Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2019)
BlueMountainEagle.com Wednesday, April 17, 2019 B1 WEDNESDAY April 17, 2019 Prospectors win three at Malone Field Team on fi ve-game league win streak By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union/Prai- rie City Prospectors are on a fi ve-game league win- ning streak after topping two league opponents in John Day with a 13-4 win over the Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/Ukiah Rockets April 10, followed by 4-2 and 9-5 wins over the Weston-McEwen TigerScots Friday. The April 10 game was a nail-biter until the bottom of the sixth, when Grant Union erupted with 8 runs. “The kids are giving me more gray hairs by the min- ute,” quipped Prospector head coach Doug Sharp. “I wish we could have those big innings earlier in the game.” “Tristan Morris had an incredible game at the plate for us,” Sharp said. Morris was 4 for 4 with one RBI. The coach said the team contributed all the way through the lineup. Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Prospector Logan McCluskey (11) gets a hit in the Wednesday, April 10, game against the Pilot Rock Rockets in John Day. Logan McCluskey was 3 for 5 with three RBIs, Russell Hodge was 3 for 4 with three RBIs and Jacob Vaughan was 3 for 4 with three RBIs. Damion Young, Mason Mor- ris and Roen Langum had one RBI each. Grant Union’s Peyton Neault started on the mound for the Prospectors, pitching for four innings. Warner Robertson came in for 1 1/3 innings, and Logan McCluskey closed the game with the fi nal fi ve outs. “The defense has been solid for us, and the pitch- ers are starting to pound the strike zone more consis- tently,” Sharp said. “I can’t say it enough how pleased I have been with the boys and their work ethic and attitude. I also have to say again that I have a great coaching staff, and the fans have been so supportive.” After the double sweep over Weston-McEwen Fri- Grant Union Prospector Russell Hodge (7), who scored a run, is ready to give high fi ves to Tristan Morris (21) in the game against the Pilot Rock Rockets. day, Sharp said the Tiger- Scots are young and less experienced but still brought strong competition. He said their fi rst pitcher “did a great job.” Robertson started pitching for the Prospectors in game one and gave up a few walks. “The really nice thing about the kids is that some- times they start off slow, it seems like, but they never We got 3 runs in the fi fth inning, and that’s when we erupted for 4 more runs in the sixth inning, then we got an insurance run in the seventh.” In the top of the seventh, Neault hit a double, then moved to third on a Tiger- Scots throwing error while Young was at bat. Young singled, sending Neault home. “I’m really proud of the kids’ effort,” Sharp said. “This has been our theme all year. Let’s get down, let’s keep it close and then, late in the game, let’s just wear ‘em out, and then we’ll fi nally make our rally.” He added, “It’s a stressful way to play a game, but it is a fun way, I guess.” The Prospectors are ranked No. 9 among OSAA’s 2A/1A teams. They have an 8-6 over- all record, 5-0 in league. Grant Union was sched- uled to face Heppner/Ione past press time Tuesday. Their next games will be at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, hosting Sherman/ Arlington/Condon. panic,” Sharp said. McCluskey relieved in the sixth inning. “Logan has been a great closer for us. He’s just com- ing in, throwing strikes — he’s tough,” Sharp said. “He’s really, really tough.” McCluskey also closed game two, relieving Damion Young, who came in for Mason Morris. Sharp said he has his ath- letes write a quote inside their hats to remind them: “When things are not going the best, this is a time when you have to handle adversity.” The coach keeps a lit- tle card in his own hat with words from his former col- lege baseball coach. It reads: “I believe in myself; I believe in my team- mates; I believe something good is going to happen; I believe that through hard work, I will achieve success.” Sharp said the most important thing is to believe something good will happen. “In the second game, we were down 5-1,” he said. “We were really not playing well. Prairie City track and fi eld gears up for successful season By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Hunter education student Kolby Anderton, 10, of Prairie City, has some help from volunteers Chris Labhart, with the shotgun, and Michael Snyder, who launches the clay pigeons. Hunters ed students test skills during fi eld day By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The most important points 10-year-old Alexis Anderton of Prairie City said she learned during a recent hunter education course was to “keep your gun pointed in a safe direction, and treat every gun like it’s loaded.” Bryan Nelson and Mark Boss taught the class that ended in March, sponsored by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Both have taught the class for several years, along with Deanna Maley, who will instruct the course this summer. Fifteen students com- pleted the class held at Grant Union Junior-Senior High School and were certifi ed at a fi eld test day March 9 at the law enforcement range located near Prairie City. Nelson said the youngest student was an 8-year-old, and those taking the class usually are 9-12. He said teens may also take the class, because any- one under 18 has to pass the course to hunt. Adults also sometimes enroll to have the training needed to have a concealed carry permit. Sarah Clark, 12, of John Day said she has plans to hunt deer this year. “It was just fun getting out and shooting,” she said at the fi eld test day. Volunteers for the test day included Katy Nel- son, who handled registra- tion and certifi cates; Mike Springer, who oversaw the archery portion; helping with shotgun were Chris Labhart and Michael Sny- der; and Oregon State Police fi sh and game Trooper Chris Brandon helped with the rifl es along with Bryan Nel- son; and Boss helped kids with loading and shooting a black powder rifl e. Nick Stiner, 11, of Mt. Vernon hit his target about 50 yards away with Boss overseeing. “I enjoyed shooting the muzzleloader and learned to better shoot with an open sight,” he said. Nelson said the fi rst and No. 1 lesson is having a safe direction for the muzzle. “Keep your fi nger off the trigger until you’re ready to pull it, and be sure of your target before you shoot — know what’s behind it (with) a good back stop to keep it from going where it shouldn’t go,” Nelson said. Another hunter educa- tion course will be offered in July, usually the week after Independence Day. Hunter education instructor Bryan Nelson oversees as students put their fi rearms skills to the test. In back, Oregon State Police Trooper Chris Brandon assists another youth. The Prairie City Pan- ther track team, with 17 ath- letes this season, has already competed in four meets, and they’re ready for more. The team, which includes fi ve seniors, is led by head coach Nate Barber, who said track and fi eld is “for everybody.” “It doesn’t matter what their athletic focus is, it’ll make them a better overall athlete,” he said. “If you’re not fast, you can go with dis- tance or throwing — there’s no prototypical body type.” Barber has help from assis- tant coach Kieley Williams, who oversees the long jump and triple jump athletes, and volunteer assistant Garrett Hitz, who helps with pole vault. There are nine boys and eight girls on this year’s team, including senior Levi Burke who placed third at state in the high jump last season — his fi rst season competing in the sport. Other seniors are Haley Pfefferkorn, Jonathan Law- rence, Lane Williams and Syd Holman. Pfefferkorn set a personal record in javelin mid-season last year with a mark of 107-0 and was ranked No. 1 at the district meet but, faced with rain, snow and 50 mph winds, did not advance to the state championships. The senior said she’s recov- ering from an injury that occurred outside of sports this school year, and she plans to take it slow during the fi rst half of the season to avoid any fur- ther injury. She fi rst picked up javelin in sixth grade and started com- peting as a freshman. She is also in her seventh year com- peting in shot put and discus. “This year is defi nitely the year for me for javelin and dis- cus,” she said. “I feel like I have a good chance this year.” Pfefferkorn and her team- mate Hailee Wall, a junior, may be challenging each other this season. Wall set a personal record in javelin with a throw of 102-4 at the Diana Thurmond Invita- tional in Harper and is cur- rently ranked fi fth in District 4 with Pfefferkorn in seventh place. Prairie City will face 14 opponents in District 4: Adrian, Cove, Crane, Dayville, Elgin, Harper, Huntington, Imbler, Jordan Valley, Joseph, Pine Eagle, Powder Valley, Ukiah and Wallowa. Angel Carpenter/Blue Mountain Eagle Prairie City Panther Jake McHatton competes in discus at the April 5 Prairie City Invitational. Nate Barber Levi Burke Lane Williams Haley Pfeff erkorn PRAIRIE CITY PANTHER TRACK AND FIELD SEASON SCHEDULE April 20: Pepsi Invitational in Union, 11 a.m. April 26: Don Walker Invitational in Nyssa, 1 p.m. April 30: Ranchers Invitational in Crane, 3:30 p.m. May 3: Grant Union Invitational in John Day, 10 a.m. May 10: 1A-4A District Meet in Baker City, 10 a.m. May 17-18: 1A State Championships at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, TBD Barber said some teams in the district have graduated top athletes, but they’ll still have strong competition. “Crane and Adrian are always tough for boys and girls,” Barber said. “Adrian is the most well-rounded team.” Barber said he expects great jumping from Burke and Samantha Workman and a lot of speed from freshman John Titus and Holman, who is new to track. He said he’s also excited about sophomore Tristan McMahan, who has set per- sonal records in both the long jump and triple jump this year, and Lawrence, who has shaved time off his distance running events. Lawrence signed up for ser- vice in the Army, and Barber said he’s been training hard at practice. The senior said his father, uncles and grandparents served in the Army, and he plans on “shipping off” for training in July. He expects working hard in track practice and meets will only help him prepare for his service. “The running events will help me out,” he said. “All of it will help me — and keep my endurance and stamina up.” He enjoys distance running and competes in the 1,500 and 3,000, as well as the 400 and long jump. He set a personal record in the 3,000 at Friday’s Burns Lions/Oster Track Meet, plac- ing fourth with a mark of 11:06.79. He was in second place among the 1A athletes. Burke, who was on the bas- ketball team that placed fi fth in state along with Holman and Lawrence, has high hopes for the season. “I’m just trying to con- tinue and keep the momentum going in more than one sport, going into the state level for sports,” he said. He’s started off with a spark, setting personal records early in the season. He bested his mark in the long jump with a 20-02 leap and the 100-meter run with a time of 12.23 at Friday’s Burns Lions/Oster Track Meet. He’s optimistic that he and others will make the trip to state this year. “The more athletes we have on the state level in dif- ferent sports, the better it would be,” he said. Holman, also known for his success on the basketball court, decided to try track this year. “I’m new to everything,” he said. “I got my eyes opened to a lot of things that I didn’t know about this sport. It’s a lot different than basketball.” So far, he’s competed in the 100, 200, 400 and javelin, Jonathan Lawrence Syd Holman with plans to try high jump. Barber described Holman as having “elite speed” and said he expects great things from him this season. The senior placed fourth in both the 100 and the long jump in Harper. Williams, who’s competed in track for the past three years, said he added javelin as a new event this year. “There are a lot of sore muscles to get through,” he said. “I’ve been working on my technique for it, and I feel that is something I can master.” He said the members of his team take time to teach each other. “It might be an individual sport, but we help each other out all the time,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the season holds.” Barber said his goals for the team include “pushing PRs (personal records), improving each week and taking as many kids as possible to state.” He’s encouraged and believes they have a chance to take at least a hand- ful of athletes to the state championships. He enjoys seeing the middle school team mem- bers continue on to high school competition. Eighth- grader BettyAnn Wilson is one of the 15 middle-school athletes showing a lot of promise. “She’ll hit the ground run- ning as a freshman,” he said. Barber said having a mid- dle school track team is a benefi t. “It helps the overall pro- gram, and they’re much bet- ter athletes,” he said.