E AST O REGONIAN Saturday, January 22, 2022 FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @EOSPORTS | FACEBOOK.COM/EOSPORTS B1 SHOTS OF THE WEEK Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Pendleton’s Gauge Rueber (2) drives toward the basket Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, during the first half of the Bucks’ loss to the La Grande Tigers at Pendleton High School. Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian Kathy Aney/East Oregonian Pendleton’s Ben Jennings (3) goes up for a shot as Garrett Osborne (10), of Redmond, defends during an Intermountain Conference game Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at Warberg Court, Pendleton. Redmond beat Pendleton 65-33. Pendleton’s Chloe Taber (11) drives toward the basket Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, during the second half of the Pendleton Buckaroos game against the La Grande Tigers at Pendleton High School. Pendleton lost 45-42. EOU men’s wrestling climbs NAIA rankings ON THE SLATE Schedule subject to change By DAVIS CARBAUGH The Observer La GrandE — the East- ern Oregon university men’s wrestling program improved three spots in the latest national association of Intercollegiate athletics rankings, moving to no. 17 in the nation. the team received 48 votes in the most recent poll, which was released on thursday, Jan. 20. the Mountaineers are coming off a close, short- handed loss in a dual with Corban on Jan. 12 that ended 38-17. Prior to the defeat, the Mountaineers earned victories in their previous three January duals. three Eastern wrestlers earned individual national rankings. Keegan Mulhill (174) Eastern Oregon University Athletics/Contributed Photo Eastern Oregon University senior Noel Orozco, right, an All-Amer- ican at 285 pounds, returns for the Mountaineers this season. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics has ranked East- ern in the No. 17 spot. came in at no. 8, Kyle Knudt- son (184) was ranked no. 5 and noel Orozco (285) was slated at no. 2. Orozco, a senior, is just one spot behind Grand View’s Greg Hagan for the top spot in the heavyweight division. Eastern is one of four Cascade Collegiate Conference schools that earned a spot in the latest national rankings. Menlo and Montana State-northern earned the highest rankings — the two teams tied at no. 8 with 78 votes. the Mountaineers narrowly edged out Embry-rid- dle, who earned 46 votes and a no. 18 ranking in the poll. up next on the slate for East- ern, the Mountaineers will travel to Marshall, Missouri, to compete at the Missouri Valley Invitational on Friday, Jan. 21, and Saturday, Jan. 22. EOu athletics cuts concessions amid COVId-19 rise By DAVIS CARBAUGH The Observer La GrandE — In the midst of a spike in the COVId- 19 pandemic, Eastern Oregon university athletics announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19, that it will not offer concessions or hospitality dining at home sporting events. according to the statement from the university, Eastern is exercising the precautionary measures in order to ensure fans are allowed at games for the remainder of the academic year. “as tough as this decision is for us to make, it is the best possible route we are going to take so that we can still allow fans (at) games,” director of athletics anji Weis- senfluh said in a press release. “We want to mitigate the spread of COVId, and this option allows our fans to still come and watch the student-athletes compete.” Eastern’s spectator policy requires that all fans in atten- dance wear masks during indoor and outdoor events. no outside food will be permitted inside Quinn Coli- seum, but fans will be allowed to leave between games to eat if they wish. Fans are required to keep their tickets in order to reenter the stadium. Back-to-back home men’s and women’s basketball games against Oregon tech on Jan. 21 and Southern Oregon on Jan. 22 will be the first instances the new policy is put into place. SATURDAY, JAN. 22 Prep girls wrestling Hermiston at Othello, 10 a.m. Boys prep wrestling Hermiston at Post Falls, TBD Prep girls basketball Umatilla at Vale, 2 p.m. South Wasco County at Echo, 2 p.m. Irrigon at Nyssa, 3 p.m. Riverside at Burns, 3 p.m. Hermiston at Hanford, 3:15 p.m. Grant Union at Pilot Rock, 4 p.m. Weston-McEwen at Union, 4 p.m. Enterprise at Stanfield, 4 p.m. Wallowa at Griswold, 4 p.m. Lyle/Wishram at Ione/ Arlington, 4 p.m. Prep boys basketball Umatilla at Vale, 3:30 p.m. South Wasco County at Echo, 3:30 p.m. Irrigon at Nyssa, 4:30 p.m. Riverside at Burns, 4:30 p.m. Hermiston at Hanford, 5 p.m. Grant Union at Pilot Rock, 5:30 p.m. Enterprise at Stanfield, 5:30 p.m. Wallowa at Griswold, 5:30 p.m. Lyle/Wishram at Ione/ Arlington, 5:30 p.m. Weston-McEwen at Union, 6 p.m. College women’s basketball Columbia Basin at Blue Mountain, 2 p.m. EOU vs. Southern Oregon, 3 p.m. College men’s basketball Columbia Basin at Blue Mountain, 4 p.m. EOU vs. Southern Oregon, 5 p.m. TUESDAY, JAN. 25 Prep girls bowling Walla Walla at Hermiston, 3 p.m. Prep girls basketball Kamiakin at Hermiston, 5:45 p.m. Stanfield at McLoughlin, 6 p.m. Umatilla at Irrigon, 6 p.m. Condon at Echo, 6 p.m. Ione/Arlington at Bickleton, 6 p.m. Pendleton at La Grande, 6 p.m. Prep boys basketball Pendleton at La Grande, 7:30 p.m. Kamiakin at Hermiston, 7:30 p.m. Stanfield at McLoughlin, 7:30 p.m. Umatilla at Irrigon, 7:30 p.m. Condon at Echo, 7:30 p.m. Ione/Arlington at Bickleton, 7:30 p.m. Prep boys wrestling Hermiston at Sunnyside, 7 p.m. Prep girls wrestling Hermiston at Sunnyside, 7 p.m. College women’s basketball EOU vs. College of Idaho, 5:30 p.m. College men’s basketball EOU vs. College of Idaho, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26 College women’s basketball Yakima Valley at Blue Mountain, 5:30 p.m. College men’s basketball Yakima Valley at Blue Mountain, 7:30 p.m. THURSDAY, JAN. 27 Prep girls wrestling Kennewick at Hermiston, 6 p.m. Prep boys wrestling Kennewick at Hermiston, 7 p.m. Prep girls basketball Riverside at Umatilla, 6 p.m. Nixyaawii at Powder Valley, 6 p.m. Prep boys basketball Riverside at Umatilla, 7:30 p.m. Nixyaawii at Powder Valley, 7:30 p.m.