Sports
A6
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
Th e Observer
PREP NOTES
ON THE SLATE
Dynamic
off ense
boosts
Powder
Valley
All Times PDT
Tuesday, Sept. 21
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Enterprise at Imbler,
5 p.m.
Union at Grant Union,
5:30 p.m.
La Grande at Baker,
6:30 p.m.
PREP GIRLS SOCCER
La Grande at Baker/Pow-
der Valley, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 22
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
POWDER VALLEY
— The Badgers have one
of the most electric quar-
terback-wideout duos in
seniors Reece Dixon and
Kaden Krieger. The pair
connected early and often
in a massive 50-40 win
over a St. Paul team ranked
in the top fi ve of the 1A
rankings.
Down 8-0 on the team’s
fi rst off ensive play of the
game, Dixon threw a
spot-on ball on the right
side of the fi eld to Krieger
for a 70-yard touchdown
strike. The two linked up
again in the fourth quarter
for another deep-ball touch-
down, this time from about
60 yards out.
“In my opinion, and I
might be a little biased,
Kaden Krieger is the best
receiver in the state at our
level,” Dixon said. “He’s
very athletic and has an
ability to bring in balls that
look like they might be way
out of reach.”
In addition to the passing
attack, senior running back
Clay Martin gives opposing
defensive coordinators
headaches in the ground
game. He rushed for two
rushing touchdowns and
caught a touchdown from
Dixon in the win over St.
Paul.
The Badgers are No. 1
in the 1A rankings and host
Cove on Sept. 24.
La Grande’s defense
front sets the tone
in win over Vale
LA GRANDE — The
Tigers came away with a
statement win, knocking
off Vale 37-12 at home on
Sept. 17.
Head coach Rich
McIlmoil was pleased
with his defense’s eff orts,
saying that the game plan
was highly centered around
slowing down mobile Vale
quarterback Tanner Steele.
La Grande made it diffi cult
for Vale’s off ense all game
long, holding the Vikings
scoreless until well into the
third quarter.
“Our defensive front
played really well,”
McIlmoil said. We got
great play from our guys up
front.”
Junior quarterback
Logan Williams set the tone
for La Grande’s off ense,
building a 30-0 lead at one
point in the game. Williams
rushed for a touchdown, but
McIlmoil credited his lead-
ership and understanding
of the off ense more than
anything.
“He’s understanding the
off ense and the way I like to
run things,” he said. “He’s
a really talented kid and a
good team motivator.”
La Grande faces one of
its biggest challenges of the
season this Thursday as
Estacada comes to town for
See, Prep/Page A7
PREP BOYS SOCCER
Baker/Powder Valley at La
Grande, 5 p.m.
PREP
CROSS-COUNTRY
La Grande,Union/Cove at
Payette, Idaho, Open, TBA
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer
Powder Valley quarterback Reece Dixon prepares for a handoff during the Badgers’ 50-40 victory over St. Paul on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021.
Dixon scored fi ve touchdowns to help the Badgers improve to 3-0 on the year.
AT THE CONTROLS
Senior quarterback Reece Dixon pilots top-ranked Powder Valley
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
NORTH POWDER — Reece
Dixon is living in the end zone this
season.
Powder Valley’s senior quarter-
back and linebacker is paving the
way for a highly ranked Badgers
team. Dixon’s dynamic play on both
sides of the ball, combined with
his work ethic off the fi eld, is a big
reason for Powder Valley’s 3-0 start
to the season.
“We have a good idea of where
we could be this season,” Dixon said.
“Our goal is to make it as far as we
can in the state playoff s without over-
looking anybody.”
The senior has scored six passing
touchdowns and four rushing touch-
downs through Powder Valley’s fi rst
three games of the season.
“It’s pretty tough to tackle Reece
Dixon,” Powder Valley head coach
Josh Cobb said.
Dixon and the Badgers are staying
humble, even after climbing to No. 1
in the 1A rankings after a signifi cant
50-40 win over St. Paul on Friday,
Sept. 17. Powder Valley came into
the matchup ranked fi fth in the state,
while St. Paul was ranked sixth.
The senior quarterback was elec-
tric in the victory, fi nding the end
zone fi ve times. Dixon threw for
three touchdowns, rushed for a score
and returned a fumble to the house in
the big victory.
Dixon’s performance was a big
reason the Badgers secured the vic-
tory, but he credits his teammates for
Alex Wittwer/The Observer
North Powder’s Reece Dixon scores a touch-
down against Elgin during the Badgers’ 42-
14 win on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. Powder
Valley is ranked No. 1 in the OSAA rankings
following a 50-40 win over St. Paul on Fri-
day, Sept. 17, 2021.
Powder Valley’s success.
“My off ensive line is a great
off ensive line,” he said. “I have a
great unit there and I trust every one
of them.”
The Powder Valley off ensive line
gave Dixon time to connect early and
often with his top wideout, Kaden
Krieger. The duo connected on two
deep passing touchdowns in the vic-
tory over St. Paul, one of which was
a 70-yard touchdown on the fi rst
off ensive play of the game for the
Badgers.
“He’s what makes me look good
and he’s the reason that my passing
game is what it is,” Dixon said.
“We’ve grown up together and I trust
him in one-on-one coverage.”
Many of the Badgers players grew
up together, but Dixon is still doing
everything he can to create strong
team chemistry this year.
“Reece is outstanding,” Cobb
said. “He’s more than a leader, he’s a
true teammate.”
Dixon and the upperclassmen on
Powder Valley emphasize studying
fi lm as a crucial part of game plan-
ning every week.
“You can’t expect to be a great
football team without knowing the
other team before you play,” Dixon
said. “I go home and watch probably
two hours of fi lm a night, whether
it’s our games or teams we’re playing
next.”
Powder Valley has fi ve reg-
ular season games remaining, one
of which is a matchup at Adrian
on Oct. 1. The Antelopes won the
OSAA Class 1A state championship
in 2019, the last full-length football
season. The Badgers have the talent
and work ethic to make a deep run
this season and compete with top 1A
teams, but are not looking too far
ahead.
“Every week is a battle,” Dixon
said. “We’re taking it one week at a
time and trying to make it as far as
we can.”
Thursday, Sept. 23
PREP FOOTBALL
Estacada at La Grande,
6 p.m.
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Weston-McEwen at
Union, 5 p.m.
Imbler at Joseph, 5 p.m.
La Grande at Irrigon,
5 p.m.
Nixyaawii at Cove, 6 p.m.
Stanfi eld at Enterprise,
5 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24
COLLEGE
VOLLEYBALL
Eastern Oregon at Ore-
gon Tech, 7 p.m.
COLLEGE MEN’S
SOCCER
Bushnell at Eastern Ore-
gon, 4 p.m.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
SOCCER
Bushnell at Eastern Ore-
gon, 6:30 p.m.
PREP FOOTBALL
Crane vs. Elgin at Eastern
Oregon University, noon
Imbler at Adrian, 6 p.m.
Union at Wallowa, 7 p.m.
Cove at Powder Valley,
7 p.m.
Joseph at Prairie City/
Burnt River, 7 p.m.
Dufur at Enterprise,
6 p.m.
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Imbler at Pine Eagle,
4 p.m.
Cove at Powder Valley,
5 p.m.
Nixyaawii at Elgin,
5:30 p.m.
Joseph at Prairie City/
Burnt River, 4 p.m.
PREP CROSS-
COUNTRY
Imbler, Baker/Powder Val-
ley at Bob Firman Invita-
tional, Boise, Idaho, TBA
ON CAMPUS
Mountaineers rely on defense in 10-7 victory over Carroll
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
BUTTE, Mont. — It
was a low-scoring aff air,
but No. 13 Eastern Oregon
held on for a 10-7 win on
the road against Carroll
College. The hard-fought
win propels the Mountain-
eers to 3-0 on the season.
In what felt like a soccer
or baseball score for most
of the early game, East-
ern’s defensive resiliency
paved the way. Senior
Chase Van Wyck recorded
two sacks, bringing his
career total to 35.5, which
is tied for second best in
program history. Former
La Grande star Gabriel
Shukle recorded two and
a half sacks in a career
game.
Linebacker Solo Taylor
continues to set the tone on
and off the fi eld, leading
the defense vocally and by
his play on the fi eld. Taylor
tallied 12 tackles and a
half sack in a game where
every point mattered.
Quarterback Kai Quinn
had a mediocre perfor-
mance by his standards,
throwing for 150 yards,
one touchdown and two
interceptions.
The Mountaineers have
now won seven straight
matchups against the
Saints and remain unde-
feated heading into a home
game against College of
Idaho on Sept. 25.
Men’s soccer wins fi rst
of the year
returns to La Grande to
face Bushnell on Sept. 24.
PORTLAND — It’s
been a diffi cult start to the
year for the Mountain-
eers, but the team found
the win column in a 1-0
win over Multnomah on
Sept. 18.
Senior midfi elder
Kellen Burke got the job
done against the Lions,
scoring the lone goal
of the game in the 37th
minute. Burke led the
way for a strong off ensive
attack that outshot Mult-
nomah 10 shots to fi ve.
Eastern is now 1-4-0
on the year, following four
straight losses to start the
regular season. Eastern
Volleyball stretches
win streak to fi ve
PORTLAND — The
Mountaineers got off to
a slow start to the season
facing a number of ranked
opponents, but the team is
rolling as conference play
gets underway.
Eastern Oregon made
easy work of a weekend
trip to Portland, besting
Multnomah (25-10, 25-8,
25-6) and Warner Pacifi c
(25-19, 25-18, 25-2) in
straight sets on back-to-
back days. The Mountain-
eers are balanced at the
front and back of the court,
with Cambree Scott, Mad-
ison Morgan and Breanna
Shaff er regularly leading
the team in kills. Against
Warner Pacifi c, Scott
recorded eight kills and
eight blocks. Shaff er tallied
nine kills and six blocks in
the same game as Eastern
cruised to a steady victory.
Freshman Alexis
McMurtrey has been step-
ping up big this year. She
recorded 30 assists in each
game and led the Moun-
taineers with 21 digs in the
win over Multnomah.
Eastern has won
fi ve straight games and
ascended to second place
in the Cascade Collegiate
Conference with a 6-1 con-
ference record.