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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2016)
Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, April 20, 2016 B1 WEDNESDAY April 20, 2016 GU girls start league play with 3 wins, 1 loss Lady Pros hosts Echo/ Stanfield on Friday By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle ELGIN — The Grant Union Lady Pros- pectors started off league softball last week with split wins in Enterprise on Friday and a sweep in Elgin on Saturday. Enterprise had a surprise for Grant Union in the sixth inning for their 8-4 Game One win. The teams were tied 1-1 in the fi rst and, by the fi fth, found themselves tied again 4-4. Then the Outlaws broke out with four runs in the sixth for the win. Cody Jo Madden pitched a complete game, giving up nine hits and four walks. The Outlaws gave up nine hits, one walk and had one hit batter. Grant Union’s Mariah Moulton, Whitney McClellan and Janelle King each had two hits. “The fi rst Enterprise game, we had plen- ty of hits, but we couldn’t string anything together to produce the runs we needed,” said Grant Union head coach DeAnna Nash. “They were able to put hits together in the sixth inning to pull ahead of us.” The tables turned in Game Two. A better game plan and Moulton’s pitch- ing led to Grant Union’s 7-2 win, Nash said. Moulton struck out three, gave up seven hits and no walks. She also had three hits from the plate, and Railey Namitz had two. On Saturday, Grant Union’s offense was on fi re. See SOFTBALL, Page B2 EO Media Group/Scot Heisel Grant Union’s Whitney McClellan beats out a bunt to first, as Mariah Moulton races in to score in the game against Enterprise. GU track and fi eld team ready to soar North Fork John Day provides early season exercise 32-member team includes several underclassmen By Tim Trainor EO Media Group By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle JOHN DAY — Grant Union head track and fi eld coach Sonna Smith is getting her team on the mark for rest of the season. The 2A-6 Wapiti League Districts are a little more than three weeks away, and the Prospector athletes hope to gain state-qual- ifying results. Smith, who’s coached the team for sev- eral years, said the group of 32 includes several underclassmen. “They actually add a lot to the team,” she said. “A lot of them are above where I thought they would be at the beginning of the season, for being younger.” She added, “We’re lucky that most of them have already participated in a varsity sport, and that helps them realize the inten- sity I expect.” The team includes three seniors, Ken- zie Wilson, Andrew Copenhaver and Sa- mantha Brock. Each competed at state last year. See TRACK, Page B10 The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union track and field seniors are, from left, Samantha Brock, Andrew Copenhaver and Kenzie Wilson. Each competed at state last year. Contributed photo/LindseyWyllie.com Monument High School junior GW Clark bulldogs at the Klamath Falls High School Rodeo. GW Clark on the high school rodeo circuit By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle LONG CREEK — Long Creek’s GW Clark is getting back into the rodeo groove. The Monument High School junior competed at the April 1-3 Klamath Falls High School Rodeo, riding with the Harney County High School Ro- deo Club. Clark placed fi fth in tie- down roping at the event. “It was the fi rst rodeo for me this year,” he said. “I got a new horse for bull- dogging, so it was a good ice breaker.” Clark, who competes in calf roping, team roping and steer wrestling, will next travel to the April 22- 24 Hermiston High School Rodeo. If your summer goal is a week-long back- pack in the Eagle Caps or the Elkhorns, you may be looking for early season opportunities to stretch your legs and your mileage without having to posthole your way through high country snow. The North Fork John Day River Trail of- fers an alternative. Warm, scenic and mostly fl at, the 23-mile trail makes a good choice for a long spring day hike or an overnight backpack trip. The trail begins with about two miles of easy walking along an old road that skirts alongside the North Fork John Day. It then diverges at a large, open camping spot where Big Creek and its trail pours into the John Day fork. This is where the wilderness area begins, and only horses and hikers can continue along an old mining road route that follows the river. It becomes more narrow and more scenic as it gets more remote. The trail is classic Eastern Oregon. Hot and dusty midday. Lots of ponderosa and lodgepole pines mixed with Douglas fi r and larch. Willows fi ll the river bottoms. You can catch glimpses of plenty of mule deer rear ends, bounding away into the surrounding hills. The water, where relatively calm, is covered with mergansers. Canadian geese have coupled off and built their nests on riv- er islands. See TRAIL, Page B10 How to get there Contributed photo/LindseyWyllie.com Monument high school junior GW Clark competes in the tie-down roping event at the April 1-3 Klamath High School Rodeo. Sony Television in high definition or the NEW Ultra 4K resolution (4 times the resolution of regular HDTV) For Grant County residents, the trail is best accessed by heading north on Highway 395 to the Umatilla County line. Turn east when you hit the North Fork John Day River and make your way via Forest Road 55 to Forest Road 5506. It’s easy navigating — just keep the river alongside your passenger door. Follow that road to the “Road Closed” sign just past Oriental Campground. Blu-Ray Players: regular or with streaming capabilities - or with 4K upgrade + Playstation games streaming Stereo Systems: Surround sound packages, wireless speakers, shelf systems OPEN Tuesday thru Saturday 11am to 9pm • 541-575-1387 • 417 W. Main • John Day 03741
