Mt. West League Routed Out Of State Playoffs

McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week

The McKenzie Varsity Winter sports season has concluded. There are no contests scheduled.

Mt. West League Routed Out Of State Playoffs

Well, that didn't take long. The Mt. West League, arguably the weakest Class 1A Basketball League in the State, was a one-and-done show at the recent 2024 OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union State Class 1A Basketball Championships First Round. The Boys First Round games took place around the State last Tuesday, February 20 and the Girls First Round games commenced last Wednesday, February 21. There are eight Class 1A Basketball Leagues in the State and all but the Mt. West League qualified at least one team in the Second Round of the playoff format. This is the first season the Mt. West League has failed to advance a team out of First Round play. On the Boy's side of the 2024 bracket, the Casco, Mt. Valley, and Big Sky Leagues advanced 3 teams each to Second Round play. The Skyline and Old Oregon League each moved 2 teams forward and although the High Desert League advanced 1 team, that team is Crane (26-1), the top-ranked team in the State. The Boys Second Round games took place on Friday, February 23, setting the 2024 OSAA Quarterfinal field of Eight at Baker City. The Old Oregon, Mt. Valley, and Skyline Leagues will each be represented by 2 teams, and the High Desert and Casco Leagues by a single team. Looking at the Girl's bracket, Second Round, the Old Oregon League sent 4 teams, a quarter of the Second Round of 16 teams. Not a bad representation! The Skyline advanced 3 teams and the High Desert, Mt. Valley, Valley 10, and Casco Leagues each sent 2 teams. Following the Second Round action on Saturday, February 24, the Old Oregon League is still very well represented with 3 teams in the Quarterfinal field of Eight at Baker City. The Valley 10 has 2 teams alive and the High Desert, Casco, and Skyline each have 1 standing. Worthy of note is that, as in the Boys Bracket, Crane

(27-0) represents the last High Desert League team, but has earned the State's top ranking.

Mt. West League Dismal At State

The Mt. West League's Boys and Girls teams were drubbed out of the First Round of the OSAA State Championships. Collectively, the MWL was 0-6. The MWL Girls' teams lost by an average of 34 points and the Boy's teams, by 37 points. The Mapleton Boys team (23-3) fell to Bonanza (17-8) 76-44, on the Sailor's home court. Triangle Lake (13-9), the MWL second seed team, lost at Dufur (22-3) 47-73. And the third MWL seed, Crow/City Christian Academy (14-11) lost at top-ranked Crane, 25-78. Mohawk (17-9) represented the Mt. West League as this season's Champion and hosted Trout Lake/Glenwood (21-5). The Mustangs were defeated 48-16. Second seed Mapleton (15-12) followed suit at the State's second-ranked team, North Douglas (25-3), losing 30-58. And Eddyville Charter (14-11) took the long trip to top-ranked Crane and fell 30-72.

Crane Mustangs Stampeding Baker City

The State's top-ranked Class 1A basketball school, the Crane Mustangs are gearing up for a potential High Desert Celebration. Both the Mustangs Boys and Girls basketball teams are ranked number one in the State and have qualified for the State Championship Quarterfinals held at iconic Baker City. Crane boys are defending and looking to three-peat their 2022 and 2023 State Championships and the Mustang girls took home the State's Second place trophy last year after winning the Championship in 2022. The teams have posted just one loss between them this season, the Mustang boys lost to Union, 46-58, on December 7, at the Union 1A Preview. The Crane girls, one of two undefeated teams in the State, all Classifications (the other is Class 3A Corbett at 24-0) will 9th ranked Imbler (20-7) on Thursday, February 29, in the top half of the bracket. The Mustangs trounced the Panthers earlier in the season in non-league play, 66-27. Fourth-ranked Country Christian (21-7) will toe up to 5th-ranked St. Paul (21-6). Country Christian faced the Buckaroos earlier this season in non-league play and prevailed in a tight game, 28-23. In the lower half of the Girl's bracket, 2nd ranked North Douglas (25-3) will tip off on Thursday, versus the Saints of North Clackamas Christian ( 22-4). Powder Valley (21-6) 6th ranked, will meet long-shot, 14th ranked Echo (20-8) in the other quarterfinal game. The Quarterfinal Boys top-ranked Mustangs of Crane (26-1) will match up with the Bobcats of Union (22-7) in the top half of the bracket. As previously noted, the Mustangs are 1-0 versus the Bobcats this season. Trinity Lutheran (23-4), 4th ranked will meet 12th Crosshill Christian (21-6). The lower half of the Boy's bracket features the State's 2nd-ranked Nixyaawii Golden Eagles (21-4) playing 7th-ranked Lost River (23-4), the Raiders. And in the other lower quarterfinal match-up, two Skyline League members duke it out a third time this season. Eleventh-ranked North Douglas (23-5) tangles with 18th-ranked Elkton (19-6). The Skyline Champion Warriors of North Douglas lost 73-78, in Drain, to the Elks earlier in League games, on January 23. However, the Warriors claimed revenge with a 68-48 thumping of the Elks in the Skyline District Championship held at neutral North Bend on February 17.

Other Local Teams At State

The Oakridge Girls Basketball team qualified for the OSAA State Class 2A Quarterfinals held in Pendleton on Thursday, February 29. The Warriors will play Bandon. In Class 3A Quarterfinal action, the Harrisburg Boys will toe up to Burns on Thursday at Marshfield High in North Bend and the Creswell girls will meet Sutherlin, the same day and location.