PAGE A14, KEIZERTIMES, FEBRUARY 26, 2021
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Spring season approved for McNary football
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
After Salem-Keizer Pub-
lic Schools (SKPS) offi cially
submitted and met require-
ments for opting-in to allow
outdoor contact sports, the
McNary High School foot-
ball team held their fi rst of-
fi cial practice in more than a
year on Monday, Feb. 22.
Though their fi rst game is
scheduled for Friday, March
5, there is still some uncer-
tainty as to whether the Celt-
ics season will start on that
exact day. However, while
the situation is still fl uid, Mc-
Nary athletic director Scott
Gragg said defi nitively that
there will be a football season
in Salem-Keizer this spring.
“I am confi dent in saying
this: We will play football this
year. It might be six games, it
might be fi ve games, it might
be four games and a jambo-
ree, but we will play,” Gragg
said. “It’s going to look dif-
ferent, especially without any
spectators in the stands, but
we are super appreciative that
we are able to be able to offer
our kids the ability to play.”
Despite Marion Coun-
ty being moved down to a
‘High’ risk COVID-19 area,
rather than ‘Extreme’ risk, the
district has to follow a strict
set of requirements in order to pared to the rest of the
play. Those requirements in- state,” Gragg said.
Te a m s
clude; offering,
are required
at a minimum,
to
host
C o m p r e h e n - “ I am confi dent
nine prac-
sive
Distance
tices before
Learning with in saying this:
they
can
Limited In-Per-
We will play
par ticipate
son Instruction
in
com-
(LIPI), compli- football this
petition.
ance with the
McNary is
Oregon School year. It may
scheduled
Testing
Plan, be six games,
to host West
limiting
fi eld
Albany for
capacity to 120 it may be fi ve
the
fi rst
people
maxi- games, it may
game
of
mum, prohib-
the season,
iting spectators, be four games
then
play
offer on-site re- and a jamboree,
Salem-area
sponsive testing
for symptomatic but we will play.” teams in the
re m a i n i n g
individuals, col-
— Scott Gragg, fi ve weeks
lecting contact
McNary Athletic Director
( M c K a y,
information for
Sprague,
contact tracing
West Salem,
and collecting a
North Salem, South Salem).
waiver from each participant.
Players and coaches are also However, the week one
required to wear masks during contest will likely be more
of a jamboree style accord-
practices and games.
Offering on-site testing has ing to Gragg.
“Even if we get our
been one of the biggest hur-
dles to overcome for other dis- nine practices in, it's likely
tricts in the state, which is why that those games will look
Gragg is grateful that SKPS has more like a jamboree, or a
controlled scrimmage, than
already gotten to this point.
“I'm happy with our dis- they will look like an actual
trict because it feels like we contest,” Gragg said. “Our
are ahead of the average, com- sub-varsity might also have
KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings
Griffen Hubbard (right) tries to beat his defender while going out for a pass in McNary’s fi rst
offi cial practice since 2019.
some modifi cations, just so
that kids are safe and they are
able to participate in foot-
ball.”
Salem-Keizer
freshman
squads will play on Friday
nights before the school’s
varsity contest and junior
varsity teams are planning to
play on Saturday afternoons.
Since fans will not be
allowed in the stands, Mc-
Nary is currently in the
process of installing cameras
Please see CELTS, Page A12
Celts soccer squads ready for action
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
On Monday, March 1,
both the McNary boys’ and
girls soccer teams will play
their fi rst contests since Fall
of 2019 — it will mark the
fi rst since the COVID-19
pandemic closed schools
in March of last year that a
McNary team will play in an
OSAA event.
Needless to say, both head
coaches are eagerly look-
ing forward to getting their
respective teams back on the
pitch.
“I am very excited to have a
season. The athletes really need
this and I am so happy they get
it,” said McNary girls soccer
coach Lauren Brouse.
“I’m super excited, it has
been a long time. I’m excited
for my players, parents. coaches
and community. Sports are a
key component in our daily
lives. This is a hope of nor-
mality,” added Celtics boys’
coach Miguel Camarena.
Brouse is entering her
fi rst year as the McNary
girls coach, taking over for
A.J Nash, who was at the
helm for six seasons. With
this season being so unique
File
McNary midfi elder Tessa Fisher (left) is one of the top returners
on the Celtics girls’ team.
due to the pandemic, Brouse
shared what it has been like to
be a fi rst-year coach in what
has been one of the weirdest
years in recent memory.
“What a year to take over
a program. I try to look at
it as a blessing because it
is teaching me a lot about
communication to my par-
ents, athletes and coaches. I
am learning a ton about who
I am as a coach and what my
expectations are for this pro-
gram. With so little time this
season, I really can only focus
on a handful of elements but
hey, my hardest season might
be my fi rst one so hopeful-
ly future seasons will be a
breeze,” Brouse said.
The McNary girls team
fi nished 5-6-3, (3-3-1) last
season, just missing the
playoffs. With their four all-
leaguers graduating last year,
and losing two of their top
returners in Audrey Williams
and Ashlyn Lyda — who
elected to graduate early —
the Celtics will have to rely
on an infl ux of youth this
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year.
Since there will be no
type of postseason, Brouse
wants her team to focus on
growth this spring and estab-
lish an identity of being the
most well-conditioned team
on the fi eld.
“I want every single game
to be competitive. I also ex-
pect my girls to always be the
most fi t on the fi eld. We can’t
always control being the best
team technical wise but we
can control being the most
conditioned,” Brouse said.
Sophomore
midfi elder
Tessa Fisher started last sea-
son as a freshman last season
and will be expected to once
again control the midfi eld
for the Celtics. Sydnee Alfa-
no, also a sophomore, joined
the varsity team in the mid-
dle of the season last year and
looks to be one of McNary’s
top goal-scorers. Senior de-
fenders Elise Ali and Caitlin
Huffman will be expected to
patrol the back line for the
Celtics.
“We have a lot of return-
ers that can have an impact.
I expect Alfano to be a force
up top. Fisher is one that will
be key in our possession in
the midfi eld and seniors Ali
and Huffman have the ex-
perience we need to have a
strong defense,” Brouse said.
McNary also will return
four-year varsity players
Kennedy Buss and Isabella
Walker.
Please see SOCCER, Page A12