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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 2020)
SPORTS Wednesday, February 26, 2020 HerMIsTOnHeraLd.COM • A9 Hermiston swimmer on a mission to bring joy to the world By KATHY ANEY sTaFF WrITer Rian Middleton — the lone Hermiston High School swimmer to com- pete at the Washington state swim meet last Saturday — could once barely sit up and his parents worried that he might never walk. As a baby and toddler, Rian missed most of the normal milestones. Instead of crawling, he tended to flop over as if his mus- cles couldn’t hold him up. Finally, Jason and Cindy learned why. Their son had a chromosomal abnormal- ity and hypotonia, charac- terized by profoundly low muscle tone and high elas- ticity. His left side is also weaker than his right side. “As a baby, he was a floppy guy,” Cindy said. “He had a couple of hip surgeries to keep his hips from coming out of their sockets.” The little boy learned to walk using a walker. At age three, he fell and broke a femur and did physical ther- apy in the swimming pool. His parents pushed their son to do as much as he could. “We’ve always had high expectations and worked hard to make him the best he can be,” Cindy said. Rian loved sports and decided he wanted to partic- ipate. He not only walked, but learned to swim and play basketball, baseball, soccer and golf. The senior isn’t a stand- out athlete talent-wise. His personal best in the 50-meter freestyle of 48.34 seconds is slow in the world of high school swimmers. He com- petes in the “adaptive” divi- sion for swimmers with dis- abilities at district and state and comes in last a lot in the regular season. Rian’s superpower is not swim- ming, say those who know him, but rather a contagious exuberance that touches everyone around him. Rian Middleton loves everyone and everyone loves him. It’s just one of those truths, like gravity. Jason Middleton said his son is fearless and relent- lessly joyful. “He has never met a stranger,” Jason said. “He gives high fives, handshakes and hugs. He’s very. …” “Funny,” interjected Rian, who sat nearby. “I like people.” And people like him. Head swim coach Phil Lusted, in his first year with the HHS swim program, marveled as he watched Rian interact with other swimmers, officials and spectators at the meets. Contributed photo Rian Middleton trains during a recent practice at the Boardman Pool and Recreation Center, where the Hermiston swim team practices. “The other coaches knew him. The referees knew him,” Lusted said. “He has a community around him during meets. He gives everyone a high five on the way to the blocks. Almost all the swimmers from the other teams know his name.” During the regular sea- son, Rian swam in regular heats, always taking up the rear. “He didn’t care if he won or lost,” said Kevin Ham- blin, who coached Rian at various levels until last year. Hamblin recalled the state meet at Mt. Hood Commu- nity College during Rian’s sophomore season. Rian, swimming the 50-meter freestyle, kept on going after 50 meters. “He ended up swimming 75 meters,” Hamblin said. “We stopped him. When he got out, he raised his arms and went over and hugged the officials.” On Thursday, HHS stu- dents gathered to send off the school’s wrestling team and Rian before they left for the Seattle area. As Rian and his coach stood in front, ath- letic director Larry Usher talked about Rian and his status as the school’s lone state swimmer. Rian grinned and pumped his fist to smiles from his classmates. Usher smiled too. He has known Rian since Usher’s time as Sandstone Middle School principal. The two like to talk sports. Usher roots for the Ducks while Rian prefers the Beavers. The athletic director made the trip to the King Contributed photo Rian Middleton catches his breath recently after working out at the Boardman Pool and Recreation Center where the Hermiston swim team practices. County Aquatic Center in Federal Way to cheer on his young friend on Saturday. The pool was colder than Rian was accustomed to and there was no ladder. That threw him a little. Though he earned personal bests at almost every meet this year in either the 50- or 100- meter races, he swam two seconds slower (about 50 seconds flat) during his state 50-meter performance. No matter. When Rian received his seventh place medal, he beamed and pumped his fist. That’s Rian, said his older sister, Reed. He turns every occasion into a posi- tive, social event. In December, she said, the family stayed at a hotel in Portland one night. The next morning, Reed left Rian on the front side- walk for a moment. When she returned, he had made friends with the valet, the bellhop and a lady walking by with her dog. “Rian’s mission in life is to make friends,” Reed said. “He’s so happy. Walk- ing down the hall at school, every kid gets a high five from him,” said lifelong friend Violet Mitchell, who is a junior. “His high fives are legendary.” Hamblin, who teaches fourth grade at Highland Hills, said Rian has a way of making people go out of their way to give back some of the joy he dishes out. In eighth grade, he and Ham- blin ran the chain for Sand- stone Middle School foot- ball program as a way to be involved in football, a sport his doctor forbids him from playing. During one game, the team decided to give Rian an experience he would treasure. Rian dressed down Staff photo by Kathy Aney Rian Middleton poses with his parents, Cindy and Jason Middleton, who are two of the people in Rian’s extensive “village” of supporters, friends and fans. and went in for one play, an extra point attempt, a play that both teams had choreo- graphed together. “They handed him the ball and he went in,” Ham- blin said. “He spiked the ball and put up his hands. The (Sandstone) team cheered for him. The other team came over and shook his hand.” Longtime friend Kam- ryn Cooke often picks up Rian and gives him a ride to school via the drive-up lane at Dutch Bros. She called him a positive force. “He’s a good example to me,” Cooke said. “I want to be Rian. We all want to be Rian.” This spring, Rian will leave swimming behind for golf. He’ll walk with his class in June at graduation, though he’ll return in the fall and continue there until age 21 as a student with dis- abilities. No doubt another influx of students will expe- rience the legendary high five of Rian Middleton. “He is on a mission to bring joy to the entire world,” Reed Middleton said of her brother. “He takes it to everyone.” Hermiston’s Ray, Romero earn MCC basketball honors By ANNIE FOWLER sPOrTs edITOr Jayden Ray was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Jazlyn Romero was named to the second team of the girls Mid-Co- lumbia Conference all-con- ference basketball team. “Coach (Maloree) Moss called me into her room this morning and told me,” Ray said. “I Romero was like, ‘is this for the whole league?’ I was excited. It’s awesome to see that Ray you put in the work in practice and games, and the hard work pays off.” Romero, a senior, aver- aged 12 points a game for the Bulldogs, who finished 14-9 overall and 10-6 in the MCC. Ray, a junior, was an integral part of Hermis- ton’s defense that allowed an average of 49 points a MCC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM Player of the Year: Talia von Oelhoffen, jr., Chiawana Defensive Player of the Year: Jayden Ray, jr., Hermiston Coach of the Year: Daron Santo, Kennewick First Team Talia von Oelhoffen, jr., Chiawana; Rian Clear, sr., Walla Walla; Meilani McBee, sr., Kennewick; Madeline Gebers, jr., Kennewick; A’niyah Heavens, so., Pasco. Second Team Jazlyn Romero, sr., Hermiston; Iliana Moran, so., Hanford; Mya Groce, so., Pasco; Laura Smith, jr., Richland; Jayda Clark, jr., Richland. Honorable Mention Kylie Thorne, sr., Chiawana; Aislin Fiander, sr., Kennewick; Amani Davis, jr., Kamiakin; Alyssa Agundis, sr., Chiawana; Taija Mackey, so., Pasco. Defensive Team Jayden Ray, jr., Hermiston; Alyssa Agundis, sr., Chiawana; Emmalynn Ogden, sr., Walla Walla; Taleya Maiden, so., Pasco; Nikole Thomas, fr., Kamiakin. game. She also averaged seven points a game. “It’s awesome to see Jazlyn on there,” Ray said. “She has put so much hard work and dedication into our program.” Hermiston was the No. 2 seed from the MCC into the District 8 Tournament. The Bulldogs beat Shadle Park, held district champ Mt. Spokane to a season-low 43 points, then dropped a los- er-out game to Kamiakin. Chiawana junior Talia von Oelhoffen was named the MCC Player of the Year, while Kennewick’s Daron Santo was named Coach of the Year. The Hermiston boys did not have anyone selected to the MCC all-conference team. Chiawana’s Cooper DeWitt was named Player of the Year, while Chi- awana’s Chad Herron was named Coach of the Year. Photo contributed by Erwin Watson Stanfield’s Eastern Oregon Taekwondo program poses for a picture with their medals after participating in the 28th Annual Walla Walla Karate-Do Invitational on Feb. 15, 2020. Eastern Oregon Family Taekwondo has 6 place first at Walla Walla Invite By BRETT KANE sTaFF WrITer Stanfield’s Eastern Ore- gon Family Taekwondo pro- gram placed six athletes in first, six more in second, and 11 in third place at the 28th Annual Walla Walla Kara- te-Do Invitational on Feb. 15. The Stanfield dojo brought 23 total students to the competition. Kionna Idris, 16, placed first in both sparring and in forms in her respective age category. Jordan Velasco, 7, and Zander Baher, 6, both earned first in sparring and second in forms. Zayden Higareda, 4, placed first in sparring, and Grant Liss- man, 11, also took first in forms. Rebekah Pace, 7, took second in forms, and Lil- iah Brown, 8, earned second in sparring. Jezly Higareda, 7, and Henry Lissman, 4, placed second in sparring. “There were more com- petitors this year than there were before,” EOFT owner and instructor Erwin Watson said. “We had three weeks to prepare, and all they par- ticipated in were forms and sparring. They weren’t used to the 3-point sparring and how the rules go, but a cou- ple did a good job prepar- ing themselves. Of course, I didn’t expect everyone to bring any hardware or med- als home, and I feel bad for them because they worked so hard, and now they have to work for the next tournament.” Earning four additional fourth-place medals, the Stanfield dojo brought home 27 total awards. Their next tournament will be held in Portland in May.
