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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 22, 2017)
Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, February 22, 2017 B1 WEDNESDAY February 22, 2017 Grant Union girls advance to playoffs Mark Mosley named Wapiti Coach of the Year By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union Lady Prospectors advance to the state basketball playoffs after plac- ing second at Saturday’s Wapiti District Tournament. Grant Union will travel to Pilot Rock to take on the Rock- ets at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, for Round One of the state playoffs. The cost of admission is $6 for adults, $4 for students. Grant Union, as the top seed, earned a bye in last week- end’s tournament held at East- ern Oregon University’s Quinn Contributed photo/Elizabeth Shelley Grant Union girls head coach Mark Mosley, left, talks with the team during Saturday’s Wapiti District championship game against Imbler. Coliseum in La Grande. The Prospectors came out strong in the second half of the championship game against the Imbler Panthers, but lost the close game, 29-28. In the teams’ previous meet- ings this season, Grant Union won by two points at home, and Imbler won by two on their court. In Saturday’s contest, the Prospectors were making a comeback after being down 19- 11 at the half. “We started slow in fi rst half and just could not get any rhythm offensively,” said Grant Union head coach Mark Mos- ley. Grant Union turned things around with a strong third quarter, scoring 14 points. With 1:30 left in the game, the Prospectors were up by one, but couldn’t hold on for the win. “I was proud of how we battled and gave ourselves a chance to win,” Mosley said. See GU GIRLS, Page B10 Contributed photo/Elizabeth Shelley Grant Union Prospector Mariah Moulton looks to pass in the Wapiti District championship game against the Imbler Panthers. Prairie City boys host state playoff game Team places second at High Desert tourney By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle DISTRICT CHAMPS Two Grant Union grapplers earn championship status, four to compete at state By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Each member of the Grant Union wres- tling team battled to bring home the district championship title at the Feb. 18 Special District 4 Tournament in Hermiston. Senior Clay Johnson (138) and freshman Drew Lusco (220) became district cham- pions, and juniors Dillon Maley (220) and Toby Boatwright (285) earned second. All four Prospectors will compete in the Feb. 24-25 State Wrestling Championships at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. “We exceeded expectations in a lot of ways,” said head coach Andy Lusco. “The team fi nished the way we thought they would.” Out of the 16 Grant Union wrestlers com- peting, 15 earned a medal. There were fi ve third-place fi nishers, fi ve in fourth place and one fi fth-place fi nisher. Lusco said the biggest surprise from the district tournament was Prospector freshman Eli Sheedy earning third and 18 team points. Other standouts from the competition in- clude Jesse Paulson fi nishing third off an in- jury, and Airron Glimpse wrestling Paulson to earn fourth and 11 team points. “Airron’s a new wrestler, and he came through for us,” Lusco said. Another surprise was from freshman Da- mion Young, a new wrestler who earned 15 team points. “He’s a breakout kid,” Lusco said. “I can’t say I was completely shocked, because I think he has a high ceiling. His toughness was awesome.” Lusco said junior Hadley Boethin (170) worked for a lower weight class and was “dynamite,” fi nishing fourth and earning 14 team points. Elijah Humbird, competing with an inju- ry, placed fi fth. See WRESTLING, Page B10 Contributed photos/Cindy Dougharity-Spencer TOP: The Grant Union Prospector wrestling team poses with the trophy after a first-place finish at Saturday’s 2A/1A Special District 4 Tournament in Hermiston. ABOVE: Grant Union wrestler Drew Lusco takes control during a match with an Adrian opponent at the District Tournament in Hermiston. Contributed photo/JeremyLanthorn.com Grant Union’s Clay Johnson (138) takes down opponent Cache Campbell of Crane in Saturday’s finals at the 2A/1A Special District 4 Tournament in Hermiston. Placing second in the 1A-8 High Desert District Tournament, the Prairie City Panthers advance to the state playoffs. The Panthers hosted the Echo Cougars past press time Tuesday, Feb. 21, at the Prairie City gym. The win- ner will contin- ue on, and the season ends for the losing team. Prairie City had a 12-2 league record, 15-7 overall, in the regular season and was ranked No. 18. Echo had a 7-7 record in the Old Oregon League, 10-16 overall, in the reg- ular season and was ranked No. 36. In the Feb. 16-18 tournament held at Grant Union Junior-Senior High School in John Day, Prairie City had a bye the fi rst day as the No. 2 team in the league. The Panthers overcame their fi rst challenge on Friday, defeating the Monument/Dayville Tigers 54- 46. Prairie City had control at the start with a 19-7 lead in the fi rst quarter. Monument/Dayville held the Panthers to four in the second, the Tigers scoring 15 to pull ahead 23- 22 at the half. “At the half, and even before the game, we talked about the pres- sure of the moment,” said Panther head coach Jonathan Gill. “Those guys, they know each other inti- mately — all those guys, being 30 miles down the road. So I think the See PANTHERS, Page B10 The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Prairie City Panther Dorran Wilson leaps up to score in Friday’s game against the Monument/Dayville Tigers.
