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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2021)
Sports 6A Saturday, March 13, 2021 The Observer La Grande tromps Nyssa in football opener By ALEX WITTWER The Observer NYSSA — The La Grande High School foot- ball team in its season opener took off right where it left off at the end of 2019 — with a big win. The Tigers traveled Thursday, March 11, to face the Nyssa Bulldogs in the first game since winning the OSAA Class 4A Foot- ball State Championship against the Banks Braves on Nov. 30, 2019. La Grande defeated Nyssa 42-8. “I was extremely proud of our boys for their effort, they really gave 110%, you could say,” La Grande head football coach Rich McIlmoil said.”I was proud of them — they really came together as a group and played well as a team. There wasn’t any individ- uals trying to, in a sense, Alex Wittwer/The Observer Players with the La Grande High School varsity and junior varsity football teams practice Tuesday, March 9, 2021 behind the school in preparation for varsity’s first game of the season. The Tigers on Thursday, March 11, defeated the Nyssa Bulldogs 42-8. steal the show — they really played well together. With this whole COVID experience that’s been Sports Briefs Little League registration closes March 17 LA GRANDE — La Grande Little League base- ball and softball registra- tion for minors, majors and juniors closes Wednesday, March 17 and the first season begins April 1. The league announced it canceled tryouts to prepare for extra precautions for the 2021 season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Teams will draft players March 18. The first season runs April 1 through May 28, with a closing day parade May 29. The second season runs June 1 through July 2. The league also reported it extended the waitlis- ting period for the T-Ball and Coach Pitch programs. Waitlisting closes April 30 and open registration runs May 1-14. You can find more infor- mation and updates on the La Grande Little League Facebook page and its web- site: www.lagrandelittle- league.net. going on, it’s been really good for them to come Ronald Bond/The Observer, File La Grande Little League player Derek Begin swings during batting practice in July 2017. Little League registration for 2021 closes Wednesday, March 17. On Sale $116.99/mo. On Sale $69.99/mo Russian folk song rejected as Olympic anthem Eastern Oregon Universi- ty’s volleyball team moved By GRAHAM DUNBAR fight against Nazi Germany in December settled Rus- up one spot in the latest Associated Press sia’s long-running dis- in World War II. national rankings. GENEVA — Rus- pute with the World Anti- The National Associa- “The CAS panel con- siders that ‘any anthem tion of Intercollegiate Ath- sia’s wish to use a patri- Doping Agency over a letics on Wednesday, March otic Soviet-era folk song linked to Russia’ extends to state-backed doping pro- gram and cover-ups. 10, released its second edi- as a replacement anthem any song associated with, tion of the Women’s Volley- for the Tokyo Olympics The IOC asked the Rus- or with links to, Russia, ball Coaches’ Top-25 Poll sian Olympic body last was rejected by the Court which would include Katy- usha,” the court said in a and Eastern Oregon Uni- month to submit an alterna- of Arbitration for Sport on versity now sits at No. 8, tive piece of music for use Friday, March 12, in further statement to The Associ- ated Press. according to a press release at medal ceremonies. fallout from a years-long It is unclear which piece from EOU. Similar restrictions doping scandal. of music Russian Olympic The Mountaineers apply to world champi- The court said its panel onship events in Olympic moved up one after starting of three judges was asked to officials could propose sports, and most governing the season a perfect 9-0, clarify what music it would in consultation with the bodies have played their International Olympic including an 8-0 start to allow within the two-year own anthems for Russian Cascade Collegiate Con- ban on Russia’s team name, Committee. ference play. Eastern is athletes and teams. Russia will compete flag and national anthem just one of two undefeated A piece of music by in Tokyo and next year’s from Olympics and world our selection of imposed in Winter Olympics in Bei- teams in the top-10. 19th-century Russian com- championships jing as “ROC,” an acronym poser Pyotr Tchaikovsky In the Mountaineers start December. Living Room was approved by the Inter- for the Russian Olympic to the spring campaign Ashley they Russian officials pro- posed the “Katyusha” song, Committee. national Skating Union for have already garnered CCC Furniture its world championships. which is identified with the The CAS judges’ ruling Team of the Week honors, picked up three CCC Player of the Week awards and one NAIA Player of the Week honor. Along the way to the 9-0 start, head coach Kaki McLean Morehead also reached career win No. 300 at the helm of leading Eastern Oregon. And senior Kiley McMurtrey also became the all-time career leader in digs at EOU. Two other CCC teams Was $129.99/mo. also garnered national attention with one being in Cash Price: $1,599.99 the top-25. Corban University in Salem checks in at No. 14 after starting the year at No. 13. And Bushnell Univer- sity, Eugene, continues to receive votes in this edition (*winner receives $1,000.00 cover remaining payments required ownership once a $1,000 balance has been Be to Number 10,000 and for WIN $1,000* of the coaches’ poll. reached, or receives the balance owed after 4 payments for lower contract amounts) Eastern will be back in action next weekend on 3-Piece Sorenton Sectional Sectional Ashley The Ballinasloe by by Ashley Friday, March 19, and Sat- The Follett by Ashley urday, March 20, when the team hosts College of Idaho in a pair of Cascade Colle- Get 10% OFF giate Conference matches our selection of inside Quinn Coliseum. Ashley Living Room Furniture First serve for the Friday match is set for 7 p.m. PT, while Saturday’s match will On take place at 4 p.m. On Sale Sale On Sale — The Observer $116.99/mo. Own any product shown with just 24 p ayments Celebrating 0 0 0 , 0 1 Customer Contracts On Sale $116.99/mo. any Since Since Aaron’ opened in LaGrande in LaGrande Aaron’s s opened Be Number 10,000 and WIN $1,000* Be Number 10,000 and WIN $1,000 our selection of Ashley Living Room On Sale $69.99/mo Furniture Was $129.99/mo. Brady signs extension with Bucs TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady has agreed to a con- tract extension with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that provides the Super Bowl champions with salary cap relief and will help the sev- en-time NFL champion reach a goal of playing until he’s at least 45. Brady posted a picture of himself on Twitter, signing the extension Friday with the message: “In pursuit of 8 ... LFG@ Buccaneers we’re keeping the band together.” The extension con- firmed by the team frees about $19 million in salary cap space, a move that improves Tampa Bay’s chances of returning as much of its championship sive to me.” He said no one should get the wrong idea that Nyssa was not a good team. “A lot of people are going to think Nyssa wasn’t very good because we countered them, but actu- ally they’re a pretty good team, and we just played very well,” he said. And while Nys- sa’s players were bigger, McIlmoil said La Grande’s were faster and stronger. He also said the real victory here was getting youths back on the playing field. “It’s so nice to get the kids out there again, playing,” McIlmoil said. “They just really enjoyed themselves. It’s less about the score and more about that — don’t get me wrong we played great, a lot of kids really stepped up, it’s just fun watching them play.” Be Number 10,000 and WIN $1,000* a passing league. EOU’s coaching staff also will evaluate players and offi- ciate matches. The second camp is an 11-player team camp July 12-15 on the campus of Eastern Oregon University, La Grande. Price is $170 for day participants and $225 for overnight participants. Was $129.99/mo. Mountaineers Athletes again must be high school aged (ninth- football announces 12th $1,599.99 grade). The second two camps Cash for Price: camp offers controlled summer scrimmages, individual LA GRANDE — drills and a passing league. Eastern Oregon Univer- For information on the sity head football coach both camps, please con- tact Tim Camp at tcamp@ Tim Camp announced two eou.edu or at 541-805- camps that will take place 58969. Those interested in this summer. The first will be for the first camp date also can eight- and six-player teams contact Andrew Woody June 20-23 at Elgin High at woodya@eou.edu or at School, Elgin Price for 541-805-8844. Those inter- ested in the second camp the camp is $125 per stu- date also can contact Bryan dent-athlete and $50 per coach. This price will Mills at millsbk@eou.edu 541-975-3206. include lunch and dinner for or at 60” coaches. EOU volleyball High school students in ninth-12th grade are eli- moves up one spot gible to attend. The first in national rankings camp includes scrimmages, KANSAS CITY, Mo. — individual coaching and Associated Press together and bond.” The key moment in the game came early. “Our first drive, we just marched down the field and scored, and it set the tone for the rest of the game,” he said. But the win was such a team effort, he said, there wasn’t one play that stood out to him as a coach, although the offensive line did. Jarrett Armstrong, Ryan VanderZanden, Nick Bornstedt, Cole Jorgensen, Noah McIlmoil, the coach’s son, and Lukas Schelin, he said, were outstanding. “Our offensive line — every guy playing on the offensive line, every one of my players, it was their first true varsity game,” McIlmoil said, “and so to play that good their very first game and as young as they are, was really impres- roster as possible for 2021. Seven starters from the Super Bowl were among two dozen Buccaneers eli- gible to become free agents next week. “When we acquired Tom a year ago, we were extremely excited about the leadership, poise and winning track record that he would bring to our locker room. Since that time, he has proven him- self to be the ultimate competitor and delivered in every way we had imag- ined, helping us capture the Lombardi Trophy,” general manager Jason Licht said. “Year after year, Tom proves that he remains one of the elite quarter- backs in this game and we couldn’t be happier to keep (accelerated contracts available) Cash Price: $1,599.99 him in Tampa Bay as we continue to pursue our goals together.” LG 60” 4K UHD Brady’s extension adds On Sale $69.99/mo an extra season on the two- Cash price: $959.99 year, $50 million contract he signed in free agency last March following a 20-year run with the New England Patriots. Was $129.99/mo. The five-time Super Bowl MVP capped his first $1,599.99 season with the Cash Bucs Price: by leading Tampa Bay to its first championship in 18 years. Tampa Bay was esti- mated to be more than $7 million over the salary cap before Brady extended his contract. 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