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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2016)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A7 SPORTS Hermiston falls short in comeback against Union Quarterback Andrew James solid in Hermiston debut By ERIC SINGER Staff Writer STAFF PHOTO BY KATHY ANEY Thyler Monkus, of Stanield, runs up the ield escorted by two of his teammates during Friday’s home game against the Enterprise Outlaws. Stanield stays hungry in blowout victory By WILL DENNER For the Hermiston Herald A dominant sea- son-opening victory would have most teams excited, yet Stanield play- ers and coaches walked away from Friday’s 54-22 victory over Enterprise longing for more. The Tigers jumped on the Outlaws early with a run-heavy attack that yielded 28 irst-quarter points. Makiah Blanken- ship and Thyler Monkus – Stanield’s leading rush- er from last year — each scored on touchdown runs, giving the Tigers a two-score lead less than six minutes into the game. By halftime Stanield led 35-6, but Enterprise’s offense showed some ight nearing the end of the half, marching down the ield and punching it in on Trent Bales’ three- yard run. The Outlaws carried momentum into the sec- ond half with a couple of touchdown drives orches- trated by Outlaws quarter- back Tate Olsen. Although the game result was never really in doubt, Stanield head coach Davie Salas wants to see a more complete game from his team start to inish. “We can’t take plays off because we’re up 35 to nothing,” Salas said. “We have to have that killer championship mentality. That’s gonna be key this year.” Mentioning the word championship might seem premature in ear- ly September, but that’s See STANFIELD, A9 Friday night was a night Andrew James had been dreaming about for a long time. It was his irst varsity football game as a Herm- iston Bulldog, his irst time playing under the lights of Kennison Field, and it just so happened he was starting at quarterback. And in his irst varsi- ty game, the sophomore quarterback nearly led a comeback for the ages as he threw two touchdowns and ran for another to take his team from a 36-7 dei- cit near the beginning of the fourth quarter to a nine point deicit. But in the end it wasn’t enough as the Union (WA) Titans held on for the 36-27 victory over the Bulldogs. “I’m very proud of the guys for ighting back,” James said following the game. “We made mistakes early but we left those be- hind and that’s what good teams do they battle back and we deinitely showed what we can be tonight.” Hermiston (0-1) had an opportunity late to get even closer. After a 43- yard touchdown pass from James to Dayshawn Neal, STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS Hermiston quarterback Andrew James gets dragged down by Union’s Abe Smith in the Bulldogs’ 36-27 loss to the Titans on Friday in Hermiston. Hermiston recovered the ensuing onside kick at Union’s own 19 with 1:19 left in the game, sending the Bulldog sideline and fans into a frenzy. The Bulldogs got down to the 2-yard line before James tallied his third turn- over of the game as he fum- bled the snap from center Kaden Caldwell, which was recovered by the Titans to seal the game. Overall, James did enough on the ield to send Hermiston fans home hap- py about the future of the offense. The 5-8 sopho- more showed great poise in the pocket and put to- gether some great throws that led to big plays for the Bulldogs, inishing 22-35 passing with 301 yards and those three touchdowns. Senior receiver Vaemu Ena said he was ecstatic to see James play the way he did on Friday. “Andrew did really good for a sophomore starting, he did a lot better than a lot of us expected honestly,” Ena said. “He was good with the pressure, he was running really hard and I’m just proud of him.” Hermiston coach David Faaeteete echoed Ena’s sentiment. “He really improved as the game went along,” Faaeteete said. “The sec- ond half he really came alive and started throwing the ball really well he re- ally wants to distribute the rock which is what we want to see in our offense ... he may have locked on to a few (receivers) too much and missed some reads if he scanned the ield more.” Also having a great game for the Bulldogs on offense were receivers Neal and Vaemu Ena. Neal in- ished with 11 catches and 175 yards to go with three touchdowns while Ena had several big catches, includ- ing a pair of 30-plus yard jump ball catches that kept Hermiston drives alive. Union (1-0) drew irst blood in the game, when running back Joseph Siofe- le capped a quick 58-yard Titan drive when he busted a pair of Hermiston would- be tackles and lopped into the end zone for the touch- down and a 6-0 lead with 8:30 left in the irst quarter. Hermiston responded with a big drive of its own on the ensuing possession, that included a few mile- stones. On the third play of the drive, James connect- ed with Neal on a 22-yard post route of the middle of the ield for his irst career completion, which he said settled his nerves. And then after a pair of runs by Jonathan Hinkle, James then hooked up with Neal again on a wheel route with a perfectly-placed teardrop pass in the end- zone for his irst career touchdown and a 7-6 lead for the Bulldogs with 5:49 left in the quarter. But that would be Herm- iston’s inal score for the next two quarters-plus as the Titan defense tightened up and the Bulldog offense sputtered. 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