PAGE A10, KEIZERTIMES, FEBRUARY 13, 2015
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Lady Celts still third after
losses to Saxons, Bulldogs
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
The McNary High School varsity wrestling team survived
a dual meet with North Salem High School by the skin of its
teeth Thursday, Feb. 5.
The Celtics won 38-37. It came down to a few matches de-
cided by pin rather than decision, said Jason Ebbs, McNary head
coach.
“Ryan Edsall is a kid who goes out and competes well for us
every week, but he doesn’t always come away with the pins. He
got one against North Salem and it turned out to be an impor-
tant one,” Ebbs said.
Edsall got the pin in the second round, scoring six points for
the team.
“It came down to having the whole team behind me,” Edsall
said. “We’ve made a lot of progress in becoming more of a fam-
ily and it’s shown on the mat.”
Other winners for the Celts were: Alvarro Venegas, pin in
1:09; Joey Kibbey, pin in 31 seconds; Johnathon Phelps, major
decision, 12-3; Carlos Vincent, major decision, 15-7; and Taran
Purkey, pin in 59 seconds.
Despite some “oddball” challenges such as a couple of wres-
tlers not making weight, McNary traveled to a tournament at
West Linn High School the next day and won the whole thing.
“We kind of limped into that one, but we’re not looking for
excuses for why we lost, we want reasons to win,” Ebbs said.
The biggest notch in the Celtic belt was taking a win over
seventh-ranked West Linn High School. McNary came out on
top in a close 36-32 fi nal score.
“On paper, that’s not a match we’re supposed to win, but the
kids found a way,” Ebbs said. “For every guy they put on the mat,
we had someone who stepped up to the challenge.”
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
McNary High School ju-
nior Madi Hingston account-
ed for almost half the Lady
Celts’ points in a 70-46 loss
to South Salem High School
in varsity basketball Tuesday,
Feb. 3.
“As a group it wasn’t a very
pretty game, but Madi showed
the most offensive aggression
we’ve seen from her (against
South) and was really a stand-
out player for us,” said Derick
Handley, McNary head coach.
Handley said the team had
a one-point lead in the sixth
minute of the game, but the
Saxons ended the frame with
a run and the Celts could nev-
er quite catch up after that.
“We had several key play-
ers in foul trouble early, in-
cluding Kaelie Flores, who
didn’t spend a lot of time on
the fl oor for us,” Handley said.
“They were able to challenge
our shots which limited our
ability to get any consistency
going on offense.”
Flores has been an increas-
ingly important part of the
roster on both offense and de-
fense for McNary this season.
After Hingston, Flores was
the top scorer for McNary
with 13 points; Emma Jones
had eight; Sydney Hunter had
six; and Jasmine Ernest had
four.
Hingston followed up her
big night against South by
scoring more than half the
Celtic points in a 61-54 loss to
West Albany High School Fri-
day, Feb. 6. She poured in 23
points, including 5 of 8 from
the three-point range.
“We were hoping to pres-
sure their ball handlers a little
more with our press and half
court defense, but the lack
of ball pressure allowed them
to limit turnovers. We played
pretty sound defense, but
with their shooters you can’t
give them an inch,” Handley
said. “We had a few turnovers
early in the third quarter and
they were able to build up a
13-point lead.”
The team made it a goal to
cut the lead to single digits by
the end of the frame. They got
Please see WRESTLE, Page A11
Please see GIRLS, Page A11
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
McNary’s Sean Burrows looks for a way to escape a North
Salem High School opponent in a match Thursday, Feb. 5.
Mat men escape
Vikings 38-37
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Celt Madi Hingston gets a clear look at the hoop from three-point range in the Lady Celts’ game
with West Salem High School Tuesday, Feb. 10.
Keizer players lead
Crusaders to big win
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Davis McHugh swims the 500
freestyle in McNary’s last home
meet two weeks ago.
At district, Swimmers on the bubble
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
The McNary High School
swimming teams will have a
fairly tough row to hoe when
they head to the district meet
Friday, Feb. 13, in McMin-
nville. It only proves what a
difference a year can make.
“In last year’s league I
would be certain we had a
number of kids headed to the
state meet, but with the addi-
tions of McMinnville, Forest
Grove and West Albany, we
have a lot more swimmers on
the bubble,” said Casey Lewin,
McNary head coach.
There is one advantage
theatMcNary will have, the
Celts had their last meet in
McMinnville and got the
chance to swim in the same
pool where district titles will
be up for grabs.
“The walls of the pool
were a bit different and it was
hard to adjust in the meet, but
now we know what that will
be like,” said sophomore Abby
McCoy.
Lewin was thankful that
the swimmers will have fewer
“excuses” should they per-
form less than they expect of
themselves. Both teams lost to
the Grizzlies in the meet Tues-
day, Feb. 10, but McMinnville
brought a stacked roster of
more than 70 student-athletes
to the contest.
Outside the pool was also
a different experience, said se-
nior Anjelica Glassey.
Please see BUBBLE, Page A11
at the top of the 3A PacWest Conference with
By ERIC A. HOWALD
a 10-1 record.
Of the Keizertimes
“Blanchet has always been a great team and
Two Keizer students at Salem Academy were
it was great to get the win in a
pivotal in a win that put an end to the
really fun game,” Werst said.
dominance of Blanchet High School in a
The team’s only loss of the
longtime rivalry last week.
season came to Blanchet earlier
Tim McAvoy and Andrew Werst, both
this season and they have only
seniors, kept their team in the game in
one game left. The Crusad-
the fi nal minutes en route to a 56-53 win.
ers take on Chemawa Indian
“I don’t think anybody at the school
School Friday, Feb. 13, at Che-
who remembers the last time we beat
mawa.
them, and all four of our teams won,”
Werst credited the Crusaders’
McAvoy said.
tight team bond as the reason
McAvoy went on a baseline drive for
T. McAvoy
for their success this season.
two points and hit a trey to put the Cru-
“We have a pretty young
saders ahead, but the Cavaliers battled
team, but the seniors are as close
back. Werst hustled to grab a loose ball
to the freshmen as anyone else,”
and took it to the hoop. He was fouled
he said.
and hit both of his free throws to put Sa-
This season has been a spe-
lem Academy up by one in the fi nal min-
cial one for McAvoy. He was
ute. Crusader Coen Acker put in the fi nal
benched for his sophomore and
points from the foul line to seal the win.
junior seasons after dislocating
“It could have been anybody’s game
his knees numerous times.
and every one of their shots was like a
“I’ve been held back by inju-
punch in the stomach for me and the
A. Werst
ries like that, but the Lord’s let
whole team,” McAvoy said. “But, every
me come back to play the game
shot we made felt like 1,000 points.”
McAvoy had 16 points and 11 rebounds for that I love with the people that I love,” McAvoy
a double-double. The win put Salem Academy said.