McK Sports Report – December 11

McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week

The McKenzie Varsity Basketball teams host Rogue Valley Adventist Academy on Monday, December 8. The Eagle Varsity Girls tip off at 5:30 pm and the Varsity Boys game starts at 7:00 pm. A Boys Junior Varsity game precedes at 4:00 pm.

The McKenzie teams host New Hope Christian on Tuesday, December 9, with the Varsity Girls starting at 6:00 pm, the Varsity Boys at 7:30 pm, and a Boys Junior Varsity game at 4:30 pm.

On Friday, December 12, the Eagle teams travel to Falls City to play Falls City/Kings Valley Charter. The Eagle Varsity Girls tip off at 5:30 pm and the Varsity Boys follow with a 7:00 pm start.

The McKenzie Varsity Basketball teams will host Chemawa on Tuesday, December 16. The Girls Varsity team tips off at 5:30 pm and the Boys will tip off at 7:00 pm.

Eagle Boys Open Hoop Season

At Oakridge, Dayville

The McKenzie Eagle Boys Varsity Basketball team packed their travel bags and headed out on the road, fully intent on determining where they stack up thus far in the early season against the field. First stop, last Wednesday, December 3, was over in the next drainage, at Oakridge, along the Middle Fork of the Willamette.

The Warriors are much like the Eagles in that they are in the process of rebuilding and refining their Varsity program. So it looked to be a good opener for both squads and that’s exactly how it played out. Oakridge used its home court advantage and defeated their “other River visitors” in a close, tight game, 47-46.

Two days later, McKenzie Head Coach Neil Barrett and Assistant Coach David Duncan (Duncan returns as the Eagle Girls Head Varsity Coach), loaded both teams, boys and girls, back on the team bus and headed East over the Crest of the Cascades to Dayville.

Dayville/Monument/Lost Creek hosted the Tiger Tournament and first up for the Eagle Boys was the Culver Bulldogs, a Class 2A team from the East Cascades Conference. The Bulldogs are coming off a tough season last year and looking to rebound, thus this was another good measure for the Eagle bunch. Culver would prevail this time, 70-57, but McKenzie rallied in the third quarter to within 8 points, but couldn’t grab the win. The Tiger Tournament, a two-day affair, found the Eagles paired up versus their hosts, Dayville/Monument/Lost Creek. And this third time in early non-league action, a charm as they say, the Eagles found the victory road, defeating the Tigers 58-41.

Battle Of The Raptors In

McKenzie Home Opener

In a battle of winged predators, the McKenzie Eagles opened their home basketball season scheduled against the Rogue Valley Adventist Academy Red Tail Hawks. The Hawks hail from the Mountain Valley League and are coming off a 19-8 season last year in which Rogue Valley AA made it to the Second Round of the OSAA State playoffs where North Douglas, 75-56, eliminated them. The Eagles returned from their three game road trip last Wednesday through Saturday, may have suffered a bit of “jet lag” with a Monday night game, but nonetheless the home team gave it a good go, but falling 39-49 to the traveling Red Tail Hawks. No time for the weary, however, as the Eagle teams host New Hope Christian the very next evening in another non-league affair.

McKenzie Girls Hit The Early Road

David Duncan, past McKenzie Varsity Girls Basketball Coach returns this season to once again lead the Eagles. And Coach Duncan surely understands he has his work cut out for him, inheriting a team, young and very inexperienced. But Coach Duncan has seen this story before and you can bet, by the end of the season, a different Eagle team will represent their School and Community.

But between Here and There, a few road bumps notwithstanding, shall we say, lessons are to be learned. So it was when the Eagle Girls opened up over at Oakridge, home of the Warriors, versus a team that struggled last season as well. The home court is a familiar friend and in this opener for both teams, Oakridge easily beat the Eagles, 51-26.

A day of rest followed and then off to Dayville with the Eagle Varsity Boys team to participate in the Tiger Tournament. First up was host Dayville/Monument/Long Creek and the Tigers downed their Westside opponent with ease, 42-14.

The second day of the Tournament, Saturday, December 6, McKenzie found their selves facing a Class 2A squad from Grant Union out of John Day. The Prospectors take their basketball seriously over yonder and with that, McKenzie had the chance to take down a few more notes while in School.

Grant Union defeated McKenzie 78-29.

Still Hunting For A Victory

Hawks Defeat Eagles 52-21

The Southern Oregon visiting Rogue Valley Adventist Academy Red Tail Hawks (phew, that was a mouthful!) extended the McKenzie Eagle Girls Basketball team winless streak last Monday, December 8. The Mt. Valley League visitors upset any Home opener plans of the Eagles by defeating the hosts 52-21. As it went with the Red Tail Hawk’s Boys team last season, Rogue Valley AA girls team finished strong with an overall record of 15-6 and a Second Round playoff berth that ended in defeat to North Douglas, 55-31.

The Eagle team will next toe up to the Girls team representing New Hope Christian out of Grants Pass and the Skyline League. That game is this Tuesday, December 9. New Hope Christian finished their 2024-25 season at 22-4 with a 31-52 Second Round loss to Jordan Valley.