Cottage Grove Sentinel
Sports & Leisure
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THURSDAY | APRIL 15, 2021
Elks send Eagles flying in final 6-man game
By Zeahna Young
Cottage Grove Sentinel
“I
think we’re playing the
best that we’ve played
all year these last few
weeks. And it definite-
ly showed on the field. We took it
to them for this game.”
Elkton’s football coach, Jere-
my Lockhart, reflected upon the
closing season after defeating Ed-
dyville Charter in their final game,
66-39. The Elks finish the season
4-2 overall, and fourth in their
league.
Elkton led off scoring with an
early 15-yard touchdown pass
from Jace Clevenger to Ben Bow-
en.
The Eagles answered on their
next possession with a 40-yard
touchdown pass, securing their
conversion and taking the lead
initially 7-6.
The Elks responded in kind
on their possession with another
touchdown pass from Clevenger
to Bowen, this time for 18 yards.
“It was kind of like the Jace and
Ben Show early on,” joked Lock-
hart.
After nailing the conversion
play, the first quarter closed with
the Elks ahead 13-7.
Early in the second quarter,
Elkton scored another touchdown
with a one-yard rush from Cooper
Peters, bringing the score to 20-7.
Eddyville scored again with a
successful pass on their next pos-
session, taking it to 20-14.
On the next possession, fol-
lowing a false start penalty at the
goal line, the Elks were able to get
a pass off to freshman Jamal Law-
ton, catching the first touchdown
pass of his high school career, and
bringing the score to 27-13.
With a wonderful back-to-back
moment, the next touchdown was
secured by another freshman —
Anthony Alimenti — who sub-
sequently caught the first-ever
touchdown of his high school ca-
reer.
At this point, the Elks led 33-13.
With 20 seconds left in the half,
Eddyville threw the ball out of
bounds, then on a fourth-and-sev-
en play, landed a successful pass to
run it all the way in. The Eagles
scored with zero time left on the
clock to end the half and make it
33-20 in the Elks’ favor.
At halftime, Lockhart made
some adjustments. “We just told
our guys, ‘Hey, you’re winning,
you’re doing well, you’re execut-
ing. They are getting tired,’” said
Lockhart. “I said, ‘We get the ball
right away in the first half, let’s
just go out there and score, take a
three-score lead!’
The very next touchdown was
a scramble play, with Clevenger
throwing a check-down to Coo-
per, who ran it all the way for a
TD.
After the successful 57-yard
pass, Clevenger already had a to-
tal of five touchdown passes in the
third quarter, bringing the Elks in
the lead 40-20.
On the Eagles’ first possession,
they came back to score quick-
ly, but after this point, the Elks
switched into high gear.
“We basically put on the after-
burners,” said Lockhart. “So, from
this point on, we started to domi-
nate the game.”
After getting the ball back, Na-
than Rausch punched it in for a
22-yard touchdown run, putting
the Elks back up by
three scores. Peters
then had an intercep-
tion, running the ball
in for a 62-yard touch-
down, and putting the
Elks ahead 54-26.
On Eddyville’s next
possession,
Bowen
stripped the quarter-
back, causing him to
fumble. This was re-
covered by Clevenger,
who then ran the ball
for 47 yards, scoring
another touchdown
and putting the score at 60-26.
Eddyville then finally came back
to score, ending the third quarter
at 60-32 with Elkton ahead.
The Elks continued their push
into the final quarter of the game.
“We got the ball early in the
fourth quarter, and we just did our
thing,” said Lockhart. “They real-
ly couldn’t stop our offense at this
point at all.”
Elkton’s final touchdown was
brought in by Peters and, after
that, Lockhart was able to let more
of his inexperienced players in for
some play time.
“Jayden Bickford made the
highlight reel because he got to
play defense on that series and did
a good job,” said Lockhart. “Then
he got to play offense in our next
series, and he caught his first pass
as a football player.”
Eddyville scored a final touch-
down late in the fourth, and the
final score was 66-39.
The Elks had a great game sta-
tistically. Peters had 15 carries for
165 yards, with three touchdowns
on the ground and three conver-
sions. Throwing, Peters was three
for six for 63 yards, and receiving
had three catches for 80 yards and
one touchdown. “He’s definitely
been a beast for us this year,” said
Lockhart.
Rausch had five carries for 74
yards and a touchdown, as well as
a conversion.
Particularly impressive this
game was Clevenger, who was 14
for 19 passing for 244 yards, with
five touchdown throws and two
conversions through the air. Cle-
venger also played hard defense
with 10 tackles and the fumble re-
covery for a score.
Bowen had seven receptions for
124 yards and two touchdowns.
“He was awesome,” said Lockhart.
“Everything we threw at him, he
caught.”
Elkton’s defense in general was
very strong this season. Accord-
ing to Lockhart, “One thing I was
definitely impressed with, too, was
that we only had one turnover in
the game — that puts us at four
turnovers for the entire year. We’ve
been protecting the ball better.”
Overall, it was a memorable win
and a successful final match, with
Lockhart experiencing his own
rite of passage as a coach.
“They dumped Gatorade on
me! I did not know that was com-
ing,” exclaimed the coach. “We
were doing our sportsmanship,
shaking hands and stuff at mid-
field, and I’m talking to the coach
and he backs away from me — and
I’m just thinking, ‘What’s he do-
ing?’ And all of a sudden, I just get
crushed with a big wave of water.
That’s the first time I’ve ever had a
Gatorade bath.”
Ice bath aside, the coach was
pleased with the end of the season
and his team’s performance.
“It was a great group of kids,”
said Lockhart. “Our seniors were
fantastic, and I’m definitely going
to miss all of them. They really
made it a special year.”
Regarding playing six-man,
Lockhart feels that it was definite-
ly the right thing to do this year.
“It was a nice adjustment,” he
said. “I think that we actually took
to it quite well, and once we fig-
ured it out by about the third or
fourth game, we really were click-
ing on all cylinders.”
Lions’ boys soccer garners MVP, Coach of the Year nods
When coaches from the Sky-
Em League gathered last week
to decide which players from
the boys soccer division were
among the best of the best, a to-
tal of nine Lions made the cut
— including the Most Valuable
Player and Coach of the Year.
CGHS junior middle-back
Jaden Cameron was named the
league’s MVP, with coach Vern
Stewart honored as Coach of the
Year.
Honorable Mention Goalie
went to Lions junior Ty Kishen.
Players receiving First-Team
All-League recognition included
another nod for Cameron at for-
ward; and senior middle Evan
Snauer.
Second-Team All League went
to sophomre forward Aldo Rea.
Receiving Honorable Mention
honors were juniors middles
Chase Williams and Sy Wil-
liams, along with senior wing
Drew Chapmen.
The Lions finished the season
at 5-3-1 overall.
OSAA announces decision on Season 3 Culminating week events
The OSAA Executive Board
met in a work session held March
31 to finalize decisions on Season
3 Culminating Week events.
The board recognized and gave
its appreciation for all the hard
work member schools and offi-
cials are doing on a daily basis to
make activities happen for the stu-
dents throughout Oregon.
The condensed, overlapping
seasons, along with the variations
in educational models, has tested
the collective resolve of member
schools this year but the commit-
ment to provide opportunities for
students is to be commended.
After lengthy conversation, dis-
cussion of feedback from schools
and consideration of several dif-
ferent options, the OSAA Execu-
tive Board made the decision to
return the sixth and final week of
Season 3 (spring)to the schools to
coordinate and execute local/re-
gional Culminating Week events
at their discretion, similar to Sea-
son 2 (fall).
The board said it believes that
providing local discretion for
Culminating Week events allows
schools to make the best decisions
for their school and community.
During the meeting, the board
discussed the current realities
impacting schools and activities
during the pandemic. While some
schools have been in session for
all or most of the year, the major-
ity of schools have recently or will
soon begin in-person or hybrid
schedules.
Just as educational models vary
throughout the state, the same
is true for high school activities.
Some schools and districts have
set limitations on travel and trans-
portation in playing a very local-
ized schedule while others are
competing in a more traditional
league schedule which may in-
volve more travel.
Season 2 has seen teams with
full schedules and others only
competing in a few contests.
School teams around the state
have had to pause programs due
to COVID-19 exposures while
Athlete of
the Week
others have participated without
issues.
The disparities outlined above
impact the ability to establish
fair and equitable qualifying pro-
cedures in order to crown a true
state champion.
OSAA-sponsored state champi-
onship events would require travel
across the state for many schools
and potentially include overnight
stays depending on the sport,
thus creating the type of large-
scale public events that the OHA
and Governor continue to advise
against at this time.
Additionally, returning this
week to schools lengthens the
already shortened season and
provides additional participation
opportunities for all students at all
levels in a program.
The board directed staff to sup-
port schools in organizing these
events at the local/regional level
and help provide meaningful ex-
periences for students.
OSAA staff will work with
member schools to highlight
This week’s athlete of the
week is Cottage Grove’s
Jaden Cameron, who
was named the Sky-Em
League’s MVP for boys
soccer
and promote these events, stu-
dent-athletes, coaches and stories.
Participation limitations for
Season 3 sports have been in-
creased to allow for additional
contests in each activity through
the culminating weeks.
Baseball and softball will re-
ceive four (4) additional games,
tennis will receive three (3) addi-
tional multi-match playing dates,
track & field will receive two (2)
additional meets and golf will re-
ceive four (4) additional nine-hole
rounds.
The board also confirmed its
support for virtual events for
cheerleading, dance/drill, solo
music, band, orchestra, choir and
speech.
Potential Culminating Week
events for Season 4 (winter) were
discussed but no decisions have
been made at this time.
The board plans to continue re-
viewing potential options as that
season draws near.
Cottage
Grove High
School
junior Jaden
Cameron is
a forward
for the Lions’
boys varsity
soccer team
Note: Game times and
dates are subject to change
April 16
• Elkton Baseball at
North D/Yoncalla
Noon and 2 pm
• ND Softball hosts
Riddle 2/4 pm
• Yoncalla Softball
at Oakridge 2/4 pm
• CG Baseball hosts
Marist 3/5 pm
• CG Softball hosts
Marist 3/5 pm
• Elkton Track/Field
RCCS Spring Opener
4 pm
• Yoncalla T/F
RCCS Spring Opener
4 pm
April 17
• Yoncalla Softball
at Oakridge
2 and 4 p.m.
April 20
• CGHS Softball
at J. City 5 pm
• CGHS Baseball
at J. City 5 pm
• Elkton Softball
hosts Lowell
4:30 pm
• Elkton Baseball
at Ump. Valley Chr.
4:30 pm
• ND Softball at
Oakridge 4:30 pm
ND/Yonca Baseball
at Riddle 4:30 pm
• Yoncalla Softball
at Riddle 4:30 pm
April 21
• Yoncalla T/F
at Mapleton 4 pm
April 22
• Elkton T/F
at Riddle 4 pm
Results:
April 13
• CGHS Baseball
lost to Siuslaw: 9-11
• CGHS Softball
defeated Siuslaw: 17-3
• Elkton Baseball
lost to Glendale: 0-17
• Yoncalla Softball
defeated Glendale: 24-23