Sports
A11
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Oregon not
expecting
any more
opt-outs
Ducks enter Alamo
Bowl against Oklahoma
without four starters
By JAMES CREPEA
The Oregonian
The Observer, File
The La Grande High School football team takes on Pendleton in this photo from the 2016 season. The Oregon School Activities Association fi nalized its new
classifi cations and districts on Monday, Dec. 13, aligning Pendleton in the Greater Oregon League with the Tigers.
RIVALRY RENEWED
EUGENE — Oregon’s roster
for the Alamo Bowl is likely set,
albeit without four starters and a
fi fth player on the two-deep.
All-American edge rusher
Kayvon Thibodeaux, starting
X receiver Devon Williams and
starting fi eld cornerback Mykael
Wright have all declared for
the NFL Draft and opted out of
playing in the bowl game. Starting
boundary cornerback DJ James
and backup defensive tackle
Jayson Jones entered the transfer
portal.
Off ensive lineman Malaesala
Aumavae-Laulu will remain in
the draft but play for the No. 14
Ducks (10-3) against No. 16 Okla-
homa (10-2) on Dec. 29 (6:15 p.m.,
See, Oregon/Page A12
La Grande coaches
expect little scheduling
change, increased
competition from new
OSAA reclassification
ON THE SLATE
THURSDAY, DEC. 23
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Weston-McEwen JV at Elgin, 2:30 p.m.
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Weston-McEwen at Elgin, 1 p.m.
MONDAY, DEC. 27
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Wallowa vs. Stanfi eld, Echo High School, 2:30 p.m.
2021 Baker Holiday Basketball X-Over, Baker
High School
Union vs. Adrian, 11 a.m.
Powder Valley vs. McLoughlin, 2 p.m.
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
L
A GRANDE — The La Grande
Tigers offi cially welcomed in
a new member of the Greater
Oregon League last week.
The Oregon School Activi-
ties Association fi nalized its new classifi -
cations and districts on Monday, Dec. 13,
aligning Pendleton in the Greater Oregon
League. While the two teams have played
as nonleague opponents across most sports
in recent years, the new alignment brings
a heightened level of competition to the 4A
level and offi cially renews a rivalry.
“Any time we have to add a team, you
want it to be a competitive team,” La Grande
baseball coach Parker McKinley said.
Pendleton has a strong track record across
high school sports, adding a set of compet-
itive teams to La Grande’s league sched-
ules in years to come. The Buckaroos went
9-2 in football this fall and made the 5A
playoff s, losing to Dallas in the fi rst round.
La Grande’s recent success on the gridiron
will now have to go through Pendleton if
the Tigers hope to repeat as Greater Oregon
League champions.
Buckaroos on deck
On the diamond, the addition of Pend-
leton to the Greater Oregon League would
add a baseball powerhouse alongside the
Tigers. The Buckaroos went 15-3 in the 2021
spring season and split the season series 1-1
against La Grande.
“I think it’ll be good for our league,”
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wallowa vs. Stanfi eld, Echo High School, 1 p.m.
2021 Baker Holiday Basketball X-Over, Baker
High School
Union vs. Adrian, 12:30 p.m.
Powder Valley vs. McLoughlin, 3:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, DEC. 28
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Wallowa vs. Condon, Echo High School, 2:30 p.m.
Joseph at Ione/Arlington, 3:30 p.m.
Imbler at Weston-McEwen, 7 p.m.
2021 Baker Holiday Basketball X-Over, Baker
High School
Union vs. McLoughlin, 12:30 p.m.
Powder Valley vs. Burns 8 p.m.
Alex Wittwer/The Observer, File
La Grande High School baseball coach Parker McKinley leads the dugout during a game between the La
Grande Legacy Ford Legends and the Baker Bulldogs on Friday, July 23, 2021. Following the OSAA reclassi-
fi cation announced in December, Pendleton will compete against the Tigers in the Greater Oregon League.
McKinley said. “We kind of know what to
expect. They’re tough every year and their
kids play hard.”
McKinley noted that Pendleton’s record
at the 5A level speaks for itself and that the
Buckaroos will improve the landscape of 4A
baseball. The teams will likely match up four
times per year now, with each team hosting
two home games.
McKinley said that the addition of Pend-
leton would likely result in the Tigers
adjusting their pitching strategies mid-season
in order to plan ahead for the Buckaroos.
“It’s like playoff baseball every time we
play,” he said.
Clean sheet
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
La Grande vs. Henley, Sisters Holiday Shootout,
Sisters High School, 3 p.m.
Wallowa vs. Condon, Echo High School, 1 p.m.
Joseph at Ione/Arlington, 2 p.m.
Imbler at Weston-McEwen, 4 p.m.
2021 Baker Holiday Basketball X-Over, Baker
High School
Union vs. McLoughlin, 2 p.m.
Powder Valley vs. Burns, 9:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 29
For head coach Sam Brown and the La
Grande girls soccer team, a heightened level
of competition is seen as a good sign. The
Tigers have dominated the Greater Oregon
League for over a decade in girls soccer and
now welcome one of their top competitors
into the newly aligned league.
Brown noted that, like other sports, the
girls soccer team previously faced Pendleton
in nonleague matchups. The diff erence will
be playing the Buckaroos twice every year,
as opposed to once or twice a year based
See, Rivalry/Page A12
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Joseph at North Lake/Paisley, 2:30 p.m.
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Joseph at North Lake/Paisley, 1 p.m.
THURSDAY, DEC. 30
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Joseph at Dufur, 1:30 p.m.
Sherman at Wallowa, 4 p.m.
Stanfi eld at Enterprise, 4:30 p.m.
Four Rivers at Cove, 4:30 p.m.
Union at Weston-McEwen, 7:30 p.m.
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Joseph at Dufur, noon
Sherman at Wallowa, 2:30 p.m.
Stanfi eld at Enterprise, 3 p.m.
Four Rivers at Cove, 3 p.m.
Union at Weston-McEwen, 6 p.m.
SPORTS SHORT
Liefk e named Cascade Collegiate
Conference player of the week
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — After a strong per-
formance last weekend, a Mountaineers
women’s hoops standout took home con-
ference honors.
Eastern Oregon University’s Sailor
Liefke earned Cascade Collegiate Con-
ference women’s basketball player of the
week on Monday, Dec. 20. The junior
averaged 15.5 points over two contests
and led the Mountaineers to wins over
Walla Walla and previously undefeated
LC State.
Liefke was pivotal in the win over LC
State on Dec. 17, totaling 16 points, fi ve
rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes of
action. The game came down to the wire,
but a 3-pointer by Adyson Harris with
seven seconds left tipped the game in
favor of the Mountaineers.
The win brought Eastern level to 6-6
on the year, while handing LC State its
fi rst loss of the year after a 9-0 start.
On Dec. 18, Liefke had another strong
performance as the Mountaineers cruised
to a win over Walla Walla and improved
to 7-6. Liefke scored 15 points in just 19
minutes and hit four three-pointers. On
the weekend, she shot just over 40% from
the fi eld.
Eastern is riding a three-game win-
ning streak and will look to keep the
momentum going during a weekend road
trip on New Year’s Eve. The Mountain-
eers face Corban at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 31
and play Bushnell at 3 p.m. on Jan. 1.
Eastern Oregon University/Contributed Photo
Sailor Liefke (22) drives toward the basket on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, against an Oregon Tech defender
at Klamath Falls. Liefke earned Cascade Collegiate Conference women’s basketball player of the week
on Monday, Dec. 20, 2021.