La Grande’s Breanna Partney scored a game-high 30 points in the Lady Tigers’ 73-19 victory over McLoughlin Tuesday night. CASEY KELLAS/The Observer

by CASEY KELLAS / The Observer 

The fourth-ranked La Grande girls basketball team honored their seniors in the best way possible Tuesday night — with a blowout victory over McLoughlin.

The Lady Tigers had no trouble with the visiting Pioneers, dismantling them 73-19 to improve to 18-4 overall and 8-0 in the Greater Oregon League. 

The La Grande girls swim team poses with head coach Darren Dutto after winning its seventh straight district title.

by CASEY KELLAS / The Observer

For the seventh straight season, the La Grande girls swim team won the District 2 championship.

The meet came down to the final relay of the day, which the Lady Tigers won in 3-minutes, 49.84 seconds, a new district record.

Valley Catholic was right behind at 3:50.99. 

EOU’s Cody Thurmond goes up for two points in the Mountaineers’ 83-82 loss to College of Idaho Friday at Quinn Coliseum. CASEY KELLAS/The Observer

by CASEY KELLAS / The Observer 

Top-ranked Mountaineers lose by one point on late College of Idaho shot, 83-82

The College of Idaho spoiled senior night for the No. 1-ranked Eastern Oregon University men’s basketball team Friday night, snapping the Mountaineers’ 12-game win streak with an 83-82 victory.

Anthony Brown’s lay-in with 7.6 seconds left put the Mountaineers in front, 82-81. But the College of Idaho went the length of the floor before a Ben Van Lith lay-in with 2.4 seconds remaining put the ’Yotes up, 83-82. 

La Grande’s Leon Fuller grapples with Jesus Barrera of Ontario in the 195-pound bout of the Tigers’ duel Thursday night. La Grande won the duel, 48-16. CASEY KELLAS/The Observer

by CASEY KELLAS / The Observer

The La Grande wrestling team continued its domination in duel meets Thursday night, defeating district rival Ontario 48-16 on senior night.

“The team is really coming on,” LHS head coach Klel Carson said. “I think their work ethic is really showing.”

Members of the La Grande Mat Club pose with coaches after finishing in second place at the USA Wrestling’s kids state championships Saturday in Newberg.

Paustian, Robinson claim state titles while leading team to second-place finish 

NEWBERG — The La Grande Mat Club finished in second place in the novice division at the USA Wrestling kids state championships Saturday in Newberg.

Logan Paustian and Parker Robinson both earned state titles, while the team had 12 wrestlers place in the top-six individually. 

La Grande’s Troy Williams goes up for two points in the Tigers’ 67-42 victory over Vale Tuesday night. CASEY KELLAS/The Observer

The La Grande boys basketball team ended a three-game losing streak with a 67-42 non-league victory over Vale Tuesday night.

The win improves the Tigers to 7-14 overall, while they remain 3-3 in the Greater Oregon League. 

Marta Stangel of Enterprise fires off a jump shot over the outstretched arms of Union’s Dani Sturm early in the second half of Saturday’s game in Union. Stangel fouled out of the game midway through the third quarter as the Lady Cats went on to win, 50-41. BRAD MOSHER/The Observer

By Brad Mosher / The Observer

UNION — Union ambushed the top team in the Blue Mountain Conference Saturday. 

Enterprise came in with a 12-1 conference record. 

But the Lady Cats sent them home with their second league loss, 50-41. 

EOU’s Anthony Brown drives in for two of his 10 points in the Mountaineers’ 77-55 victory over Northwest Christian Saturday night at Quinn Coliseum. CASEY KELLAS/The Observer

by CASEY KELLAS / The Observer

The top-ranked Eastern Oregon University men’s basketball team continued to roll Saturday night with a 77-55 victory over Northwest Christian.

The Mountaineers (26-1, 14-1) turned an eight-point lead early in the second half into a 28-point lead en route to their 12th straight victory.

The La Grande wrestling team celebrates after Leon Fuller’s overtime victory in the 170-pound bout Thursday night. CASEY KELLAS/The Observer

LHS rallies for 46-18 victory over visiting McLoughlin

The La Grande wrestling team continued its domination in dual meets Thursday night, defeating district rival McLoughlin 46-18.

“I thought they wrestled really well,” LHS head coach Klel Carson said. “All of the hard work is paying off.”

The Tigers got off to a slow start Thursday, dropping their first three matches of the night. 

La Grande’s Shelby Baker took first place in the 100 freestyle at the Tigers’ home meet Saturday at Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool. The Lady Tigers won the meet, while the boys placed third. CHRIS BAXTER/The Observer

The La Grande swim team hosted six teams Saturday for a home invite at Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool.

The Lady Tigers won the girls team title, while the boys placed third behind Pendleton and Hood River.

Teams attending the meet were Baker, Hermiston, Pendleton, The Dalles-Wahtonka and Hood River.