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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 2017)
WEDNESDAY April 5, 2017 TINY BUT MIGHTY Monument track team has high aspirations Monument sophomore Sophie Pettit takes a practice leap at the long jump track with her senior teammates John Ramirez and Dinorha Vidrio Landin looking on during the March 22 practice. The Eagle/Rylan Boggs Wallowa Eagle Tate Olsen gets a hit early in the game on Friday, March 31. Eagles swoop Prospectors Errors and a shrinking roster issues for team By Rylan Boggs Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union Pros- pector baseball team lost two games before winning one last week in John Day. The team fell to the Jo- seph/Enterprise/Wallowa Eagles and the Oakland Oakers on Friday and fol- lowed up with a win over the Sheridan Spartans Saturday. The Eagles took the lead early on and held it through- out the game with a fi nal score of 12-7. Grant Union loaded the bases multiple times only to have the Eagles catch a pop fl y to end the inning. Head coach Dusty Wil- By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle T he Monument track and fi eld team has three com- petitions under its belt as the season starts, and head coach Darrin Dailey said he’s pleased with the direction the team is headed. “I’m excited about the year,” he said. “There’s defi nitely an increase in intensity.” Dailey said he’s happy to see some of the “old-timers” branch- ing out, trying new events, and he’s hopeful the girls team will win a meet this season. The 1A team may be small as far as numbers go, but the Tigers are also showing they’re mighty. Out of 11 athletes on this year’s team, three of the returning six have previously competed at the state level, and one newcomer to the team is currently competing in the state-qualifying range. Sophomore Sophie Pettit earned the championship in the 100- and liams said he was surprised by the loss. “We didn’t play good de- fense, and we committed a lot of errors,” Williams said. “We just weren’t ready to go Friday.” The Prospectors have lost a large chunk of the team since the beginning of the season. Two players have quit, one is injured and three are currently suspended. The limited roster is also an issue because each player can only play 26 games and there are 23 var- sity games in a season. The coaches have to keep careful track of how many junior varsity games varsity play- ers are in. The team also didn’t fi eld some starters for the game against the Eagles due to missed practices. See PROS, Page B10 Monument track and field schedule Saturday, April 8: @ Ranchers Invitational in Crane, 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 18: @ Grant Union Small Schools Meet in John Day, 3:30 p.m. Friday, April 21: @ Viking Invitational in Vale, 3 p.m. (MST) Saturday, April 29: @ Nike Sherman Invitational in Moro, 11 a.m. Thursday, May 4: @ High Desert League Twilight Meet in Prairie City, 4 p.m. Friday, May 5: @ Baker Invite in Baker City, 10 a.m. Friday, May 12: @ District 4 District Track Meet in Baker City, TBD Thursday-Friday, May 18-19: @ OSAA 1A State Championships at University of Oregon in Eugene, TBD Jess Hoodenpyl Hayden Schafer 200-meter dashes and also placed fourth in the long jump last year at Eugene’s Hayward Field. She said she’s working hard this year and broadening out to different events like the 100 hurdles. “I like the sprinting events, and it really puts my skills together be- cause I like jumping,” she said. “I’m looking forward to state and getting that medal.” She said her goal is to win the 100 and 200 and to reach the fi nals in the 100 hurdles and long jump. Kyla Emerson, a sophomore, also competed at state, fi nishing fi fth in the 100-meter hurdles and eighth in the 300 hurdles. Senior Dinorha Vidrio Landin placed 12th with teammates in the 4x400 at the 2015 state champion- ships. See TRACK, Page B10 The Eagle/Rylan Boggs Wallowa pitcher Gus Ramsden takes a moment while a Grant Union hitter warms up. G RANT C OUNTY S PORTS R OUNDUP Grant Union softball sweeps four at round robin Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Monument sophomore Faythe Schafer throws discus in the March 22 practice with teammates, from left back, Hayden Schafer, Aubrey Bowlus and Kyla Emerson waiting their turn and head coach Darrin Dailey looking on. The Grant Union Pros- pector softball team had its bats cracking during spring break, raking in four wins in two days at the Riverside/ Irrigon Round Robin. Head coach DeAnna Nash said she was pleased with the outcome, with each game won by at least 10 points. “It was a tough challenge to play that many games in two days,” Nash said. “I’m very happy with their efforts and their team unity.” Prospector Cody Jo Madden was successful in the circle for the fi rst game on Tuesday, leading Grant Union to a 17-2 win over the Riverside Pirates. Madden gave up four hits, and Grant Union had 17 hits in the game. Mari- ah Moulton, Hailie Wright and Natalie Stearns each had three hits, and Ravyn Walker and Wright each had triples. The Prospectors faced Knappa in their second game on Tuesday, again winning by a landslide, 13-2. Madden pitching, gave up seven hits, and the Pros- pectors had 16 hits. Walker and Moulton each had three hits, and Moulton had a tri- ple. In their second day at the tournament, Madden and Moulton shared pitching duties for a 13-2 win over Irrigon. Madden was in for the fi rst four innings, with Moulton taking the fi nal three. “This was a hard-fought team win,” Nash said. “We gave up eight hits but never let them (Irrigon) have a big inning.” Grant Union had nine hits with Prospector Marissa Smith going 3-3. Whitney See ROUNDUP, Page B10