AUGUST 24, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE B1
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Celtics ready to compete for state title
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
In 17 years as the head
boys soccer coach at McNary,
Miguel Camarena has had three
teams he felt could seriously
win a state championship.
This is one of them.
“We’ll take it step by step
but that’s our goal,” Camarena
said. “The possession of the
ball for this group of kids is
impressive. We have 22 guys
who can really possess the ball.
It’s a dream scenario.”
The fi rst step is instilling
confi dence in a group that has
fi nished sixth in league play the
past two seasons and returns
zero players from the 2014
squad that won McNary’s last
conference championship.
“They have to believe they
can do it,” Camarena said.
“That’s it. The talent is there
and the kids are working hard.
I’m really excited with what I
have seen so far.”
The Celtics are led by
captains Miguel Bravo, a senior
midfi elder, and junior Luis
Lopez, who made the varsity
team as a freshman but has
missed most of the past two
seasons with injuries. However,
Schedule
Aug. 28 vs Central, 7 p.m.
Aug. 30 at Lake Oswego,
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 vs Westview,
7 p.m.
Sept. 6 at Canby, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 vs Centennial, 7
p.m.
Sept. 13 at Madison,
7 p.m.
Sept. 17 vs Gresham, 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 vs West Salem,
7 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Summit, noon
Oct. 2 vs South Salem,
7 p.m.
Oct. 5 at McKay, 4 p.m.
Oct. 12 vs Sprague,
4 p.m.
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
McNary’s boys soccer team, coached by Miguel Camarena, expects to compete for the Mountain Valley Conference and 6A state
championship this season.
Oct. 16 vs Bend, 4 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Mountain View,
4 p.m.
Lopez enters the year healthy
after a successful club season.
“He’s
super
good,”
Camarena said of Lopez.
“He’s strong right now.
We need him in the fi eld. I
don’t want to see him injured
anymore.”
Senior Sebastian Lopez will
start at goal keeper for the
fourth season in a row.
“He’s the best goal keeper
in the state, no doubt,”
Camarena said.
Senior Jesus Lopez, another
four-year starter, will lead
McNary’s defense, which
allowed a league-best 19 goals
last season.
Camarena expects senior
Jose Zamudio and sophomore
Alex Salazar to lead the Celtic
attack.
Salazar is one of fi ve
sophomores
who
played
varsity last season as freshmen.
“We have experienced
combined with a lot of young
kids,” Camarena said.
McNary will play in the new
Mountain Valley Conference.
In place of McMinnville,
North Salem and Forest
Grove, which fi nished fi rst,
second and fourth in the
McNary returns versatile volleyball squad
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
McNary High School’s 2018 volleyball team features seven returning players with varsity experience and seven girls who were
leaders on the junior varsity squad last season.
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
McNary’s 2018 volleyball
team won’t look the same on
any given night and that’s ex-
actly how Crystal DeMello,
entering her second season as
head coach, likes it.
“The girls are well-versed
in volleyball so if we want to
run different offenses or de-
fenses, we’re able to imple-
ment changes mid-game,”
DeMello said.
“Most of the girls play
more than one position and
that’s always a key to match-
ing our opponents, versatility
is defi nitely an asset.”
The Lady Celts return
seven girls from last year’s
varsity squad that fi nished
10-13 overall and fourth in
the Greater Valley Confer-
ence—seniors Sofi a Zielin-
ski, Kara Thomas, Hannah
Corpe and Gabby Shepherd,
juniors Zoie Warner and
Chloe Diede and sophomore
Taylor Ebbs.
Greater Valley Conference last
season, the Celtics add Bend,
Summit and Mountain View.
Bend had the most success last
season, losing in the semifi nals
of the 5A state playoffs.
McNary opens the 2018
season at home on Tuesday,
Aug. 28 against Central at 7
p.m.
Schedule
Aug. 28 vs Mountain View,
6:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Bend, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 vs Summit, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 8 at South Eugene
Tournament, 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 11 at West Salem,
6:30 p.m.
Sept. 13 at Sprague, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 15 at North Medford
Tournament
Sept. 17 vs South Salem,
6:30 p.m.
Sept. 19 at McKay, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 25 at Mountain View,
6:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 vs Bend, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Westview
Tournament, 8 a.m.
Oct. 2 at Summit, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 vs West Salem,
6:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 vs Sprague, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 at West Linn
Tournament
Oct. 16 at South Salem,
6:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 vs McKay, 6:30 p.m.
Please see VOLLEY, Page B2
McNary kicks off fall sports season with Blue Day
McNary athletes from
kindergarten through high
school in football, soccer
and volleyball scrimmaged on
Saturday, Aug. 18 as part of
Blue Day.
The high school’s football
and soccer teams showed off
their new Nike jerseys.
The new scoreboard was
dedicated and Keizer Elks
Club presented a $5,000
check to the McNary Ath-
letic Booster Club to serve
underfunded athletics, per-
forming arts, JROTC and the
bowling team.
More photos on B4.
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
LEFT: Devyn Schurr tries to break the tackle of Brian Hernandez during the varsity football
scrimmage. ABOVE: Joe Egli, president of the McNary Athletic Booster Club received a $5,000
check from Keizer Elks Ernie Gaub and Corrine Arehart.