Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2015)
S PORTS Hermiston A10 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 Rough weekend for West Coast alumni I t was a sad weekend for local college football teams. The Oregon Ducks, Sean Hart’s alma mater, lost an intriguing game to Utah full of surprises and breaks and a blowout. Washington, my school, thought the game started at 4 p.m. instead of 2 p.m., didn’t play the ¿UVW KDOI DQG almost won despite of it. Oregon State, Gary West’s, was blitzed by Stanford on Friday night, Sam and Jade Mc- Barbee Dowell’s FROM THE SIDELINES BYU Cougars were ham- mered 31-0 at home. The only saving grace of the week was Washing- ton State, who, by the luck of having a bye week, will have the best week of the year. Because they didn’t play. I spent a good portion of Saturday evening at Sean’s place, watching highlights, talking about games. Pri- marily we talked about the Oregon game and the weird things Utah did. If you watched, Utah ran a couple interesting special teams plays that worked out as well as they could have. The return touchdown just played on normal ag- gressiveness covering kicks. The players covering aren’t looking for the ball, but at the returner and trust- ing that he will lead them to the ball. He tricked the Duck players, and Utah ex- ecuted perfectly and scored. Then the Seahawks did the same thing on Sunday. The fake punt was bril- liant. I say “fake” punt because it wasn’t a broken play. It just had the illu- sion of a broken play. I’m not sure if the high snap was intentional. I’m lean- ing that it was, because it gives the allusion of the punt being broken. If you dare, watch the replay and watch the personal pro- tectors. There are three of them and they’re all offen- sive linemen — big guys with knee braces and num- bers in the 60s or 70s. The guy in the middle acts as a gate, swinging in when the ball is snapped by him. But, instead of swinging in as the ball goes by, he runs right to the hole the punt- er ran through and looked for someone to block. That tells me it was a set play. But mostly Sean and I talked about the surprising nature of Oregon’s loss, but also of the week. Did DQ\RQH VHH WKDW WKH ¿QLVK of the TCU game? It’s somber here at the Hermiston Herald on Mon- day. Not really, more of a humorous somberness. No one is really shaken up about the week of the football — well, maybe Sean — and I’m still opti- mistic about the Huskies. I’m really curious about Oregon’s trip to Seattle in three weeks. But, time wears on. Next week there will be more games (not for me because Washington doesn’t play), but more opportunities to give Sean some ribbing for Oregon falling off (please) and struggling to get past Colorado (pretty please). Sam Barbee is a sports reporter for the Hermiston Herald and East Orego- nian based out of Herm- iston. He can be reached by email at sbarbee@ hermistonherald.com or on Twitter @SamBarbee1. Follow Herald Sports @ HHeraldSports. HERMISTONHERALD.COM Bulldogs fall to Pendleton By ERIC SINGER Staff Writer The Hermiston Bull- dogs were dominated Thursday in a rivalry game on the road against Pendleton, and the Bucks won, 3-0. The Bucks (3-3, 1-2) won with set scores of 25-13, 25-8 and 25-18. In the third set, the Bucks ap- peared to be running away with the set holding a 15-3 lead. However, that’s when the Bulldogs (3-5, 0-3) showed some life and went on a 14-2 run to eventually tie the game at 17-17. In that set, the Bull- dogs’ Hayden Meyers reg- istered three-straight aces from the serving line and Alex Barton later added two as the Bucks seemed to be falling into a lull. Regan Meyers added two kills during the Bulldogs’ run as well. The Lady Bucks would UHERXQG WKRXJK DQG ¿Q- ished off the Bulldogs by outscoring them 8-1 to seal the win. The Bulldogs had nu- merous serving errors, as well as hitting errors and mental mistakes that led to their downfall. However, the Bucks did put forth one of their best performances from the serving line so far this season with a 96 percent success rate. STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY 7KH%XOOGRJV·&ODULVVD1LW]DQG0DGG\-XXODWWHPSWWREORFNDKLWE\.LUDK0F*ORWKDQ RI3HQGOHWRQGXULQJ7KXUVGD\·VJDPHDW:DUEHUJ&RXUW STANFIELD PREPS FOR BIG LEAGUE OPENER TigerScots come to town riding three- game winning streak 6WDQ¿HOG EORZVSDVW ,PEOHU Thyler Monkus rushes for 235 yards, 5 TDs By SAM BARBEE Staff Writer A year ago, the Stan- ¿HOG7LJHUVEHJDQ$&R- lumbia Basin Conference at Weston-McEwen in a wild game that the Tiger- Scots eventually won, 53- 42. This year, with both teams healthy and with new coaches, two blazing hot teams will square off LQ6WDQ¿HOGWKLV)ULGD\DW p.m. It is the CBC opener for both schools. “They are one of our top competitors, for sure,” senior Jason Fitzpatrick VDLG DIWHU 6WDQ¿HOG¶V 26 win over Imbler last Friday. “They put up a big ¿JKW HYHU\ \HDU ZKHWKHU we win by one or lose by one or two. They’re still a great team to go against. Now we gotta focus ahead and really step up this whole week and show up at practice every day.” 6WDQ¿HOG HQWHUV with its closest win com- ing by 18 points two weeks ago over Grant Union. Weston-McEwen enters 3-1 with a 52-14 win over the same Imbler By SAM BARBEE Staff Writer STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BARBEE 7KH6WDQÀHOG7LJHUVFHOHEUDWHDIWHUEHDWLQJ,PEOHUDWKRPH)ULGD\QLJKW7KLVZHHN WKH7LJHUVKRVWWKH:HVWRQ0F(ZHQ7LJHU6FRWV WHDP WKDW 6WDQ¿HOG VWUXJ- gled with for a time, if brief, last Friday. But the league opener starts a slate ZLWK ¿YH WHDPV WKDW FDQ legitimately win the Co- lumbia Basin Conference. 6WDQ¿HOG +HSSQHU DQG Irrigon are each 4-0, the TigerScots are just a game back, and the Culver Bull- dogs are 2-2 after playing D WRXJK VFKHGXOH LWV ¿UVW four games. This league opener, with Heppner playing Pilot Rock and Irrigon at Culver, PLJKWKDYHWKH¿UVWVD\LQ which teams are truly con- tenders and which teams KDYHLQÀDWHGUHFRUGV “It’s a good way to get league going, to let ev- eryone know where ev- HU\RQH VWDQGV´ ¿UVW\HDU Tigers coach Davy Salas said. “Our league’s tough. That’s the thing I’m gonna reiterate to my team every day: We can’t let any slip by. We gotta take every- body serious and take it game-by-game.” )RU6WDQ¿HOGWKHKHDOWK of quarterback Dylan Gro- gan has been huge for the Tigers, giving them more opportunities to spread car- ries in its Wing-T offense than last year when run- ning back Thyler Monkus was toting the football 30 or 40 times. The spread-the-wealth philosophy has paid off, especially for Monkus. In four games, the junior has accumulated 807 yards on the ground and scored 11 times. Grogan has showed he can run and throw, rushing for 136 yards and a touchdown while also throwing for a score in 6WDQ¿HOG¶VZLQRYHU Imbler last Friday. But Weston-McEw- en, despite losing some key contributors from last year’s playoff team, is also on a roll. Since dropping See STANFIELD, A12 $IWHU WKH ¿UVW WZR Imbler drives Friday QLJKW LQ 6WDQ¿HOG LW was as if the Panthers where the undefeated record and big point differential. Behind burly run- ning back Tyler Tandy, the Panthers marched ULJKW GRZQ WKH ¿HOG twice while holding the explosive Tigers to two three-and-outs en route to a 14-0 lead. But Jason Fitzpatrick intercepted a pass, got a decent return, and 6WDQ¿HOG VFRUHG WKDW drive and dominated WKH ¿QDO WKUHH TXDUWHUV in a 46-26 non-league football win. “They came up with a great gameplan,” See TIGERS, A12 Prep roundup: Umatilla XC competes without Cardenas The Umatilla Vikings ran well at Nike Portland XC without top runner Fabian Cardenas. 7KH8PDWLOODER\VWHDP¿QLVKHG No. 11 out of 23 teams in their group, headlined by senior Armando Men- GR]DZKR¿QLVKHG1RZLWKDWLPH of 17:53. Junior Bradley Bensen also ¿QLVKHG1RDW On the girls side, Aleesha Watson ¿QLVKHG1RZLWKDWLPHRI HERMISTON BULLDOGS — At Idaho, the Bulldogs competed in the Bob Firman Invitational on Sat- urday afternoon and had a decent showing. The boys team placed No. 20 out RIWHDPVZKLOHWKHJLUOV¿QLVKHG No. 19 out of 38 teams. 7RS ¿QLVKHUV IRU WKH ER\V ZHUH Josiah Niederwerfer at No. 100 with a time of 17:04, Donell Rome at No. 114 with a time of 17:15, and Hayden Earl at No. 115 with a time of 17:17. On the girls side, Melany Solorio ¿QLVKHG1RZLWKDWLPHRI ZKLOH0RUJDQ+DQFRFN¿QLVKHG1R 93 with a time of 21:51. BRIDGETTE NELSON ME- MORIAL INVITATIONAL — Stan- ¿HOG¶V &DUORV )ORUHV ZDV WKLUG DQG Chelsy Lemmon was 12th to lead local boys and girls at the Bridgette Nelson Memorial Invitational on Fri- day at Sorosis Park. Flores ran a season-best 18:30 and Hermiston’s Emanuel Ibarra was sixth at 18:49. Heppner’s Trent Smith ZDV WK DQG 6WDQ¿HOG¶V Elias Esquivel was 13th (19:23). The Dalles won the boys team title over the Rockets on Tuesday. 3LORW5RFNZRQWKH¿UVWDQG third sets with scores of 25-19 and 25-16. But Umatilla (4-9) was just IMBLER 3, STANFIELD 2 — too much, winning their sets 26-24, 7KH6WDQ¿HOG7LJHUVYROOH\EDOOWHDP 25-14 and 15-7. ZDVQ¶WDEOHWRVXVWDLQDIXOO¿YHVHWV 7KH 8PDWLOOD ZLQ EUHDNV D ¿YH and dropped a non-league match 3-2 match losing streak dating back to (25-21, 25-20, 24-26, 22-25, 15-1) to Sept. 12, when the Vikings beat Du- ,PEOHU)ULGD\DIWHUQRRQLQ6WDQ¿HOG fur 2-1. 9ROOH\EDOO Katie Burns had ten blocks for the Up next for Umatilla is a home ECHO 3, JOSEPH 1 — At Jo- Tigers (4-6, 0-2) who, head coach match with Vale and Nyssa on Sat- seph, the Echo Cougars earned Angie Connell said, was great at the urday starting at noon, while Pilot their 10th win of the season over net. Maya Gadsen added six blocks Rock hosts Culver on Thursday at and Britton Braithwaite had seven. 6:15 p.m. Joseph on Saturday. Echo (10-3, 3-0) dropped the Four others had at least two. Burns ¿UVWVHWWR-RVHSKEXWWKHQUH- led the way all around, with three HOOD RIVER 3, HERMISTON bounded to grind out three-straight DFHVDQG¿YHNLOOVERWKWRSVRQWKH 1 — At Hood River, the Bulldogs sets 25-23, 25-21, and 25-23 to earn night. McKenzie Gonzales added dropped its second league game of ¿YHNLOOVDVZHOO the victory. the season in four sets to Hood River. “Our struggle is learning how to Echo next plays at Helix Tuesday Hood River won its three sets 25- ¿QLVK´&RQQHOOVDLG³7KH\¶UHGH¿- 20, 25-18 and 26-24, while Hermis- at 5 p.m. QLWHO\ JDLQLQJ FRQ¿GHQFH , FDQ VHH ton (3-4, 0-2) won the third set 25-14. WESTON-MCEWEN 3, STAN- it.” No other details from the match 6WDQ¿HOG¶V QH[W PDWFK LV 7KXUV- were reported. ),(/'²$W6WDQ¿HOGWKH7LJHU- Scots pitched their second-straight day in Culver with a 5:15 p.m. start. Next up for Hermiston is a road VKXWRXWZLWKWKHZLQRYHU6WDQ¿HOG match at rival Pendleton on Thursday ECHO 3, WALLOWA 1 — At at 6:30 p.m. The TigerScots (12-6, 2-0) won :DOORZD(FKRZRQIRUWKH¿IWKWLPH 25-19, 25-19, and 25-17. Sarah Finifrock led the TigerScots in its last six tries on Friday in Old )RRWEDOO attack with 11 kills, while Alyssa Oregon League play. Scores were Finifrock added four kills and three 25-14, 25-19, 25-23. No details were LEWISTON 56, HERMISTON reported. blocks. 37 —The 2015 season slump contin- Wallowa (0-10, 0-1) hasn’t won a ued for the Hermiston Bulldogs on “I thought we played one of our most complete matches,” said Tiger- set all season. Friday, falling 56-37 on the road to Echo (9-3, 2-0) will remain on the Lewiston, Idaho. Scots coach Shawn White. Defensively the TigerScots turned road for its next three matches and Even with the loss, it was the best in a solid performance, with Mati will be at Joseph on Saturday at 1 overall performance from the Herm- Aby leading with 16 digs and Sara p.m. iston offense this season notching a von Borstel adding 15 digs. season-high 37 points. UMATILLA 3, PILOT ROCK “Our defensive rotations were The Bulldogs (0-4) fell behind 2 — At Pilot Rock, the Umatilla Vi- much, much better,” said White. 6WDQ¿HOG KRVWV ,PEOHU NLQJV JULQGHG RXW D ¿YHVHW YLFWRU\ See ROUNDUP, A11 led by overall champion Jony Nelson +HUPLVWRQ 6WDQ¿HOG +HS- SQHUDQG+HOL[¿QLVKHG The Dalles also won the girls team title led by champion Emily Morin (21:42). Lemmon stopped the clock in 23:48 and Anna Lemmon was 20th in 24:51. today at 4 p.m. while Weston-McE- wen plays at the La Grande Tourna- ment on Saturday.