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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2015)
SPORTS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM A7 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL • PREP TENNIS • SCHEDULE Making — and sharing — memories T his past year, local athletes made memories. They experienced things they’ll never forget, for better or worse. The Hermiston football team played in and won the 5A state football championship game; the Hermiston wrestling team won another state title; the Hermiston girls basketball WHDP¿QLVKHGVHFRQGDW VWDWHWKH6WDQ¿HOGJLUOV basketball team had its PRVWVXFFHVVIXOVHDVRQLQD GHFDGHWKH6WDQ¿HOGER\V basketball team lost two OHDJXHJDPHVLQVSHFWDFXODU and memorable fashion; the Echo girls basketball team hosted a state playoff JDPHIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHLQD decade. These are all things the players, coaches and fans ZLOOUHPHPEHUXQWLOWKHLU ¿QDOPRPHQWV7KLVLVZKDW VSRUWVDUHDERXW ,ZDVOXFN\WRKDYH a few sports memories that I’ll never forget. I’ve EHHQWRWKH5RVH%RZO in Pasadena, California. I was a ball boy when Nate 5RELQVRQZDVD+XVN\ I was a bat boy for the Portland Beavers once. I’ve sat in the press box DWWKHROGDQGQHZ+XVN\ 6WDGLXPDQG,VWRUPHGWKH ¿HOGWZLFHDIWHUELJIRRWEDOO wins. %XWWKHEHVWPHPRU\ I have is from a game in which I didn’t even play. It was my sophomore year of high school, and we ZHUHSOD\LQJRXUFURVV town rivals in a win-or- go-home baseball playoff JDPH1RZRXUULYDOVZHUH something of a big deal. 7KDWJURXSRIVHQLRUVZDV SHJJHGDWD\RXQJDJHWR win the state title when they were seniors, and they obliged by earning the top spot in the state for essentially the whole year. ,ZDVRQWKLVEXV EHFDXVH,KDGDJRRG\HDU RQMXQLRUYDUVLW\DQGWKH\ EURXJKWPHXSIRUWKH SOD\RIIV,ZDVMXVWKDSS\WR be there. I remember seeing their EXVLQWRZQDVZHKHDGHG DERXWPLQXWHVQRUWKXS Interstate 5 to the game VLWH7KHLUEXVWRRNRIIDQG ZHGLGQ¶WVHHLWDJDLQXQWLO we came to the town of Centralia. We passed them LQWRZQ²EHFDXVHRXU EXVGULYHUNQHZDVKRUWFXW that theirs didn’t — and we EHDWWKHPWRWKH¿HOG2XU coach, who wasn’t afraid of hokey and goofy things to SAM BARBEE FROM THE SIDELINES Sports reporter Hermiston Little League opens 51st season More than 600 youth attend BY SAM BARBEE VD\DVPRWLYDWLRQWROGXVLW was an omen. )RUZKDW"1RQHRIXV knew. The game dragged DORQJDQGRXUULYDOVVFRUHG ZKHQRXUOHIW¿HOGHUZKR was my age, lost a ball in WKHVXQDQGDOORZHGDUXQ RUWZRWRVFRUH2XUULYDOV¶ VKRUWVWRSKLWDKRPHUXQ in the top of the seventh RIIRXUQDVW\VLGHDUP reliever to take a 4-1 lead and seemingly seal the ballgame. I remember WKLQNLQJWKDW,ZRXOGKDYH to give back this varsity jersey I got days before. I was sad it was over. I think we all were. 7KHQFUD]\VWXII happened. Somehow we got the bases loaded with WZRRXWVDQGRXUVKRUWVWRS EDWWLQJ7KLVJX\ZRUNHG DIXOOFRXQWDOORZLQJWKH UXQQHUVWRWDNHRIIDWWKH pitch. Normally a singles hitter with some gap power, KHZHQWRXWRIFKDUDFWHU and hit one to the fence in left center. This scored the UXQQHUVDWWKLUGDQGVHFRQG HDVLO\DQGWKHJX\DW¿UVW FRXOGUXQVRKHVFRUHG VWDQGLQJXSWRR7KLVVHW XSDSOD\DWWKLUGWRJHW RXUVKRUWVWRSZKRFRXOG DOVRUXQ7KHLUVKRUWVWRS who hit the apparently game-ending dinger, tried to be a hero and make WKHSOD\DWWKLUGEXWKLV throw sailed high and hit WKHGXJRXWIDFLQJJLYLQJ RXUJX\KRPHSODWHDQG XVDQLPSUREDEOHZLQ We dog piled on the plate, DQGRQHRXUULYDO¶VSOD\HUV literally ripped the bill off of his hat with his hands. It’s the most impressive/ terrifying thing I’ve ever seen. %XWWKDW¶VQRWHYHQWKH best part of the story. On contact, the 15 or so of XVSOD\HUV²DQGDOOWKH FRDFKHV²SLOHGRXWRIWKH GXJRXWDQGZDWFKHGWKH SOD\XQIROGIURPWKHVNLUW We had this big 6-foot-6 SLWFKHUZKRZDVÀDLOLQJKLV DUPVLQMR\DQGKHFDXJKW me across the face. He had DEULHIPRPHQWRIDOWUXLVP DQGVWRSSHGWRPDNHVXUH I was OK (I didn’t even feel it from the adrenaline) DQGZHQWEDFNWRÀDLOLQJ his arms, this time a safe distance from my head. When the errant throw SEE MEMORIES/A8 GO SEE IT Wednesday, April 8 Boys Tennis Hermiston vs. The Dalles, 4 p.m. Girls Tennis Hermiston @ The Dalles, 4 p.m. Thursday, April 9 Girls Golf Hermiston @ Pendleton @ Pendleton CC, 9 a.m. Tennis Umatilla vs. Helix, 4 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOGYV5LYHUVLGHSP Friday, April 10 Baseball Hermiston vs. Parkrose (DH), 3 p.m. Umatilla @ Nyssa (DH), 1 p.m. Softball Hermiston vs. Lakeridge, 3 p.m. Umatilla @ Nyssa (DH), 1 p.m. Lacrosse +HUPLVWRQ#5LFKODQGSP Tennis 6WDQ¿HOG#6KHUPDQ&RXQW\SP Golf (FKR#3HQGOHWRQ#3HQGOHWRQ&&SP Saturday, April 11 Track Hermiston @ Willamette Falls Invitational @ Ore- JRQ&LW\DP 6WDQ¿HOG#'LFN+RU\QD,QYLWDWLRQDODP Echo @ Dick Horyna Invitational, 11 a.m. Softball Echo @ Imbler, 1 p.m. Baseball 6WDQ¿HOG#(OJLQ'+SP HERMISTON HERALD $PLG PRUH WKDQ \RXQJVWHUV DQG XQGHU QHZ lights, Hermiston Little /HDJXH FRPPHQFHG LWV VW VHDVRQ6DWXUGD\LQIURQWRID crowd that packed the space EHWZHHQ¿HOGVDWWKH)LHOGRI Dreams complex off Diago- QDO5RDGLQ+HUPLVWRQ +HUPLVWRQ /HDJXH 3UHV- LGHQW 5LFK 'HYLQ VDLG WKH WXUQRXW ZDV IDQWDVWLF IRU DQ opening day. “I was very impressed with the way everyone came RXWDQGKHOSHGRXWDQGYROXQ- teered,” he said. “That said, ZH FRXOG DOZD\V XVH PRUH XPSLUHV:HFRXOGQ¶WKDYH a better opening day. The ZHDWKHU ZDV EHDXWLIXO (Y- HU\ERG\VKRZHGXS´ Player agent Kelly 6FKZLUVHVDLGPRUHWKDQ players are registered in Little /HDJXH ¿OOLQJ WHDPV LQ EDVHEDOODQGVRIWEDOOVRIW- EDOOWHDPVEDVHEDOOWHDPV one challenger team and 11 7EDOOVTXDGV 7KH VHDVRQ ZLOO EH WKH¿UVWZLWK+HUPLVWRQPRY- ing to District 3 with Pendle- ton, La Grande, Milton-Free- ZDWHU 3LORW 5RFN 6WDQ¿HOG Umatilla, Irrigon, Boardman DQG RWKHU FRPPXQLWLHV Hermiston moved from Dis- COURTESY PHOTO Hermiston Little President Rich Devin (left) and Field of Dreams Maintenance Director Jeff Gritz (second from left) give Rhonda and Jeb Cummings the 2015 Hermiston Little League Volunteer of the Year award for their help with various projects and the concession stand. trict 5, which encompassed 7KH 'DOOHV +RRG 5LYHU DQG the rest of central Oregon. The new lights, which were recently installed for the new season, were a ma- jor project this offseason as the old ones had to be re- placed. Devin thanked Good 6KHSKHUG&RPPXQLW\+HDWK Shelco Electric, Winebarg- er Welding and Irrigation, Umatilla Electric, Wild +RUVH )RXQGDWLRQ WKH &LW\ RI+HUPLVWRQ8QLWHG5HQWDOV and Far West Steel and Local ,QWHUQDWLRQDO $VVRFLDWLRQ RI%ULGJH6WUXFWXUDODQG2U- namental Iron Workers for WKHLUFRQWULEXWLRQVWRWKHQHZ OLJKWV 5HSUHVHQWDWLYHV IURP the nine companies each WKUHZ RXW VLPXOWDQHRXV ¿UVW pitches to recognize their ef- IRUWV6DWXUGD\ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR UHJXODU games, Hermiston will also KRVW WKH \HDUROG DQG \HDUROG VWDWH EDVHEDOO WRXUQDPHQWVVWDUWLQJ-XO\ 7KHEDVHEDOOVWDWHWRXU- nament will be in Klamath )DOOVVWDUWLQJRQ-XO\1R RWKHU VWDWH WRXUQDPHQW VLWHV have been disclosed. Beginning at 11 a.m. Sat- XUGD\ HDFK RI WKH WHDPV ZHUH LQWURGXFHG ([FLWHPHQW DERXQGHG DV D 7EDOO SOD\HU lost his shoe as he ran in from WKH RXW¿HOG WR MRLQ KLV WHDP EXWKHSLFNHGLWXSDQGNHSW it moving. ³+H MXVW NQHZ KH KDG WR JHW WR WKH LQ¿HOG´ 'HYLQ joked. Once each team was in- WURGXFHGDQGJDWKHUHGRQWKH LQ¿HOGGLUW*LUO6FRXW7URRS 1RSUHVHQWHGWKHFRO- RUV DQG /LVD -RQHV JDYH D URXVLQJ UHQGLWLRQ RI WKH QD- tional anthem. Then, led by 'HYLQWKHERDUGPHPEHUV ZHUHLQWURGXFHG 1H[W HPFHH -RH 7KRPS- VRQKRQRUHGD+HUPLVWRQFRX- SOHZKRZHUHQDPHGWKH +HUPLVWRQ/LWWOH/HDJXH9RO- XQWHHUV RI WKH <HDU 5KRQGD DQG=HE&XPPLQJV 7KH&XPPLQJVKDYHVSHQW the past six years helping in any way they can, whether LW¶V³DQHZFRQVWUXFWLRQSURM- ect that needs skilled hands or organizing one the of the EXVLHVW DUHDV RI WKH )LHOG RI Dreams (concession stand) from night to night, they are there to help,” he said. 7KH &XPPLQJV ³EXLOW´ WKH 'RXEOH $ VRIWEDOO SUR- gram from an idea to a staple, Thompson said, and Devin VDLGWKH\DUHLQYDOXDEOHWRKLV OHDJXH ³5KRQGDDQG=HEDUHNLQG and willing to do anything,” he said. “They always have a helping hand. They’re essen- WLDO WR PDNLQJ /LWWOH /HDJXH JRLQ+HUPLVWRQ7KH\¶UHMXVW really great people. It’s nice to have someone who always has a smile on her face.” With a large contingent of SOD\HUV DQG YROXQWHHUV QHZ OLJKWV VWDWH WRXUQDPHQWV DQG D IXOO VODWH RI EDVHEDOO DQG softball, Devin, Schwirse and the rest of Hermiston Little /HDJXHDUHUHDG\DQGH[FLWHG for a new year of ball. Umatilla tennis splits with Ione No. 1 boys doubles match comes down to tiebreaker BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD $IWHU D VFKHGXOH WKDW GLGQ¶WVXI¿FLHQWO\FKDOOHQJH the Umatilla tennis team EHIRUH 7XHVGD\ EURXJKW RQHIRUWKH9LNLQJV 7KH9LNLQJVSOD\HGKRVW to the Ione Cardinals on 7XHVGD\ DQG ZDONHG DZD\ DERXW HYHQ 7KH 8PDWLOOD girls won 4-3 and the boys tied 5-5. “I think we played OK,” head coach Calvin Meade said. “The big thing is we SOD\HG D WHDP ZH DFWXDOO\ VWDFNXSSUHWW\ZHOOZLWK6R WKLV LV DFWXDOO\ JLYLQJ XV D really good look.” On the girls side, No. 1 girls singles player Sidney :HEEGRZQHG.DULQD5LRV EXW ,RQH¶V %DEDOL 3HWHUVRQ beat Umatilla’s Natali Ar- PHQWDDQG,RQH¶V0F(O- ligott beat Umatilla’s Bren- GD0HQGR]DWRZUDSXS girls singles matches. ,Q JLUOV GRXEOHV DFWLRQ 1RJLUOVGRXEOHVSDLU$OH- MDQGUD 0XQR] DQG (VSHU- anza Garcia lost to Katelyn %DVV DQG 0DLD )XFKV )DWLPD6DQFKH]DQG<HVHQLD Garcia beat Hannah Flynn DQG 5\OHH :DJRQHU <HVHQLD *DUFLD DQG$OHMDQ- GUD 0XQR] EHDW (ULFD 1HO- VRQDQG.HOVH\9DQ2V and Esperanza Garcia and %UHQGD 0HQGR]D EHDW 5HL- ah Waite and Natalie Grigg 6-1. On the boys side, Elian $UPHQWDORVWWR-RQ*ODVHQ *LR$UHQWDORVWWR%U\- DQ)RZOHU'RXJODV*R- PH] EHDW 7RP *RXOG and Stephen Morris beat (QULFR0DFFLROD ,QGRXEOHVDFWLRQ8PD- WLOOD 1R ER\V GRXEOHV SDLU 5DPLUR 5XELR DQG Alejandro Madrigal lost to Ione’s Kai Arbogast and 'DLFKL :DOWHUV (GJDU 0DGULJDO DQG -XQLRU &RULD EHDW 7LP *RXOG DQG $PLU%D\DQD\HY*DJH %RXUULH DQG -RHO (VFDPLOOD EHDW 7RP *RXOG DQG -DUHG 6Q\GHUDQG7ULVWHQ&ROH DQG4XHQWLQ&RUGRQDORVWWR ,RQH¶V7LP DQG7RP *RXOG 6-3. The best match of the GD\WKRXJKFDPHIURPWKH ER\V1RGRXEOHVSDLULQJV 8PDWLOODVHQLRUV5XELRDQG Alejandro Madrigal, who normally play singles, took on Arbogast and Walters, ZKRZHUHSOD\LQJWKHLU¿UVW GRXEOHVPDWFKWRJHWKHU “The thing that I liked was the fact that they never JDYHXS´0HDGHVDLGRIKLV 1R ER\V GRXEOHV WHDP ³7KH\ VWXFN LQ WKH JDPH WKHZKROHWLPHEXWWKHRQH WKLQJ,WDONWRWKHPDERXWDI- terwards was mental prepa- ration, and they even told me that.” In a very evenly contest- HGPDWFKQHLWKHUVLGHFRXOG take control. Neither side ever led by more than one game, and the lead changed hands eight times and there were eight ties. 8PDWLOOD MXPSHG WR D TXLFN OHDG EXW LW ZDV short-lived as Ione, helped E\WZR9LNLQJGRXEOHIDXOWV TXLFNO\HYHQHGWKLQJVXSDW one. Then, with serve, Ione WRRNDOHDGEXW8PDWLOOD DQVZHUHGZLWKDQDUURZ JDPH ZLQ WR WLH WKLQJV XS DW WZR DSLHFH 7KDW ZDV how the match went for its entirety. Then, late in the match, 8PDWLOODOHGDQGKDGMXVW ZRQ WKH SUHYLRXV WZR JDPHV DIWHU WUDLOLQJ %XW PRUH XQIRUFHG HUURUV DQG D GRXEOH IDXOW ZKLOH GHXFHG KDQGHG ,RQH QHZ OLIH DQG DQ WLH VHWWLQJ XS D WLHEUHDNHU %RO- VWHUHGE\DQRWKHUGRXEOHIDXOW DQGPRUHXQIRUFHGHUURUVIURP Umatilla, Ione won the last IRXUSRLQWVRIWKHWLHEUHDNHUWR WDNHWKHPDWFK After the match, Me- ade spoke with his pair of seniors to see what they WKRXJKWRIWKHPDWFK ³7KH¿UVWWKLQJWKH\VDLG was they didn’t mentally VKRZXS´KHVDLG³,ZRXOG totally agree with that. There ZHUH D WRQ RI XQIRUFHG HU- rors — silly, silly mistakes. 7KLQJV , ZRXOGQ¶W H[SHFW from a pair of competitive seniors. And they know that those are things they need to work on and will EHFRPSOHWHO\XQDFFHSWDEOH when we get to districts and VWDWH:LWK WKDW WKRXJK LI ZH¿[RXUGRXEOHIDXOWVDQG XQIRUFHG HUURUV ZH¶OO EH MXVW¿QH´ Filling in as the No. 1 boys singles player was Armenta, who took on German foreign exchange VWXGHQW *ODVHQ 'HVSLWH WKH GHFLVLRQ0HDGHVDLGKH WKRXJKW $UPHQWD KDQGOHG WKH FDOO XS ZHOO HQRXJK IRU a freshman. ³<RX¶YHJRWWRORVHDORW to win a lot,” Meade said of $UPHQWD ³<RX¶YH DOZD\V JRWWRFKDOOHQJH\RXUVHOIWR play players that are better WKDQ \RX EHFDXVH WKDW ZLOO UHDOO\ KHOS \RX ¿JXUH RXW WKH DUHDV \RX QHHG WR ZRUN on and improve as a player. (YHQ WKRXJK KH ORVW , VWLOO WKRXJKW KH SOD\HG WKH EHVW match he’s played all sea- son.” On the girls side, Webb’s ZLQ ZDVQ¶W D VXUSULVH 7KHMXQLRUWRRNDTXLFN OHDGDQGEXLOWRQLWZLQQLQJ IRXU RI WKH QH[W ¿YH JDPHV WRUXQDZD\IURP5LRV ³'XDO PDWFKHV DUH IXQ it’s a great experience,” Me- DGH VDLG ³%XW PRYLQJ IRU- ward into districts and state, \RX¶UH DOZD\V JRLQJ WR EH playing someone who’s as JRRG DV RU EHWWHU WKDQ \RX and so learning how to close SRLQWV TXLFNO\ UDWKHU WKDQ rallying back and forth and waiting for the other person WR VFUHZ XS WKRVH DUH MXVW WKLQJVWKDWDOORIXVQHHGWR ZRUN RQ ² HYHQ RXU WRS players. We have a lot of season left.” Umatilla hosts Helix on 7KXUVGD\DWSP Hermiston softball thrashes Senators Following a strong of- fensive performance Friday DIWHUQRRQ DJDLQVW 5H\QROGV the Hermiston softball team had its best offensive day of WKH HDUO\ VHDVRQ 7XHVGD\ LQ Portland despite some tweaks LQWKHOLQHXS 7KH %XOOGRJV WRVVHG XS UXQVLQD¿YHLQQLQJ QRQOHDJXH GUXEELQJ RI WKH Madison Senators at Delta Park. The win gives Herm- iston (4-6) after losing three VWUDLJKW7KH%XOOGRJVDUH in their last six. %REEL +RIEDXHU OHG WKH way at the plate, going 3-4 ZLWK IRXU UXQV VFRUHG %UH\- anna Naylor took the ball in WKH FLUFOH WKURZLQJ IRXU LQ- QLQJV RI VKXWRXW EDOO RQ RQH hit, while walking three and VWULNLQJ RXW WZR +HUPLVWRQ SRXQGHG RXW KLWV DOO VLQ- gles. “The girls are making KXJH LPSURYHPHQWV´ KHDG coach Kylee Lete said. “We tried to capitalize early. The JLUOVDUHPDNLQJWKRVHDGMXVW- PHQWV 5LJKW QRZ ZH KRSH WRNHHSPDNLQJWKRVHDGMXVW- ments and making those im- provements and let the rest take care of itself.” +HUPLVWRQFHUWDLQO\VWUXFN HDUO\ $IWHU D VFRUHOHVV EXW QRWTXLHW¿UVWLQQLQJ+HUP- LVWRQSODWHGIRXULQWKHVHFRQG IUDPHFDSSHGE\DQ5%,VLQ- JOHIURP-DLPH+LQNOH\ZKR RFFXSLHGWKHWZRVORWLQVWHDG of her normal lead-off role. 7KH %XOOGRJV JRW WKUHH more in the third, with McK- HQ]LH-XXOWKHVL[KLWWHU-XOLV- VD$OPDJXHUWKHVHYHQKLWWHU DQG +RIEDXHU LQ WKH HLJKW slot, all notching base hits. Those three each scored, as well. Hermiston really broke WKLQJV RSHQ LQ WKH IRXUWK EDWWLQJ DURXQG DOPRVW WZLFH DQGVFRULQJQLQHUXQVWRWDNH DJDPHDQGPDNHLW $EL 'URW]PDQQ +RIEDXHU and Mikayla Kopacz each had hits in the frame, and all EXWWZR%XOOGRJVFURVVHGWKH plate safely. Hermiston add- HGVL[PRUHLQWKH¿IWKZLWK +RIEDXHUDGGLQJKHUWKLUGKLW of the day and Kalene Wheel- er getting in on the action with a single. Hermiston plays again Fri- day at 3 p.m. against Laker- idge. ——— HHS HERMISTON 22, MADISON 2 043 96 — 22 14 0 MHS 000 02 — 2 4 3 V. White-Elk and M. Dike; B. Naylor, T. Betz and 2B: T. Bohannon (MHS). WESTON-MCEWEN 11, ECHO 1 The Weston-McEwen Ti- JHU6FRWVEHDWWKH(FKR&RX- JDUV LQ D QRQOHDJXH VRIWEDOO JDPH 7XHVGD\ LQ Athena. 1RIXUWKHUGHWDLOVZHUHUH- ported. WESTON-MCEWEN 21, UMATILLA 2 The Umatilla softball WHDPORVWDQRQOHDJXHJDPH WR :HVWRQ0F(ZHQ RQ 7XHVGD\LQ$WKHQD 1RIXUWKHUGHWDLOVZHUHUH- ported. SEE ROUNDUP/A8