Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
A9
WEDNESDAY
March 1, 2017
Contributed photo/Angie Johnson
Grant Union’s Clay Johnson, red singlet, overpowers his
Oakridge opponent, Seth Sidwell, in quarterfinal action
at the state wrestling championships. The event was held
Feb. 24-25 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
Two Grant Union
wrestlers take
state podium
Johnson finishes
in second,
Lusco fourth
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Four Grant Union Prospec-
tor wrestlers took on competi-
tion at the 2A/1A OSAA state
championships on Feb. 24-25
at the Veterans Memorial Col-
iseum in Portland.
Taking spots on the po-
dium for Grant Union were
senior Clay Johnson, who
fi nished second in the 138
weight class, and freshman
Drew Lusco, who placed
fourth in the 220 weight class.
Prospector junior Dillon
Maley, competing in the 220
weight class, won a match,
but lost in the consolation
semifi nals to Lusco.
Grant Union junior Toby
Boatwright, a fi rst-year wres-
tler, lost his fi rst match to a
top-seeded senior wrestler in
the 285 weight class and lost
a consolation match.
“The coaches are very
proud of the effort of all four
wrestlers,” said Grant Union
head coach Andy Lusco.
“Toby is a fi rst-year wrestler
who qualifi ed for state and
wrestled tough against the
state champion. Dillon Maley
also wrestled well and won a
match over a good opponent.
Drew wrestled very well los-
ing 3-2 to the eventual state
champion. Clay is a four-
time qualifi er who has been
a leader in the program and a
huge part of the resurgence of
Grant Union wrestling.”
See WRESTLERS, Page A10
EO Media Group/Matt Entrup
Pilot Rock’s Rachel Willingham drives between Grant Union’s Kaylee Wright (23) and Mariah Moulton (25)
during their 2A girls basketball state playoff game Saturday in Pilot Rock.
Lady Pros advance
to state tournament
Special Olympians to
host law enforcement for
basketball showdown
Grant Union prepares
for Kennedy Trojans
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Eagle file photo
Grant County Special
Olympics is hosting
local law enforcement
for a basketball battle
on Thursday, March 9, at
Grant Union Junior-Senior
High School in John Day.
In the photo: Charley
Fronapel goes up to
score with fellow Special
Olympian Caleb Madsen in
action in the 2015 game.
Grant County Special
Olympians will host local
law enforcement for a friend-
ly basketball battle at 6:30
p.m., Thursday, March 9, at
the Grant Union Junior-Se-
nior High School in John
Day.
There will be audience-in-
volved
Minute-to-Win-It
games at halftime, and a bake
sale and a pie auction.
The cost of admission is
$3, or $10 for a family.
The Special Olympics ath-
letes are also seeking spon-
sors, and those who donate
$25 or more will be men-
tioned on the game program.
The event benefi ts Grant
County Special Olympics
with proceeds used to pay for
delegation fees, uniforms and
travel expenses for competi-
tions.
See SHOWDOWN, Page A10
EO Media Group/Matt Entrup
Pilot Rock’s Sara Weinke (20) and Bekah Roe battle for a
loose ball with Grant Union’s Trinity Hutchison while the
Rockets’ Kayla Deist (10) watches during their 2A girls
basketball state playoff game Saturday in Pilot Rock.
The Grant Union Prospector girls basketball team
advances to this week’s OSAA 2A State Champion-
ship quarterfi nals after edging out a 49-42 victory on
Saturday over the Rockets in Pilot Rock.
Grant Union will face the Kennedy Trojans at
6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, at the Pendleton Con-
vention Center at the tournament.
If Grant Union beats Kennedy, they’ll continue
to the semifi nals at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the conven-
tion center, and the championship game will be held
at Pendleton High School at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Lady Prospectors had a good running start
at Saturday’s competition, outshooting the Rockets
16-9 in the fi rst quarter, and they led by nine points
at halftime.
The Rockets picked away at the Prospector’s
cushion, but Grant Union led 34-33 going into the
fourth.
Down the stretch, Grant Union drained some
critical shots, including Hailie and Kaylee Wright
with two two-point shots each, Mariah Moulton
with a three-pointer and Madi McKrola and Trinity
Hutchison adding two each.
“This was a great win for us,” said Grant Union
head coach Mark Mosley. “The girls were focused
all week and prepared.”
The team shot 45 percent from the fi eld.
Softball camp
set for March 11
Prairie City boys’ postseason
halted by Hosanna Christian
Coach: ‘We’re
going to get
right back at it’
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Prairie City Panthers
were halted on their path to
the state championship tour-
nament Friday as the Hosanna
Christian Lions sprinted to a
55-33 win at the Round Two
state playoff game.
Prairie City ends a suc-
cessful season, which includ-
ed a second-place fi nish and
sportsmanship award at the
Feb. 16-18 High Desert Dis-
trict Tournament and a 12-3
league record in the regular
season.
Coming off a home win
Feb. 21 over the Echo Cougars
in Round One, the Panthers
faced Hosanna Christian at the
Lions’ court on Friday after a
six-hour bus ride.
Prairie City had the fi rst ad-
vantage when Levi Burke got
the tipoff to teammate Brogan
McKrola, but the Lions, short-
ly after, batted the ball away.
The Panthers got it back, only
to have the Lions steal again,
fi nding the basket.
Hosanna Christian, with
seven seniors, kept their of-
fensive energy up in the fi rst
quarter for a 13-5 lead over
Prairie City.
Prairie City kept pace with
Hosanna Christian in the sec-
ond quarter, the Lions gaining
14, the Panthers 13.
See PANTHERS, Page A10
See LADY PROS, Page A10
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photo/Nancy Hitz
Prairie City Panther Levi Burke,
left, gets the tipoff at the start of
the Round One state playoff game
against Hosanna Christian in
Klamath Falls.
The 2017 Grant Union softball camp will
be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,
March 11, at the Seventh Street Complex soft-
ball fi eld in John Day.
Youth in second grade and up will learn the
basics of softball with help from Grant Union
softball coach DeAnna Nash, coaching staff
and the high school team.
The cost is $20, which includes a T-shirt,
and scholarships are available. Participants are
asked to bring a sack lunch.
Grant Union senior Dauna Bishop is coor-
dinating this year’s camp for her senior project.
Registration forms can be picked up at
Humbolt Elementary School or Grant Union
Junior-Senior High School.
For more information, call Bishop at 541-
620-4161 or Nash at 541-575-1799, ext. 54.