ECHO — Owen Stafford ran for two touchdowns, and Elden Miller threw for 235 yards and one touchdown, as Echo entered the win column with a 48-0 victory over Pilot Rock on Friday night at Charlie Berry Field.

“It was a good game,” Echo coach Thomas VanNice said. “It was a bit of a slow start, but we had a big third quarter. Our freshman quarterback (Miller) did well tonight. Once he got into a groove, we started moving the ball.”

The Rockets fell to 0-3 with the loss.

“We struggled to move the ball against Echo’s aggressive defense, so there were not many positive yards,” Pilot Rock coach Shane Munkers said.

The Cougars (1-2) opened the scoring in the first quarter as Brayden Cortaberria took off for a 30-yard touchdown run. After the two-point conversion, Echo had an 8-0 lead.

Echo led 16-0 at the half, with a 15-yard scoring run by Kouper Fisher. 

The Cougars went touchdown crazy in the third, starting with a 2-yard scoring run by Stafford. Fisher then caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Miller, and Stafford finished the quarter with a 1-yard run by Stafford.

In the fourth, the Cougars moved players around, putting 240-pound right guard Creedence Bruce in the backfield. The big man ran for 21 yards, and capped his day with a 2-yard touchdown run.

Echo converted all six of their 2-point conversions.

 “We had seven guys with more than 50 yards of offense,” VanNice said. “We have a lot of threats. It’s nice to spread it around so people can’t key on just one guy.”

Defensively, Bruce had three tackles, and Hagen Brandt and Kellan Smith each had an interception.

For the Rockets, Lucas Thieme had 11 tackles, while TayVen Warren had five tackles and four pass breakups.

REDMOND 27, PENDLETON 26 — Cole Sazue threw three touchdown passes, and Jubal Housing scored three times, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Bucks fell to the 5A Panthers on the road.

“We had six turnovers — two interceptions and four fumbles,” Pendleton coach Erik Davis said. “That has been our backbreaker. “I thought our defense played three unbelievably good quarters. It was a physical, hard-fought game. In the fourth, they ran the ball and that hurt us. Offensively, we put some points on the board, but turnovers are killing. Fixable, yes. Frustrating, yes. I thought the kids competed well today for three quarters. You need that magical recipe of four quarters to win.”

The Bucks, who led 26-14 at one point in the game, trailed 27-26 in the closing seconds, and had a chance to win the game as time expired.

Riley Williams made a 25-yard field goal that would have given Pendleton the win, but a penalty for not enough men on the line of scrimmage put the ball back another 10 yards, where the Panthers blocked the kick to secure the win.

“They don’t throw that flag, we win the football game,” Davis said. “Being 0-3 is tough, but I think our kids are resilient.”

Sazue completed 11 of 17 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

Hoisington caught seven passes for 74 yards, and touchdown passes of 30 and 17 yards. Hoisington also had a pick-six for 22 yards.

Joe Foster has one catch for 32 yards and a touchdown, while Aaden Hernandez caught six passes for 90 yards, and Aiden Cox had three catches for 47 yards. Tanner Morgan led the ground game with nine carries for 63 yards.

Defensively, Vance Phillips had 15 tackles, while Sam Simmons had 13.

Hernandez also had a 90-yard kickoff return called back on a penalty.

Pendleton (0-3) will host Hood River Valley on Sept. 18.

Cross country

Imbler sophomore Piper Braseth turned in a time of 21:09.40 to finish third in the girls varsity race at the 49th Annual Catherine Creek Scamper in Union.

La Grande’s Lindsey Brown won the race (20:23) and led the Tigers to the team title with 36 points. Union (104) was fourth in the team standings, while Imbler was ninth (201).

Union was led by Kallin Culver, who was 12th with a time of 22:53.50. She was followed by Gia Savage (13th, 23:12.10), Brynn Weishaar (16th, 23:27.30), Katelyn Matthews (32nd, 25:41) and CJ Delaney (35th, 26:05.10).

Rounding out the scoring for Imbler were Maggie Sheahan (42nd, 26:56.90), Kelsey Hays (51st, 28:23.20), Vanessa Ritter (55th, 28:53.80) and Kaylee Walsh (58th, 30:25.20).

In the boys varsity race, Union finished second in the teams standings behind La Grande (34) with 56 points.

Nixyaawii, led by senior Sun Schimmel (25th, 20:09.40), was 11th with 293 points.

Senior Ian Garlitz led Union, placing third with a time of 18:08.80. He was followed by Bryce Burton (8th, 18:53.80), Corban McNeil (9th, 18:54.90), Chase Burton (18th, 19:38.40) and Austin Flick (22nd, 19:56.60).

Golden Eagles following Schimmel across the finish line were Harley Schofield (62nd, 22:50.40), Demetri Brockie (73rd, 29:34.50), Joseph Higheagle (74th, 31:17.20) and Delbert Brunoe (75th, 33:22.20).

La Grande’s Kaden May won the race with an impressive time of 16:42.10, 18 seconds in front of the No. 2 runner.

The Stanfield boys won the junior varsity team title with 21 points, led by freshman Yahir Coria, who finished first with a time of 19:14. 

Also for the Tigers, Ayden Cole was fourth (20:50.30), followed by Jose Rodelo (7th, 21:12), Ryker Marcum (9th, 21:27.40) and Malachi Swanston (10th, 21:28.50).

Echo’s Logan Smith was 28th (23:34.90), while Griswold’s Kason James was 53rd (27:55.10), and teammate Randy Groce was 61st (23.20.90).

In the girls junior varsity race, Nixyaawii’s Emma Star-Nez was 15th with a time of 28:52. Also for the Golden Eagles, Rosaella Salt was 19th (29:12.90), Abigayle Kordarzky was 26th (30:37), and Ayanna Star was 54th (41:39.30).

Stanfield’s Jaelynn Cline finished 58th (45:42.30).