Lindy Black (left) and Tiffnie Ashley are from ranching families and are as comfortable in the saddle as they are facing each other across the volleyball net or on the basketball court. The Eagle/Tim Adams

When speaking about all-around athletes from Grant County, both on and off the court, the names of Prairie City High School senior Lindy Black and junior Tiffnie Ashley from Dayville High School have to be placed at the very top of the list.

Black, a three-sport athlete for the Lady Panthers, was voted a first-team all-league volleyball player in her junior year, when Prairie City was a member of the Old Oregon League and voted a first-team all-league performer in the TriCo League this past season.

In addition to volleyball, she has also earned post-season all-league honors for three years as a basketball player.

“This is my fourth year on Prairie City varsity basketball team and my personal goal this year is to help my team as much as I can,” Black said. “I would really like for us to be able to make it to the district playoffs. We’ve never made it that far in the years I’ve been on the team.”

In the spring, Black turns her attention to track and field. In 2004, she finished second in the long jump at the Class 1A state track meet and was also a member of the Lady Panthers’ third-place 4×100 meter relay team.

Ashley was a first-team all-TriCo League volleyball player in her sophomore year and was named an honorable mention player this year.

In basketball, she was named a TriCo League honorable mention player during the 2003/04 season.

“We have a lot of players returning and I think we have a good chance of going back to the district tournament this year,” Ashley said. “The district tournament is a lot of fun.”

In the spring and summer, Ashley turns her attention to junior rodeo and is a regular participant in the G Lazy 6 Playdays competition at the Gibb Gregg Arena in her home town.

Rodeo is yet another venue where the two young ladies excel.

This summer, Black was named queen for the 2005 Grant County Fair and Rodeo and Ashley was voted as princess.

Both girls are from ranching families and are as comfortable in the saddle as they are facing each other across the volleyball net or on the basketball court.

Black plans on continuing with the family business of ranching and said she will be studying agribusiness in college.

“I plan to go to the University of Idaho after graduation from high school and I would also like to try out for the volleyball team,” she said.

Ashley is undecided about what she’d like to do after her graduation.

“I still have one more year of high school after this one and we’ll see what happens,” she said.