SEPTEMBER 7, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE B1
KEIZERTIMES.COM
LIFE
OF
W iley
Game changer: Haselip
leads McNary attack
Salem-Keizer
teams look
to rebound
I thought week one would be diffi cult for
the Salem-Keizer football teams but the road
was even tougher than I expected. Area squads
went 1-5 and were outscored 210 to 97.
Can they rebound in week two?
South Salem at Sunset
The Saxons were the only Salem-Keizer
squad to win their season opener, defeating
Newberg 21-14. And their week two oppo-
nent is coming off a 24-point loss. But Sunset
played one of the best teams in the state in Ti-
gard and allowed two touchdowns on inter-
ception returns. After last week, I need to see
more from the Salem-Keizer schools in general
before I pick one to win in Portland.
Prediction: Apollos 30, Saxons 17
Bend at West Salem
Speaking of Salem teams playing in Port-
land, the Titans went to Lake Oswego last
week in a game billed as a battle of two of
the top teams in the state and were never re-
ally competitive, trailing 41-7 at halftime. Lake
Oswego’s new quarterback threw for 298 yards
and fi ve touchdowns. West Salem’s secondary
will obviously have to improve if the Titans are
going to make a playoff run. West Salem is the
fi rst Salem-Keizer team to play one of the three
Bend schools new to the Mountain Valley con-
ference, although in a non-league game. Bend
is coming off an impressive win over Barlow
in its 6A opener but I expect an angry Titans
squad to begin to turn things around at home.
Prediction: Titans 44 Lava Bears 34
Corvallis at North Salem
The Vikings found out playing in 5A, espe-
cially in Special District 3, may not be much
easier than 6A, getting shut out at Crescent
Valley 34-0 in week one. Now, North Salem
hosts Corvallis, who also had a diffi cult time
last Friday, falling 49-25 to Lebanon. The Vi-
kings should be more competitive but can they
get their fi rst win?
Prediction: Vikings 20, Spartans 14
McKay at Central
The Royal Scots also struggled offensive-
ly last Friday, getting shut out at home 24-0
against West Albany. McKay gets Central next.
The Panthers are also coming off a bad loss,
getting blown out at Silverton 51-14. I see
points being a premium in this one. Picking a
winner was more diffi cult.
Prediction: Royal Scots 17, Panthers 13
Sprague at Lakeridge
I don’t know what to think of the Pacers.
Last season, Lakeridge won a league game for
the fi rst time in four years, playing in the bru-
tally tough Three Rivers League, and qualifi ed
for the state playoffs for the fi rst time since
2014. The Pacers then opened this season with
a 50-point road win at Jefferson, Portland. All
signs point towards Lakeridge being a program
on the rise, the Olympians opened the season
losing at home and I started these predictions
saying I needed to see more from the Salem-
Keizer schools before I picked one to win in
Portland. Would I back off of that statement jut
four predictions later? Maybe.
Prediction: Olympians 35, Pacers 27
McNary at West Linn
Looking at the Celtics schedule at the be-
ginning of the season, North Medford was
supposed to be one of the easier games, which
probably says more about McNary’s loaded
schedule than it does about the Black Tor-
nado. After losing 55-27 at home, the Celtics
now travel to play one of their toughest games
against one of the best teams in the state, com-
ing off an overtime win at Central Catholic,
another elite program. McNary will have to
improve drastically in all three phases of the
game to have any chance of avenging last sea-
son’s playoff loss at West Linn.
Prediction: Lions 50, Celtics 21
Derek Wiley is associate editor of the Keiz-
ertimes.
Last week: 4-2
Overall record: 4-2
Alex Wyatt
Senior Izzy Haselip scored two goals in McNary’s season opener at South Medford after dealing
with a nagging ankle injury last year.
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
Izzy Haselip is not just the only mem-
ber of the McNary girls soccer team to have
played Summit.
She’s also one of the few girls in the entire
state who can say she has defeated the girls
soccer giant, winner of fi ve of the last six 5A
state championships.
The last time Summit lost a playoff game,
Haselip was there, celebrating with her Sil-
verton teammates a 4-3 upset in the 2016
semifi nals. Haselip scored the second goal of
the game.
“The intensity was crazy and the atmo-
sphere,” Haselip said of the playoff game at
Summit. “We had so many fans. They had so
many fans. It was loud and crazy.”
After her sophomore season, which end-
ed with a 3-2 loss to La Salle Prep in the 5A
state championship game, Haselip decided
she needed a change and transferred to Mc-
Nary.
“I feel like when I came here it was way
more welcoming,” Haselip said. “(McNary
head coach) A.J. (Nash) was super excited
to have me. That was nice, being the new
person and everyone was so welcoming. My
transition was so easy.”
Nash expected Haselip to lead McNary’s
offense last season.
“In the initial trainings last year, we knew
that she was a forward that could change the
way our offense operates,” Nash said.
However, a sprained ankle suffered during
practice changed the course of her junior
season. Haselip missed four league games
and fi nished the year with only three goals.
“I was disappointed that I didn’t really
get to showcase how good I can be,” Hase-
lip said. “I felt like I was never really a 100
percent and I felt like it was always kind of
nagging me.”
Please see CHANGER, Page B2
One tough Medford
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
McNary talked about toughness all off-
season.
But when it lined up right in front of
them in the fi rst game of the 2018 season,
the Celtics simply weren’t ready.
Running the ball right at McNary’s de-
fense from the opening whistle, North Med-
ford racked up 572 yards of total offense on
its way to a 55-27 rout.
Senior Elias Spence did most of the dam-
age, carrying the ball 26 times for 342 yards
and fi ve touchdowns.
“They just came out and took it to us as
far as their level of contact,” McNary head
coach Jeff Auvinen said of North Medford.
“We had not brought that on each other.
We did not see that at the jamboree. They
just did a great job. They were fl ying all over
the place, driving through on contact and
we didn’t know what hit us. They were ag-
gressive and we did not handle it very well,
obviously.”
McNary didn’t have the same success on
the ground. Junior Walling was held to 29
yards on 11 carries. Robert Benson gained
21 yards on fi ve caries.
The Celtics did most of their damage
in the air, especially as the game got out of
hand.
Starting quarterback Erik Barker com-
pleted 14 of 24 passed for 187 yards, one
touchdown and three interceptions. His
favorite receiver, Noah Bach, caught nine
passes for 60 yards, and scored on a 1-yard
touchdown run.
Jacob Jackson caught three passes for 47
yards and a touchdown. Griffi n Oliveira had
fi ve receptions for 64 yards.
Trailing 55-14 with 3:03 remaining in the
third quarter, senior quarterback Ryan Bam-
ford came in relief and led the Celtics to two
rushing touchdowns, including a 1-yard dive
to complete the scoring with 2:16 remain-
ing.
The schedule won’t get any easier for
Please see MEDFORD, Page B2
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
McNary senior Jacob Jackson tries to tackle North Medford running back Elias Spence, who
rushed for more than 340 yards and fi ve touchdowns against the Celtics.
McNary Varsity Football
Week 1 Stats
PASSING
SCORING SUMMARY
C/ATT
14/24
YARDS
187
TD
1
Junior Walling
Robert Benson
Ryan Bamford
CARRIES
11
5
4
YARDS
29
21
31
TD
0
0
2
SECOND QUARTER
2:00 Noah Bach 1 Yd run
RECEIVING
REC
YARDS
TD
FOURTH QUARTER
6:42 Ryan Bamford 21 Yd run
2:16 Bamford 1 Yd run
Jacob Jackson
Noah Bach
Griffi n Oliveira
3
9
5
47
60
64
1
0
0
Erik Barker
RUSHING
INT
3
FIRST QUARTER
0:10 Jacob Jackson 32 Yd pass
from Erik Barker