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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2015)
Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, March 18, 2015 A11 WEDNESDAY March 18, 2015 Trio take to state mats Middle schoolers face tough foes in Woodburn Grant Union seventh-grader Drew Lusco goes for a pin in his second match at the Oregon Middle School State Meet last weekend. By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Contributed photo/Bryan Nelson Hunter education student Laken McKay is ready to test her skills with supervision from volunteer Gordon Black at the March 7 field day held at the law enforcement shooting range west of Prairie City. In back, Zach Mobley, left, and Justin May help Sierra May get started. Students ready WRDLPDQG¿UH No. 1 hunter ed lesson is safe gun handling ing as a tool to help manage wildlife numbers. 1HOVRQZKR¶VEHHQWHDFKLQJ the course for 20 years, said this \HDU¶VFODVVLQFOXGHG\RXWKDJHV By Angel Carpenter EXWKH¶VDOVRWDXJKWROGHU Blue Mountain Eagle youth, up to age 17 and some adults as well. JOHN DAY – Hunter ed- “Some other states require ucation students demonstrated hunter ed, no matter their age,” their safe gun-handling skills he said. ZLWKD0DUFK¿HOGGD\DWWKH 7KH ¿HOG GD\ LQFOXGHG D law enforcement shooting range. chance to shoot muzzle loaders The event capped a two- and a compound bow, and if week class for the 18 students they earned 95 or better on the in the class taught by Bryan test, students could shoot a ma- Nelson. chine gun. The course is sponsored by “Most enjoy the class and the Oregon Department of Fish ¿QGLWIXQ´1HOVRQVDLG and Wildlife. The next class is set for July “The No. 1 skill taught is be- 6 and will be taught by Dean- ing responsible and safe in gun na Maley. handling,” Nelson said. “Treat Nelson said they are look- HYHU\¿UHDUPDVLILW¶VORDGHG± ing for adults interested in be- and ask, ‘Where is the bullet go- coming instructors. LQJWRJRLI,PLVVP\WDUJHW"¶´ Contact Nelson at 541- He noted they also teach 575-1808, or Maley at 541- about wildlife habitat and hunt- 575-1167. WOODBURN – A trio of Grant Union middle school wrestlers climbed their way to the March 14 Oregon Middle School State Wrestling Meet this season. Seventh-grader Drew Lusco in the 195 weight class, eighth-grader Braden Spencer (102) and eighth-grader Roen Langum (150), all acheived the goal of making it to the top tournament. They had “super-tough competi- tion from 1A to 6A schools,” said head coach Andy Lusco. “Making it to state is a great accomplishment for these three wrestlers.” Lusco said he expects his two eighth- grade wrestlers to make strides next year on the high school wrestling team. At the tournament, Spencer lost by a Contributed photo Cindy Dougharity-Spencer GHFLVLRQLQWKH¿UVWURXQGDQGWKHQ lost 13-5 in his second match. “He has worked very hard and is an exceptional wrestler who will make a big contribution next season in high school,” Lusco said. Langam lost by pin to the eventual ¿IWKSODFH ¿QLVKHU DW WKH WRXUQDPHQW then lost 13-5 in his second match. “He is another great wrestler who ZLOO PDNH D VLJQL¿FDQW FRQWULEXWLRQ WR the high school team through his hard work and excellent attitude,” the coach said. 'UHZ /XVFR ORVW E\ D SLQ LQ KLV ¿UVW URXQGWRWKHHYHQWXDO¿IWKSODFH¿QLVKHU but came back, pinning his next opponent in the third round. He then lost the next round by a pin. “He accomplished his goal of going WR KLV ¿UVW ELJ WRXUQDPHQW DQG ZLQQLQJ a match,” coach Lusco said. “He will re- turn next year as an eighth-grader, and he hopes to place at the state meet.” “Coach Jake Batease has done an ex- ceptional job coaching these young men,” Lusco said. “His time and effort were much appreciated by the coaching staff and particularly by these young wres- tlers.” Teen leaps to national ranks Contributed photo S PRINTING INTO THE SEASON Monument eighth-grader Sophia Pettit clears the high jump at the March 7 AAU U14 Indoor National Track and Field Championships at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich. 6RSKLD3HWWLWLVFKDPSLRQDW$$8¿HOGHYHQW The 13-year-old also SODFHG¿IWKLQORQJMXPSWK in the 60-meter dash and 23rd MONUMENT – Eighth- in the 200 at the inaugural grade sprinter Sophia Pettit, meet. a Monument School student, “The competition was in- recently hit national champi- tense,” Sophia said regarding onship status in high jump. the sprint events. “For girls The daughter of Earl and only being in eighth grade Nittaya Pettit, Sophia won from across the country, sev- ¿UVWSODFHLQWKHKLJKMXPSDW eral are setting near world- the March 7 Amateur Athletic class times in the sprints.” Union (AAU) U14 National 3HWWLW¶V ZLQ LQ KLJK MXPS Track and Field Champion- was unexpected – her main ships held at Eastern Michi- focus has been on sprints and gan University in Ypsilanti. ORQJ MXPS DQG VKH KDGQ¶W By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union track and field athletes are prepping for their season, which gets underway at 3:30 p.m. this Thursday in Prineville, at the Breaking the Ice – Ice Breaker. Above: Track team members warm up during a recent practice on the new 8-lane track at Three Flags Field, completed last summer. 2015 COUNTY Dayville/Monument WR FOHDU WKH EDU ¿QLVKLQJ DW 4-2, giving the Monument athlete the win. Sophia comes from one of the smallest schools in Grant County where there is no fan- F\ WUDFN ± MXVW D ¿HOG ZLWK D cinder-gravel track. She said she practices VSULQWVRQWKHJUDVV\¿HOGDQG only occasionally works out at the Grant Union Junior-Se- nior High School track in John Day. See CHAMP, Page A18 SPORTS SCHEDULE Track Thursday, March 19 Friday, March 20 Grant Union competed in high jump for two years. She decided to add it to her list at the event. “I was originally planning to do the triple jump, but de- cided to do high jump,” So- SKLD VDLG ³7KHUH ZHUH ¿YH others competing, and all the girls were really good – they all had high marks, but ZHUHQ¶WFRPSHWLQJZHOO´ Four of her competitors were out after reaching the 4-foot mark. And when Sophia hit 4-4, her last opponent was unable Grant Union @ Breaking the Ice Meet Prairie City, Monument @ Diana Thurmond Invite Prineville Harper 3:30 p.m. 10 a.m. Grant Union @ Culver Grant Union vs. Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii Grant Union vs. Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii Grant Union’s Les Schwab Icebreaker Tourney Culver John Day John Day John Day 2 p.m. 10 a.m./2 p.m. 10 a.m. TBA Grant Union @ Culver Grant Union vs. Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii Culver John Day 2 p.m./4 p.m. 12 p.m./2 p.m. Long Creek Baseball Thursday, March 19 Saturday, March 21 Thursday, March 26 Friday-Sat. March 27-28 Softball Thursday, March 19 Saturday, March 21 Prairie City Dance Wed.-Sat., March 18-21 Grant Union @ Dance and Drill State Championships Portland TBA Friday, March 20 Grant Union @ Echo Hills Heppner 10 a.m. Golf MOVIE RENTAL SPECIALS Rent All Catalog (older) Movies For 7 Days! Rent 5 Movies (NEW Releases) $15.00 2 Days TUESDAY Kids Movie Day! Kids Movies $1.00 OPEN Tuesday thru Saturday 11am to 9pm • 541-575-1387 • 417 W. Main • John Day 11
