Bucks draw strength from offensive line

PENDLETON — The offensive line is the foundation of a good offense, and Pendleton coach Erik Davis likes what he sees from the big bodies up front.

“We will be way better up front,” said Davis, who is in his 15th year with the Bucks. “We have an athletic group. They are wrestlers and that helps. That shows toughness and grit.”

Seasoned veteran Kaleb Lillie (sr., 6-2, 245) is back at center after suffering a season-ending injury in the first league game last season. He will be joined by right guard John Diaz (jr., 5-10, 240), left guard Ryder Phillips (sr., 6-1, 210), left tackle Sam Simmons (sr., 6-2, 275) and right tackle Telbill Yaoch (sr., 5-10, 275).

Add in tight ends Jubal Hoisington (sr., 6-4, 210) and Brance McKay (so., 6-3, 190), and backup center Eli Campbell (sr., 5-7, 165) and there isn’t a weak link across the line.

“I’m very excited to have Kaleb back,” Davis said. “Having him back has shaped our front five. To me, our biggest improvement is our front five. Sam is a physical. He’s kind of a bully. Telbiil played as a sophomore; he missed it and came back. Brance is an unbelievably talented young kid and a hard worker, and Eli stepped in last year when Kaleb got hurt. We have some depth on the line.”

Lillie’s sure hands will help quarterbacks Cole Sazue (sr., 6-3, 200) and Tucker Kuza (jr., 6-0, 175) ease into the season. The pair split time under center last year.

“Cole and Tucker are competing right now,” Davis said. “It is an open competition, just like most of the positions. They get the same amount of reps and put in the same situations. The best thing for them is the competition.”

Sophomore Riley Williams may get a few touches, as well.

“Riley will be a special one down the road,” Davis said. “He will see most of his reps at the younger level. He can spin it. We are in good hands. I just need productivity from that position — put the ball in the receivers’ hands and limit the turnovers.”

Junior Aaden Hernandez returns to the receiving corps and will be joined by sophomore Aiden Cox and junior Wes Browning, along with Hoisington.

“Our receiving corps is not going to be huge, except for Jubal,” Davis said. “Aaden is our go-to kid, and he may carry the ball a bit. Aiden and Wes are tough. You will see some little guys running routes. Our speed on the perimeter has increased, which I’m happy about.”

The Bucks lost the heart and soul of their backfield with the graduation of Tugg McQuinn and Vance Nelson, but Pendleton has a capable group of runners to fill the void.

Junior Kyrael Davis (6-0, 160) is penciled in as the No. 1 running back, with junior Tanner Morgan and senior Quinn Kennedy getting touches. Kolt McQuinn is the fullback.

“Losing Tugg and Vance, you don’t replace them,” Davis said. “They are special talents. You have to move on to the next person. Kyrael played most special teams last year, but he has grown a ton. He is very, very athletic. We are just trying to get him to use that athleticism every play. Tanner played with the younger group last year and has really developed. Quinn has speed and we can use him on outside runs.”

Defensively, the Bucks will turn their offense line around, with Hoisington stepping in at defensive end.

“Our front seven are our strength,” Davis said.

Kolt McQuinn (5-8, 200), a first-team all-league linebacker last year with 51 tackles, anchors the linebacking corps, with senior Vance Phillips, McKay, junior Eli Smidt and junior Wyatt Taylor filling in spots.

“We will go as Kolt goes,” Davis said. “He is a tough kid and has thickened up a bit. Vance is tougher than heck and has really turned into a great weak-side linebacker.” 

Hernandez, Cox and Browning will use their speed to man the secondary, with junior Jakeb Richardson helping.

“Jakeb is the first off the bus,” Davis said. “He’s really athletic. He tore his groin last year, so he’s a little behind, but as far as athleticism, he could be in the mix at free safety.”

On special teams, soccer player Miles Johnson will be the kicker, Smidt is the punter and Hoisington is the long snapper.

Last season, the Bucks finished 2-2 in Greater Oregon League play and 2-8 overall. They lost in the first round of the 4A state playoffs to Cascade 42-14.

Last year’s league champion La Grande ran the table in league play, with Baker coming in at 3-1.

With 13 seniors, a strong line and quick skill players, Davis hopes to be at the top of the league standings when all is said and done.

“We are back and we are going to give them heck,” Davis said. “I think Ontario has a new coach; Baker is down, from what I understand; and The Dalles always has some good players. La Grande can always come out and kick you in the teeth. You know they are going to reload every year. That La Grande game is always one we look forward to. It’s our first league game this year.”

The Bucks opened the season Aug. 28 against Scappoose, and will play at Banks on Sept. 4. Also on the schedule are Banks, Hood River Valley and 3A power Burns.

“There are no slouches,” Davis said. “We have to take every game one by one.”

Pendleton Football

Bucks putting a balanced team on the pitch

PENDLETON — Pendleton is mixing a little new in with the old as the 2026 season gets underway.

The Bucks return nine veteran players and have a new coach in Katherine Ryder and a rookie goalie who is showing talent beyond her soccer experience.

“Last time I coached as an assistant (2018-19), I don’t think we had this much of a balanced talent pool as we do now,” Ryder said. “These girls have played in critical games. I felt bad putting some of the returning JV players back on JV for the development of the program and swinging them up. We want to have the flexibility to bring up whoever we need. It just goes to show how much Pendleton soccer is growing.”

Ryder has 35 players out between varsity and junior varsity, with a large pool of freshman players.

“JV has a lot of girls who have not played before, but we have strong incoming freshmen. We have such a strong varsity core that we will keep the freshmen on JV and have them swing up to varsity.”

The Bucks return junior forward Presley Greenwalt, senior midfielder Khimora Scott, senior forward/defender Maddy Gunter, junior defender/midfielder McKenna Naughton, senior midfielder Ava Jackson, junior defender Jadyn Schmidt, senior defender Avery Tynkila, junior defender Callahan Smith and sophomore forward/midfielder Naomi Lopez.

Senior defender Isabelle Bernier, who played as a freshman and sophomore, returns for her final season, and junior Rylee Jackson, who ran cross-country last season, has joined the soccer team.

Moving up from junior varsity are senior Alexi Moor (defender), sophomore Serenity Taft (forward), junior Sascha Quaempts (defender) and sophomore Layla Spino (goalie).

With last year’s backup goalie Thiry Dahl opting not to play this season, the Bucks had a big hole to fill, but an unlikely player has come in and taken up residency in goal.

Pilot Rock transfer Autumn Severe, a sophomore in her first year of soccer, surprised Ryder with her talents.

“She is extremely athletic and shows a lot of promise,” Ryder said. “(Blue Mountain coach) Jordan Hilmick came down and worked with the keepers. There are three or four others vying for goalie spot, but she has such quick reflexes. She’s picked it up pretty fast.”

Pendleton, which finished 5-9-1 last year, opened the season Aug. 27 at the Gladstone Jamboree, facing Cascade and Seaside.

“It’s a team bonding trip and it allows you to get a picture of what you have,” Ryder said. “There are several girls I might want to work with as a backup keeper I can get in.”

The Bucks start Greater Oregon League play Sept 15, hosting Ontario. The GOL teams will face each other three times this season.

Pendleton also has tough nonleague matches with The Dalles, Redmond and Umatilla.

“If we place in the top two in our conference and make it to the first round of state, we are more prepared to play those teams from the west side of the state,” Ryder said. “My goal is to get our off-season training going so the girls get touches year-round.”

Pendleton Girls Soccer

Bucks add talented freshmen to veteran roster

PENDLETON — Jack Reynolds had been the face of Pendleton cross-country for the past four years. Reynolds is now at Eastern Oregon University, having passed the torch to sophomore Farley Hill and a handful of runners who hope to keep the Bucks relevant on the race course.

“It’s really hard not having Jack here, but excited for him to continue his running career at EOU,” Pendleton coach Maddy Naughton said. “I love that we are handing him off to them. We have some freshmen that are stepping in really well, and Autry Robinson has really stepped into the role of taking the lead the past few weeks. It’s nice when you have kids who will do that. It’s nice to have the kids back who have been there and done that.”

Hill and junior Eagle Edmiston attended the prestigious Steens Mountain Running Camp during the summer. Hill was 44th at the 4A state championships last fall, while Edmiston was 60th, Robinson was 67th and Damien Vega was 81st. Robinson and Vega are seniors.

Adding to the mix will be freshmen Liam Pennington, Gabriel Rock and AJ Browning. Rock finished eighth at the national meet in the 2K steeplechase.

“Gabriel races smart and reminds me of Jack a little bit,” Naughton said. “AJ might get overlooked a bit, but I think he will blossom in high school. That No. 1 spot will be up for grabs. We are going to have a solid group of five boys who will be pushing each other.”

Pendleton finished ninth in the team standings at state with 217 points. Greater Oregon League foe La Grande won the state title with 61 points and returned five of its runners who qualified for state.

The Pendleton girls did not send a runner to state last year, but have a veteran group of runners who could make a push for a trip to Eugene in November.

Seniors Evelyn Hays, Claire Harrison and Marion Oliver return, as do sophomores Kimberly Tinoco and Savaya Cree Medicine-Minthorn. Freshmen Izzy Allen and Kirsten Blackburn will figure into the top group of runners.

“I love our girls; they are the nicest group,” Naughton said. “They seem to be gelling. A lot of the freshmen were showing up every day in the summer for practice. We have a really good group of freshmen coming in who are talented and have good work ethic, boys and girls, who will really add to the team.”

The last Pendleton girl to run at state was Melissa Tune in 2024. The last time the Bucks sent a full team to state was 2011, where they placed 11th in the 5A championships.

Pendleton will find itself in a battle for state berths this fall. The La Grande girls won the 4A 2025 state title and return five state qualifiers. Baker finished ninth last year as a team and returns four state qualifiers.

Pendleton Cross Country

Pendleton ready for another dominating run in GOL

PENDLETON — Pendleton won its third consecutive Greater Oregon League title last season — without giving up a set — and the Bucks are looking for more this season with a senior-heavy squad.

“We had seven returning seniors, but now we have six because of Finley’s (Evans) injury,” Bucks coach Jodi Primus said. “She will continue to be a good leader and help in other ways. All are big contributors to the program, and MJ (Gomez) looks good and healthy. Having that many returning varsity players is huge.”

Gomez, a sophomore, suffered a knee injury in the first round of the state playoffs last season and has just been cleared to play.

The Bucks, who were 21-5 last season, return GOL first-team selections Gomez, Kelsi Primus and Caitlin Cooley. Evans, a defensive specialist, also earned first-team honors.

Cooley returns at setter for the Bucks. Last year, she handed out 577 assists.

Taking up the reins on defense will be seniors McKinley Lieuallen and McKinley Moore.

“My two senior defensive specialists are very capable,” coach Primus said.

Olivia Allen has risen to the forefront as the team’s middle.

“She is a true middle,” coach Primus said. “She has played a lot of club volleyball as a middle and she will step into one of those roles. She is ready for that. I’m still letting the other girls battle it out for the other middle. It’s a great problem to have.”

Kelsi Primus and Braelyn Gunter will get plenty of swigs at the net. Kelsi Primus is an outside hitter, while Gunter is a right side hitter.

“She puts up a really nice block and has a really nice hit,” coach Primus said of Gunter.

Also vying for time on the court will be junior hitter Shaylor Fisher, defensive specialist Ari Banica, setter Addie Willman, right side hitter Preslyn Gubter, and sophomore outside hitter Kalia Ward, a transfer from Weston-McEwen.

The GOL schedule this season has each team playing the other three league teams three times.

“La Grande is always out to get us,” coach Primus said. “You just never know. Baker will put up a good fight, and Ontario has improved each year. The coach has done a good job of building their program.”

Before Pendleton begins league play Sept. 22 at La Grande, it has plenty of quality matches on its schedule.

“It’s hard to fill a schedule for Eastern Oregon teams,” Primus said. “We get to play The Dalles, Hood River and Burns, and we get to see Weston-McEwen a couple of times. I feel like our schedule is loaded. We are going to a tournament in Hilo, Hawaii. We should get a lot of high-quality matches over there.”

Coach Primus had 51 girls try out for volleyball this year, and will have a true freshman team.

“Two-thirds of the girls in our program have played club,” she said. “It speaks a lot to how much interest there is and what a great sport it is. Our Storm Volleyball Club has really built up and turned out a lot of good quality players, not just us. It’s fun to see.”

Pendleton Volleyball

Pendleton takes on new season with mix of veterans, rookies

PENDLETON — First-year Pendleton coach Kaden Clark has a nice mix of veteran players and a healthy stable of 10 freshmen as the Bucks prepare for the upcoming season.

“We have a really good group of boys,” said Clark, who was an assistant for the Bucks the past two years. “I’m excited to see what they can do this year. We are here to win, compete and put our name at the top. We want to compete against Ontario and get the wins against Baker and La Grande. With a small league like this, and Ontario graduating 10 seniors, it is wide open.”

The Bucks lost leading scorer Colin Harrington to graduation, and Brazilian exchange student Gabriel Figueiredo, but the cupboard is far from bare.

Juniors Miles Johnson (striker/midfielder) and Easton Dressler (midfielder) are the top two returning scorers.

“They will be our main attack,” Clark said. “Miles will also kick for the football team. He came and talked to me about it at the end of last school year. A lot of his friends play football. He is a true competitor and he wants to win.”

Junior Isaac Stansbury is moving from striker to defense this year, where he will be joined by senior Jack DeGrofft, senior Graysen Mead and senior Graham Oyama, who will also see time as a midfielder. Junior midfielder Liam Clark also returns.

In goal, the Bucks return junior Thor Case, who earned a starting role midway through last season.

“It’s very nice to see him back,” Clark said. “Last year was his first year, and he came up and took over as our varsity keeper. He is really excited to be back there. When he came in last year, our whole team’s confidence improved.”

In a bold move, Clark has penciled freshman Antony Tarapues as a striker.

“His family moved here from Colombia when he was in grade school,” Clark said. “He is one I’m really excited to see develop over the next few years. He has a positive attitude; he’s really quick and really strong for his size. He has a heck of a shot with power behind it.”

Tarapues is one of 10 freshmen in the program, which had just 26 guys turn out this fall.

“We lost some numbers,” Clark said. “Our middle school program is looking pretty good. Our freshman group of boys, if they stick with it, we will have a very talented group when they are juniors.”

The Bucks finished 6-8-1 overall last year, and 2-3-1 in Greater Oregon League play. They did not make the playoffs.

Last year, Ontario went 6-0 in league play and 13-3 overall, scoring 69 goals — third most among 4A schools — and allowing 13. The Tigers lost 10 seniors to graduation.

“I think right now it is pretty open,” Clark said of the GOL. “I’m excited to see what the boys will do this year. I am very optimistic.

“Ontario, historically, is prepared every year and has a good coaching staff and a community that supports them. Their guys have been playing together for 10 years. That is where we are trying to get to. We are here to win, and compete and put our name at the top.”

Clark is providing his team with good competition this season with matches against The Dalles, Riverside and Mac-Hi.

“Riverside and Mac-Hi are always tough,” Clark said. “I like to give the boys those competitive games.”

Pendleton Boys Soccer