A8
PAGE LABEL
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
WEDNESDAY
January 30, 2019
Grant Union boys beat Heppner by 1
Three 3-pointers
in fi nal minutes
seal Prospector
comeback
GRANT UNION
VS. HEPPNER
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Three 3-point shots in
a row helped lift the Grant
Union Prospectors up in the
fi nal three minutes of Satur-
day’s 47-46 victory over the
Heppner Mustangs.
Heppner was 8-0 in the
Blue Mountain Conference
coming into the contest,
Grant Union 5-3.
The Prospectors lost a
4-point game to Heppner on
the road in late December
and were eager for a come-
back, making Saturday’s win
that much sweeter.
Cheerleaders, a pep band
and supportive fans contrib-
uted to a loud atmosphere as
Grant Union led 8-6 in the
fi rst quarter and 14-12 in the
second.
The teams knotted the
score three times in the third
before Heppner pulled ahead,
31-27, going into the fourth.
Prospector Mason Gerry
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Grant Union Prospector Jacob Vaughan (5) drives for the
basket past Heppner defenders, including Gibson McCurry
(14).
started off the scoring with a
2-pointer. Then the Mustangs
had a 9-point run, including
Trent Smith’s 2-points off a
steal.
Grant Union was down
40-29 when they started turn-
ing the game around.
Prospector Devon Stokes
grabbed a defensive rebound,
and Jacob Vaughan scored a
3-pointer with 3:38 left in the
game.
Grant Union’s Tristan
Morris followed up with
another 3-point shot, and
Stokes landed another to put
Grant Union within 2 points
of Heppner, 40-38.
The battle intensifi ed with
Mustangs’ Smith hitting 2-2
free throws, and Prospec-
tor Tanner Elliott answering
back with 2-2.
Mustang Logan Burright
sank a 2-pointer, and Morris
added 2 for the Prospectors.
With 1 minute left in the
game, Smith hit a 3-pointer
for the Mustangs.
Elliott shot 1-2 at the free-
throw line with 41 seconds to
go to put Grant Union within
3 points of Heppner, 46-43,
and he went 1-1 just 10 sec-
onds later.
Tanner Elliott: 15 points (5-9
free-throws)
2A BLUE
MOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE BOYS
STANDINGS
Jacob Vaughan: 14 (three
3-pointers, 1-4 free throws)
Heppner, 8-1 conference,
14-7 overall, No. 14 in state
Tristan Morris: 8 (two
3-pointers)
Union, 6-2, 13-5, No. 15
Jordan Hall: 5 (1-1 free
throws)
Stanfi eld, 4-4, 7-12, No. 33
Devon Stokes: 3 (one
3-pointer)
Weston-McEwen, 2-6, 4-15,
No. 39
Mason Gerry: 2
Pilot Rock, 1-8, 2-17, No. 46
When Elliott was fouled,
he drew a little blood on his
shirt, and the game was held
up momentarily, Grant Union
head coach Kelsy Wright
said after the game.
Shortly after, a Heppner
player chased an errant pass,
landing in the stands. With
the ball in Grant Union’s pos-
session, Morris brought Pros-
pector fans to their feet, hit-
ting a second 3-pointer for
the 1-point lead with less
than 20 seconds to go.
In the fi nal fi ve seconds of
the game, Heppner had pos-
session of the ball and called
a time out.
Grant Union, 6-3, 8-10, No. 26
Enterprise, 3-6, 9-11, No. 28
Back in play, Elliott was
able to get a hand on a Mus-
tang pass before they could
score.
“It was a great game,”
Wright said. “We’ve been
practicing for Heppner for
quite some time now.”
He said they changed up
their defensive and offensive
game plan in preparation.
“The boys just came
out and executed every-
thing perfectly,” he said. “It
was just an awesome team
effort.”
He said when the team
was down several points
they had to dig deep.
“They knew they wanted
to win it, and they wanted it
really bad, and they showed
it tonight,” he said.
Wright said Vaughan
showed a lot of energy on the
defensive side, and Elliott
rebounded “like crazy.”
He said he was glad
to have Morris, who was
recovering from an injury,
back on the court.
“He hit some big shots
for us late in the game,”
Wright said.
Elliott said they played
with composure, and every-
thing seemed to click for
them.
“We pulled it together in
the fi nal minutes,” he said.
“I think we believed we
could beat these guys.”
He added, “Our defense
was key tonight. We exe-
cuted on those last few turn-
overs for the win.”
Elliott led Grant Union
with 15 points, followed by
Vaughan with 14 and Morris
with 8.
Grant Union also defeated
the Pilot Rock Rockets on
Friday 54-45.
The Prospectors (6-3) host
the Weston-McEwen Tiger-
Scots (2-6) at 4 p.m. Friday.
Heppner girls break Grant
Union’s winning streak
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
The Grant Union Prospec-
tor girls had a strong start in Sat-
urday’s league basketball con-
test, but after the fi rst quarter the
Heppner Mustangs held onto the
lead for a 63-52 win in John Day.
It was a turnaround for the
teams, since the Prospectors beat
the Mustangs 65-53 Dec. 21 in
Heppner.
The Prospectors, which had
been on a nine-game winning
streak, are still at the top of the
league standings.
The Prospectors started on
the right track Saturday with
Prospector Kaylee Wright hit-
ting a 3-pointer less than a min-
ute into the game. She then
scored 2 points off a steal.
Prospector Marissa Smith
added 2 for a 7-0 lead.
Heppner caught up and
moved ahead 14-12 with 1:30
to go in the fi rst quarter. Then
Prospector Alcie Moore tied the
score, 14-14.
Mustang Sydney Wilson
didn’t score in the fi rst quarter,
but racked up 23 of her game-
high 26 points in the second and
third quarters.
Grant Union was down by 22
points late in the third.
The Prospectors started clos-
ing the gap in the fourth, out-
scoring the Mustangs 18-10 in
the quarter, but couldn’t over-
take the visitors.
With less than a minute to go,
Moore drew an intentional foul,
and Madi McKrola fouled out.
Heppner sank 5-6 free throws
in the fi nal minute, while Hailie
Wright hit 2-2 free throws and
landed two 2-pointers.
“Heppner played a great
game,” said Grant Union head
coach Kristi Moore. “They shot
the ball well.”
“Defensively, we let them
shoot the ball,” she said. “Offen-
sive-wise, we weren’t moving
GRANT UNION
VS. HEPPNER
Kaylee Wright: 19 points
Hailie Wright: 12
Madi McKrola: 12
Alcie Moore: 4
Marissa Smith: 4
Abby Lusco: 1
2A BLUE MOUNTAIN
CONFERENCE GIRLS
Grant Union: 8-1 conference,
14-4 overall, ranked No. 5
Enterprise: 7-2, 15-4, No. 7
Heppner: 7-2, 15-6, No. 9
Union: 4-4, 10-8, No. 11
Stanfi eld: 3-5, 9-10, No. 29
Pilot Rock: 1-8, 7-12, No. 31
Weston-McEwen: 0-8, 5-14,
No. 27
well and weren’t transitioning
well, and that took us out of the
game. We made a run at the end
but couldn’t quite pull it off.”
Moore said they learned some
strategy from the game, and they
hadn’t played from behind in a
while.
She said they’ll make some
adjustments and refi ne their
game, focusing on teamwork
and execution.
“We’re moving forward —
it’s still our goal to be league
champions,” she said. “They are
great basketball players with lots
of talent.”
Kaylee Wright led the Pros-
pectors with 19 points, followed
by Hailie Wright and McKrola
who each scored 12.
Grant Union defeated Pilot
Rock 60-30 in conference play
Friday.
The Prospectors host the
Weston-McEwen TigerScots
at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The
Prospector boys play at 4 p.m.
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Grant Union Prospector Justin Hodge, left, wrestles Joseph/Wallowa’s Guylen Snyder. In back, a Baker wrestler is
attended to for a possible broken leg, the injury occurring while wrestling his fellow teammate.
Grant Union bests 11 teams
at home invitational
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant Union came out victorious at
its home wrestling invitational on Fri-
day with 18 of their athletes combining
for 223.5 points against 11 other teams.
Baker/Powder Valley fi nished in sec-
ond place with 17 wrestlers scoring 114
points, Burns with 15 competing scored
136 for third, and Pine Eagle with 13
wrestlers scored 120 for fourth.
Grant Union head coach Andy
Lusco said it was a great tournament
with 130 high school and 120 junior
high wrestlers.
“We paired wrestlers by ability and
weight,” he said. “Our kids did very
well in the pods.”
Prospector returning heavyweight
champion Drew Lusco, a junior, had
three quick pins over three opponents.
During the tournament, he said
everything was running smoothly.
“Everyone is getting lots of matches
and having fun,” he said. “My team-
mates are wrestling hard, and I’m
proud of them.”
Prospector sophomore Logan
McCluskey (145) said he had a goal
going into the tournament to win, and
he came out 3-0.
“I had a good competition,” he said.
Coach Lusco said McCluskey, who
had been wrestling at 152, competed at
145 on Friday for the fi rst time this sea-
son and did a “great job.”
Drew Lusco, McCluskey and soph-
GRANT UNION INVITATIONAL
Ethan Moore (106), third place, 2-2, 7
team points
Trinity Hutchison (152/160), third, 1-2, 9
Sam McCracken (120/126), third, 2-2, 7
Quinten Hallgarth (170), fi rst, 3-0, 20
Ben Henry (126), second, 3-1, 13.5
Russell Hodge (182), second, 2-1, 14
Tanler Fuller (132), fourth, 2-2, 5
Drew Lusco, (285), fi rst, 3-0, 20
Casey Vaughan (132/138), third, 1-2, 7
Sydney Brockway (138 girls), fi rst, 2-0, 9
Jesse Douglass (132/138), second, 2-1, 14
Logan McCluskey (145) , fi rst, 3-0, 20
Sophie Brockway (138/145 girls), second,
1-1, 4
Justin Hodge (152), fi rst, 4-0, 16
Ashley Henry (120/125 girls), fi rst, 2-0, 16
Damion Young (152), second, 3-1, 12
Arionna Young (120/125), second, 1-0, 12
omore Quintin Hallgarth (170) each
scored 20 points for Grant Union.
“Quintin was tough and fi nished
matches well,” coach Lusco said.
Prospector Frank Douglass, a junior,
was 3-0 with 18 points.
“He came back from illness and
looked great,” Lusco said.
Douglass said it was a good day.
“I had a lot of fun, and the wrestlers
were competitive,” he said.
Justin Hodge (152) had a 4-0 record,
three wins by pin, for 16 team points.
“Justin continues to dominate as
a freshman in a tough weight class,”
Lusco said.
“Damion Young, 3-1, is always
tough and wrestled up to 152 and com-
peted well,” the coach said.
Sophomore Ethan Moore (106) had
a 2-2 record and beat Oliver Barnes of
Burns, who beat Moore twice previ-
ously this season.
Frank Douglass (152/160), fi rst, 3-0, 18
Freshman
Sam
McCracken
(120/126) showed a “huge” improve-
ment, Lusco said, winning two matches
by a pin.
Lusco said freshman Ashley Henry
is possibly his most improved athlete.
She had a 2-0 record at the tournament
wrestling against girls. In girls brack-
ets, senior Sydney Brockway went 2-0,
sophomore Sophie Brockway was 1-1
and freshman Arionna Young was 1-0.
Trinity Hutchison (152/160), a
senior wrestling in the boys bracket,
had a 1-2 record at Friday’s tourna-
ment. Hutchison was champion in the
155 weight class on Saturday at a girls
tournament in Hood River.
“Trinity beat the No. 4, No. 1
and No. 2 seed on her way to being
a champion at 155,” Lusco said.
“This was a huge accomplish-
ment at a tournament with over 160
girls.”
SPORTS SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, FEB. 1
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Grant Union Prospector Marissa Smith drives to the basket with
Heppner’s Madison Combe moving in during Saturday’s game.
Grant Union wrestling (girls) @ state
qualifi er in Thurston, 12 p.m.
Prairie City basketball @ Jordan Val-
ley, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys (MT)
Long Creek/Ukiah basketball @ Adri-
an, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m. boys (MT)
Dayville/Monument basketball @
Huntington, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m.
boys
Grant Union basketball vs.
Weston-McEwen, 4 p.m. boys,
5:30 p.m. girls
SATURDAY, FEB. 2
Grant Union dance @ Stayton com-
petition, 10 a.m.
Grant Union wrestling (boys) @ Bank
of Eastern Oregon Tournament in
Heppner, 10 a.m.
Grant Union wrestling (girls) @ state
qualifi er in Thurston, 10 a.m.
Prairie City basketball vs. Hunting-
ton, 2 p.m girls, 3:30 p.m. boys
Long Creek/Ukiah basketball vs.
Burnt River in Long Creek, 2 p.m.
girls, 3:30 p.m. boys
Dayville/Monument basketball @
Crane, 2 p.m. girls, 3:30 p.m. boys
TUESDAY, FEB. 5
Prairie City basketball vs. Dayville/
Monument, 6 p.m. girls, 7:30 p.m.
boys"