The Bulldogs lost the Greater Oregon League match with Ontario 44-24, but rebounded to top Vale 56-21.

“The team continues to step forward,” said Baker coach Brandon Young. “The big question will be can Baker hold up until districts in two weeks...The biggest battle is going to be keeping everyone healthy and eligible the remainder of the season.”

Young said the Bulldogs’ Sam Pearson gets the gold star as he worked over Chase Fields of Ontario to win 9-5.

“Sam rode Fields the last two rounds and had him on his back in a double arm bar in the final seconds of the match,” Young said. “Fields took third at state last season. With that win Sam Pearson is looking like he has a good shot to enter district as the No. 1 seed at 140 pounds. He still needs a win against Mac-Hi.”

The Bulldogs return to La Grande Feb. 12-13 for the district meet

The girls finished with 58 points, and the boys 50. La Grande won the girls team title with 122 points, and Pendleton the boys with 114.

Baker swimmers earned two second-place finishes. Annie Martin was second in the girls 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:21.10.

Martin teamed with Ellen Jampolsky, Kim Pointer and Courtney Raley to take second in the girls 200 medley relay with a 2:13.59 clocking.

By GERRY STEELE

Baker City Herald

Baker used a record-setting scoring performance by Derek Blankenship to roll past Weiser, Idaho, 89-59 in a non-league boys basketball game Saturday at BHS.

Blankenship led Baker with 45 points. He was 11-of-14 from three-point range, and 16-of-20 overall from the field. He also dished out four assists.

Blankenship’s 45 points eclipsed Baker’s single-game record of 43 points set in 2002 by Dave Mullins at Vale.

“My shot was just going good,” Blankenship said. “I have to credit my teammates and coaches. We had some set plays for me.

“Jesse Brown got me the ball. Dekker (Smith), Trace (Richardson), B.J. (Quintana), Ty (Everson) and Taylor (McEnroe) all were playing well.”

Blankenship scored 31 points in the first half, hitting 7-of-8 from beyond the arc.

By GERRY STEELE

Baker City Herald

Baker rallied from a third-quarter deficit Friday to hand La Grande a 46-42 loss in Greater Oregon League girls basketball play at BHS.

Baker trailed 31-23 at the end of the third quarter, then scored the first 10 points of the final quarter.

Aly Ogan led the Bulldogs, scoring five of her game-high 15 points in the 10-0 run. Ogan’s driving layin down the key knotted the game at 31-31 with 6:38 left. Mackenzie Warner, who also scored 15 points, then gave Baker the lead with a basket off a feed from Haley Adams with 4:51 remaining.

La Grande scored with 4:39 left to tie the game at 33-33, but two Ogan free throws with 3:52 remaining gave Baker the lead for good.

A basket by Whitney Phillips, a three-pointer from Ogan, and an Adams free throw boosted Baker’s cushion to 41-34 with 1:36 left.