SPORTS
SCHEDULE
Thursday, Dec. 3
WEDNESDAY
December 2, 2015
Grant Union dance team
and dance groups pres-
ent Holiday Showcase in
John Day, 7 p.m.
HOLIDAY DANCERS
Friday, Dec. 4
Dayville/Monument
basketball
@ Fossil
Tournament
(Echo), girls Dayville/Monument
3 p.m./boys
4:30 p.m.
Grant Union
Long Creek
Grant Union
dance team
and dance
groups
present
Holiday
Showcase
in John Day,
7 p.m.
Prairie City
Prairie City
basketball
vs. Red-
mond JV in
Prairie City,
girls 5 p.m./
boys 6:30
p.m.
TO DELIVER SPIRIT
OF THE SEASON
Saturday, Dec. 5
Grant Union wrestling @
Irrigon Duals in Irrigon,
10 a.m.
Grant Union basketball
vs. Redmond JV in John
Day, girls 2 p.m./boys
3:30 p.m.
Dayville/Monument bas-
ketball @ Fossil Tourna-
ment (Pilot Rock), girls 1
p.m./boys 2:30 p.m.
Prairie City basketball
vs. Burnt River in Prairie
City, girls 5 p.m./boys
6:30 p.m.
Winter
sports
are on
the way!
Grant County
teams prep for
weekend
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
GRANT COUNTY – Winter
sports athletes have been at work
in practice, preparing for their
¿ rst games and performances this
weekend.
The Grant Union High School
dance team, coached by Shannon
Adair, will start things off with a
large group of younger dancers,
presenting their Holiday Showcase
Thursday and Friday, Dec. 3 and 4,
with both shows beginning at 7 p.m.
The event will be held at the
school’s old gym, and admission is
$5 and a canned food item.
Grant Union’s boys and girls
varsity basketball teams will host
the Redmond junior varsity on
Saturday.
See WINTER, Page B8
Contributed photo/Jeff Meyerholz of MeyWow Photography
The Grant Union Gold dance team performs at last year’s Holiday Showcase.
60 dancers will perform variety of styles
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
J
OHN DAY – Dancers will kick off the Christ-
mas season at the annual Holiday Showcase
at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 3 and 4,
at the Grant Union old gym in John Day.
Admission is $5 and a canned food item,
children under 6 have free admission and re-
freshments will be served.
Shannon Adair, who coordinates the event
and is in her 19th year coaching the Grant Union
dance team, said the event will feature ballet,
contemporary, jazz and hip hop styles with solo,
small group and full group performances.
“For us, it’s a great start to the holidays, try-
ing to deliver happiness and the spirit of the sea-
son,” Adair said.
About 60 dancers ranging in age from 3-18
will perform in the showcase.
The younger students – Level 1 through 3
and the junior team – receive their training at
Body, Fitness & Dance, while the Grant Union
dancers are a high school team.
Adair works with assistant coaches Jessica
Moore and Kattie Piazza to coach the Grant
Union Gold team.
Chandra Holliday coaches Levels 1 and 2,
and Stephanie Parsons coaches Level 3.
Coaching the junior high dancers are Piaz-
za and assistant coach Rebecca Batease, who is
also on the high school team.
Adair said she takes a lot of pride in the Hol-
iday Showcase, and noted all the coaches were
once on her dance team, except Holliday, who
was on the Pendleton High School dance team.
“It’s a pretty big program for the size of our
community,” Adair said. “I’m excited – it’s one
of the things I have a lot of pride in.”
“
For us, it’s a great start to the holidays, trying to deliver
happiness and the spirit of the season.”
Shannon Adair, Grant Union dance team coach
Local shares joys of winter birding
Favorites are
chickadees’
personable ways
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
JOHN DAY – Marilyn
O’Leary enjoys bird watching
at home, on walks and on trips
with her husband Clarence. The
couple have lived on the out-
skirts of John Day for 24 years,
and have their yard set up to
cater to a variety of feathered
friends who come to visit. The
Eagle had a conversation with
Marilyn to ¿ nd out what there is
to love about winter bird watch-
ing.
Q. What do you enjoy most
about your hobby of bird
watching?
A. It’s something you can do
no matter where you go, whether
its a trip to Bend for shopping or
medical or going to town or on
daily walks. It’s something we’re
always doing. We also watch
for trends, such as new birds,
and declines in other birds, too.
Some species for instance, with
Prospector
athletes
selected
for honors
GU sophomore
volleyball players
achieve success
Blue Mountain Eagle
the common Stellar’s jay) – there
was one in Mt. Vernon about a
month ago; they may be moving
further west here. It’s strictly a
hobby, but one we can do any-
where.
JOHN DAY – Two Grant Union soph-
omore volleyball players were selected for
Oregon 2A Volleyball All State honors.
Kori Pentzer was named to the First
Team and Mariah Moulton to the Third
Team.
The Prospectors won third place at the
OSAA State Championship Tournament
in Redmond on Nov. 7.
Pentzer was also named to the All State
First Team last year as a freshman.
“She worked diligently at improving
various aspects of her game this year,
See BIRDS, Page B8
See HONORS, Page B8
File photo
Oregon juncos are among Grant County’s “frequent
flyer” winter birds.
the northern shrike, a predator
bird, there have been a decline
in numbers. The western scrub
jay didn’t use to be here, but now
they are ¿ rmly established. It’s
interesting to watch and see if we
get some of the interesting birds
such as the eastern blue jay (not
COME SEE THE CREW AT LES SCHWAB IN JOHN DAY, 551 W. Main
John Day
541-575-1346
t a
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