SPORTS
A6 — THE OBSERVER
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2021
La Grande’s season ends with slugfest against Estacada
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
SANDY — After a
highly successful season,
things came to an end for
the La Grande football team
in the state quarterfi nals.
The Tigers were bested
44-22 at the hands of
Estacada on Friday, Nov.
12, a team that has proven
to be La Grande’s Achilles’
heel this season. La Grande
concluded the season 7-2,
with both losses coming
to the Rangers. The Tigers
held their own throughout
the matchup against the
undefeated powerhouse, but
ultimately saw the game
slip away in the second
half.
“In the end, they just
kind of outlasted us,” head
coach Rich McIlmoil said.
“Our boys put up a good
fi ght. I was really proud
of them for the way they
fought the whole game
long.”
Both off enses ignited in
the fi rst half, exchanging
blows back and forth early
on. La Grande came out fl at
with three straight three-
and-outs to start the game,
Chris Keizur/Pamplin Media Group
La Grande quarterback Logan Williams (2) looks to pass Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, during a 44-22 loss to
Estacada in the quarterfi nal round of the OSAA Class 4A state football tournament at Sandy High School.
while the Rangers built up a
16-0 lead.
Senior Coby Hibbert
provided a big spark when
La Grande desperately
needed off ensive produc-
tion, breaking loose for a
57-yard run early in the
second quarter. Senior
Brody MacMillan ran in a
29-yard touchdown to give
the Tigers their fi rst points
of the game.
Estacada would continue
to respond to La Grande’s
scores throughout the fi rst
half, moving the ball eff ec-
tively through its triple-op-
tion off ense. Down by three
scores, junior quarterback
Logan Williams connected
with junior Jace Schow for
a 55-yard touchdown to cut
the lead to 24-14 with just
over six minutes left in the
fi rst half.
Stopping Estacada’s two-
point conversion attempts
proved to be crucial for La
Grande, as the Tigers were
able to climb within one
score heading into half-
time. A deep completion by
Williams set up a two-yard
touchdown run by Mac-
Millan to cut the lead to
Powder Valley cruises past Myrtle Point
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
NORTH POWDER —
The Powder Valley High
School football team is on
to the OSAA 1A semifi -
nals, thanks to a dominant
eff ort in a win over Myrtle
Point. The Badgers came
away with a 36-0 win over
the Bobcats in the quarter-
fi nals at home on Friday,
Nov. 12.
“That was the best foot-
ball game we’ve played
all season on both sides of
the ball,” head coach Josh
Cobb said.
Powder Valley started
the game on a high note,
scoring on a fi ve-yard quar-
terback keeper from senior
Reece Dixon early in the
game.
After both teams
exchanged possessions, the
Badgers were able to add
two late touchdowns in the
second quarter and hold
a 22-0 lead heading into
halftime. While the game
still felt in reach for Myrtle
Point through the fi rst
two quarters, the Badgers
silenced any doubts in the
second half.
Early in the third
quarter, a 63-yard run by
Dixon set up a fi rst down
at the Myrtle Point 15-yard
line. Dixon fi nished the
drive with a seven-yard
touchdown run to extend
the lead to 30-0 with 7:38
remaining in the third
quarter.
Cobb noted that the team
prepared for the weather
conditions, switching to a
stronger emphasis on the
run game.
“The fi eld was a little
muddy, so our receivers
were a little slow on their
cuts,” he said. “We just
practiced our ground game
because it’s really hard to
win in November if you
can’t run the ball.”
Powder Valley’s defense
was strong throughout the
game, holding the Bobcats
scoreless. Holding a 30-0
lead at the end of three
quarters, it was Powder
Valley’s game to lose.
“We had a custom-made
defensive plan for this team
because they’re so pro-
lifi c in their passing,” Cobb
said.
Senior running back
Case Olson put the icing
on the cake with a 22-yard
touchdown run in the
fourth quarter to give
the Badgers a 36-0 lead.
Powder Valley would go on
to hold on to the 36-point
defi cit and ride off with a
quarterfi nal victory.
The Badgers are set to
meet St. Paul, a team that
Powder Valley bested 50-40
on Sept. 17, in the semifi -
nals Saturday, Nov. 20, in
Bend.
30-22 at halftime.
“Off ensively we had
a few hiccups, but then
we really got rolling. We
were feeling really good at
halftime down 22 to 30,”
McIlmoil said. “I knew we
were in a pretty good spot
coming into halftime, but
we were just a little beat up
in the second half. It just
kind of wore us down.”
In the second half,
Estacada’s ground-and-
pound off ensive style wore
down La Grande as the
Tigers were held scoreless.
The Rangers rattled off 14
points unanswered to walk
off with the quarterfi nal
victory. La Grande had its
chances in the second half,
highlighted by a fumble at
the Estacada 32-yard line
in the fourth quarter that
proved costly.
“I think that turnover
late in the third quarter
really hurt us,” McIlmoil
said. “We were toe-to-toe
with them and I think they
really had a good shot of
winning it. We just didn’t
quite get it done.”
Estacada improved to
11-0 on the year and will
face Marist Catholic in the
semifi nals on Nov. 20.
For La Grande, the loss
concludes a strong season
that ended 7-2. On the heels
of a state championship in
2019 and a 3-1 COVID-19
season in 2020, the team
found its identity with
solid defensive play and a
hard-nosed rushing attack
led by MacMillan. Wil-
liams stepped up in his fi rst
season as the varsity starter
at quarterback, improving
his mix of rushing and
passing abilities with every
game this season.
La Grande’s defense was
stout all season, holding
opponents to an average
of 19.9 points per con-
test. Excluding the two
matchups against Estacada,
no opponent scored more
than 25 points against the
Tigers this season.
The Tigers ended the
regular season on a four-
game winning streak,
which was capped off by a
rivalry victory over Baker
to take the Greater Oregon
League title. La Grande
will lose several crucial
seniors, but will look to
build on a strong junior
class next year.
ON THE SLATE
Friday, Nov. 19
COLLEGE CROSS-COUNTRY
Eastern Oregon at NAIA National Championships, 10:30 a.m.
COLLEGE MEN’S WRESTLING
Simpson at Eastern Oregon, 7 p.m.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S WRESTLING
Simpson at Eastern Oregon, 5 p.m.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Eastern Oregon at NAIA tournament, TBD
Saturday, Nov. 20
COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Eastern Oregon vs. Montana Western, Caldwell, Idaho, 2 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 21
PREP FOOTBALL
Powder Valley vs. St. Paul, Caldera High School, Bend, 6 p.m.
COLLEGE MEN’S WRESTLING
Eastern Oregon at Spokane Open, Spokane, Washington,
TBA
COLLEGE WOMEN’S WRESTLING
Eastern Oregon at Spokane Open, Spokane, Washington,
TBA
epic adventures await
hzcu.org/fun
*OAC. Rates subject to change without notice. Rate displayed is the lowest available to qualified borrowers; your rate may be higher
and will be determined by the loan type, model year, term, amount you finance and your credit history. Membership fee and restrictions may apply.
A PR
4. 74 %
4.74