Sports
A9
Thursday, February 24, 2022
BASKETBALL
Local
standouts
earn
all-district
honors
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
UNION COUNTY — At the
conclusion of the Old Oregon
League district championship
games, a slew of Union and Wal-
lowa County basketball players
were named to the all-district
teams.
Powder Valley’s Reece Dixon
headlined the selections, earning
player of the year on the boys
side.
Union County and Wallowa
County swept the coach of the
year awards. Imbler’s Tony Had-
dock was named boys coach of
the year after leading the Pan-
thers to a 7-5 record. Imbler’s
roster consisted of three upper-
classmen and nine sophomores.
On the girls side, Wallowa’s
Greg Oveson led a young roster
to a 8-3 record in league play
and 16-8 overall.
On the boys side, Union
County athletes Patrick Frisch
of Cove and Kaden Krieger of
Powder Valley were named to
the first team. Joseph’s Blade
Suto also earned first-team
honors.
Imbler’s Rachael Stirewalt
and Powder Valley’s Dallee
See, Standouts/Page A10
Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin
Cove’s Tim Koza competes in the 200-yard individual medley race during the 4A/3A/2A/1A state championships in Beaverton on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.
HISTORIC
By DAVIS CARBAUGH • The Observer
C
OVE — The Cove
SWIM
Tim Koza’s
state
titles cap
successful
Cove
swimming
season
swimming team may
have a small roster, but
its impact in the swim community
this year was large.
OLD OREGON LEAGUE
ALL-DISTRICT BOYS TEAMS
Coach of the year: Tony Haddock, Imbler
Player of the year: Reece Dixon,
Powder Valley
First team:
Patrick Frisch, Cove
Cole Morgan, Pine Eagle
Blade Suto, Joseph
Kaden Krieger, Powder Valley
Aaron Barkley, Nixyaawii
Baron Moses, Nixyaawii
Second team:
Caleb Brown, Pine Eagle
Chase Homan, Joseph
Cole Martin, Powder Valley
Justin Frost, Imbler
Dylan Abrahamson, Nixyaawii
Honorable mention:
Willie Gibbs, Wallowa
Jake Bingaman, Imbler
Caleb Wiggins, Cove
Wyatt Burgess, Cove
James Burney, Joseph
Hayden Hite, Joseph
Coyote Jackson, Nixyaawii
Case Olson, Powder Valley
Kaiden Dalke, Powder Valley
OLD OREGON LEAGUE
ALL-DISTRICT GIRLS TEAMS
Coach of the year: Greg Oveson, Wallowa
Player of the year: Sophie Bronson,
Nixyaawii
First team:
Rachael Stirewalt, Imbler
Zoe Hermens, Wallowa
Mersayus Hart, Nixyaawii
Dallee Bingham, Powder Valley
Second team:
Sophie Moeller, Wallowa
Aimee Meyers, Joseph
Jaycee Gray, Powder Valley
Kyella Picard, Nixyaawii
Gracie Evans, Elgin
Honorable mention:
Laurel Marler, Cove
Jodi Bingham, Powder Valley
Libby Fisher, Wallowa
Taylor Cochell, Pine Eagle
Sistine Moses, Nixyaawii
Cooper Nave, Joseph
Sydney Moore, Griswold
Joelle Treat, Imbler
Senior Tim Koza’s two individual
state titles marked the first time a Cove
swimmer won a state championship. The
Leopards came away with six top-three
finishes at the 4A/3A/2A/1A state cham-
pionship, despite sending just four swim-
mers to the statewide event.
“I really felt like everybody did what
they could,” Cove head coach Steve Koza
said. “I didn’t feel like we left anything
behind. Everybody came out and did their
best.”
History in Cove
When Tim Koza clocked in at 1:56.64
to take first overall in the boys 200-yard
IM, the senior swimmer made history
for Cove. He became the first ever state
champion in the program’s young history,
improving on his seed time by nearly
three seconds.
“In the moment I wasn’t thinking
about it,” Tim Koza said. “To bring the
school the first title in swimming is big,
but I know there will be more to follow.”
As if making history in one event was
not enough, Tim Koza was back for more
in the 100-yard breaststroke. The Leop-
ards’ swimmer battled out a first-place
finish with a time of 1:00.18, defeating La
Grande’s Glenn Ricker, a junior, by just
0.55 seconds.
Despite being favored in each event,
the experienced swimmer knew not to
take anything for granted coming into the
final meet of his high school career.
“In that top spot you have everything
to lose, so you come in thinking that
you need to do the best you can,” Tim
Koza said. “You don’t look behind in
swimming.”
Alongside Tim Koza, senior Kaleo
Theis rounded out his high school career
on a very strong note. The transfer from
Pendleton finished as runner-up in the
50-yard freestyle and third in the 100-
yard freestyle.
Andy Dieckhoff/Pamplin Media Group
Cove’s Tim Koza accepts his first-place medal for the 200-yard IM at the 4A Special District 2 swim
meet in Madras on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. Koza went on to win the state title on Feb. 19, making
history for Cove. He became the first ever state champion in the program’s young history.
“I think Kaleo had two of his best
swims all season, by far,” coach Steve
Koza said. “He was up against some
really, really good competition.”
For Theis and Tim Koza, the seniors
leave the program after making a positive
mark at Cove.
“For our little team, the accomplish-
ments are really something,” the coach
said.
Building a program
For a young Leopards swimming pro-
gram, the top finishes are a sign of things
to come. As two essential swimmers on
the boys side depart the program after
graduation, sophomore Sarah Koza will
look to anchor the girls team moving for-
ward the next two years.
Sarah Koza finished as the runner-up
in the girls 100-yard breaststroke with
a time of 1:10.90. She was back on the
podium in the girls 50-yard freestyle,
placing third overall at 25.07.
“She’s got a very bright future,” Steve
Koza said.
On the boys side, junior Taylor Fox
placed eighth in both the 50-yard free-
style and 100-yard butterfly. The multi-
sport standout will be an anchor on the
boys side moving forward.
“We’re small and we’re mighty,” Tim
Koza said. “Even with a small team,
we’ve had several people decide they’re
going to swim next year just because of
what we were able to do.”
The Cove swimmers are hoping to
continue attracting new swimmers and
building up the program. Prior to the state
championships, the Leopards swimmers
went in front of the school board to share
their successes.
According to Steve Koza, the board
plans to continue supporting the program
in the coming years.
“I think it’s pretty incredible. Coaches
are always asking where Cove is. It’s kind
of unheard of to see that success,” he
said. “They know who we are now. We’ve
got some power to our name now.”
SPORTS SHORT
Malatare earns conference player of the week honors
By DAVIS CARBAUGH
The Observer
LA GRANDE — The Eastern
Oregon University men’s bas-
ketball team ended the regular
season on top, in terms of victo-
ries and individual achievements.
After leading the Mountain-
eers to a 2-0 road trip, point guard
Phillip Malatare was named Cas-
cade Collegiate Conference men’s
basketball player of the week on
Monday, Feb. 21.
Malatare recorded a dou-
ble-double in the team’s victo-
ries over Multnomah (80-77) and
Warner Pacific (73-71) this past
weekend. The junior averaged 25
points and 12 rebounds per con-
test, while dishing out six total
assists. Malatare shot 52.8% from
the field during the two-game
winning streak.
This is Malatare’s third time
earning conference player of the
week honors this season after
transferring into the program in
the offseason.
Malatare played a big role
in Eastern finishing off the reg-
ular season on a high note. The
Mountaineers have won four
straight games heading into the
Cascade Collegiate Conference
tournament.
Throughout the regular season,
Malatare posted 19 points, 5.7
rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Alex Wittwer/EO Media Group, File
The Mountain-
eers’ Phillip
Malatare (0)
drives to the
basket in East-
ern Oregon’s
67-61 win
over Montana
Western at
Quinn Coliseum
on Saturday,
Oct. 30, 2021.
Malatare scored
15 points in the
team’s home
opener.