Prep football preview: Union vs. Hermiston
NON-LEAGUE GAME
WHEN, WHERE: 7 p.m. Friday at Kennison Field, Hermiston (Ore.) HS
LAST YEAR: Union 4-5; Hermiston 4-6.
GAME NOTES: Last season, Union missed the postseason for the first time since 2007, the school’s first season with varsity football. Head coach Rory Rosenbach comes to Union from Glacier Peak and will bring a spread, up-tempo offense with him. Senior Nehru Faalevao is the point man on the offense at QB, and he’ll have weapons around him. Senior Keithen Shepard was fourth in the county in receiving with 48 catches for 786 yards and 6 TDs. RB JoJo Siofele rushed for 781 yards and 14 TDs in eight games as a freshman. Hermiston lost to Wilsonville 49-14 in the first round of the Oregon 5A state playoffs. The Bulldogs went 3-0 in the Columbia River Conference last season, but 1-6 out of conference. Hermiston’s strength is in its defensive backfield with all-conference safety Vaemu Ena leading the way, along with Dayshawn Neal and Joey Gutierrez, who moves from LB. Sophomore Andrew James is the leading candidate at QB, and the Bulldogs have all-conference receivers in Brady Christenson and Tucker Salinas.
FANS’ PICK: Union, 81 percent (as of 11 a.m. Wednesday)
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