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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 2015)
A10 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, June 10, 2015 WEDNESDAY June 10, 2015 Dayville alumnus is NCAA All-American Justin Larson, a Dayville School alumnus, competes in the javelin event earlier this season for Western Oregon University’s team. WOU junior sets school record in field event By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle ALLENDALE, Mich. – Jus- tin Larson’s javelin is on fire. The Dayville School alumnus, who is a junior at Western Ore- gon University in Monmouth, has surpassed his lifetime best in jav- elin, while earning All-American when he finished sixth overall in the event at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Champion- ships. The May 21-23 event was held at Grand Valley State University in Allentown, Mich. Larson, who has qualified for the national championships three times, placed ninth last year. He threw a lifetime best of 218- 9 on May 23, breaking WOU’s school record by 6 feet 8 inches. Contributed photo RACERS STRIKE GOLD IN CANYON CITY Walkers also take on ’62 Days 5K event C Blue Mountain Eagle ANYON CITY – Tanner Elliott, age 15, of John Day returned to take the overall winner title in this year’s Gold Rush Run Saturday in Canyon City. He covered the 3.1 mile course in 19 min- utes, 33 seconds. He was trailed closely by Barry Dew, 50, of Baker City, who took the honor of ¿UVWPDOH¿QLVKHULQWKHDJHDQGRYHUGLYL sion. 6DUDK%XVKRI&DQ\RQ&LW\ZDVWKH¿UVWIH PDOH¿QLVKHUFORFNLQJLQDW Elliott and Bush both earned commemora- WLYHSURVSHFWRUPHPHQWRVDVWKH¿UVWPDOHDQG IHPDOH¿QLVKHUV 0DGHO\Q%DLOH\RI&DQ\RQ&LW\ZDVWKH¿UVW IHPDOH¿QLVKHUXQGHUDJH±ZHOOXQGHUWKDW DJHLQIDFW7KH\HDUROG¿QLVKHGWKRYHUDOO $¿HOGRIUXQQHUVDQGZDONHUVWDFNOHGWKH course in an event that kicked off Saturday’s ’62 Days activities. Conditions for the race were nearly perfect Richard Thompson crests the Washington Street hill en route to the Gold Rush finish line. with sunny skies and cool morning air, however, participation was much lower than recent years with about half the 2014 turnout. Anna Jacobs, 5, of Prairie City was the \RXQJHVW¿QLVKHU6KHFRPSOHWHGWKHFRXUVHZLWK her parents Justin and Jenny Jacobs in 44:46. Anna is already a seasoned runner, having com- pleted the race last year. The Bailey family, of Canyon City, com- prised a veritable team consisting of father Zac pushing his son Sam in a jog stroller, mother Heather, daughters Eliza and Madelyn, and son Max. Richard Thompson, 68, of Mt. Vernon, was the most senior runner of the day, and one of the IDVWHVW¿QLVKLQJVL[WKRYHUDOOZLWKDQDJHGHI\ ing time of 26:30. Thompson won the event 10 years ago at age 58. The event was sponsored by the Whiskey Gulch Gang and the Strawberry Striders running group with volunteer help from Doug Smith, Melanie Leckenby, Mike and Sophie Cosgrove, Sarah Bush, and Greg and Tammy Bremner. – Hugh Snook contributed this article. Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Runners get their start in the Gold Rush Run 5K, kicking off Saturday’s ’62 Days activities. The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Challenge of Champions Bullriding Tour is returning to the Grant County Fairgrounds this weekend. Bulls vs. cowboys compete, entertain By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Gold Rush runner Tanner Elliott, a Grant Union eighth-grader, rounds the bend at Rebel Hill on his way to a first-place finish in Saturday’s 5K event. Below: Runners in the Gold Rush 5K take off after the traditional drop of the golden nugget in the gold pan by organizer Hugh Snook. JOHN DAY – The Chal- lenge of Champions Bullriding Tour is bucking into Grant Coun- ty this weekend. The competition is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday, with gates open at 5:30, at the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day. A whopping 1,000-plus fans attended last year to see 35 cow- boys riding cantankerous bulls for cash and prizes. Tickets may be purchased at the fairgrounds, call 541-575- 1900, or at the gate. Pre-sale general admission is $8, and $10 at the gate. Pre-sale VIP tickets, for a closer view from the arena area, are $15, and $20 at the gate. This year, the after party will be held in the arena area, where fans can take pictures and ask for autographs. Fairgrounds manager Mary Weaver said Jason Mattox, pres- ident of PUSH Enterprises Inc., told her he and the bull riders are excited to make a return to John Day. “It was such a huge success, and everyone had fun last year,” Weaver said. “It was a great event for Grant County, and we’d love to have everyone come back and enjoy the event.” Gleason Pool set to open next week Blue Mountain Eagle Taking a shot at Ironman competition Challengers test skills in three events By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle PRAIRIE CITY – Sever- al competitors turned out for a test of skill at the May 30 Ironman Shoot at the Bear Creek Shooting Sports Range. All were vying for best all-around in three shooting disciplines: .22 silhouette, clay target shotgun and 3-D archery. Each round included 25 targets. “We had between 25 and 30 participants from all over Grant County, Burns and Bak- er City,” said Mike Springer, a member of the Canyon Creek Bowhunters club which spon- sored the event. The Ironman competi- tion is in its second year, and Springer says they plan to make it an annual event. “The Canyon Creek Bow- hunters would like to thank everyone who showed up to shoot with us, and a special thanks to everyone who helped out with the event,” he said. 2015 Ironman Shoot results: Adult Individual 1st place, Mike Slinkard; 2nd, Andy Day; 3rd, Ty Higgins Youth Individual 1st, Dallon Higgins; 2nd, Ethan Jensen; 3rd, Chase Jensen Adult Team 1st, Andy Day, Mike Slinkard, Bobby Slinkard; 2nd, Les Percy, Jeb Bowling, Mike Springer; 3rd Place, Baker City Bow Tech team Youth Team Danner Davis and Wyatt Williams GU alumni trio shine as BMCC baseball starters Each plan further higher ed pursuits By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle PENDLETON – Three Grant Union alumni spent this season starting for the Blue Mountain Community College Timberwolves base- ball team. Dillon Porter is a 2010 Grant Union graduate and played second base and short stop; Kyler Deiter-Kn- ieriem, 2012, was a pitcher; and Jordan Ackerman, 2013, SOD\HGFHQWHU¿HOG Ackerman said that al- though they came up short Contributed photo Three Grant Union alumni have wrapped up a successful season as starters for the Blue Mountain Community College baseball program. From left: Jordan Ackerman (center fielder), Dillon Porter (second baseman) and Kyler Deiter-Knieriem (pitcher). of their goal to make it to the playoffs, the team im- proved their season by 13 games. “It was a great team environment, and we had great team chemistry,” he said. See GU, Page A18 JOHN DAY – Swimming season is here and Gleason Pool opens June 15. Recreational swim time is 1-4:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and the cost is $3 a day for res- idents living within the taxing district and $4 for those who live out of district. Family passes are $130, in district, and $160, out of district, and individual passes are $80, in district, and $95, out of district. Passes include lap swim and family swim night. Other activities include: 7:00-10:00 a.m. Monday-Fri- day – swim team practice. 10:00-11:00 a.m. Mon- day-Friday – in-service/cleaning/ private lessons. 11:00-1:00 p.m. Monday-Fri- day – swim lessons. Sign ups start June 15, lessons begin June 22. 4:30-5:25 p.m. Mon- day-Thursday – swim team practice. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday-Fri- day – adult lap swim. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday – water aerobics. 6:30-8:00 p.m. Wednesday – family swim night. &DOO WKH SRRO RI¿FH 575-9930, or the John Day/ Canyon City Parks and Recre- DWLRQRI¿FHIRU more information on pricing or other questions. Information is also at www.jdccparksandrec. weebly.com online.