Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2015)
SPORTS SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM A7 PREP TRACK • PREP BASEBALL • PREP VOLLEYBALL• SCHEDULE Hodges Hermiston’s Ena inks with Centralia leaves big cleats to fill BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD SAM BARBEE FROM THE SIDELINES Sports reporter 5 arely does a person become synonymous with an RUJDQL]DWLRQ,W¶VKDSSHQHGLQ the past. John Wooden is synonymous ZLWK8&/$EDVNHWEDOO'RQ-DPHVLV V\QRQ\PRXVZLWK:DVKLQJWRQ+XVNLHV football. Ken Griffey Jr. is synonymous with the Seattle Mariners. ,Q+HUPLVWRQ0DUN+RGJHVLV synonymous with Hermiston football. His record is the best in the SURJUDP¶VKLVWRU\+H¶VZRQWKHPRVW JDPHVKH¶VZRQOHDJXHWLWOHVDQGKH ZRQWKHELJRQHDVWDWHFKDPSLRQVKLS It came as a surprise to many that KH¿QDOO\JDYHZD\WRKLVKLSVDQG DQQRXQFHGKHZDVVWHSSLQJGRZQWKLV ZHHN,WZDVVXGGHQWRR%XOOGRJUDGLR voice Erick Olson said he would have H[SHFWHG+RGJHVWRVWHSGRZQLQWKH fall after the football season ended. He KDGEHHQVLWWLQJRQWKHQHZVIRUDZKLOH DQGZDQWHGWRZDLWIRUWKHULJKWWLPH :HGQHVGD\ZDVWKHULJKWWLPH :KHQ,¿UVWFDPHWR+HUPLVWRQ +RGJHVZDVRQHRIWKH¿UVWQDPHV, learned. I was told Hermiston football ZDVDELJGHDODQGKHZDVDWWKHFHQWHU of it. I heard he was intense, and the ¿UVWWLPH,VDZKLP,XQGHUVWRRGZK\ ,ZDVQHUYRXVFRYHULQJWKDW¿UVWJDPH DJDLQVW.DPLDNLQ+RGJHVDQG,KDG VSRNHQRQWKHSKRQHEXWPHHWLQJ someone is always different. Yes, he ZDVLQWHQVHEXWKHZDVDOVRZLOOLQJWR JLYHKLVWLPH+HZDVDEXV\PDQDQG I could understand that, but he always answered questions the best he could. After we spoke this week, I thanked KLPIRUEHLQJJRRGWRDURRNLHUHSRUWHU +HVDLGDVORQJDV,ZDVIDLUDQG UHVSHFWIXOKHZRXOGJLYHPHWLPH+H never blew me off. 7KDW¶VFRQVLVWHQWZLWKWKHPDQ Hermiston knows. Joe Thompson and 2OVRQERWKKDGJORZLQJWKLQJVWRVD\ 3OD\HU/XLV0HGLQDFDOOHG+RGJHV his dad at school. Quarterback Chase .QXW]VDLGKHFRXOGWKLQNRIQRRWKHU coach he would rather play for. 7KRVHFRPPHQWVGRQ¶WIDGHDZD\ They slowly crescendo as time moves DORQJVORZO\FUHDWLQJDP\WK3HUKDSV +RGJHVLVGHVHUYLQJRIWKDWVWDWXV$IWHU all, the evolution of Hermiston football RFFXUUHGZLWKKLPLQFKDUJHZLWKKLP VWDONLQJWKHSUDFWLFH¿HOGLQWHQWO\ REVHUYLQJWKHDFWLRQSUDLVLQJJRRG SOD\VDQGFRUUHFWLQJEDGRQHV +LVDELOLW\WRUHODWHWRWHHQDJHUV ZDVDVNLOO+HLVZLVHKH¶VLQWHQVH DQGKH¶VSDVVLRQDWHEXWKH¶VDOVR JRWDJUHDWVHQVHRIKXPRUDQGD VHOIDZDUHQHVVDERXWKLP+H¶V comfortable in his own skin and is WUXHWRKLPVHOI$VDSOD\HU\RX¶UH GUDZQWRWKRVHJX\V,W¶VHDV\WRSOD\ IRUVRPHRQHZKRLVZLOOLQJWREH authentic for you. The best coaches I ever had were ones I knew as people, QRWMXVWDVFRDFKHV+RGJHV¶SOD\HUV knew him as a person. They could talk to him about personal matters and that respect showed. Guys have EHHQYLVLWLQJKLPLQKLVRI¿FHRULQWKH ZHLJKWURRPWRVD\DIHZZRUGVWR DVNKLPKRZKH¶VGRLQJ 7KH\VD\SHRSOHDUHQ¶WPHDVXUHG by what they say but what they do. :KDW+RGJHVKDVGRQHKDVGHHSO\ DIIHFWHGKLVSOD\HUVWRWKHSRLQWKH¶OO stay with them forever. ³+HWDXJKWPHKRZWREHDPDQ´ Medina said. ,ZLVK+RGJHVWKHEHVWRIOXFN LQKLVXSFRPLQJKLSUHSODFHPHQWV his recovery and his choice to do ZKDW¶VEHVWIRUKLPDQGKLVIDPLO\ His passion and enthusiasm about WKHJDPHRIIRRWEDOODUHREYLRXVDQG infectious. ³,WKLQNLW¶VWKHJUHDWHVWJDPHWKDW¶V HYHUEHHQLQYHQWHG´+RGJHVVDLGRI IRRWEDOO³,WKLQNLW¶VWKHJUHDWHVWWKLQJ IRU\RXQJPHQWREHLQYROYHGZLWK I just think the lessons you can learn from football and leadership are just LUUHSODFHDEOH´ :KDW+RGJHVIDLOHGWRPHQWLRQLV WKHLPSDFWDSHUVRQFDQKDYHRQ\RXQJ men. The lessons the boys learned from football are irreplaceable, sure, EXWVWRULHVOLNH0HGLQD¶VWDNHLWDQ extra step. +RGJHVZRQ¶WMXVWEHUHPHPEHUHG DVDKLVWRULFDOO\JUHDWIRRWEDOOFRDFKLQ WKLVWRZQ+H¶OODOVREHUHPHPEHUHG DVDQKLVWRULFDOO\JUHDWSHUVRQLQWKLV WRZQ7KDW¶VWKHPRVWLPSRUWDQWWKLQJ — Sam Barbee is the Hermiston Herald sports reporter. He can be reached at sbarbee@hermistonherald. com %HIRUHWKHVWDUWRIWKH YROOH\EDOO FDPSDLJQ VRPH- one asked Hermiston head coach Becky Wadekamper if senior outside hitter Noa Ena could play at the next level. She said Ena could if she IRXQG WKH ULJKW WHDP $SSDU- ently she did. This week, Ena inked her intentions to play volleyball at Centralia Com- PXQLW\ &ROOHJH LQ &HQWUDOLD :DVKLQJWRQ ZKHUH VKH ZLOO MRLQIRUPHU%XOOGRJWHDPPDWH .LP 1HYLO 7KH 7UDLOEOD]HUV compete in the West Divi- sion of the Northwest Athletic Conference under head coach Susan Gordon. )RU WKH %XOOGRJV (QD ZDV D OHDGLQJ IRUFH RIIHQVLYHO\ IUHTXHQWO\ OHDGLQJ WKH WHDP in kills. She was also a leader RQDQGRIIWKHIORRUSURYLGLQJ HQHUJ\ DQG ODXJKV ZKHQ WKH\ were needed, Wadekamper said. ³,¶P JUDWHIXO IRU WKLV RS- SRUWXQLW\´(QDVDLG7KXUVGD\ DW +HUPLVWRQ +LJK 6FKRRO ³,¶P UHDOO\ H[FLWHG DQG KRSH to do the best I can. I want to WKDQN P\ SDUHQWV IRU EULQJ- SAM BARBEE PHOTO LQJ WKH SDLQ EXW SXVKLQJ PH WRP\EHVWP\FRDFKLQJVWDII Hermiston senior 1oa (na ÁanNed by her parents holds a volleyball and the letter announcing her intent to play for Centralia Community SEE ENA/A8 College next school year at her signing ceremony Thursday. Robles powers Hermiston to split Junior strikes out 14 in complete game BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD Under a beautiful red sun- VHW +HUPLVWRQ MXQLRU 5- 5REOHV capped off a beautiful perfor- mance. The left-hander tossed a com- SOHWH JDPH )ULGD\ QLJKW VWULNLQJ RXWEDWWHUVZKLOHDOORZLQJMXVW WZRHDUQHGUXQVRQ¿YHVFDWWHUHG hits in an 8-2 win over rival Pend- OHWRQ7KH ZLQ VDOYDJHG WKH GRX- bleheader after an 8-0 loss earlier in the day. ³+H¶V D %XOOGRJ´ KHDG FRDFK /DQFH +DZNLQV VDLG RI 5REOHV ³+HJHWVXSWKHUHDQGGRHVQ¶WVD\ three words, but he battles every WLPHKHJHWVRXWWKHUH7KDW¶VZKDW ZHQHHG´ +HUPLVWRQUHPDLQV in fourth place in the Columbia 5LYHU &RQIHUHQFH DQG PXVW ZLQ out to secure a playoff birth. Pend- OHWRQ VLWV LQ VHFRQG Kyler Mikami had two hits for WKH %XOOGRJV DQG &ROH 6PLWK D WULSOHDQGWZR5%,V&DGHQ6PLWK tripled for the Bucks and drove in SAM BARBEE Hermiston freshman Daniel Gossler fouls off a high fastball Friday evening during an 8-2 win in the second game of a doubleheader with Pendleton at Armand Larive Middle School. WZR UXQV DQG %UDQGRQ +HUJHUW doubled as well. 5REOHV KDG HYHU\ IDFHW RI KLV UHSHUWRLUH ZRUNLQJ )ULGD\ QLJKW +HZDVORFDWLQJKLVIDVWEDOOHDUO\ LQWKHFRXQWDQGJHWWLQJDKHDGRI hitters, and he threw his offspeed SLWFKHVIRUVWULNHVNHHSLQJWKHDJ- JUHVVLYH3HQGOHWRQKLWWHUVRIIEDO- ance. 5REOHV VWUXFN RXW WKH VLGH LQ WKH WRS RI WKH ¿UVW RQ SLWFKHV VHWWLQJWKHWUHQGIRUWKHUHVWRIWKH QLJKW ,W ZDVQ¶W VPRRWK VDLOLQJ however. 3HQGOHWRQSXW5REOHVLQDMDP in the second when Jack Peterson worked a leadoff walk and Bran- GRQ+HUJHUWGRXEOHGLQWROHIWFHQ- WHU¿HOGWRSXW%XFNDURRVRQVHF- RQGDQGWKLUGZLWKRQHRXW5REOHV struck out the next two batters, KRZHYHU RQ HLJKW SLWFKHV WR HQG the threat. After Hermiston plated three in WKHERWWRPRIWKHVHFRQGRQ5%,V IURP-D\/LQGHPDQ0LFKDHO*RVV- ler and Mikami, Pendleton came ULJKWEDFNZLWKWZRRILWVRZQ +HUPLVWRQ¶V EDWV WKHQ FDPH DOLYH 7KH %XOOGRJV VFRUHG WZR more runs in the bottom of the third when Tyler Sexton laced a SLWFK WKURXJK XS WKH PLGGOH VFRULQJ ERWK 'DQLHO *RVVOHU DQG Cole Smith. ,Q WKH IRXUWK +HUPLVWRQ JRW WKUHH PRUH FKDVLQJ 3HQGOHWRQ starter Brady Smith. Mikami had his second of two hits with one RXW&KDVH5RRWZDONHGDQG6PLWK URFNHWHGDWULSOHWRWKHULJKW¿HOG fence for two more runs. After 6H[WRQZDONHG/DQGRQ*DPPHOO VKRW RQH WKURXJK WKH OHIW VLGH RI WKHLQ¿HOGDOORZLQJ6PLWKWRHDVH DFURVV WKH SODWH IRU +HUPLVWRQ¶V HLJKWKDQG¿QDOUXQ “All year (the players) are say- LQJ µ:H JRWWD GR LW¶ ´ +DZNLQV VDLG³7KHVHFRQGJDPHWKH\GLG WKDW*UHDWSLWFKLQJWLPHO\KLWWLQJ KLWVQRHUURUV²WKDW¶VJRLQJ WRJHWXVWREHVXFFHVVIXO´ Hermiston heads to Pendleton on Tuesday for the conclusion of WKH KRPHDQGKRPH WKUHH JDPH VHULHV )LUVW SLWFK LV VHW IRU p.m. 'DZJVLQJRRG¿HOGSRVLWLRQ for district track tourney BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD :LWK WKH WUDFN DQG ¿HOG GLV- WULFW WRXUQDPHQW DSSURDFKLQJ WKH +HUPLVWRQ %XOOGRJV DUH IHHOLQJ JRRG DERXW WKH UHVW RI the season. 7UDGLWLRQDOO\ WKH VSULQWLQJ section of the Hermiston track DQG ¿HOG WHDP KDV EHHQ WKH weakest of the disciplines. In KRZHYHU VSULQWLQJ KDV SOD\HG D KXJH UROH LQ WKH %XOO- GRJV¶VXFFHVV /HG E\ WKH ER\V [PH- ters relay team of Ethan Snow, Chris Behrednt, Sheridan Zum- walt and Tyler McCabe, and VRSKRPRUH$XGUH\ /LQFROQ IRU WKH JLUOV WKH %XOOGRJV DUH FRO- OHFWLYHO\LQDJRRGSODFHDVWKH district meet looms. ³:H¶UHJHWWLQJDJRRGJURXS RI NLGV WR UHDOO\ EX\ LQ´ ¿UVW year head coach Emily Strot said :HGQHVGD\ ³,W¶V D FKDOOHQJH EXWWKHNLGVDUHGRLQJJUHDWDQG P\VWDIILVDPD]LQJ,W¶VDFKDO- OHQJH EHFDXVH WKH SHUFHSWLRQ RI WUDFN DQG ¿HOG LQ +HUPLVWRQ LVQ¶W QHFHVVDULO\ ZKDW , ZDQW LW WREH,ZDQWWUDFNDQG¿HOGWREH the combination of every sport DW+HUPLVWRQ+LJK6FKRROWKDW¶V QRWJRLQJLQWKHVSULQJ,WKLQNLW can be that. I think it can be the SURJUDPWKDWFDQEULQJWKHHQWLUH DWKOHWLFGHSDUWPHQWWRJHWKHU´ 7KH [ ER\V WHDP IXOO of football players, is currently ranked second in the state. The JURXS¶V WLPH RI VHFRQGV at the Kiwanis Invitational last weekend stands as the sec- ond-best mark in the state behind RQO\DWLPHE\D6XPPLW JURXS7KH %XOOGRJV KDYH QHY- er had a successful boys sprint- LQJ WHDP DQG 6QRZ %HKUHGQW Zumwalt and McCabe have a JRRG FKDQFH WR SODFH VWDWH LQ D few weeks, Strot said. 7KRXJK 6QRZ KDV UXQ HDFK [ UDFH WKLV VHDVRQ ZLWK Behrednt, Zumwalt and Mc- Cabe, Cory Adams will run the ¿UVWOHJRIWKHHYHQWDWGLVWULFWV today in Spokane because he beat Snow in the 100 meters at a meet Wednesday. It was close — less than half a second — but VSULQWLQJ FRDFK 0DUN +RGJHV decided to reward Adams. SAM BARBEE PHOTO /LQFROQ ZKR KDV KDG D breakout sophomore season, has Hermiston freshman Maddy Juul unleashes a javelin throw Wednesday at the Grizzly-Knight-Bulldog 3-way daul at Kennsion Stadium. Juul’s SEE TRACK/A8 103-03 missed a personal best by an inch. GO SEE IT Saturday, May 2 Girls Tennis Hermiston @ Bend Tournament, TBD Umatilla @ Helix Tournament @ Hermis- ton, 10 a.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#+HOL[7RXUQDPHQW#+HUPLV- ton, 10 a.m. Boys Tennis Hermiston @ Madras Tournament, 9 a.m. Umatilla @ Helix Tournament @ Hermis- ton, 10 a.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#+HOL[7RXUQDPHQW#+HUPLV- ton, 10 a.m. Track and Field Hermiston @ Central Valley (Spokane), 9 a.m. Echo @ Portland Christrian @ 1A Track &ODVVLFTXDOL¿HUDP Echo @ Joseph, 1 p.m. Lacrosse Hermiston vs. Mountain View, 3 p.m. Softball Echo vs. Nyssa @ Echo Tournament, 1 p.m. Golf Echo @ Union @ Buffalo Peaks, 10 a.m. Sunday, May 3 Lacrosse Hermiston vs. Bend, 1 p.m. Monday, May 4 Umatilla tennis, TBD Tuesday, May 5 Tennis 6WDQ¿HOGYV0F/RXJKOLQSP Baseball +HUPLVWRQ#3HQGOHWRQSP 6WDQ¿HOGYV7UL&LW\3UHSSP Umatilla vs. Heppner (DH), 2 p.m. Softball +HUPLVWRQ#3HQGOHWRQSP 8PDWLOOD#+HSSQHUSP Boys Golf +HUPLVWRQ#+HUPLVWRQ,QYLWH#%LJ5LY- er GC, 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 6 Boys Tennis +HUPLVWRQYV+RRG5LYHU9DOOH\SP Girls Tennis +HUPLVWRQ#+RRG5LYHU9DOOH\SP