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MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
A13
WEDNESDAY
Aug. 28, 2019
SPORTS PREVIEWS
FEARLESS
Grant Union football team ready for tough schedule
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
Team chemistry was
one of several elements that
helped push the Grant Union
Prospector football team into
the post-season last year.
Head coach Jason Miller
and the team hope to make a
comeback.
Miller, in his 11th year
leading the team, said
another factor in last year’s
success was the players,
though young, “all wanted to
fight for each other.”
“As coaches, we kept it
simple and let them get really
good at a few things,” he
said.
Miller said this year’s
team is also young, but all
the boys are back, except two
graduating seniors, including
quarterback Garrett Lenz.
“Our running game is
strong, and our defense is
stout,” Miller said, add-
ing they have some talented
wide receivers as well, some
of whom will help out the
junior varsity team.
Working on the quarter-
back position are sophomore
Maverick Miller and junior
Devon Stokes.
Stokes said, because last
year’s team was young (the
2017-18 team graduated sev-
eral seniors), some people
didn’t believe they would go
far.
“I think we have a lot of
potential this year,” he said,
adding their goal is to take it
at least one step further this
year.
Grant Union finished sec-
ond in the 2A Special District
6 last season, behind Hep-
pner, making it to the state
playoffs, where the Prospec-
tors fell to the Monroe Drag-
ons 49-0 in the first round.
Grant Union ended the sea-
GRANT UNION
FOOTBALL
SCHEDULE
Sept. 6: vs. Knappa at 7 p.m.
Sept. 13: @ Monroe at 6 p.m.
Sept. 21: @ Lost River at
Summit High School in Bend
at 5 p.m.
Sept. 27: @ Umatilla at 7 p.m.
Oct. 4: vs. Kennedy at 7 p.m.
Oct. 11: vs. Stanfield at 7 p.m.
Oct. 18: @ Riverside at 7 p.m.
Oct. 25: vs. Heppner at 7 p.m.
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Grant Union sophomore Justin Hodge, center, hangs onto the ball as a defender reaches for
it during a practice scrimmage.
Nov. 1: @ Weston-McEwen at
7 p.m.
Nov. 9: First round state, TBD
Nov. 16: Quarterfinal playoffs,
TBD
Nov. 23: Semifinals, TBD
Nov. 30: Championship, TBD
Cinch
Anderson
Frank
Douglass
son with a 5-5 overall record,
3-1 in league.
The Dragons continued
to the semifinals, falling to
Santiam 44-13, and Kennedy
won the championship title
over Santiam 31-20.
Miller is assisted by
defensive coordinator Andy
Lusco and Tucker Wright,
who works with lineback-
ers and special teams. Wright
was on the 2013-14 Pros-
pector football team, led by
Miller, that won the 2A state
title.
There are 28 out for the
team this season, includ-
ing six seniors, six juniors,
seven sophomores and nine
freshmen.
Miller will have a junior
varsity team this season after
being without one last year,
due to lack of numbers. He
Mason
Gerry
Russell
Hodge
Taylor
Hunt
said they’ll play nine-man
football against some of the
teams on the JV schedule.
The six seniors are among
the returning players, includ-
ing starter Drew Lusco, who
was named an all-state line-
man his previous three years
on the varsity team. He was
recognized for first team all-
state offensive line and sec-
ond team all-state defensive
line last year.
Drew Lusco also earned
second place at the OSAA
wrestling state champion-
ships last February in the
285-pound bracket and was
the district champion.
“He’s a mountain,” said
coach Miller.
Other returning senior
starters are Russell Hodge
(tailback), Taylor Hunt (line-
backer and fullback) and
Drew
Lusco
Frank Douglass (defen-
sive lineman). Senior Cinch
Anderson is a returning
offensive lineman, and senior
Mason Gerry is back after a
stint with the Prospector
cross country team last sea-
son. He’s a 6-foot-4 wide
receiver and defensive back.
Also back after starting
last season are freshman Jus-
tin Hodge (defensive back
and slot back), junior Peyton
Neault (offensive and defen-
sive line) Quentin Hallgarth
(linebacker and tight end)
and Jordan Hall (receiver).
Miller said he’s excited
to have all but one of his
returning starters back, and
said he’s also seen improve-
ments from Maverick Miller,
sophomore Tanler Fuller and
freshman Eli Wright.
Russell Hodge said his
goals include doing his job
right and being a leader for
the team.
“I want to bring every-
body up and be that person
that makes everybody bet-
ter,” he said.
Douglass said he feels the
support of the entire team
and said his teammates are
confident.
“I know it’s going to be a
good season,” he said.
Hunt said he’s looking for-
ward to seeing the younger
players grow throughout the
season and fill their roles.
The seniors have a long
history together, playing
football with each other since
third grade, said Drew Lusco.
He said he’s glad there are
a few more guys out for foot-
ball this year.
“It’s going to be a young
team again,” he said. “The
freshmen this year are tougher
and harder working than
they’ve been in the past.”
Lusco said his personal
goal is to make first team
all-state for the offensive
and defensive line again this
year.
“It’ll take hard work and
preparation,” he said.
The Prospectors have a
tough schedule ahead.
“We run the 2A gauntlet,”
Miller said.
In the 2A Special District
6, Grant Union will face the
Heppner Mustangs, River-
side Pirates, Stanfield Tigers
and Weston-McEwen Tiger-
scots in the last four games
of the regular season.
“Stanfield
and
Weston-McEwen are in the
running, and Riverside —
you never know,” Miller
said. “Heppner will be our
toughest opponent in the
league.”
Heppner has been led by
head coach Greg Grant for
more than 20 years.
“They always have good
numbers, with 35-40 kids
over the years — good ath-
letes, good coaches and good
numbers,” Miller said.
Besides their league oppo-
nents, Grant Union will also
face Knappa in the Prospec-
tors’ home opener at 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 6.
Knappa also made it to
the first round playoffs at
state last year, falling 48-42
to Glide. Heppner fell 34-0
in the first round to Kennedy.
Grant Union will face
Monroe on the road Sept. 13
for the Prospectors’ second
game of the season. Grant
Union will host Kennedy on
Oct. 4.
“We play five of the top
10 teams in 2A,” Miller said.
This includes Knappa,
Monroe, Lost River, Hep-
pner and Kennedy.
“It’s a tough schedule, but
I think we’ll hold our own,”
he said.
Grant Union volleyball team revamps for season
By Angel Carpenter
Blue Mountain Eagle
There are nine big shoes to fill on
the Grant Union Prospector volley-
ball team this season.
Although the team graduated all
the main starters, a new crop of tal-
ent is ready to grow into the roles
left behind.
Grant Union brought home a sec-
ond-place trophy from state compe-
tition last season with current head
coach Ali Abrego, falling in a tight
game to Portland Christian, which
won with scores of 28-26, 23-25,
25-11, 24-26 and 15-13. Grant
Union won it all the year before,
earning the 2A state championship
title under head coach Shae Speth.
The Prospectors were champions
of the Blue Mountain Conference
last year with a 12-0 league record,
28-5 overall.
Of the nine graduating seniors,
four received All-State honors,
including Hailie Wright, setter, first
team; Kaylee Wright, outside hitter,
first team; Trinity Hutchinson, mid-
dle blocker, second team; and Alcie
Moore, setter, honorable mention.
Now, Abrego is revamping the
program with 24 girls eager to fill
the empty spots of players they’ve
looked up to as leaders.
The team’s four seniors are Tay-
lor Allen, Kaytlyn Wells, Baylee
Combs and Averie Wenger. Round-
ing out the roster are four juniors, 10
sophomores and six freshmen.
“It’s awesome that we have the
numbers this season,” Abrego said.
“We have a lot of sophomores in
this group, which is both a blessing
and a curse.”
A blessing because the soph-
omores have a history of playing
together and a curse because she’ll
have to let yet another large group
go when they graduate, she said.
“I love big classes, but it will
hurt my heart to graduate that many
again,” Abrego said. She noted that
last year’s junior varsity team had a
“fairly successful season.”
Varsity positions are still being
filled, including team captains.
The Eagle/Angel Carpenter
Grant Union Prospector Taylor Moss, right, returns the ball, faced by
Grace Taylor at the net.
Taylor
Allen
Baylee
Combs
Kaytlyn
Wells
So far, two team captains have
been chosen, including Allen, a
strong outside hitter who saw a lot
of playing time last season, and
sophomore Lauryn Pettyjohn, the
libero (defensive specialist) for the
team.
“Having a senior and sophomore
as captains speaks a lot about their
ability to lead this group,” Abrego
said.
She said her main goal is for a
“unified group of girls,” and she’ll
be looking to the team leaders to
keep the squad cohesive.
“If I’m not teaching them the
proper way to lead the team, then
I’m not doing my job,” she added.
She’ll be looking to the captains
to “build a positive team culture and
positive program,” especially with
the six incoming freshmen.
Adding to the welcoming atmo-
sphere is new assistant coach
Andrea Combs.
“We balance each other out,”
Abrego said. “I’m very driven to
Averie
Wenger
Head coach
Ali Abrego
win. She’s very supportive and
uplifting and always offering a
friendly face and someone to rely
on.”
Grant Union will face Enterprise,
Heppner, Pilot Rock, Stanfield,
Union and Weston-McEwen in the
2A-6 Blue Mountain Conference.
Abrego expects Union and
Weston-McEwen to be “pretty
tough this year.”
While the Prospectors have their
work cut out for them, they’ll be
playing to their strengths.
“We’re striving to be the heavy
hitting team,” the coach said. “You
have the power, now let’s get the
footwork — your basics.”
Grace Taylor, one of Grant
Union’s taller players, is a setter.
Abrego said they’re “still fig-
uring out the middle and outside
situation.”
Wells has played in the middle
blocker and outside hitter position,
and Maddie Spencer also has tour-
nament experience with the varsity
team.
The Prospectors are hosting a
tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug.
31, at the Prairie City School gym,
because the Grant Union gym is
currently undergoing floor work.
Invited to compete with Grant
Union are 1A Prairie City, 1A Day-
ville/Monument, Weston-McEwen,
Heppner and Enterprise.
The four Grant Union seniors,
who’ve been playing the sport
together since second grade, are pos-
itive about the season’s prospects.
“We’re a really young team, but
we have a lot of potential,” Allen
said. “We have a good block, and
we’re determined. I’m looking for-
ward to this last season, because it’s
going to be a good one.”
Wells said she’s sad it’s the final
season of her high school career,
but she’s feeling positive about
the strengths she’s seeing in her
teammates.
“I feel like we’ll have a strong
passing line,” she said. “We have a
lot of strong passers this year. And
we’re good at blocking, because
we’re tall and quick.”
Wenger, who took a break from
volleyball last year, is ready for the
season.
“I’m glad to be back playing vol-
leyball,” she said. “I think we have
really good coaching staff, and we
have a lot of drive.”
Baylee Combs agreed.
“I’m excited to be a part of such
a great program,” she said. “I’m
excited to see how the younger
players step up and fill the spots that
(last year’s seniors) left open.”
Looking ahead, Abrego said
she’s excited for what the season
holds.
“It’ll be a learning curve,” she
said. “I’m eager to see how they
come together.”
“The last class of seniors left a
big mark, and I’m interested to see
these girls rise to the occasion,”
she continued. “We have a lot of
talented players and have some
untapped talent. When they have
that epiphany, that ‘aha’ moment,
it’ll all come together.”
GRANT UNION
VOLLEYBALL
SCHEDULE
Aug. 31: Grant Union Tournament
in Prairie City, 9 a.m.
Sept. 3: vs. La Grande, 4 p.m.
Sept. 7: @ Heppner Tournament,
9 a.m.
Sept. 12: vs. Burns, 6:30 pm.
Sept. 13: @ East-West Volleyball
Classic, Powder Valley High School,
TBD
Sept. 14: @ East-West Volleyball
Classic, Powder Valley High School,
TBD
Sept. 17: @ Prairie City, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 19: @ Heppner, 5 p.m.
Sept. 23: vs. Prairie City, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 28: @ Stanfield, noon
Sept. 28: @ Weston-McEwen at
Stanfield High School (L), 3 p.m.
Oct. 1: @ Union, 5 p.m.
Oct. 5: vs. Enterprise, 2 p.m.
Oct. 5: vs. Pilot Rock, 5 p.m.
Oct. 10: vs. Heppner, 5 p.m.
Oct. 12: vs. Stanfield, noon
Oct. 12: vs. Weston-McEwen,
3 p.m.
Oct. 15: vs. Union, 5 p.m.
Oct. 19: @ Enterprise, noon
Oct. 19: vs. Pilot Rock at Enterprise
High School, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 22: @ Burns, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 26: Blue Mountain District
Tournament at Stanfield, TBD
Nov. 2: First Round State Playoffs,
TBD
Nov. 8: Quarterfinals, Ridgeview
High School in Redmond, TBD
Nov. 9: Semifinals at Ridgeview,
TBD
Nov. 9: Finals at Ridgeview, TBD
Some volleyball times show start
time for JV games, followed by
varsity.