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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2019)
A10 PAGE LABEL Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, October 16, 2019 WEDNESDAY October 16, 2019 Prospectors shut out Tigers in homecoming victory Coach: Team ready for Riverside Friday By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle The Grant Union Pros- pector football team shut out the visiting Stanfield Tigers Friday in an excit- ing 32-0 homecoming vic- tory at Three Flags Field in John Day. It was Grant Union’s first league game and first win of the season, breaking a five- game losing streak, after facing high-ranking teams in the preseason. Prospector head coach Jason Miller said it was a good win and a great team performance against Stanfield. “Defense was nails and offense moved the ball and had some great comple- tions,” Miller said. “Great running — up front, the line- men were awesome.” Grant Union wasted no time, with Taylor Hunt scor- ing on the Prospectors’ first drive on a handoff from Grant Union Prospectors Taylor Hunt, left, and Justin Hodge tackle Stanfield Tiger running back AJ Keeney in Grant Union’s quarterback Devon Stokes. Friday, Oct. 11, homecoming win. Hunt also ran it in on the 2-point conversion. In the second quarter, Tiger Ryan Elizares inter- cepted a pass intended for Prospector Justin Hodge. That didn’t sit well with Grant Union, and the Pros- pectors rapidly made stops to move the ball back their way, including a big fourth- down tackle by Prospector Jack Strong. Grant Union brothers Russell and Justin Hodge then combined to add 16 points for Grant Union. Stokes connected with Rus- sell Hodge on a 20-yard Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter Grant Union Prospector running back Russell Hodge (7) pass. Then Justin Hodge The Grant Union Prospectors huddle with head coach Jason escapes Stanfield Tiger Mario Sanchez’ tackle attempt and looks to elude Tiger Fernando Garcia (74). scored a touchdown with his Miller, center, and assistant coach Andy Lusco. brother scoring the 2-point a minute left in the half conversion. “We went to the locker he added. “We worked our in the fourth with Quinten The Prospectors again when Justin Hodge scored a room and got some things hardest. Defense did amaz- Hallgarth receiving for the halted the Tigers’ drive, touchdown on a long catch straightened out and then ing tonight — we shut them 2-point conversion. Grant Union’s Peyton Neault and run. Russell Hodge was came back out and did it down. The offense did a Grant Union defensive in on the stop, deflecting a on the receiving end for again in the second half,” heck of a job.” lineman Drew Lusco made After a scoreless third a fourth-down stop, and the pass from Stanfield quarter- the 2-point conversion, and Russell Hodge said. back Kaden Comb. Grant Union had a 24-point celebrations “We gave 100 percent quarter, Russell Hodge Prospectors’ There was less than lead at halftime. all the game, every play,” scored a touchdown early began. Justin Hodge said they worked as a team for the win. “They’re strong,” he said of Stanfield, “but we just played a good game.” Russell Hodge added, “They’re physical, but we’re just as physical, so we came right back at ‘em.” Stokes said he was pleased with the team, espe- cially after all the distrac- tions of homecoming week and coming off of a rough preseason. “They came through and stayed focused during the game, and we pulled out a win,” he said. “The line worked really hard tonight. They gave us a lot of time we needed. I was really proud of Russell — he did well running the ball. He always put his head down and just tried to run through people.” Miller said the team prac- ticed hard all week and had a good game plan together. “We had a tough early season schedule — I talked to the kids about that a little bit. It just made us tougher,” the coach said. “We were able to stay healthy and keep pushing, and it just made us that much more prepared for this moment which is the real season.” He said Stokes has had a lot of pressure, new in the quarterback position this season. “He just keeps learning, keeps soaking it up, and it’s coming together for him,” Miller said. “It’s good to see.” Miller said Russell Hodge’s hard running was significant. “The line opened up some holes for him, but the second- and third-level tack- lers that he ran over and just kept punishing — that was big,” Miller said. Next Friday, Grant Union is on the road for their sec- ond league game of the season against the River- side Pirates at 7 p.m. in Boardman. “We’re ready for them,” Miller said. SPORTS ROUNDUP Prairie City/Burnt River football defeats Crane JV Prairie City/Burnt River Panther head coach Scott Dean said last Wednesday’s 22-6 win over the Crane Mustang junior varsity team was a good warm-up for Friday’s home- coming contest. The Panthers are a six-man team, and the Mustangs play eight-man. Panther quarterback Jayden Winegar’s 56-yard rushing touchdown was just one of many exciting moments on what was a cold and windy day. Prairie City/Burnt River was ahead 16-0 at the half and held Crane to just one touch- down for the contest. Dean said Boe Workman, Opie McDaniel, Jake McHat- ton, Skyelar Evins, Sammy Allen and Austin Catron stood out on defense with tack- ling, and Winegar and Cole Teel picked off passes. Declan Zweygardt, Marcus Judd and Georgiy Georgiyev also helped control Crane’s offensive effort, the coach said, adding Emman- uel Stephen helped carry the ball during the game. “I appreciate (athletic direc- tor Billy Colson) for arrang- ing this game,” Dean said. “We came out of it healthy and look forward for the preparation for Dayville/Monument Tigers.” Friday’s game between the Panthers and Tigers will decide the first-place team for the south in 1A Special District 5 six-man football. Currently, the Panthers are 2-0 in the district, 3-2 overall, and the Tigers are 1-2, 2-2. Dean said Friday’s win- ning team will face the No. 1 team from the west (either Gilchrist or Triangle Lake) in a state semifinals game to be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Sherman County High School in Moro. The winner there will play in a finals game Saturday, Nov. 2, in Madras. “We are healthy going into Friday’s game and must get mentally prepared to contain a tough Dayville/Monument team for homecoming here,” Dean said. Dayville/Monument Tigers steamroll Locomotives in 47-8 rout Five interceptions made by Dayville/Monument football players propelled the Tigers in Friday’s 47-8 victory over the Huntington/Harper Locomo- tives in Huntington. The interceptions were made by Tell Cox, Jordan Hull, Mark Thomas, Donovan Scha- fer and Zachary Ferguison. Dayville/Monument led 20-0 at the half. “Our offensive line, led by DJ Howell and Wesley Adams, controlled the middle of the field all day,” said Tiger head coach Kyle Hand. “The boys played tough with a lot deter- mination and intensity.” Quarterback JT Hand made a handoff to Ferguison who covered 55 yards for a rush- ing touchdown, and Gauge Jenks had a 10-yard receiving touchdown. Thomas rushed for two touchdowns, and Hand scored two receiving touchdowns and also hit the end zone for one rushing touchdown. Snap receiver Schafer threw all the receiving touchdowns. “Jordan Hull had another great game at middle linebacker and was in on many tackles and reading the game very well,” coach Hand said. “Defensively, we domi- nated,” Hand said. “It was a great game. Everybody got into the game.” Now, the Tigers are pre- paring to face the Prairie City/ Burnt River Panthers at 7 p.m. Friday in Prairie City. into the district tournament.” Dayville/Monument Tiger spikers go 1-1 on the road The Prairie City Panther volleyball team dropped a match to the Crane Mustangs and beat the Burnt River Bulls on the road Saturday in Unity. The Mustangs accom- plished their win in three sets, 25-18, 25-18 and 25-18. “The game against Crane was a good battle for our team,” said Panther head coach Jordan Bass. “It was back and forth for the majority of all three sets, but Crane pulled away in the end of each.” Prairie City had 93% serv- ing as a team. “Our middle hitters, Hailee Wall and Samantha Workman, are working really hard and are becoming strong assets to our offense,” Bass said. “Overall, it was a good competition, and although we didn’t come out on top in the end, the girls played tough.” The Prairie City junior var- sity team played the game against Burnt River, gaining some good experience, Bass said. She added, “We are focus- ing on Dayville/Monument this week and also identifying some weaknesses to improve on before the district tournament.” Prairie City has a 3-3 league record and is 10-7 overall. Dayville/Monument is 2-3, 8-9. Crane and the Adrian Ante- lopes lead the High Desert League with 6-0 records, fol- lowed by Jordan Valley, 5-2. The Dayville/Monument Tiger volleyball team was chal- lenged by a long road trip to Huntington on Friday, but fin- ished with a sweep with scores of 25-11, 25-12, 25-17. The Tigers fell to Jordan Valley the following day, the Mustangs winning with scores of 25-7, 25-12 and 26-24. “In Jordan Valley, we had a hard time hustling and cov- ering,” said Tiger head coach Treila Osborne. “We also missed many serves, which we do not usually miss. Jordan Valley is definitely a beatable team, but we just could not fin- ish in the third set even though we had a lead on them.” Osborne said, if her team had won the third set, they could have “definitely taken them to five games.” Both were High Desert League games, and the district tournament is just around the corner, set for Saturday, Oct. 26, in John Day. First, Dayville/Monument will face Prairie City on Friday during the Panthers’ homecom- ing festivities. A junior varsity game starts at 4 p.m., followed by varsity. The Tigers will also face the Burnt River Bulls beforehand at 3 p.m. in Prairie City. Osborne said her team will be in the gym this week condi- tioning for quickness. “We are so strong this year and have a lot great tal- ent, but most of all we have a lot of desire and commit- ment,” she said. “That will help us finish strong coming Prairie City volleyball goes 1-1 Saturday with league foes cold, windy conditions at the Tiger Invitational in La Grande Friday, held at the La Grande Country Club. “We actually had a branch break out of a tree during the meet,” said Grant Union head coach Sonna Smith. The course, which looped three times around the golf course, was flat with a few roll- ing hills, she said. Although conditions were not conducive to setting per- sonal records, Smith said her athletes performed well. “We had hoped for some PRs but the wind was strong and the times were slightly affected,” she said. “We still had some great efforts.” Grant Union varsity runners have two meets this week with the Kyle Burnside Wildhorse Invite in Pendleton on Thurs- day at 3 p.m. and Burns High School’s Idlewild Invite on Sat- urday at 11:45 a.m. Grant Union’s middle school runners will compete on Friday at the Eastern Oregon XC Championship at McKay Park in Pendleton. Grant Union seventh-grader Grant Hall placed fourth for middle school runners at the Tiger Invite in a 2-mile run. GIRLS Erika Dickens, 12th place, 22:31 Rylee Browning, 33, 24:49 Amelia Hall, 35, 25:04 Katelyn Hughes, 37, 25:20 Tiler Voigt, 52, 28:42 Riley Robertson, 54, 28:53 BOYS Brady Dole, 32, 19:31 Quinn Larson, 62, 21:36 Jesse Randleas, 63, 21:46 Max Bailey, 66, 22:00 Donavan Smith, 76, 23:56 Gavin Lopez, 79, 26:18 Grant Union cross country endures biting wind at Tiger Invite Ukiah/Long Creek volleyball competes at Condon, and Fossil Tourney The Grant Union Prospec- tor cross country runners faced Although the Ukiah/Long Creek Mountain Lion junior varsity team fell 3-0 to the Condon Knights, the Moun- tain Lions improved over- all compared to their first match-up with the Knights earlier in the season. The Knights won with scores of 25-18, 25-14 and 25-22. “We are happy with their performance,” said head coach Linda Studtmann. On Saturday, Ukiah/Long Creek faced four teams at the Fossil Tournament. Each match was best two out of three. The Mountain Lions beat Mitchell/Spray/Wheeler, 25-18 and 25-11 and Ione 25-13, 23-25 and 15-13. In another matchup with Ione, Ukiah/Long Creek lost 25-19 and 25-17. The Moun- tain Lions also fell to Sher- man 25-17 and 25-19. “It was a tiring day, but I think they all had fun,” Studt- mann said. “We had a few struggles, and they had to pull themselves together. They did, and they played hard and did well. ” Ukiah/Long Creek will hold their final game of the season at 1 p.m. Saturday, hosting the Harper Hornets in Long Creek. Ukiah/Long Creek soccer drops home game to Four Rivers The 1A Ukiah/Long Creek Mountain Lions soccer team was bested by 1A Four Riv- ers of Ontario in Long Creek on Friday, the visitors win- ning 10-0. The Mountain Lions hosted the 3A Umatilla Vikings Monday, losing 15-0. Ukiah/Long Creek will host the 3A Nyssa Bulldogs at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, in Long Creek.
