S PORTS
Hermiston
A10
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015
Still reason for
optimism at
Kennison Field
HERMISTONHERALD.COM
SAM BARBEE
FROM THE
SIDELINES
F
riday night was a bit of a surprise.
The feeling in Kennison Field
had a bite of anxiety smothered
under tangible excitement. By the time
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bleachers were packed with fans in
purple and gold from two schools and a
light rain making a late summer day feel
like the heart of autumn.
Minutes into Hermiston’s opener
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had changed. The Bulldogs forced a
quick three-and-out and scored on their
second play. It was the same recipe they
rode last season to a perfect 6-0 record
at home while outscoring opponents
263-74.
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41-20 win behind 28 unanswered points.
First-year coach David Faaeteete told
me after the game he didn’t like much he
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fourth-quarter performance and some
heart by the players.
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the Bulldogs didn’t need something like
this to ground them again after they
slipped a championship ring on their
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right. There was a feeling — not
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Hermiston would have the same level
of success because they were from
Hermiston. The players learned quickly
that where you’re from doesn’t have
much bearing on how you play.
But they learned something more that
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else: They learned what it’s like to play
on Friday night.
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exited. The ball probably went eight
feet. I was so nervous I could barely
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grass — all of it was different than
playing on a Monday or Thursday
afternoon.
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of injured senior Ethan Snow.
There is still reason for optimism.
After Hermiston’s home playoff win
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a score of any kind until the fourth
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on the Hermiston sideline. They knew
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and that’s why I picked them to win
the state title they eventually won
three weeks later.
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removed from that fateful team with
so many new personnel this team is
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Even with Hanford having its way
with the Bulldogs in Friday’s second
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nor was there any in Coleman’s. The
mistakes Hermiston made — dropped
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missed assignments — can all be
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were also playing a game against a
Hanford team that was probably better
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something to prove.
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just like one win a season does not
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from it. The Bulldogs have played one
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become familiar with each other.
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that chemistry was three years in the
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more games. It’ll be that long before
we know who they really are.
— Sam Barbee is a sports reporter
for the Hermiston Herald and East
Oregonian based out of Hermiston. He
can be reached by email at sbarbee@
hermistonherald.com or on Twitter @
SamBarbee1. Follow Herald Sports @
HHeraldSports.
STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BARBEE
When Brock McDounough was 13-years-old, he started racing go-karts. Now 17, the Hermiston High senior races Legends at Hermiston Super Oval,
where he is currently third in points.
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Brock McDounough
turns a love of speed
into a passion for racing
By SAM BARBEE
Staff Writer
Brock McDounough didn’t
know how to drive a stick.
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a then-16-year-old whose only
racing experience came in go-
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that dominates his weekends in
the summer and fall. He’s a race
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ends series at Hermiston Super
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———
Brock’s racing career began
rather suddenly with no real in-
dication it would start.
Paul had a friend who bought
a go-kart to race at Tri-City Kart
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too.
So Paul caved and bought
one. And a passion was born.
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he jumped in the go-kart in
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the throttle and the other karts
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He came back to the pits
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Paul sort of shrugged his
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“Then I stepped on it and I
started going faster and faster
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Folks around started to no-
tice. In talking to Paul they re-
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about the mechanical aspects
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Brock had talent but was also
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quickly improved. By the next
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championship at 14.
So then Dalton asked if
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how to use a clutch.
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controlled specs. The cars all
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driver. The cars all have 132
horsepower. The engines are
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Mexico to tutor under driving
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end World Champion Robert
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intensive three-day session in
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al transmission.
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paused.
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“I just like
going fast. I love
going fast.”
— Brock McDounough
Race car driver
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spots.
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16-year-old watching his feet and
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“I thought I was going to have
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said. “But he picked it up quick.
Robert said Brock picked it up
quicker than most people he’d
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and it’s still the closest he’s ever
come. Brock said he was com-
ing around Turn 3 at the track
and started spinning. He tried
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Miata. But as he stomped the ac-
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came within an arm’s length of
the wall.
“He could’ve reached out and
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———
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Paul have numerous stories about
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sixth — neither could remember
exactly — one race when Brock
lost his right rear fender.
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glass wheel cover. Brock pulled
the small car into the pits seem-
ingly done for the night.
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able to race again and he was back
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er good enough for competition.
Paul told his son to be safe and be
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came back in and surprised Paul.
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that doesn’t say much. You just
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upturned.
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third straight team wrestling state
championship.
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similar sports. They involve a
bunch of individual training as
well as group help. A wrestler
needs a coach and partner or more
to train with. A race car driver
needs help transporting and work-
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technically individualistic in na-
See RACING, A11
Sports roundup: Boys soccer powers past La Grande
HERMISTON HERALD
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sales scored goals and
Antonio Campos had
nine saves in the net to
lead Hermiston (2-0)
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league game on Saturday.
Rosales cleaned up a
rebound in front of the
net in the 24th minute to
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and Rosales converted
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pass in the 62nd minute
to make it 2-0.
With the wind at its
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but couldn’t break through
until a defensive break-
down let a shooter get one-
on-one with Campos in the
72nd minute.
Hermiston travels to
6A David Douglas to-
day in a game that will
provide a litmus test for
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Rich Harshberger.
“We’re starting to
get to know them pret-
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level we’ve got to play
it if we’re going to com-
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he said. “I hope it’s an
eye-opener for the boys
because we’ve had a
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but not good enough if
we’re going to do what
we want to in the state
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Riverside shuts
out Umatilla
An early penalty kick
doomed the Umatilla Vi-
kings against rival River-
side on Saturday in Uma-
tilla.
Riverside
was
awarded a penalty kick
just 20 minutes into
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a good opportunity to
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Madrigal’s shot passed
just wide of the right
post. Head coach Pe-
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had more second half
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fense and goalie played
well. He also said they
have some work to do
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forwards offensively.
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were reported.
Volleyball
Umatilla takes two
of three at Riverside
tourney
After starting its sea-
son on the wrong end of
a sweep to Weston-McE-
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leyball team got back on
the right track this Sat-
urday at the Riverside
Tournament in Board-
man.
The Vikings (2-2)
took two of three games
over the weekend and
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12) before dropping the
championship match to
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Senior middle block-
er Courtney Dohman is
no longer with the team.
Head coach Sonia Bor-
ders said she is focusing
on academics and bas-
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tails were reported.
