Hilanders beat Willamina in final match

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

When the OSAA Class 3A state volleyball tournament  ended, Burns was right where they wanted to be — holding the championship trophy.
The Hilanders won the title by downing Willamina 25-18, 25-16, 25-16 in the championship match held at Lane Community College in Eugene.

“I think getting to the title this year was a great accomplishment for these kids.

They had some injuries and other obstacles that they had to overcome in order to gain their confidence to win,” Burns coach Paula Toney said. “Our prior times of state championships  helped the coaching staff prepare the team Saturday to get ready for their experience and play up to their potential.”

In the opening game, the two teams traded points until Burns went up 5-4 and Tanzie Bodeen stepped to the serving line. The Hilanders then scored five straight points, a run that included kills by Charli Siegner and Abbey Fenton.

Burns then took a 12-6 lead on a block by Siegner, and went on a 6-0 run with Brittainy Houck serving.
Burns stretched the lead to 23-12 before Willamina got on a little run of their own and closed to within 23-17.
Burns then scored two of the next three points to get the win.

Kayla McConnell served three aces to start the second game and help Burns to a 4-0 lead.
The Bulldogs hung tough however, staying with Burns  until the Hilanders led 13-11. Burns then scored four straight points, a run that included kills by Siegner and Fenton, to go up 17-11.

The Hilanders eventually went ahead 24-16 and the match ended on a service error by Willamina.
Burns kept rolling to start the third game, building a 9-3 lead, including three kills by Fenton.
Burns built the lead to 21-13, and outscored the Bulldogs 4-3 to win the 2011 state title.

Burns recorded 36 kills in the match, led by Fenton with 19. Siegner added another 10, Houck five and Maddye Dinsmore two.
Dinsmore was stellar in her performance as setter, recording 31 assists.
Burns also finished with 35 digs, led by Fenton with 11 and Bodeen with nine.

Fenton and Willamina’s Chelsea Moser were named the ODS Players of the Match in the finals.
Dinsmore and Fenton were both named to the First All-Tournament Team.

“The keys to winning were getting the girls to gain trust in each other and create the attitude that they could win by playing tough defense one ball at a time,” Toney said. “Volleyball is a game of mistakes. The girls were able to let go of a mistake and come back the next play. Overall, the girls learned that determination can lead to success even as obstacles continue to try to get in their path.”

Burns vs. Blanchet Catholic

Burns overcame a bit of a shaky start in the semi-finals to defeat Blanchet Catholic in four games, 23-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17.
The Cavaliers took advantage of several Hilander miscues in the first game to jump out to a 9-1 lead.
Burns battled back, tying the score at 11-11, only to see Blanchet go up again 18-12.
Another Hilander rally tied the score at 19-19, and Burns took their first lead of the game at 21-20.

The teams then traded points to 23-23, and the Cavaliers scored twice to grab the win.
Burns trailed much of the second game until coming back to tie the game at 21-21 on a Siegner ace. Three kills by Fenton helped Burns to a 5-3 run and the win.

The Hilanders started well in the third game, getting out to a 10-4 lead. They maintained a lead of at least four until the score reached 19-13.
Blanchet then cut the lead to one at 20-19 and rallied to tie the game at 23-23. A sideout put Burns up by one and Dinsmore slammed a kill shot to give Burns the victory.

Burns carried the momentum from the third game right into the fourth game where they burst out to a 16-4 lead, aided by five Fenton kills.
A Siegner kill, a Dinsmore tip shot and an ace by Siegner helped Burns build a 23-12 lead, and they then went on to win the game and advance to the championship.

Burns vs. Cascade Christian

The Hilanders opened up the tournament by sweeping Cascade Christian in three games, 25-22, 25-17, 25-10.
The Challengers stayed with the Hilanders for much of the first game, but Burns built a 20-15 lead and went on to get the win.
The Hilanders maintained a slim lead throughout the early part of the second game, but then slowly began to pull away, with McConnell’s ace giving them a 17-9 lead.

Cascade Christian got to within four at 18-14, but the Hilanders again pulled away and finished off the Challengers.
Burns controlled the third game from the start, taking a 13-2 lead and never looking back. Burns biggest lead came at 20-6, and they coasted to the win.

Fenton finished with 16 of the team’s 28 kills and Houck added another eight.
Fenton also led the team in aces with five, Dinsmore chalked up 26 assists and Bodeen and McConnell were team leaders in digs with seven and six, respectively.

Looking back on how the season evolved, Toney said, “It was really fun to watch this group of girls work through some of their struggles and watch them transform from individuals on the court at the beginning of the season into a full ‘all in’ team effort to win. They really transformed into a team from beginning to end.”

Burns and Nyssa play this Friday for EOL title

Beau Blackburn brings down Vale’s Jake Clark in the Hilanders’ win. (Photo by RANDY PARKS)

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

The streak is over.

For more than a decade, the Vale Vikings had come away as winners when they met the Hilanders on the gridiron. That streak came to a screeching halt Friday, Oct. 28, as Burns ran roughshod over the Vikings, winning 49-0 to improve to 4-0 in Eastern Oregon League (EOL) play.

The Hilanders racked up 532 yards of total offense, including 376 yards on the ground.

The Burns defense was also on top of their game, limiting the Vikings to 178 yards, and recording 15 tackles for a loss.

Burns got on the scoreboard on their very first possession, driving 65 yards in eight plays to go up 6-0.

Nolan Stampke raced in from 17 yards out for the score, his first of three touchdowns in the game.

Burns defense forced Vale to punt on their first possession, but the Hilanders fumbled on first down and Vale had the ball back at their own 46.

The Vikings offense sputtered however, and Burns took over on downs at the Vale 49. It took just two plays for Burns to find the end zone, as Stampke threw to Casey Heinz for a 47-yard gain and Matson Gahley bulled his way in from the 2 for the score.

Gahley also ran in the 2-point conversion for a 14-0 Burns lead.

Two fumbles and a turnover on downs ended the Hilanders’ next three possessions, but they upped the lead to 20-6 on a 9-yard scoring run by Austin Feist with 46 seconds left in the half.

After forcing the Vikings out on downs in the first possession of the second half, the Hilanders took over at their own 46. Faced with a third-and-2, Stampke broke free and raced 46 yards down the sideline to give Burns a 26-0 lead.

The Hilanders’ defense then forced a Viking’s punt and Burns took over at midfield. On first down, Gahley galloped 42 yards to set up first-and goal, and Stampke finished off the drive with a fourth-down, 3-yard scoring run.

Starting at their 27 on their next possession, the Hilanders put together a five-play scoring drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Stampke to Heinz.

The final score of the night came with less than two minutes to play, when back-up quarterback Seth Nonnenmacher lofted a pass to Feist, who outran the Vikings’ secondary for a 74-yard score.

Stampke hit on five of 11 passes for 82 yards and finished with 169 yards rushing on 12 carries. Gahley also went over the century mark running the ball, picking up 147 yards on 13 attempts.

The Vikings’ Josh Schoorl went 7-for-17, throwing the ball for just 71 yards and one interception. Jake Clark led Vale in rushing, gaining 57 yards on 20 carries.

The last time Burns beat Vale was in the semi-finals of the 1999 3A state football playoffs. Vale won the regular season game 28-7 over Burns, but the Hilanders downed the Vikings 20-0 in the playoff game held in Baker City.

In other EOL action on Oct. 28, Nyssa thumped Grant Union 58-12 and Umatilla defeated Riverside 42-24.

Burns and Nyssa, both 4-0 in league play, meet Friday, Nov. 4, in Nyssa, to decide the EOL title. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (MT).

Other EOL games on Nov. 4, include Vale at Riverside and Grant Union at Umatilla.

1    2    3    4   Final
Val       0    0    0    0       0
Bur     14   6   14  15      49

First quarter
Bur — Stampke 7 run (kick failed) 2:38
Bur — Gahley 2 run (Gahley run) 8:59
Second quarter
Bur — Feist 9 run (pass failed) 11:14
Third quarter
Bur — Stampke 46 run (pass failed) 3:27
Bur — Stampke 3 run (Gahley run) 7:55
Fourth quarter
Bur — Heinz 10 pass from Stampke (Gahley run) 0:05
Bur — Feist 74 pass from Nonnenmacher (Stampke kick) 10:17
Individual statistics
RUSHING—Vale, Clark 20-57, Schoorl 10-(-13), Eddy 7-52, Montgomery 2-(-3), Cummings 2-14. Burns, Gahley 13-147,Feist 8-51, Stampke 12-169, Heinz 4-11, Garner 1-0, Nonnenmacher 1-(-2).
PASSING—Vale, Schoorl 7-17-1 71. Burns, Stampke 5-11-0 82, Nonnenmacher 1-1-0 74.
RECEIVING—Vale, Ramos 2-23, Montgomery 1-5, Pozzi 1-10, Clark 3-15, Eddy 1-18. Burns, Heinz 3-58, Bailey 2-24, Feist 1-74.

By Randy Parks

The Hilanders’ Abbey Fenton recorded double-digit kills against all three EOL opponents last week. (Photo by RANDY PARKS)

Burns Times-Herald

The Hilanders wrapped up another Easten Oregon League (EOL) volleyball title by downing both Riverside and Umatilla on Saturday, Oct. 22.

The two wins give Burns a perfect 9-0 record in EOL play, with their final match set for Thursday, Oct. 27, when they host Nyssa.

Burns opened up their doubleheader day with a trip to Boardman to face the Riverside Pirates.

The Hilanders made short work of the Pirates, sweeping them in three games, 25-5, 25-11, 25-10.

Burns notched 36 kills in the match, led by Abbey Fenton with 16 and Brittainy Houck with nine. Charli Siegner added another six, Maddye Dinsmore and Dominique Orr two apiece and Erika Bentz one.

The Hilanders recorded 14 aces, led by Dinsmore with eight and Siegner with three.

Dinsmore also finished with 25 assists.

Of the team’s 30 digs, Fenton had seven and Tanzie Bodeen six.

Following the Riverside match, Burns traveled to Umatilla, where they took down the Vikings in three games, 25-15, 25-6, 25-6.

Fenton again led the team in kills, finishing with 25 of the team’s 39. Houck had 10, and Bentz and Dinsmore two each.

Dinsmore and Fenton each had six aces and Kayla McConnell had one.

Dinsmore was the team leader in assists with 31 and Orr added another three.

Burns also came up with 32 digs, led by Bodeen with 13 and McConnell six.

•••
After dropping the first game 18-25, Burns bounced back to win the next three 25-23, 25-18, 25-18, for a 3-1 win over Vale on Thursday,  Oct. 20.

Fenton led the Hilanders’ offensive attack, pounding out 26 of the team’s 46 kills. Houck added another nine, Siegner five,  Dinsmore four and Orr two.

Burns served up three aces, two by Dinsmore and Siegner one.

Dinsmore also recorded 36 assists.

Defensively, Burns had eight blocks, including three each by Fenton and Orr, one apiece for Houck and Dinsmore.

The Hilanders also came up with a season-high 75 digs in the match, led by Bodeen with 18. Dinsmore had 16, McConnell 15, Fenton 12, Houck nine and Siegner five.

By Debbie Raney

The Mustangs’ Paige Landon powers a kill shot over the net. (Photo by DEBBIE RANEY)

Burns Times-Herald

The Crane Mustang volleyball team got another league win under their belt, with a victory over the Burnt River Bulls last Friday. With the win, Crane upped their High Desert League record to 6-1, with three league opponents left to play — Adrian, Long Creek and Prairie City.

In Friday’s win, Crane took the match against Burnt River in three games — 26-16, 25-19, 26-24.

The Mustangs trailed early in the first game, but at a score of 6-9, Rebekah Clark took the serve for Crane and put the Mustangs into a 13-9 lead. With kills from Paige Landon and a block-kill by Cassidy Corrigan, Crane held the lead all the way to a score of 19-16. Hannah Steeves aced two serves to spread the Mustang advantage, and one final Landon kill sealed the game.

Crane led all the way through game two, as they racked up eight aces serves as a team. C. Corrigan hit four aces for the Mustangs and Landon, Steeves, Morgan Corrigan and Tanya Williams downed one ace apiece.

A nine-point run for Burnt River at the top of the third game put the Mustangs into a hole, but they were able to slowly climb out. Still trailing at 7-16, Katrina Valentine went to servers position and started Crane’s comeback. With kills from Landon and C. Corrigan, and an ace serve thrown in the mix, Valentine brought the Mustangs back to within two, 15-17. Crane stayed within two points to a 20-22 score, and then back-to-back ace serves by C. Corrigan tied the game up. M. Corrigan snuck a tip-kill to the floor for the Mustangs first lead of the game, and then Steeves aced the game- and match-winning point.

Crane’s final three league games will be played this week. The Mustangs will host Adrian at noon on Thursday, and then play Long Creek and Prairie City in Prairie City on Friday.

Hilanders on the road this Friday to face Pirates

Seth Nonnenmacher follows his blockers downfield for a big gain against Umatilla. (Photo by RUTHIE’S IN HIS IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY)

By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald

Burns got back on the winning track Friday, Oct. 7,  steamrolling the Umatilla Vikings 48-7 in the Eastern Oregon League (EOL) opener for both teams.

The Hilanders racked up 419 yards of total offense, while holding Umatilla to just 165 yards of total offense, including just 54 on the ground.

Sophomore quarterback Seth Nonnenmacher, filling in for the injured Nolan Stampke, gave Burns a 7-0 first quarter lead as he capped off a 54-yard scoring drive with an 8-yard touchdown run.

After forcing the Vikings out on downs, Burns had to punt the ball away, giving Umatilla a first down at their own 25. A 44-yard pass completion moved the Vikings into Hilander territory and five plays later, the Vikings tied the game on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Andreas Sanguino to Emanuel Chavez.

The Hilanders wasted no time reclaiming the lead, putting together a 65-yard scoring drive. Matson Gahley rushed for 40 yards on four carries during the drive, including the final four yards to put Burns ahead 13-7.

Umatilla fumbled the ball away on the first play of their next possession, giving the Hilanders a first down at the Umatilla 19. Nonnenmacher then broke loose for the score, making it a 21-7 Hilander lead.

Late in the first half, it appeared Burns scored on a blocked punt, but the Hilanders were flagged for roughing the kicker, giving Umatilla another set of downs at their own 35. On third-and-four, Dylan Stanwyck dropped Umatilla’s Kile Wilson for a 3-yard loss, and the Vikings had to punt.

Casey Heinz gave the Hilanders one more scoring chance as he returned the punt 36 yards to the Umatilla 29 with less than 30 seconds to go in the half. Nonnenmacher completed a 27-yard pass to Stanwyck, but Burns was unable to punch it in to the end zone before time expired.

On the first drive of the second half, the Hilanders went 46 yards in four plays to take a 27-7 lead.

Nonnenmacher picked up the first 14 yards, Austin Feist gained another nine, Heinz rushed for 12 and Brennan Bailey finished off the drive with an 11-yard run.

Burns got the ball right back when Tanner Crafts recovered the onside kick, giving the Hilanders the ball at the Umatilla 44.

After an 8-yard loss on first down, Feist ripped off a 23-yard run, and three plays later, Heinz took it in from 10 yards out. Stampke, playing with a heavily-wrapped right hand, scored the 2-point conversion to put Burns up 35-7.

Umatilla turned the ball over on their next possession as Austin Piper recovered a fumble, giving Burns the ball at the Vikings’ 34.

Six plays later, Heinz scored on a 6-yard run and Stampke’s extra point kick put Burns ahead 42-7, with 4:49 left to go in the third quarter.

The Hilanders tacked on one more touchdown with less than five minutes to play, when Stampke scored from five yards out to finish off a 62-yard drive.

Nonnenmacher completed 11-of-16 passes for 119 yards and one interception, and rushed for another 53 on 11 carries.

Feist led the team in rushing, picking up 80 yards on eight carries, while Gahley finished with 76 yards on 14 attempts.

Heinz was the leading receiver for Burns, hauling in six passes for 42 yards, and he added another 62 yards rushing on nine carries.

For Umatilla, Sanguino completed 7-of-19 passes for 111 yards with one touchdown and an interception.

Chavez was the Vikings’ leading rusher, picking up 17 yards on 13 carries.

With the win, the Hilanders even their season record at 3-3, but more importantly, are 1-0 in league play.

Burns continues EOL play on Friday, Oct. 14, when they travel to Boardman to face the Riverside Pirates.

In other EOL games on Oct. 7, Grant Union beat Riverside 47-12 and Nyssa blanked Vale 52-0.

1    2    3    4   Final
Uma    7    0    0     0      7
Bur     7   14   21    6    48

First quarter
Bur — Nonnenmacher 8 run (Stampke kick) 9:25
Second quarter
Uma — Sanchez 15 pass from Sanguino (Kennedy kick) 3:43
Bur — Gahley 4 run (kick failed) 6:56
Bur — Nonnenmacher 19 run (Gahley run) 7:30
Third quarter
Bur — Bailey 11 run (kick failed) 1:30
Bur — Heinz 10 run (Stampke run) 3:58
Bur — Heinz 6 run (Stampke kick) 7:11
Fourth quarter
Bur — Stampke 5 run (kick failed) 9:43
Individual statistics
RUSHING—Umatilla, Chavez 13-17, Williams 4-12, Sanguino 7-(-5), Wilson 4-6, Kennedy 3-12, Bernal 1-1, Flores 1-1. Burns, Gahley 14-76, Feist 8-80, Heinz 9-62, Nonnenmacher 11-53, Bailey 4-19, Cain 1-5, Stampke 1-5.
PASSING—Umatilla, Sanguino 7-19-1 111. Burns, Nonnenmacher 11-16-1 119.
RECEIVING—Umatilla, Vandever 2-47, Wilson 2-22, Chavez 1-15, Chewning 1-16, Kennedy 1-11. Burns, Heinz 6-42, Bailey 2-22, Feist 2-28. Stanwyck 1-27.

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

Cole Maupin evades a tackler in Crane’s league win over Jordan Valley. (Photo by DEBBIE RANEY)

The Crane Mustangs held the Jordan Valley Mustangs scoreless, and racked up another High Desert League win in the process on Sept. 30. Even with three touchdowns called back because of penalties, Crane defeated Jordan Valley (JV) 54-0.

Crane had their share of mistakes in the game, beginning with a lost fumble on the opening snap. It took over seven minutes for Crane to get the cobwebs out, but they finally found the end zone on a Ryan Opie 19-yard scramble at 4:39.

Crane immediately got the ball back, as Tanner Titus recovered a JV fumble that was knocked loose by Tyler Opie on JV’s 29. Cole Maupin carries and JV penalties moved the Crane line of scrimmage to the four. R. Opie followed Donald McDermond and Nic Nyman through JV’s gut, scoring with 2:18 on the clock. Levi Miller pulled in a two-point pass, and Crane led 14-0.

The first quarter came to a close with JV going backward on Titus, Nyman, T. Opie and Wilson Witzel tackles.

Crane’s first possession in the second ended with a four-and-out, deep in JV territory, but quarterback pressure from Riley Joyce set up a R. Opie interception three snaps later, and Crane went back on offense.

Maupin picked up 32 yards in four carries, setting up Crane’s line of scrimmage on the 8-yard line. A reverse from Maupin to Miller and a downfield block by R. Opie, put another six on the board for Crane. At 5:23 the score was 20-0.

On the next series, JV found that Miller could hold his own on defense as well, as he pulled down an interception on the second play. Crane had the ball on JV’s 30. Two snaps and two penalties later, Crane had gone backward to the 38. Crane’s offensive line gave R.Opie a ton of time on third and long.

He found T. Opie outrunning two defenders down the right side. The pass was on the  money and T. Opie went in for another score. R. Opie ran in the two point, and Crane was up 28-0.

After a kickoff stop by Austin Roath and Blaise Schulze on the 40, JV found no where to go, and were forced to punt. Crane got the ball back with just under 40 seconds left to play in the second quarter.

Coming under center on the JV 34, R. Opie dropped back to pass to T. Opie again, this time down the left side of the field. T. Opie had once again gotten beyond the JV defenders, and went in for another touchdown. Travis Landon scored on a reverse for the 2-point conversion, and Crane took a 36-0 lead into the half.

JV’s first possession of the third quarter ended with a punt, giving Crane great field position on their own 45. Following a Maupin run with a JV penalty attached, Crane was on JV’s 6. Two Greg Thompson carries finished up the drive, and Crane put six more points on the board, leading 42-0.

Titus and Joyce recorded tackles for loss on JV’s next possession, and Crane once again took over deep in JV territory. From the 18, Miller crossed left to right, all alone 10-yards deep. He went to the end zone untouched, taking the score to 48-0, and sending the game to running time.

The remainder of the game was played by Crane’s junior varsity offense, led by Landon at quarterback. On the first snap Landon took, he handed the ball to fellow freshman Jeff Davies, at JV’s 4-yard line. Davies went left in for the score, and Crane got the final points of the game, for a 54-0.

JV tried to go to the air on their final possession, hoping to get on the scoreboard, but on their fifth play, Davies stepped in front of the intended receiver and pulled down an interception.

Crane will play at home this weekend, hosting Dayville-Monument on Valentine Field for the 2011 homecoming game. Kickoff will be at 2 p.m.

1    2     3    4   Final
Cra     14   22   12   6    54
JV        0    0     0    0     0

First quarter
Cra — R. Opie 19 run (run failed) 4:39
Cra — R. Opie 4 run (Miller pass from R. Opie) 2:18
Second quarter
Cra — Miller 8 run (run failed) 5:23
Cra — T. Opie 30 pass from R. Opie (R.Opie run) 3:08
Cra — T. Opie 34 pass from R. Opie (Landon run) .27
Third quarter
Cra — Thompson 2 run (pass failed) 7:56
Cra — Miller 18 pass from R. Opie (run failed)
Fourth quarter
Cra — Davies 4 run (pass failed) 10:50

Crane individual statistics
RUSHING—Maupin 12-105, R. Opie 8-18, Thompson 8-28, Miller 1-8, Davies 2-5, Landon 2-(-2)
PASSING—R. Opie 13/6/0/126, Landon 2/1/0/26
RECEIVING—Miller 3-102, Hammond 1-26, Landon 1-3, Miller 2-21.
INTERCEPTIONS—Miller 1, R. Opie 1, Davies 1.

Madison Winn passes another runner. (Submitted photos)

On Saturday, Sept. 17, the Hilander cross country runners traveled to Coos Bay to compete in the Prefontaine  Run.

They ran in the high school 5,000-meter race, and on the boys side, Victor Kegley finished in 18:27, placing 30th out of 151 runners. Zan Rickman placed 85th in a time of 21:05.

For the girls, Madison Winn placed ninth, running the course in a time of 21:27. Hannah Moore set a personal record (PR) with a time of 26:06 and placed 53rd. There were 101 runners in the girls race.

On Friday, Sept. 23, the Hilanders competed in the Far East Salem Invitational in Redmond.

“It was unusually hot for the race at Sam Johnson park,” Burns coach Erron Mertz noted. Bend, Redmond and Condon/Wheeler also attended the meet.

Zan Rickman (center) runs with a small pack.

For the boys, Kegley took 11th in a time of 19:55 and Rickman was 29th with a time of 22:27. There were 63 total runners in the race.

On the girls side, Winn placed eighth in 22:51. Moore ran the course in a time of 26:14, only eight seconds off her PR from the Prefontaine, and placed 22nd. There were 63 runners in this race as well.

“Just seeing how strong each of these athletes finish their race is a testament to how hard they are working,” Mertz said. “Running 3.1 miles is tiring enough, but to have the power to step it up at the end takes great effort. I am proud of them and look forward to the remainder of the season.”

The Crane defense gets ready for the snap by Harper-Huntington. (Photo by DEBBIE RANEY)

By Debbie Raney
Burns Times-Herald

It was Crane’s defense that dictated the outcome of the Mustangs’ league-opening game on Sept. 16; and using the opportunities opened up by the defense, the offense scored eight times for a 56-0 Crane victory.

With three sacks, seven tackles for loss, a pass interception and three fumble recoveries, the Mustangs held the Harper-Huntington (HH) team to less than 100 offensive yards in the game. HH’s first possession ended in a Riley Joyce tackle behind the line of scrimmage, giving Crane great field position on their own 31.

In spite of 25 yards worth of penalties, the Mustangs took their first possession into the end zone on a Cole Maupin run to the right. The first quarter ended with Crane having just six points on the board.

The offense picked up the pace during the second quarter, and the Mustangs scored four touchdowns with three conversions in the period.

The first touchdown came after Maupin, Greg Thompson and Levi Miller had made big yardage gains, and Crane was on the two-yard line. Quarterback Ryan Opie followed Quinton Nyman straight through HH’s defense, scoring at 10:57 in the quarter.

After two Cash Casey sacks on HH’s quarterback,  Joyce recovered a fumble for the Mustangs with only 16 yards to go to the end zone. Opie and Maupin ran an option to the right, Opie pitched 11 yards in, and Maupin scored again with nearly nine minutes on the clock. With a successful two-point conversion, Crane had a 20-0 lead.

After going three and out, thanks to a Thompson sack and two stops for loss, HH attempted to fake a punt. Thomas O’Toole came up to make the stop before HH got the first down, and the Mustangs took over on HH’s 45-yard line.

On Crane’s fourth snap, Miller came across the flat, left to right, 10 yards deep. Opie fired the ball, Miller pulled in the pass, and ran untouched into the end zone.

Wilson Witzel took the hand off for the conversion, and the Mustangs were  up 28-0, with 4:18 left in the first half. And, they would score once more before halftime.

Donald McDermond and Joyce pushed HH backward on the ensuing possession, forcing another punt. Downfield on the kick, Opie got under the ball at the 30-yard line and found a lane to run 70 yards in for another score. Thompson added another two-point conversion, and the Mustangs went to the locker room at the half ahead, 36-0.

Crane had the ball to open the third quarter, with freshman Travis Landon taking the snap. Using Thompson and Maupin on the ground and Miller in the air, the Mustangs moved the line of scrimmage to the five-yard line. Seven plays and four first downs later, Thompson went the last five yards for another Crane touchdown. Maupin sprinted in the conversion for a 44-0 score, with 7:05 on the clock.

The Mustangs’ defense kept HH stagnate during the remainder of the third quarter with a Landon interception and a Tanner Titus forced fumble and recovery.

At the nine-minute mark of the fourth, Crane began a drive on their own 20. Landon handed the ball to Witzel, who found a hole that Tim Thomas opened up on the left side. Witzel went the 80 yards, and the Mustangs were up 50-0. The clock went to running time.

HH had only two snaps on their next possession. A fumble, recovered by Crane’s Nick Witzel, set the Mustangs up for their final score of the day, beginning on HH’s 34.

The Mustangs moved the ball to the 12 on Jeff Davies, Joyce, Witzel and Landon carries. On the sixth play, Landon found Corbin Hammond open on the right side, and Hammond scored the Mustangs’ final six points.

The game ended with an Austin Roath and Michael Casey sack.

1    2    3    4   Final
Cra       6  30   8    12    56
HH       0    0    0    0      0

First quarter
Crane — Cole Maupin 3 run (run failed) 3:02
Second quarter
Crane — Ryan Opie 2 run (pass failed) 10:57
Crane — Maupin 16 run (Maupin run) 8:49
Crane — Levi Miller 31 pass from Opie (Wilson Witzel run) 4:18
Crane — Opie 70 punt return (Greg Thompson run) 1:22
Third quarter
Crane — Thompson 5 run (Maupin run) 7:05
Fourth quarter
Crane — Witzel 80 run (run failed) 8:42
Crane — Corbin Hammond 12 pass from Travis Landon (run failed) 2:15
Individual statistics
RUSHING—Thompson 8-40, Maupin 10-79, Opie 6-87, Witzel 4-111, Riley Joyce 2-0, Jeff Davies 1-14.
PASSING—Opie 2-2-0-51, Landon 2-3-0-26.
RECEIVING—Miller 3-65, Hammond 1-12.
FUMBLE RECOVERY—Joyce 1, Tanner Titus 1, Nick Witzel 1.
PASS INTERCEPTION—Landon 1.
TACKLES Solo/Assisted—Cash Casey 1/10, Titus 1/0, Michael Casey 0/5, Joyce 1/15, Thompson 1/8, Maupin 2/4, Opie 2/3, Thomas O’Toole 3/4, Donald McDermond 0/6, Witzel 1/5, Davies 1/0, Blaise Schultz 1/1, Landon 1/3, Roath 0/1.

By Randy Parks

Maggie Thompson blasts the ball past a defender in Burns’ win over Nyssa. (Photo by RANDY PARKS)

Burns Times-Herald

The Hilander volleyball team won all six of their matches on their way to picking up the championship trophy at the Burns Invitational held on Saturday, Sept. 10.

In the final match of the day, Brittainy Houck racked up 12 of the Hilanders’ 21 kills, and Maddye Dinsmore had 19 assists as Burns downed Eastern Oregon League (EOL) rival Vale, 26-24, 25-22.

Houck also had 10 of the team’s 33 digs and Tanzie Bodeen added nine.

Burns opened up the tournament with pool play wins over Nyssa, Columbia Christian and Baker.

The Hilanders downed Nyssa 25-15, 25-17.

Houck had a team-high 10 kills, and Abbey Fenton added another seven. Dinsmore was again the team leader in assists with 21.

In their second match of the day, Burns topped Columbia Christian 25-20, 25-21.

Fenton recorded 18 kills and 12 digs, Dinsmore 24 assists and five digs, Houck four kills and Bodeen six digs.

The Hilanders finished off pool play with a 25-17, 25-16 win over Baker. Fenton had 13 of the team’s 21 kills, Dinsmore notched another 19 assists and Bodeen came up with 13 of the team’s 30 digs.

Burns faced Crane in the first round of bracket play, and came away with a 25-10, 25-11 victory.

The Hilanders recorded 15 kills in the match, led by Houck with seven and Maggie Thompson with four.
Burns’ serving was a definite factor in the match as they hammered 17 aces, led by Fenton with seven and Bodeen with five.

Dinsmore was the team leader with 11 assists.

Burns faced a rematch with Baker in the semi-finals, and came away with a 25-23, 25-9 win.

Houck had 12 of the team’s 22 kills, Dinsmore finished with 15 assists and Shelby Sanders added another five.

Burns came up with 34 digs in the match, led by Fenton with 11, Bodeen eight and Houck seven.

The Hilanders’ frosh/soph team will play at Crane at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15.

Burns JV and varsity teams open up EOL play with a doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 17. The Hilanders will host Riverside at 1 p.m. and then Umatilla at 5 p.m.

•••
Burns picked up a non-conference win on Tuesday, Sept. 6, as they swept La Pine 25-13, 25-14, 25-8.

Fenton led the Hilanders’ offense, finishing with 13 kills and six aces. Charli Siegner recorded seven kills and three blocks; Houck six kills; Kayla McConnell four kills; Dinsmore 29 assists, five digs and one kill; Steffany Yarbor two kills; Maggie Thompson and Dominique Orr one kill each; and Bodeen six digs.

By Randy Parks

Brennan Bailey looks for room to run. (Photo by RANDY PARKS)

Burns Times-Herald

Nolan Stampke ran for one touchdown and threw for another as the Hilanders opened their season with a 16-12 win over the La Pine Hawks on Friday, Sept. 2.

With only three starters back from last year’s team, Burns’ offense started slow, but the defense was pretty solid for all four quarters, coming up with some big stops at key times.

The first defensive stand came in the first quarter, after the Hawks recovered a fumble at the Hilanders’ 29-yard line. La Pine could only muster two yards on four downs, and Burns took over at their own 27.

On the very next play, Stampke broke free and raced  down the field for a 73-yard score. McKinley Ridenour powered into the end zone for the two-point conversion, and the Hilanders led 8-0 with 2:20 to play in the first quarter.

The Hilanders had a chance to increase their lead early in the second quarter, driving down to the Hawks’ 10 before going out on downs.

After picking up a first down, the Hawks’ Justin Wilson slipped to the outside and scampered down the sideline for a 74-yard touchdown, cutting Burns lead to 8-6. The Hilanders’ Casey Heinz picked off Gareth Dahlgren’s pass on the two-point conversion attempt to hold the lead for Burns.

La Pine had one more scoring opportunity near the end of the first half, as they drove to the Burns 20, but again the Hilanders defense held as time ran out.

To start the second half, the Hilanders booted a little pooch-kick toward the right sideline, where it was recovered by Heinz, giving the Hilanders a first-and-10 at La Pine’s 22.

Burns was able to get to the Hawks’ 9-yard line, but on third down, Stampke’s pass was tipped and intercepted, halting the drive.

On their next possession, it looked like the Hawks had taken the lead when Deion Mock ripped off an 89-yard run, but it was called back on a personal foul penalty at midfield. La Pine’s drive eventually stalled, and  Burns took over at their own 32.

On first down, Stampke lofted a pass down the sideline for Heinz that he cradled in for a 68-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion was scored on a run by Brennan Bailey, and Burns led by 10.

Neither offense could do much until La Pine made things interesting in the final three minutes of the game. With a first down at the 50-yard line, the Hawks went the distance in just three plays, scoring on a 4-yard run by Mock to cut the lead to 16-12. The two-point attempt again failed, and the two teams lined up for the kickoff.

The ensuing onside kick came as no surprise to anyone, but the Hawks were able to recover the ball as it slipped through the Hilanders’ hands at the 45-yard line.

The Burns defense wasn’t through yet, though. On a fourth-and three play, the Hilanders dropped Mock for a 3-yard loss and the Hilanders took over on downs with 1:11 left in the game.

Burns was able then to run out the clock and pick up the season-opening, non-conference victory.

The Hilanders rushed for 232 yards, led by Stampke with 154 yards on 15 carries and Ridenour with 52 yards on 16 attempts.

Stampke completed 4-of-18 passes for 103 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, and Heinz was the leading receiver with two catches for 100 yards, including the 68-yard touchdown.

The Hilanders will host Sisters on Friday, Sept. 9, at Corbett Memorial Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
The Outlaws are coming off a 43-6 loss to Central.

1   2   3   4   Final
Burns      8   0   8   0      16
LaPine    0   6   0   6      12

First quarter
Burns — Nolan Stampke 73 run (McKinley Ridenour run) 2:20
Second quarter
La Pine — Justin Wilson 74 run (pass failed) 6:55
Third quarter
Burns — Casey Heinz 68 pass from Stampke (Brennan Bailey run) 5:02

Fourth quarter
La Pine — Deion Mock 4 run (run failed) 2:11
Individual statistics
RUSHING—La Pine, Mock 13-66, Allen 1-5, Bryant 3-(-12), Wilson 9-95, Carriker 3-11, Dahlgren 11-20, Young 1-0, Page 3-4, Carpenter 3-11. Burns, Ridenour 16-52, Stampke 15-154, Bailey 10-30, Gahley 2-(-4).
PASSING—La Pine, Dahlgren 17-32-1 169. Burns, Stampke 4-18-1 103.
RECEIVING—La Pine, Allen 4-51, Penter 5-17, Page 2-10, Patrick 1-(-4), Kimmel 1-10, Young 2-46, Carpenter 2-39. Burns, Bailey 1-4, Garner 1-(-1), Heinz 2-100.