BAKER CITY HERALD • TuEsDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 A5
SPORTS
POWDER VALLEY FOOTBALL
Badgers rout Adrian, avenge 2021 title game loss
Baker City Herald
NORTH POWDER — This
time the Powder Valley Bad-
gers football team didn’t need
to worry about a comeback.
They had to worry about
trying to stay dry.
But no comeback.
On the first rainy evening of
the season, the Badgers made
an emphatic statement with
a 46-14 rout of rival Adrian
at North Powder on Senior
Night.
The win, which kept the
Badgers unbeaten at 8-0,
avenged a pair of losses to the
Antelopes last fall. Adrian beat
the Badgers 38-0 in a regular
season game, then rallied in
the fourth quarter to beat Pow-
der Valley 46-38 in a thrilling
Class 1A state title game at
Baker Bulldog Memorial Sta-
dium.
“Unlike last year’s match up,
this time Powder came out on
top,” Badgers assistant coach
Dan Townsend said. “It’s fun
any time you get to play a team
the caliber of Adrian. They
have one of the best programs
in the state, and any time you
can beat a team like that, it’s
special.”
The Badgers started fast,
as sophomore running back
Tucker Martin scored a touch-
down just 16 seconds into the
game. The 2-point conversion
gave Powder an 8-0 lead.
Ian Crawford/Baker City Herald
Powder Valley’s Tucker Martin carries the ball against Adrian on a
rainy Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at North Powder.
Ian Crawford/Baker City Herald
Powder Valley’s Cooper Secl, right, tackles an Adrian Antelope with
help from Cole Martin and Braxton Golar on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, at
North Powder.
But it was competitive early,
as Adrian, which came into
the game 6-1, answered with
a touchdown. The conversion
try failed and the Badgers still
led 8-6. Senior quarterback
Cole Martin then went 85
yards on the soggy turf for an-
other score, and the Badgers
led 14-6.
The Antelopes wouldn’t get
to the end zone again until late
in the fourth quarter, and by
then the game had long since
been decided.
The Badgers, fittingly on
such a damp night, did most of
their damage on the ground,
amassing more than 400 yards
rushing.
Cole Martin gained 285
yards on 21 carries and had
four touchdowns.
Tucker Martin had 113
yards on 12 carries and one
score.
“Once again the team was
led by our guys up front,”
Townsend said. “Caleb Kerns,
Logan Profitt and Cade Lind
dominated all night long. Cole
Martin and Tucker Martin
were the recipients of those
huge holes up front. It was a lot
of fun to watch.”
After establishing the run-
ning game, Powder head coach
Josh Cobb let Cole Martin ex-
ercise his arm, too.
Martin completed 3 of 6
passes for 100 yards, including
a 74-yard touchdown strike to
fellow senior Jackson Chan-
dler.
“Jackson worked hard all
game getting open and work-
ing down field,” Townsend
said.
“Offensively it just seemed
like everything was clicking,”
Cobb said. “Great blocking up
front, and playmakers making
huge plays.”
A key stanza came late in
the first half, when Powder fol-
lowed a touchdown by recov-
ering an onside kick, which led
to a second touchdown. The
two scores within a minute
boosted the Badgers’ lead to
30-6 at halftime.
For all the offensive accom-
plishments, it was Powder’s
defense responsible for mak-
ing sure Adrian didn’t replicate
its rally from the 2021 cham-
pionship game. The Badgers
never let the Antelopes get up
to speed.
Cobb credited defensive co-
ordinator Riley Martin.
“His defensive scheme was
right on for the game,” Cobb
said. “He did a great job in
making sure we were prepared
defensively.”
Tucker Martin had 17 tack-
les, and Cole Martin had 16
stops. Cole Martin was as-
signed to shadow Adrian’s Jace
Martin, one of the state’s top
running backs. Jace Martin
had one of Adrian’s two touch-
downs.
But as with Powder’s pow-
erful rushing attack, the de-
fense was keyed by the line,
Townsend said.
“The true heroes on the de-
fense was the guys up front,
Cade Lind, Braxton Golar,
Colt Cobb. They were respon-
sible for five sacks and three
fumbles. Lizandro Rodriguez
also had a big day on defense
with three pass breakups and
seven tackles.”
Prior to kickoff Friday, the
Badgers honored seniors Jack-
son Chandler, Cole Martin,
Cooper Secl, Colt Cobb, Cade
Lind, Braxton Golar and Lo-
gan Profitt.
The Badgers, who had al-
ready clinched a playoff berth,
finish their regular season
by traveling to Pilot Rock on
Thursday, Oct. 27. The Rock-
ets are winless this season.
Powder Valley is in a good
position to earn a first-round
bye in the playoffs and get a
home game on Nov. 11, as one
of the top four ranked teams.
The Badgers are ranked third.
Rankings will be frozen Oct.
29.
Arrest
BAKER FOOTBALL
Continued from A2
Indeed, federal crews called the regional interagency
dispatch center on both days of the burn to report verbal
harassment, threats and aggressive driving through the
smoke, and to request law enforcement assistance on the
scene.
The Hollidays maintain they were welcoming and coop-
erative with federal crews, providing access to their land in
order to contain the blaze. But as the fire spread and crews
worked to contain it, the Hollidays called 911. They didn’t
call to report the fire. They asked for the sheriff.
“We knew that somebody was doing something
wrong,” said Taylor.
Lisa Britton/Baker City Herald, File
Baker receiver Malaki Myer tries to evade a Homedale defender on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at Baker Bulldog Memorial Stadium. Myer had five
catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 48-31 loss at Crook County on Oct. 22, 2022.
Turnovers prove costly in
Baker’s loss to Crook County
BY JAYSON JACOBY
jjacoby@bakercityherald.com
PRINEVILLE — Baker’s football team
appeared to be well on its way to rolling past
the Crook County Cowboys and clinching
a Class 4A playoff berth on Saturday after-
noon, Oct. 22 at Prineville.
Kayden Garvin’s pair of 3-yard touch-
down runs had given the Bulldogs a 13-0
lead in the first quarter.
But then the momentum shifted even
more rapidly than the weather did a day
earlier when the first storm of the autumn
brought rain and much cooler tempera-
tures.
Crook County, one of the four new mem-
bers of the Greater Oregon League, inter-
cepted quarterback Paul Hobson’s pass on
Baker’s third drive.
The Cowboys capitalized with a 3-yard
touchdown run.
But that, unfortunately for the Bulldogs,
was just the beginning.
Crook County ended scoring 34 straight
points in a span that extended well into the
third quarter.
Baker rallied with two straight touch-
downs to get as close as 34-25 in the fourth
quarter, but Baker couldn’t recover the sub-
sequent onside kick. The Cowboys returned
two interceptions for touchdowns and went
on to a 48-31 win.
“We did not bring our A game on Satur-
day, and our C game was not good enough
to win,” Baker coach Jason Ramos said.
“It was a very disappointing loss. We need
to recover quickly because we have a big
game against Pendleton this week on Senior
Night.”
The Bulldogs, 5-3 on the season, will
close out the regular season by playing host
to the Buckaroos, another GOL newcomer,
on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Baker Bulldog
Memorial Stadium.
The playoff scenario is straightforward,
said Buell Gonzales Jr., athletic director for
the Baker School District.
If Baker beats Pendleton, the Bulldogs
will clinch one of the GOL’s three playoff
spots. If Baker loses, its season ends.
Pendleton, 6-2 overall, is alone in second
place in the league at 4-1, behind 5-0 La
Baker and Pendleton, common
opponents
Baker’s home football game against Pend-
leton on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Baker
Bulldog Memorial Stadium is a big one,
with a playoff berth for Baker on the line.
The Bulldogs and Buckaroos have four op-
ponents in common this year, all Greater
Oregon League rivals.
The results:
Madras
Baker won 41-14
Pendleton won 49-12
Crook County
Baker lost 48-31
Pendleton won 39-0
The Dalles
Baker won 35-8
Pendleton won 49-12
La Grande
Baker lost 55-21
Pendleton lost 33-20
Grande, which beat Pendleton 33-20 on
Friday, Oct. 21. Baker and Crook County
are tied for third at 2-2.
If Baker beats Pendleton, and Crook
County beats Madras on Friday, Oct. 28,
there would be a three-way tie for second,
with Baker, Pendleton and Crook County
all 3-2 in GOL play.
The first potential tiebreaker is head-
to-head results, but that doesn’t work be-
cause Baker would have beaten Pendleton,
Pendleton beat Crook County, and Crook
County beat Baker.
The next tiebreaker is comparing the
teams’ RPI rating, Gonzales said.
And in that metric Baker fares well, with
the highest RPI, as of Monday, Oct. 24, of
the three teams, at No. 7. Pendleton was No.
12, and Crook County No. 17. Since Bak-
er’s RPI would likely rise with a win over
Pendleton, the Bulldogs and the Bucka-
roos would earn playoff bids, while Crook
County would be left out.
Turnovers the difference
On Saturday at Prineville, Baker had the
advantage in numerous statistical catego-
ries, including total yards (427 to 345), pass-
ing yards (325 to 149), first downs (19 to 18)
and third-down conversions (8 of 12, com-
pared to Crook County’s 2 of 9).
But it was one statistic — turnovers —
that told the tale, as it so often does in foot-
ball.Baker turned the ball over four times,
Crook County only one.
After the first turnover, with the Bulldogs
leading 13-0, “we just lost all momentum,”
Ramos said.
“Our defense struggled to make plays
when it counted, and our offense didn’t get
back on track until late in the game.”
After the Cowboys went ahead 34-13 in
the third quarter, Hobson started Baker’s
rally with a 2-yard touchdown run. The ex-
tra point was wide and Baker trailed 34-19.
The Cowboys appeared poised to punch
in another touchdown, but they fumbled at
the goal line and Baker recovered at its own
1. On the first play from scrimmage, Malaki
Myer ran free down the sideline and Hob-
son hit him in stride for a 99-yard touch-
down to make it 34-25. Baker went for two
points to get within seven points but the try
failed.
Baker’s defense got a stop, but on the en-
suing possession Crook County took back
an interception for a 39-yard touchdown
and a 41-25 lead.
The Bulldogs quickly advanced inside
the Crook County 20, but a Cowboy defen-
sive back stepped in front of Hobson’s pass
and ran untouched for 85 yards for a touch-
down.
Hobson connected with Myer again
for a 15-yard touchdown, but there wasn’t
enough time for Baker to mount a come-
back.
Hobson completed 20 of 44 passes for
325 yards and two touchdowns. He also led
Baker in rushing in 70 yards on nine car-
ries. Garvin had 32 yards and the two early
touchdowns.
Myer had five catches for 125 yards, Ra-
sean Jones six catches for 95 yards, and
Hudson Spike seven catches for 84 yards.
Dash Bloomer had one catch for 10 yards.
On defense, Bloomer had six tackles, one
sack and two tackles for loss.
Planning for contingencies
Adlam points out that spillover fires like the one that
happened in Bear Valley are rare occurrences but can still
have a huge impact on people.
“I think that, the last 20 years, we’ve had one other oc-
currence of a burn crossing over from federal land onto
private land in Oregon,” he said.
The Malheur National Forest supervisor notes that the
spillover was quickly brought under control.
“They caught it with the resources they had on scene,”
Trulock said. “We didn’t use any aviation or anything.
The only additional resource we brought on was that
dozer, and that was to really secure the edge of the spot
so that they could then mop it up. So we were staffed
enough to actually catch something like this.”
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office and the Forest Ser-
vice estimated the size of the spot fire as approximately
20 acres. Chad Holliday estimates it as closer to 40, after
measuring the perimeter of the area at “exactly one mile.”
‘Somebody’s got to be held accountable’
As the federal crews were attempting to control the
spot fire on the ranch, McKinley arrived. Chad Holliday
received a call from his sister who was on the scene and
told him to get home. He arrived to see Sheriff McKinley
speaking with people along the fence.
“I walked up, and Todd said, ‘Chad, right now you’re
(being) videorecorded. You’re the spokesman for the
ranch. Would you like to press charges?’ And I said, ‘Ab-
solutely. Somebody’s got to be held accountable.’”
Holliday said McKinley then went directly to Sno-
dgrass on the county road and “put the cuffs on him.”
‘A reasonable person’
The fire was set in the days before predicted rain, and
will likely prove to be the last of this year’s short burn sea-
son. But the issues surrounding prescribed burning and
federal land management, especially as it impacts private
landowners, will undoubtedly remain a flashpoint in
Grant County.
McKinley declined offers to comment on the case be-
yond his initial press release, which said “details cannot
be released at this time.”
Grant County District Attorney Jim Carpenter has
been slightly more forthcoming, stating in his own press
release that just because the burn boss was working as
part of a federal crew doesn’t mean he will be shielded
from potential legal consequences.
“To be clear, the employer and/or position of Sno-
dgrass will not protect him if it is determined that he
acted recklessly,” he wrote. “That the USFS was engag-
ing in a prescribed burn may actually raise, rather than
lower, the standard to which Snodgrass will be held.”
Carpenter lays out in his release the full legal standard
for determining if a burn is or is not “reckless” as defined
in Oregon statute: “The risk must be of such nature and
degree that disregard thereof constitutes a gross deviation
from the standard of care that a reasonable person would
observe in the situation.”
Critics of the Forest Service point to the simple fact that
the fire escaped the lines as evidence the conditions were
unsafe and that the fire should never have been approved.
To the Hollidays, and those skeptical of federal land man-
agement in general, it’s a clear measure: the fire got onto
their land and threatened or destroyed their property.
How could that have been a reasonable thing to do?
When reached for comment on this story, McKinley
clarified why he’s reluctant to say too much at this point.
“I just want to respect the case and not get too much
detail out so that it doesn’t mess with potential jury pools
and all that,” he said, “because then we’d have to have (the
trial) out of the area.”
The sheriff said he knows how it appears in the court
of public opinion to withhold detail, but “I just don’t
care” as long as it protects the process.
For McKinley, the most important consideration is
that the facts surrounding this case and the decisions of
Rick Snodgrass are ultimately determined by 12 reason-
able people from Grant County.