Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
A11
WEDNESDAY
March 4, 2015
Round 1 heartbreaker
ends GU girls’ season
Monroe girls win at free-throw line
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
MONROE – The Grant Union
girls fought hard in Monroe, but
succumbed to the Dragons 33-37 in
a heartbreaker battle for Round 1 of
the state basketball playoffs.
“We had a really good scouting
Forest taps
snowmobile
groups for
information
report, and we implemented it well,”
said Grant Union head coach Mark
Mosley.
He added that although his team
played well together defensively, the
free-throw line was a factor in the re-
sult of the game.
Monroe took 25 trips to the free-
throw line, hitting 15, compared to
Grant Union’s 6-7.
Still, the coach said he is proud of
how the girls played.
“They fought hard to the very end
– they didn’t give up,” he said.
Monroe entered the competition
seeded No. 1 from the Mountain
View Conference, 13-0 in league
and 24-3 overall, while Grant Union
was the No. 3 seed from the Wapiti
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
The Grant Union girls basketball team left the school
campus in for their Round 1 state playoff game in style
as emergency vehicles, sirens blaring, led them out
of town. From left: head coach Mark Mosley, players
Heather Mosley, Emily Mosley, Kori Pentzer, McKenzie
Wilson, Riley Sharp, Mariah Moulton, Whitney McClellan,
Samantha Brock, Babe Nash and Jozie Rude, and
See GU, Page A18 assistant coach Lisa Weigum.
Johnson takes 3rd at state
Tenacity puts Grant Union wrestler on the podium
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY – Malheur Nation-
al Forest staffers are meeting with
local snowmobile clubs to identify
preferred routes in response to the
recently released policy that re-
quires region’s forests to designate
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eration.
The Malheur National Forest
currently has an estimated 850-
mile network of trails; most of
them on forest roads, which are
groomed by local snowmobile
clubs.
Discussions have begun with
the local groups in Grant, Harney
and Baker Counties as existing
groomed trails provide linkages
between the counties.
“In the past, forests were not
required to specify where snow-
mobiles and other over-snow mo-
torized vehicles can travel,” said
Forest Supervisor Steve Beverlin.
The new policy, issued in Jan-
uary, requires each forest to desig-
nate roads, trails, and areas where
such over-snow vehicles are al-
lowed.
Beverlin said the Malheur staff
is fortunate in having worked with
local groups in the past to identify
such areas.
The information eventually
will be used to develop over-snow
vehicle maps.
Bob Phillips, president of the
Grant County Snowballers, was
positive about a recent meeting
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cials.
“I was pleased we had a pro-
ductive conversation about the
excellent work the local groups
had done in the past, and that this
was going to be the basis for the
new CFR order that will need to be
signed,” he said. “We appreciate
the opportunity to share our con-
cerns and believe we were heard.”
Phillips said anyone with con-
cerns or questions about the pro-
cess should contact members of
the Snowballers.
Snowmobiles and other motor-
ized vehicles will remain prohibit-
ed in the wilderness areas.
Find more on winter recreation
on the Malheur at http://1.usa.
gov/1DuIJSz online.
PORTLAND – Natural talent is
not wasted on Grant Union wres-
tler Clay Johnson, says head coach
Andy Lusco.
That talent, combined with hard
work, propelled the 120-division
sophomore to third place at last
weekend’s OSAA State Wrestling
Championship Tournament in Port-
land.
Johnson, seeded third going into
the tournament, didn’t lose confi-
dence after finishing just 1 point
away from the championship round
as he continued on to the consola-
tion round.
His state competition action
began Friday in the quarterfinal
round, when he faced freshman
Joey Navarro of Culver.
“Clay wrestled well,” Lusco
said. “With 27 seconds left in the
third round, he pinned.”
In the semifinal round Satur-
day, Johnson lost by a 3-2 decision
to No. 2-seeded sophomore Wes
Turner of Gold Beach.
“It was a very good match,”
Johnson said later. “Neither one of
us got back points on each other. It
was a close match and a hard loss.
It went all three rounds, and we
were both pretty tired at the end.”
Lusco said Johnson didn’t lose
stride after the loss.
“Clay really came back, and we
felt like he was in a position to go
into the finals,” the coach said.
After beating freshman Tyson
Lilly of Gold Beach in the first
match of the consolation semifi-
nals, Johnson snagged the win for
third from junior Kyle Bateman of
Monroe.
“We went for most of the first
round taking shots and blocking,”
Johnson said. “He took a shot and
tucked it in, and got 2 points on the
takedown. I put him in a head and
arm pin late in the first.”
Lusco said Johnson wrestled pa-
tiently.
“He was fundamentally sound
in that match, and it put him in a
good place to get a pin.” Lusco
said.
From early in the season, Lus-
co has expected good things from
Johnson.
Johnson qualified for state last
Contributed photos/Angie Johnson
Grant Union’s Clay Johnson takes the win in his first match at the state championship, going on
to place third in the 120 division.
Grant Union’s Clay Johnson puts his opponent Joey Navarro
of Culver in a bind during the Feb. 27 quarterfinal round of the
OSAA Wrestling State Championship Tournament.
year, and he finished with a 24-9
record this season.
He claimed victory as the 2A/1A
Special District 4 champion – the
district includes 12 other schools.
“He won a lot of matches and
wrestled really well,” Lusco said.
“Clay has a goal and a focus, and
I think he does a good job fin-
ishing the course – he’s a better
wrestler every week, and every
year.”
What gave the coach such con-
fidence in Johnson’s wrestling?
“Clay is the hardest working kid
on our team,” Lusco said. “He puts
a tremendous amount of time in his
workouts during the season and in
the off season. He’s naturally tal-
ented, and it’s not wasted on him
– he works hard. That’s what we’re
looking for, kids that are talented
and work really hard.”
The coach added, “We have
high hopes for the future to shoot
for a championship – we really feel
that’s within Clay’s reach.”
Assistant coaches for Lus-
co include Tye Parsons and Jake
Batease.
“My coaches were awesome
and very supportive of me – they
helped me prepare for each match,”
Johnson said.
He added that the state tourna-
ment was fun, especially with three
teammates, Andrew Copenhaver,
Antonio Dancer and Chance Ballou
along to provide encouragement.
“I’m looking forward to wres-
tling with my teammates, and
to grow more in wrestling,” he
said.
Dance teams compete at Pendleton
Next up: GU travels
to Thurston
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
PENDLETON – Competing
against larger schools, the 2A Grant
Union Gold dancers received their
best score to date for a routine they
will take to state competition.
Grant Union placed fourth
against Gresham, Rex Putnam
and Hermiston teams – 5A and 6A
teams which they don’t usually
face in competition.
Grant Union earned 71.33 in ex-
ecution, 66 for content and 75 for
effect.
“Our overall score was at its
highest this year with a 70.86,”
Adair said.
Rex Putnam received 75, Herm-
iston 77 and Gresham 81.67.
Junior dance team
“We performed very well, and I
expect to continue to increase our
scores through the remainder of the
season as we still have 40 seconds
to add to the routine,” Adair said.
The junior team, coached by
varsity team members Carli Gard-
ner and Mackenzie Woodcock,
placed third in their division.
Level 3 dance team
Contributed photos
The elementary team, led by
coach Stephanie Parsons, placed
fourth.
“For many of these kids, this
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Adair said. “Everyone performed
well and had a great time, and we
had great support from a large John
Day audience.”
Amy Lallatin of the high school
team and junior team member Tay-
lor Osgood were in the top 10 for
the drill down competition.
Jennifer McCloskey of the high
school team also received one of 20
super sensational awards.
See DANCE, Page A18
The Grant Union Gold dancers after
their performance at the Pendleton
Competition last weekend. Front,
from left, Auna Waldner, Serena
Pace, Carli Gardner; middle, Lucrezia
Noseda, Reannah Lemons, Jennifer
McCloskey; back, Amy Lallatin,
Mackenzie Woodcock and Rebecca
Batease.