Sports
A8
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
ON THE SLATE
Sunday, March 20
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Eastern Oregon 1, Southern
Oregon 0
Southern Oregon 8, Eastern
Oregon 0
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Oregon Tech 6, Eastern
Oregon 5
Oregon Tech 3, Eastern
Oregon 0
Monday, March 21
(Games not completed
by print deadline)
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Eastern Oregon at Oregon Tech
(2), 11 a.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Eastern Oregon at Southern
Oregon (2), 11 a.m.
PREP BASEBALL
La Grande vs. Canby, Surprise,
Arizona, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, March 22
PREP BASEBALL
La Grande vs. Shadow Ridge,
Surprise, Arizona, 5 p.m
Wednesday, March 23
Davis Carbaugh/The Observer, File
Powder Valley’s Kaden Krieger, second from left, and Reece Dixon, far right, sprint around the final turn as the duo competes in the 200-meter dash
Saturday, May 22, 2021, at the Oregon 1A track and field championship at Eastern Oregon University, La Grande. Dixon placed eighth while Krieger finished
as runner-up.
PREP BASEBALL
At the
La Grande vs. Dakota Ridge,
Surprise, Arizona 2 p.m.
Thursday, March 24
PREP BASEBALL
La Grande vs. Shadow Ridge,
Surprise, Arizona
STARTING LINE
Friday, March 25
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Providence at Eastern Oregon
(2), 2 p.m.
PREP SOFTBALL
La Grande vs. Timberline, Eagle,
Idaho, 11 a.m.
Warrenton at Union/Cove, noon
Burns at Union/Cove, 2:15 p.m.
La Grande vs. Skyview, Eagle,
Idaho, 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 26
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Bushnell at Eastern Oregon (2),
11 a.m.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Providence at Eastern Oregon
(2), 11 a.m.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S
LACROSSE
Eastern Oregon at Puget Sound,
1 p.m.
PREP SOFTBALL
La Grande vs. Rocky Mountain,
Eagle, Idaho, 1 p.m.
Bonanza at Union/Cove, 1 p.m.
La Grande vs. Eagle, Eagle Idaho,
3 p.m.
PREP TRACK & FIELD
La Grande, Powder Valley at
Hawk Invite, College Place,
Washington, 10 a.m.
Sunday, March 27
COLLEGE BASEBALL
Bushnell at Eastern Oregon (2),
11 a.m.
IN BRIEF
Ultimate Frisbee
league begins
March 26
LA GRANDE — A
Union County ultimate
frisbee league will begin
conducting games at
10 a.m. Saturday, March
26, at the La Grande
Church of the Nazarene
field, 109 18th St.
The league is for men
and women and boys
and girls of all ages
from middle school age
and up. Members of
the league will meet at
10 a.m. each Saturday
this spring and summer
to play ultimate frisbee
games.
For additional infor-
mation visit the Ulti-
mate Frisbee of Union
County’s Facebook
page or call Essie Lee at
541-786-6435.
— The Observer
Local track and field teams commence 2022 spring season
U
By DAVIS CARBAUGH • The Observer
NION COUNTY — As the temperature begins to rise and
winter sports season concludes, local athletes are gearing up
to take the track and begin the 2022 track and field season.
Several teams are up and running,
opening their seasons last week. With a full
season set in place after two years of pan-
demic-altered schedules, local track and
field is back in Union County.
Tigers look to utilize strong turnout
La Grande head coach Matt Wolcott will
not have an issue filling out entries this year.
The Tigers have roughly 70 total partici-
pants this season, giving the team flexibility
across all events.
“Traditionally, La Grande has been
strong in track. It’s a good track town,” Wol-
cott said of the turnout this year.
The La Grande girls team is coming
off a strong showing in 2021, placing third
overall at the 4A state championship. A
strong core of distance runners leads this
year’s La Grande girls team, coming off a
fourth-place finish at the 4A cross-country
state championships this fall.
Emily Tubbs, the individual champion
in cross-country, will look to lead the way
for the Tigers in the 3,000 meters and 1,500
meters. Tubbs, a sophomore, opened the
season winning both events at the Ontario
Icebreaker on Thursday, March 17. Just
behind Tubbs in both events was freshman
Cecilia Villagomez, a freshman who placed
ninth in her first ever cross-country state
championships. Sophomore Faith Calhoun
will add strong depth in distance, while
sophomore teammate Kiah Carlson looks to
lead the way in middle-distance events.
“We’re going to try to utilize them the
best we can for the team,” Wolcott said of
the girls distance runners.
Freshman Kayle Collman will look to
contribute for La Grande in short distance
events this season. Collman won the 100-
meter sprint with a time of 13.49 seconds
at the Ontario Icebreaker, and helped La
Grande take second in the girls 4x100 relay.
On the boys side, several key upper-
classmen lead the charge. Senior Jarom
Huntsman won both the 300-meter hurdles
and triple jump at the Ontario Icebreaker.
“He’s definitely a leader of the team, both
by his performance and his attitude,” Wol-
cott said. “Jarom is a great teammate.”
Senior Carter Perry and junior Caleb
Murie will both be two of the team’s
anchors in long distance for the Tigers,
while junior Maxon Huxoll leads the way in
the pole vault. After picking up the event for
the first time last year, Huxoll qualified for
the state meet at the conclusion of his junior
year — Huxoll set a personal record at the
Ontario Icebreaker, placing second in the
event with a height of 11 feet.
Wolcott noted that field events are an
emphasis this year, working to build num-
bers in throwing events. Junior Myer Whit-
more enters the season as the Tigers’ top
thrower in both shot put and discus.
“Overall, I think we’re happy with where
we’re at. We’re looking forward to con-
tinuing to improve this season,” Wolcott
said. “The goal is always to win our league
in districts. If we can place at state that
would be great.”
Powder Valley hoping for best
with small roster
Just one year removed from a boys 1A
state championship, the Badgers will be
looking for similar success in 2022. How-
ever, Powder Valley will have to do so with
another small roster.
The Badgers have seven boys and seven
girls on the roster, split between experienced
seniors and newcomers.
“It’s going to be an interesting year,
because we do have some athletes coming
back and some athletes that did not come
out,” Powder Valley head coach and athletic
director Brad Dunten said.
On the boys side, seniors Kaden Krieger
and Reece Dixon will look to lead the way
in short-distance and field events. Junior
Jackson Chandler is a strong competitor in
middle distance, while Ayla Bingham leads
the girls team in a variety of events.
“I think there’s going to be quite a few
multi-event athletes,” Dunten said. “Not
having the ability to have a four-by-one and
four-by-four, that’s the only option we have.”
In distance, the Badgers will look to
Hunter Bingham and Allen Bedolla to
replace Justin Ash. The distance star was a
key component of last year’s team and is a
current member of the Eastern Oregon Uni-
versity team.
Despite limited numbers, Powder Valley
will be hoping for the same success as last
season.
Union sees solid turnout
With strong numbers in 2022, the Union
track and field team will be hoping for a
productive season.
Junior Bo Ledbetter enters the season as
a multi-event athlete, competing in hurdles,
pole vault and triple jump. The Bobcats have
a strong group of field events competitors,
led by sophomores Mason Droke and Evan
Cloutier in the high jump and triple jump.
On the girls side, freshman Kaelyn Shoe-
maker is coming off a first-place finish in
shot put at the Diana Thurmond Invitational
on March 18. She placed sixth in discus
and will look to contribute points in the
throwing events.
With five competitors in the javelin at the
team’s opening meet, the Bobcats will look
to earn valuable points in field events.
Sophomore Emma Burtch will anchor
the middle-distance, taking second place in
the 400 at the Diana Thurmond Invite and
helping Union’s 4x400 relay team take first
place.
Cove builds on strong
cross-country season
Coming off a stellar cross-country
season, junior Taylor Fox will be poised for
a strong season in distance events for Cove.
Fox won the 1,500 meters at the Diana
Thurmond Invite with a time of 4:26.96
and earned a second-place finish in the 400
meters.
Senior Skyler Perkins, freshman
Nathaniel O’Reilly, sophomore Eli Williams
and freshman David McDonald will look to
translate a strong cross-country season into
a solid year on the track.
On the girls side, senior Rachel Baird
placed first in the 200-meter sprint at
the Diana Thurmond Invite. Sopho-
more Autumn Dobbs won the 400 meters,
freshman Hailey Davis won the 800 meters
and Danielle O’Reilly took top marks in the
1,500 meters. Coming off a quality cross-
country season, senior Audrey Garlitz will
be a key contributor in long-distance races.
Imbler looks to bounce back
The Imbler Panthers take the track this
year after placing eighth in the girls 1A state
championships and 22nd on the boys side.
The Panthers will be looking to replace
key departures in Wyatt Frost in boys
throwing events and Erin Coston in girls
pole vault — both athletes took home
top-three finishes in last year’s 1A state
championship.
On the boys side, senior Carter Crook
and sophomore Clinton Tarvin lead the way
in sprints. Sophomore Trevor Treat is the
team’s top hurdler, while sophomores Jer-
emiah Martin and Henry Treat will look
to replace Frost’s production in throwing
events.
In the javelin throw, sophomore Dallin
Rasmussen placed second at the Diana
Thurmond Invitational. Rasmussen enters
the season looking for key points in the field
event.
On the girls side, Imbler is led by sopho-
more Austyn Turner in the sprints and long
jump. The Panthers have solid numbers in
the sprint events, including freshman Kiana
DeLint in the 300-meter hurdles, who took
second at the Diana Thurmond Invitational.
Elgin turns the page
The Elgin girls team will be tasked with
replacing last year’s star runner Aaliyah
Burton, who won two indivwwwidual state
titles and one runner-up finish at last year’s
state championships.
The Huskies also lost seniors Wyatt Hall-
garth, Andres Schmittle, Clay Wilhelm,
Noble Craig and Kaden McClure on the
boys side.
Sophomore Parker Caldwell is coming
off a 13th-place finish in the 300-meter hur-
dles in last year’s state meet, while sopho-
more Joe Lathrop will also look to be a key
contributor in sprints and javelin.
In addition to Burton, Elgin lost Mad-
dison Harvey and Jocelyn Palmer from last
year’s roster — Charlee Morehead com-
peted in last year’s 1A state championships
and will look to build on that experience
this year.