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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 2017)
NOVEMBER 17, 2017, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9 KEIZERTIMES.COM Diede signs to play D-I volleyball By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes McNary senior Valerie Diede has wanted to play vol- leyball in college for as long as she can remember. “I think I always knew I wanted to play in college, pretty much ever since I was little,” Diede said. “I al- ways looked up to the big girls. We would go to U of O games and I would always love watching them. I knew I loved playing volleyball so why not play in college.” On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Diede offi cially became one of those “big girls,” signing with the University of Hart- ford, a Division I program in Connecticut. But Diede didn’t pick Hartford just because of its Division I status. “It’s not so much that it’s Division-I. Yes, it’s cool that it is but it was all about the school and that it felt like it was the right fi t for me,” Die- de said. Diede committed to the Hawks more than a year ago after visiting the campus the summer before her junior year. Hartford was the only school she visited. KEIZERTIMES/Dsrsk Wilsy McNary ssnior Valsris Disds, votsd First Tsam all-confsrsncs, lsd ths Lady Cslts in blocks and hitting sffi cisncy. On Wsdnssday, Nov. 8, shs signsd with ths Univsrsity of Hartford, a Division I program in Connscticut. “I was talking to other schools but I didn’t get to that point,” Diede said. “I just re- ally liked that school (Hart- ford) and I knew that’s where I wanted to go. The coaches were really welcoming and just walking around there, I could see myself going there and the academics are really good and it was just every- thing I wanted.” Diede got in touch with Mitch Kallick, the head vol- leyball coach at Hartford, through her club coach at North Pacifi c Juniors—Adam Ellis. Committing to Hartford so early, allowed Diede to re- lax and enjoy her junior and senior volleyball seasons. “I don’t have to worry about fi lling out all of this information. I didn’t have to look into colleges or worry about how much money I’m going to spend for it,” Diede said. Plsass sss DIEDE, Pags 12 Celtics playoff run ends at West Linn By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes WEST LINN—A touch- down followed by a sack and fumble recovery gave McNary a spark late in the third quar- ter but West Linn immediate- ly put it out to fi nish off the Celtics 41-6 on Friday, Nov. 10 in the second round of the state playoffs. After gaining 64 total yards and punting on its fi rst six pos- sessions, the Celtics offense fi - nally found some holes in the West Linn defense. McNary marched 70 yards on 16 plays, capped off by a 4-yard touch- down run by Junior Walling on fourth-and-goal to get within 28-6 with 1:48 remaining in the third quarter after the extra point was blocked. Walling then sacked West Linn quarterback Ethan Long, forcing a fumble and Tim Kis- er recovered, giving McNary the ball at the Lion 30-yard line. However, the Celtics then turned the ball over on downs and West Linn connected on a 45-yard touchdown pass, end- ing any hope of a McNary KEIZERTIMES/Dsrsk Wilsy LEFT: McNary linsbacksr Junior Walling divss aftsr Wsst Linn running back Ahmir McGss in ths fi rst half of ths Csltics sscond round playoff gams on Friday, Nov. 10. RIGHT: McNary quartsrback Erik Barksr triss to sscaps a sack. comeback. “They’re better than us and they made a lot more plays than we did,” McNary head coach Jeff Auvinen said of West Linn. “I think our kids had a gritty effort.” The Lions added a 71-yard touchdown pass with 4:29 re- maining to complete the scor- ing. “Tonight was much bet- ter than our Sprague and West (Salem) games,” Auvinen said. “I think we battled tonight. They left their starters in and were throwing bombs with four minutes to go because they were still scared. “It’s the playoffs. You don’t mess around. I’m not upset at their coaching staff or any- thing. It just shows that they were still worried about what we could do.” McNary’s defense started the game fi red up after hold- ing West Linn on fourth down at the Celtic 15-yard line. Plsass sss END, Pags 12 McNary 5-6 graders win gold bracket By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes SALEM—McNary’s fi fth and sixth grade blue team came from behind to defeat Lakeridge 9-8 on Saturday, Nov. 11 in a Tualatin Valley Youth Football League gold bracket championship game. Playing at South Salem High School, McNary trailed 8-0 at halftime but a deep pass to Christopher Cortez got the young Celtics deep into Lakeridge territory. Jesse Dyer then cashed in with a 6-yard touchdown run but the extra point was blocked with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter. “We had good opportuni- ties early on in the fi rst quar- ter. We took that fi rst drive down and got stopped inside the 5, so we knew we could move the ball,” McNary head coach Kyle Hughes said. “We talked at halftime about staying with it and don’t get down and they came out in the second half and put a drive together and made some big plays.” After McNary’s defense got a stop, two more catches by Cortez, including one from Dyer on a fl eafl icker, got the Celtics back inside the Lak- eridge 10-yard line. But the drive stalled at the 9 and on fourth-and-8, Dyer kicked a 26-yard fi eld goal to put McNary on top 9-8 with 5:46 remaining. Plsass sss YOUTH, Pags 12 KEIZERTIMES/Dsrsk Wilsy McNary’s fi fth and sixth grads blus tsam, coachsd by Kyls Hughss, Dan Burrus, Miks Smsdsma, Russ Walksr and Jon Harrington, dsfsatsd Laksridgs 9-8 on Saturday, Nov. 11 in a Tualatin Vallsy Youth Football Lsagus gold brackst championship gams.