Pendleton’s Vance Nelson (second from left) placed second at 175 pounds at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions on Jan. 24, 2026, in Sherwood. (Trevor Hancock/Contributed Photo)
SHERWOOD — Pendleton’s Vance Nelson placed second at 175 pounds, and the Bucks placed 13th overall at the Reser’s Tournament of Champions on Saturday at Sherwood High School. Thurston won the team title with 256.5 points, with Newberg a distant second with 179.5. Pendleton had 81.5 points. Nelson pinned his first two opponents to reach the quarterfinals, where he earned…
(Yasser Marte/The CUJ)
ONTARIO — Pendleton evened its Greater Oregon League record at 1-1 with a dominating 67-15 win Friday night over Ontario. “It was another solid outing tonight,” Pendleton coach Tim Foster said. “The girls locked in on defense and we were able to get out in transition for some easy baskets.” Khimora Scott scored nine of her 24 points in the…
Nixyaawii’s Kash Bronson (1) drives to the key as Imbler defender Forrest Tyrrell (12) reaches for the ball on Jan. 23, 2026, in Mission. (Kathy Aney/The CUJ)
MISSION — Kash Bronson had 24 points, and Nixyaawii recovered from a slow start for a 62-44 Old Oregon League win over Imbler on Friday night. “They hit three 3s and we got down early,” Nixyaawii coach Aaron Noisey said. “In the past, they would have clammed up a little bit, but they came back and played a heck of…
Nixyaawii’s Gracie Wilson passes to a teammate while playing Imbler on Jan. 23, 2026, in Mission. (Kathy Aney/The CUJ)
MISSION — No. 2 Imbler had four players in double figures, led by London Kunz with 14 points, for a 65-31 Old Oregon League win over the Golden Eagles on Friday night. “Imbler is a great team,” Nixyaawii coach Fred Grass said. “The girls are learning and improving each game. I’m always proud of them, especially how they play against tough…
(Yasser Marte/The CUJ)
IMBLER — Carter VanHouten scored eight of his 11 points in the fourth quarter as Pilot Rock held off Imbler 70-60 for an Old Oregon League win Thursday night. “Good effort from the guys,” Imbler coach Tony Haddock said. “Pilot Rock executed down the street and we didn’t (Carter) VanHouten hit a couple of daggers on us late. It was…
(Yasser Marte/The CUJ)
DUFUR — Kash Bronson poured in 28 points to lead Nixyaawii to a 66-45 nonleague win over Dufur on Thursday night. “The boys played well tonight,” Nixyaawii coach Aaron Noisey said. “They set the tone early with their defense. Jeffery (Van Pelt) hit some 3s early that got us going. We moved the ball well and that got us some…
After more than 80 years, Columbia River Chinook and sockeye salmon have regained access to 1,000 miles of spawning habitat above the Grand Coulee and Chie Joseph Dams in Washington. Upper Columbia Tribes in the US and Canada welcome their return. (National Fisherman/Contributed Photo)
By PAUL MOLYNEAUX in News, West Coast & Pacific In early September 2025, for the first time in over 80 years, members of the Syilx Okanagan, Secwépemc, and Ktunaxa Nations saw salmon returning to the upper reaches of the Columbia River in British Columbia. While only two sockeye salmon that had been released as fry in the upper Columbia River…
Pendleton’s Alyce Phelps (in green) wrestles Irrigon’s Roxy Solis on Jan. 21, 2026, in (Kathy Aney/The CUJ)
PENDLETON — Pendleton had four champions and came out on top of the team standings at the Buckaroo Girls Wrestling Tournament on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at Warberg Court. The Bucks compiled 139 points, with Riverside second at 125.5, College Place third with 72.5, and Irrigon fourth with 41. In a round-robin format, Pendleton’s Tinley Foster won the 125-pound title, pinning…
Diana Azure, center, practices a bear powwow dance, claws extended and wearing bear feet, on Jan. 14, 2026, at Culture Night in the Mission Longhouse. (Yasser Marte/The CUJ)
MISSION — Within the communal space of the Mission Longhouse, each step carried meaning as children moved across the floor, learning variations of powwow dances that told stories older than the room itself, connecting past and future generations in motion. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) hosted Community Culture Night on Jan. 14 through its Family Engagement…
McLoughlin’s Matthew Humbert (12) gets a hand on the ball as Teegan Herrera (22) shoots on Jan. 20, 2026, in Milton-Freewater. (Kathy Aney/The CUJ)
MILTON—FREEWATER — McLoughlin had no answer for the inside presence of Jubal Hoisington and Garret Reinhart as Pendleton ran away with an 86-62 nonleague game Tuesday, Jan. 20. “Milton-Freewater played hard even when they were down 20,” Pendleton coach Ron Murphy said. “Kudos to them. We had the height advantage and that was part of our game plan, and they…
