McKenzie Sports Report - January 9

McKenzie Varsity Sports Schedule This Week

The McKenzie Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball teams travel to Crow on Tuesday, January 7, to contest Crow/City First Christian Academy. The Eagle Boys Junior Varsity team will start at 4:00 pm and the Varsity Boys game will follow with a 5:30 pm tip-off. The Varsity Girls game will begin at 7:00 pm.

The McKenzie teams will host Eddyville Charter on Thursday, January 9. A Junior Varsity Boys game will start at 4:00 pm and the Boys Varsity game is scheduled for a 5:30 pm start. The Varsity Girls game will tip-off at 7:00 pm.

McKenzie Boys End L Streak With 2 Ws

Eagles Defeat Wolverines and Mustangs

The McKenzie Varsity Boys Basketball team has been knocking on the door all season long and searching for the right keys to open a pathway to victory. Some contests didn't go well for the young team, especially a Southern Coast road trip to Gold Beach and Myrtle Point, another journey to the other corner of the State at Pendleton versus Nixyaawii JV and a tough home game against Chiloquin.

The Eagles suffered through routs on those occasions. But there was light at the end of the tunnel on the rest of the schedule where, despite the youth, lack of experience and undisciplined action on the court, McKenzie Head Basketball Coach Neil Barrett's team battled hard and each night, came frustratingly close to that first, elusive win of the season. And then, last week, when opportunity showed up, the Eagles fashioned two back-to-back victories, one at home and one on the road.

The home win came at the expense of the Alsea Wolverines, a .500 team at 5-5 when departing the bus last Thursday, January 2. McKenzie upset their rowdy visitors, 44-35, and the home crowd comprised of the Hamlow family reunion/birthday party (Rhys Hamlow birthday!) and the rest of us celebrated loud and proud. The monkey had found a way off the Eagle's back and the feeling in the House was good. Well, except for the defeated Wolverines, who fought valiantly to the end.

McKenzie jumped out of the gates quickly and established a 12-6 first quarter lead. Alsea reversed the momentum and won the second quarter 13-6, thus holding a slim 19-18 advantage at the halftime break. Credit to the McKenzie Coaching staff during the Break. Perhaps Coach Barrett informed the troops that if you're attempting to get a monkey off your back, you can't afford to monkey around! Whatever transpired in the locker room, the conversation and chalk talk manifested itself out on the court in the third quarter.

The inspired Eagle team dominated the period 16-5 and started the fourth quarter with a 34-24 lead. The rest of the contest was a dogfight for and while Alsea scored 11 points, McKenzie answered with 10 points, and secured the night 44-35. And the victory dance was on!

McKenzie freshman guard Amir Enfield put his teammates on his back, leading his team with 13 points scored, 3 rebounds, an assist and a steal. Junior guard Will Meister added 9 points, including 4-4 from the charity stripe and he swiped the ball 4 times. McKenzie post player, Masonn Burton, a sophomore, scored 8 points off a fine 4-8 from the field and he tied with sophomore Rhys Hamlow for the team lead with 7 rebounds. Hamlow dropped in 5 points and also finished with 3 steals. Junior guard Allen Acevedo contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist. Senior forward Aytan Munoz-Brown and freshman wing Jacob Norlund each scored 2 points. Munoz-Brown added 4 rebounds, 5 steals, 2 assists and a block. Norlund also finished with 4 rebounds and 3 steals. Junior guard Noah Prado played, did not score, but added 1 rebound and 2 steals.

As a team, the McKenzie full court press forced Alsea to turn the ball over 39 times. The Eagles finished with 19 turnovers. Both teams finished with 31 rebounds.

McKenzie Upsets Mohawk, 52-48

Eagles Share Mt. West League Lead

Earning that first victory of the season and sending the monkey packing was an important step forward. The win at home versus Alsea set the stage for the second straight win, this time on the road. And it happened over on the Mohawk in Marcola against one of the toughest rivals on one of the toughest courts to play on. At least historically. The Eagle and Mustangs rivalry goes way, way back and there have been many “lay it all out, knuckles out (literally) brawls,” that have determined League and State Championships.

Not so much recently, but tell that to either those rooting for the home or visiting teams. That's why McKenzie's 52-48 victory over on the Mustang's home court was a big deal. Two Eagle victories, in a row, in the same week and look where McKenzie Coach Neil Barrett's team sits, at least for the moment. Tied for the Mt. West League lead with Eddyville Charter and Mapleton, all at 2-0. A dangerous road trip over to Crow on Tuesday gives an opportunity for a 3-0 record before Eddyville Charter unloads the bus in Finn Rock on Thursday for a clashing of Eagles. Might be a good time to fill the House seats, like it used to be when the McKenzie court disappointed many visiting teams!

Back down on the Mohawk last Thursday, the Eagles once again got off to a quick start, establishing a hard fought 9-7 first quarter lead and then throwing on the spurs in the second quarter and race to a 23 to 11 halftime lead. That action always helps put a quiet on the home crowd, except at Mohawk. And true to form, the Mustangs and Eagles came out toe to toe in third, with the homeboys getting the edge, 19-17. McKenzie clung to a nervous 10-point advantage, 40-30, starting the final quarter and sure enough, a stubborn Mustang team wasn't about to be hobbled by an upstart Eagle squad, if they had a say.

Mohawk did indeed rally in the fourth, winning the fourth 18-12, but that disastrous second quarter came back to bite the Mustangs and McKenzie escaped with a 52-48 MWL victory and impressively, sporting a new 2-0 win streak.

Eagle senior Noah Prado grabbed the reins this evening, shooting 6-7 from the field, including 2-2 from the three-point line and adding 1-1 from the free-throw line. Prado finished with 11 points and added 1 rebound. Will Meister led the team with 13 points, finished with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Masonn Burton added 8 points (4-9 from the field) and led the team with 8 boards, 3 steals and 2 blocked shots. Amir Enfield continued his solid scoring with 7 points and he grabbed 6 rebounds, dished out 4 assists and had 1 steal, 1assist, and 1 block. Allen Acevedo scored 5 points and finished with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Jacob Norlund's game line included 4 points, 3 boards, and an assist, Rhys Hamlow finished with 4 points, 2 rebounds, an assist and a steal, and Aytan Munoz-Brown scored 1 free-throw, had 2 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Hayden Harbick played and finished with 1 board and a block and Jacob Peek added 1 rebound and an assist.

McKenzie as a team held the advantage in turnovers for the second game in a row, the Eagles committing 17 to Mohawk's 25. And the Eagles won the rebound battle as well, hauling down 33 boards to the Mustang's 20.

Lady Eagles Experience Tough Night At Mohawk

Mustangs 51, McKenzie 21

The McKenzie Varsity Girls Basketball team had a tough go-round at the Old Mustang Corral the other night on the Mohawk. Mohawk has some significant court experience and skill level, despite a 6-5 overall record and a MWL opening 47-26 loss to Mapleton, last Thursday, January 2. It probably didn't help to have the Sailors stir up the hornets and anybody who’s ever ridden a high mountain trail can share a hornet story or two and the rodeo it can spawn.

The court at Mohawk always seems to play big and the Mustang fans are always enthusiastic supporters. Better to go in that venue with your cinch up tight and your saddlebags full of tricks or you run the risk of a blowout. And that's how it played out for the young Eagle team last Saturday, January 4. A 21-51 point blowout. The Eagles fell to 1-8 on the season.

McKenzie travels to Crow on Tuesday and the Cougars are just one overall victory better, 2-5, so maybe the Lady Eagles can throw a loop over a win. Eddyville Charter (2-8) rides in a couple of days later and depending on how Mapleton treats them on Tuesday, may arrive looking for an elusive victory as well.

Needless to say, opportunity is there for the taking if McKenzie Head Coach Heather Holte can focus her team on finding the bottom of the basket. No game stats for the Mohawk game were available at printing.