A8 — BAKER CITY HERALD
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2021
SPORTS
BAKER GIRLS BASKETBALL
Bulldogs have new coach
By JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
The Baker girls basketball team will
try to defend its 2019 Class 4A state
championship with a new head coach
on the bench.
Mat Sand, who led the Bulldogs to
their fi rst state title and compiled a
108-29 record during his six seasons,
resigned on Monday, Nov. 8 due to com-
mitments with his business, said Buell
Gonzales Jr., athletic director for the
Baker School District.
Gonzales, who has more than 20
years of varsity basketball coaching
experience, will take over for Sand for
the 2021-22 season.
Practice starts on Monday, Nov. 15,
and Baker’s fi rst game is scheduled
for Dec. 2 at home against Homedale,
Idaho.
“We’re going to make the best out of
a diffi cult situation,” Gonzales said on
Wednesday, Nov. 10. “I love to teach, and
this is a really good opportunity for me
to get back working with kids and start
teaching.”
Sand, who owns fl eet repair shops in
Eugene and Salem, said uncertainties
related to the pandemic and the effects
on his business have made it harder
for him to devote the amount of time to
coaching as he has done in the past.
He said he would like to return as
head coach in future seasons and would
likely apply for the job.
“I hope I can return to the position
I have had and we can do more good
things,” Sand said in a phone interview
on Wednesday, Nov. 10. “I love coaching.
It’s been a great experience.”
Gonzales said the plan is to advertise
the varsity head coaching job next year,
after the 2021-22 season ends in March.
“It’s a really sad, diffi cult situation
that we’ve got to deal with,” Gonzales
said. “Mat’s a great man and a great
coach. He was a state champion here,
doing it the right way.”
Sand said he has talked with Gon-
zales and other school district offi cials,
including his assistant coaches, Jason
Ramos and Amy Younger, since early
in the pandemic in the event that he
would have to focus more on his busi-
ness than on coaching.
Sand coached the Baker varsity girls
during the abbreviated 2021 season,
Oregon can clinch
Pac-12 North with win
vs Cougars, and help
By ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press
Things to watch in Week
11 of the Pac-12 Conference:
Corey Kirk/Baker City Herald, File
Mat Sand, center, works with players during a girls basketball practice
in January 2021.
which was played in late May and June
rather than during the winter as usual.
Until recently, Sand said, he
intended to coach during the upcoming
season, which returns to its regular
winter schedule.
But ultimately he decided he could
not fully commit to doing so.
Sand said he wanted to avoid un-
necessary disruptions to the team.
“They’ve already had so many
disruptions,” he said.
Sand said he’s grateful for the sup-
port from Gonzales, the other coaches,
and the Baker School District.
“I’m just thankful that everyone is
willing to step up as coaches,” he said. “I
think the team’s in good hands and that
makes me feel good.”
Sand said it has been a rewarding
experience to contribute to the progress
of the Baker girls basketball program,
culminating in the 2019 state title.
He credits the players, other coaches,
district offi cials and community resi-
dents with their support over the years.
After going 25-1 during the champi-
onship season of 2018-19, Sand coached
the Bulldogs to a 24-2 record and a
berth in the 2020 state tournament at
Forest Grove.
But on the day Baker was slated to
play its opening tournament game, the
Oregon School Activities Association
canceled the tournament due to the
then-unfamiliar specter of the corona-
virus.
Gonzales has extensive
experience
Gonzales, who played basketball
at Prairie City, where he grew up, and
later at Western Or-
egon University, started
his coaching career as
a one-year graduate
assistant at Western
Oregon.
From there he
was hired as the head
Buell
boys varsity coach at
Gonzales Jr.
St. Paul, a Class 1A
school in the Willamette Valley. He later
coached the boys varsity basketball
team at Santiam High School, in Mill
City east of Salem, for four years, then
coached the girls varsity at Scappoose
for two years, and the boys varsity at
Brookings for seven years.
“I feel confi dent that I’ll do a good
job,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales said he’s grateful that
Ramos and Younger both return as as-
sistants this season.
Baker also returns multiple players
with varsity experience, including junior
post Jozie Ramos, who as a freshman
started on the 2019-20 team that was
deprived of the chance to defend its
state title.
Game of the week
The fi fth-ranked Oregon
Ducks continue a march
toward the Pac-12 title game,
and perhaps a playoff berth,
at home against Washington
State on Saturday night.
Oregon (8-1, 5-1) was No. 3
in the latest College Football
Playoff rankings. A win over
the Cougars, combined with
a Stanford victory against
Oregon State, would give Or-
egon the Pac-12 North crown
and a spot in the conference
championship game. The Cou-
gars (5-4, 4-2) are coming off
a 31-24 win at Arizona State
and sit in second place in the
North Division. Despite the
turbulence over the dismissal
of coach Nick Rolovich, the
Cougars are just one win from
bowl eligibility.
Matchup of the week
Stanford at Oregon State.
Like the Cougs, the Beavers
need just one more victory to
be bowl eligible, but they fell
37-34 in overtime last week-
end to Colorado. Hosting the
Cardinal might be the best
chance Oregon State (5-4, 3-3)
has to secure a postseason
spot: the Beavers also play
Arizona State at home before
facing Oregon in Eugene to
wrap up the regular season.
Stanford (3-6, 2-5) has just
three overall wins this season,
but one of them came against
the formidable Ducks. The
Cardinal are coming off a
discouraging 52-7 loss to Utah
last weekend.
ton win over Arizona State.
The Wildcats have not been
able to beat the Utes since
2015 in Tucson. ... Saturday’s
game between California and
USC has peen postponed
because of a coronavirus out-
break in Berkeley. The game
has been rescheduled for Sat-
urday, Dec. 4. ... Stanford has
won the last 11 games against
Oregon State. ... UCLA, com-
ing off a bye, faces Colorado
and looks for its fi rst win at
home since beating No. 16
LSU back in September. A vic-
tory would make the Bruins
bowl eligible for the fi rst time
since 2017.
Player to watch
Travis Dye ran for a
career-high 211 yards and
a touchdown against Wash-
ington last week as Oregon
racked up a season-high
329 yards rushing. Dye has
rushed for 438 yards and
eight touchdowns in four
games since fellow running
back CJ Verdell was ruled
out for the rest of the season
because of injury. Dye ranks
second overall in the Pac-12
with an average of just over
91 yards rushing per game.
Upset watch
Arizona State at Washing-
ton. The Huskies (4-5, 3-3) are
in disarray. Head coach Jim-
my Lake has been suspended
for the game. Offensive
coordinator John Donovan
was relieved of his duties on
Sunday. So what better way to
make things more confound-
ing than a victory over the
Sun Devils? Arizona State (6-
3, 4-2) has won 11 of the last
13 against the Huskies, but
the teams haven’t met since
2018. The Dawgs have won
Inside the numbers
the last two games in Seattle.
Utah (6-3, 5-1) can clinch
the South Division with a win The Sun Devils are 5½-point
over Arizona and a Washing- favorites.
Convenient cancer care,
close to home.
SNOW TIRES
are cheaper
Now more than ever, your health and well-being are important.
than a wreck
That’s why we’re proud to provide infusion therapies 7 days
a week. And knowing you have high-quality, convenient care
nearby from a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital, so you have
peace of mind to focus on what matters most. Because at
Saint Alphonsus, our calling is you.
Chemotherapy | Board-certified oncologists
Infusion for chronic and acute illnesses | Wound care
Oncologist available weekly for patient care
Come and see us or call to schedule an appointment
Lew Brothers Tire Service
541-523-3679
(541) 524-7870 | 3325 Pocahontas Road | Baker City, Oregon 97814
210 Bridge St. Baker City, OR