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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 2019)
A10 PAGE LABEL Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, May 8, 2019 WEDNESDAY May 8, 2019 Grant Union/Prairie City softball team tops District 6 One game remains May 14 before playoffs By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union/Prairie City Prospectors claimed the league title May 4 after their doubleheader sweep over Heppner/Ione 16-0 and 23-4 at the Seventh Street Com- plex in John Day. The Prospectors won both games in fi ve innings with the 10-run rule. Heading into the double- header, Grant Union needed just one win to secure the top spot in 2A/1A District 6. “It was an emotional day,” said Prospector head coach Zach Williams. It was senior recogni- tion day for a group of fi ve seniors he’s coached for sev- eral years. “I love them,” he said. “They’re awesome girls. They are amazing humans. They’re not just great soft- ball players.” It was also a fun day, he said. “Now we want to play fi ve more — that’s our goal,” he said. Prospector Macy Strong, a senior, pitched game one Saturday and was tough at The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Prospector Macy Strong pitches game one of Saturday’s doubleheader against Heppner/Ione. the plate. She singled for 2 RBIs in the second inning. Grant Union made another offensive push in the third inning when senior Hai- lie Wright hit a two-run home run, followed by senior Madi McKrola’s double, which sent sophomore Jordyn Young home. Senior Marissa Smith then singled and sent McKrola home, bringing the score to 10-0. Taylor Allen, a junior, pitched game two and was also strong at the plate, hit- ting a three-run homer in the fourth inning, sending McK- rola and Smith home. Strong and Allen threw well, although they weren’t 100 percent, Williams said, noting Strong has been deal- ing with a foot injury and it was a hot day. “The girls hit the ball well,” he said. “They made adjustments today and put the ball in play hard and played defense.” He continued, “They didn’t really make any mis- takes to speak of on defense, and that’s what we ask of them — make routine plays routine, do little things right and everything else will fall into place.” Grant Union has one more nonleague game scheduled against Union/Cove at 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, in Baker City before the start of state playoffs on Tuesday, May 20. See Softball, Page A13 Grant Union track teams place fi rst at home invitational Five Grant County teams compete and prep for districts By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The 2A Grant Union Prospector girls team won their home invitational on Friday with 215.50 points, staying ahead of the Enter- prise Outlaws by 58 points. The Grant Union boys tied with the 3A Burns Hilanders with 140 points for fi rst. A total of nine teams battled in what was the fi nal meet before district championships, includ- ing the 1A Prairie City boys and girls — both fi nishing in fourth place. Monument, Long Creek and Dayville teams also competed. The Prospector girls had a boost for the win from athletes placing fi rst in 10 events, includ- ing Kaylee Wright, Abby Lusco, Sydney Brock- way, Trinity Hutchison and the 4x100-meter relay team with Wright, Hutchi- son, Sierra Cates and Car- son Weaver — the team recording their fastest time The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Prospector Mason Morris takes fl ight at the Grant Union Invitational. this season at 51.27, shav- ing 14 seconds off their previous record. Grant Union head coach Sonna Smith said it was a good opportunity to have their District 5 opponents from Enterprise attend the home meet. “We had some great competition with them, and it gave us a better idea of what we will have to do at district to make it to state,” she said. “We had a strong showing by our girls team that was capped See Teams, Page A13 Contributed photo/LindseyWyllie.com Grant Union High School freshman Sam McCracken at the state fi nals for cutting in Hermiston. Grant Union freshman qualifi es for National High School Finals Rodeo Sam McCracken places second in cutting event in Hermiston By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle G The Eagle/Angel Carpenter rant Union fresh- man Sam McCracken has qualifi ed for the National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyo- ming after placing second in cutting at the state competition. The state fi nals for the cutting event was held April 19 at the Herm- iston High School Rodeo. The Oregon High School Rodeo Association State Finals for other events will be held June 12-15 in Prineville. McCracken has been involved in youth rodeo events, but this was his fi rst run at the cutting event. Cutting is a competition in which a rider and his horse work as a team to demonstrate the horse’s athleti- cism and ability to handle cattle. “Cutting has always been fasci- nating to me. I’ve always liked how the horses work,” McCracken said. “Last year, we ended up with a horse that could cut, so I decided to give it a try.” He said his fi rst competition of the season was rough, but he’s been practicing at home and with a trainer in Parma, Idaho, riding his 11-year- old quarter horse, Casino. McCracken said he’s enjoyed being part of the Harney County High School Rodeo Club. Grant Union doesn’t have a club at this time. The NHSFR is held July 4-20 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, and McCracken said he might able to attend. He said it’s “awesome” to qualify for the NHSRF as a freshman. “I hope to become the state cham- pion in the future,” he said. Grant Union Prospector Kaylee Wright competes in javelin Friday at the Grant Union Invitational. Prospector baseball team wins two in Union The Grant Union Pros- pector baseball team, on the home stretch in their regular season, had a 13-1 and 10-0 sweep on the road against the Union/Cove Bobcats in Union Saturday. Warner Robertson, a junior, pitched four innings in game one, the coach keep- ing his pitch count down for this week’s games. Sopho- more Logan McCluskey fi n- ished off the game, pitching one inning. Tristan Morris, a senior, made a strong showing, taking the mound for the fi rst time this season. His brother, freshman Mason Morris, is another talented Grant Union pitcher. “He did a great job throw- ing a fi ve-inning, one-hitter complete game,” said Grant Union head coach Doug Sharp. “And only throw- ing 59 pitches, which is an incredible game. He threw strikes, and the kids played good defense behind him.” Sharp said senior Jacob Vaughan and Tristan Morris both hit the ball well. “It was a very productive game for everyone,” Sharp said. This week, Grant Union hosts Heppner/Ione at 4 p.m. Wednesday, and Stanfi eld/ Echo at noon and 2 p.m. Sat- urday at Malone Field. “Going into this last week and into the playoffs, we know we are only con- cerned with our own prepa- ration,” Sharp said. “Our goal is to play to be perfect even though we know we will never be — nobody is — but we want to prepare SPORTS ROUNDUP that way.” Grant Union Grant Union is ranked No. 6 among OSAA’s 2A girls golf team teams, and they have the top places second record, 11-0, in league for Special District 7, followed at Buffalo by Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii/ Peaks course Ukiah, 7-3. Sharp said they want to limit walks and errors and be fundamentally sound. “Offensively, we want to have a good approach so that we can put the ball in play hard and force the other team to make plays,” he said. “We don’t try to get fancy.” He said he feels good about their chances. “Our goal is to win state,” he said. “That’s why the kids work very hard every day. Again, if we do the lit- tle things right consistently, then our chances are just as good as any other team. We are looking forward to that challenge.” The Grant Union Pros- pector girls golf team was just 1 point away from the winning Nixyaawii team at the 2A Invitational at Buffalo Peak Golf Course in Union. There were 82 players taking on the challenging par 72 course. Grant Union head coach Ron Lundbom said it was a great day for golf. He said three of his players had never seen the Buffalo Peak course. “Some course knowl- edge is important here,” he said. For the boys, Burns won with a score of 374, fol- lowed by Enterprise with 379 and Vale with 385. Imbler had 412 for fourth place, Grant Union had 424 for fifth and Nyssa had 496. First place went to Caden Long of Baker, scoring 73. Grant Union’s Devon Stokes shot an 86, followed by Brady White of Burns with 87. Rounding out the Grant Union boys were Garrett Lenz with 101, Maverick Miller with 118 and Logan Namitz with 119. On the girls side, Nixy- aawii shot a 465 for first place, and Grant Union shot 466. The winner for the girls was Tori Suto of Wallowa, scoring 73. Tiana Allen of Vale had 92, Kaytlyn Wells of Grant Union had 93 and Taylor Nudd of Baker had 93. Other Grant Union scores were Emily Springer with 116, Maddy Way with 128 and Billy Radinovich with 129. Grant Union was fi nish- ing up district competition at the Pendleton Country Club course. Lundbom said the team was excited for the district tournament and had been working hard to prepare for it. “We were there early in April, and they all want another chance at this course,” he said. The boys are com- peting in the May 5-7 3A/2A/1A Special District 3, and the girls are in the 4A/3A/2A/1A Special Dis- trict 4. The event was con- tinuing past press time, and results will be posted at myeaglenews.com as soon as they become available.
