EIGHT - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 7, 2023
Mustang softball finishes season strong Mustang players receive all-league,
Three players receive all-league recognition
Ava Gerry
Hadlie Nation
Madison Orem
The Mustang Softball
team has completed its
season with a bang. On
May 12, the girls played
their final game against the
Adrian Antelopes and won
both matches. The Hep-
pner/Ione/Condon com-
bined team finished sixth
in 2A/1A Special District
6 with a league record of
8-10 and an overall record
of 11-12. Despite the ups
and downs, the Mustangs
have had a great season
with many highlights.
The Mustangs have had
some standout players this
season. Hadlie Nation and
Ava Gerry have received
2nd team all-league honors
for their excellent perfor-
mance on the field. Madi-
son Orem has also received
honorable mention for her
contribution to the team.
These players have been in-
strumental in the Mustangs’
success this season.
Throughout the sea-
son, the Mustangs have
shown great sportsman-
ship and teamwork. They
have competed well against
some tough opponents and
have come out victorious in
many matches. The team’s
determination and hard
work have paid off, and
they have made their school
proud.
As the season comes to
an end, coach Petra Payne
says the Mustangs are al-
ready looking forward to
next year. They are deter-
mined to improve their
game and come back stron-
ger than ever. The team has
a bright future ahead of
them, and they are excited
to see what the next season
has in store.
all-state honors
Tucker Ashbeck
Carson Eynetich
Caden George
-Continued from PAGE ONE playing on the Heppner named to All-League first
to All-League first team for
catchers. He also received
All-State honorable men-
tion as a catcher.
Heppner junior Ca-
den George received All-
League first team recogni-
tion as an outfielder, as well
as being named to All-State
third team as an outfielder.
Ione’s Carson Eynetich,
combined team, was named
to All-League second team.
Eynetich, also a graduating
senior, is the son of Jeff and
Dawn Eynetich of Ione.
In the north end of
the county, several Irrigon
players were also recog-
nized for their hard work
on the diamond. Irrigon
senior Boyd Davis was
team for pitchers, as well as
All-State third team pitcher.
Irrigon senior Spen-
cer Stewart received All-
League first team recogni-
tion as outfielder, as well
as being named to All-State
second team.
Irrigon senior Braden
Atkins received All-League
second team honors.
Over the Greenup qualifies for
Tee Cup national rodeo
Thirteen women par-
ticipated in a scramble and
enjoyed lunch at Willow
Creek Country Club on
May 30. The weather for
the day’s play was sunny
and breezy.
Ti ff a n y C l e m e n t ,
Shirley Martin and Karen
Smith-Griffith emerged as
the winning team.
The WCCC ladies’ play
tee time for June will be 9
a.m.
DEADLINE:
MONDAYS
AT 5PM
The 2023 Mustang softball team. Back (L-R): Sarah Munkers, Keeley Nairns, Ava Gerry,
Hailey Wenberg, Morgan Cutsforth, Kadie Henrichs, Katie Spivey, Zandra Masterson.
Front (L-R): Madison Orem, Hadlie Nation and Delaney Stefani. -Contributed photo
Madelyn Nichols earns BMCC men’s and
All-American at EOU women’s golf program
coming in 2024
Gebhardt, Michelle Herbes
and Lauryn Mitchell.
“Four school records
is just an indication of how
well our team performed. I
am extremely proud of how
they represented Mountie
Nation,” head track and
field coach Ben Welch said.
Madelyn is a sopho-
more at EOU and is major-
ing in nursing.
Also burning up the
track in Indiana was older
brother Hunter Nichols. He
Madelyn Nichols
didn’t make All-American
Heppner ’s Madelyn this year, but he came close
Nichols has been named one when he placed 10 th in the
of only 10 Eastern Oregon
University All-Americans
in track for the 2023 sea-
son. Madelyn, the daughter
of Russ and Toni Nichols
of Heppner, was a 2021
graduate of Heppner High
School.
Madelyn earned her
All-American status as a
member of EOU’s 4x800
relay team, which came in
eighth at the 2023 NAIA
Outdoor Track and Field
Championships in Marion, Hunter Nichols
IN. The relay team’s time 1,500 Meters race. His time
of 9:18.06 also broke a of 3:55.63 put him just shy
program record for EOU of All-American status.
track. Other members of Hunter is a senior at EOU,
the relay team were Katie Jo majoring in biology.
Pickup your voucher at City Hall starting
June 1, 2023. Voucher only good for the
month of June.
The voucher entitles 1 free 6x6 pickup load with
racks @ S. Morrow County Transfer Station.
**Free Items: TV’S, Electronics, Couches,
Appliances, Lead-Based Paints
Items NOT accepted: Hazardous Chemicals, Oil,
Tires
HEPPNER
OREGON
The next meeting of the
Heppner Housing Authority
for the Heppner senior cen-
ter will be Tuesday, June 13,
at 4 p.m. in the St. Patrick’s
Senior Center dining room.
For more information, con-
tact Kay Rene Qualls at
541-980-2836.
1-Free Dump
CITY OF
Heppner
Housing
Authority
to meet
Blue Mountain Com-
munity College has an-
nounced it is bringing both
men’s and women’s golf
programs to the athletics
department in 2024.
It has been 45 years
since BMCC has had a
golf program, which only
offered a men’s team up
until 1978. Applications for
the coaching position will
be posted this coming July
with the intent for the coach
to have a year to recruit full
teams, which consist of
5-15 golfers per team.
Teams will begin prac-
ticing at both the Wild-
horse Resort Golf Course
and Birch Creek course in
August of 2024. Collegiate
golf plays a split season
from Aug. 1 to Nov. 15
and then resumes Jan. 15
and continues through the
Championship Tournament
mid-May. The process of
bringing on a collegiate
golf program has been a
coordinated effort between
Wildhorse Resort and Casi-
no and BMCC with the goal
of bringing a competitive,
collegiate team to the area.
“I’m excited for
BMCC!” said Blue Moun-
1887
tain Community College
President Mark Browning.
“It’s a tremendous opportu-
nity for local and regional
students to pursue their
education while competing
in a sport. Increasing access
to education, which leads
to a better future, is at the
core of what we do here at
BMCC.”
The coach will begin
recruiting, signing Letters
of Intent and offering athlet-
ic scholarships throughout
the 2023-2024 school year.
Heppner girl Savanna Greenup is an up-and-comer in the ro-
deo world. She qualified for the National Junior High School
Finals Rodeo in Perry, GA in barrel racing. She also qualified
for the Silver State International Rodeo in Winnemucca, NV
in pole bending, goat tying and breakaway roping. -Contrib-
uted photo