BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2020
Baker High School athletes
standouts in the classroom
By Corey Kirk
ckirk@bakercityherald.com
Baker High School athletes
haven’t been able to compete
on the fi eld, track or court this
spring, but they’ve been perform-
ing at a high level academically
all year.
BHS sports teams have consis-
tently been in the top tier of aver-
age GPA in most sports, according
to the Oregon School Activities
Association (OSAA).
“We have some high academic
achievers in the high school level
right now in grades 9 to 12 (and)
this trend isn’t going to change for
the foreseeable future,” said Tim
Smith, BHS baseball coach.
Baker student-athletes not
only have to abide by the school
district rules, but also the guide-
lines set by the OSAA.
Although spring sports were
canceled in early March, OSAA
compiled a list of highest achiev-
ing schools for spring sports
based on participants’ grades in
the fi rst semester.
“It really doesn’t take into
account anything that happened
at the end of the third quarter or
even the fourth,” said Buell Gon-
zales Jr., Baker School District
athletic director.
In spring sports Baker’s base-
ball team ranked third among
Class 4A schools with a team
GPA of 3.57.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” Smith
said. “They’re not just good in the
classroom, they’re good every-
where.”
Baker’s girls track and fi eld
team was fi fth at 3.65, and the
boys were eighth with a team
GPA of 3.4.
S. John Collins / Baker City Herald fi le photo-2019
Baker’s Spencer Smith at bat against Nyssa in May 2019.
Other spring sports:
• Boys tennis — eighth, 3.4
• Boys golf, fi fth, 3.5
“We have a strong junior-
season boys group, and they did
well,” Gonzales said. “So of course
I’m proud.”
Baker’s winter sports teams
were also standouts. The boys
basketball (3.73) and boys swim-
ming (3.76) teams both had the
highest GPA among Class 4A
squads. The girls swimming team
placed fi fth at 3.78, and the Baker
wrestlers were seventh at 3.13.
The Bulldog athletic program
requires students to meet several
standards to be eligible for sports.
“You’re passing all of your
classes, you’re in good standing,
you have to be in school all day to
practice or participate and if you
have an absence it needs to fall in
the excusable category,” Gonzales
said.
“Our kids with our better
grades are our student athletes,”
Gonzales said. “They do take it
seriously and the commitment
that it takes to be involved, to be
a part of the quality experience.”
Where success lies for these
student athletes depends on their
time management skills and the
effort they put into their studies.
Smith credits his fellow teach-
ers for letting him know when a
student-athlete is struggling to
stay eligible.
“We have a heart-to-heart, we
sit down and we talk,” Smith said.
“They are coming to me as a base-
ball coach and they recognize you
as an athlete so we have talks to
prevent stuff like this from hap-
pening. I credit the high school
staff and students for getting the
job done.”
Ultimately, Gonzales said, BHS
will emphasize that for students
academics is the top priority, with
extracurricular activities second.
NBA draft should
happen as planned
Tuesday was supposed to be a
big day for basketball fans. Not
every team manages to make a
splash in the playoffs, so they look
to the NBA draft lottery as the
start for changing their fortunes.
Not this season.
The draft lottery was canceled
due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But what I propose is that the
NBA follow the NFL’s footsteps and
keep the June 25 date for the actual
draft.
NBA offi cials temporarily sus-
pended the season in early March
after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert
tested positive for COVID-19. As
the weeks progressed, other play-
ers, including Donovan Mitchell,
Kevin Durant, Marcus Smart and
Christian Wood, also contracted the
virus, increasing skepticism that
the season would resume.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver
opted to postpone the NBA com-
bine and draft lottery to protect the
health of all involved. But the draft
can still happen as scheduled.
I understand the potential chal-
lenges. We should be right in the
heat of the playoffs right now, fi nd-
ing out who is on a path to hoist
the Larry O’Brien trophy. If the
season resumes soon, having the
draft while games are happening,
rather than after the NBA Finals
as usual, could disrupt the trajecto-
ries of teams.
But I believe that even if the
season resumes, the NBA should
keep on court for the draft.
Last month, sports fans were
able to tune into the NFL Draft for
three days, when we watched NFL
commissioner Roger Goodell in
his own basement announcing the
COREY
KIRK
teams’ picks.
Viewership numbers were stag-
gering, as more than 15.6 million
people tuned in on just the fi rst day
alone, according to NFL.com.
Though the NFL draft is months
after the football season ends, the
league was able to capitalize on the
absence of live sports and draw a
huge viewership.
The NBA has an opportunity to
catch national attention the same
way.
Let’s say the season comes back
during the summer. The NBA can
decide that newly drafted players
won’t be eligible until the 2020-21
season starts, presumably this fall.
The league can determine the
odds for teams in the draft lottery
based on their records when the
season was postponed in March.
Sports fans are longing for that
day where basketball returns
to our TV screens, but we must
remain patient. As sports enti-
ties continue to decide what their
futures may entail, events that
can be hosted safely should stay on
schedule.
We have seen this work now, and
the NBA has an opportunity to
capitalize on this halt in sports.
So just do it, NBA, we are tired of
watching reruns of games from the
past. We want something to look
forward to, and what better way to
do that then to see the future of the
league try on their new uniforms.
Baker County
Faith Center
Foursquare
A Four Square Gospel Church
Worship Service
10:45 am
1839 3rd St, Baker City
541-523-7915
FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
Sunday Worship Service
10:30 am
1995 4th Street, Baker City
541-523-5201
firstpresbaker.blogspot.com
Sunday Worship
First Service 8:30 am
2nd Service & Sunday School
 am
Jr. High & High School Youth
Tues 6:30 pm
Youth Pastor Silas Moe
675 Hwy 7, Baker City • 541-523-5425
& HARVEST
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
(Preschool-12 Grade)
Harvest Cafe 9 am
Morning Worship 10:10 am
3720 Birch St, Baker City
541-523-4233
The first Sunday of each month is Mission
Breakfast. Donations and non-perishable dona-
tions for NEOCC are accepted.
Third & Broadway
541-523-3891
Sundays
10 AM Service
& Children's Church
Thursdays
5:30-6:15 pm
Free Community Dinner
Celebrate Recovery
Classes start at 6:15 pm
SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTIST
CHURCH
Pastor Troy Teeter
Services at 9 am
1st & 3rd Sundays, Holy Eucharist
2nd & 4th Sundays, Morning Prayer
5th Sunday, Morning Prayer
1250 Hughes Lane, Baker City
(Corner of Cedar & Hughes)
541-523-3533
www.bakernaz.com
2177 First Street • Baker City
Entrance on 1st Street
Corner Church & First Streets
541-523-4812
Sunday Worship 9:45 ඉඕ
9 AM - Baker Valley Ward
10:30 AM Baker City 1st Ward
Noon - Baker City 2nd Ward
Family History Center - no cost
Tues & Fri 1-4 PM
Wed & Thurs 10 AM - 1 PM
Wed Evenings 5:30-8:30 PM
Saturday Worship
11:00 am
www.bakercitysda.com
17th & Pocahontas, Baker City
541-523-4913
2625 Hughes Lane, Baker City
541-523-2397
CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE CHURCH
Elkhorn Baptist
Church
Sunday Service
11:00 am
Sunday School 10 am
Morning Worship 11 am
Evening Worship 6 pm
Discovery Kids Worship
: pm
3520 Birch St, Baker City
541-523-4332
www.ChristianScience.com
3rd & Washington, Baker City
541-523-5911
www.bakercalvarybaptist.com
St. Stephen’s
Episcopal
THE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST OF
LATTER-DAY SAINTS
ST. BRIGID’S IN THE
PINES COMMUNITY
CHURCH
11:30 a.m. Services
1st & 3rd Sunday
Holy Eucharist
East Auburn Street, Sumpter
541-523-4812
A Mission of St. Stephen's Episcopal
Church in Baker City
St. Francis De
Sales Cathedral
Daily Masses:
M, T, Th, F 9 am
Day Chapel in Cathedral
Wed Daily Mass 9 am
at St. Alphonsus Chapel
Sat 8 am at Day Chapel
Baker City Saturday Mass 6 pm
Baker City Sunday Mass 9:30 am
St. Therese in Halfway 2 pm Sat
St. Anthony's in North Powder
11:30 Sun
541-523-4521
Corner of First & Church, Baker City
Established
1904
SAINT
ALPHONSUS
HOSPITAL CHAPEL
Open to all patients,
family and friends for
reflection and prayer.
St. Alphonsus Hospital in
Baker City
FIRST
LUTHERAN
CHURCH
Sunday Service 11 ඉඕ
1734 Third Street, Baker City
541-523-3922
firstlutheranbakercity@gmail.com
AGAPE
CHRISTIAN
CENTER
Sunday Services
10:00 am & 6:30 pm
South Highway 7,
Baker City
541-523-6586
The church directory is published the third Friday of every month. Information for this directory is provided by participating churches, please call 541-523-3673 for more information.
Thank you to the participating churches and these sponsors:
Cliff’s Saws & Cycles
Whelan Electric, Inc.
523-5756 • CCB 103032
2619 Tenth • 523-2412
1950 Place • 523-4300
1500 Dewey • 523-3677