Sports
7A
Thursday, April 1, 2021
Th e Observer
Honoring coach Jeff Rysdam
Elgin Huskies face four teams
to memorialize their late coach
By ALEX WITTWER
The Observer
ELGIN — It wasn’t a
memorial football game.
It was a football game to
remember.
Spirits were high, aloft,
elated and soaring like the
balloons released in honor
of Elgin High School foot-
ball coach and athletic
director Jeff Rysdam, who
died March 9 at the age
of 43. Children played
atop, beneath and in-be-
tween the bleachers at
the Monday, March 29,
event. They tussled with
one another as players on
the fi eld hit back against
defending lines. Close
friends and married folks
huddled under shared
blankets.
They were there to
remember Rysdam.
In the announcer’s box
by the aluminum stands,
North Powder’s athletic
director, Brad Dunten,
who had organized and
sponsored the event, read
a memo from the Oregon
Athletics Coach Associa-
tion that bellowed through
the loud speakers across
grass and bundled-up
masses — alike in stillness
with anticipation of the
fi rst kick.
“What Coach Rysdam
taught those he came
in contact with over his
career becomes eternal
as his infl uence on others
will be passed down to
future generations,” said
Dunten, reading from the
script. “Jeff continues to
live through those he infl u-
enced throughout his life.”
The Huskies faced off
against four teams from
neighboring towns —
Union, North Powder,
Imbler and Joseph — in
a marathon of sprints
toward the yellow forks
backdropped by the Blue
Mountains.
“It was great to see
the support of Northeast
Oregon come together
to help a community,”
Dunten said. “To bring
some celebration to an
individual who brought
a lot of positivity to their
community and their ath-
letic program.”
The fi rst two matches
were shutouts — the Hus-
kies scored 50 points
cumulatively against North
Powder and Joseph. Ref-
erees struggled to match
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Spectators along the track hold balloons, ready to release them at kickoff at the Elgin High School football fi eld Monday, March 29, 2021. Four teams
gathered to play in an exhibition match against the Elgin Huskies in remembrance of the late football coach and athletic director Jeff Rysdam, who
died March 9.
the pace of breakaway
Huskies as they raced
down the fi eld like hounds
unleashed. Huskies made
leaping midair grabs to
intercept a number of
passes. The opposing
team’s off ensive line was
futilely marching against a
purple-clad stone wall.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
Above, Andres Schmittle (15) of the Elgin Huskies pours through an opening in the North Powder Badgers de-
fense. Below, Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen (far right) watches the third quarter between the high school
football teams of Imbler and Elgin on Monday, March 29, 2021, at the memorial game for late coach and athletic
director Jeff Rysdam. Bowen met Rysdam while working as the school resource offi cer in La Grande, where
Rysdam taught special education.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
The Elgin High Huskies football team exchanges post-game handshakes Monday, March 29, 2021, with
the Imbler Panthers. The Huskies played four teams consecutively on their home fi eld in honor of their
late coach and athletic director, Jeff Rysdam, who died earlier in the month.
“I just couldn’t be
prouder of these guys,”
said Elgin football coach
Brock Eckstein, who
worked alongside Rysdam
for nearly a decade.
“They’re playing their
hearts out for Jeff .”
The crowd cheered
when the Huskies made
big plays, and sirens
from an ambulance in the
parking lot pierced the
air after each Elgin High
touchdown, and there were
many.
In the late evening, a
thick snowstorm left the
now-thinned crowd unde-
terred and ready to stay
until the end. The light
stands made a series of
halos over the fi eld and
snowfl akes fl ew across the
fi eld. The Huskies played
for nearly three hours
against visiting teams on
their home turf, defending
their fi eld and honoring
their coach.
Union was the fi rst to
make progress against the
weary home team, scoring
a touchdown after a strong
defense held the Hus-
kies near their goal line. It
would prove to be the only
time the Huskies faltered.
The team fi nished the
night 94-6, threatening the
two-digit scoreboard with
rollover.
“Elgin’s going to play
with this much endurance
living with Jeff in mind
over the next few football
seasons,” Dunten said.
The players went home
having given Rysdam the
best memorial they could,
exhausted but undefeated.