NEONOW FILE PHOTOS
[quote style=”2″]A Final Look Back at the 2014 Bulldogs’ Championship Season[/quote]
High school football season may be over, but 2014 was one worth savoring for fans of the Hermiston Bulldogs, who capped off the year by claiming the first state football championship in school history. So, before we turn our attention to winter sports, let’s have one more look back at the most memorable season in the Hermiston history.
Week 1: At Hanford
Week 2: Vs. Kamiakin
It was the Carson Morter Show on Sept. 12 when the Bulldogs played their home opener against the Kamiakin Braves. Morter had four interceptions and a pair of touchdown passes as the Bulldogs took care of business, 28-7. Knutz finished the game with 17 completions on 33 attempts for 263 yards. Ethan Snow led all receivers with 7 catches for 103 yards and a score. Sam Colbray led the Bulldogs rushing attack with 110 yards on 25 carries. The Bulldogs finished the night with 414 total yards. Record: 2-0.
Week 3: Vs. Springfield
In what turned out to be the closest game of the year, the Bulldogs raced out to a 21-0 lead and had to overcome sloppy execution and several turnovers in the second half to come away with a 28-21 win over the Millers. Once again, Morter sparked the team’s offense and defense. The Bulldogs scored on their first possession of the game after Morter intercepted a Trever Watson pass and gave Hermiston the ball on Springfield’s 38 yard line. Several plays later, Knutz threw the first of two touchdown passes to Morter. Knutz finished the night with 17-for-27 for 223 yards and 3 touchdowns. Corey Adams had 142 yards rushing on 23 carries. Morter led all receives with 6 catches for 135 yards and two scores. Record: 3-0.
Week 4: Vs. Lewiston
Week 5: At Coeur d’Alene
The Hermiston Bulldogs were 3:29 seconds away from defeating the defending Idaho state 5A champions and opening the season with five straight wins – but it wasn’t to be. Leading 27-24 and having just forced the Coeur d’Alene Vikings to punt with under four minutes to play, Hermiston had a chance to milk the clock and claim their fifth-straight win, but a late fumble allowed the Vikings to score and claim a 31-27 win – the only blemish on the Bulldogs’ season. Colbray had 117 yards on 24 carries, while Morter led the Hermiston receiving corps with 6 receptions for 43 yards. Record: 4-1.
Week 6: Vs. Sandy
The Hermiston Bulldogs scored early and often in week six against Sandy, routing the Pioneers, 56-7. The Bulldogs were all over the Pioneers right from the start when Trey Neal recovered a fumble deep in Sandy’s own territory and ran it in from 8 yards out to give Hermiston a 7-0 lead just 10 seconds into the game. In what became a familiar site, the clock ran in the second half after Hermiston built a lead of more than 45 points. Knutz had a huge game on 11 of 15 passes for 228 yards and 5 touchdowns. Crafton lead all receives with 5 catches for 106 yards and two scores, while Morter had 3 receptions for 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Adams had 79 yards on 10 carries. Record: 5-1.
Week 7: Vs. The Dalles
Week 8: At Hood River
Another game, another blowout. Hermiston won its second-straight CRC game with a 55-7 win over Hood River Valley. The game was highlighted by a 79-yard touchdown run by Adams, who finished the night with 147 yards and 2 scores. The win set up a CRC title matchup against Pendleton the following week. Record: 7-1
Week 9: Vs. Pendleton
The game began with both teams scoring twice early on, but with the score tied at 14, Hermiston reeled off 49 unanswered points to throttle the Bucks, 63-14, to claim the CRC title. The Bulldogs were virtually unstoppable against the cross-county rivals, totaling 31 first downs and a whopping 596 total yards. Colbray had 124 yards to go with his four touchdowns. Adams led all rushers with 138 yards on 11 carries and two scores. Snow had a big night with 8 receptions for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Knutz 17-for-26 for 336 yards in the air and three touchdowns. Record: 8-1.
Week 10: Vs. Sandy
Week 11: Vs. Liberty
In the first of three straight playoff games in Hillsboro, the Bulldogs won a hard-fought game against Liberty, 19-14, to advance to the state semi-finals for the first time in school history. Cory Adams scampered in for a 12-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead, which they took into halftime. Liberty tied the game at 7 early in the third when senior running back Nick Bonet scored on a 2-yard run. Hermiston regained the lead on a 24-yard touchdown run by Tony Green with a little more than 2 minutes left in the third quarter. Hermiston later scored on a safety and a Medina field goal. Adams led Hermiston with 125 yards rushing on 38 carries. Record: 10-1.
Week 12: Vs. Marist
The Hermiston Bulldogs made the most of their first-ever appearance in the 5A state semi-finals by dominating the Marist Spartans, 30-13, in Hillsboro on Nov. 22. Colbray had a huge game for Hermiston with 158 yards on 34 carries and a pair of touchdowns. Morter had 6 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown. Knutz was 16-for-26 for 202 yards. Medina had 4 tackles, 4 assists and 2 and a half sacks to go with his 3 field goals. The Hermiston defense sacked Marist quarterback Quinn Cota six times. Record: 11-1.
Week 13: Vs. Silverton
Silverton entered the 5A state title game against Hermiston having given up just 78 yards all season with four shutouts. In fact, no team had scored more than 14 points against them all season. Then they played the Bulldogs, who scored on their first possession of the game on a Luis Medina field goal, and went up 10-0 following a Knutz touchdown pass to Ethan Snow. The Bulldogs led 20-10 at halftime and never looked back. Hermiston shared the wealth throughout the game as Snow, Morter, Colbray and Smith all scored touchdowns in the 34-13 victory to give the Bulldogs the 5A state championship. Record: 12-1 and Oregon 5A state champions.
