December 6, 2012

McKenzie Boys/Girls Open 2012/13 Hoops Season

The McKenzie Eagle Boys and Girls Basketball programs return to the Hardwood following successful Fall Seasons in Football and Volleyball. The Eagle Boys Football Team finished 4th in the Mt. West League and the Girls Volleyball Team won the League Championship and participated in the second round of the OSAA State Volleyball Championships. Both Basketball Programs are also coming off highly successful

2011-12 campaigns where the Girls won the 1A OSAA State Basketball Championship and the Boys captured the 2nd Place Trophy. Both Teams will open Mt. West League play on the road this week, traveling to Siletz Valley on Tuesday, Dec. 4 and the Boys Team to Mohawk on Thursday, Dec. 6. Mohawk will not have a Girl’s Basketball Team this season. The Girls will tip off at 5:30 pm. and the Boys at 7:00 pm. in each of those contests.

New Head Coach David Duncan takes over the reins of the Eagle Girls Team following the departure of Head Coach Darin Harbick. Duncan has coached previously at the sub-varsity level at 2A Weston-McEwen from the Blue Mountain Conference in Northeastern Oregon. Kitty Price returns to McKenzie as the Assistant Coach. The Eagles experienced the graduation of only two but very dynamic and productive senior player/leaders from last year’s squad in Taya Harbick and Karissa Harbick. Taya was honored as the 2011-12 1A Girl’s Basketball State Player of the Year and cousin Karissa Harbick shared 1A First Team All-State honors. Taya is currently attending Northwest Christian University and playing both Golf and Basketball. Karissa is attending  Oregon Institute of Technology and playing Basketball. The Lady Eagles return an experienced group for Coach Duncan to work with in seniors Sydney King, Corinna Price, Peace Shepherd, and Samantha Winningham, juniors Delphine Clark, Shyla Harlan, and Makaila Hiddleston, and sophomore Buggy Hiddleston. Newcomers to the Team this season are seniors Sarah Rux and Macie Ryerse, junior Ayshia Seiler, and lone freshman Jordan Smith.

With the departure of Eagle Boys Basketball Head Coach Mike Wiley, Galen Scrivner returns to the Program’s Helm. Coach Wiley took over for longtime Eagle Coach Scrivner in 2001 when the latter briefly retired from the Varsity ranks to coach his young son’s elementary team. Since then, Scrivner has successfully worked as the Head Basketball Coach at a private High School in California. The Eagle Boy’s team lost several key players to graduation last year including 1A OSAA Boy’s Basketball Player of the Year, Jordan Wiley. Wiley is currently attending Western Oregon University and playing basketball for the Wolves. Other senior leaders graduating from the Eagle team that finished with a school record 29-1 win-loss record, are Jesse Dundon, Haaken Plews, Kendell Reese, and Will Totten. Returning this season as seniors are Blake Anderson, Jon Mahody, and Victor Vidal. Also returning is junior Bailey Adams and sophomores Dorian Dilley, Eric Huffman, and Alex Nastasiuk. Newcomers to the Eagle squad are seniors Seth Burson, Josh Ness, and Caleb Scrivner, sophomores Jeff Bayer and Blue Bloomer, and freshman Drew Hamlow.

Honkers Cook Eagle’s Goose in Opener

The McKenzie Eagle Boys opened their 2012-13 Basketball Team with an exciting 52-54 overtime loss to the visiting Arlington Honkers last Friday, Nov. 30. Arlington, represents the Big Sky League, perhaps currently the toughest 1A League in the State which includes defending State Champion Horizon Christian (Hood River), Sherman ( 6th place State Finish last season), Ione, Echo, South Wasco County and Condon/Wheeler. In the Eagles loss, Bailey Adams led his team with 26 pts. and Blake Anderson added another 9 pts. No other stats were available at press time.