RIVALS: La Grande took care of business against Baker Thursday The Observer/Casey Kellas

The match was fiercely competitive in the first half with both teams buckling down defensively and not allowing many shots on goal.

But it was a Kayla Rasmussen goal before the half that gave the Tigers the edge at intermission.

One team will get their first win of the season this Friday night in Community Stadium. That is a fact.

The team that comes out on the wrong side of things will remain winless and searching for answers as the season drags on — it’s La Grande (0-4) facing off against Nyssa (0-3).

These two teams have taken very different paths to this point in the season. But here they are both in the same boat at the midpoint of the year.

NIXYAAWII — The Joseph football team picked up its first win Friday.

On the road, the Eagles defeated Nixyaawii 70-30.

 Quarterback Zach Staidle connected with B.J. Warnock for four touchdowns, and running back Trevor Lewis run for 130 yards.

OUTLAWS ON THE LOOSE: Enterprise blew by Union 34-0 Friday. Observer file photo

The Outlaws brought back an old face — Chuck Corak — to turn around a team that hasn’t won more than three games in each of the last three seasons.

Well, with a 34-0 shutout win against Union Friday night, the Outlaws are now 3-0 in 2009.

JOHN DAY — Another inconsistent game for the La Grande Tigers football team resulted in a 43-13 loss to Grant Union Friday night.

The Tigers couldn’t slow down a potent Grant Union offense that put up 28 first half points. The Prospectors started the second half by returning the opening kick off 92 yards for a touchdown to take a 35-0 lead.

La Grande didn’t find any answers on offense until Caleb McKague found Brandon Powell on a 14-yard pass with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter.

The Mountaineers let a golden moment slip away Friday in Quinn Coliseum.

EOU dropped a five-game match to No. 7 College of Idaho 25-23, 19-25, 20-25, 28-26, 7-15.

“We’re still battling to find more consistency,” Mountaineers head coach Kaki Morehead said.

QUARTERBACK A-WARE-NESS: EOU signal caller Chris Ware threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns during a 45-14 win against the University of Montana-Northern Saturday. The Observer/PAUL HARDER

The Mountaineers’ success continues to be driven by something so simple, playing for each other.

The end result of that mentality during 2009 continues to be wins, a 45-14 victory against the University of Montana-Northern the last in a string of four.

MOUNTAINEER MOJO: EOU’s Lauren Robideau fights with Northwest defenders for the ball in the Mountaineers 3-2 overtime win.The Observer/PAUL HARDER

Eastern Oregon University opened Cascade Collegiate Conference play with a 3-2 overtime win against Northwest University.

“We wanted to play a tough early schedule just for this reason,” EOU head coach Jessy Watson said. “The girls know what great competition is like, and it prepared us for the  conference schedule.

NOT SATISFIED: EOU will try for a fourth consecutive victory when they return home to Community Stadium Saturday. - The Observer/Chris Baxter

Eastern Oregon’s win against Montana Tech raised its record to 3-1, and 3-0 in the Frontier Conference.

Just after the Mountaineers knocked one monkey off their back — picking up its first road win in three seasons — another one fell off last week.

Another road game and another opponent that’s a former state champion for the La Grande Tigers’ football team this Friday night against Grant Union.

La Grande is coming off a 33-6 loss to Idaho powerhouse Fruitland last weekend, and now the Tigers will travel to play the defending state 3A champion Prospectors in John Day.