SPORTS
6A — THE OBSERVER
TUESDAY, JUNE 22, 2021
LHS basketball: ‘We’re going all the way’
Core group of
seniors have Tigers
ready for deep
postseason run
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Obsever
LA GRANDE — When
the fi nal buzzer sounded
at the end on Friday, June
18, following another vic-
tory, this time over Baker
City, the La Grande girls
basketball team celebrated
perfection.
The Tigers wrapped up
their regular season with
an undefeated 10-0 record
to fi nish at the top of the
Class 4A Greater Oregon
League. In a season
delayed by COVID-19,
the core group of seniors
— Camryn Collman, Ella
Dunlap, Lauren Rinker,
Grace Perry and McKaylee
Orton — have led the team
to the new heights.
“A big part of the
reason that we’re sitting
in the position we’re in is
because of those kids that
have put in the time in
the off season,” La Grande
head coach Brian Wright
said.
Collman, a senior
guard, is committed to
play collegiate basketball
at the University of Port-
land next fall.
“She’s really passionate
about playing basketball
and has put in the time
to become such a good
player,” Wright said.
Collman leads the team
in scoring and controls the
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
The La Grande girls basketball team celebrates a victory against Baker on Friday, June 18, 2021. The 44-35 victory concluded a perfect 10-0
regular season for the Tigers as they head into state competition.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
La Grande head coach Brian Wright goes over the game plan during
a timeout against Baker on Friday, June 18, 2021. La Grande defeated
Baker 44-35 to conclude the regular season 10-0.
pace of the game at the
point guard position for the
Tigers.
For the senior leaders,
the delayed basketball
season created an envi-
ronment unlike any other
in previous years. All fi ve
athletes are participating
on the basketball team
after having graduated ear-
lier this month.
“It’s a unique experi-
ence,” Collman said. “I’ve
graduated, so I don’t go to
school in the morning and
just come to practice, but
it’s so amazing to play and
still be a part of the team.”
Counterbalancing
Collman on the perim-
eter, Dunlap adds low-
post scoring and up-close
fi nishing abilities to La
Grande’s starting fi ve.
“We have a really good
guard in Camryn that can
score and defend. Then
Ella is so tough on the
block,” Wright said. “It’s
our game plan to run a
lot of triangle off ense and
look for the low block.”
The duo creates dif-
fi cult matchups for
opposing defenses and
have been a crucial part
of La Grande’s undefeated
regular season. Although
La Grande is anchored
by its seniors, four soph-
omores and two juniors
fi ll out the roster and
contribute to the team’s
success.
“They look up to us
and trust us a lot, so we
feel comfortable around
each other and we’re able
to play well together,”
Dunlap said.
Dunlap is attending
Eastern Oregon Univer-
sity to study special edu-
cation next fall and plans
on potentially joining the
university’s basketball
team as a walk-on.
Rinker, Perry and
Orton round out the group
of graduating seniors. All
three were named fi rst-
team Greater Oregon
League in soccer this year
in addition to their success
on the basketball team.
“In a very short season,
it really helps to have fi ve
kids, four that have been
in the program since Day
1, who know their stuff ,”
Wright said. “If we’d have
started out with under-
classmen it just wouldn’t
be that way.”
The Tigers will
begin state competi-
tion on Tuesday, June 22,
against a team yet to be
announced. La Grande had
high hopes at the Class 4A
state level last season, but
the tournament was called
off due to COVID-19.
“This year everyone
has stepped up, it’s been
amazing seeing everyone
grow as a team,” Collman
said. “We’re going all the
way.”
Area athletes fi ll all-star roster Union to host Oregon Junior
Amateur golf tournament
11 athletes from
Union, Wallowa
counties take part in
Oregon All-Star
Volleyball Match
Tournament returns
to area for first
time in 15 years
By CARLOS FUENTES
By RONALD BOND
The Observer
Wallowa County Chieftain
Ronald Bond/Wallowa County Chieftain
LA GRANDE — The
return of the Oregon All-
Star Volleyball Match at
Eastern Oregon Univer-
sity Saturday, June 19, gave
21 athletes from across the
state — and many from
Northeastern Oregon —
one more opportunity to
step on the volleyball court,
most for the fi nal time.
“I thought it was really
rewarding,” Imbler senior
Anika McDonald said. “I
don’t think people realize
how heartbreaking it can
be to leave a sport behind
when you graduate high
school. You play something
from third or fourth grade
all the way up to 12th, and
then you just leave it. You
leave it behind. And that
can be really hard some-
times to have it ripped away
from you. I’m not playing
sports in college, so for me
this was my last real vol-
leyball game. I think it’s
just a rewarding thing for
people who work so hard.
I’m thankful I had this
opportunity.”
The matches were par-
ticularly unique for McDon-
ald’s team in that of the
Of the 11 Northeastern Oregon athletes who played in the Oregon
All-Star Volleyball Match Saturday, June 19, 2021, nine were from
Union County, and six of those nine — from three schools — were on
the same team. From left is Anika McDonald, Erin Coston, Rylee Deal,
Anna Green, Ahnica Shoemaker and Presley Justice.
seven athletes on the team
— which was coached by
Imbler’s Jennifer Teeter
— six were from three dif-
ferent schools across Union
County, giving that team the
most local representation of
the three that took part. In
addition to McDonald, Erin
Coston and Rylee Deal from
Imbler were a part of “Team
Teeter.” They were joined
by La Grande’s Presley
Justice and Anna Green,
and by Ahnica Shoemaker
from Union. Jade McCoy of
South Wasco County was
the seventh player on the
team.
There were 11 athletes
from Union and Wallowa
counties who took part.
Green said she had
played with some of the
athletes on her team in club
volleyball, but said it was
still gratifying to step on
the court with them in the
all-star match.
“It’s honestly been just
an honor, competing with
some of the best girls in the
state,” she said. “It’s been
really fun, especially being
on a team with kids in my
area.”
The match was unique
in a diff erent facet for
Shoemaker, and not only
because she donned an
Imbler uniform for the
game.
That, in fact, may have
been a look at what could
have been.
“It did feel a little odd
(wearing an Imbler uni-
form) but the special thing
was I lived in Imbler for
11 years before I moved to
Union,” she said. “It was
right before school sports.
I got to live in Imbler and
almost got to play school
sports (there). I may have
ended up with Imbler.
Today was kind of spe-
cial because it was kind of
going back to my past. That
was great.”
UNION — Union will
host the Bob Norquist
Oregon Junior Amateur
tournament from June 28
to July 2 at Buff alo Peak
Golf Course.
More than 100 of the
best youth golfers in
Oregon will be at the tour-
nament, which has not
taken place in Eastern
Oregon in 15 years,
according to Oregon
Junior Golf Director
Shanda Imlay.
“We cover all of
Oregon, so when we were
looking for this year’s
location, we tried to think
about some of the places
we haven’t been to in a
while,” Imlay said. “We’re
really excited to go out to
Eastern Oregon and see
the beautiful courses out
there.”
The tournament will
begin at 7 a.m. on June
28 and fi nish by 9 p.m. on
July 2.
The Oregon Junior
Amateur is the most elite
youth golf competition
in Oregon, and its loca-
tion changes every year.
According to Dana Londin,
general manager at Buf-
falo Peak Golf Course, this
will be a good opportunity
to showcase golf courses in
Eastern Oregon.
“It’s a great golf course,
the facilities are great, and
the tour has never been to
Union,” Londin said. “The
event is open to the public,
so we encourage people to
come out and watch some
golf.”
Golfers will range
between 8 and 18 years
old, and will play within
three age divisions. The
majority will come from
larger cities, such as the
Portland metro area,
Eugene and Salem.
“It’s a big deal for
events like this to come to
Union County,” Londin
said. “There’s a lot of
families, so I think it’s
gonna be good to bring
some money to the area
and support some local
businesses.”
ON THE SLATE
Schedule subject to change
TUESDAY, JUNE 22
Prep boys basketball
Class 4A state tournament, Site TBA
La Grande vs. Banks, TBA
Class 1A state tournament, Baker
City
Teams and times TBD
Prep girls basketball
Class 4A state tournament, Site TBA
La Grande vs. TBD, TBA
Class 2A state tournament, Eastern
Oregon University
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23
Class 2A state tournament, Eastern
Oregon University
Union vs. TBD, Time TBA
Class 1A state tournament, Baker
Cityw
Powder Valley vs. TBD, TBA
Prep boys basketball
Class 2A state tournament, Eastern
Oregon University
Union vs. TBD, Time TBA
Class 1A state tournament, Baker
City
Teams and Times TBD
Prep girls basketball
THURSDAY, JUNE 24
Prep boys basketball
Class 1A state tournament, Baker
City, Teams and Times TBD
Prep girls basketball
Class 1A state tournament, Baker
City, Powder Valley vs. TBD, TBA
Union vs. TBD, Time TBA
Class 1A state tournament, Baker
City
Powder Valley vs. TBD, TBA
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