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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2015)
SPORTS WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 HERMISTONHERALD.COM A7 PREP BASEBALL • SIGNINGS • SCHEDULE Butte Challenge marks 16th year try coach Troy Blackburn, ZKRUDQLQWKH%XWWH&KDO- HERMISTON HERALD lenge in its infancy, said he $UHD UXQQHUV ZLOO UDLVH LVLPSUHVVHGWRVHHKRZWKH money for the Hermis- HYHQW KDV JURZQ IURP LWV ton High School Cross ¿UVW IXQGUDLVHU UDFH PRUH &RXQWU\ WHDP ZKHQ WKH\ than a decade ago into the compete in the 16th an- top fundraising event for nual Butte Challenge this Hermiston cross country ZHHNHQGDWWKH+HUPLVWRQ team currently. Butte. SEE CHALLENGE/A8 First-year cross coun- BY SAM BARBEE SAM BARBEE PHOTO 6XUURXQGHGE\KHUIDPLO\+HUPLVWRQ·V%UHD.HVWOHUVLJQVKHU OHWWHURILQWHQWWRSOD\YROOH\EDOOLQWKHIDOODW6RXWKZHVWHUQ 2UHJRQ&RPPXQLW\&ROOHJHLQ&RRV%D\ IF YOU GO WHAT: The Butte Challenge WHEN: 8:30 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. event, Saturday, May 9 WHERE: Northwest Seventh Street, Hermiston WHY: Hermiston cross country fundraiser HOW: Register at ButteChallenge.com or at the event. Cost is $10 for the Butte Scoot, and $20 for the adult events. An extra $2.75 fee is added for walk-up registration. %UHD.HVWOHUVLJQVZLWK 6RXWKZHVWHUQ2UHJRQ Hermiston setter joins playoff- bound Lakers BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD The first time Brea Kestler visited South- ZHVWHUQ 2UHJRQ &RPPX- nity College in Coos Bay ZHHNV DJR VKH NQHZ LP- PHGLDWHO\LWZDVWKHSODFH for her. The Hermiston vol- leyball team setter then ZRUNHG RXW ZLWK WKH WHDP and she called it “the most intense practice I ever had.” 0RQGD\ .HVWOHU signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Lak- ers volleyball program, coached by Steve George. The setter joins a program that finished fourth in the 1RUWKZHVW $WKOHWLF &RQ- ference south division last year, earning a play- off spot. ³,¶PPRVWH[FLWHGIRU our season to start,” Kes- tler said. “I leave Aug. , WKLQN DQG ZH KDYH D ZKROH PRQWK DQG D KDOI before school starts just to get conditioning in, and ZH KDYH RXU ¿UVW WRXUQD- ment in California, and ZHJHWWRJRWR6L[)ODJV 7KDW¶VJRQQDEHH[FLWLQJ´ .HVWOHU¶V MRXUQH\ WR Coos Bay began during volleyball season in No- vember. Head coach %HFN\ :DGHNDPSHU ZDV compiling film clips of the senior setter and sending them to schools and receiving interest in return. Kestler had been developing a relationship ZLWK:DOOD:DOOD8QLYHU- sity, until Coos Bay ex- pressed interest. She took a trip there a IHZ PRQWKV DJR DQG IHOW FRPIRUWDEOH ULJKW DZD\ She said George is one of the most competitive SHRSOHVKH¶VEHHQDURXQG and the team, by proxy, is very competitive, too. :DGHNDPSHU EHOLHYHV WKDW .HVWOHU ZKR LV DOVR competitive and “feisty” RQ WKH FRXUW ZLOO ILW LQ ZRQGHUIXOO\ “She has a real passion IRU WKH JDPH´ :DGHND- mper said of Kestler. “Not everybody that plays the game has that. That gives her a lot of drive. ³2QFH \RX JR WR WKDW next level, (competitive- ness is) the key thing you KDYH WR KDYH´ :DGHND- mper added. “In high VFKRRO QRW HYHU\ERG\¶V on that. Players are here for different reasons, not just to compete at volley- ball, but once you get to WKH FROOHJH OHYHO LW¶V DOO about that.” .HVWOHU ZDV GUDZQ WR George as a coach be- cause of his experience, she said. The 2015 season ZLOO EH KLV ILUVW LQ &RRV Bay after spending 30 years coaching at various OHYHOV +LV WZR GDXJK- ters are both continuing their volleyball careers into college, and Kestler felt his enthusiasm and NQRZOHGJH RI WKH JDPH ZHUHULJKWIRUKHU ³+H¶V VXSHU FRPSHW- LWLYH DQG ,¶P UHDOO\ H[- FLWHG WR ZRUN ZLWK KLP´ Kestler said. “After going through a couple schools, KHZDVGHILQLWHO\WKHPRVW competitive and the most WKULYLQJWRZLQ´ Kestler plans on study- ing education, inspired by her favorite teacher Randy 6PLWKDQG6:2&&RIIHUV a four-year education pro- gram, although she plans on transferring after just WZR \HDUV 6PLWK¶V PRWK- er also lives in Coos Bay, giving Kestler a friendly face from the start. 7KRXJK.HVWOHUZLOOEH moving far from home, about 400 miles, Tiffany 0DGGR[ .HVWOHU¶V PRWK- HUZLOOPDNHHYHU\JDPH she said. Plus Coos Bay LV FORVH WR WKH 2UHJRQ Dunes National Recre- DWLRQ $UHD ZKLFK PDNHV her father happy, she said. ³,W¶V JRQQD ZRUN RXW´ Kestler said. SAM BARBEE PHOTO 6WDQÀHOG·V7RQ\)ORUHVVOLGHVVDIHO\LQWRVHFRQGEDVHSDVWWKHRXWVWUHWFKHGJORYHRI7UL&LWLHV3UHSVKRUWVWRS,VDDF1HOVRQ GXULQJWKHIRXUWKLQQLQJRID7LJHUZLQ7XHVGD\LQ6WDQÀHOG Tigers dominate over Jaguars Grogan homers, doubles; Flores tough on hill BY SAM BARBEE HERMISTON HERALD Up 2-1 in the bottom of WKH WKLUG LQQLQJ ZLWK WZR RXWVWKH6WDQ¿HOGEDWVFDPH to life. The Tigers strung togeth- HU VL[ FRQVHFXWLYH KLWV ZLWK WZRRXWV²LQFOXGLQJDWZR UXQ VKRW WR OHIWFHQWHU ¿HOG LQWR WKH ZLQG IURP '\ODQ *URJDQ ² DQG WKH 7LJHUV GRZQHG WKH 7UL&LWLHV 3UHS Jaguars 9-5 Tuesday behind nine strikeouts from Tony Flores. 6WDQ¿HOG maintains a one-game lead RYHU9DOHIRU¿UVWSODFHLQWKH $(DVWHUQ2UHJRQ/HDJXH 7KH 7LJHUV KDYH QRZ ZRQ three straight. ³:H¶UHKDSS\ZLWKZKHUH ZH¶UHDW´KHDGFRDFK%U\DQ -RKQVRQVDLG³,IZHFDQMXVW VWD\KHDOWK\ZHNQRZZH¶YH at least clinched a state play- RII ELUWK 1RZ ZH ZDQW WR ¿QLVKLWDQGKRVWGLVWULFWV´ Health has become a bit RI D FRQFHUQ IRU 6WDQ¿HOG )ORUHV VWDUWHG KLV ¿UVW JDPH on the bump after missing D FRXSOH RI ZHHNV EHFDXVH of a sore arm, and Keith :DPSOHULVOLNHO\ORVWIRUWKH VHDVRQ ZLWK D EURNHQ KDQG Starters Ryan Bailey and Ja- VRQ)LW]SDWULFNZHUHQ¶WSUHV- ent Tuesday, as they traveled ZLWK))$IRUDQHYHQW 6WDQ¿HOG JRW PDMRU FRQ- tributions from some fresh- PHQ ZKR ZHUH WKUXVW LQWR WKHVWDUWLQJOLQHXSKRZHYHU Damien Curiel, a second baseman, and Justin Keeney DQG 0DNLDK %ODQNHQVKLS RXW¿HOGHUVHDFKKDGKLWVRXW of the bottom of the order in the six-run third inning. Cu- ULHO KDG D WZRRXW 5%, VLQ- JOH.HHQH\SRVWHGZLWKKLV second hit of the day to score Steven Allan; and Blanken- ship laced a 3-1 pitch into right-center to plate Curiel and Keeney in the inning. ³7KDW ZDV UHDOO\ QLFH to see those guys step up,” -RKQVRQ VDLG ³,W¶V ZKDW you gotta have as a team. <RXQHYHUNQRZZKHQ\RXU QXPEHU¶V JRQQD JHW FDOOHG DQGWKH\KDYHQ¶WKDGDORWRI SOD\LQJWLPH,WZDVQLFHIRU SEE TIGERS/A8 Buckaroos scrape by Bulldogs in extra innings BY ERIK SKOPIL EO MEDIA GROUP 4XLQQ &RFNEXUQ ZDV dead to rights Tuesday. The Pendleton junior had just scampered to WKLUG EDVH ZKHQ D SLWFK IURP +HUPLVWRQ¶V &KDVH Root found the dirt, elud- ing catcher Landon Gam- mell. Cockburn took a ZLGH WXUQ DURXQG WKH EDJ DWWKLUGKRZHYHURSHQLQJ D ZLQGRZ IRU *DPPHOO WR ¿QG /XNDV 7RODQ EXW WKH WKURZ FDUHHQHG RII &RFN- EXUQ¶VKHOPHWDQGLQWROHIW ¿HOG JLYLQJ WKH ÀHHWRI foot junior all the time in WKH ZRUOG WR FRDVW KRPH for the deciding run in a GHIHDW LQ D ZLOG H[- tra-inning affair Tuesday in Pendleton. ³,I ZH PDNH WKDW SOD\ DWWKLUGZHVD\KRZJUHDW D SOD\ WKDW ZDV´ +HUP- iston head coach Lance +DZNLQVVDLG³7KDW¶VRQH RIWKRVHWKLQJV:H¶UHJR- ing to keep coaching and teaching. There are some WKLQJVZHZDQWWRSXWLQIRU WKHQH[WWZRZHHNV´ The loss puts Hermiston IDUWKHULQWRWKH hole it dug itself in the Co- lumbia River Conference DQG D GH¿FLW LQ WKH VHDVRQ VHULHV 0HDQZKLOH Pendleton moves into sole possession of second place. 7KUHH ¿UVWLQQLQJ %XOO- dog runs put the Buckaroos behind the eight ball, but WKH\ UHVSRQGHG ZLWK WKUHH RIWKHLURZQLQWKHERWWRP of the frame. Hermiston took the lead back in the ¿IWK DQG VHYHQWK LQQLQJV but Pendleton found an an- VZHUHDFKWLPH &RFNEXUQ¶V UXQ RQ WKH SDVVHG EDOO DQG WKURZLQJ error provided the Bucka- URRVZLWKWKHLURQO\OHDGRI the game. Faulty base running cost the Buckaroos three times in the early innings. 7ZR EDWWHUV EHIRUH &RFN- EXUQ ZDV FDXJKW DW WKLUG teammate Brandon Her- gert did the same trying to leg out a triple that scored WZRUXQV7ZRLQQLQJVODWHU 3DSROZDVWKURZQRXWE\D handful of steps heading KRPH E\ OHIW ¿HOGHU 0L- chael Gossler. Pendleton hit Root, a sophomore, hard all day. SEE BULLDOGS/A8 7DYLQ+HDGLQJVMRLQV',,,¶VHOLWH player the year before but had to WDNHDEUHDNIURPWKHKDUGZRRG +HU KHDG MXVW ZDVQ¶W LQ LW DQ\- more. After a successful basketball VHDVRQ WKDW VDZ KHU QDPHG WR BY SAM BARBEE WKH ¿UVW WHDP$OO&ROXPELD 5LY- HERMISTON HERALD HU &RQIHUHQFH VTXDG ¿UVW WHDP Heading into the 2014-15 bas- All-Area team and a second-place ketball season, Tavin Headings ¿QLVK DW WKH VWDWH WRXUQDPHQW LQ ZDVQ¶W VXUH ZKDW WKH IXWXUH KHOG 0DUFK KRZHYHU +HDGLQJV UH- IRUKHU6KHKDGQ¶WSOD\HGEDVNHW- considered playing at the next ball in a year, choosing instead to level and signed a letter of intent VZLPLQ 0RQGD\ WR EHFRPH WKH QHZHVW She had received some inter- member of the George Fox Bru- est from colleges as a basketball LQV ZRPHQ¶V EDVNHWEDOO SURJUDP Hermiston sharpshooter inks with George Fox LQ1HZEHUJ2UHJRQ ³7KH\ ZHUH WKH ZKROH SDFN- age,” Headings said of George )R[ ³, IHOW DW KRPH ZKHQ , ZDV WKHUH7KH¿UVWWLPH,ZHQWWKHUH, ZDVMXVWZDWFKLQJWKHLUEDVNHWEDOO game, and I met the coach and the team. I felt like I belonged. They ZHUH UHDOO\ QLFH DQG UHDOO\ ZHO- FRPLQJ7KH\GLGQ¶WWUHDWPHOLNH ,ZDVMXVWDUHFUXLW´ The Bruins are members of the SAM BARBEE PHOTO National Collegiate Athletic As- sociation and sit in the Division +HUPLVWRQ·V7DYLQ+HDGLQJVFHQWHULVÁDQNHGE\KHUSDUHQWVOHIWDQGKHU FRDFKHVULJKWDVVKHVLJQVDOHWWHURILQWHQW0RQGD\WREHFRPHDPHPEHU SEE HEADINGS/A8 RIWKH*HRUJH)R[ZRPHQ·VEDVNHWEDOOSURJUDP GO SEE IT Wednesday, May 6 Boys Tennis Hermiston vs. Hood River Valley, 4 p.m. Girls Tennis Hermiston @ Hood River Valley, 4 p.m. Girls Golf Hermiston @ Districts @ Redmond, 8 a.m. Thursday, May 7 Girls Golf Hermiston @ Districts @ Redmond, 8 a.m. Track and Field Umatilla @ Umatilla Finale, 3:30 p.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#8PDWLOOD)LQDOHSP Friday, May 8 Girls Golf Hermiston @ Districts @ Redmond, 8 a.m. Track and Field Hermiston @ Pendleton @ Pilot Rock (CRC Novice), 3 p.m. Boys Tennis Hermiston @ Pendleton, 4 p.m. Baseball Hermiston vs. The Dalles, 4:30 p.m. Umatilla @ Elgin (DH), 1 p.m. Softball Hermiston vs. The Dalles, 4:30 p.m. Umatilla @ Elgin, 1 p.m. Echo vs. Enterprise, 1 p.m. Saturday, May 9 Lacrosse Hermiston @ Sisters @ Sali Tournament, TBD Track and Field Hermiston @ Pendleton @ Pilot Rock (CRC Novice Fi- nale), 10 a.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#:HVWRQ0F(ZHQDP Echo @ Arlington, 10 a.m. Tennis Umatilla @ Sud-districts @ Hermiston, 9 a.m. 6WDQ¿HOG#6XEGLWULFWV#+HUPLVWRQDP Baseball 6WDQ¿HOG#3RUWODQG&KULVWLDQSP Softball Echo @ Portland Christian, 2 p.m.