SPORTS
LIONS CLAW BULLDOGS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015
HERMISTONHERALD.COM
A7
PREP BASEBALL • PREP WRESTLING • PREP SOFTBALL • SCHEDULE
Overcoming
adversity
A
local baseball team
is basically starting
from scratch this
season. This group has
had more adversity in the
past year than most teams
endure in four, and the
attitude is still positive.
,W¶VWKH8PDWLOOD
baseball team, and they
deserve some attention.
Second-year head
coach Corleone “Booter”
/HZLV,ORYHWKDW
QDPHZDVWKH¿UVWWR
say his expectations in
terms of winning and
ORVLQJZHUHQ¶WWKDWKLJK
They have other, more
important, things to worry
about than mere baseball
games.
You see, Umatilla had
its season end last year
because enough players
had low grades so the
team was ruled ineligible,
and it had to forfeit
the rest of the season.
3HUVRQDOO\,KDGQHYHU
KHDUGRIWKDWEHIRUH,¶YH
heard of seasons ended
due to illegal activities
but never a large portion
of ineligible players.
%XWWKDW¶VVRPHWKLQJ
Umatilla is dealing with
WKLV\HDU,ZURWHLQWKH
spring sports tab that
/HZLVVLJQHGDFRQWUDFW
with his players at the
end of last season, stating
he would be back for
this season, and he held
up that promise. But the
players agreed to take
care of business in the
classroom, and, thus far,
WKHUH¶VQRLQGLFDWLRQWKH\
DUHQ¶W
,¶YHKDGDFKDQFH
to check out a couple
practices and take a look
at the morale. Skills
and things are great, but
WKH\¶UHQRWKLQJZLWKRXW
a good attitude — and
the Vikings have a good
attitude. They have fun.
They laugh. They smile.
,I\RXKDGQREDFNJURXQG
knowledge, you would
WKLQNWKDWWKH\¶YHEHHQ
a decent team the last
IHZ\HDUV,W¶VSUHWW\
refreshing to see, actually.
7KH\¶YHEHHQ
struggling in games,
WKRXJK7KH\¶UHEXW
their last game was a
GHIHDWDWWKHKDQGV
of Kennedy, a promising
VLJQIRUDWHDPWKDW¶VMXVW
trying to solidify.
7KH\¶UH\RXQJWRR
0DQWKH\¶UH\RXQJ
They have one senior —
SAM BARBEE
FROM THE SIDELINES
Sports reporter
Gerardo Barrea — and
IRXUMXQLRUV7KHUHVW
are sophomores and
freshmen, making for
arguably the youngest
roster in the area,
probably in the league,
maybe even in the state.
When teams are that
young, it takes time for
WKHPWRDGMXVWWRWKH
YDUVLW\OHYHO7KHJDPH¶V
faster. The pitchers throw
harder. The balls are hit
KDUGHU,W¶VDVWHSXSLQ
competition that some
MXVWDUHQ¶WUHDG\IRU,
ZDVQ¶W
They have some
SOD\HUV/HZLVUDYHV
DERXWMXQLRU-RVK'HYHU
who does everything for
the Vikings. Sophomore
Diego Soto is an inning-
eater and has gone the
distance on the mound
once already this year.
-XQLRU7ULVWHQ6DQJXLQR
can swing it a bit and
hits fourth, buoying the
9LNLQJV¶UXQSURGXFWLRQ
%XW8PDWLOOD¶VVHDVRQ
LVQ¶WGHSHQGHQWXSRQZLQV
DQGORVVHV/HZLVPDGH
that point early when we
spoke a few weeks ago.
+H¶VFRQFHUQHGDERXW
getting his program on
the right track, getting
his players focused on
the classroom as much
— or more — than on the
diamond.
,KDYHDORWUHVSHFWIRU
/HZLV+H¶VLQDWRXJK
VSRWDQGKH¶VWDNHQ
everything in stride. Sure,
he was disappointed
with how last year went.
Most people would be.
But players take their
cues from their coach,
DQG/HZLVLVJLYLQJJUHDW
FXHVULJKWQRZ+H¶V
always positive. Even
after a loss, he focuses
on what the players did
well and praises good
SHUIRUPDQFHV+HGRHVQ¶W
throw guys under the
EXV+HGRHVQ¶WUDQWDQG
rave about umpires and
WKHLUFDOOV+H¶VDJRRG
LQÀXHQFHDQGVRPHRQHWR
look up to in the Umatilla
baseball program.
,GRQ¶WNQRZKRZ
good the Vikings will be
WKLV\HDU,GRQ¶WWKLQN
/HZLVNQRZVHLWKHU,
West Linn shuts out
Hermiston
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
On a windswept day
DW $UPDQG /DULYH 0LGGOH
School and with college
baseball scouts in atten-
GDQFH :HVW /LQQ VHQLRU
.DUVRQ /LQGHOO GLGQ¶W GLV-
appoint.
He two-hit the Hermis-
WRQ %XOOGRJV LQ D GH-
FLVLRQ LQ ¿YH LQQLQJV LQ D
non-league baseball game
Tuesday afternoon.
“When you look around
and see the amount of
VFRXWV WKDW DUH KHUH WKDW¶V
DQ LQGLFDWRU WKDW WKH NLG¶V
SUHWW\ GDQJ JRRG´ ¿UVW
year Hermiston coach
/DQFH +DZNLQV VDLG RI
/LQGHOO³,MXVWZLVKZHEDW-
tled a little bit more even
though (we were) kinda
RXWPDWFKHG ,¶P QRW LQWR
lying to anybody or the
NLGV,VDLGµ:HJRWWDFRP-
SHWHUHDOO\KDUGWRGD\¶´
7KH %XOOGRJV FHU-
WDLQO\ GLGQ¶W KHOS WKHP-
selves. Bulldog pitchers
walked nine batters, hit one
and Hermiston commit-
WHG IRXU HUURUV LQ WKH ¿HOG
JLYLQJWKH/LRQVIRXU
extra runs. They also had
two runners picked off by
/LQGHOO ² DQG ¿UVW DQG DW
second — killing potential
run-scoring opportunities
before they got started.
SAM BARBEE PHOTO
+HUPLVWRQKHDGFRDFK/DQFH+DZNLQVZDONVRIIWKHPRXQGDIWHUDQRIÀFLDOYLVLWWRSLWFKHU5-
5REOHVGXULQJWKHWKLUGLQQLQJRI+HUPLVWRQ·VORVVWR:HVW/LQQ7XHVGD\DW$UPDQG/DULYH
Middle School.
5- 5REOHV VWDUWHG EXW
FRXOGQ¶WJHWRXWRIWKHWKLUG
inning, allowing seven runs
that were all earned, and he
ZDONHG ¿YH +D\GHQ (G-
miston relieved him, eating
two-plus innings and allow-
ing four runs, three earned,
on four hits, three walks
Grand Canyon and through
California. He wears a
HERMISTON HERALD
Harley-Davidson ring on
First-year
Hermiston his right hand. He has a
EDVHEDOOFRDFK/DQFH+DZ- thin goatee on his chin and
kins describes himself as a wears his cap pulled down
different kind of leader.
low.
His arms are covered in
His tattoos tell stories.
WDWWRRV HYHQ WKRXJK KH¶V +H VDLG KH GRHVQ¶W JHW
a teacher. He loves Har- inked for no reason. One of
ley-Davidson motorcycles. his childhood friends died
+H¶V EHHQ WR 6WXUJHVV DQG suddenly when Hawkins
KH¶V ULGGHQ DURXQG WKH ZDVDQGRQHWDWWRRLVD
BY SAM BARBEE
Lacrosse
Hermiston @ Hood River Valley, 7 p.m.
Umatilla vs. Weston-McEwen, 4 p.m.
BY SAM BARBEE
HERMISTON HERALD
Thursday, April 2
Saturday, April 4
Golf
Hermiston girls @ Redmond Tournament, 8 a.m.
Lacrosse
Hermiston @ Sisters, 12 p.m.
Track
Echo @ Sherman County, 11 a.m.
tribute to him. He has two
VRQV +H¶V JRW WULEXWHV WR
them. His mother kept nee-
dling Hawkins about put-
ting her name on his arm,
VR KH REOLJHG +H¶V JRW D
Harley-Davidson logo in
there, too.
He puts his identity
where all can see.
³,¶P D KLVWRU\ WHDFKHU
, OLNH KLVWRU\´ KH VDLG ³,
have history (on me). These
Four of seven
Bulldogs won
matches at NHSCA
nationals
Wednesday, April 1
Golf
Hermiston boys @ Ridgeview, 9 a.m.
+HUPLVWRQJLUOV#5HGPRQGSP
Echo @ Pendleton Tournament, 9 a.m.
Lacrosse
+HUPLVWRQ#5HGPRQGSP
Softball
+HUPLVWRQYV5H\QROGV'+SP
Umatilla vs. Vale, 1 p.m.
Echo vs. Riverside @ Echo Tournmanet, 1 p.m.
Track
Hermiston @ East County Classic (Gresham), 4 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOG#0F/RXJKOLQDP
Echo @ Sherman County, 11 a.m.
Baseball
+HUPLVWRQ#'DYLG'RXJODVSP
Umatilla vs. Vale (DH), 1 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOG5LYHUVLGH'+SP
Tennis
Umatilla vs. Riverside, 4 p.m.
6WDQ¿HOG#&RQGRQSP
SEE BULLDOGS/A8
DUH DOO KLVWRU\ $QG LW¶V
weird. People see them and
WKH\VD\µ*RVK\RXWHDFK
How can you (have those)
DQG \RX WHDFK"¶ ,¶YH QHYHU
been approached negative-
O\0RVWRIWKHODVW\HDUV
kids come up to me and say,
µ2KP\PRP¶VJRWRQHRI
WKRVH 0\ JUDQGPD¶V JRW
RQH¶´
SEE HAWKINS/A8
Colbray a national champion,
Hermiston wrestlers show well
GO SEE IT
Friday, April 3
done that twice for us now,
ZKHUH ZH JR µ+D\GHQ JR
get out on the bump and eat
XS VRPH LQQLQJV¶ DQG KH
GRHVLW,I\RX¶YHHYHUVHHQ
+D\GHQ KH¶V QRW VPRNLQJ
WKH EDOO DQG KH¶V QRW UH-
+DZNLQV¿QDOO\DWWKHKHOP
SEE ADVERSITY/A8
Tennis
6WDQ¿HOGYV,RQHSP
and a strikeout. Hawkins
said he was impressed with
how the sophomore battled
through the tough assign-
ment.
³+H¶V D NLG WKDW FDQ JR
through the lineup once,
maybe twice,” Hawkins
VDLG RI (GPLVWRQ ³+H¶V
EO MEDIA GROUP FILE PHOTO
+HUPLVWRQ·V6DPXHO&ROEUD\JHWVUHDG\WRÁLS$OEHUWR0H]DRI
&HQWUDORQWRKLVEDFNDQGSLQKLPDWWKH2UHJRQ26$$:UHVWOLQJ
6WDWH&KDPSLRQVKLSV7KHYLFWRU\JDYH&ROEUD\WKHVWDWH$WLWOHLQ
WKHSRXQGZHLJKWFODVV+HUHFHQWO\FODLPHGDQRWKHUFKDPSL
RQVKLSWLWOHDWDQDWLRQDOWRXUQDPHQWODVWZHHN
At the National High
School Coaches Associa-
tion high school wrestling
nationals in Virginia Beach,
Virginia, Thursday and Fri-
day, Sam Colbray accom-
plished something no other
Hermiston wrestler ever
did. He won a high school
national championship.
Colbray topped Blake
5\SHORI,QGLDQDLQWKH
MXQLRUVEUDFNHW7KH+HUP-
iston product had Rypel
pinned in the second peri-
od, Hermiston head coach
Shaun Williams said, but
WKH RI¿FLDO VWRSSHG WKH
PDWFK EHFDXVH RI LQMXU\
concerns for Rypel. Once
the match resumed, Col-
bray dominated the rest of
the way.
“He wrestled pretty
well,” Williams said of Col-
bray. “He had some tough
PDWFKHV DQG , WKRXJKW KH
GLGDJRRGMRERIPDQDJLQJ
WKH PDWFKHV ² MXVW EHLQJ
smart about it. He got the
SEE COLBRAY/A8
Summit downs Hermiston in extras
The Hermiston softball team got
a good pitching performance from
IUHVKPDQ-XOLVVD$OPDJXHUEXWFDPH
XSVKRUWLQDQH[WUDLQQLQJDIIDLU
at Summit on Tuesday.
+HUPLVWRQ WRRN DQ HDUO\ OHDG
DQG XSSHG LW WR DIWHU IRXU DQG D
half innings of play, but Summit ral-
OLHG IRU VL[ LQ WKH ¿IWK WZR LQ WKH
sixth, one in the seventh and one in
the eighth to earn the walk-off victory.
6XPPLWVFRUHGWKHUXQVZLWKRXW
an extra base hit but was helped by
three Hermiston errors.
7KHORVVLV+HUPLVWRQ¶VVHF-
RQGVWUDLJKWDQGIRXUWKLQ¿YHJDPHV
Summit (4-2) has now won three
VWUDLJKW DIWHU ORVLQJ WZR RI LWV ¿UVW
three.
Almaguer went four-plus innings
and struck out four in the no-decision.
0LND\OD .RSDF] ZHQW IRU ZLWK
two doubles for the Bulldogs, and
(OOHU\-RQHVFKLSSHGLQZLWKWZRKLWV
as well.
+HUPLVWRQ¶V WZR LQ WKH ¿UVW FDPH
ZKHQ -DLPH +LQNOH\ZDONHG DQG VWROH
second and third during the next two at-
bats. Kopacz doubled with two outs to
GULYH LQ WKH VSHHG\ VHQLRU IRU WKH ¿UVW
run of the day. After moving to third,
Kopacz then trotted home on a wild
SLWFKWRXSWKH%XOOGRJV¶OHDGWR
The score would stay there until
WKH ¿IWK ZKHQ +LQNOH\ DQG $VKOH\
Moser both reached on errors to lead
off the inning, and then Abi Drotz-
mann was beaned to pack the pillows.
.RSDF]UHDFKHGRQD¿HOGHU¶VFKRLFH
WKDWSODWHG+LQNOH\-RQHVÀLHGRXWWR
right to plate Moser and then Almagu-
HUKHOSHGKHUVHOIZLWKDQ5%,VLQJOH
Summit got its six in the bottom of
WKH¿IWKWRWDNHDOHDGDQG+HUP-
iston answered with two of its own in
the sixth.
Bobby Hofbauer reached on a hit-
by-pitch, Hinkley singled and Drotz-
mann was hit by a pitch an out later
to load the bases. Kopacz mashed her
VHFRQG 5%, GRXEOH SODWLQJ +RIEDX-
HUDQG'URW]PDQQWRWDNHDOHDG
Breyanna Naylor, in for Almaguer,
then led off with a walk. An out lat-
er, she scored on a single. Two batters
later, with the bases loaded, Moser
ZDVEHDQHGWRSODWH+HUPLVWRQ¶VQLQWK
DQG¿QDOUXQ
“We competed well,” Hermiston
KHDG FRDFK .\OHH /HWH VDLG ³:H
made some mistakes on the bases,
EXWWKHJLUOVGLGDJRRGMRERIEDWWOLQJ
and keep coming back when (Sum-
mit) would score runs. We have some
things to work on, but every team
does so (we need to) hit the drawing
board tomorrow and correct those
mistakes.”
———
6800,7
+(50,6721
HHS
200
032
20 — 9 9 3
SHS
000
062
11 — 10 10 3
H. Nelson and A. Clemans. J. Almaguer, B. Naylor and J. Hinkley.
2B: M. Kopacz 2 (HHS).