November 21, 2013

By Cliff Richardson

Mt. West League Update

The Mt. West League is alive and well in the OSAA State 1A Football Championships. Both Lowell and Triangle Lake advanced to the Semi-Final Round Friday night. The Triangle Lake Lakers upended previously undefeated and #2 ranked Dufur on the road 40-30. The win improved the #7 ranked Lakers to an overall season record of 10-1 while the Dufur Rangers ended their 2013 season at 11-1. Triangle Lake’s only loss was to the #1 ranked Lowell Red Devils and they will now face Imbler, 74-22 winners over Triad. Lowell defeated St. Paul Friday night 60-22 in a tale of two halves. The St. Paul Buckaroos played control ball the first half at Lowell, effectively holding the State’s most prolific offense to a draw with each team going into their locker-rooms at halftime even up at 22 pts. With Lowell Head Coach Pat Todd challenging his defense to stiffen up, the Red Devils did just that while unleashing the high octane offense that is on the road to a new 1A State scoring record. Lowell scored 38 pts. in the second half and held the Buckaroos to a goose egg to run away with the victory. In fact, St. Paul’s offense was held to just 47 yds. on the ground following the break. The Red Devils will next line up against Camas Valley, who easily dispatched Adrian 52-28 on Friday. Camas Valley has won the last two 1A State Football Championships. The Lowell/Camas Valley game is scheduled at Cottage Grove High School, Saturday, November 23 with kick off at 11:00 am. The Triangle Lake/Imbler game is scheduled at Hillsboro Stadium also Saturday, November 23 with kickoff slated for 2:15 pm.

The rest of the Mt. West League will open Monday, November 18 with basketball and wrestling practices. McKenzie High will hold its fall sports awards ceremony on Tuesday, November 19 at 6:00 pm. in the High School Cafeteria.

Eagle Alumni Trio Still Shootin’ Hoops

Three McKenzie grads from the Class of 2013 have taken their basketball skills to the next level. Jordan Wiley, a 6’6” sophomore enrolled at Western Oregon University, was the Wolves 5th leading scorer last season and the team’s leading sharpshooter from the 3-point arc. Wiley was a four sport star at McKenzie and the OSAA’s 2013 1A Boy’s Basketball Player of the Year. This season Wiley, as a starter, is averaging 7.5 pts./game and 2.5 rebounds/ game for the Wolves (2-2).

Karissa Harbick is currently playing her second basketball season at Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls. Harbick, a two time OSAA State 1A All-State selection, helped lead McKenzie in winning the 2013 OSAA State 1A Girl’s Basketball Championship. The 5’9” sophomore plays at the forward position for the Owls and has played in all 5 OIT games this season, averaging 3.4 pts. and 3.0 rebounds per game.

Taya Harbick, a five sport star for the Eagles and a 1st Team OSAA All State Basketball Player and the 2012 OSAA State 1A Girl’s Basketball Co-Player of the Year, played her freshman year at Northwest Christian University and transferred this season to New Hope Christian College in Eugene, where the sophomore will play once again for her father, Darin Harbick, who was hired this season as the Deacon’s Women’s Head Coach.

McKenzie River Reflections