EOU’s Jodine Steemers and her Mountaineer teammates will make the trip to Fort Vancouver, Wash., Nov. 17 for the NAIA national cross country championships. MADISON STAPLETON photo

KANSAS CITY, Mo — The Eastern Oregon University men’s cross country team had to wait a couple days to find out if they made it to the national championships.

But the wait was worth it, as the Mountaineer men found out on Monday that Saturday’s performance at the Cascade Collegiate Conference cross country championships was enough to barely qualify for the NAIA national cross country championships scheduled to be run at Fort Vancouver, Wash., on Nov. 17. 

REDMOND — It wasn’t a stampede Friday in the quarterfinals of the 4A state volleyball tournament.

But La Grande may have felt that way when White Buffaloes edged the Lady Tigers 3-2.

The loss dropped La Grande into the consolation bracket where they will play Elmira Saturday at  10 a.m. Elmira lost to Crook County in a 3-0 sweep (25-11, 25-23, 25-8).

EOU coach Kaki Morehead has won 100 games as a coach — and is looking for her next win Friday.

In six seasons at the helm of the Eastern Oregon University volleyball team, head coach Kaki Morehead has raised the bar in terms of expectations surrounding the program.

And those expectations have bred success.

Last weekend Morehead earned her 100th career victory as the Mountaineer head coach, defeating rival Southern Oregon 3-2.

Imbler’s Jaden Bales receives a pass in the Panthers’ 58-6 victory over Pine Eagle Nov. 1 at Community Stadium. IHS hosts Triangle Lake Saturday. BRAD MOSHER - The Observer

The Panthers enter the game as the second-ranked team in the final OSAA 1A football poll. 

Imbler's Malia Mills slams a point home during the 3-0 sweep of the favored Hosanna Christian Lions in the quarterfinals of Friday's 1A state volleyball tournament. ROB KERR - Bend Bulletin

REDMOND — The Imbler Panthers swept favored Hosanna Christian Friday in the quarterfinals of the 1A volleyball tournament at Ridgeview High School.

Imbler (22-4) handed the fifth-ranked Lions a 26-24, 25-23, 25-11 loss that bounced the team from Klamath Falls into the consolation bracket against Perrydale. The Lady Panthers were ranked eighth in the final OSAA 1A poll of the season.

The victory moved the Lady Panthers into a semifinal battle with Portland Lutheran (18-5) at 6:30 p.m. Friday night after the Blue Jays handed Perrydale a 3-1 loss in their quarterfinal battle.

Powder Valley swept Yoncalla Friday to put two Old Oregon League teams in the final four of the 1A volleyball tournament. The Badgers will play St. Paul in the other 6:30 p.m. semifinal game. St. Paul defeated Lowell, 3-1, in its opening match at the 1A tournament.

The two semifinal winners will play for the title at 6 p.m. Saturday, while the two losing teams face off in the the 3rd/5th-place game at noon Saturday. 

 

For more complete coverage, read the Monday edition of The Observer. 

 

Ally Fullerton of Imbler hits the ball back to Hosanna Christian during Friday's quarterfinal game at the 1A state volleyball tournament in Redmond. ROB KERR - Bend Bulletin