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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 2017)
A10 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, November 22, 2017 WEDNESDAY November 22, 2017 The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Mark Thomas looks for a way around Denali Twehues as the Monument/Dayville boys and girls teams scrimmage in practice Nov. 15 in Dayville. Leaders return to Lady Tigers team Monument/ Dayville girls and coach aim high Monument/Dayville Tiger Donovan Schafer lays up a shot in the team’s Nov. 15 practice in Dayville. Young Monument/Dayville boys hoops team prepares for season By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Returning starters Kyla Emerson, Faythe Schafer, Danielle Rhoda and Dena- li Twehues will lead on the court for the Monument/Day- ville girls basketball team this season. Taylor Schmadeka returns for his third year as head coach for the Tiger girls, as- sisted by Kristi Emerson. Schmadeka said he’s pleased with the overall atmo- sphere of the team. “They’re friends on and off the court,” he said. “They’ve all played volleyball together, except one, so they know each other.” The team lost three play- ers to graduation last season, Kendall Hettinga, Ravyn Walker and Dinorha Vidrio Landin. Stepping into the senior role this year are Rhoda, Au- brey Werner and Cassy Buck- master, who is a transfer stu- dent at Dayville school. Five juniors, three soph- omores and one freshman round out the team. In their Nov. 15 practice in Dayville, the Lady Tigers were going full-steam ahead. “In drills, they go at 100 percent, game speed,” the coach said. The Tigers have no small ambitions. “Our goal is to win dis- tricts and go on to state,” Schmadeka said. He said they have a goal of improving their overall speed — “moving up and down the court, passing, shooting, just the overall tempo of the game.” “I always push them to go as fast as they can or faster,” he added. Two players he expects will be quick on their feet on Coach Jeff Schafer focuses on future growth By Angel Carpenter Monument/ Dayville Tigers boys schedule Blue Mountain Eagle Danielle Rhoda Cassy Buckmaster Aubrey Werner the court and push hard are Kyla Emerson and Schafer. Both were state contenders in track and field last school year. The Tigers will need all the strength their team can offer for this year’s competition. In the 1A-8 High Desert League, they’ll face Adrian, Jordan See TEAM, Page A13 Monument/Dayville Tigers girls schedule Dec. 1: @ Condon/Wheeler at Paul Humphreys Tip-Off Tourney in Fossil at 6 p.m. Dec. 2: @ Pilot Rock at Paul Humphreys Tip-Off Tourney in Fossil at 11 a.m. Dec. 8: @ Wallowa at the Lions Tournament in Wallowa at 6 p.m. Dec. 9: @ La Grande junior varsity at the Lions Tourna- ment in Wallowa at 1 p.m. Dec. 12: @ South Wasco County in Maupin at 4 p.m. Dec. 21-23: @ Union Holiday Classic in Union Dec. 29: Tigers host alumni game in Monument at 5 p.m. Jan. 5: @ Crane at 6 p.m. Jan. 6: @ Prairie City at 2 p.m. Jan. 12: vs. Burnt River in Monument at 6 p.m. Jan. 13: @ Four Rivers in Ontario at 1 p.m. Jan. 16: vs. Ukiah/Long Creek junior varsity in Dayville at 5 p.m. Jan. 19: vs. Adrian in Monument at 6 p.m. Jan. 20: @ Jordan Valley at 2 p.m. (MST) Jan 26: vs. Huntington in Dayville at 6 p.m. Jan. 27: vs. Crane in Monument at 2 p.m. Feb. 2: @ Harper at 6 p.m. (MST) Feb. 3: @ Ukiah/Long Creek junior varsity in Long Creek at 2 p.m. Feb. 9: vs. Prairie City in Dayville (senior recognition) at 6 p.m. Feb. 10: @ Burnt River in Unity at 2 p.m. Feb. 15: @ 1A-8 High Desert District Tournament in John Day The Monument/Dayville Tiger boys basketball team has some shoes to fill after losing five seniors last year. Head coach Jeff Scha- fer, in his sixth year leading the team, is now focused on molding a younger group of athletes. “One of our goals is to become unified more and more every day,” he said. “We’re focused on future growth and getting better every game. I think we can be a great team.” Schafer is assisted by coach Josh Williams. Last season, Monument/ Dayville lost a nail-biter semifinals match to Prairie City at the 1A-8 High Desert District Tournament. In the third quarter, Monument/ Dayville held a seven-point lead, but Prairie City pulled away for a 54-46 win. The Tigers finished last season with six on their ros- ter, after losing two seniors during the season. Eight have joined this year’s team, including se- nior foreign exchange stu- dent Rafael Dualibi. Al- though he’s never played on a basketball team, Dualibi said he’s spent time playing the sport with friends. He said he’s enjoying playing basketball with sev- eral teammates who also played Tiger football with him. “I like the physical as- pect to get in shape because we run a lot, and it’s very good for our health,” he said. “They’re pretty nice guys, and both coaches are very good.” Gabe Walker, who saw time on the court last year, is the sole junior for the Ti- gers. Walker said he likes spending time with his team. “I can’t wait to grow with my team,” he said. “I can’t Monument/Dayville’s Drew Wilburn makes a jump shot as Aubrey Bowlus from the girls team tries to disrupt. In back, Denali Twehues and Gabe Walker (behind her) are in the action as the boys and girls teams scrimmage. Rafael Dualibi wait to see what we do.” The roster is rounded out with underclassmen, includ- ing two sophomores and four freshmen. The freshmen all have junior high basketball expe- rience. Freshman JT Hand was this year’s quarterback for the Tiger football team. Freshman Mark Thomas, who was also a key player on the football team, has in past years been a top com- petitor in cross country. Coach Schafer said he’s looking to Walker and soph- omore Drew Wilburn — the only returning starter — to be emotional leaders, keep- ing the team composed when games reach high-in- tensity levels. Coach Schafer said, al- though the team is young, they have a lot of enthusi- asm. “We’re hopeful for the future because of how they’re willing to work,” he said. The Tigers will face Prairie City, Adrian, Crane, Jordan Valley, Burnt Riv- er, Harper and Huntington in the league. They’ll face Prairie City, Burnt River and Crane twice, and the others only once. Schafer said he expects Prairie City to be tough again this season, along with Jordan Valley. “Jordan Valley is always tough, with talented players and a good coach,” he said. “We’re short and young,” Schafer said, adding they’d be working a lot on defense. As Schafer ran his team through drills at their Nov. 15 practice, he didn’t over- look the details. “It’s the little things that make a great team,” he told the team. Dec. 1: @ Condon/ Wheeler at Paul Hum- phreys Tip-Off Tourney in Fossil at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2: @ Pilot Rock at Paul Humphreys Tip-Off Tourney in Fossil at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 8: @ Wallowa at the Lions Tournament in Wallowa at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9: @ La Grande junior varsity at the Lions Tournament in Wallowa at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 12: @ South Wasco County in Maupin at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 21-23: @ Union Holiday Classic in Union Dec. 29: Tigers host alumni game in Monument at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5: @ Crane at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6: @ Prairie City at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 12: vs. Burnt River in Monument at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13: @ Four Rivers in Ontario at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 16: vs. Ukiah/Long Creek in Dayville at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19: vs. Adrian in Monument at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20: @ Jordan Valley at 3:30 p.m. (MST) Jan 26: vs. Huntington in Dayville at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27: vs. Crane in Monument at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 2: @ Harper at 7:30 p.m. (MST) Feb. 3: @ Ukiah/Long Creek junior varsity in Long Creek at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 9: vs. Prairie City in Dayville (senior recogni- tion) at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10: @ Burnt River in Unity at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 15: @ 1A-8 High Desert District Tournament in John Day The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Monument/Dayville boys head coach Jeff Schafer, center, instructs his team at their Nov. 15 practice in Dayville. From left, DJ Howell, Drew Wilburn, Rafael Dualibi, Donovan Schafer, coach Jeff Schafer, JT Hand, Gabe Walker, assistant coach Josh Williams (foreground), Rico Sparka and Mark Thomas.