Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 14, 2018)
A10 Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, November 14, 2018 WEDNESDAY November 14, 2018 G IRLS BASKETBALL New coach leads Pros Moore is Grant Union dean of students By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Gold dance team members strike a pose during a dance performed in practice, including, from left, front, Ali Chobo, Nikki Jones and Zinny Locke and, back, Emilie Updegrave and Celine Hicks. Grant Union Gold dance team steps up, ready for season Holiday Showcase set for Dec. 6-7 By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle T he Grant Union Gold dance team is optimistic as they prepare for competition and their annual Hol- iday Showcase. Dancers were busy at practice Nov. 7, warming up with ballet moves and running through a couple performance routines. With all team members returning, except two who moved out of the area, this year’s four seniors say they have a positive outlook. “I’m excited to see how this year plays out,” said senior Ali Chobo. “This group of dancers is so motivated, and we all have the same goal.” Chobo is a senior team captain along with Celine Hicks, and the other seniors are Andrea Comer and Nikki Jones. Head coach Kattie Piazza, in her third year leading the team, has help from as- sistant coach Brandi Hicks this season. Piazza said they are focused on go- ing back to the basics of dance to build a foundation in both technique and team- work. The team has increased condition- ing and added a weights program this year, she said. “On top of that, we’re doing ballet regularly, which requires an extreme amount of focus and strength,” she said. “Ballet is the foundation of all dance, and we can’t be successful in Oregon as a team without a ballet foundation because it’s the basis of all dance tech- niques — even with hip-hop, you have to have ballet. You’ve got to walk before you can run.” This year, Piazza was voted to the board of directors for the Dance and Drill Coaches Association of Oregon. See DANCE TEAM, Page A13 Grant Union Gold dance team seniors are, from left, Andrea Combs, Nikki Jones, Ali Chobo and Celine Hicks. Grant Union Gold dance schedule Dec. 6 and 7: Holiday Showcase at Grant Union at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9: Tigard Compe- tition at 10 a.m. Feb. 23: Pendleton Competition at 10 a.m. Grant Union Gold dancers Shanniyah Hall, left, and Leah Comer work on double pirouettes in practice Nov. 7 at the school. “ I’m excited to see how this year plays out. This group of dancers is so motivated, and we all have the same goal.” March 8: Spring Show- case (kickoff to state) at Grant Union at 5:30 p.m. March 16: OSAA Dance & Drill State Championships Other competition dates are being finalized. New Grant Union girls varsity basketball coach Kristi Moore said she’s excited for the season, and the team is eager to start practice. Grant Union finished last season in fourth place at the OSAA State Championships, coached by Casey Hallgarth. Hallgarth left the coaching post when he began this school year as the superintendent/principal for Prairie City School. Moore, who coached the Grant Union girls junior varsity team last year, is tak- ing the reins this year. “The girls have high ex- pectations of themselves,” Kristi she said. “They know what Moore it takes to be successful, and they’re willing to work as hard as they need to in order to attain their dreams.” Moore started as an English teacher at Grant Union Junior-Senior High School last year, and this year is the dean of students and career coordinator. Last summer, she led the AAU volleyball team, which included several Grant Union volleyball team members, to the AAU Na- tional Tournament held in Orlando, Florida. Before working at Grant Union, Moore coached basketball and tennis at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Arizona, for eight years, and also coached soccer and volley- ball. Moore graduated from Dayville High School and played basketball for four years with the Dayville/Monument team when they first combined schools for the sport. “Sports teach you not just the athletic part of it but working with a team and adapting to difficult situations,” she said. She said the team is raring to go and hopes to fill the stands. “The girls love it when community mem- bers come to the games,” she said, adding they also enjoy interacting with people, whether at the grocery store or other places in town. “I think it’s an honor to coach here and work with them this season and guide them and help them,” she said. “The girls are more than ready.” The Prospectors have their first game on the road Wednesday, Nov. 28, against the Burns Hilanders. Their first home game will be Tuesday, Dec. 11, hosting the Crane Mus- tangs, and they host Burns on Friday, Dec. 14. S HOOTING THE B REEZE Learning wisdom senior Ali Chobo By Rod Carpenter For the Blue Mountain Eagle D AYVILLE /M ONUMENT 1A S PECIAL D ISTRICT 5 SIX - MAN FOOTBALL HONORS Contributed photos/Tanni Wenger Photography Wesley Adams First Team Punter Tell Cox Honorable mention Linebacker JT Hand Honorable mention Kicker Cade Milton First team Defensive lineman Mark Thomas Honorable mention Defensive back Gabe Walker-Hopkins Honorable mention Running back My 13-year-old son, Tucker, drew a buck tag this year. Filled with excitement, we backpacked a couple of miles into the wilder- ness and set up camp. After long hours of glassing, we turned up a few bucks way down in a hole. In the excitement of youth, Tuck was ready Rod to go get them. I tried to Carpenter explain to him that we re- ally didn’t want to shoot a buck down there, and he reluctantly agreed. However, we couldn’t turn up any oth- er bucks, and after some badgering, I re- lented. We dropped down into the hole, See COLUMN, Page A13
