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KEIZERTIMES.COM
McNary boys basketball preview
Celtics will be led by youth movement
By MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
In recent memory, the
McNary boys basketball pro-
gram has relied on depth and
strong senior classes to main-
tain their tradition of being
one of the best programs in
the valley.
This season, however, the
Celtics will be counting on
several inexperienced players
to step up at the varsity level.
“I think this year will be
a little bit different in that
our senior and junior classes
won’t be as deep as we have
had in the past,” McNary
head coach Ryan Kirch said.
We’re going to have some
inexperience. But it’s fun
getting the different pieces
and putting them together
for our coaching staff.”
McNary put togeth-
er a 15-10 record during
the 2018-19 season, which
was highlighted by a 59-57
road victory against sec-
ond-ranked South Salem.
But after suffering some
key injuries late in the year,
the Celtics faltered down
the stretch of their schedule
and were eliminated in the
fi rst round of the playoffs by
South Eugene.
Four of the Celtics fi ve
starters from last year grad-
uated — three of whom
received all-league recogni-
tion. But their one returner
happens to be one of the top
players in the Mountain Val-
ley Conference.
Nate Meithof, a 6-foot-2
junior shooting guard, aver-
aged 17 points per game last
season and shot 40 percent
from behind the arc. Meithof
also showed his ability to
stuff the stat sheet by averag-
ing 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists
and 2.5 steals per game, and
was named second-team all-
league.
“Nate had such an unbe-
lievable year last year. He’s
incredibly talented and ev-
erything we do on offense
will go through him,” Kirch
said. “He shoots the ball re-
ally well and he can score in
many different ways.”
This will be, however,
Meithof ’s fi rst season as Mc-
Nary’s top option.
Last
year,
McNary’s
inside-out
combo
of
Meithof and 6-foot-7 center
Boston Smith proved to be
one top duos in the state.
Smith averaged just under 18
points and seven boards per
game and earned fi rst-team
all-conference honors.
File
Please see BBALL, Page A10
McNary shooting guard Nate Meithof drives to the bucket in a game against Sprague last year. Meithof is expected to be one of
the leading scorers in the Mountain Valley Conference for a second straight year.
McNary wrestling preview
McNary brings back majority of roster
File
McNary’s Grady Burrows prepares to pin Finn Whittaker from Wilson at last season’s state tournament. Burrows is one of the top
returners for the Celtics this year.
By MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
While they have tradi-
tionally been a successful
program, the McNary wres-
tling team took some lumps
during the 2018-19 season,
mostly due to youth and in-
experience.
But after going through
some growing pains last
year, head coach Jason Ebbs
is confi dent that his crew is
more prepared for the up-
coming season.
“Last year was a hard year
because we had a lot of young
kids that didn’t understand
the role of a varsity wrestler
real well, so there had to be
a lot of teaching,” Ebbs said.
“But we will be returning a
group of kids that have sea-
soned themselves the right
way and are going to develop
and grow into their role. We
planted some seeds the last
couple of years and I think
they are starting to grow.”
Ebbs is entering his 16th
year as the head coach, and
this is as excited he has ever
been to start a season.
“Our preseason practic-
es have been the best I’ve
have seen since I’ve been
here. The numbers are up
and the excitement is up. It
has showed me that the kids
that are coming back that are
ready to show what a varsity
wrestler looks like.”
The Celtics return nearly
everyone from their varsity
team last season, including
senior Gilbert Parra and ju-
nior Grady Burrows.
Parra (138 lbs.) and Bur-
rows (113) were the only
McNary wrestlers to advance
to the state tournament last
year — both took third place
in their respective divisions
in the Mountain Valley Con-
ference District meet.
Now that Parra and Bur-
rows have had a taste of what
the state meet is like, Ebbs is
counting on the two veter-
ans to build on their success
from last season.
“They need to keep doing
what they have been doing in
order to get better. That has
to be automatic. They need
to push themselves and they
have to set those high goals
and keep digging,” Ebbs said.
“We got to make sure they
are doing the work it takes to
get those goals done.”
Ebbs has similar expec-
tations of some of his other to fruition. I’m excited to
get him back in the lineup.
key returners.
One of the strengths of He will make a statement for
this McNary squad is in the himself,” Ebbs said.
One of McNary’s oth-
heavier weight divisions as
they will be led by Aldo Vil- er top lightweight athletes
lalvazo Mendoza (220), Lane will be Cameron Parks. As
Runyan (220) and Anthony a sophomore, Parks placed
Cruz Lopez (285). Villalvazo fi fth at the district meet in
Mendoza was one win away the 126-pound division.
But even though the
from reaching the state tour-
nament as a freshman last Celtics have many return-
season, but he was still able ers, Ebbs believes that he has
a group of freshman, led by
to fi nish fi fth at districts.
“I am excited to watch Josh Friesen, Hunter Ruber-
to and Bran-
these kids. I
don Blanco,
know
that
than can com-
we’re going “ Our preseason
pete for varsi-
to be good in
practices have
ty positions.
the upper end
“We have
weights,” Ebbs been the best
a pretty good
said. “Those
young group
guys will be I’ve seen since
of freshman
doing work I’ve been here.
coming
in.
for us at the
Not only are
district
and The numbers
they talent-
state tourna- are up and the
ed, but they
ments. We’re
are legitimate,
counting on excitement is
varsity caliber
them.”
up.”
wrestlers that
In
the
l i g h t e r
— Jason Ebbs, will be trying
to break into
weights, Mc-
McNary wrestling coach
our
varsity
Nary returns
lineup,” Ebbs
Jordan
Orr,
who was arguably one of said.
With the OSAA sanc-
the best 106-pounders in the
tioning a girls wrestling state
MVC last season.
In January of last year, it tournament last season, Ebbs
appeared that Orr, who was a is hoping that more females
freshman at the time, was on will come out and join the
track to vie for a state tour- team. Last year, the Celtics
nament spot. But as he was had two girls on the team,
peaking, he suffered a broken and Ebbs is hoping that
wrist with six weeks remain- number increases this season.
“We’re trying to create a
ing in the season.
As Orr returns for his full-functioning girls pro-
sophomore campaign, Ebbs gram. Now we’re just wait-
feels that he has a lot of po- ing for the girls to fi ll in,”
tential if he can stay healthy. Ebbs said. “We have invested
“(Orr) had a really good ourselves fully into promot-
chance to go to the state ing our girls program. We
tournament last year, but we
Please see MAT, Page A10
never got to see that come