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
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No. 1 hunter ed
lesson is safe
gun handling
ing as a tool to help manage
wildlife numbers.
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the course for 20 years, said this
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By Angel Carpenter
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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then lost 13-5 in his second match.
“He is another great wrestler who
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the high school team through his hard
work and excellent attitude,” the coach
said.
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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
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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.
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The 13-year-old also
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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
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Track and Field Champion- was unexpected – her main
ships held at Eastern Michi- focus has been on sprints and
gan University in Ypsilanti.
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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
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4-2, giving the Monument
athlete the win.
Sophia comes from one of
the smallest schools in Grant
County where there is no fan-
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cinder-gravel track.
She said she practices
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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-
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others competing, and all
the girls were really good –
they all had high marks, but
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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
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