A10
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
WEDNESDAY
June 14, 2017
Clark wrestles his way to the top
Steer wrestler
finishes third at
state finals
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
GW Clark of Long Creek
earned his ticket to the Nation-
al High School Rodeo Finals
after placing third in the steer
wrestling average at the June
8-10 State Finals in Prineville.
Clark, who recently grad-
uated from Monument High
School, rides for the Harney
County High School Rodeo
Club.
“I came into the fi nals tied
for fi fth-sixth,” he said. “The
top seven kids were only sep-
arated by like 25 points, so I
knew I needed to throw every
steer to make nationals.”
Eleven steer wrestlers
competed at the Oregon High
School Rodeo Association
event.
In Prineville, Clark fi nished
in fi fth place on day one and
two with times of 55.00 and
17.52, respectively. He won
second place on the fi nal day
with a time of 11.95.
“We had a good pen of
steers, so all the doggers had
an even chance at them,” he
said. “My goal was to get all
three down, and I did.”
Clark was the only cowboy
to obtain a time on all three
days and won the average for
the weekend. By winning the
average, he advanced to third
in the state on points for the
year and will move on to the
national fi nals.
The National High School
Rodeo Finals will take place
July 16-22 in Gillette, Wyo-
ming.
When he’s not working on
the ranch, fencing and riding,
Clark said he’ll practice for
the big event and exercise his
horse.
“I’m excited for nationals,”
he said. “There’s a really good
bunch of contestants going
from Oregon, so it will be a lot
of fun.”
GW Clark of Long
Creek steer wrestles
for third place at the
Oregon High School
Rodeo Association
State Finals Rodeo in
Prineville. Clark, who
is a recent graduate
of Monument High
School, rides for the
Harney County High
School Rodeo Club.
Clark will compete
at the July 16-22
National High School
Rodeo Finals in
Gillette, Wyoming.
Contributed photo
LindsayWyllie.com
After the Gold Rush
S OFTBALL
HONORS
Brianna
Zweygardt
Mariah
Moulton
Whitney
McClellan
Cody Jo
Madden
Ravyn
Walker
Hailie
Wright
Marissa
Smith
Natalie
Stearns
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
Runners take their start in
Saturday morning’s Gold
Rush Run in Canyon City,
including front runners, from
left, Brent Labhart, Mark
Kerstens and Tanner Elliott.
R UNNERS RACE THROUGH
HISTORIC MINING TOWN
By Angel Carpenter
Gold Rush Run
and Walk 5K
Blue Mountain Eagle
R
unner Brent Labhart of
Portland posted a time of
18:01 for the win in Sat-
urday’s Gold Rush Run
and Walk 5K in Canyon
City.
It was just 2 seconds shy of the
17:59 record he set a few years ago.
The event, which is a part of the
’62 Days celebration commemorating
the discovery of gold in Canyon City,
had 24 runners and walkers partici-
pating.
The athletes took a route through
the historic town, including up the
steep incline of Rebel Hill Road and
past the old schoolhouse, which is
now a private home, ending at the
starting point in front of Sels Brewery.
“The elevation is diffi cult,” said
Labhart, who grew up in the area. “It
was a bit of a brutal run for me, but
I’ll take the time.”
Four-year-old Noxi Long and
Kelsey Long of Seneca take
their start.
Mark Kerstens of Massachusetts,
who worked in the area last summer,
returned for the race, fi nishing 16 sec-
onds behind Labhart.
“It was a good race,” he said.
“(Brent) was really pushing the pace.
I couldn’t miss this race.”
“This is a tradition,” Labhart said.
“It’s a fun race.”
1. Brent Labhart, 18:01
2. Mark Kerstens, 18:17
3. Tanner Elliott, 20:10
4. Kevin Nelson, 22:02
5. Grant Hall, 22:20
6. “Pre” McDonald, 22:44
7. Austin Cates, 22:54
8. David Hall, 22:55
9. Brandon Sickler, 23:55
9. Levi Manitsas, 23:55
11. Janessa Sickler, 24:33
Eleven-year-old Grant Hall of
John Day, who fi nished fi fth, also ran
a half marathon the weekend before
in Newport.
“It was pretty fun,” he said of the
Gold Rush Run. “I passed up a teen-
ager.”
The fi rst-place fi nisher in the
women’s division was Dr. Janessa
Youth golf lessons offer intro to sport
Sickler of Canyon City, posting a time
of 24:33.
The youngest competitor, 3-year-
old Sam Bailey, fi nished the race in
28:22, and he had a grin on his face
as he reached the fi nish line with his
father, Dr. Zac Bailey.
“I can run so fast because I’m this
many years old,” he said, holding up
three fi ngers.
Hardly out of breath, the young-
ster ran back up Washington Street
to meet his mom, then ran with her to
the fi nish line as she pushed his baby
sister in a jogging stroller.
Hugh Snook, who has organized
the race for 18 years, said it was a big-
ger race in the ’70s and ’80s, but he
was happy with the turnout on what
was a rainy weekend.
He said he tries to keep the tra-
ditions going, including dropping a
“golden nugget” into a gold pan to
give runners their start.
“I have a soft spot in my heart for
this race,” he said.
B ASEBALL HONORS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant County Junior Golf
will teach youth the basics
of the sport with instruction
from coach Ron Lundbom.
The lessons will be held
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday
through Friday, June 26-30,
at the John Day Golf Course
Boys and girls ages 8 to 18
in all areas of Grant County
are invited to sign up.
Golf clubs are available to
borrow through the program.
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
The camp ends with a golf
scramble and ice cream party Madelyn, left, and Max Bailey warm up for a golf
on Friday, June 30. The cost scramble during last year’s Grant County Junior Golf
Club. This year’s week of lessons begin June 26.
is $30 per person.
To sign up, or for more
information, call the John 0170 or Ron Lundbom at 575-2692 (evenings) or 541-
Day Golf Club at 541-575- 541-575-1850 (days), 541- 620-0427.
Zack
Deiter
Wade
Reimers
Jesse
Paulsen
Cauy
Weaver
Special District 6 All-League selections
• Zack Deiter, pitcher, second team, Grant Union
• Wade Reimers, infi eld, honorable mention, Grant Union
• Jesse Paulson, infi eld, honorable mention, Grant Union
• Cauy Weaver, outfi eld, honorable mention, Grant Union
Contributed
photos
Tanni
Wenger
Photography
Tressa
Ranft
3A All-Oregon Teams
• Brianna Zweygardt, catch-
er, Prairie City junior, First
Team
• Mariah Moulton, infi eld,
Grant Union junior, honorable
mention
3A-Special District 2 honors
CO-PLAYERS
OF THE YEAR
• Brianna Zweygardt, catch-
er, junior (Grant Union/Prairie
City)
• Hannah Mizuta, infi elder,
senior (Vale)
FIRST TEAM
• Brianna Zweygardt, catch-
er, junior (Grant Union/Prairie
City)
• Mariah Moulton, infi elder,
junior (Grant Union)
• Whitney McClellan, out-
fi elder, junior (Grant Union)
• Marissa Smith, designat-
ed player, sophomore (Grant
Union)
SECOND TEAM
• Cody Jo Madden, pitcher,
junior (Grant Union)
• Ravyn Walker, infi elder,
senior (Grant Union/Dayville)
• Hailie Wright, outfi elder,
sophomore (Grant Union)
HONORABLE MENTION
• Natalie Stearns, infi elder,
senior (Grant Union)
• Tressa Ranft, outfi elder,
junior (Grant Union)