PAGE A8, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 17, 2015
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KEIZERTIMES/Dee Moore
The McNary 2015 girls golf team pictured from left to right: Kate Lester, sophomore, Cammie
Decker, junior, Mike McDowell, coach, Hannah Elliott, freshman and Felicia Elmore, senior.
Lady Celts return to links
after taking district title
By DEE MOORE
For the Keizertimes
The four young women on the McNary
High School girls golf team have one thing in
common; they learned the game from their fa-
thers.
Each one began playing in middle school,
spending time on the links with their dads,
learning the basics.
Senior Felicia Elmore learned the game
from her dad who used to play pro golf. With
coach Mike McDowell’s help she built on that
knowledge and used it to help take the team to
district and state last year.
“It was my fi rst time going to district with a
team that was big enough to play with,” Elmore
said. “We were pretty proud.”
A team must have four or more members to
compete; the McNary team had fi ve girls last
year. This is Elmore’s second year on the team.
She played for Regis Catholic High School in
Stayton during her freshman and sophomore
years. The Regis team was too small to go to
competition. Her experience at McNary has
been completely different, thanks in part to the
relationship the school has with the McNary
Golf Club, where the girls get practice fi ve days
a week.
“We’re lucky,” McDowell said. “McNary
treats us like royalty.”
But it takes more than practice, it takes skill
and knowledge of the game. Elmore attributes
the team’s success to good coaching. “It’s great,”
she said. “He’s a wonderful coach.”
Freshman Hannah Elliott agrees. “He’s an
amazing coach. He’s always so relaxed.”
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
That is part of the appeal for Elliott, how at McNary’s Evan Alger loads up a pitch in the game with West Albany High School Friday, April 10.
ease she feels when she is on the links.
“My dad is a big golfer. He started getting
me into it really young. I’ve always really en-
joyed how relaxed you are out there,” she said.
For her, McDowell’s easy going approach to
coaching them and teaching the game is dead
on.
Kate Lester chose golf over track. The soph-
Please see GOLF, Page A9
Boys 5th in state with
long season yet to play
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
While still early in the season, the McNary
High School varsity baseball team can boast be-
ing the fi fth-ranked team in the state after a 3-0
start in Greater Valley Conference competition.
“It’s a lot of confi dence and exciting for
McNary baseball, but we have to keep playing
well,” said Celt Trevor Gilbert. “Coach (Larry)
Keeker is helping us focus on the pre-game
prep from the moment we get on the fi eld,
that’s helping a lot.”
Rankings are based not only on the team’s
record, but the strength of its schedule. Tak-
ing on tough competition in Arizona during
spring break has likely boosted the team’s rank.
It’s also where the Celts saw the extraordinary
teams drilling down during game prep.
“We’ve talked about not paying attention to
rankings because it doesn’t matter, but the real-
ity is the boys are going to look, but nothing
beyond the next game matters at this point,”
Keeker, McNary head coach, said.
The biggest feather in the Celtic cap since
the start of league play was traveling to West
Youth players
get lessons
from elders
McNary High School’s youth
baseball clinic brought out
about two dozen players
Saturday, April 11. McNary
players took on the role
of coaches for the boys
currently in youth leagues.
Above: Southpaw Ty Borde
practices short throws.
Right: Landon Gerig scoops
up a grounder.
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Salem High School and taking an 8-3 win
Wednesday, April 8.
“We got a little more production, which is
good because we have not played well at West
Salem the past couple of seasons and they are
the two-time defending league champs,” Keek-
er said.
Nick LaFountaine pitched a complete game
against the Titans while Matt Aguilar was
2-for-3 and Jacob Vasas was 2-for-2 at the plate.
“They thought they were going to come in
and beat us, and we surprised them,” said ju-
nior Evan Alger. “Staying positive through the
whole game helped.”
McNary’s other two games last week were
with North Salem and West Albany high
schools.
The Celts routed the Vikings 6-1 Tuesday,
April 7.
McNary pitcher Mickey Walker had the
mound the entire game, allowing only four
hits, one earned run and three walks with nine
strikeouts. Tim Hays and Vasas had two hits
each. The defense played without an error.
Please see FIFTH, Page A9
Lady Celts start 2-1
Oliver swats
grand slam
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
McNary High School’s
varsity softball team is off to a
2-1 start in the Greater Valley
Conference.
Head Coach Kevin Wise
said lack of consistency be-
tween games with West Salem
and West Albany high schools
was a bit perplexing.
“Against West Salem the
hitting and defense were awe-
some, we had one error and it
didn’t cost us anything. Then,
two days later, we go West
Albany, and we have three er-
rors that cost us three runs,”
he said. “We have to get the
defense up to the level of our
offense.”
The girls cruised past
North Salem High School
22-5 in its fi rst league contest
Tuesday, April 7. Three of the
Lady Celts – Madison Oli-
ver, Nicole Duran and Kiana
Villarreal – hit home runs in
the outing. Kelsi Christen-
son, Hannah Carr and Megan
Ulrey all hit doubles. Oliver’s
homer was a grand slam and
she ended the day with fi ve
RBIs.
Duran, in particular, is be-
coming a force to be reck-
oned with at the dish. She has
a few home runs already this
season.
“I fi xed my swing this sea-
son and Brad (Ulrey) has been
helping me with my steps.
Right now, I’m focusing on
keeping my hands up to drive
the ball,” Duran said.
McNary had a 22-0 lead
before the Scots made it to
the board in the bottom of the
third inning. The Celts scored
Please see START, Page A9