May 29, 2014

By Cliff Richardson

McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week

McKenzie High School’s Varsity Spring Sports have concluded for the 2014 season. The annual Spring Sports Academic and Athletic Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3 in the Old Gymnasium.

Boomers Bounce Lowell (Eagles) Out of Post Season

The Lowell/Mohawk/McKenzie varsity baseball team had reason to think their 2014 season might be extended with a berth in the OSAA State Baseball Championships. With Special District 3 League victories over Siletz Valley and Toledo on May 13, the Red Devil/Indian/Eagle collective team landed in third place in the final League standings and the team had momentum going into the SD-3 League playoffs. Lowell/Mohawk/McKenzie was the designated 3rd seed home team at Toledo versus the 4th seed Siletz Valley Warriors in the first round of the League playoffs. The winner would advance to face 2nd seed Toledo for a coveted State Berth. The Red Devils rose to the occasion and defeated the Warriors, 7-6. The hometown Toledo Boomers, however, had only lost once at home this season, a 5-4 decision to 2nd State ranked League Champion Monroe and with all the marbles on the line, the coastal team easily defeated the valley visitors, 12-0. With the loss, Lowell/Mohawk/McKenzie ends it season with a 5-8 League record and a 13-11 overall record. McKenzie senior athletes Casey Mitchell and Bailey Adams and junior Eric Huffman participated on the 2014 Red Devil team due to lack of enough interest at McKenzie to field a varsity baseball team. Toledo upset 2nd ranked Monroe the following day at Monroe, 9-5, to secure the #1 seed to the OSAA 2A/1A State Baseball Championships. The Boomers open the State playoffs by hosting Regis, who finished 2nd to Kennedy in the Special District 2 League final standings. Monroe will represent the SD 3 League as the #2 seed and will host Union/Cove in their first round matchup. The latter placed 2nd to Grant Union in the Special District 7 League. Both Monroe and Toledo play on Wednesday, May 28.

Alex Nastasiuk: 3rd at State, Sets New School Record, Again!

Eagle 4X400 Meter Relay Finishes 6th

McKenzie Junior Alex Nast-asiuk broke his week old 300 meter hurdle record at the OSAA State Track and Field Meet, held at storied Hayward Field last Friday, May 23. Nastasiuk recorded a 41.89 second time in the State Finals dropping his previous record set at the 1A Special District 5 (Mt. West League) Meet by 0.05 seconds. The McKenzie 4X400 meter relay team, consisting of Senior Bailey Adams, Sophomore Drew Hamlow, and Juniors Jeff Bayer and Nastasiuk placed 6th in the State Finals with a time of 3:42.91 minutes, the fastest time recorded by the team this season.

Makaila Hiddleston Earns 7th at State Meet

Shyla Harlan, Idgie Glynn Finish 9th

Makaila Hiddleston concluded her McKenzie athletic career with a 7th place finish at the OSAA 1A State Track and Field Meet at Hayward Field on Saturday, May 23. Hiddleston threw the shot put 32-05.25 ft. Teammate Senior Shyla Harlan also wrapped up her athletic career at McKenzie with a 9th place finish in the long jump event. Harlan’s jump of 14-08.00 ft. was a personal and Eagle 2014 season best, and the mark places Harlan second on the Eagle all time list behind Marley Cox, who owns the Eagle standard at 15-01.00 ft. set in 2004. McKenzie Sophomore Idgie Glynn captured two 9th place finishes at the State Meet. Glynn tied for 9th in the pole vault with a 7-00.00 ft. mark and jumped 29-09.25 ft. in the triple jump for her second 9th place finish.

Mt. West League State Update

The Lowell Boys finished 3rd in the team standings at the 2014 OSAA State Track and Field Meet, scoring 44 pts. total. Adrian won the State Meet with 58 pts. Crow placed 5th in the standings with 36 pts., Mohawk was 6th with 27 pts., Triangle Lake finished in a tie for 22nd with Eddyville and 10 pts. each, while McKenzie and Siletz Valley tied for 25th with 9 pts. apiece. Mapleton returned home with a 39th place finish and 2 pts. scored. Crow’s Girls finished highest in the State Meet for the Mt. West League, 7th place with 27 pts. scored. Triangle Lake tied for 11th with 22 pts., Lowell ended the Meet tied in 18th with 18 pts., Eddyville was 25th with 10 pts. and McKenzie and Mapleton tied for 32nd with 2 pts.