQJHU DIWHUWKHJDPH³+HZDVWKH difference-maker. He was WKH HTXDOL]HU LQ WKH JDPH He worked his butt off, DQG,WROGKLPWKDWDIWHUWKH JDPH´ +HUPLVWRQ &5& QHYHU OHG EXW WKH %XOOGRJVGLGWLHWKHJDPHDW three after Austin Naillon hit a three-pointer to put Herm- iston on the board. Pendle- WRQ KRZHYHU would close the quarter on DQUXQWRVHL]HFRQWURO early and extended the lead to 12 at halftime. Hermiston never came closer than 10 points in the second half. 0F(OOLJRWW FDOOHG WKLV ZHHN ³WRXJKQHVV ZHHN´ and, by his account, it’s not JRLQJZHOO ³7RXJKWHDPVFRPPXQL- FDWH DQG , GLGQ¶W WKLQN ZH communicated real well,” KH VDLG ³7RXJK WHDPV JHW rebounds and box out ev- ery time, not just some of the time. We didn’t do that. 7RXJK WHDPV GRQ¶W JLYH XS easy baskets. When you look at the shot chart after WKH JDPH ZH JDYH XS IRXU shots outside of 15 feet. 7KDW¶V QRW D WRXJK WHDP 7RXJK WHDPV GRQ¶W JLYH XS HDV\EDVNHWVDOOQLJKWORQJ´ :KHWKHULWZDV3HUVLQJHU VODVKLQJ DQG JUDEELQJ RI- IHQVLYHUHERXQGVRUSRVWLQJ XS RU &DGHQ 6PLWK JHWWLQJ SAM BARBEE PHOTO Hermiston·s &ole 6mith Àghts off 3endleton defend- ers -ames %radt and &aden 6mith as %ulldogs teammates Zait for a pass during the Àrst half of 3end- leton·s - Zin over the Bulldogs Friday night in The DaZghouse. SAM BARBEE PHOTO &hase .nutz of Hermiston rises for layup against 3end- leton·s :es 3ersinger left and 6onny *reen during the Àrst half of 3endleton·s - Zin Friday night in The DaZghouse. the ball inside on drive- and-kicks, Pendleton easily VFRUHGZKLOHNHHSLQJ+HUP- LVWRQIURPJHWWKRVHNLQGVRI looks. 7KH ¿UVW TXDUWHU ZDV D PLFURFRVP RI WKH JDPH DV 3HQGOHWRQ JRW D SRLQWHU from Kai Quinn, an and- RQH IURP 3HUVLQJHU DQG DOO inside baskets, while Herm- iston turned the ball over four times and forced shots. +HUPLVWRQ FRXOGQ¶W JHW RXW of its own way, and Pendle- WRQFDSLWDOL]HG 0F(OOLJRWW WKRXJK VLQ- JOHGRXWDFRXSOHJX\VZKR KDG JRRG JDPHV +H SRLQW- HGWR/DQGRQ*DPPHOODQG &DUVRQ/OR\GWZRUHVHUYHV ZKRKDYHJRWWHQDELWPRUH SOD\LQJWLPHDVRIODWH ³, WKRXJKW /DQGRQ FDPH RII WKH EHQFK DQG JDYH XV JRRG HQHUJ\ DQG GHIHQVH´ WKH ¿UVW\HDU +HUPLVWRQ FRDFK VDLG ³, WKRXJKW &DU- son came off the bench DQG JDYH XV JRRG HQHUJ\ DQG GHIHQVH $JDLQ LI \RX RQO\ KDYH VHYHUDO JX\V DV opposed to a collection of JX\VGRLQJWKDWRQDQLJKW WRQLJKW EDVLV \RX¶UH JRQ- na lose, and the scoreboard VKRZHGWKDWWRQLJKW´ ,WZDVQ¶WXQWLOWKHIRXUWK quarter that Hermiston be- JDQ WR PDNH D UXQ DW WKH %XFNV 'RZQ &UDIWRQ VFRUHG 3HQGOHWRQ¶V -DPHV %UDGW PLVVHG WKH IURQW HQG of the one-and-one and then Naillon made two free throws to cut Pendleton’s lead to 17. )ROORZLQJ D %XFNV¶ WLP- HRXW&UDIWRQPDGHWZRIUHH throws, and Dillon Zim- merly hit a 3-pointer to cut Pendleton’s lead down to ,W ZDV D UXQ WKDW covered just a little over a PLQXWHWKDWKDGFRDFK%ULDQ %URDGGXVVZHDWLQJDELWRQ the Pendleton bench. ³,I WKH\ JRW XQGHU , would’ve been worried,” the ¿UVW\HDUFRDFKVDLG Hermiston couldn’t come any closer, however. $IWHU %UDGW ODLG RQH LQ to push the lead back to 13, Naillon hit two free throws, which prompted a Pendleton timeout. Smith made one of two at the line, and Sonny *UHHQPDGHRQHDVZHOOWR JHWWKHOHDGEDFNWR=LP- merly hit a step-back 3-ball with 36 seconds left to cut it to 10, but that was all the comeback Hermiston could muster. ³5LJKWQRZZH¶UHJLYLQJ up a lot of easy baskets,” 0F(OOLJRWWVDLG³:HJRWWR JHW WRJHWKHU DV D FRDFKLQJ staff and put our heads to- JHWKHUDQGVHHZKDWZHFDQ do.” 7KH %XOOGRJV JHW DQRWK- HUVKRWDWD&ROXPELD5LYHU &RQIHUHQFH RSSRQHQW ZKHQ they play The Dalles at 7 p.m. Tuesday on the road. ,QRWKHUEDVNHWEDOODFWLRQ WKH 6WDQ¿HOG ER\V UROOHG RYHU &XOYHU &XOYHU GHIHDWHG WKH 6WDQ¿HOG JLUOV WKH(FKRJLUOVGHIHDW- HG:DOORZDWKH(FKR ER\V EHDW :DOORZD DQGWKH+HUPLVWRQJLUOVGH- feated Pendleton 66-57. Drotzmann to play softball at Linfield next year BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD $V DQ HLJKWKJUDGHU $EL 'URW]PDQQ ZDV VKRZLQJ VLJQV RI SURGXFWLRQ RQ WKH VRIWEDOO¿HOG6KHZDVVWDUWLQJ to mature physically and was GHYHORSLQJ D VWURQJ SDVVLRQ for the sport. “She loved it. She had a SDVVLRQ IRU LW´ 'URW]PDQQ¶V IDWKHU 'DYH VDLG ³, GLGQ¶W have to push her too hard. So LI \RX FDQ SXW VNLOO WRJHWKHU ZLWKSDVVLRQ\RXJHWDJUHDW DWKOHWHRXWRILW6KH¶VJRQQD be a successful softball player because of that.” Four years later, surround- ed by friends, teammates, coaches, teachers and family 7KXUVGD\ 'URW]PDQQ¶V VR- OLGL¿HG KHU IXWXUH ZKHQ WKH +HUPLVWRQ VHQLRU VLJQHG KHU 1DWLRQDO /HWWHU RI ,QWHQW WR SOD\VRIWEDOODW/LQ¿HOG&RO- OHJH DQ 1&$$ 'LYLVLRQ ,,, school located in McMinn- YLOOH 2UHJRQ DERXW DQ KRXU west of Portland. ³, DOZD\V WKRXJKW , ZDV JRLQJWRSOD\VRIWEDOOLQFRO- OHJH DQG WKHQ P\ VRSKR- PRUHDQGMXQLRU\HDUV,UHDO- L]HGKRZKDUGLWZDVDQGWKH FRPPLWPHQW , KDG WR GR WR P\ IDOO WHDPV´ 'URW]PDQQ VDLG ³7KHQ , JRW OD]\ DQG VDLGµ,GRQ¶WZDQWWRGRWKLV ,W¶V WRR PXFK ZRUN¶ 7KHQ , UHDOL]HGLWZDVZD\ZRUWKLW ,W¶VJRQQDEHIXQ´ 'URW]PDQQMRLQVDVRIWEDOO SURJUDP WKDW LV RQH RI WKH PRVW VXFFHVVIXO 'LYLVLRQ ,,, SURJUDPV RQ WKH:HVW &RDVW and in the country. The Wild- FDWV KDYH ZRQ VWUDLJKW 1RUWKZHVW&RQIHUHQFHFKDP- pionships and are picked to ZLQ DJDLQ WKLV VHDVRQ 7KH\ SAM BARBEE PHOTO Hermiston senior Abi Drotzmann, pictured here signing her National Letter of Intent, said the main reasons she chose to attend LinÀeld &ollege are the academics, the coach and the toZn of McMinnville itself. have also won two national titles since 2007. +HDG FRDFK -DFNVRQ 9DXJKQZKRKDVEHHQDW/LQ- ¿HOGVLQFHZDVDPDMRU UHDVRQ'URW]PDQQGHFLGHGWR DWWHQG/LQ¿HOGVKHVDLG ³+H¶V D QLFH JX\ +H¶V D VXSHUQLFH JX\´ VKH VDLG DGGLQJ WKH ZHOFRPLQJ HQYL- ronment of the team also so- OLGL¿HGKHUGHFLVLRQ $W WKH SODWH 'URW]PDQQ has demonstrated why a suc- FHVVIXO 'LYLVLRQ ,,, SURJUDP ZDVORRNLQJWRODQGKHU $V D VRSKRPRUH 'URW]- PDQQZDVQDPHGD¿UVWWHDP DOO&ROXPELD 5LYHU &RQIHU- ence performer and a sec- ond-team all-state player as VKHKHOSHGOHDGWKH%XOOGRJV WR D UXQQHUXS ¿QLVK DW WKH state tournament. As a junior, KHU WUDMHFWRU\ NHSW SRLQWLQJ XSZDUG DV VKH KLW D VWDJJHU- LQJ DQG VOXJJHG 7KDW VXPPHU 'URW]PDQQ kept her bat hot and posted D OLQH DW WKH plate. She mostly played left ¿HOG IRU WKH %XOOGRJV DO- WKRXJKVKHKDVH[SHULHQFHLQ WKH PLGGOH LQ¿HOG EXW OLNHO\ SURMHFWVDVDQRXW¿HOGHU “That’ll be up to the coach DW /LQ¿HOG´ 'DYLG 'URW]- mann said. /LQ¿HOGZDVQ¶WDOZD\VKHU ¿UVWFKRLFHKRZHYHU She started by “heavi- O\´ ORRNLQJ DW :LOODPHWWH University in Salem, but WKH %HDUFDWV¶ FRDFK 'DPL- an Williams, took a leave of absence for this season, elim- LQDWLQJWKHWHDPIURP'URW]- mann’s considerations. She WKHQ WKRXJKW DERXW *HRUJH )R[ 8QLYHUVLW\ LQ 1HZEHUJ 2UHJRQ EXW VKH GLGQ¶W WKLQN that was for her. She also FRQVLGHUHG 3DFL¿F 8QLYHU- VLW\ LQ )RUHVW *URYH ZKHUH SEE DROTZMANN/A10