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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 2016)
A10 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, November 30, 2016 WEDNESDAY November 30, 2016 SPORTS SCHEDULE Thursday, Dec. 1 All-State volleyball players have passion for the sport Dance Holiday Show- case at Grant Union, 6:30 p.m., cost $7 and can of food at door Friday, Dec. 2 Prairie City basketball vs. Adrian, 5 p.m. girls, 6:30 p.m. boys (JV starts at 3:30 p.m.) Monument/Dayville basketball @ Condon/ Wheeler at Fossil Tour- nament in Fossil, TBD Grant Union basketball @ Sherman Tourna- ment in Moro, TBD By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Two Grant Union Prospec- tor volleyball athletes received All-State honors this season. Junior outside hitter Ma- riah Moulton was named to the All-State fi rst team, and senior middle hitter Heather Mosley was named to the All- State second team. Both players were part of the Prospector team that won third at the OSAA state championships this year. Head coach Shae Speth said both girls Heather contributed to Mosley the team. Moulton led the team with 417 kills this season, up from 263 last year. She had 349 digs and 96 percent serving. “Mariah has always been an offen- sive-minded athlete, and she improved greatly this Mariah season,” Moulton Speth said, adding Moul- ton also made strides defen- sively as well. “Mariah had a passion for volleyball, and I look forward to watching her lead the team next year as a senior,” Speth said. Mosley had 284 kills on the season, up from 170 last year. She was in on 39 per- cent of the team’s blocks, with 49 solo blocks and 58 block assists. She had 103 digs and 67 aces. “Heather has improved greatly over the past few sea- sons,” Speth said. “I believe she was the most dominant middle in the state at our level. She has always been a force defensively with her blocking, but she became an offensive weapon for us this season as well.” Speth said Mosley’s serv- ing was especially improved this season. “Her leadership will be missed greatly as well,” Speth said. “She is steady and calm, no matter the score or situation.” Dance Holiday Show- case at Grant Union, 6:30 p.m., cost $7 and can of food at door Saturday, Dec. 3 Monument/Dayville basketball @ Pilot Rock at Fossil Tourna- ment in Fossil, TBD Grant Union basketball @ Sherman Tourna- ment in Moro, TBD Grant Union wrestling @ Irrigon Duals in Irrigon, TBD Prospector gridders awarded league honors Miller is Wapiti Coach of Year PANTHER PREVIEW Boys hungry for postseason play Lady Panthers eager to start season Team identity goal is tough defense By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle By Angel Carpenter A Blue Mountain Eagle Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union Prospec- tor football team, led by head coach Jason Miller, ended a successful season as Wapiti League champions, reaching the state quarterfi nals. Miller was named Wapiti League Coach of the Year. Several Grant Union players were select- Jason ed for Wapiti Miller All-League honors. Defensive Co-Players of the Year Cauy Weaver, junior (along with Brandon McGilvray, a senior from Imbler) Offensive line Drew Lusco, freshman, fi rst team Billy Copenhaver, senior, fi rst team Dillon Maley, junior, fi rst team Running back Cameron Hallgarth, junior, fi rst team Receiver Zack Deiter, junior, fi rst team Cauy Weaver, junior, fi rst team Duane Stokes, junior, honorable mention Quarterback Wade Reimers, junior, fi rst team Defensive line Elijah Humbird, junior, fi rst team Drew Lusco, freshman, fi rst team Linebacker Cauy Weaver, junior, fi rst team Dillon Maley, junior, second team Defensive back Wade Reimers, junior, fi rst team Duane Stokes, junior, fi rst team F or the Prairie City Panther boys bas- ketball team “Ball is Life” — that’s their motto — “One team, One fami- ly, One love — Prairie City.” The team had a look at post season play last February when they reached round one of the OSAA state playoffs for the fi rst time since 2007. Prairie City took a tough 53-45 loss to the Joseph Eagles, but they are ready to get back at it. Second-year head coach Jonathan Gill said the team wants to keep the momentum going. “For those guys to get a taste of post sea- son play, they’re very hungry to build off the success of last year, and their goal is to make it to Baker City this year,” he said. The top three from the district tournament advance to state playoffs — 24 teams state- wide — and the state championships in Baker City will include the Final 8. Prairie City coach Jonathan Gill Gill has help from returning assistant coaches Bob Hassmiller and Chuck Law- rence. Returning starters include senior Wyatt Williams, junior Dorran Wilson and sopho- more Levi Burke. “Those guys put in work all summer,” Gill said. “They’re setting examples and leading by example, for sure.” Wilson, he said, is sharing leadership skills, Williams is known for being vocal on the team and Burke is one of the best players. “Levi has the highest ceiling, and is one of See BOYS, Page A11 TOP PHOTO: Prairie City Panther Syd Holman looks for his next move in the Panthers’ Nov. 22 practice. The Eagle/Angel Carpenter combination of footwork and fun- damentals will be the foundation for this year’s Prairie City Lady Panther team, said new head coach Bo Workman. The Lady Panthers host the Adrian Antelopes at 5 p.m. Friday, after the junior varsity teams’ half games, which start at 3:30 p.m. “The town is excited for basketball to start,” Work- man said, adding last year’s support of the team was pos- itive. He said he’s seeing strength in this year’s team, from four seniors, as well as three experienced juniors. Rounding out the roster are three sophomores and three freshmen. Six of the athletes are returning varsity players. In practice last week, the Panthers focused on foot- work, positioning drills, The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Prairie City Lady Panther Brianna Zweygardt lays up the ball in practice last shooting and conditioning. “We’re focusing on the basics and fundamentals — keeping it simple,” Work- man said. This year’s seniors are MaKenzie Jones, Sarah En- nis, Lindsay Wall and Taci Perrenoud. Ennis and Wall started playing basketball seven years ago, on opposing fi fth- grade teams. “I’m excited to be play- ing with these girls,” Ennis See GIRLS, Page A11 Prairie City boys and girls basketball schedule Dec. 2: vs. Adrian, 5 p.m. girls, 6:30 p.m. boys (JV girls, 3:30 p.m., boys follow, half games) Dec. 3: vs. Grant Union JV, 3 p.m. girls, 4:30 p.m. boys Dec. 9: @ Ione in Condon, 3 p.m. girls, 4:30 p.m. boys Dec. 15-17: @ Union Christmas Classic, TBD Dec. 21: @ Powder Valley in North Powder, 4:30 p.m. girls, 6 p.m. boys (JV girls, 3 p.m.) Jan. 6: @ Adrian, 5 p.m. girls, 6:30 p.m. boys (JV girls, 3:30 p.m.) Jan. 7: @ Jordan Valley, 2 p.m. girls, 3:30 p.m. boys (JV girls, 12:30 p.m.) Jan. 10: @ Harper, 4 p.m. girls, 5:30 p.m. boys Jan. 13: vs. Huntington, 7:30 p.m. boys only Jan. 14: vs. Crane, 2 p.m. girls, 3:30 boys (JV girls, 12 p.m.) Jan. 20: vs. Adrian, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys (JV girls, 4:30 p.m.) Jan. 21: @ Burnt River in Unity, 2 p.m. girls, 3:30 p.m. boys Jan. 27: vs. Monument/Dayville, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys (JV girls only, 5:15 p.m.) Jan. 28: vs. Jordan Valley, 3 p.m. girls, 4:30 p.m. boys (JV girls, 1:30 p.m.) Jan. 31: @ Monument/Dayville in Monument, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys (JV girls only, 5:15 p.m.) Feb. 3: vs. Burnt River, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys Feb. 4: @ Crane, 2 p.m. girls, 3:30 p.m. boys (JV girls 12 p.m.) Feb. 10: vs. Harper, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys Feb. 16-18: High Desert League District Tournament in John Day, TBD Feb. 22-23: State First Round, TBD State Championships in Baker City, TBD Athletes will journey down under for summer competition By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Kristina Humphreys Dayville sophomore Kristi- na Humphreys and Grant Union junior Jozie Rude will journey for an experience of a lifetime to next summer’s Down Under Sports track and fi eld competi- tion in Queensland, Australia. Both athletes excelled in fi eld events last season. Humphreys, in the 1A High Desert League, broke the state record in javelin in May with a throw of 129-2, also a person- al record. Humphreys said, as a fi fth-grader, she watched the high school students throw javelin during practice. “It gave me motivation to try it myself,” she said. “I also re- member Skip Inscore (now re- tired track and fi eld coach) show- ing me Paula Berry’s awards, which made me feel confi dent that you can do anything you put your mind to.” She is coached by Peter Bog- ardus. Rude, in the 2A Wapi- ti League, had her best javelin throw of the season at the state championships, placing second with a mark of 117-11. She also earned third in pole vault and fourth in shot put at Hayward Field in Eugene. She broke the Wapiti League record in shot put, with a 34-4 throw. The Grant Union team is led by head coach Sonna Smith, with Kelsy Wright as the javelin coach. At the Down Under event, Rude plans to compete in those three events, as well as hammer and discus. This will be the fi rst trip out of the country for the athletes, and both plan to spend three days in Hawaii on the trip home. The cost of the nine-day trip is $6,500, and both plan on fund- raising the money for the adven- ture. Rude is now selling Super Bowl Squares, and she’ll host a golf tournament on May 6 at the John Day Golf Course. For more information on Rude’s fundrais- ing activities, her mother, Aimee, may be reached by email at ai- mee@rudeinc.net. Humphreys will also hold fundraisers for the trip. “I am most looking forward to meeting other athletes, and look- ing into the different strategies and pointers that the coach may give me to help,” Humphreys said. Grant Union sophomore Kaylee Wright also plans to attend the Down Under Sports track and fi eld event as previously reported in the Eagle. Jozie Rude
