Pendleton’s Landon Van Pelt blocks during football practice on Aug. 22, 2024. KATHY ANEY | THE CUJ

Bucks will rely on Primus and McQuinn to set the tone

FALL FOOTBALL PREVIEW Pendleton/Nixyáawii has talent, but lacks varsity experience By ANNIE FOWLER, CUJ Special Contributor PENDLETON — Pendleton/ Nixyáawii football coach Erik Davis loses players to graduation each year, but when you have 17 players pick up their diplomas and march on to college, it leaves a pretty big hole in your game plan. “We have a lot of…

Pendleton’s Avery Brown plays the net during practice on August 22, 2024. KATHY ANEY | THE CUJ

This week in area sports

Thursday, Aug. 29 Boys soccer The Dalles at Pendleton, 4 p.m. Girls soccer Pendleton at The Dalles, 4 p.m. Cross country Pendleton, Pilot Rock at John Hascall Memorial 3K, Pilot Rock, 6:30 p.m. Prep volleyball Pendleton, Nixyáawii, Pilot Rock at Umatilla/Morrow County Jamboree, Pendleton High School, 4:30 p.m. Imbler at Weston-McEwen, TBD Dufur at Weston-McEwen, 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30…

Pornanong Phatlum shot par on the final hole to win the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic on Sunday, Aug. 18, at Wildhorse Golf Course. EPSON TOUR | COURTESY PHOTO

Phatlum wins Wildhorse Classic by two strokes

By ANNIE FOWLER, CUJ Special Contributor MISSION — Pornanong Phatlum got a look at the leaderboard on the 13th hole. She saw she had a two-stroke lead, and by the time she teed off on the 18th hole, she admitted she was a little nervous. Those nerves were soon put to the rest as she shot par on the final…

Gabby Lemieux LPGA | COURTESY PHOTO

2 local golfers to compete in WRC Epson Tour event

Pendleton’s Haley Greb and Caldwell, Idaho’s Gabby Lemieux will play in the 2024 Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic Aug. 16-18. PENDLETON – Two local golfers will tee off against Epson Tour regulars during the 2024 Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic at the Wildhorse Resort & Casino’s Golf Course Aug. 16-18. Returning to Pendleton for the third year in a row, the official…

Spotlight: William Wapass, mini relay racer

By the CUJ “Horses make me feel happy,” William Wapass says. “I have fun and feel cool when I ride them. I ride for my ‘mosums’ (grandpa’s) and I’m never gonna stop riding.” Wapass, an enrolled Thunderchild First Nation member, is a 7-year-old mini relay racer with CTUIR ties. He is the eldest son of Alicia Picard and Bretner Wapass.…

CTUIR athletes go undefeated

By the CUJ JaLay Harris-Burns and Muriel Jones-Hoisington, cousins along with teammate Lindsey Littlesky (Pendleton, Bucks High School) & Iliana Moran (Hanford, Falcons High School) made waves in Salem the weekend of Aug. 7-8, going undefeated in the annual Hoopla 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Burns and Hoisington are both stand out players for their high school teams. They started their careers…

CTUIR Legends: Justin Quaempts

Hard throwing Justin Quaempts reached incredible heights in his baseball career By Brandon Hansen for the CUJ Justin Quaempts has travelled more than most, played baseball at a higher level than many and battled through injuries during his athletic career that would have dismayed anyone else. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s tribal member pitched at the highest…

Avery Quaempts

SPOTLIGHT: Avery Quaempts, hard-hitting eighth-grader

By The CUJ PENDLETON – Avery Quaempts comes from a competitive family. Her father Justin was an MLB draft pick who played ball for Oklahoma State University. Her grandfather Billy Quaempts was also a notable athlete within the CTUIR. So it’s no surprise the 8th grade softball star who led Oregon East to a runner-up finish in the ASA 14U…