McKenzie Sports Report - March 14

McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week

McKenzie Winter sports has concluded. There are no contests scheduled.

Mustang Power Dominates State Championships

Close only counts in horseshoes. Excepting, it would seem, any horseshoes from Crane. To the point, the Mustangs of Crane recently roped and corralled all the Blue Trophies at the 2024 OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 1A Girls and Boys Basketball State Championships.

None of the games played were remotely close. In fact, out of 59 games played this season, the Crane girls and boys basketball teams lost just one game collectively, a non-league boy’s game to Union, 46-58, back on December 7, 2023. One might consider forgiving the Mustang boys team for losing focus that night! For the record, the town of Crane is located in eastern Harney County, south and east of Burns, and in a 2020 census, boasted 116 folks living within the town's “city limits.”

The Crane School District is a boarding school, with a 2024 ADM (average daily membership) of 56 students in the High School, which is probably about average in the OSAA Class 1A ranks. Must be something in the water down there, (let's not forget dipping a toe or more into the Crystal Crane Hot Springs), that grows good High Desert athletic programs. Just a theory, of course, that it's just a solid rural, fundamental, lifestyle that's setting foundational principles. Whatever the logic, it appears to be working real fine for the Crane Mustangs.

The Crane Boys' State Basketball Championship this Winter was a three-peat, 2022, 2023, and 2024. The Mustang Girls basketball program claimed top-notch in 2020, 2022, and 2024. And the high desert air, seemingly, is a prime ingredient for all the other Mustang athletic seasons, as the school's Fall and Spring sports tend to show up regularly in State playoff brackets as well.

Meanwhile, over in Baker City, where the hospitality is the top cabin during the annual Class 1A Basketball Championships, the Crane Boys defeated the second-ranked, Nixyaawii Golden Eagles, 65-51 in the Championship Game.

The Mustang Girls wrapped up their side of the 2024 Championship Go-Round, later in the evening, with a 59-39 victory over second-ranked North Douglas.

For both Crane teams, those scores happened to be the closest margins of the three contests each team played at Baker City. Hard to argue how that's not impressive. Maybe Crane City Fathers would consider bottling some of that clean water, air, and fundamental lifestyle and market it to some of the other communities throughout the State. It's interesting to see what might come from such an investment!

OSAA State Class 1A Basketball Results

The 2024 OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union 1A Girls and Boys Basketball State Championship games have been played and are documented in the books. Traditionally the Class 1A Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Championship Tournament have been hosted by Baker City and once again, this year, as always, the Folks from that historic Oregon Trail community really know how to throw a party! Around here, it used to be said, “Where else would you like to spend a week in March? Only in sunny Baker City!”

This year, the Girls Class 1A Basketball Championship came down to the top two ranked teams in the State, number one and undefeated Crane (30-0) and second-ranked North Douglas (27-4).

The Crane Mustangs easily finished their fine season with a 59-39 rout of the Warriors. Sixth-ranked Powder Valley (23-7) upended fifth-ranked St. Paul (22-8), 51-44, to claim the third-place trophy, and the Buckaroos settled for fifth.

Over in the Consolation Championship, fourth-ranked Country Christian (23-8) took home the fourth-place trophy with a 51-43 win over upstart and fourteenth-ranked Echo (21-10), which earned a sixth-place finish trophy. North Clackamas Christian (22-6) and Imbler (20-9) were both eliminated with two losses each.

The Crane Mustang Boys (29-1) earned special distinction with their three-peat Championship run this season, clobbering second-ranked Nixyaawii (23-5), 65-51. In the third/fifth place game, fourth-ranked Trinity Lutheran (25-5) defeated eleventh-ranked North Douglas (24-7), 65-49.

In the Consolation Championship game to decide the fourth/sixth place trophies, seventh-ranked Lost River (25-5) edged by eighth-ranked Union (23-9) in a hard-fought contest, 57-54. Crosshill Christian (21-8) and Elkton (19-8) were both eliminated with two losses each.