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.