SPORTS
A10 — THE OBSERVER
SOCCER
STANDINGS
COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL
Cascade Collegiate Conference
Team
League
Overall
Oregon Tech
11-0
14-5
College of Idaho
10-1
16-3
Southern Oregon
8-3
11-8
LC State
7-4
14-5
Corban
7-5
12-8
Eastern Oregon
5-6
11-8
Warner Pacifi c
5-6
9-10
Northwest
4-7
7-9
Multnomah
4-7
8-11
Bushnell
3-9
5-14
Evergreen
2-9
2-13
Walla Walla
1-10
2-16
Weston-McEwen
2-3
Grant Union
2-3
Pilot Rock
0-4
Enterprise
0-4
1A Old Oregon League
Team
League
Powder Valley
3-0
Cove
3-1
Joseph
2-0
Imbler
1-1
Wallowa
1-2
Nixyaawii
0-1
Griswold
0-1
Pine Eagle
0-2
Elgin
0-2
PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
4A Greater Oregon League
Team
League
Baker
1-0
La Grande
1-0
McLoughlin
1-1
Ontario
0-2
2A Blue Mountain Conference
Team
League
Stanfi eld
5-0
Union
3-1
Enterprise
3-1
Grant Union
3-2
Weston-McEwen
1-4
Heppner
1-4
Pilot Rock
0-4
1A Old Oregon League
Team
League
Powder Valley
3-1
Nixyaawii
2-0
Joseph
2-0
Imbler
2-1
Wallowa
2-2
Cove
1-3
Griswold
0-1
Pine Eagle
0-1
Elgin
0-3
Overall
2-6
10-3
8-1
0-8
Overall
13-2
9-7
9-6
National Team focused on
a change of pace when it
came to working on her
goalkeeping skills ahead of
the Women’s Asian Cup.
“It’s really hyper focused
on technique. It’s not about
quantity, it’s all about
quality,” she said. “For me,
that was a big change from
how I’ve trained growing
up. Being able to really
focus on that has helped me
as a player.”
Fontanilla stated that
the change from going as
fast as she could in drills to
slowing down and focusing
on accuracy was an adjust-
ment. She said that it took
several weeks to acclimate
to the new coaching style,
but that she feels she has
improved noticeably as a
player.
At the conclusion of
training, the Philippines
Women’s National Team
fl ew to India on Jan. 12.
In an unfortunate turn of
events, Fontanilla tested
positive for COVID-19
shortly after receiving word
that she was selected for
the team. Despite concern
that she would be unable
to compete, Fontanilla was
scheduled to fl y out and join
the team on Jan. 18.
Fontanilla is crossing her
fi ngers that no other hiccups
occur along that way and
that she can arrive safely
in India in time to com-
pete in the team’s fi rst game
against Thailand on Jan. 21.
“It’s defi nitely a pro-
cess,” Fontanilla said of
facing yet another obstacle
in her soccer career. “If
I can’t go, I can’t go. It’s
God’s plan. Thankfully all
the coaches and trainers
have been checking in on
me and making sure I’m
alright. I feel fi ne.”
Overall
13-1
5-6
4-6
3-10
3-10
8-4
1-10
3-7
0-7
COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
Continued from Page A9
8-7
3-11
3-12
2-12
Cascade Collegiate Conference
Team
League
Overall
Southern Oregon
10-1
17-2
Eastern Oregon
9-2
12-7
Bushnell
9-3
12-8
LC State
8-3
14-3
Oregon Tech
7-4
14-4
College of Idaho
6-5
12-7
Northwest
5-6
11-7
Warner Pacifi c
5-6
7-9
Evergreen
3-8
4-10
Multnomah
3-8
3-15
Corban
2-10
3-16
Walla Walla
0-11
1-17
4A Greater Oregon League
Team
League
McLoughlin
1-0
Baker
0-0
La Grande
0-0
Ontario
0-1
2A Blue Mountain Conference
Team
League
Heppner
5-0
Stanfi eld
4-1
Union
3-1
Overall
11-4
7-5
6-4
0-10
Overall
14-2
12-3
8-7
6-8
8-9
6-8
4-12
Overall
6-8
10-2
5-5
4-10
8-6
2-9
4-7
1-8
3-10
RACE
Continued from Page A9
through the Eagle Cap Wilderness, which
for both is a highlight.
“Just a lot of good memories. My dad
and I are pretty good at going out and
having fun,” Morgan said. “The fi rst time
I ever got my dad on a sled, I think it
was Jan. 1 (a few years ago) and it was a
super moon. It was so light out you didn’t
have to have a lamp. It’s created more fun
times with him.”
“It’s fun to be out there and not have
headlamps on,” Craig said. “Visibility is
high. That’s a pretty neat deal. It’s fun to
run with her.”
Given the two are running diff erent
races, they actually won’t be racing the
trails together. Indeed, Morgan said, she
likely won’t see her dad until she com-
pletes the 200-mile race sometime Jan.
22.
But she is hopeful he’ll be there at the
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022
Contributed Photo
Craig Anderson, left, and his daughter, Morgan
Anderson, will both compete in the Eagle Cap
Extreme this week.
Shooting for the Cup
fi nish line to greet her.
And as for Craig, he said getting to
watch his daughter compete in the Eagle
Cap Extreme is special.
“It’s a pretty neat thing. It’s fun to
watch her. She does quite well with it,” he
said. “To know the kind of conditions they
are going through and the lack of sleep it’s
a neat thing. … It’s probably one of our
favorite events of the whole year.”
Fontanilla will have a
quick turnaround before
joining the group stage of
the Women’s Asian Cup.
The Philippines come into
the qualifi ers ranked No. 64
in FIFA’s women’s national
team rankings.
The national team is
slated in Group B of the
Women’s Asian Cup along-
side Thailand, Australia
and Indonesia. Two teams
from all six groups advance
to the knockout rounds, in
addition to the two next best
third-place teams. Overall,
fi ve teams from the Asian
Cup qualify for the 2023
FIFA Women’s World Cup,
which is set to take place in
Australia and New Zealand.
Fontanilla and the Phil-
ippines Women’s National
Team will be looking to
make history and improve
upon the country’s best
fi nish at the tournament,
which came in 2018 when
the team took sixth place.
The Philippines earned
a spot in the Asian Cup
group stage based on qual-
ifi cation matches played in
September and October of
2021. With an experienced
group and a manageable
group stage, the Philippines
could be in for a run at its
fi rst ever World Cup berth
in Fontanilla’s fi rst stint
with the team.
“I would love to have our
team do the best we can. I
really believe that we can
make the World Cup, espe-
cially with the team we
have right now. We’re super
solid and have a lot of vet-
erans coming back.”
Fontanilla noted that
matches against Thai-
land and Indonesia are
both winnable games, but
that Australia will be the
toughest opponent. The
Australians have made the
FIFA World Cup quarter-
fi nals in 2007, 2011 and
2015 and are anchored by
captain Samantha Kerr.
Fontanilla joked with
teammates about idolizing
the Chelsea F.C. star, who
has led the Australian team
to a No. 11 overall FIFA
ranking. Thailand enters
the tournament ranked No.
38 and Indonesia is slated
at No. 94.
While the match against
Australia may be a long
shot, the Philippines have
a tactical advantage on the
team’s side. Head Coach
Alen Stajcic is a former
Australian soccer player
who managed the Austra-
lian women’s team for fi ve
years.
Fontanilla stressed that
the team will need to be at
its best to secure wins over
Thailand and Indonesia to
advance to the knockout
stage.
“Winning those two
games is defi nitely the
goal,” she said. “If I get to
be a part of that World Cup
team, that would be such an
honor.”
Future plans
Following the Philip-
pines’ quest for a World
Cup berth, Fontanilla
expects to return to La
Grande with a height-
ened skillset and new
perspective.
Although she still has
two years of eligibility
remaining, her time as a
player for the Mountain-
eers may have already
come to an end. The pro-
gram is recruiting heavily
at the goalkeeper position
to fi ll the gaps for next fall
and Fontanilla only has one
class left to take in the fall.
Fontanilla questioned if
she should return or not, but
ultimately felt the need to
go back in order to stay in
shape and give back to her
team. The goalkeeper plans
to train with the team in the
spring and serve as a volun-
tary coach in the next fall
season.
“My goal is to be a coach
in the future,” Fontanilla
said. “I feel like I can really
help the team with what
I’ve learned.”
Fontanilla stated that she
sees her added perspective
from training with the Phil-
ippines team as an asset to
her coaching abilities.
“It’ll be cool being on
that side of the spectrum
being on the coaching side
of things,” she said. “I feel
like I’ll be able to help
them bring our team to
the national fi nals. I know
that was defi nitely one of
our goals this past year
and it was heartbreaking
not to get there. I know the
younger players took that
hard and it motivated them
for next year.”
Before she starts her
career as a coach or decides
to potentially pursue a pro-
fessional playing career,
Fontanilla will be focused
on helping the Philippines
earn its fi rst trip to the FIFA
Women’s World Cup.
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