LONG RUN: La Grande’s Mollee Shaw placed second in the 3,000-meter race at the Dry Side Shootout Saturday. Observer file photo

The format for the race was each team’s No. 1 runner would run against the other team’s No. 1 runner, and No. 2 against No. 2.

Racing in front of friends and family members, the Tigers seemed to find some success.

CRAFTY QUARTERBACK: The Tigers’ Carson Miller scored on a 27-yard scamper Friday. Observer photo/CHRIS BAXTER

Now fast forward to Oct. 9, 2009, and the La Grande Tigers found themselves in the same situation.

Hosting Madras with an 0-5 record and coming off a heart-wrenching loss to Nyssa, LHS was able to walk away with its first win of the season 20-13 over the White Buffaloes Friday night.

MILTON-FREEWATER —The La Grande girls soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with Mac-Hi Thursday. Both teams played tough defense and never really got the offense going in this one.

The Tigers came into the game relatively healthy, something they haven’t done in recent games. Head coach Elena Nightingale said she was pleased for the most part with her teams performance.

“It was nice to have everyone back, but I don’t think we were in as good of shape conditioning wise because of the injuries,” she said.

LEAPING LUDWIG: Tara Ludwig led Elgin with 10 kills Thursday. The Observer/PAUL HARDER

Weston-McEwen, ranked No. 1, defeated the Huskies in five games 25-18, 19-25, 25-23, 15-10.

“I can’t be disappointed with the way the girls played,” Elgin head coach Twila Ivins said. “We just got swept the week before, and then we play the No. 1 team  to five games.

The La Grande Tigers will try to put a tough game behind them when they play host to Madras Friday night in Community Stadium.

The Tigers are coming off a 19-15 loss to Nyssa last week, where the Bulldogs scored the go-ahead touchdown with 36 seconds left in the game.

HUSKY HUSTLE: Elgin’s Kim Graffunder collects a dig during a match against Helix Tuesday. - The Observer/PAUL HARDER

Elgin took care of the visitors in four games, 25-18, 25-14, 22-25, 25-17. But it was the way Huskies played that set their coaches’ mind at ease.

“We didn’t play very well at all last weekend,” Ivins said. “The girls got some venting out over the weekend, and now we’re back to playing well.

That’s what makes this group of girls so fun to work with.”

MAKING ROOME: Kristina Roome and the EOU soccer team picked up a split this weekend to improve to 3-1 in conference play. Courtsey of EOU sports

EOU recorded its third straight conference win with a 1-0 win over the Oregon Institute of Technology Friday.

The Owls entered the game 8-1, but couldn’t stop the surging Mountaineers.

POISED PANTHERS: Bryan MIlls and the Imbler football team continued to march through the season slate, beating Wallowa 64-14 Friday. The Panthers are now 4-0 overall. Observer file photo

Wallowa strolled into town on homecoming, and left with a 64-14 loss against the Panthers.

Imbler didn’t waste any time scoring 30 points in the opening quarter, and builing a 46-6 lead by halftime.

DIGGING DEBOODT: The Mountaineers’ Grace DeBoodt helped fuel a weekend of sweeps. She finished the weekend with 20 kills. EOU defeated Evergreen and Northwest to improve to 6-3 in conference play. The Observer/PAUL HARDER

On Friday, Eastern Oregon University shelled the Geoducks 25-10, 25-16, 25-12.

The Mountaineers went deep into the bench during the win, with 16 players logging time on the floor.

PILLAGED BY PIRATES: Darcy Ladendorff and the La Grande Tigers girls soccer team fell at Payette, Idaho, 2-0 Saturday. Submitted photo/BILL GRIGSBY

Tigers coach Elena Nightingale tried some new lineups and played some underclassmen in a 2-0 loss to the Pirates.

“I figured this would be a good opportunity to play some girls in new positions because we are in the middle of conference play, and this was a non-league game,” Nightingale said.