PAGE A8, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 10, 2015 KEIZERTIMES.COM Boys 4x100 turns in state’s top time KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald McNary’s Megan Ulrey winds up a pitch in the game with St. Helens Friday, April 3. The Lady Celts survived a late-game rally by the Lions to win 10-9. Girls withstand Lions’ roar By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes The Lady Celt varsity softball team is looking for- ward to a little more parity in their league competition this season. “I feel like it’s going to be more of an even battle not having one team that’s way above the rest of us,” said Kelsi Christenson, a McNary High School junior. For the past several sea- sons, and in a smaller league, South Salem High School’s Katie Donovan was able to keep most teams off kilter at the plate. Donovan graduat- ed last June leaving the new Greater Valley Conference fi eld more open. “I think we’re ready to go. I feel like this is the best team I’ve had so far out of three good teams. They know what they want to do and they are a great group of kids,” said Kevin Wise, McNary head coach. The girls kicked off league competition Tuesday, April 7, with a game vs. North Salem High School, contin- ued Wednesday, April 8, with a game against West Salem High School and they travel to West Albany High School Friday, April 10. While the outlook is somewhat murky, that doesn’t mean the hard-hitting Celt- ics will have a league title handed to them. “West Salem and Sprague are going to be good. Sprague is already showing it,” said Christenson. McNary’s took on St. Helens High School Friday, April 3, at home. McNary won 10-9, but it was a game Wise thought shouldn’t have been so close. “Megan (Ulrey) has been pitching so well that the de- fense is getting lulled to sleep. But good hitting teams like St. Helens teams will learn and put the ball in play,” Wise said. “We also have three freshmen in the infi eld and they were making uncharac- teristic throws.” McNary was up 7-0 in the fourth inning, but the Lions rallied for six runs in the top of the fi fth. The Lady Celts added three in the bottom of the frame and held of St. Helens for the win. Madison Oliver went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Kiana Vil- larreal went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Nicole Du- ran hit a home run. Prior to that game Mc- Nary ran away with a 17-3 win over Sunset High School April 1. The Celtics had a 15-run lead before the Apol- los even made it to the board in the fourth inning. Lady Celts turn up heat even when wins elude By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes The McNary High School girls varsity tennis team had a see-saw week in matches with West Albany and North Sa- lem high schools. “We’ve had some struggles in singles aside from Cambria Ruston, but the thing is all the girls are playing competitively with long volleys, even in the matches they lose,” said Der- ick Handley, the team’s assis- tant coach. The Lady Celts mustered only one win in competi- tion with West Albany Tues- day, March 31. The former 5A school was added to the 6A Greater Valley Conference this year. Since then, the Bull- dogs have been making things tough for the Celts in nearly every sport. Freshman Hannah Chil- dress notched the win in three sets. She lost her fi rst set 3-6, but battled back to take the match with sets of 6-2 and 6-1. One other match with the Bulldogs went to three sets. Sandy Childress lost with set scores of 6-2, 5-7 and 6-1. Katelyn Kolb and Claudia Estrada Correa made it to a tiebreaker after two sets, but came up on the losing end, 6-3, 7-6(7-2). The girls fared much bet- ter in a 7-1 win over North Salem High School Thursday, April 2. “We’ve been a little fl at- footed and it’s partly having KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Austin Verboort prepares for launch in the varsity pole vault during the Sprague meet Wednesday, April 1. By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes McNary High School girls and boys varsity track and fi eld teams split a meet with Sprague High School Wednesday, April 1. The Oly boys won 80-65 while the Celt girls took a 77-67 win. The big news of the week, however, was the boys 4x100 relay team notching the fastest time in the state. “I take it with a grain of salt. I don’t want to let it get to our heads. Obviously, our hard work is playing off, but we can’t let up now,” said Kyle Torres, a veteran of the team. Torres, AJ Johnk, Brendan Van Voorhis and Riley Moore won the race in 42.60 seconds at the Titan Track Classic Friday, April 3. They are two-tenths of a second ahead of West Salem High School in the statewide OSAA 6A rankings. “It feels good, but we have to keep working. We’ve got a target on our backs now,” said sophomore Brendan Van Voorhis. The Celt boys’ 4x400 team of Angel Goemaere, Van Voohis, Torres and Moore is currently ninth in the state. On the girls side of the Oly meet, Dani Duran said the team has high hopes and is coming together well. “Our team is really good and really close, it’s just going to take a lot of hard work and showing up every day,” she said. Please see TRACK, Page A9 KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Tim Hays lines a ball to outfi eld for an RBI during McNary’s game with North Salem high School Tuesday, April 7. Celts show fl awless defense in 2-1 win KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Mirielle Martinez charges the net to return a volley during the North Salem match Thursday, April 2, at McNary. no non-league games. We did a better job with North on that point,” Handley said. “The problem is that you kind of have to fi gure it out in individual sports like tennis.” In singles, Rushton won in sets of 7-5 and 6-0; Ami Chikatso won after one 6-0 set (her opponent couldn’t fi nish the match); and Kristy Kely won in consecutive 6-2 sets. In doubles, the Childress sisters won in a pair of 6-1 sets; Ariana Neads and Sami Trowbridge won in sets of 6-3 and 6-0; Katherine Pat- terson and Hannah Kannier won in sets of 6-4 and 6-0; and Tayler Rains and Blanca Tepeque won in sets of 6-2 and 6-1. Mirielle Martinez had the team’s only loss, but made a fi ght of it. Her set scores were 7-5 and 6-2. By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes The McNary High School varsity baseball team needed a shot in the arm after dis- appointing appearances in a tournament during spring break. They got it with a 2-1 win over Oregon City High School Wednesday, April 1. “I feel good and the kids feel good heading into league competition because, in the game against Oregon City, we pitched and played defense they way we’re capable of do- ing,” said Larry Keeker, Mc- Nary head coach. The teams were tied 1-1 in McNary’s last appearance at the plate. Senior Nick La- Fountaine got a lead-off single. Fellow senior Cole Thomas moved LaFountaine to third The McNary High School baseball program is host- ing a one-day clinic Sat- urday, April 11, from noon to 3:30 p.m. The clinic will include fun- damentals of warming up, fundamentals of play- ing catch and defensive and offensive stations for players to rotate through. Cost is $25 and drop-in registration is welcome. The clinic will be held on Flesher Field, weather permitting, or in the gym in the event of rain. on a single of his own. When the pitcher tried to pick off Thomas at fi rst, the baseman mishandled the catch. “I got the read and took a head start, that’s when we Please see DEFENSE, Page A9