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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 6, 2016)
WEDNESDAY April 6, 2016 GC track teams compete at Don Walker Invite Teams compete in Burns on Saturday By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union catcher Brianna Zweygardt makes the grab in time for the out at home as a Heppner runner slides. Grant Union softball chalks up three wins NYSSA — Three Grant County track and ¿HOGWHDPVFRPSHWHGZLWKRWKHUWHDPVIURP 1A through 4A classes at last Friday’s Don Walk- er Invitational. Grant Union, Dayville and Prairie City teams also competed at the Grant Union Small Schools Invitational in John Day on Tuesday this week, past press time. After the Nyssa event, head coach Sonna Smith said her Grant Union girls team is in a good position for the league title. “The girls did great,” she said. “Kaylee :ULJKWDQG.RUL3HQW]HUDUH¿UVWLQ$IRUMDY elin, long jump and triple jump. We have few boys, but they are holding their own in their standings in state and league with Andrew Co- penhaver leading the pack. We are hoping to have some outstanding showings at our home meet on Tuesday (April 5).” Dayville head coach Peter Bogardus said his team is young, with only two competing this year, but they performed well. “Both of our athletes PR’d repeatedly, and .ULVWLQD +XPSKUH\V WRRN ¿UVW LQ WKH MDYHOLQ winning the team 10 points to beat 12 other schools singlehandedly,” he said. Prairie City head coach Joe Weymouth said he is looking forward to the season. On his team, pole vaulter Garrett Hitz came in second to a 3A Emmett, Idaho, athlete. See INVITE, Page B10 Head coach Nash pleased with pitching options, team Union got on the board when Janelle King batted in Hailey Wright. Heppner came back with two runs in the top of JOHN DAY — The Grant Union the third, but then the Prospector bats softball team showed their winning heated up. Grant Union bumped their ways last weekend, beating the Hep- score up 11-2 in the bottom of the in- pner Mustangs 15-4 at home on Friday ning. and sweeping in Lakeview, with 14-8 Ravyn Walker started the blitz wins in the two games. when she batted Railey Namitz home, Grant Union dominated in their Walker reaching home plate on an er- home opener against Heppner. ror. Madden and Namitz each had two The Prospectors took the win in RBI off doubles, and Moulton had two four and a half innings with Mariah RBI off a single, with Moulton batting 0RXOWRQ SLWFKLQJ WKH ¿UVW IRXU DQG in one earlier in the inning. Madden Cody Jo Madden closing it out with also scored on an error. three up, three down and none on base. Heppner increased their score by The pair gave up six hits and had six two in the fourth, and Grant Union strikeouts. See SOFTBALL, Page B10 $IWHU D TXLHW ¿UVW LQQLQJ *UDQW By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Prospector Jocelynn Smith reaches first in Friday’s home opener against the Heppner Mustangs. Contributed photo/Nancy Hitz Prairie City Panther Megan Camarena throws shot put at last Friday’s Don Walker Invitational in Nyssa. On a new track: PC team gears up for new season Grant Union to host invite at JD Golf Club Panthers will host Grant Union competed at the Pendleton Invitational last Friday, and results are still pending from that event. By Angel Carpenter The Grant Union golf team Blue Mountain Eagle will hold an 18-hole fundraiser scramble with a 10 a.m. shot- JOHN DAY — The Grant gun start Saturday, April 16, at Union High School golf team the John Day Golf Club. hosts their annual invitational There is a $100 team entry at 11 a.m. Friday at the John fee (handicap suggested but Day Golf Club. not required). Head coach Ron Lundbom There will be a 50/50 draw- said teams expected to join ing and closest to the pin con- Grant Union include Enter- test at hole No. 4, an accuracy prise, Wallowa, Vale, Heppner drive at hole No. 7, and one and Burns. gross and two net prizes. “Everybody is looking for- A silent auction will be ward to it,” he said. “Our course held all day, and a $5 barbecue is in such good shape this time hamburger feed will be held of year. Mike Walker, the greens after the scramble. keeper, does a great job.” To sign up, contact the /XQGERP KDV ¿YH ER\V clubhouse at 541-575-0170 or and two girls on his team this mail entry to Lundbom at 620 year, and he’s expecting 50 to SE Hillcrest Road, John Day, 60 golfers on Friday. OR 97845. He added there will be a For more information, hamburger feed for the ath- Lundbom can be reached at 541-620-0427. letes after the tournament. Six teams compete on Friday teams at new 8-lane track By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle PRAIRIE CITY — Panther trackster Amaya Zweygardt is getting a little help from fellow senior teammate Garrett Hitz, as she adds a new event to her list this season: the pole vault. Hitz is returning state 1A pole vault champion, having earned the top spot at University of Oregon’s Hayward Field last season with a mark of 13-3. Zweygardt, Hitz and Teri Cobb are leading out as seniors this year. Head coach Joe Weymouth KDV EHHQ KHDG WUDFN DQG ¿HOG coach for 10 years with 27 years, overall, coaching sports. “We’re small, but have a lot of good individual competitors,” he said. “We’ve actually taken state with three boys before, several years ago.” The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Prairie City Panther track and field seniors are, from left, Amaya Zweygardt, Garrett Hitz and Teri Cobb. Pointing at the new asphalt and bright striping, Weymouth said, “This year, what’s exciting is the new track.” The Panthers will host the Saturday, April 30, Prairie City Small Schools Meet and the Thursday, May 5, High Desert League Meet — a twilight meet a week before the district cham- pionship. “We’re all appreciative to the new track facilities,” he said. 7KH WUDFN DQG ¿HOG DUH OR cated at the athletic complex on 12th Street. Weymouth works with the runners on the team and has as- sistance from Joe Hitz for pole vault and Kieley Williams with jumping events. Kerry Foster is the junior high coach and also assists the varsity team. “I really love working with kids and seeing them progress,” Weymouth said. “It’s a lot of fun. The junior high track and ¿HOG WHDP PHPEHUV DUH DOVR quick learners.” He said new members of the varsity team include junior Wy- att Williams, sophomore Dorran Wilson and freshman Haley Pfefferkorn. The varsity team has been at practice since early March. “I’m just getting back into the track mode,” Garrett Hitz said. “I have a goal of beating the 1A state track record in the pole vault.” Hitz is on his way to that goal after winning second place at the Don Walker Invitation in 1\VVDODVWZHHN²¿QLVKLQJLQ ¿UVWZDVD$DWKOHWHIURP(P mett, Idaho. Hitz also competes in jave- lin, hurdles and high jump. He and Zweygardt have been competing in track since sixth grade. Zweygardt said she’s “learn- ing all the basics” of pole vault. See PC track, Page B10