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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 2019)
SPORTS BlueMountainEagle.com Wednesday, March 20, 2019 A13 Doug Sharp leads Grant Union baseball into new season Team hosts two tourneys next two weekends By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle Doug Sharp has a long history with Grant Union’s baseball pro- gram and is taking over the reins as Prospector head coach this season. Sharp, a math teacher at the school, played baseball for the Prospectors in his high school days, and he was head coach in 2006 and 2007 and assistant coach for the past Head coach two years for for- mer head coach Doug Sharp Dusty Williams. Twenty-five baseball play- ers are busy at the batting cages and Malone Field at the Seventh Street Complex, Grant Union combining with Prairie City this season. Sharp said he hopes to return the team to a tradition of success. “We never want to be rebuild- ing, but reloading,” he said. “We’re trying to get that back.” He said his goal is to make sure the team is fundamentally sound and to teach the little things about the game that will gain victories. “You want to play consistent baseball and wait for the other team to make mistakes,” he said. It’s also important to antici- pate each play — and hustle, he said. As coach, he’s trying to lead by example. “You want to be contagious with your own effort and atti- tude,” he said. “If I’m hustling and working hard, they know they need to work hard.” He said his athletes are show- ing commitment to the team, put- ting in the hours at practice. Sharp’s assistant coaches include RC Huerta, Zack Deiter and Brandon Hueckman. Hueckman, a 2003 Grant Union graduate, was on the team that made it to the state champi- onship game his senior year. Deiter, who graduated last June, was Grant Union’s starting pitcher and left “big shoes to fill,” Sharp said. Sharp said he appreciates his assistant coaches, adding, “You’re only as good as your sup- port staff.” This year’s Prospector seniors are catcher Jacob Vaughan, first baseman Roen Langum and out- fielder Gabe McKinley. The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union’s Peyton Neault is ready to swing as the Prospectors practice at the batting cages March 14 at Seventh Street Complex in John Day. Pitchers this season include sophomore Logan McCluskey, also at second, and junior Warner Robertson, also at Gabe McKinley third. Younger pitch- ers in the wings include freshmen Mason Morris, Justin Hodge and Parker Neault. Other play- ers include junior Jacob Vaughan short stop Tristan Morris, sopho- more third base- man Peyton Neault, junior left fielder Rus- sell Hodge, junior center fielder Cole Deiter and Roen Langum junior right fielder Damion Young. “I think we have a lot of ver- satility,” Sharp said, adding that if his athletes can hit the ball and stay focused, they’ll play. “Warner and Logan, they’re going to give you everything they have,” he said. “I just want our kids to have confidence and want them to go out there and compete.” A 2A team in Special District 7 this season, Grant Union/Prairie City will compete against: Stan- field/Echo (2A), Heppner/Ione (2A), Dufur/South Wasco County (1A), Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/ GRANT UNION BASEBALL SCHEDULE March 21: vs. Homedale, Idaho, 2 p.m. (Iron Triangle Tournament) April 14: vs. Weston-McEwen, 12 p.m., 2 p.m. March 22: vs. Santiam Christian, 1 p.m. (Iron Triangle Tournament) April 16: @ Heppner/Ione, 4 p.m. March 22: vs. Western Christian, 3 p.m. (Iron Triangle Tournament) March 23: vs. Nestucca, 2 p.m. (Iron Triangle Tournament) March 28: vs. Umpqua Valley Chris- tian/Melrose Christian, 2 p.m. (Les Schwab Tournament) March 29: vs. Neah Kah Nie, 2 p.m. (Les Schwab Tournament) March 30: vs. Rainier, 2 p.m. (Les Schwab Tournament) April 6: @ Dufur/South Wasco Coun- ty, 12 p.m., 2 p.m. April 9: @ Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/Uki- ah, 4 p.m. Ukiah (2A), Sherman/Arlington/ Condon (1A), Union/Cove (2A) and Weston-McEwen (2A). Pilot Rock finished in sec- ond place at state last year, but Sharp said they lost pitchers to graduation. Stanfield, which was tradition- ally strong at the 3A level, is now 2A, and Heppner was also com- petitive last year, Sharp said. “We had to beat them (Hep- pner) on a walk-off bunt to advance last year,” the coach said. He added there is no district playoff this season, so every game is important. “We want to respect every April 27: vs. Sherman/Arlington/ Condon, 12 p.m., 2 p.m. April 30: vs. Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/ Ukiah, 4 p.m. May 4: @ Union/Cove, 12 p.m., 2 p.m. May 7: vs. Heppner/Ione, 4 p.m. May 11: vs. Stanfield/Echo, 12 p.m., 2 p.m. May 20: State playoffs, first round May 22: State playoffs, second round May 24: State playoffs, quarterfinals May 28: State playoffs, semifinals May 31: State playoffs, finals opponent,” he said. Sharp said his former high school coach Art Thunell, who is now director of the John Day-Canyon City Parks and Rec- reation District, has been a “huge influence” in his life, as a coach and a teacher. “As soon as he stepped on the field, he was 100 mph” when he coached, Sharp said. Thunell was recognized as Oregon’s “winningest” high school coach in 2005 — going 31-0 that season with 591 vic- tories over his 28-year coach- ing career. He also earned the National Coach of the Year Award in 2006 from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Vaughan, excited to start the season, said he enjoys the methodical and strategical aspect of baseball and said they have some big hitters on the team this year. Langum is impressed with the team chemistry. “We’re going to have good communication in game, and we’re going to pick each other up — nobody gets down,” he said. McKinley said he feels they have a high chance of making it further in the playoffs this season. Last year, Grant Union made it to the first round at state. He’s happy with the good relationship between the players and coaches this year. “The new coach is involved with the players and has a lot of experience,” he said. “He’s been involved with the program a lot, and he wants to see it come back.” Sharp said, if you try to offer kids a program that they can be proud of, they don’t mind putting in the long hours. “They want to be the next group that wants to carry on the torch — that’s our goal,” he said. He said they’re aiming for a state championship. “Why play the game if we’re not going for a state champion- ship?” he asked. “We’ll do our best, and whatever happens, happens.” SPORTS SCHEDULE THURSDAY, MARCH 21 Grant Union track and field, in- ter-squad meet in John Day, 4 p.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 22 Grant Union golf @ Heppner at Echo Hills Golf Course, 10 a.m. ment), 3 p.m. Tournament vs. TBD, 1 p.m. Grant Union baseball vs. Santiam Christian (Iron Triangle Tourna- ment), 1 p.m. Grant Union softball @ Lost River at Pilot Rock Tournament, 5 p.m. Grant Union baseball vs. Nestuc- ca (Iron Triangle Tournament), 2 p.m. Grant Union baseball vs. Western Christian (Iron Triangle Tourna- SATURDAY, MARCH 23 Grant Union softball @ Pilot Rock Mission Statement: ATTN VETERANS: CENTRAL OREGON VET CENTER IS VISITING YOUR LOCATION! To welcome home and honor those Who served, those still serving, and their families bv reach ing out to them, engaging their communities, and providing them with qualitv readjustment counseling and timelV retenal. READJUSTMENT COUNSEllNG WHEN/WHERE John Dav-Elks lodge March 27th Februarv 21th March 21th April 24th . April 24th Civilians ... thev inst don't get it! Come down and lefs talk ... Veteran to Veteran. BENEFITS Find out about what is available that vou mav have earned. WHO ARE WE? CENTRAl OREGON VET CENTER 1645 NE FORBES RD, SUITE 105 BEND, OR 91102 541-149-2112 WWW.VETCENTER.VA.GOV For more information contact Grant County Veterans 541 620-8057 MONDAY, MARCH 25 Grant Union softball vs. Clats- kanie (Grant Union Spring Break Tournament), 1 p.m. TUESDAY, MARCH 26 Grant Union softball vs. Nestucca (Grant Union Spring Break Tour- nament), 1 p.m.
