Sports
A9
Thursday, August 5, 2021
Th e Observer
Running with the Wolves
Multisport standout McKaylee Orton signs with Blue Mountain Community College
Tigers won the 4A state cham-
pionship in a narrow 4-2 victory
over Henley at Jane Sanders Sta-
dium in Eugene. Orton was also
a member of the JV team in 2018
when the varsity squad knocked
off Henley 6-1 for another state
title.
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — Not many
athletes are able to take their tal-
ents to the next level in more than
one sport. That is, unless your
name is McKaylee Orton.
The La Grande athlete agreed
to play softball and basket-
ball at Blue Mountain Commu-
nity College at her signing event
on Monday, Aug. 3. The versa-
tile athlete was a staple to La
Grande’s basketball and softball
programs over the last four years.
“I’m really excited,” Orton
said. “Playing two sports, I’m
trying to decide on what I want to
do after.”
Orton’s experienced success
both on the hardwood and the
softball diamond, competing in
state tournaments and earning
individual accolades. With a
loaded resume in both sports,
Orton will have the opportunity
to be a dual-athlete for the Tim-
berwolves. However, Orton says
she may narrow down to one
sport further down the line.
“I’m not deciding on one or
the other right now,” she said.
“It’ll come down to whatever fi ts
me best.”
Nothing but net
On the diamond
Orton was named a 4A fi rst-
team all-state outfi elder during
the 2021 season, helping La
Grande to a 11-2 record. The
Tigers lost in the second round
of the 4A state tournament to
Henley High School, 8-0, on May
20.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
McKaylee Orton (11) plays as a guard during a league match against Baker City on
Friday, June 18, 2021.
La Grande’s 2020 season was
canceled due to the pandemic,
On the court, Orton was an
aggressive guard on a power-
house Tigers team. Orton was
one of fi ve seniors on the 2021
girls basketball squad that led
the Tigers to a perfect 10-0 reg-
ular season. La Grande dom-
inated opponents all year and
only won by less than 10 points
once during the season. The
Tigers advanced to the second
round of the 4A state tourna-
ment before losing 48-40 to
Hidden Valley. Orton led the
Tigers in scoring with 11 points
in the loss.
“One of the things that’s spe-
cial about McKaylee is that she
really loves to play basketball,”
assistant basketball coach Jesse
Wright said. “McKaylee shows
up for every open gym.”
Orton’s junior year may be
the biggest question mark of her
basketball career, as COVID-19
derailed the season of one of the
more successful La Grande girls
basketball teams. The Tigers
went 18-7 through the regular
season, including winning seven
of their last eight games of the
regular season. Heading into the
state tournament with ambitions
but the 2019 season stands out
as a highlight for Orton. The
See, Orton/Page A10
Mountaineer
football will
open season
at No. 18
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The expecta-
tions for the Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity football team are being
noticed at the national level.
The Mountaineers, who last
week were selected as the pre-
season favorite to win the Fron-
tier Conference, were the high-
est-ranked member of the Frontier
in the NAIA preseason coaches’
poll, coming in at 18th when the
poll came out Monday, Aug. 2.
Eastern has 143 points in the poll.
EOU, which fi nished the 2020
season at 21st in the poll and had
a 3-1 record, jumped College of
Idaho for the highest spot in the
conference. The Coyotes are at
19th in the preseason poll, and are
the only other Frontier team in the
top 25, though Montana Western
and Carroll College are both just
outside the top 25.
According to NAIA archives,
it’s the highest ranking for
Eastern since Oct. 22, 2018,
when the Mountaineers were also
ranked 18th in the coaches’ poll.
The highest preseason ranking
for EOU all-time was when they
were seventh to open the 2017
season. The top poll position ever
for Eastern Oregon is fourth,
which they reached at the end
of the 2016 season and also held
in the 2016-17 postseason poll.
EOU has been in the top 25 in six
straight polls.
Defending champion Lindsey
Wilson is the preseason No. 1
team with 418 points and all 18
fi rst-place votes.
Taking his opportunity to compete with the best
Mason Van Arsdall
set for chance to
shine in all-star game
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
Corey Kirk/Baker City Herald, File
Mason Van Arsdall during a football
practice this winter. Van Arsdall will
compete for the East All-Stars at the
Shriners Game Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021,
in Baker City.
BAKER CITY — One of
the area’s top football players is
showcasing his skills one last
time.
Baker’s Mason Van Ars-
dall will compete for the East
All-Stars at the Shriners East-
West All-Star Game. The annual
event returns to Baker City on
Saturday, Aug. 7, after being
canceled last year due to the
pandemic.
“It’s a great chance to com-
pete with some of the best
players in the state and raise
some money for a really great
cause,” Van Arsdall said.
Van Arsdall will be com-
peting alongside over 40 of the
state’s top stars from Class 1A
through 4A. The Shriners all-
star game is taking place for the
69th year and is recognized as
the top fundraiser of its kind in
the entire country, according to
the Shriners website.
Van Arsdall was an anchor
on Baker’s off ensive and defen-
sive lines during his prep career
and led the Bulldogs to a 3-3
record in the shortened 2020
season. The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-
pound lineman played football,
basketball and baseball at Baker
and is signed to play baseball at
Eastern Oregon University next
year.
For Van Arsdall, competing
in the Shriners game is a family
tradition. Van Arsdall’s dad, Jef
Van Arsdall, competed in the
game in 1990 and his grandfa-
ther, Jim Van Arsdall, played in
the game in 1961. Jef Van Ars-
dall went on to play football for
Portland University, while Jim
Van Arsdall played for the Uni-
versity of Oregon.
Van Arsdall’s knowledge of
the game from his family mem-
bers helps him recognize the
importance of the event, beyond
just football.
“Getting to play one last
time in Baker is something I’m
looking forward to,” he said.
“It’s an important game because
of the cause and what it means
to the community.”
The Shriners All-Star game
originated in 1952, with Shriners
from Union and Umatilla coun-
ties coming together to host the
event. The game was hosted in
Pendleton at Round-Up Arena
for the fi rst 20 years before
moving to Baker City.
According to fi rst vice-
chairman and secretary Zach
Steele, the all-star game is
the organization’s biggest
fundraiser.
The players competing in the
East-West game typically par-
ticipate in a week of giving back
and community involvement.
Due to the pandemic, the players
are in a bubble environment at
Eastern Oregon University for
practice during the week leading
up to the game.
While the scope of the event
is limited, the sales from the
game contribute greatly towards
the Shriners’ mission, according
to Steele.
Tickets are $15 at the front
gate and proceeds go to the Port-
land Shriners Hospital. Kickoff
is set for 7 p.m. at Baker Bulldog
Stadium.
SPORTS SHORT
Carmelo joins LeBron’s Lakers to seek ring
By GREG BEACHAM
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Carmelo
Anthony and LeBron James have
dreamed about teaming up in the
NBA since they entered the league
together 18 years ago.
They’re fi nally getting the chance
on the remarkably mature new roster
of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 37-year-old Anthony agreed
to a one-year deal with the Lakers
on Tuesday, Aug. 3, agent Aaron
Mintz confi rmed to The Associated
Press.
The 10th-leading scorer in NBA
history will join James, the third-
leading scorer, alongside eight-time
All-Star Anthony Davis and former
MVP Russell Westbrook for what
should be a fascinating season in
Los Angeles.
If the Lakers don’t win another
NBA title, they’ll at least be strong
candidates for gold medals in
London: They’ll have one-third of
the 2012 U.S. Olympic team’s roster
in purple and gold, with fellow
Olympian Kobe Bryant’s retired
numbers watching from above the
Staples Center fl oor.
Anthony, a 10-time All-Star,
essentially told the world about
the deal earlier on social media
by posting a video with his nick-
name, “Melo,” and the Lakers logo.
Free agent deals can’t become offi -
cial until Friday, but Anthony can’t
wait to get started on what might be
his last, best chance to win an NBA
title.
Jack Dempsey/The Associated Press, File
Portland forward Carmelo Anthony points to a teammate during a
game against the Denver Nuggets on May 22, 2021.
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