SEPTEMBER 14, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE B1
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KEIZERTIMES.COM
LIFE
OF
W iley
Hughes takes multi-sport
athlete to another level
Don’g forgeg
aboug McNary
Teams from all over the state will most likely
look at McNary’s fi rst two games, both 55-27 loss-
es, to North Medford and West Linn, and write off
the Celtics as any kind of threat.
They shouldn’t.
What’s lost when just looking at the scores, is
fi rst, how close McNary was at West Linn.
Playing against one of the top teams in the state,
the Celtics trailed just 34-27 with 8:51 remaining
after McNary’s two Division-I recruits, quarterback
Erik Barker and running back Junior Walling, con-
nected in what was as an impressive a high school
throw and catch as you’ll see anywhere on a Friday
night.
Barker and Walling both have the talent to take
over a game and that makes McNary dangerous.
The Celtics should also be encouraged by how
much progress they made from week one to two.
I would have never thought the team that got
blown out at home to open the season against
North Medford would have any chance of win-
ning at West Linn. But McNary was within reach
into the fourth quarter.
Sure, there’s still plenty of work to do. The Celt-
ics have to fi nish games and the defense has to im-
prove. After allowing more than 570 yards, most
of it on the ground, against North Medford, West
Linn quarterback Ethan Long passed for more than
400 yards and six touchdowns.
But even in those gaudy numbers the Celtics
did show signs of life against the Lions, intercepting
Long twice in the second half. And few quarter-
backs are as talented as Long, who has committed
to Arizona State.
McNary will also miss Wyatt Sherwood, one of
the team’s top lineman who suffered a back injury
and had to be carted off the fi eld at West Linn, for
however long he’s out.
But after leaving McNary’s fi rst game concerned,
I drove home from West Linn optimistic, and the
Celtics should have to. I was impressed with how
McNary bounced back from a bad loss to North
Medford and after falling behind quickly at West
Linn. And an insanely diffi cult schedule should
help the Celtics down the stretch but are they ready
to go to Tualatin and knock off another top team?
Here are my picks:
South Albany at McKay
The Royal Scots have struggled offensively in
their fi rst two games, scoring a total of just 14
points. While the RedHawks are coming off a
blow out loss to Silverton, I need to see more from
McKay before I pick them here.
Prediction: RedHawks 24, Royal Scots 21
Dallas at North Salem
The Vikings were close to getting their fi rst win
last week leading Corvallis 28-21 in the fourth
quarter before ultimately falling 35-28. North Sa-
lem fi nishes the drill this week.
Prediction: Vikings 28, Dragons 24
Central Catholic at Sprague
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the
Olympians, looking for their fi rst win of the sea-
son. It won’t come here against the best 0-2 team
in the state.
Prediction: Rams 38, Olympians 28
McMinnville at South Salem
The Saxons host a familiar opponent in the
Grizzlies, who remain in 6A but in a different
league. McMinnville has opened the season 2-0 but
by playing a much easier schedule. South Salem,
coming off a bad loss at Sunset, exposes the Griz-
zlies.
Prediction: Saxons 27, Grizzlies 21
West Salem at Grant
The Titans continue to take out their anger and
get the bad taste out of their month from the loss at
Lake Oswego to open the season.
Prediction: Titans 48, Generals 24
McNary at Tualatin
While the Celtics have the potential to be a re-
ally good football team by the end of this season,
here’s what I know about Salem-Keizer teams ver-
sus Portland area squads: West Salem opened this
season at Lake Oswego and lost 48-21, Sprague is
0-2 against Liberty and Lakeridge, and South Salem
is coming off a 36-3 loss at Sunset. McNary’s last
four trips to Portland went as followed: 55-27 and
41-6 losses to West Linn, a 58-28 loss at Tigard and
a 42-21 loss at Central Catholic.
Prediction: Timberwolves 50, Celtics 38
Derek Wiley is associate editor of the Keizer-
times.
Last week: 3-3, Overall record: 7-5
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
McNary junior Haley Hughes, wigh her fagher Kyle, is playing foogball and soccer for ghe
Celgics ghis fall.
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
McNary already has the Celtic Pride Award for
seniors who have competed in three sports every
year of their high school career.
For Haley Hughes, it may have to create a
whole new honor.
Last year, as a sophomore, Hughes participated
in fi ve sports at McNary—soccer and cross coun-
try in the fall, swimming in the winter and then
lacrosse and track and fi eld in the spring.
“I’ve just always been busy overall with sports
so I’ve just kind of gotten used to it,” said Hughes,
who started with soccer when she was fi ve years
old. “I’ve been able to handle it and it’s not too
diffi cult for me.”
Now a junior, Hughes decided to give football
a try. With a father, Kyle, who coaches at the high
school as well as for McNary Youth Football and
three younger brothers who play the sport, it’s a
wonder it took her so long.
“I could have played when I was younger but I
had soccer,” Hughes said. “I could have played last
year but I couldn’t get into it. I started practicing
kicking last year in the spring and I kept working
on it and I got out for their summer camp for
football and started practicing.”
Kicking runs in the Hughes family. Kyle kicked
and punted in college at Willamette University.
Haley started with extra points before moving
further and further back and trying kicks at dif-
ferent angles. She’s made a 40-yard fi eld goal in
practice.
Kicking a soccer ball and football isn’t that
much different.
“The way that you actually kick the ball is
pretty much the same,” Hughes said. “With foot-
ball you have to get more height to the ball but
overall it’s the same.”
Swinging between the JV and varsity football
teams, Hughes has made two extra points, includ-
ing one for the varsity team’s home opener against
North Medford on Aug. 31.
Please see HUGHES, Page B2
West Salem holds off McNary
By DEREK WILEY
Of the Keizertimes
SALEM—Just as it appeared McNary
had grabbed the momentum, West Salem
took it right back to defeat the Lady Celts
3-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 11.
After losing the fi rst two games 15-25
and 22-25, McNary took the third 25-19
to stay alive.
Looking to send the match to a decid-
ing fi fth set, the Lady Celts led late in the
fourth game before West Salem roared
back to win 25-22.
“We’re just like any other team. We
need all of our pieces to be working in
order to be successful and we were off to
a slow start,” McNary head coach Crystal
DeMello said. “We were just playing catch
up. They defi nitely put that fi ght in there
and took that (third) game. But to keep
that momentum it takes a lot of discipline.”
Kimmie Bain led West Salem with 15
kills. Kylah Newton had 12 kills. Emma
Ehlers fi nished with four aces and three
blocks. Emily Cheavtharn had fi ve aces.
The loss dropped McNary to 0-4 in the
Mountain Valley Conference.
The Lady Celts were able to go 3-0 in
pool play at the South Eugene Tourna-
ment on Saturday, Sept. 8. McNary then
defeated Reynolds 2-0 in tournament play
before falling to Willamette 2-0.
KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley
ABOVE: McNary senior Kara Thomas higs ghe ball over ghe neg Tuesday, Sepg. 7 ag Wesg Salem.
BELOW: McNary senior Hannah Corpe, lefg, and Wesg Salem senior Kimmie Bain in acgion.