SPORTS
8A — THE OBSERVER
TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2021
Under the lights: All-Star game highlights local talent
Local prep football
standouts cherish
opportunity to play
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — It was
an opportunity for one fi nal
high school football compe-
tition for some of the state’s
high school football stars.
Union County and Wal-
lowa County standouts par-
ticipated in the 2021 Oregon
8-Man All-Star Game at
Eastern Oregon University
on Saturday, June 26. The
East All-Stars topped the
West All-Stars, 38-14.
“I’m proud of all the East
kids. They came together
really well like the east
side of Oregon does,” East
All-Stars and Adrian High
School head coach Bill
Wortman said. “I could not
be more proud of them.”
The East All-Stars
included seven Union
County football players
and two from Wallowa
County. Zeb Hermens and
Zeb Ramsden represented
Wallowa, Isaac Herron
and Wyatt Frost played for
Imbler, Wyatt Hallgarth
and Gage McKay appeared
for Elgin, and Hunter Lind,
Eric Newman and Ethan
Stephens performed for
Powder Valley.
Large turnout for all-
star game
Local fans packed the
stands at Community Sta-
dium on EOU’s campus in
La Grande.
The West All-Stars
scored their fi rst points
late in the second quarter
and trailed 24-8 at half-
time. Several players that
would have competed in the
2020 all-star game, had it
not been cancelled due to
COVID-19, were honored
at the 50-yard line during
halftime.
Mapleton High School
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Imbler’s Wyatt Frost blocks Cauy Jackson of the West All-Stars during
the fi rst half of the Oregon 8-Man All-Star Game on Saturday, June
26, 2021. Frost is committed to play football at Western Oregon Uni-
versity in the fall.
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Powder Valley’s Ethan Stephens takes a handoff during the 2021 Oregon 8-Man All-Star Game on Satur-
day, June 26, 2021. Stephens played running back and defensive line and was named the MVP following
the game.
quarterback JJ Neece added
a rushing touchdown for
the West All-Stars in the
fourth quarter, but a big
fumble recovery returned
for a touchdown by Carston
Hartman of Lost River High
School and a 30-yard touch-
down run by Hallgarth put
the game out of reach.
“I like this team and we
played really well together
from day one,” Frost said.
“It was nice being able to
play with these guys and get
a win.”
Frost, a 6-foot-5 off en-
sive lineman, is committed
to play college football at
Western Oregon University.
The former Imbler standout
was not planning on playing
football after high school
until the Western running
backs coach reached out
having seen him in scouting
footage.
“I wasn’t even planning
on playing college football
but one day I just got the
call and the rest is history,”
Frost said.
Due to the pandemic, a
number of big man camps
and season games were
canceled, which made it
diffi cult to get recruited.
Upon visiting Western in
February, Frost received a
scholarship to play for the
Wolves and was off ered
50% tuition.
Early lead propels
East to victory
Not only was it an honor
to be selected to the 8-man
all-star game, but the East
All-Stars dominated the
game from start to fi nish.
“It felt like I was playing
on a college team and it was
one of the best atmospheres
I could ask for, just playing
in a facility like this,” Ste-
phens said. “Being able to
play with the best in the
state felt great.”
Herron opened the
scoring with a short-
yardage rushing touchdown
with 3:39 remaining in the
fi rst quarter. South Wasco
County High School’s Gar-
rett Olson caught a two-
point conversion to put the
East All-Stars up 8-0. Olson
is set to play for Western
Oregon University next fall.
Stephens made it dif-
fi cult on the West All-
Stars’ defense throughout
the game, weaving in and
out vof traffi c on running
plays. He scored a goal-
to-go rushing touchdown
with 9:36 remaining in
the second quarter to put
his team up 16-0 and con-
verted a two-point conver-
sion after a Zack Turner
(Lost River High School)
quarterback sneak to build
a 24-0 lead. Stephens also
made a number of plays on
the defensive side of the
ball and was named MVP
of the Oregon 8-Man All-
Star game.
“We bonded really well
and played smart,” Stephens
said. “It was a sensational
feeling to make a tackle and
hear the crowd go crazy.”
8-Man game returns
to La Grande
While the East All-Stars
managed to win comfort-
ably in front of a packed
crowd, the playing of the
game itself was in ques-
tion throughout much of the
pandemic. In addition, the
high temperatures pushed
the game back from 1 p.m.
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Elgin’s Wyatt Hallgarth runs an
end-around during the second
half of the Oregon 8-Man All-
Star Game at Eastern Oregon
University on Saturday, June 26,
2021. Hallgarth broke free for a
30-yard touchdown run late in
the game that secured a 38-14
victory for the East All-Stars.
to 7 p.m., but everything
went smoothly.
“I wasn’t expecting to
have this all-star game, so
it was great to get another
chance to play,” Hermens
said.
Across the state, most
football teams played short-
ened seasons due to the
pandemic. The local prep
football standouts not only
earned spots on the all-
star rosters, but put on a
strong performance one
last time at the high school
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Gage McKay represents Elgin
High School at the Oregon
8-Man All-Star Game at Eastern
Oregon University on Saturday,
June 26, 2021. McKay was forced
into playing quarterback in the
second half after Zack Turner of
Lost River High School suff ered
an injury.
level. With the sun setting
on Community Stadium,
fans and family members in
attendance gave the players
a standing ovation after the
fi nal seconds ticked off the
clock.
“It makes me proud to
suit up one more time and
represent the east side of
Oregon,” Newman said. “It
felt good to play one last
game with a big crowd here
to watch.”
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