October 19, 2017

McKenzie Varsity Sport Schedule This Week

The McKenzie Varsity Volley-ball Team will travel to Days Creek on Tuesday, October 17, to participate in a three-way match with Days Creek and Hosanna Christian. The Eagle team will play Hosanna Christian at 5:30 pm. and host Days Creek at 7:00 pm. The latter match will be an endowment game.

McKenzie’s Boys Cross Coun-try team travels to Richardson Park at Fern Ridge Reservoir on Wednesday, October 18, to participate in the annual Country Fair Classic. The 5000-meter Boys Junior Varsity race starts at 3:45 pm and the Boys Varsity race will begin at 4:45 pm.

The McKenzie Varsity Volley-ball team will host the McKenzie Alumni on Wednesday, October 18, and the match is scheduled for a 6:00 pm. start.

The McKenzie Varsity Football team will travel to Drain on Friday, October 20, to play North Douglas. Kickoff at North Douglas High School is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

The Mt. West League Volley-ball Tournament will begin on Saturday, October 21, and will be held at New Hope Christian College. The Eagles will play for the Mt. West League Tournament Championship at 3:30 pm versus the winner of an earlier match between Alsea and Lowell.

McKenzie SET For Mt. West League Tournament

The OSAA 8th ranked McKen-zie Eagle Volleyball team swept through the Mt. West League Regular season unscathed, finish-ing with a school record 16-0 mark. McKenzie Head Coach Dan Brenner’s team now moves on to the next item logged in their season goals. On the list and at stake, is the Mt. West League Tournament Championship and subsequent seeding to the 2017 OSAA State Volleyball playoffs.

McKenzie ensured itself a berth in the MWL Championship game by virtue of its finish during the regular season and will play for either the MWL’s first or second seed to State. A win on Saturday will net the Eagles the League’s first seed, a bye in the First Round of the State playoffs, and a Second Round match at home, a huge advantage in playing to qualify for the State Finals held at Redmond.

Coach Brenner is confidant in his team’s skills and determination to win this weekend. “The girls have been improving throughout the season,” the Eagle mentor states. “We have four legitimate hitters capable of going on runs, two setters who work well with the hitters, a great libero who helps control the flow of passing and acts as the backup setter when we are out of system and a right side hitter who understands her role.”

Brenner feels like his team was tested throughout the regular season and met all formidable challenges head on. “I think we can win the playoffs and give us a one-shot game to make it to the State Finals. We’ve had a lot of fun and know we are a team to be reckoned with.”

An Eagle loss on Saturday will earn McKenzie a second seed to State and a home match following with the third seed team representing the Casco League. The MWL Tournament kicks off Saturday with regular season second place Alsea (14-2) pitted against third place Lowell (11-5). That match will start at 11:00 am. Fourth place Siletz Valley (11-5) will play at 12:30 pm., the winner of a match held prior between fifth place Mohawk (8-8) and sixth place Triangle Lake (5-11). The winner of the 12:30 match will advance to play the loser of the Alsea/Lowell match, scheduled for play at 2:00 pm. The victor of this latter match will earn the MWL number three seed to State and will travel to the home site of the Skyline League’s number two seed for a First Round match.

The winner of the Alsea/Lowell match will advance to play McKenzie for the 2017 MWL Tournament Championship, the winning team earning the League’s First Seed to State as stated above and the losing team earning the MWL second seed. Also set for the Tournament this Saturday, will be the announcement the 2017 MWL All-League Teams and presentation of League Trophies. That ceremony will commence either just prior to the Championship match or just following, as yet to be determined by League officials.

Campbell Deals Aces, Lowell Folds

McKenzie junior Cassidy Campbell’s energized efforts lit an Eagle firestorm and McKen-zie burned the Lowell Red Devils with a crucial Mt. West League match win. It ‘twern’t easy though and never is, down at Dexter. The visiting Eagles traveled to the lakeside school last Tuesday, October 10, packing every intent on keeping their unblemished MWL record so. And the self-termed ‘Mighty Mites’ accomplished just that, but it took some doing and Campbell ignited the necessary spark.

The Eagles got off to a good, if not hard fought start, taking the opening set, 25-23. That’s when McKenzie Head Coach Dan Brenners’s troops took a left turn instead of a right turn and Lowell, with inspired effort of their own, showed the lost Eagles a different road map, one that led to a Red Devil second set victory, 25-14.

Campbell, who earned her Coaches’ praise and Player of the Match award for “playing with energy on the court, cheering on the bench, served well, hit well, passed well,” proceeded to lead her team back to the right trail and her Eagle teammates responded, just as they have on numerous occasions this season. McKenzie battled their host in the third set, winning 26-24 and kept the momentum positive (from an Eagle perspective) and won the match with a 25-20 fourth set victory.

Undefeated record intact, Campbell and Co. headed back up the ‘Creek’ to Finn Rock, fully aware that they had just endured and overcome a full tilt scrap. Campbell served 5 aces on the evening and impressively delivered 95% of her serves to the opponent. The junior middle blocker/outside hitter hit 10 kills offensively as well, finished with 11 digs, had 2 solo blocks and 1 block assist.

Jade Hayes had another solid night on the court as well as she led her team with 14 kills and 23 digs. Hayes added 3 aces of her own, and had 21 serve receptions with just 3 receiving errors. Chloe Erdahl finished her match with 6 kills, 1 ace, 10 digs and she had 17 serve receptions with but 2 errors. Danny Melcher hit 4 kills, had 3 solo blocks, 3 block assists and 1 assist, Kanyen Kamrath finished with 1 ace, 14 digs, 2 assists, and led her team with 25 serve receptions and 5 errors. Katelynn Caulley had 2 aces, 2 digs and 17 assists, Anna McNutt had 4 digs and 18 assists, Paige Lowry finished with 3 kills and 4 digs, and Lola Seiler had a kill. Brook Caulley and Sophia Brownlee both played.

Campbell Torrent Swamps Sailors On Senior Night

Red Flag Alert! There is tornado crammed in a 5’4” McKenzie volleyball uniform currently and it is called Cassidy Campbell. In case you haven’t noticed as of late, the Eagle middle blocker/outside hitter may be playing her best volleyball of her career right now. And it couldn’t come at a more opportune time, as the Eagle team is working on one of the school’s best volleyball seasons, ever.

Last Thursday, October 12, Mapleton sailed into Finn Rock for a Mt. West League match and met a Campbell and Co. wrecking crew. It was McKenzie Senior Night and the match was preceded with the honoring of the two Eagle seniors on the team this season, Katelynn Caulley and Paige Lowry.

Following   the   opening  ceremony, McKenzie, led by Camp-bell’s precision serves and offensive aggression, sunk any Sailor hopes of an upset with a three set victory, 25-15, 25-5, and 25-13. It shouldn’t have been that close, the Eagles getting a slow start out of the blocks in the first set before settling in and following Campbell’s lead. The junior with a dynamic jump-serve nailed 6 service aces, hit 6 kills, had a solo block and added 2 digs. Her outstanding efforts earned her the McKenzie Player of the Match award, back to back, as she was tabbed for the honor just two days prior. Eagle coaches comments were, “Cassidy’s serving was accurate and resulted in a high percentage serve that scored points on aces. Aggressive.”

Jade Hayes and Danny Melcher both showed good offensive aggression as well, both hitting 6 kills in the match. Hayes served 3 aces and had an assist and Melcher added a dig. Chloe Erdahl finished with 2 kills, 3 aces and 4 digs. Senior Caulley served 4 aces and dished out 8 assists, Anna McNutt had 6 assists, senior Paige Lowry added a kill and an assist, and Katie Meyer finished with an ace and 3 assists. Kanyen Kamrath had 2 digs and Lexie Quirk hit 1 kill. Ashley Pettner, Sophia Brownlee, and Brook Caulley each had 1 dig and Paula McGlasson and Samantha Hanger both played.

Lowell Slogs To Sloppy Win On Senior Night

The visiting Lowell football team stood still, respectfully, while the two Eagle senior football players were introduced and celebrated. Seniors Cody Clark and Brandon Sanchez-Martinez (a Woodburn High School transfer in his first season as an Eagle) played their last games, Thursday night, October 12, at Wade Thomas Field.

Following the ceremony, the Red Devils, didn’t waste any time in determining the outcome of the game. The weather was miserable, perfect for a football game. Wet, cold, rain and lots of muddy, slick grass made for a tough night throwing the football and neither team looked good attempting the pass. However, Lowell didn’t need to pass as their one man tank squad, junior running back, 5’5”, 140 lb. Kasey Irwin, chewed up the Eagle defense and spit it out all night.

No Eagle stats were available following the game, but one thing is certain, McKenzie saw the back of Irwin’s jersey most of the evening as he sliced and diced and ran for most of his team’s scores. Lowell defeated McKenzie 48-6.

The Eagles’ one score came on a nifty run up the middle by departing senior Sanchez-Martinez, who somehow found daylight on a carry and scampered 76 yards for the touchdown. Lowell’s Brian Lemon, a Red Devil tight end, hauled in several of the Lowell quarterback, Owen Chapman’s pass attempts. The loss kept the Eagles winless at 0-3 in League play and 0-5 overall.

Oh Yeah!! Eagles Gals Go Sweet Sixteen and 0!!!

All you folks out there holding your breath can now relax, let it go and breathe deep. And by all means let’s just put it out there. The McKenzie Varsity Girls Volleyball team has won the Mt. West League with a perfect 16-0 record!! That just happens to be a first and best ever historically for the Eagles.

Following the Thursday night victory over Mapleton at Finn Rock, everyone knew the Eagles had outright clinched the MWL regular season championship. But those same everyones knew there was still some work to be done down on the Siuslaw the following Saturday. Looming was a three-way match with Siletz Valley and the Sailors at Mapleton and while one can once in awhile get away with looking past the opponent, Eagle Head Coach Dan Brenner and his staff worked hard at keeping his charges focused on the potential prize.

Good work coaches, as it would seem the effort was not a waste of time. Sure enough, opportunity for a slip-up showed up. The Eagles arrived in Mapleton with enough time to prepare for the first, 1:30 pm scheduled match with Siletz Valley, only to their shock find the Sailors and the Warriors already locking horns. According to the Coastal locals the Eagles were to have been there an hour and a half earlier, and since they weren’t, Siletz Valley and Mapleton put the officiating crew to work.

Coach Brenner and the Eagles reorganized their composure, perhaps, and began preparation for a different game plan. The Warriors, warmed up and fresh off a win over the Sailors, brought inspired play to the next match with the Eagles. If McKenzie was going to run the table, the Warriors were more than determined to make the Eagles earn every bit. And so earn it McKenzie set about to do.

The first set with Siletz Valley went to the Eagles, 25-23. Second set, same score, a second narrow win for McKenzie. The third set, the Eagles won 25-20. A good win, but still one away from an unblemished record. Kanyen Kamrath led her Eagle teammates with 20 digs and the junior libero player added a kill and 2 aces. Just as importantly, Kamrath successfully served all of her 16 serve attempts (100%). She earned the McKenzie Player of the Match honor from her coaches who stated, “Solid serving, attempting to serve to spots and good digging to get the offense jump-started.”

Chloe Erdahl finished with 6 kills, served 3 aces, had 13 digs, a block assist and a 1 assist. Danny Melcher added 5 kills, had 2 solo blocks, 1 block assist, a dig and an assist and Jade Hayes hit 8 kills, 1 ace and 8 digs. Cassidy Campbell continued to serve well as she finished with 3 aces, hit 2 kills, had a solo block, 1 block assist and 2 digs. Katelynn Caulley had a kill, 4 service aces, 1 dig and 13 assists, Paige Lowry had 1 kill, an ace, 4 digs, and 1 assist, and Anna McNutt finished with 8 assists.

The Eagles had easily dispatched the Sailors two days previous in Finn Rock. With just one match win under their belt for the season, Mapleton most certainly was the underdog in the final Mt. West League regular season match for both teams. But as it should be, the Sailors showed some spunk in the first set, won by McKenzie 25-19. The Eagles easily beat the home team 25-9 in the second set and cruised a bit in the third to win 25-15. Finally, all the monkeys were off their backs and the McKenzie girls could celebrate their outstanding accomplishment. Well, at least until, Coach Brenner can refocus them again for the next step in their season goals.

Montes Ninth At Chemawa

Alder Montes set the pace for his Cross Country teammates as the Eagle sophomore finished ninth in the 3000 meter Junior Varsity race at the Chemawa Invitational last Thursday, October 12. The Junior Varsity race held at Chemawa Indian School in Salem had a field of 38 runners. Montes ran the distance in 11.48 minutes, his best time of the season at 3000 meters.

Sophomore teammate Bodie Harbick finished 27th with a time of 14.40 minutes. Freshman Shane Eck was timed at 16.29 minutes for 34th place and sophomore Galen Fox finished his race in 37th place with a time of 26.49 minutes.

McKenzie River Reflections