February 6, 2014

By Cliff Richardson

McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week

McKenzie’s Varsity Basketball teams host two games at home this week. On Tuesday, February 4, Crow will visit with the Girls game scheduled for 5:30 pm. and the Boys at 7:00 pm. Lowell will arrive on Friday, February 7, with the Girls tipping off at 5:30 pm. and the Boys starting at 7:00 pm. The Eagles Varsity Wrestling team will travel to Oakridge, Wednesday, February 5, for a Dual Meet starting at 5:00 pm.

Eagles Set To Honor Winter Senior Athletes

McKenzie will honor its winter senior athletes and their parent/guardians on Friday, February 7, during the varsity basketball games scheduled with Lowell. Two senior girls will be honored this year, Shyla Harlan, who starts at the wing position for the Eagles and post standout Makaila Hiddleston. Both ladies were members of McKenzie’s 2012 State Champion team and helped lead the Eagles last season return to Baker City. Hiddleston was a first team Mt. West All League selection last season and chosen for the second team All League in 2012. The Eagles Boys team will honor Bailey Adams, its lone senior player. Adams played on the McKenzie teams that brought home a 2nd place OSAA State trophy in 2012 and a third place trophy in 2011. The senior guard was a second team Mt. West League selection last season. McKenzie also will recognize its two senior wrestlers, Casey Mitchell and Lane Kruse. Mitchell has represented the Eagles this season wrestling in the 152 weight classification while Kruse wrestled in the 138 lb. classification.

McKenzie Ladies Overwhelm Mohawk

The Mohawk Varsity Girls team hasn’t won a game this season and most likely won’t. The young team is working hard on developing Varsity level basketball skills and several of the Indians players have not had the opportunity previously to play much organized basketball. The learning process takes time and credit the Indians for their efforts and for keeping their program alive. Needless to say, the Eagles easily dominated the game last Tuesday, January 28, at Mohawk, defeating the hosts 59-6. Clearly the Eagles could have scored more, so credit Head Coach David Duncan and his team for keeping the contest as reasonable as possible under the circumstances. McKenzie outscored Mohawk 17-0 in the first quarter and lead 33-0 at the half. The Eagles, while playing their entire roster, lead 50-3 at the end of the third quarter. Makaila Hiddleston scored 16 pts. had 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots. Three other Eagle players scored in double figures. Buggy Hiddleston dropped in 12 pts., secured 8 rebounds, had 3 steals, and a block. Shyla Harlan tallied 11 pts., 4 steals, 3 assists, and a rebound. Katey Totten finished the evening with 10 pts. and 3 steals. Jorden Smith finished with 5 pts., 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist, while Kailyn Ringler scored 4 pts., also grabbed 7 rebounds, and had a steal and an assist. Isabella Espinoza scored 1 pt., had 1 rebound and 1 assist. McKenzie shot 53% from the field.

Eagles Win at Mohawk, 63-26

McKenzie’s achieved its longest win streak this season with a dominant win at Mohawk on Tuesday, January 28. The Eagle’s victory was its third consecutive.

Eagle Girls Defeat Eddyville, 48-18

Makaila Hiddleston once again led all game scorers as she tallied 18 pts. against the visiting Eddyville Eagles last Friday, January 31. The senior earned 8 of her pts. at the charity stripe where she was 8-10. Hiddleston also had 4 rebounds and 2 steals in the game. Teammates Buggy Hiddleston and Katey Totten each scored in double figures with 11 pts. and each player also grabbed 6 rebounds. B. Hiddleston also had 4 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot. Totten stole the ball twice and had an assist. Shyla Harlan shot for 6 pts., dished out 7 assists, stole the ball 6 times and had a blocked shot. Aly Mathews, off the bench, scored 2 pts., hauled in 3 rebounds, and had an assist. Jorden Smith did not score but had 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 assist. As a team, the Eagles shot 42% from the field. Halftime score: McKenzie 30, Eddyville 7.

Adams Second Career Triple Double - Eagles Upend Eddyville 54-16

If Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson were a McKenzie Basketball fan he would be “happy, happy, happy” as the Eagles defeated the visiting Eddyville Eagles last Friday night, January 31, earning their sixth win of the season. McKenzie is 6-7 in Mt. West League play and 6-15 overall. Senior Bailey Adams earned his first career triple double versus Eddyville the previous week and recorded his second this week, also against the Coastal Eagles. This time Adams scored 11 pts., had 10 rebounds, and 10 steals. Sophomore teammate Drew Hamlow shot for 16 pts. and junior Alex Nastasiuk also scored in double figures as he tallied 14 pts.

McKenzie Wrestlers Compete at Monroe

The Eagle Varsity Wrestling team participated in the Monroe Invite Wrestling Tournament last Saturday, February 1. Levi Sturgill, wrestled in the 145 lb. weight class and won his first match by pin (4:28) over Alex Birkby of Springfield Sturgill lost his second match however to the eventual Champion, Shane Bearden of Harrisburg, by pin in 2:44. In the 152 weight class, Eagle senior wrestler Casey Mitchell pinned his opening opponent, Jacob French of Philomath in 1:00. Mitchell dropped his second match to Central wrestler Tanner Swinehart, by fall (pin) in 3:55. Dylan Garr wrestled in the 195 lb. weight class and won his first match by fall over Santiam Christian wrestler Dustin Kuhn in 1:31, but Garr lost his second match by pin to Lowell wrestler Collyn Lawson in 0:42.