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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 2017)
A10 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, August 23, 2017 WEDNESDAY August 23, 2017 G RANT U NION SENIORS Cauy Weaver Collin Harvey Wade Reimers Zack Deiter Dillon Maley Cameron Hallgarth Duane Stokes Eli Carniglia Ty McDaniel Hadley Boethin Toby Boatwright Elijah Humbird Prospector football team gears up with 12 ‘top dogs’ Grant Union hosts Heppner at 7 p.m. Sept. 8 2017 Grant Union football schedule Sept. 1: Grant Union @ Weston-McEwen in Athena, 7 p.m. Sept. 8: Grant Union vs. Heppner, 7 p.m. Sept. 15: Grant Union @ Stanfi eld, 7 p.m. Sept. 22: Grant Union vs. Burns, 7 p.m. Oct. 6: Grant Union @ Culver, 7 p.m. Oct. 13: Grant Union vs. Imbler, 7 p.m. Oct. 20: Grant Union vs. Enterprise, 7 p.m. Oct. 27: Grant Union @ Union, 7 p.m. Nov. 4: First round state playoffs at Grant Union, 1 p.m. Nov. 11: Quarterfi nals playoffs Nov. 18: Semifi nals Nov. 25: State championship By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union Prospec- tor football team is geared up with 12 seniors this year, with high hopes for a successful season. “I’m happy to have 12 se- niors out,” said receiver Zack Deiter. “We’re fi nally the top dogs.” Quarterback Wade Re- imers said he’s also impressed with this year’s team. “I’m glad to be with the guys I’m with out here,” he said. “We fi nally have some size on the line.” Grant Union’s fi rst game will be away at Athena at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, against the Weston-McEwen Tiger- Scots. Their fi rst home game of the season will be against Heppner at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8. There are 30 on this year’s varsity and junior varsity teams, including two juniors, fi ve sophomores and 12 fresh- men. “We have 12 seniors, and 10 are returning starters on The Eagle/Angel Carpenter The Grant Union Prospectors run through drills during last week’s daily doubles practice, including Jacob Vaughan, front. each side of the ball,” said head coach Jason Miller. This is his 10th season coaching the Prospectors, ninth as head coach, with 20 years overall coaching expe- rience. He said having enough players for a junior varsity schedule is important for the overall program. Andy Lusco is the varsity defensive coordinator, Tuck- er Wright is the junior varsity coach and Casey Hallgarth is the junior high coach, with as- sistance from Ray Wenger. All the coaches assist each other. Miller said his team is working to improve upon last year’s record. He said some positives he’s seeing on the fi eld include a tough offensive line and some good speed. “We just need to stay healthy,” he said. “They’re working really hard, they’re committed and have good discipline,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun this year.” Last season ended at the quarterfi nals, when Heppner stopped the Prospectors. This year, Grant Union will face Enterprise, Imbler and Union in the Wapiti League. “They’ll all present differ- ent challenges for league, and we’ll do our best to stay com- petitive,” Miller said. The senior members of the team include Deiter, Re- imers, Elijah Humbird, Toby Boatwright, Hadley Boethin, Ty McDaniel, Dillon Maley, Collin Harvey, Cameron Hall- garth, Duane Stokes, Cauy Weaver and Eli Carniglia. “I defi nitely like the num- bers,” Humbird said. “I’m pretty happy with my team right now. We have a stellar line group. I think if everyone stays healthy, we have a good chance of going to state.” Maley said he also thinks they’ll have a run at state this year. Harvey said the team, which has a lot of experienced players, works well together and works hard in practice. “I’m looking forward to this year,” said Cameron Hall- garth. “I’m excited to run be- hind the line we have and to be with such a strong team.” McDaniel said he’s glad he made the decision to return for his senior year. “I hope we get the com- munity out to watch,” he said. “With this team, I think we’ll have a pretty good season.” Lady Prospectors aiming for strong comeback Lady Pros host Crane on Friday, Aug. 25 By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Eagle file photo Bailey McCracken is ready to launch her lasso in the breakaway event earlier in the Cinnabar Mountain Playdays youth rodeo season in John Day. Rodeo season closes for Cinnabar Mountain Playdays youth By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Cinnabar Mountain Playdays youth ended their season of rodeo Aug. 5 at the Grant County Fairgrounds in John Day. There were 33 participants in the afternoon event com- peting in events such as barrel races, fi gure 8, goat tying and dummy roping. The rodeo ended the year with 41 mem- bers. “This club is run by vol- unteers, and we are always looking for additional help with arena, planning the series, advertising and new ideas,” said board member Janet Plo- charsky. She said if anyone is inter- ested in helping out the youth and their horses, they can con- tact a member of the board. “We love to hear from the community,” she said. Year-end results will be an- nounced at the awards banquet, set for Oct. 18 at the Mt. Vernon Community Hall, the time to be announced. All members, volunteers, donors, friends and family are invited to attend. See the Cinnabar Mountain Playdays Facebook page for more information. Cinnabar Mountain Playdays Aug. 5 Leadline First: Bransyn Harper Second: Blake Kimball Third: Grayson Schmadeka Fourth: Ben Henslee Fifth: Hailey Ann Marciel Peewee First: Brooklynn Kimball Second: Addison Wilson Third: Malia Villaganana Fourth: Ruby Hopper Fifth: Emmie Saul Juniors First: Aaliyah Marciel Second: Tatyn Harper Third: Shayna Marciel Fourth: Riley Gregg Fifth: Helen Rowell Intermediate First: Coy Mathison Second: Katie Johnson Third: Clint Rutherford Fourth: Katelyn Barker Fifth: Bailey McCracken Seniors First: Sarah Barker Second: Trinity Hutchison The Grant Union Prospector volley- ball team is ready to defend its Wapiti League and district tournament titles and spike its way to another shot at the state championship title this year. Grant Union hosts Crane for its fi rst game of the season Friday, Aug. 25, with junior varsity starting at 4 p.m., followed by varsity. The team ended last season with the best 2A record in the state, 28-4, fi nish- ing third at the state tournament. Shae Speth, who is in her 12th year coaching the team, including nine years as head coach, said she’s encouraged this season. “The returning players have a ton of experience and fi nished well last year,” she said. “They work really well togeth- er.” She added the seniors are showing good leadership skills. Speth said she expects the team go far in the postseason this year, especially if they refi ne their serve-receive and pass- ing and play with last year’s intensity. “We defi nitely want to defend our league and district titles and fi nish well at state,” she said. Joining this year’s three seniors are seven juniors, six sophomores and 11 freshmen. Assistant coaches, Rhonda Mc- Cumber, who coaches junior varsity I, and Shanna Northway, junior varsity II, both assist with varsity coaching. The team lost some key players to graduation, including Heather Mosley and her height at middle; outside hitter Chelsie Kodesh; and libero Natalie Stea- rns. This year’s seniors include outside hitter Mariah Moulton, who has been placed on the AVCA Under Armour All-American Watch List for elite senior volleyball student-athletes. The AVCA will select 72 athletes as Under Armour All-Americans in November. “Mariah continues to get stronger as a hitter and defender,” Speth said. Moulton said she’s seeing positive at- titudes in the team. “We’ve been to state the last three years, and people expect a lot out of us, and we plan on bringing it,” she said. “We’ve had a strong program, and we plan on keeping it that way.” Two other seniors on the team are libero Whitney McClellan and opposite Reagan Shelley. The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Prospector Rilee Browning is ready to return the ball in practice, along with Hailey Wright, left, and Krystle Douglass. G RANT U NION SENIORS Reagan Shelley Mariah Moulton Whitney McClellan “Whitney has improved a lot with her communication and leadership in the back row,” Speth said, adding that Shel- ley is showing confi dence in her hitting and defense. Shelley said, although there are a lot of new girls this year, she thinks the team will be strong. “We’re just going to have to focus on our goals,” she said. “We have really good serving, and I think that’s going to be our biggest strength.” McClellan said she believes, with this year’s group, they’ll accomplish their goals. “We’re planning on making it back to the state tournament this year,” she said. Grant Union will face four league op- ponents this year, including Enterprise, Imbler, Union and Elgin. Speth said she thinks they’ll have their strongest competition from Union and Enterprise. “Union has a lot of seniors, so they may give us some trouble,” she said, adding, “Enterprise has been improving every year.” Imbler, with 11 seniors who grad- uated and just one returning starter, is an unknown. Grant Union earned an AVCA Team Academic Award for 2016- 2017, receiving the honor for the third consecutive year. “Our student-athletes pride them- selves on being successful both on the court and in the classroom,” she said. 2017 Grant Union volleyball schedule Aug. 25: JV/V vs. Crane, 4 p.m. beginning with JV Aug. 26: V hosts GU Tournament, 8 a.m. Sept. 2: JV/V @ Heppner Invitational Tournament, 9 a.m. Sept. 5: JV/V vs. Culver, 5 p.m. Sept. 6: JV II/JVI vs. Dayville/Monu- ment, 5 p.m. Sept. 9: V @ Reedsport Volleyball Tournament, 8 a.m. Sept. 15: V @ Baker Invitational Tournament, 9 a.m. Sept. 19: JVII, JV I, V @ Burns, 4 p.m. Sept. 23: JV/V vs. Enterprise, 12 p.m. Spet. 23: JV/V vs. Elgin, 5 p.m. Sept. 26: JVII/JVI/V vs. La Grande, 4 p.m. Sept. 28: JV/V @ Imbler, 4 p.m. Sept. 29: JV/V vs. Union, 4 p.m. Oct. 4: JVII/JV1 @ Dayville/Monu- ment in Dayville, 5 p.m. Oct. 7: JV/V @ Enterprise, 12 p.m. Oct. 7: JV/V @ Elgin, 5 p.m. Oct. 12: JVII/JVI vs. Prairie City, 5 p.m. Oct. 13: JV/V vs. Imbler, 4 p.m. Oct. 14: JV/V @ Union, 1 p.m. Oct. 17: JVII/JVI/V vs. Burns, 4 p.m. (senior night) Oct. 18: JV/V @ Crane, 4 p.m. Oct. 21: Wapiti District Tournament at Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, TBD Oct. 28: First round state playoffs at Ridgeview High School in Redmond Nov. 3-4: State playoffs continue at Ridgeview High School in Redmond