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Northeast Oregon is title country. Look no further than the monumental achievements posted by teams and individuals this winter in high school sports. The Joseph girls basketball juggernaut and the North Powder boys basketball powerhouse both were crowned champions during a memorable Class 1A tournament in Baker City.
Meanwhile, John Tuck of the resurgent La Grande wrestling program won not only a state championship at 160 pounds but also was named 4A wrestler of the year. Tuck has now won an amazing four straight district titles and two straight state titles.
As Tiger coach Klel Carson said, Tuck earned all the recognition and glory the hard way. His regular routine involved early morning workouts, a strenuous offseason training program and many extra tournaments. His road to glory was paved with sweat and smart training practices.
The championships, whether team or individual, reflect a commitment to excellence that goes way beyond raw talent. The athletes paid the price of hard work, dedication and sacrifice. And the rewards at the end of the road proved it was all worthwhile.
The Joseph girls basketball team won for the second straight year. It’s a tribute to the players and coach Lance Homan, who has formed a dynasty with the Eagles. Joseph has earned its way into the state championship game three years in a row and has won the district title four straight times. And give credit to Imbler too for pushing Joseph right to the hilt and getting a second place trophy on top of its volleyball state title from the fall. The Panther players and coaching staff showed a lot of pride and perseverance of their own.
The North Powder boys basketball team, meanwhile, marched through the competition with dominance. Coach Kyle Dixon’s squad played with poise and confidence as they rolled to victory after victory. The team got better and better as the year went on, always the testament to a great coach and work ethic on the part of a team. Beating twice-defending champion and very physical Mohawk in the title game was just an added bonus to an already spectacular season.
Now these players and coaches are part of Northeast Oregon history. They can put on their resumes that they were state champions. And no one can ever take that away from them.
Congratulations to North Powder, Joseph and John Tuck. You’ve given your communities something to shout about.
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Opinion 
