WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
HERMISTONHERALD.COM • B1
HeraldSports
Follow sports on Twitter
@HHeraldSports
Noland earns conference MVP honor
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
Hermiston infi elder Bailee
Noland earned Player of the Year
honors for Mid-Columbia Confer-
ence slow pitch softball.
Bulldogs coach Kate Gree-
nough, who led her team to a sec-
ond-place fi nish at the 3A/2A state
tournament and an 18-3 record,
was named the MCC Coach of the
Year.
Noland hit .562
on the season,
including 41 hits,
seven home runs
and 58 RBIs as the
Bulldogs won the
MCC title with a
Noland
6-0 record.
“I am so proud of
this group of kids, with how they
played, how they acted, and how
they represented the community
of Hermiston,” Greenough said.
Greenough
“They showed
up and worked
hard every sin-
gle day, and
their work ethic
transferred onto
the fi eld. They
fought hard and
deserved their
great season.”
Joining Noland on the fi rst team
were teammates Grace Studer
(infi eld), Hailey South (infi eld),
Sam Atilano (outfi eld), Janelle
Almaguer (outfi eld), Abby Find-
ley (pitcher) and Macey Tovar
(utility).
“Grace and Abby were also
huge parts of the puzzle this year,”
Greenough said. “Abby winning a
majority of the games in the circle,
and Grace hitting six home runs.
Janelle and Sam were consistent
contributing factors on the the
fi eld throughout the season with
their leadership, skill and drive.”
MID-COLUMBIA CONFERENCE
Player of the Year: Bailee Noland, sr., Hermiston
Coach of the Year: Kate Greenough, Hermiston
FIRST TEAM
Infi eld — Bailee Noland, sr., Hermiston; Grace
Studer, jr., Hermiston; Hailey South, so., Hermis-
ton; Cristina McHie, sr., Walla Walla; Kaisha White, sr.,
Chiawana.
Outfi eld — Sam Atilano, sr., Hermiston; Brianne
Bunger, so., Chiawana; Janelle Almaguer, sr., Herm-
iston; Jessica Smith sr., Chiawana; Aceyona Gamino,
jr., Pasco.
Pitcher — Abby Findley, jr., Hermiston.
Utility — Macey Tovar, fr., Hermiston.
SECOND TEAM
Infi eld — Kylie Kemp, so., Walla Walla; Aracely Car-
rillo, jr., Pasco; Katelyn Tuthill, sr., Chiawana; Des-
tiny Moreno, so., Pasco; Marissa Valdez-Martinez, fr.,
Chiawana.
Outfi eld — Eliza Rodriguez, so., Hermiston; Maliyah
Twitty, so., Chiawana; Lily Vela, so., Chiawana; Lanae
Ruska, jr., Pasco.
Pitchers — Samantha Aguayo, sr., Chiawana; Jazmin
Ojeda, so., Pasco.
Utility — Vivian Pimentel, fr., Pasco.
TREADING
GREATER WATER
Staff photo by Brett Kane
Hermiston juniors Georgia Stevenson (left) and Abigail Sharon pose for a portrait after practice on Nov. 12. The two swimmers competed in the WIAA state fi nals last weekend
in Federal Way, Wash.
Hermiston swimmers Stevenson, Sharon fi rst to experience WIAA 3A meet
By BRETT KANE
STAFF WRITER
W
hen Hermiston swimmer Georgia
Stevenson fi rst competed in the
state meet as a freshman, she could
sum up the experience in one word:
“Epic.”
Since then, it’s been two years since the Bull-
dogs swim team sent an athlete to state. Stevenson
was the only Hermiston girl to earn a trip to the
meet.
“It was a great experience,” Stevenson said of
her 2017 showing. “I got to hang out with more
experienced swimmers. They helped me become a
better athlete.”
This weekend, Stevenson got another chance to
show her skills in the water at state.
She and fellow junior Abigail Sharon were the
fi rst two Oregon swimmers to compete in a Wash-
ington girls swimming state meet. Stevenson placed
22nd in the 100-yard backstroke prelims at 1:09.53,
and Sharon placed 25th in the 100 butterfl y prelims
at 1:07.94 on Friday.
Neither of the swimmers were able to advance
to the WIAA 3A girls state swimming fi nals on
Saturday.
“State was quite the experience,” Hermiston
coach Sara Sargent said. “Although the girls didn’t
make it to fi nals, they had fun. Georgia and Abigail
have their sights on state next year. I expect they’ll
condition during the off season and swim over the
summer, coming back stronger and faster. Through-
out the season, the goal is always to strive to be the
best, and that’s what we’ll continue to do, year after
year, increasing in quality and numbers.”
VOLLEYBALL
Dawgs fall short against Lions
Kennewick wins District 8
loser-out match in 4 sets
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER
Hermiston pushed Ken-
newick to the brink, but
could not get past the Lions
in an MCC/GSL District 8
loser-out game Thursday
night at the Lions Den.
Kennewick escaped with
a 25-19, 26-24, 22-25, 25-13
victory over the Bulldogs,
earning a loser-out match
Saturday against Kamiakin
for a berth to state.
“They were digging
everything, serving tough
and capitalizing on our
errors,” Kennewick coach
Brandy Sonderland said of
the Bulldogs. “They gave us
a fi ght, for sure.”
After dropping the fi rst
two sets, Hermiston came
out and took the lead for
good in the third at 10-9.
The Bulldogs had set
point at 24-18, but a couple
of unforced errors extended
play. Emma Combes sealed
the win with a kill.
“They didn’t quit,”
Hermiston coach Amy Dyck
said of her team. “They
have a lot of fi ght in them.
Everyone who has seen us
play, knows we don’t quit.
We have players like Halee
(Stubbs), who sacrifi ces her-
self until it’s over.”
In the fourth set, the
Lions got strong play at
the net from 6-foot middle
Grace Morby (eight kills, six
blocks) and 6-3 outside hit-
ter Autumn Larson (13 kills,
three blocks).
“I’m jealous of the size
they have,” Dyck said. “It’s
always fun to play Kenne-
wick. They have great hit-
ters and they don’t let any-
thing touch the ground.
Tonight, it went their way.”
Hermiston had the lead
late in the second set at
23-22, but could not hold on.
Hailey Dreier served the last
two points of the set, with
Morby putting down a kill
for the win.
The Bulldogs (7-11) got
28 digs from Stubbs, and 18
assists, 13 digs and nine kills
from Kendall Dowdy in the
loss.
“(Stubbs) is fun to watch,
and is a defensive threat,”
Sonderland said. “They
came out and were ready to
compete and gave us a run
for our money.”
Grace Vertrees added
14 kills and 10 digs for the
Bulldogs, while Courtnee
West had 19 assists. Combes
had 10 kills and nine digs,
and Kambree Baker fi ve
blocks and three kills.
For Kennewick (9-8),
M’Kaylah Mangum led the
way with 14 kills and 16
digs, while Dreier had 11
kills and two blocks. Mad-
die Gabers handed out 41
assists.
Sonderland said on
Thursday that the Lions
would have to clean up
their game before Saturday,
including their 16 service
errors.
Before the meet, they said they weren’t con-
cerned about the pressure.
“There’s never been a lot of pressure,” said Ste-
venson, 16. “I’ve always been focused on how I’m
doing, especially at such a big meet like this.”
Like Stevenson, Sharon, 16, shared the enthu-
siasm for testing the waters at a Washington state
competition.
“I’m not nervous,” she said. “It’s something I’ve
never done before. I’m excited.”
Sharon earned her trip to state with her third-
place fi nish in the 100-meter butterfl y two weeks
ago at the 3A districts meet in Kelso, Washing-
ton. Stevenson was Hermiston’s only other state
qualifi er with her second-place fi nish in the 100
See Swimming, Page B2
Goalie Gomez earns
second-team honors
played for one coach, then
another, moved to a new
league and only got better.
Hermiston goalie Lanie She did a great job.”
Hermiston went 2-12
Gomez earned Mid-Co-
lumbia Conference sec- in MCC play, and lost four
ond-team honors for her one-goal games.
Guizar said Gomez
play this season.
has gotten inter-
Gomez,
a
est from several
senior, had two
NWAC schools,
shutouts
and
but she has not yet
allowed an aver-
made a decision.
age of two goals
Chiawana
per game.
senior midfi elder
Gomez, a three-
Ruthie Edrington,
year starter, was
Gomez
who will play
the lone Hermis-
college soccer at
ton player to earn
Lee University (Tennes-
all-conference honors.
“She was an import- see), was named the MCC
ant player for our team,” Player of the Year.
Walla Walla’s Dana
Hermiston coach Freddy
Guizar said. “You can’t Evans was named Coach
replace someone who of the Year.
By ANNIE FOWLER
STAFF WRITER