Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2018)
OCTOBER 26, 2018, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE B1 $ 11,000 OFF MSRP Keizer On 2018 F150 SuperCrew 4x4 XLT 3555 River Road N, Keizer (503) 463- 4853 www.skylineforddirect.com *MSRP $46,895 Sale price $35,895 after $4,250 Skyline Discount, Rebate $3,750, Bonus Cash $1,500,Trade Assist of $1,500. Plus license, title & documentation fee $413 and applicable taxes. Vin#46006, Stk#182841. Must trade 95 or newer. On approved credit. Art is for illustration only. KEIZERTIMES.COM LIFE OF W iley Celtics 0-5 start now paying off McNary opens soccer playoffs at Beaverton By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes McNary didn’t achieve its goal of winning the Mountain Valley Conference championship. But that hasn’t taken the Celtics focus off the grand prize—a state title. “There’s one big goal in everyone’s mind,” McNary senior Miguel Bravo said. “Our goal right now is to be state champs. Coach (Mi- guel Camarena) told us a state championship is worth more to him than 10 league championships. We’re aiming for the big goal and hopeful- ly we do our best to accom- plish it.” The Celtics climbed as high as No. 4 in the OSAA power rankings and opened league play with a 5-1 win over West Salem on Sept. 25. But McNary began free falling after a 1-0 loss at Summit on Sept. 29. The Celtics tied both South Sa- lem and McKay 1-1 in their next two matches. “Unfortunately that loss really brought the team down,” Bravo said. “Failures always going to occur in life and it’s up to us to pick it up and show what the McNary team is all about, which is hard work and dedication for the sport.” With three goals by Jo- vanie Bravo and one by Luis Lopez, the Celtics closed the regular season with a 4-1 win at Mountain View on Friday, Oct. 19 to finish 3-2-2 in league play. As the 19-seed, McNary will open the state tourna- ment at No. 14 Beaverton on Saturday. “It’s a new season on Sat- urday,” Camarena said. “Our goal is going to be one game at a time. But our hope is to win five.” Camarena added the Celt- ics must enter every game 100 percent focused and fin- ish goals, two things that cost them wins during the regular season. “If we put in half of the opportunities, we should win every game,” Camarena said. I did believe McNary’s non-league schedule would better prepare the Celtics for conference op- ponents. I said so on the radio and wrote it here. But did I see this coming—an 0-5 start followed by three straight wins, each one more impressive than the last, with the Celtics one win away from the Mountain Valley Conference championship? Of course not. Did anyone? But that is where McNary sits now, after winning KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley 35-23 at West Salem last Friday, in a game that hon- Eddy Martinez and the rest of the McNary estly wasn’t that close. boys soccer team will travel to Beaverton Along with their five touchdowns, the Celtic of- Saturday for the first round of the playoffs. fense moved the ball inside the West Salem 15 yard line three more times and got zero points to show for it, thanks to a missed field goal and two fumbles, one at the two yard line. Honestly, part of the reason I wrote that the non- league schedule would turn out to be good for Mc- Nary is because I wanted it to be true. I didn’t want to cover an 0-9 team. The Celtics did a good job of throwing me off the scent and testing my belief. Let’s not forget, while those first five opponents were tough, none of the games were competitive, minus the fourth quarter at West Linn, which turned into another blowout. McNary then defeated Sprague in a game that looked like the Celtics had just got the best of an- other struggling, winless team than they had really turned a corner or made some giant leap forward. But then McNary went to Bend and knocked off a 5-1 team sitting at No. 10 in the power rankings, and followed that up with the win at West Salem. The 0-5 start, as tough as it was at the time, had obviously paid off. “You really can learn more from a loss some- times,” McNary head coach Jeff Auvinen said after defeating West Salem. “If we play a team that’s not very good and we don’t play very well, and just win because we were better than them, I don’t think you learn very much.” The Celtics saw what it takes to compete against the best teams in the state. “They are learning what it takes to be a 6A foot- ball player and play with that low center of gravity and running their feet and finishing plays,” Auvinen said. “And what it’s like to come together and trust your teammates. All 11 doing their job, it can be a beautiful thing.” Now, McNary is one win away from winning the Mountain Valley Conference. Will the Celtics get it? My picks: McKay at Crescent Valley The Royal Scots will hope to close out the regu- KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley lar season on a high note against a Raider team that Junior Walling rushed for 223 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-23 victory at West Salem on Friday, Oct. 19. had won three in a row before falling to Lebanon by 37 points last Friday. McKay has been outscored by 70 points the last two weeks since getting its only win of the season at Corvallis. Pick: Raiders 20, Royal Scots 14 North Salem at Lebanon Like McKay, the Vikings haven’t really benefited package and he chose me as the guy,” Sher- fourth touchdown with 2:23 remaining. from moving down to 5A. North Salem is com- By DEREK WILEY Jackson then intercepted Thompson with wood said. “I’ve never played there. I’ve been ing off a 43-point win against South Albany but Of the Keizertimes SALEM—McNary’s turnaround contin- offensive and defensive line my whole life. I 2:01 remaining to seal the victory. the Warriors are a playoff team, riding a three-game Thompson completed just 12 of 35 pass at- never caught any passes, no routes, never taken ued here. winning streak. Behind Junior Walling’s 223 yards rushing any hits like that. It was a fun experience. It tempts for 275 yards. Gould caught four passes Pick: Warriors 38, Vikings 24 for 78 yards. and four touchdowns, the Celtics defeated felt pretty natural.” West Salem at Sprague “I was really proud of the whole defense,” McNary jumped out to a 14-0 lead at West The Olympians are another squad that has ben- West Salem 35-23 last Friday to improve to McNary head coach Jeff Auvinen said. “Ni- Salem on two touchdown runs by Walling. efited from playing a strong non-conference sched- 3-0 in the Mountain Valley Conference. But the Titans answered with 10 points at gel (Harris) did a great job of keeping Gould Like any good running back, Walling cred- ule. Sprague followed up a 35-point win over Sum- the end of the first half on a 6-yard touch- in check. The biggest part of our game plan mit with a 28-point victory over Mountain View. ited the offensive line. “I give it all to my line,” Walling said. “They down run by quarterback Simon Thompson was to not let him beat us. He still scored two An upset over West Salem could get the Olympi- ans into the playoffs. But the Titans have won the gave huge holes for me and made it easy for and then a 32-yard field goal by Kyla Gordon touchdowns.That guy is really good. Oregon previous two matchups and should rise again, even me and (quarterback) Erik (Barker) to do our with the clock expired after West Salem got an State signed him for a reason. He’s really fast.” Gould predicted six touchdowns on Twit- extra play thanks to a defensive holding pen- though I predict this game to be much closer than I thing.” ter, which McNary’s defense was well aware Senior Wyatt Sherwood returned to the alty on McNary. would have thought two weeks ago. The Titans then took the lead when of. line after missing five games with a concus- Pick: Titans 38, Olympians 35 “It just motivated me even more,” Harris Thompson connected with Anthony Gould sion. South Salem at McNary “We came in this week jacked,” Sherwood for a 33-yard touchdown just 20 seconds into said. “I just kept it classy. I didn’t say a word These two squads are obviously heading in op- to him. We just had to be mentally tough. We posite directions. While the Celtics have won three said. “We were excited for this game. We were the third quarter. But West Salem’s lead didn’t last long as had a good game plan going in and I was con- games in a row, the Saxons, with Ryan Rickman out ready. We knew this game was going to be big for the season, have dropped four in a row, the latest for us. We took this game and we went at it Walling broke loose down the McNary side- fident. (Safety) Griffin (Oliveira) was over the to a 1-6 Summit team at home. McNary defeated head on. We hit it hard. We were being the line for a 42-yard touchdown run to put the top. Just being aggressive. I didn’t go in scared. South Salem last season for the first time since 2013 hammer, not the nail. That was the motto to- Celtics back on top, 21-17, with 10:30 re- I think in previous years we were. This year we knew we had it.” so the Celtics shouldn’t overlook the Saxons. As night, hammer, not the nail. We won it every- maining in the third quarter. West Salem tight end Micah Pugh caught After Jacob Jackson added a 5-yard touch- long as McNary shows up ready with the same fire where. Our whole team. We played phenom- down run to extend McNary’s lead to 28-17, six passes for 144 yards. it has the past two weeks, the Celtics will celebrate enal. We’re a great team overall.” Barker completed 11 of 19 passes for 156 Wearing a new number, 38, Sherwood also the Titans needed only one play to answer as the Mountain Valley Conference championship. lined up at tight end, catching three passes for Gould took a reverse 45 yards to get West Sa- yards and also rushed for 62 yards. Pick: Celtics 45, Saxons 21 The Celtics close the regular season this lem within 28-23 entering the fourth quarter. Derek Wiley is the associate editor of the Keiz- 44 yards. But McNary’s defense shut out West Salem Friday at home against South Salem with a “(Offensive coordinator Brad) Emmert ertimes. just decided that we should put in a tight end in the final 12 minutes and Walling scored his chance to win the conference championship. Last week: 2-3, Overall: 26-16 Celtics hammer West Salem
