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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2016)
A8 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, December 21, 2016 WEDNESDAY December 21, 2016 TWO TENACIOUS TIGERS TEAMS The Eagle/Angel Carpenter The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Monument/Dayville Tiger head coach Jeff Schafer (black shirt) and assistant coach Justin Larson chat with the team during a timeout at the Dec. 13 game against South Wasco at the Monument court. Unity a top priority for Tiger boys Team is meshing with three new basketball players By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Monument/Dayville Tigers are starting to gel after beginning the season with three new players on the team of eight. The Tigers are led by head coach Jeff Schafer, in his fi fth year leading the team, and assistant coach Justin Larson. The roster includes four seniors, two sophomores and two freshmen. Schafer said his seniors are serv- ing as the team’s greatest strength. “I think our seniors are defi nitely stepping up and taking leadership and encouraging the younger play- ers to keep pressing forward,” he said. Two seniors, Hayden Schafer and Tanner Wal- czyk, are returning varsity starters who were part of the core group of players leading the team to last season’s fi rst-round state playoff. GW Clark also saw time on the court last year. A new senior joining the team is Cauy Pool, a transfer student. All have a positive outlook for the season. Hayden Schafer said, while the team still needs to work on techniques, their defense is looking good, and shots are falling. “We’re coming along,” he said. “We’re working on making it to state.” “We’re doing good,” Clark said. “We’re starting to fi gure each other out and work as a team. We have a lot of fun and do good.” Pool also feels the team will do well this year. “We’re new to each other, but we’re really start- ing to mesh and become a team,” he said. Coach Schafer said, with new players this season, the team has just started playing “together.” “Our goals are just to keep improving and See TIGER BOYS, Page A9 Monument/Dayville Tiger head coach Taylor Schmadeka gives his team a pep talk during a fourth-quarter time out in the Dec. 13 game against South Wasco County. Monument/Dayville boys, girls schedule Dec. 30: vs. alumni in Dayville, girls at 5 p.m., boys at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 6: @ Jordan Valley, girls at 5 p.m. (MST), boys at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 7: @ Crane, girls at 2 p.m., boys at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 10: @ Burnt River in Unity, girls at 4 p.m., boys at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 13: vs. Harper in Dayville, girls at 4 p.m., boys at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14: @ Huntington, girls at 4 p.m., boys at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 17: JV @ Long Creek/Ukiah in Long Creek, girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20: vs. Jordan Valley in Monument, girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21: vs. Adrian in Dayville, girls at 2 p.m., boys at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 27: @ Prairie City, girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28: vs. Crane in Dayville, girls at 2 p.m., boys at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 31: vs. Prairie City in Monument, girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3: @ Adrian, girls at 5 p.m., boys at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4: vs. Huntington in Monument, girls at 2 p.m., boys at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 10: vs. Burnt River in Dayville (senior recognition), girls at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11: @ Harper, girls at 4 p.m. (MST), boys at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 16-18: 1A-8 High Desert District Tournament in John Day, TBA Feb. 21: First Round State Playoff, boys, TBA Feb. 22: First Round State Playoff, girls, TBA Feb. 24: Second Round State Playoff, boys, TBA Feb. 25: Second Round State Playoff, girls, TBA Senior boys Senior girls GW Clark Cauy Pool Hayden Schafer Tanner Walczyk Kendall Hettinga Cheyenne Nichols Ravyn Walker G RANT C OUNTY SPORTS ROUNDUP By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Grant Union wrestles to third at Rysdam Memorial Grant Union wrestler Clay Johnson earned Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament at the Dec. 16-17 John Rysdam Memorial Tournament in Elgin. Head coach Andy Lusco said the entire team had excel- lent results at the competition. “We fi nished third behind two very good 4A teams and fi rst among the 1A/2A/3A schools,” Lusco said. The 4A La Grande team earned a score of 188 for the tournament title, followed by 4A Baker/Powder Valley with 181.5, 2A Grant Union with 88, 2A Enterprise with 65.5 and 1A Joseph with 55.0. Finishing in sixth was 2A Elgin, followed by 1A Adrian, 1A Pine Eagle, 2A Union/Cove, 3A Vale and 2A Imbler. Johnson, a senior, earned fi rst in the 138 weight class in the fi nals over La Grande wres- tler Greyson Livingston, whom Lusco said was an “exception- Contributed photo/Cindy Dougharity-Spencer Grant Union Prospector wrestler Clay Johnson was awarded the John Rysdam Outstanding Wrestler of the tourney at the Dec. 16-17 competition in Elgin. al” opponent. Freshman Drew Lusco also earned fi rst in the 285 weight class with three wins by pin. Dillon Maley, a junior, fi n- ished in second at 285, after losing a tough match in the fi - nals to a Baker wrestler. Jesse Paulson (113), Braden Spencer (126), Russell Hodge (170) and Elijah Humbird (220) each earned a fourth- place fi nish. Lusco said each of the fourth-place fi nishers gave im- pressive performances. “Jesse has improved tre- mendously over the past couple of seasons and is showing some excellent toughness and skill on the mat,” Lusco said. He added Spencer had high-quality competition, and Humbird showed mental toughness by overcoming an early loss to make a comeback to place in the meet. He described Hodge as “a great freshman wrestler whose only losses in the tournament were to 4A state qualifi ers.” Lusco said Airron Glimpse (4-2), Jay Goldblatt, Nate Hodge and Eli Carniglia (3-3) also wrestled tough and showed improvement. “Eli Carniglia went 3-3 on the weekend and is showing excellent potential in his fi rst year,” Lusco said. “I think we will see him impress by the dis- trict meet.” Lady Tigers unhinge Elgin, Tiger boys lose squeaker at Christmas Classic The 1A Monument/Day- ville Tigers were up against 2A and 3A class opponents at the Dec. 15-17 Union Christmas Classic. The Lady Tigers came away with a 48-40 win over 2A Elgin after their fi rst-day 53-25 loss to Union. In their fi nal game, 4A La Grande had the upper hand, taking a 52-31 win. The Tiger boys lost a 45-44 squeaker to Elgin, after a fi rst- day, 66-33 loss to Union. They followed with an 84-36 loss to 4A La Grande on the fi nal day. Prairie City teams gear up for Badger battle The 1A Prairie City Panther girls and boys took some tough knocks at the Union Christmas Classic. See ROUNDUP, Page A9 Lady Tigers work, have fun together Monument/Dayville is 4-4 in preseason matchups By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The 1A Monument/Dayville Tiger girls are mov- ing along at a good clip. Head coach Taylor Schmadeka, in his second season coaching the Tigers, says their focus is play- ing with intensity and having fun, a formula which seems to be working. So far, the team is 4-4 in the preseason. Two of the losses and one win were to 2A teams. “Our goal is to keep having them play hard every day, even if they’re losing — never give up and have fun,” Schmadeka said. Schmadeka has help from assistant Kristi Emer- son, coaching the team of 10, which includes three freshmen, two sophomores, two juniors and three seniors. Seniors Kendall Hettinga and Ravyn Walker are returning varsity starters, and Cheyenne Nichols is new to the team. “Kendall always plays 100 percent and gives full heart,” the coach said. “She’s defi nitely a good leader on the team.” He said Walker is an asset to the team, offensively and defensively. “Ravyn always plays strong defense, and she’s one of the best shooters on the team,” Schmadeka said. “She handles close games well — she’s played in other pressure situations in other sports.” Schmadeka said, although Nichols is new to the team and sport, she arrives at practice ready to learn. Each senior said the team is working well togeth- er and shared a positive outlook on the season. Walker said she’s looking forward to her senior year, playing basketball. “We play really well as a team, and there’s a lot of See TIGER GIRLS, Page A9 Lady Prospectors on fi ve-game win streak Grant Union wins two games at home court By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Lady Prospectors are on a roll. Grant Union is on a fi ve- game win streak, and, after two home wins, it doesn’t look as if they will be letting up anytime soon. “I’m very proud of the progress we’ve made,” said Grant Union head coach Mark Mosley. “Because they’re so young, their growth as a team has been outstanding.” The Lady Pros hosted Burns on Tuesday last week, taking a 38-32 victory, fol- lowed by a 52-36 win over Heppner on Saturday. Grant Union starters in- clude two sophomores, two juniors and one senior, but Saturday’s game had all 10 varsity players on the court. Prospector Hailie Wright was the high-point scorer for the night in Saturday’s game with 19 points, with 11 earned in the fi rst quarter. Grant Union was ahead 15-11 in the fi rst, then outshot Heppner 15-10 in the second, with Prospector Heather Mos- ley contributing eight points and Kaylee Wright sinking fi ve, including a three-pointer. The Prospectors kept their pace, leading 42-28 in the third. Hailie Wright and Whit- ney McClellan each scored off steals in the fourth, and three subs came in to fi nish out for the win. “Hailie Wright had an out- standing game,” coach Mos- ley said. “She came ready to play, and offensively she shot the ball really well and made some really good decisions, seeing the court and making good passing decisions.” Comparing the game to their win over Burns, Mosley said his team was more fo- cused against the Hilanders, See LADY PROS, Page A9
