Grant Union Lady grapplers claim first at home tourney

JOHN DAY — Grant Union’s girls wrestling team took first place at the Grant Union wrestling tournament on Jan. 25.

The Lady Pros competed against wrestlers from eight schools: Baker/Powder Valley, Irrigon, Heppner/Ione, Enterprise, Adrian, Union, Echo and Imbler.

Grant Union’s girls, as a team, had 59 points.

Mallory Lusco took first place in her 235 weight bracket, while Zoey Beam and Macy Carter took second in their 125 and 107 weight categories.

June Wolf also claimed second place in her 135 weight bracket, while Delaney Coombs took third in the 170 weight division.

In a Monday, Jan. 31, email, Grant Union head wrestling coach Andy Lusco told the Eagle the girls squad had improved tremendously since the season’s first week.

For example, Lusco noted that Mallory had a swift pin over a “pretty tough girl” at heavyweight, while Anderson had a “breakout day” and won her group as well. Additionally, he said Wolf has really come along and is wrestling her best matches late in the season.

Lusco added that Carter, Coombs and Morgan Majors have shown “amazing growth” late in the season.

Finishing a wrestling season, Lusco said, is an accomplishment in and of itself.

Being a novice or freshman wrestler and continuing to improve each week while dealing with the stress of competing with more experienced wrestlers is something to be proud of, according to Lusco.

“This is a special group of young women,” Lusco said. “I’m excited to see them this week at the regional qualifier.”

On the boys side, Grant Union dropped a dual meet to Burns on Jan. 25, 42-36.

Nonetheless, Grant Union’s grapplers collected a flurry of wins.

Jack Strong pinned Orion Houck in the 145 weight division. Meanwhile, Justin Hodge pinned Bruin Thomas to win the 165 weight bracket.

Lusco said overall he thought the boys squad competed well.

He said in addition to Hodge and Strong, Tanler Fuller, who came off an injury less than a month ago, wrestled very well.

Moreover, Lusco said the entire lineup had a good showing in the match.

Grant Union girls basketball gets a split over the weekend

JOHN DAY — The Grant Union girls basketball team split a pair of close Blue Mountain Conference contests over the weekend. After losing a 35-37 thriller to Heppner on the road Friday, Jan. 28, the Lady Pros came home and won 38-34 over Weston-McEwen on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Grant Union boys basketball team won one out of two over the weekend

JOHN DAY — The Grant Union boys basketball team split wins over the weekend.

After a 71-34 loss to Heppner on the road on Friday, Jan. 28, the 2A Prospectors won their home game against Weston-McEwen 55-37 on Saturday, Jan. 29, in Blue Mountain Conference play.

Long Creek boys basketball team loses two in a row

LONG CREEK — Long Creek’s 1A boys basketball team suffered a two-game skid, with the Mountaineers losing at home 90-15 to Crane Thursday, Jan. 27, and falling 54-28 to Harper Charter on the road Saturday, Jan. 29.

The boys team is 1-8 overall and 1-6 in High Desert League play.

In a previous version of the sports roundup, the Eagle misreported the score of the Saturday, Jan. 29 home game against Weston-McEwen. The Pros won the contest 55-37.

Additionally, the Eagle misreported the number of consecutive games the squad lost before Saturday’s win. The team had dropped five in a row.

The newspaper regrets the error.