HELIX — Elijah Sprenger is one of Griswold’s premier athletes.

He is the only Grizzly basketball player to receive Old Oregon League Player of the Year nominations two years in a row, and has been able to average a double-double for the entirety of his high school career.

For his senior season, he has one big goal in mind: to dunk the ball.

“I know that sounds silly,” he said, “but my progress was stopped last year when I broke my ankle toward the end of the season. I think if I hit the gym and the weight room hard, I should be able to accomplish this by the end of the season — it’s something I have been working on all of high school.”

For his final outing as a Grizzly, Sprenger is well aware of the challenges that wait ahead — after the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced the Oregon School Activities Association to delay all fall athletics until the spring and subsequently expedite each season, the 6-foot, 3-inch post will have just seven weeks to accomplish goals and finish his career as a Grizzly strong. His senior year will comprise of just 14 regular-season games.

“I think the biggest challenge it will cause is the mental confusion amongst all of the students and coaches,” said Sprenger, 18. “Everything will pretty much be backwards. For me, I don’t think it will change much else for my basketball season. I’ll still be practicing before (the season begins), and I’ll hopefully have a strong senior year.”

Sprenger’s reputation precedes him, having left an impact on the high school sports scene ever since he was a freshman. He spent a year on the McLoughlin football team as a freshman, and was a standout runner on the Grizzly track and field team, but his ankle injury ended his junior season prematurely.

“I’ve had the opportunity to coach Eli in football and track,” Griswold head track coach Rory Simpson said. “He’s a phenomenal athlete and could make an impact in any sport he chooses to play. I’ve seen him make great contributions not only as a great athlete, but as a teammate and leader. He inspires others to play. Just to be on his team is to know you have a chance to win.”

Some of Sprenger’s earliest memories are of basketball. The motivation of his family, many of whom were once high school basketball athletes, and the pursuit of greatness is what keeps him fighting through every tough game and injury.

“Both of my parents were very successful high school basketball and track athletes,” he said, “so I had all the help I needed growing up, sports-wise. I think the challenge that basketball presents is what really sucked me in from the start. The sky’s the limit in basketball. If you can think it, you can do it. That’s what’s appealing to me. I love that feeling you get when you make a hard shot in a close game and everyone in the stands goes crazy.”

Sprenger will be able to experience that rush of excitement again when he hits the court with his fellow Grizzlies one last time starting in late December. Once the basketball season wraps up, he’ll have a little over a month to prepare for his final golf season as a high-schooler.

But he doesn’t plan on putting the clubs down any time soon.

“My favorite part of golf is the fact that I can still play it when I’m old,” he said. “I’ve learned a lifelong activity.”

Sprenger has been spending his summer break working in the sun for Aspen Construction. With COVID-19 putting a temporary halt to in-person schooling, he’ll spend this fall taking classes online and continuing his construction work, and counting down the days until basketball season finally tips off.

“I’ll hopefully start working out for basketball (this fall),” Sprenger added. “Since we weren’t able to get into the gym, I have been working pretty much all summer. I’ve enjoyed my time at Helix, as well as the people I’ve had the pleasure of playing with and for.”

Favorite sport to play and why?

Basketball, because I get to use my whole body, and it’s very easy to express myself with a basketball and how I perform on the court.

Favorite sport to watch and why?

Basketball, because it’s my favorite sport to play, so I like to watch and try to improve myself.

Favorite activity when not playing sports?

Fishing, hunting, hiking, snowboarding — pretty much anything outside.

What is your favorite moment of high school athletics so far?

District golf in La Grande my sophomore year.

A fun fact about you that few people know?

I know a lot about sharks.