PAGE A14, KEIZERTIMES, FEBRUARY 7, 2020
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Big fourth quarter puts
McNary over the edge
By MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
The McNary boys basket-
ball team had a shaky start
to the second half. But they
made up for it in the fi nal
eight minutes.
Trailing 39-34 heading
into the fi nal period, the
Celtics began the quarter on
a 16-2 run, propelling them-
selves to the 56-49 victory
over Sprague on Thursday,
Jan. 30.
“We just needed to start
slowing it down on offense
and get better looks. That’s
what helped us pull out the
win,” said Nate Meithof,
who led McNary with 19
points — 17 of which came
in the second half.
While McNary has relied
heavily on Meithof ’s offen-
sive ability this season — he is
currently the third lead scor-
er in the state — the Celtics
had to go without their star
shooting guard’s services for
the majority of the fi rst half
due to foul trouble.
Fortunately for the Celt-
ics, Meithof ’s teammates
were able to pick up the slack the defense gives us. And
now you’re seeing guys who
early on.
Jando Gonzalez and Kyler know that they can score and
Rodriguez hit back-to-back are shooting with a lot of
3-pointers to give McNary confi dence.”
“We have a lot of trust in
the 10-1 lead in the open-
ing quarter. Riley Flores got each other. Everyone knows
their role and
in on the ac-
plays
with
tion later in
c o n f i d e n c e,”
the
period, “ We just
Gonzalez add-
nailing a pair needed to start
ed. “We are all
of triples to
close together,
extend
the slowing it down
so we don’t
Celtics lead on offense
ever get down
to 16-6 at the
and get better
on each other.”
end of one.
Sprague
“We never looks. That’s
went on a 9-2
quite know
run to cut
each
night what helped
their defi cit to
who’s going us pull out the
three. But key
to do what
buckets from
for us, but win.”
Rodriguez
guys
know
— Nate Meithof, and
Zane
that
we’re
McNary shooting guard
Aicher allowed
going to play
McNary
to
the hot hand.
hold
onto
The more ex-
perience you gain in those their lead. Tyler Copeland
situations, the more comfort- knocked down a pair of free
able you feel,” McNary head throws at the end of the
coach Ryan Kirch said. “We second quarter to put the
have really challenged other
Please see BBALL, Page A10
guys to attack and take what
KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings
McNary wing Tyler Copeland looks to score in traffi c in the Celts 56-49 win over Sprague.
KEIZERTIMES/Lauren Murphy
Kyle Hooper won the 100-yard breaststoke in McNary’s dual meet with McKay.
Celtics win fi nal dual
He took seven months off
By MATT RAWLINGS
before the high school sea-
Of the Keizertimes
In the last dual meet of his son, but Hooper feels like he
McNary career, Kyle Hooper is rounding into shape at just
the right time.
made in a memorable one.
“It’s kind of been a work
The Celtics senior won
two individual events (100- in progress to get back to
yard butterfl y and 100-breast- where I wanted to be, but
stroke) and also helped his Casey, being the great coach
that he is,
team win a
pushed me to
pair of relays as
get back to
the McNary “ Aside from the
wear I was.
boys
swim
The progres-
team defeated points and the
sion over the
McKay 124- wins, we had
season
has
39 on Thurs-
a lot of really
been
really
day, Jan. 30.
good.”
The Mc- good swims. A
McNary
Nary
girls
freshman
team also end- lot of kids are
ed their dual really starting to Zachary Kil-
by also had
season in pos-
a big night
itive fashion, come along.”
in the water,
beating
the
— Casey Lewin, winning the
Royal Scots
McNary swim coach
5 0 - f re e s t y l e
106-62.
(24.30)
and
“It was re-
the 100-free
ally exciting
for me to leave on a positive (54.61), as well as helping the
note. It was great to see ev- Celtics win the 200-medley
eryone happy on their last and 200-free relays.
Jeremy Becker picked up
dual meet,” Hooper said.
“Aside from the points the Celtics other individu-
and the wins, we had a lot of al victory in the 100-back-
best times and a lot of real- stroke, fi nishing in 1:16.05
ly good swims. A lot of kids — one one-hundredth of a
are really starting to come second faster that his team-
along,” added McNary head mate Gavin Eisele.
On the girls side, Mc-
coach Casey Lewin.
Hooper won the 100-fl y Nary sophomore Paris Boyd
in 1:01.25 and fi nished the showed her great versatility
in both short and long dis-
100-breast in 1:08.91.
tance races, winning the 50-
free in 26.59 and the 500-
free in 5:36.38.
“It’s attributed to all the
work she puts in the pool. It’s
really nice having a swimmer
that can you can literally plug
into any event,” Lewin said
about Boyd.
Eloisa Moreno won the
100-fl y (1:12.76), Bella Beard
took home the 100-breast
(1:18.38) and Kianna Staley
was victorious in the 100-
free (1:08.00).
McNary will compete at
the Mountain Valley Confer-
ence District Meet Feb. 14-
15 at the Kroc Center.
Last season, the Celtics
couldn’t compete with every
school in the conference as
Bend, Mountain View and
Summit were unable to make
the trip to Salem for the dis-
trict meet due to inclement
weather.
This season, Lewin and his
squad are excited to be able
to compete in a true district
meet.
“We’re really excited to
get to compete against the
Bend schools this year. Our
goals are just to focus on us
and take care of what we
need to take care of and get
some best times and hope-
fully those best times are
enough to get things done,”
Lewin said.
Celts beat Sprague for fi rst league win
it will be a big confi dence
By MATT RAWLINGS
builder for us.”
Of the Keizertimes
Annie Leigh Besa was also
After losing their fi rst four
games in Mountain Valley in double-fi gures with 11
Conference play, the Mc- points in the victory.
Doutt was pressed into
Nary girls basketball team
duty earlier than expected
was desperate for a victory.
Fortunately for the Celt- after Kenzie Proctor got her
ics, starting point guard Leah second foul less than a min-
Doutt returned to action ute into the game. She hit
after missing the last four a runner midway through
games due to illness, and she the fi rst period for her fi rst
bucket to put the Celtics on
did not disappoint.
Doutt came off the bench top 4-0.
A jumper from Besa gave
to lead McNary with 12
McNary the
points, three
6-2 lead at
assists
and
the end of the
two steals, al- “ The win was
quarter.
lowing
the
The Celtics
Celtics
to defi nitely a
extended their
earn their fi rst good morale
advantage
league
win
with a 10-0
of the sea- boost. We
run to start
son, beating showed a lot of
the
second
Sprague 40-
period. After
27 on Thurs- heart late in the
a free throw
day, Jan. 30.
game.”
by Besa, Doutt
“It was re-
ally nice to
— Elizabeth Doran, completed a
three-point
back on the
McNary head coach
play to make
fl oor. It was
the score 10-2.
really hard to
“It’s great to have Leah
have to sit on the bench and
watch my team because I back. A lot of these girls have
wanted to help. I actually felt been playing with her since
a lot better that I was expect- fi fth grade. It was just really
ing to,” Doutt said. “We real-
KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings
Please see CELTS, Page A11 Bekah Grimmer rises up to shoot a jumper over a Sprague defender in McNary’s 40-27 win on Thursday, Jan. 30.
ly needed that win. I think