WESTON-MCEWEN
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
East Oregonian/Hermiston Herald
Page 11
TigerScots softball looking forward to jump to 3A
COACH: Jeff Griggs, 14th year
2015 SEASON: 23-7, 8-4 SD6 (3rd)
POSTSEASON STORY: The TigerScots knocked
off two-time defending champion Union 3-0 in the
state semi¿ nals before falling to Pilot Rock 2-1 in the
championship. It was the third ¿ nals appearance in
program history.
LOSSES: OF Katie Schroeder, P/INF Taylor Entze,
OF Jessica Pease, INF Keegan Shepard
KEY RETURNERS: P Jessica Lambert, sr.; INF
Isabelle Dillow, sr.; C Sydney Peal, jr.; OF Megan
Coffman, sr.; INF Charmayne Bennett, soph.; 1B/DH
Ashley Hill, jr.
W
Staff photo by Kathy Aney
In this April 14, 2015 i le photo, Jessica Lambert, of Weston-McE-
wen, connects with the ball in a game against Pilot Rock.
ith a lot of talent returning to the diamond
and several newcomers that will be
challenging for starting roles, the TigerScots
are looking to take Class 3A by storm after making it
to the 2A ¿ nal last year.
“With 3A comes some different teams, different
games, different game schedule,” said Coach Griggs,
then added, “I think we’ll be competitive in the 3A
from what I’ve seen in the past. We’ve watched the
state games in the past and it’s a not a big jump in
talent.”
Another big change for the TigerScots this season
is their pitching situation, which was Lambert’s sole
domain in 2015.
“We’re probably not going to be so unidimensional
this year in the circle,” Griggs said.
Transfer junior Bailey Hillmick will be one of the
players getting plenty of innings in the circle, and a
W ESTON -M C E WEN B ASEBALL
COACH: Corey Thacker, 1st year
2015 SEASON: 8-17, 4-8 SD6 (5th)
POSTSEASON
STORY: The TigerScots
did not make the post-
season last year, but still
have players on the roster
that were involved in
2014’s appearance in the
state championship.
LOSSES: C Cedric Hall, OF/P Sutter Ball
KEY RETURNERS: SS Brett Speed,
soph.; C/OF Vince Roff, sr.; P/UT Hunter
Sater, jr.; P/OF Jimmy Patrick, sr.
C
oach Thacker was an assistant with
the TigerScots when they made
their deep playoff run in 2014, and
the team is hoping to follow that model to
make its return to the playoffs.
“They know who I am and what I do, and
I told them early in the year every position
is open, and right now and they’re working
really hard,” Thacker said. “I like what I
see.”
After missing his junior year due to
shoulder surgery, Jimmy Patrick is back
to serve as their No. 1 starting pitcher and
Thacker said he’s showing great command
on his fastball and curve ball.
The TigerScots surround him with a lot
of experience, which has Thacker optimistic
for the team’s prospects in the coming
season.
“I think we’re going to have a great year,”
he said. “We’ll be fairly good defensively
and we’ve got some (hitting) power and so I
think we’ll be right in the mix.”
2016 SCHEDULE
March 15
at Heppner
4 p.m.
March 17
vs. Mac-Hi
4:30 p.m.
March 19
at Dayton, Wash.
2 p.m.
March 22 at Riverside Tourney 1:30 p.m.
March 23 at Riverside Tourney
1 p.m.
April 1
vs. Heppner (DH)
2 p.m.
April 5
at Dufur
4:30 p.m.
April 9
vs. Dufur (DH)
11 a.m.
April 12
at Pilot Rock*
4 p.m.
April 16
vs. Pilot Rock (DH)* 11 a.m.
April 19
at Sherman
4 p.m.
April 22
vs. Joseph (DH)
1 p.m.
April 23
vs. Sherman (DH)
1 p.m.
April 26
vs. Union*
4 p.m.
April 30
at Union (DH)*
1 p.m.
May 3
at Grant Union*
4 p.m.
May 6
vs. Grant Union (DH)* 1 p.m.
May 10
vs. Burns*
4 p.m.
May 13
at Burns (DH)*
2 p.m.
*League game
W ESTON -M C E WEN T ENNIS
COACH: Troy Olson, 4th year
2015 SEASON: The TigerScots did not
advance any players to the
regional tournament.
LOSSES: (Boys) John
Cogswell (Girls) Lacey
Keuhn, Bebe Calley
RETURNERS:
(Boys) Caleb Olsen, sr.,
David Froese, jr.; Michael
Shafer, jr.; Ryan Schmidtgall, jr.; Kellen
Fairchild, jr.; Robby Davison, soph.; (Girls)
Emmaline Irvine, jr.; Becky Taylor, jr.;
Amanda Kidd, jr.; Johanna Albert, soph.
T
he TigerScots had an active
offseason and bring back a lot of
experience to the courts, leading to
plenty of excitement as they prepare for
the season.
“As far as what we’re hoping to accom-
plish, we have high hopes,” said Coach
Olson. “We hope that we can get some
seeded players into the district tournament
and get some into the (regionals) this year.
“Obviously state would be an amazing
opportunity that we’d love to get to, and
that’s always there. I think the kids are
excited for this year and the opportunities
they have.”
Olson said he isn’t sure of the last time
the TigerScots sent a player to the state
bracket.
Senior Caleb Olson will man the No.
1 singles spot for the TigerScot boys and
juniors David Froese and Michael Shafer
will pair for No. 1 doubles, their ¿ rst
season as a team. Sophomore Johanna
Albert will play No. 1 singles for the girls
and juniors Amanda Kidd and Becky
Taylor have established themselves as the
No. 1 doubles team.
2016 SCHEDULE
Mar. 17
at Umatilla
4 p.m.
Mar. 29
at Stan¿ eld
4 p.m.
Mar. 31
vs. Helix
4 p.m.
Apr. 1
vs. Ione
4 p.m.
Apr. 5
at Mac-Hi
4 p.m.
Apr. 7
vs. Helix
4 p.m.
Apr. 12
vs. Riverside
4 p.m.
Apr. 14
at Umatilla
4 p.m.
Apr. 19
at Mac-Hi
4 p.m.
Apr. 21
at Riverside
4 p.m.
Apr. 26
vs. Umatilla
4 p.m.
Apr. 28
vs. Umatilla
4 p.m.
Apr. 30 vs. Helix (at Hermiston) 9 a.m.
May 3
vs. Stan¿ eld
4 p.m.
May 7 Districts (Kennewick, Wash.) 9 a.m.
May 13-14 Regionals (Ontario) 11 a.m.
ZIMMERMANS
AUTOBODY
& GLASS
Cover photos by:
E.J. Harris
Content by:
Matt Entrup,
Eric Singer and
Sam Barbee
Go Team, Go!
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pair of freshmen also have shown the ability to pitch
at the varsity level and could end up in the rotation.
Griggs said the team has a lot of options at the ¿ eld
positions as well.
“Things could look a little bit different this year,”
he said. “I think that we have a good freshman class,
we had pretty good numbers and pretty talented kids.”
The incumbent players aren’t going to be relin-
quishing their spots willingly, though, and Griggs
said he was happy to see the number of players
participating in summer and fall ball.
“They have a vested interest outside of the season,
so that’s always nice to see as a coach,” he said. “The
girls want to go back (to state), they want to play for
another state title and have big hopes.”
March 17
March 18
March 18
March 19
March 19
March 22
April 1
April 9
April 12
April 22
April 26
May 3
May 6
May 13
2016 SCHEDULE
at Mac-Hi
vs. Scio (at Pilot Rock)
vs. Central Linn (at Pilot Rock)
vs. Enterprise (at Pilot Rock)
at Pilot Rock
vs. Touchet (DH)
at Nyssa (DH)*
at Riverside (DH)*
vs. Echo*
vs. Enterprise (DH)*
at Umatilla (DH)*
vs. Grant Union (DH)*
vs. Elgin (DH)*
vs. Vale (DH)*
*League game
W ESTON -M C E WEN T RACK & F IELD
COACH: Loran Monaco, 24th year
2015 SEASON: The TigerScots girls
team ¿ nished ¿ fth and the boys were sixth
at districts.
POSTSEASON STORY: Three girls
made the state meet and Madison Carlin
took their highest placing with fourth in
pole vault.
KEY LOSSES: (Girls) Madison Carlin
(sprints, hurdles, vault, jumps), Shylee
Stroud (vault); (Boys) Justin Humble
(middle distance)
KEY RETURNERS: (Girls) Maddi
Muilenburg, soph. (throws); Adrienne
Olson, soph. (middle distance); (Boys)
Jacob Speed, soph. (sprints, hurdles); Ian
Speed, sr. (distance); Kani Li, sr. (distance,
sprints, relay); Cody Caldwell, soph.
(throws)
EO fi le photo
S
everal returners and a healthy crop of
newcomers has Coach Monaco eager
to see what the TigerScots can do in
2016.
“They’re pretty much where they were
last year at this time or a little bit ahead,”
he said.
Monaco is particularly excited to see
what his girls team can accomplish with
several freshmen that are coming off
successful junior high campaigns.
“They’ve got average to above average
speed, so we’re going to have a decent
sprint relay on the girls side,” he said, but
added it will be important for the team to
temper its expectations due to their youth.
“Like all track seasons when you have a lot
of freshmen, they come off the junior high
season at the top of the heap and some of
the times they don’t end up top of the heap
in high school.”
On the boys’ side, junior Hayden Scott
is out for the ¿ rst time and is coming off a
third-place ¿ nish at the cross country state
meet in the fall.
Weston-McEwen’s Hayden Scott is a
newcomer to the track team this sea-
son and one of the athletes coach Lo-
ran Monaco has high hopes for.
“He’s a gifted runner,” Monaco said.
“We’ll make him better. We’re hoping to,
anyway.”
Scott’s freshman brother Kirk and
returning sophomore Cody Caldwell are
athletes Monaco expects to be among his
best throwers.
2016 SCHEDULE
March 17
April 1
April 2
April 8
April 9
April 14
April 15
April 23
April 26
April 30
May 6
May 13
Noon
Noon
11 a.m.
Noon
10 a.m.
2 p.m.
3 p.m.
11 a.m.
2 p.m.
1 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
TBD
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at Pendleton
at Mac-Hi
at Sherman
at Umatilla
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