A10 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
Herald Sports
CENTRAL VALLEY DEFEATS HERMISTON
Follow sports on Twitter
@HHeraldSports
By BRETT KANE
STAFF WRITER
A
fter missing out on a shot at the
Mid-Columbia Conference playoffs
with last week’s Kamiakin loss, Herm-
iston dropped its season-ending game
at home to Central Valley in an MCC-Greater
Spokane League crossover. The Dawgs lost
44-14 to the Bears.
A 33-yard field goal at the 7:30 mark from
kicker Landon Rehkow put the Bears on the
scoreboard first. Wide receiver Connor Caf-
frey extended the lead with a 33-yard rushing
touchdown at the last second of the first quar-
ter, leaving the Dawgs down 10-0.
The relentless Bears kept the scores com-
ing to open the second quarter. Caffrey scored
on a 59-yard reception from quarterback Matt
Gabbert about 47 seconds into the quarter.
While Central Valley connected on passes
with ease, Hermiston struggled. A touchdown
pass from Andrew James to wide receiver
Youbani Razon in the third quarter was called
back because of a holding penalty.
Meanwhile, the Bears continued to rack up
points as Gabbert later connected on a 10-yard
pass to Caffrey for another touchdown.
The fourth quarter featured a small Herm-
iston comeback. After the Dawgs pushed the
ball up to the 1-yard line, running back Wyatt
Noland ran the ball into the end zone on the
next play.
The two teams then swapped touchdowns.
Bears running back Jaren Thomas rushed 59
yards for a score, and James later responded
with a 12-yard carry for another. With 4:24
left in the game, Central Valley running back
Ryan Harper capped the scoring with a 7-yard
rush to seal the 44-14 win.
The Bulldogs may have closed the season
with a loss, but coach David Faaeteete left his
team with some uplifting words.
“The only good thing about the end of a
book is the start of a new one,” he told them.
“You’re starting the next chapter of your lives.
Thank you so much for all you’ve given. Rain
or shine, it’s Dawgs all the time.”
James completed 10-27 for 118 yards and
two touchdowns. He also rushed for 112
yards. Noland rushed for 119 yards in his last
game at Kennison Field.
“The scoreboard doesn’t define us,” said
an emotional James after the game. “Herm-
iston football has been the greatest thing I’ve
ever been a part of. These past four years
have been unbelievable.”
Hermiston finished with a 6-4 overall
record for their first year in the MCC.
Youbani Razon runs the ball
Friday in Hermiston’s seaon
finale against Central Valley at
Kennison Field.
Hermiston’s Jordan Ramirez
runs the ball for Hermiston
during Friday’s 44-14 loss to
Central Valley.
PHOTOS BY CASSANDRA WHITE
FOR THE HERMISTON HERALD
VOLLEYBALL
Hermiston beats North Central, loses to Southridge
Bulldogs beats North
Central, loses to Southridge
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
The Hermiston volleyball
team still is trying to navigate
the waters of the Mid-Columbia
Conference. Thursday, they got a
taste of the regional tournament
and the Greater Spokane League,
with mixed results.
The Bulldogs beat North Cen-
tral in their first match, then got
swept by host Southridge to drop
into the consolation bracket.
“They came into it with a ton
of confidence,” Hermiston coach
Amy Dyck said. “It’s tough play-
ing back to back. You have to be
tough mentally and physically.
I’m excited for us to get back in
the gym next week.”
Hermiston will host Shadle
Park at 6 p.m. Nov. 8 in a loser
out match. The winner will play
again on Saturday for a trip to the
state tournament.
After Hermiston beat NC
25-15, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23, they
advance to the semifinals against
top seed Southridge.
The Suns, who took both
MCC matches from the Bull-
dogs during the regular season,
had to rally in the first and sec-
ond sets, but left no doubt in the
third, posting a 25-18, 25-23,
25-15 victory.
“One good thing about this
team, is we fight,” Suns coach
Emily Otto said. “They don’t
like being down. We are pretty
pumped about playing for the
regional title.”
Southridge will host Mt. Spo-
kane at 6 p.m. Nov. 8. The win-
ner will advance to state, while
the loser will drop into the con-
solation bracket to battle for the
No. 2 seed to state Nov. 10.
The Bulldogs opened the
first set against the Suns by tak-
ing a 10-4 lead. They had a 13-7
lead, only to see Southridge pull
within 13-11 behind a string of
points by Bobbie Newton.
Hermiston last led 14-13.
From there, Jordan Missett
reeled off four points for a 17-14
lead. The Bulldogs would get as
close as 18-16 down the stretch,
only to face Sophia Sumner at
the service line.
Sumner, who led the Suns
with 18 kills for the match,
served five consecutive points
for a 23-16 lead, and a net serve
by the Bulldogs on set point
sealed the win.
The second set was a battle.
Southridge led 8-5 early on,
and Hermiston had a 20-14 lead
before the Suns rallied back.
The Bulldogs would hang on
to a small lead until the Suns tied
the set at 23-23. Two unforced
errors by the Bulldogs gave
Southridge the win.
Sumner had seven of her kills
in the second set.
“Sometimes, the nerves get
the best of us,” Otto said. “As
long as we can stay mentally
strong, we will be fine.”
The third set was all South-
ridge. After a 4-4 tie, the Suns
took off. Sumner served five
consecutive points for a 12-6
lead, and Southridge never
looked back.
Sophia Streeter had eight kills
for the Bulldogs, while Ireland
McDonough had 10 digs and
four aces, Halee Stubbs 12 digs,
Kendall Dowdy 12 assists, and
Courtnee West 11 assists.
“I don’t think people expected
us to get past the first match,”
Dyck said. “I like being a little
unknown.”
Sumner added 13 digs in the
match, while Ashlyn Dupuis had
12 kills, Shayla Hood 13 digs,
and Kennedy Conrad and Mis-
sett 16 assists each.
In the match against North
Central, Streeter had 10 kills and
two blocks, while McDonough
had eight kills, nine digs and five
aces, Stubbs had 39 digs, Emma
Combes five kills and eight digs,
Scout Reagan five kills and nine
digs, and Dowdy 22 assists and
11 digs.
Hermiston volleyball
still alive in regionals
Bulldogs will host Shadle
Park on Thursday
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
Amy Dyck is trying to change
the culture of volleyball at Herm-
iston High School.
That the Bulldogs are still alive
in the Region 5/8 tournament
speaks volumes of the program’s
move in the right direction.
“Hermiston is not known for its
volleyball team.” Dyck said. “I am
bound and determined to make it
one. I think these girls are starting
to realize what they are capable
of. That fact we are still playing is
proof they are good enough.”
Hermiston will host Sha-
dle Park of the Greater Spokane
League in a regional loser-out
game at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The winner advances to play
Saturday. Only two of the six
Region 5/8 teams will advance to
state.
“We are excited to be able to
host this game,” Dyck said. “We
are hoping people will come and
see what we have. The girls are
pretty pumped about it.”
Hermiston beat North Cen-
tral 3-1 in its regional opener last
week, then got swept by South-
ridge to drop into the consolation
bracket.
“Every day, they are getting a
little bit more confident,” Dyck
said of her team. “Every day, I tell
them it is a learning experience
for them. Every match extends
our season for the seniors and
shows what we are trying to do as
a program.”
Dyck said she has not been able
to find any film on Shadle Park,
but that is not a bad thing.
“If we go in focused on our side
of the ball, we play better,” Dyck
said.
The Highlanders, led by 5-foot-
10 senior hitter Meghan Gallagher
and senior setter Natasha O’Dell,
lost their first regional match to
Kamiakin. They have lost five of
their past six matches.
Southridge will host Mt. Spo-
kane on Thursday in the regional
title match. The Wildcats, led by
5-10 outside hitter Malina Ama,
were third at state last year.
The loser will host Saturday’s
matches.
Admission is $7 for adults and
$5 for students. No passes will
be accepted. Prices are set by the
WIAA.
FOOTBALL
Echo ends
season on
high note
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
When the OSAA created a
6-man football league, it did not
include a state playoff for the 15
teams involved in the first-year
program.
So, the teams took matters into
their own hands.
Special District 4 (West) and
Special District 5 (East) held
crossover games last Saturday
in Madras, where Echo shut out
Gilchrist 55-0.
“It was a pilot year, so they did
not have playoffs, which we were
bummed about.” Echo coach Rick
Thew said.
The Cougars (7-1) finished
third in the East behind Joseph
and Harper.
Against Gilchrist, Echo quar-
terback Devan Craig threw three
touchdown passes, ran for another,
and caught a touchdown pass.
Mason Smith ran for three touch-
downs, and Mychael Pointer had
an interception, scored a touch-
down and led the team in tackles.
“I couldn’t be more proud of
my team,” Thew said. “We con-
tinually got better through the last
game of the season.”
This was Thew’s last year
coaching the Cougars.
“I have a daughter in the sev-
enth grade who does middle
school volleyball and basketball,”
he said. “And another who is in
the first grade. It’s time to step
back and watch my girls play.”
Don Walker will take the reins
of the program next season.