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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (May 10, 2019)
PAGE A16, KEIZERTIMES, MAY 10, 2019 IN REBATES $ 4500 2018 ECOSPORT SE ALL 2019 starting at ECOSPORTS $20,320 * SPRING SALES 2019 ESCAPE S starting at SUV EVENT $19,376 ** Keizer 3555 River Road N, Keizer (503) 463 - 4853 *MSRP $25,965, Sale price $20,320 after Skyline Discount $1,145 and $4,000 rebate, $500 Select Inventory Bonus Cash, plus license, title & documentation fee $413 and applicable taxes. Vin#238235, Stk#183582. OAC. Art is for illustration only. **MSRP $25,100, Sale price $19,376 after Skyline Discount $1,224, and $3,000 rebate, $1,000 Bonus Cash, $500 Select Inventory Bonus Cash, Plus license, title & documentation fee $413 and applicable taxes. Vin#A555540, Stk#193746. OAC. Art is for illustration only. www.skylineforddirect.com KEIZERTIMES.COM Walling fi nds joy in recruitment process BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Junior Walling still has another year of high school football left to play. But there are a number of major col- lege programs that are al- ready greatly interested in the McNary linebacker’s ser- vices in 2020. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound- er has gained scholarship of- fers from major programs such as, Oregon State, Utah, Air Force and Army. He has also taken recruiting trips — also known as unoffi cial visits — to Oregon, Purdue, Colorado, UCLA and Boise State. During these trips, Wall- ing gets to see the individ- ual campuses fi rst-hand and talk with different coaches and coordinators about edu- cational programs, defensive schemes and learn about the overall motto and environ- ment of each program. “Going on these trips has been really cool because I get to see the differences with each school,” Walling said. “It’s for sure been an experience I’ll never forget. I’ve really enjoyed it so far.” Walling actually got his fi rst offer from Oregon State last spring after having a stellar sophomore season in 2017. Walling’s father, Jason, played at OSU in the early ‘90s. “That was real huge for me and my family, especial- ly with my dad playing there and all my family graduating from there,” Walling said. “It’s always been a huge dream of mine to play at the college level so that was a big mo- ment of my life.” While Walling has always had a connection with Ore- gon State, he wants to make sure he gives every school, that has shown interest, a fair shake. “I’ve been a Beaver fan for most of my life, but I’m all about fi nding what school best fi ts me,” Walling said. With the many recruiting trips he has taken over the last several months, it can be quite a challenge for Walling to maintain balance in his life. Along with being an outstanding football play- er, Walling also competes for the Celtics in basketball, works out four times a week with a trainer and has kept a 4.0 grade-point average all through high school — which is one of the reasons he has also received offers from Yale and Princeton. However, in large part due to his understanding teachers, Walling is still able to make his schooling a top priority, despite his crazy schedule. “My teachers are crazy supportive and understand- ing with everything that I’m doing,” Walling said. “School has always come fi rst for me, so it’s always been real- ly important to make sure I’m getting my schoolwork done.” As a junior in 2018, Wall- ing was dominant on both sides of the football in lead- ing McNary to a Mountain Valley Conference title. He ended the season with 86 to- tal tackles (49 solo, 37 assist- ed) with 16 tackles for loss and fi ve sacks. As a running back, Please see WALLING, Page A13 File Junior Walling (right) with his dad, Jason, on an unoffi cial visit to Oregon State University last year. KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings McNary’s Taylor Ebbs doubles in a game against West Salem back in April. Lady Celts continue to dominate conference play BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Everything is clicking right now for the McNary softball team. A nine-run second inning helped McNary jump out to a huge lead early on, and the Celtics never looked back as they defeated Mountain View on Tuesday, May 7 for their 10th straight victory. The Celtics moved to 11-1 in Mountain Valley Confer- ence play and have a comfort- able two game lead at the top of the standings. Alexa Cepeda and Taylor Ebbs each went 3-for-3 with two RBIs at the dish for Mc- Nary. Faith Danner and Abbi Covalt each chipped in with three RBIs. Danner also started the game in the circle and pitched a perfect frame in her only in- ning of work. Freshman Han- nah Ebner fi nished the job on the mound as she went four innings and gave just three hits and no earned runs while striking out fi ve. It was the fourth time this season that McNary had shutout an MVC opponent. A two-run double by Dan- ner in the top of the fi rst gave McNary the 2-0 cushion. The Celtics brought in two more runs later in the inning on a walk and a fi elder’s choice to extend their advantage to 4-0. In the following frame, McNary put the game away in emphatic fashion. After a leadoff walk by Cepeda, Covalt and Ebbs each came through with an extra-base hit. Two batters later, Kate Ronning got in on the action with an RBI-sin- gle to left fi eld, putting the Celtics on top 7-0. McNary would wind up getting a total of eight RBI- hits in the inning to take a 13-0 lead. This was McNary’s ninth victory this season that came by 10 runs or more. The Celtics will host Bend on senior day Saturday at noon. McNary falls just short against Sprague BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes Despite getting the ty- ing and go-ahead runs on base with one out in the top of the seventh, the Celt- ics couldn’t push either one across as the McNary base- ball team fell to Sprague 5-4 on Tuesday, May 7. But considering that they were going up one of the top teams in the Mountain Valley Conference shorthanded, McNary head coach Larry Keeker was pretty pleased with some of the things that he saw from his club. “I was really proud of the way we battled offensive- ly today to make it a close game,” Keeker said. “There was a lot to like about what we did in this game.” The Celtics were with- out two of their best players in Jacob Jackson and Nigel Harris — who have missed the last three games for Mc- Nary after getting injured at practice last week. Jackson is dealing with a knee issue, while Harris is recovering from a high ankle sprain. Jackson is the Celtics starting shortstop and is third on the team in hitting with a .329 average (minimum 10 at-bats). Harris, who starts in the outfi eld, is batting .312 and has proved to be one of the Celtics most reliable re- lief pitchers. Not having either play could be costly for Mc- Nary as they head down the KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings Alex Simpson sprints down the life after hitting a hard ground ball to the left side. Simpson went 2-for-4 in the contest, but the Celtics still fell to Sprague by a score of 5-4. stretch of the regular season. “(Jackson) is in his third year of varsity baseball and is one of our captains, so obvi- ously losing him off the fi eld makes a difference,” Keeker said. “And Nigel came off two really good pitching performances for us, so los- ing him really hurts.” “Now there are oppor- tunities for other guys, so they’re going to have to step up and makes some plays for us.” Devon Bedoya got the start on the mound for the Celtics and made a habit of getting himself out of tough situations. Sprague had the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the fi rst. But after giving up a sacrifi ce fl y to Michael Soper, Bedoya ended the inning by forcing two straight popouts. The Olympians scored two more in the bottom of the second, but McNary fi - nally responded when they came to the plate in the top of the third. Ian Martin hit a one- out single up the middle to get the Celtics going, then advanced to second after Sprague pitcher Will Delo- retto’s pick off throw got past the fi rst baseman and went into right fi eld. Martin would later score on a sharp RBI-single to left fi eld by Robert Benson, trimming the defi cit to 3-1. Bedoya gave up another run in the bottom half of the frame, but would help out his cause at the plate when he came to bat in the top of the fourth. Singles by David Allen and Jamison Martin, as well as a walk from Noah Bach, allowed McNary to load the bases with one out when Bedoya stepped to the plate. The senior smoked a line drive up the middle that glanced off Deloretto’s glove and found its way into center fi eld, allowing the Celtics to cut the lead to one with the two-run single. Alex Simpson was retired for the second out of the in- ning on an infi eld pop-up, but Martin picked up his teammate and drove an op- posite-fi eld RBI-single to right fi eld to tie the game at 4-4. “Once one person gets on, it just starts a chain reac- tion and everyone gets their confi dence back,” Martin said. Sprague regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth and was looking to get some insurance runs in the bottom of the fi fth. The Olympians had the bas- es loaded with nobody out as Bedoya appeared to be run- ning out of gas. But after retiring the next hitter on a popout, Bedoya Please see BASE, Page A12
