The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current, November 27, 2019, Page 8, Image 8

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    SPORTS
8A — THE OBSERVER
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019
SCOREBOARD
LOCAL SCHEDULE
Friday
WOMEN’S COLLEGE
BASKETBALL
Eastern Oregon vs.
Linfi eld College, Lady
Yote Classic, Caldwell,
Idaho, 2 p.m.
— Subject to change
FOOTBALL
NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East
W L T Pct PF
New England 10 1 0 .909 300
Buffalo
8 3 0 .727 231
N.Y. Jets
4 7 0 .364 198
Miami
2 9 0 .182 163
South
W L T Pct PF
Houston
7 4 0 .636 265
Indianapolis
6 5 0 .545 244
Tennessee
6 5 0 .545 245
Jacksonville
4 7 0 .364 209
North
W L T Pct PF
Baltimore
9 2 0 .818 386
Pittsburgh
6 5 0 .545 216
Cleveland
5 6 0 .455 233
Cincinnati
0 11 0 .000 157
West
W L T Pct PF
Kansas City
7 4 0 .636 308
PA
117
173
258
346
PA
249
226
217
264
PA
202
212
252
292
PA
256
Oakland
6 5 0 .545 228 284
L.A. Chargers 4 7 0 .364 224 218
Denver
3 8 0 .273 175 217
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East
W L T Pct PF PA
Dallas
6 5 0 .545 295 210
Philadelphia 5 6 0 .455 243 247
N.Y. Giants
2 9 0 .182 217 308
Washington
2 9 0 .182 144 269
South
W L T Pct PF PA
New Orleans 9 2 0 .818 272 230
Carolina
5 6 0 .455 259 291
Tampa Bay
4 7 0 .364 312 335
Atlanta
3 8 0 .273 242 297
North
W L T Pct PF PA
Green Bay
8 3 0 .727 258 242
Minnesota
8 3 0 .727 289 205
Chicago
5 6 0 .455 188 188
Detroit
3 7 1 .318 260 291
West
W L T Pct PF PA
San Francisco 10 1 0 .909 332 163
Seattle
9 2 0 .818 292 263
L.A. Rams
6 5 0 .545 249 243
Arizona
3 7 1 .318 248 317
All Times PST
Monday, Nov. 25
Baltimore 45, L.A. Rams 6
Thursday, Nov. 28
Chicago at Detroit, 9:30 a.m.
Buffalo at Dallas, 1:30 p.m.
New Orleans at Atlanta, 5:20 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 1
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville, 10 a.m.
Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 10 a.m.
Green Bay at N.Y. Giants, 10 a.m.
N.Y. Jets at Cincinnati, 10 a.m.
Tennessee at Indianapolis, 10 a.m.
Washington at Carolina, 10 a.m.
San Francisco at Baltimore, 10 a.m.
Philadelphia at Miami, 10 a.m.
L.A. Rams at Arizona, 1:05 p.m.
L.A. Chargers at Denver, 1:25 p.m.
Oakland at Kansas City, 1:25 p.m.
New England at Houston, 5:20 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 2
Minnesota at Seattle, 5:15 p.m.
SEAVERT
Continued from Page 7A
thing when I was little, and as I got older, Lin
(Casciato) worked with me a lot.”
Wright, interestingly, sees it the opposite
way of Seavert, and thinks the catching
game is where she’ll need to grow at the
next level.
“Her bat is there. I think she needs to
believe in it a little bit more,” he said. “I think
the development of running the game defen-
sively behind the plate is where she’ll need to
College Football
Top 25
Nov. 24
Team
Record
Pts Pv
1. LSU (50)
11-0
1537
1
2. Ohio St. (9)
11-0
1486
2
3. Clemson (3)
11-0
1440
3
4. Georgia
10-1
1347
4
5. Alabama
10-1
1283
5
6. Utah
10-1
1231
7
7. Oklahoma
10-1
1189
8
8. Florida
9-2
1058 10
9. Minnesota
10-1
996 11
10. Michigan
9-2
913 12
11. Baylor
10-1
910 13
12. Penn St.
9-2
903
9
13. Wisconsin
9-2
791 14
14. Oregon
9-2
784
6
15. Notre Dame 9-2
701 15
16. Auburn
8-3
635 16
17. Memphis
10-1
535 18
18. Cincinnati
10-1
518 17
19. Iowa
8-3
510 19
20. Boise St.
10-1
410 20
21. Oklahoma St. 8-3
266 22
22. Appalachian St. 10-1
206 23
23. Virginia Tech 8-3
147 25
24. Navy
8-2
99 NR
25. Southern Cal 8-4
79 NR
Others receiving votes: Iowa St. 74,
Virginia 38, Texas A&M 27, Air Force 22,
SMU 9, Arizona St. 4, North Dakota St. 1,
Louisiana-Lafayette 1.
HOCKEY
NHL Standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
GP W L OT Pts GF
Boston
24 16 3 5 37 91
Florida
24 12 7 5 29 88
Montreal
24 11 8 5 27 81
Tampa Bay 21 12 7 2 26 80
Toronto
25 11 10 4 26 81
Buffalo
24 11 10 3 25 69
GA
61
89
83
68
85
73
step it up a little bit (at OIT).”
Casciato, a regional ASA softball coach and
pitching coach, spoke highly of Seavert’s play.
“As a catcher she is quick, athletic, and
she’s a natural,” he said. “I’m impressed with
her ability.”
Casciato said he’s worked in conjunction
with Seavert and LHS pitcher Allie Brock
over the years, and the duo is dynamic.
“Those girls have worked together and de-
veloped together. It’s a phenomenal twosome.
I don’t think there is a better battery in the
whole state,” he said.
Ottawa
Detroit
24 11 12 1 23 65
26 7 16 3 17 59
Metropolitan Division
GP W L OT Pts GF
Washington 25 16 4 5 37 91
N.Y. Islanders 22 16 4 2 34 68
Carolina
24 15 8 1 31 83
Pittsburgh
24 13 7 4 30 81
Philadelphia 24 12 7 5 29 72
N.Y. Rangers 22 11 9 2 24 74
Columbus
23 10 9 4 24 59
New Jersey 23 8 11 4 20 59
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
GP W L OT Pts GF
St. Louis
25 14 5 6 34 74
Dallas
26 15 9 2 32 72
Winnipeg
24 14 9 1 29 68
Colorado
23 13 8 2 28 81
Nashville
23 11 9 3 25 81
Chicago
24 10 9 5 25 69
Minnesota
25 10 11 4 24 69
Pacifi c Division
GP W L OT Pts GF
Edmonton
26 16 7 3 35 85
Arizona
25 14 8 3 31 71
Vancouver
25 12 9 4 28 79
San Jose
25 13 11 1 27 73
Vegas
26 11 11 4 26 77
Calgary
27 11 12 4 26 67
Anaheim
25 11 11 3 25 68
Los Angeles 24 9 13 2 20 63
All Times PST
Monday’s Games
Tampa Bay 5, Buffalo 2
Columbus 1, Ottawa 0
Philadelphia 2, Vancouver 1
Pittsburgh 3, Calgary 2, OT
N.Y. Rangers 3, Minnesota 2, OT
Nashville 3, St. Louis 2, SO
Dallas 4, Vegas 2
Anaheim 3, N.Y. Islanders 0
San Jose 4, Los Angeles 3, OT
Tuesday’s Games
Minnesota 3, New Jersey 2
Boston 8, Montreal 1
Chicago 3, Dallas 0
Wednesday’s Games
72
98
GA
75
54
68
62
72
78
73
82
GA
69
62
73
69
78
69
82
GA
73
58
71
83
77
83
75
83
BROCK
Continued from Page 7A
Continued from Page 7A
offense has been a focus,” she
said, noting the team has
been working on the pace
for a few weeks. “(We’re)
quickening up sets to the
middle, and even the outside
sets. When we receive a free
ball from the other team
(we’re also) speeding up the
pass so we can beat them in
transition.”
Eastern has the pieces in
place to mix up the offense
at nationals, with Scott, Jet
Taylor (215 kills) and Bre-
anna Shaffer (192) all close
to or past 200 kills.
Taylor Tibbetts (144 kills)
and Hailee Ackerman (133)
will also likely play a key role
on offense. Ackerman, the
team’s No. 2 attacker a year
ago, has been hampered much
of the season with an ankle
injury, but with two weeks be-
tween EOU’s last match and
the beginning of nationals, the
senior should have extra time
to get closer to 100%.
Pilon said the Mountain-
eers have been running drills
in practice designed to pre-
pare them to throw different
looks at the opposition.
“If we’re switching it up,
the other team doesn’t know
where we’re going,” she said,
adding another emphasis
will be on setting the middle
hitters early in matches.
“Being able to establish
them early will give Megan a
break later on.”
The Mountaineers’ pool
features an opponent well
known to EOU in recent sea-
sons at nationals — Lindsey
in with the best record of
any team in the pool at 33-2,
but it has a loss on its slate
to Lindsey Wilson and has
played in a conference that
isn’t as tough as the CCC, in
McLean-Morehead’s opinion.
“In watching them (I’ve
seen) they are successful, but
their conference is not tough.
That’s going to benefi t us,”
she said.
Those teams will be up
against a defense that is
among the top in the nation,
especially in blocks. Eastern
is ranked second in the coun-
try with 2.7 blocks per set
and has 305.5 on the year.
The Mountaineers also are
anchored on the back line by
CCC libero of the year, Kiley
McMurtrey.
If EOU grabs one of the
top two spots in its pool, it’ll
advance to the round of 16,
which begins play Dec. 6. The
quarterfi nals are later that
night, with the semifi nals and
championship match Dec. 7.
Pilon said they have talked
all season about the elements
they need to have to make a
deep playoff run — includ-
ing stamina, endurance and
offensive speed — and believe
the pieces are there.
“If everything is in place,
we’re all on our A game,
are disciplined, resilient,
I defi nitely think we have
the opportunity to get (to
the fi nal four),” she said. “It
is something that we are
constantly talking about.
It’s a strong desire for us,
the juniors and the seniors
(especially). We’ve been there
before. We know what it’s
about.”
NBA Standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W
L
Pct
Boston
12
4 .750
Toronto
12
4 .750
Philadelphia
11
6 .647
Brooklyn
9
8 .529
New York
4 13 .235
Southeast Division
W
L
Pct
Miami
12
4 .750
Orlando
6 10 .375
Washington
5 10 .333
Charlotte
6 12 .333
Atlanta
4 13 .235
Central Division
W
L
Pct
Milwaukee
14
3 .824
Indiana
10
6 .625
Detroit
6 11 .353
Chicago
6 12 .333
Cleveland
5 12 .294
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Southwest Division
W
L
Pct
Dallas
11
6 .647
Houston
11
6 .647
New Orleans
6 11 .353
GB
—
—
1½
3½
8½
GB
—
6
6½
7
8½
GB
—
3½
8
8½
9
GB
—
—
5
speed this winter, but as
long as the spins are good,
that is really what matters.”
She is coming off a
season where she fl at-out
dominated the opposition.
Brock fi nished with an
individual record of 22-1
and an ERA of 0.90 with a
220 strikeouts in 124-2/3
innings. She allowed just 62
hits, surrendered 16 earned
runs and walked only 22
batters, giving her a 10-to-1
strikeout ratio.
Casciato believes she will
only continue to grow and
develop at the college level
and, armed with the variety
of spins she possesses, will
be a solid pitcher at the
next level as long as she
stays healthy.
“She’s going to get
developed with the lift-
ing program, the training
staff, the knowledge base,”
he said. “And I think she’ll
continue to put on muscle
and speed.”
TREASURE
VALLEY
STEEL, INC.
Observer fi le photo
Wilson College. The Blue
Raiders have had Eastern’s
number, winning matches in
2015, 2017 and 2018, with
the victories in ‘15 and ‘17
ending EOU’s season.
Kasia Niderla has been
LWC’s go-to attacker this
season, leading the Blue
Raiders (29-5) with 480 kills.
The Raiders have a
new coach in Jerry Forbes
after the departure of Andy
Cavins, who led LWC to a
national title in 2017, but
McLean-Morehead said the
team will still be a tough out,
especially with Niderla in
the middle.
“They’re still going to be a
tough team. They have a few
pieces that do return, (but) I
like our chances and I’m ex-
cited to play them,” McLean-
Morehead said. (Niderla’s)
mobile, she can move stuff
around. That’s going to be
hard for us to shut down.”
Eastern faces LWC, the No.
2 seed in the pool and No. 10
team in the nation, in its fi nal
match in pool play Dec. 5.
The Mountaineers also
face Madonna University out
of Michigan and Reinhardt,
based in Georgia.
Jodie Kelly is the primary
offensive threat for Madonna
(25-12), EOU’s, opponent
on Dec. 3, with an impres-
sive 663 kills on the season,
though she’s tallied more
than 1,800 kill attempts,
1,000 more than any other
player on the team.
“She’s a solid outside. She
does a nice job of using the
block,” McLean-Morehead said.
Reinhardt, the Mountain-
eers’ opponent Dec. 4, comes
BASKETBALL
San Antonio
6 12 .333 5½
Memphis
5 11 .313 5½
Northwest Division
W
L
Pct GB
Denver
13
3 .813 —
Utah
11
6 .647 2½
Minnesota
9
8 .529 4½
Oklahoma City
6 10 .375
7
Portland
6 12 .333
8
Pacifi c Division
W
L
Pct GB
L.A. Lakers
15
2 .882 —
L.A. Clippers
13
5 .722 2½
Phoenix
8
8 .500 6½
Sacramento
7
9 .438 7½
Golden State
3 15 .167 12½
All Times PST
Monday’s Games
Brooklyn 108, Cleveland 106
Detroit 103, Orlando 88
Indiana 126, Memphis 114
Boston 103, Sacramento 102
Miami 117, Charlotte 100
Minnesota 125, Atlanta 113
Toronto 101, Philadelphia 96
Milwaukee 122, Utah 118
Portland 117, Chicago 94
L.A. Lakers 114, San Antonio 104
Oklahoma City 100, Golden State 97
Tuesday’s Games
L.A. Clippers 114, Dallas 99
Denver 117, Washington 104
Wednesday’s Games
Brooklyn at Boston, 4 p.m.
Detroit at Charlotte, 4 p.m.
Orlando at Cleveland, 4 p.m.
Sacramento at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.
Utah at Indiana, 4 p.m.
New York at Toronto, 4:30 p.m.
Atlanta at Milwaukee, 5 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 5 p.m.
Miami at Houston, 5 p.m.
Minnesota at San Antonio, 5:30 p.m.
Washington at Phoenix, 6 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, 6:30 p.m.
Oklahoma City at Portland, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday’s Games
No games scheduled
about every year and a half,
and once we mastered it,
we moved on to a new one,”
she said.
Brock said the riseball
was the toughest pitch to
master, but she now calls it
her best pitch.
Brock said she’s been
clocked as high as 64-65
mph, and she is consistently
in the low 60s, which is
what a lot of her pitches
were humming in at dur-
ing the state champion-
ship game against Henley
last June. The key for her,
though, is the spin on her
pitches, which she said she
can rely on even when the
velocity isn’t at its peak.
“Some days you don’t
have the speed, and it’s
about the spin,” she said.
Visit our Website for Rules & Details www.VisitUnionCounty.org
“We’ll continue to grow my
The Mountaineers enter the national tournament with one of the best defenses in the
nation, as their 2.7 block-per-set average is tied for second in NAIA.
EOU
St. Louis at Tampa Bay, 4 p.m.
Carolina at N.Y. Rangers, 4 p.m.
Boston at Ottawa, 4 p.m.
Florida at Washington, 4 p.m.
Calgary at Buffalo, 4 p.m.
Philadelphia at Columbus, 4 p.m.
Vancouver at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit, 4 p.m.
Vegas at Nashville, 5 p.m.
Anaheim at Arizona, 6:30 p.m.
Edmonton at Colorado, 7 p.m.
N.Y. Islanders at Los Angeles, 7:30 p.m.
Winnipeg at San Jose, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday’s Game
New Jersey at Montreal, 4:30 p.m.
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