East Oregonian
With the preseason wrapped up like a late Christmas present and Columbia River Conference games set to start on Friday, the eyes of the CRC are still trained directly on the Hermiston Bulldogs like a crosshair. The girls’ basketball preseason slate ended with all four league teams within two games of each other in the standings, but the Bulldogs are still the early favorite as acknowledged by the coaches.
The defending conference champ Dawgs take a 7-5 record into conference play and will meet Hood River Valley (7-4) at home Friday.
“They love the fact that everybody looks up at them and wants to beat them; they thrive on that,” Hermiston coach Steve Hoffert said about his team. “I think that pressure, that intensity comes when we’re at our best. When we’ve got a goal and we’re fired up, a little pissed off maybe, we play a lot better.”
Hermiston's Maloree Moss is guarded by a Lewiston player in a Bulldogs' win earlier this season. (Photo by EJ Harris)