McKenzie Sports Report – November 13
McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week
The McKenzie Varsity Fall Sports Season has concluded and there are no contests scheduled.
Crane Wins State VB Championship
Mustangs Title Third Consecutive
Would it be fair to say that the favorite Mustang over in Crane, south and east of Burns, is a blue roan? Maybe or maybe not, but those Mustangs sure do love the blue! As in State Championship Blue trophies!
This Fall, with that in consideration, the Crane Lady Mustangs earned their third consecutive OSAA State 1A Volleyball Championship “Blue” trophy. Crane (27-5) was the State’s top ranked team at the end of the 2025 Regular Season and the Mustangs proved it. Crane dominated Alsea, 3-0, in Round 1 of the State playoffs and defeated a stubborn Rogue Valley Adventist, 3-0, in Round 2. The Mustangs beat ninth ranked Joseph, 3-1, in the Quarterfinals held at La Grande High School and followed in the Semi-finals with a handy 3-1 defeat of fourth ranked Umpqua Valley Christian.
Over on the other side of the State Playoff brackets, a panther was sneaking up through the competition. The Imbler Panthers to be specific and they are, without a doubt, no novice to success at this level of competition. This season Imbler, 26-8, wrapped up the Regular Season with a tenth State ranking. The Old Oregon League Champion clobbered the Mt. West League second seed, twenty-third ranked Mohawk Mustangs, 3-0, in Round 1 action and then followed with an “upset” 3-1 defeat of seventh ranked Dufur.
St. Paul, fifteenth ranked Casco League Champion, lost to the Panthers in the State Quarterfinals and in the State Semi-finals, third ranked Central Christian didn’t read the Prowlers of Imbler sign until it was too late and the Mt. Valley Champions fell, 3-1, as well. That set up a High Desert, Old Oregon Championship with Crane and Imbler respectively. But you can bet your spurs, nobody or critter was about to slip up on the Mustangs. When you’ve been there and done that, as many times as Crane, somebody in the Mustang camp would for sure have their head on a swivel.
One might make a case that State Championship Volleyball blue trophy seems to enjoy the Southeastern Eastern Oregon climate. Evidence: Crane won the first set, 26-24, and followed with a second set win, 25-15. Imbler clawed back, however, in the third set, winning 25-21. But the fourth go-round went to the Mustangs, and they staked a third consecutive State Championship with the deciding 25-17 fourth set victory over a clearly under ranked, competitive Imbler. You can bet your boots there will be a celebration down home in Crane this weekend, but probably not for too long as the Mustangs re-focus their attention to converting their iconic gym over from volleyball to basketball. You see, the Mustang Ladies will be setting their sights on a fifth straight appearance in the State Basketball Championship Title game and a fourth Blue Championship trophy in the last five seasons. Crane Girls Basketball won the State Championship in 2020, 2022, and 2024 and the Mustangs took home the State’s second place trophy in 2023. And oh, by the by, the Mustang Boys Basketball has bragging rights on a winter streak of their own, winning the State Class 1A Boys Basketball Championship in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Stay tuned next Volleyball season, however. If one eyeballs a look-see gander at the current Crane roster, you will note they graduate just 2 seniors while posting 8 battle-hardened juniors.
Who might just harbor an attitude about Blue Roans, do you think? The 2025 Class 1A State Tournament First team honorees are juniors Kamryn Dunten and Kendal Nichols, and senior Ava Bowen of Crane, juniors Isla Howard and Jeytt Cant of Imbler and senior Sky Nesser of Powder Valley.
The All Tournament Second team is senior Cara Boss-Bodily of Crane, senior Alondra Camacho of Imbler, senior Kallee Dixon of Powder Valley, and junior Joslynn Terry and senior Tabitha Terry, both of Central Christian. The 2025 Class 1A State Sportsmanship Trophy was earned by North Lake.
Cougars Will Meet Lakers In Quarterfinals
It’ll be a local affair. Neighbors enjoy getting together, likely at a local watering hole to talk about the weather, hunting or fishing, each other, or on a “rare” occasion, politics. Oftentimes, some of that conversation will embrace notions and opinions on the local high school football team and how the Friday Night boys are fairing. It’s been that way for a long time and the tradition fosters a lot of local traditional pride or consternation, depending.
Over West of all things Autzen, there’s a couple of neighborhoods that are really familiar with each other and this season’s Fall conversation may well be had at a shared favorite water hole or breakfast stop. In perspective, for the record, the Territorial Sports Program, based in Elmira/Veneta, is the first competitive opportunities for young athletes in that general area, including the neighboring Class 1A school districts of Crow and Triangle Lake.
These athletes grow up competing with or against with each other through middle school and then representing their respective high school in the Mt. West League or Special Districts.
The last couple of Fall seasons, with the growing number of six-man football teams, OSAA created three Special Districts (Leagues), the Special District 1, comprising the ten Eastern Oregon teams, and for the west-side of the Cascades, the eight team Special District 2 and the seven team Special District 3. The Triangle Lake Lakers are the 2025 Special District 2 Regular Season Champions, are undefeated 6-0, 9-0, and sit ranked first in the State Class 1A six-man rankings. The Crow Cougars finished their season tied for second with Powers and North Lake in the Special District 3 and are ranked ninth.
Crow traveled over the Hump to Dayville last Saturday to meet the eighth ranked Dayville/Monument/Long Creek Tigers in a Round 1 football playoff game. Crow upset the Tigers 52-12 and earned a berth in the State Quarterfinals, this Saturday, November 15, (now this is where it gets interesting this week) at their neighbor’s place over in Bethel, at Triangle Lake, under the lights at 7:00 pm. Any bets on how neighborly the evening shakes out?
Oh, almost forgot. Over in another neighborhood, not too distant from Crow and Triangle Lake, Special District 2 runner-up to the Lakers, the Eddyville Charter Eagles, will be hosting State Semi-final action versus sixth ranked Sherman Huskies, the latter which tied for second in Special District 1 with fifth ranked Joseph. Joseph is on the road for its Semi-final, Saturday, at fourth ranked Elkton, Champion of the Special District 3. The last Quarterfinal game will feature second ranked Harper Charter hosting seventh ranked Jordan Valley. That game will be played on Friday, November 14, 7:00 pm (MT).
Anyone up for coffee next week? How many lumps with your brew?
Class 2A/1A Boys CC Championship Results
Wyatt Jacobson, a senior from Knappa, is the 2025 Class 2A/1A Boys State Cross Country Champion. Jacobson finished the State Championship 5,000 meters race held at Lane Community College last Saturday, November 8, in a time of 16:17.58 minutes, less than one second ahead of Bandon sophomore Beckett Pahls, who finished second in 16:18.47 minutes. Jacobson’s teammate, sophomore Rowdy Justus, captured third in 16:25.24 minutes, Union junior Ian Garlitz finished fourth in 16:29.89 minutes and Knappa senior Gavin Jasper took fifth in 16:32.45 minutes.
The Knappa Loggers won the 2025 Class 2A/1A Boys Cross Country Championship team trophy, finishing with 38 points. The Bandon Tigers finished second with 55 points and the Union Bobcats were third at 69 points.
Class 3A/2A/1A Girls CC Championship Results
Coquille sophomore Ella Henthorn is the 2025 Class 3A/2A/1A Girls State Cross Country Champion. Henthorn turned in a time of 18:14.62 over the 5,000 meters course held at Lane Community College last Saturday, November 8. Heppner’s senior Lily Nichols finished second in 18:41.81 minutes, Sophie Schoolmeester, a senior from Banks was third in 18:51.59 minutes, and Banks freshman sister Molly Schoolmeester followed in fourth place at 18:54.39 minutes, a new Personal Record. Lilly Weer, a sophomore from Enterprise, finished fifth in a time of 18:56.06 minutes. The Banks Braves won the 2025 Class 3A/2A/1A Girls Cross Country Championship team trophy, earning 56 points. The Enterprise Outlaws finished second with 72 points.