PAGE A8, KEIZERTIMES, MAY 29, 2015
The Athlete’s Best Friend
Come see
how we can
improve
your level of
peformance!
…is their Chiropractor.
Meet Dr. Andrew Isaksen
Quality Chiropractic for the Whole Family
CALL TODAY 503 -391-9112
1797 Lansing Ave NE, Salem • www.nwfamilychiro.net
KEIZERTIMES.COM
CELTICS ROLL
Girls’ huge fi fth leaves Gophers in dust
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Lady Celt pitcher Megan Ulrey winds up in the circle during the
fi rst-round playoff game Monday, May 25.
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
It took a little while, but
the Lady Celts uncorked a
seven-run fi fth inning to win
their fi rst game of the state
playoffs Monday, May 25.
“I want us to be a little
more aggressive coming out,
but these girls start and they
chip away at the pitcher. By
the time we get to the third
inning, they’ve got her,” said
Kevin Wise, McNary head
coach.
“They almost don’t take
us seriously when we don’t
come out with a punch. But
once we all fi gure it out, it’s
kind of over,” added senior
Megan Ulrey.
The 11-7 win over Gresh-
am High School granted
the Celts a second game at
North Medford High School
Wednesday, May 27, past
press time.
The Celtics (20-7) were
ranked 11th going into the
contest while the fourth-
ranked Black Tornadoes were
23-5 and on a 12-game win
streak. McNary had an 11-
game win streak going.
“We’re on a streak and
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
McNary’s Haley Ebner eyes fi rst base, deciding whether to make a throw.
if we keep our energy, and
gelling as a team, we’re going
to be fi ne. How close we’ve
become as a team is what’s
really helping us,” said Lady
Celt Madisen Oliver.
In the game with the Go-
phers, it was the Gresham
team fi rst to the board with a
2-0 lead after the fi rst frame.
The Celts tied it up in the
bottom of the second and
moved ahead 4-2 in the bot-
tom of the third.
Gresham knotted the
game at 4-4 in the top of the
fi fth and the Lady Celts un-
loaded in the bottom of the
frame running through the
entire line-up before heading
back to the dugout.
“We’d get a hit, get run-
ners on and then move them
over. We just didn’t leave
many on base,” Wise said.
McNary left seven runners
Please see DUST, Page A9
Boys sink Lakers in 6-2 win
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Two McNary seniors came
up with timely doubles to help
their team to a 6-2 win over
Lake Oswego High School
Monday, May 25.
Celt Connor Goff hit a two-
RBI double in the third inning
to give McNary a 3-0 lead after
a Jacob Vasas single and a stolen
base. Senior Mickey Walker was
on fi rst after a walk.
Tim Hays hit a base-clear-
ing, three-RBI double in the
sixth. Hays nearly turned the
hit into a triple but was thrown
out at third. Hays’ plate was
set after Walker took a bag on
balls and stole second. Connor
Goff reached fi rst on an error
and Mathew Ismay was hit by
a pitch.
“I knew he had to be ag-
gressive because we had bases
loaded and the pitcher didn’t
want to walk anyone. That
made me anxious and my
fi rst swing was bad. The sec-
ond time I just wanted a base
hit. He threw a fastball up the
middle and I hit it right center
fi eld,” Hays said.
The Celt defense had a
strong day behind Walker on
the bump.
“I just trusted them and
they made all the plays we
asked them to,” said Walker.
Walker pitched a complete
game with six strikeouts and
allowing only four hits in 88
pitches.
“Mickey had one tough in-
ning, but he worked it out and
kept going,” said Larry Keeker,
McNary head coach.
Vasas went 2-for-4 in the
game with a stolen base. It
was the third consecutive year
McNary and the Lakers have
faced each other in the post-
season. With this season’s win,
the Celts are up 2-1 for the un-
planned series.
“This was a good day for
us,” Keeker said. “One of our
goals this season was to earn
the right to host our fi rst game
of the playoffs and we did that.
We had an exciting atmosphere
with big at bats by a couple of
seniors, and that’s always good
for them. “
The win advanced the Celts
to the second round of the
playoffs where they were
facing Sheldon High
School in Eugene
Wednesday, May 27,
past press time.
The
fourth-
ranked Fighting
Irish had an
ove r a l l
record
of
23-5
to
M c N a r y ’s
18-
9. Sheldon
h a d n ’t
lost a game
since late
April and
McNary’s
end-of-
season play
was less
than what
t h e
team had
hoped
for.
“The
biggest lesson
is we have to believe in what
we’re doing and continue to
play good baseball,” Keeker
said.
Walker echoed the senti-
ment.
“We’re going to have a re-
ally good team and I just want
to see us have confi dence.
Confi dence at the plate to get
on base, and confi dence in
our defense when the other
team is up,” he said.
Hays said the team had to
cut down on strikeouts dur-
ing the game with Sheldon,
but there was more to it than
game mechanics.
“We have to have fun, that’s
what’s going to let us go far,”
Hays said.
Childresses take 4th in state
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
Sandy and Hannah Childress were ner-
vous heading into their fi rst match at the
state tennis tournament last week.
They’d drawn McMinnville High School
and were in a one-and-done situation after
winning the district tournament and re-
ceiving a bye in the fi rst round. Fortunately,
Sandy had been in the similar high-anxiety
situations many times before.
“I’ve learned how to not be so nervous
and use my nerves to my advantage,” Sandy
said.
The sisters ended up taking fourth in the
state in doubles play.
Hannah said the pair needn’t have wor-
ried because they won the McMinnville
match (6-3, 6-1) and went on to beat the
No. 2-seeded team in the state with scores
of 6-1 and 6-0, earning themselves a berth
in the semifi nals.
“We knew that the seeding didn’t mean
a whole lot, but we never played them be-
fore,” Hannah said.
Sandy said it was her favorite match of
the competition.
“That was because we had nothing to
lose and it was fun to just live in the mo-
ment,” Sandy said.
The win in the quarterfi nals boosted the
Childresses into the semifi nals where they
were guaranteed fourth place.
The Lady Celts fell to a Jesuit High
School team in the semis, and battled to
three sets in the third place match before
settling for fourth place. The Childresses
faced a Grant High School team for third
and ended with set scores of 2-6, 6-3 and
6-1.
Hannah, who is a freshman with plenty
of time left to improve, said the experience
is going to help her moving forward.
“I learned a lot about competition and
never underestimating myself,” Hannah said.
For both girls, getting to the highest
ranks in the state had a cherry on top in
terms of doing it together.
“We’ve played together since Hannah
started and getting to be partners was really
cool,” Sandy said.
The elder Childress will be continu-
ing her career at California’s Sonoma State
University in the fall, but she and her sister
left a lasting impression on Lisa Reid, Mc-
Nary’s head coach.
“I couldn’t ask for better kids to repre-
sent McNary,” Reid said. “They had a very
good run.”
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Sandy and Hannah Childress with their
fourth-place medals from the state ten-
nis tournament
KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald
Left: Jacob Vasas dives back to fi rst base during a pick-off
attempt. Above: Third baseman Trevor Gilbert lines up to grab
a bouncer.