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PAGE A12, KEIZERTIMES, MARCH 12, 2021 9 0 SALE PRICE $ 19,906 * AFTER ESCAPE S MSRP 26,205 $ SKYLINE DISCOUNT 1,799 $ RETAIL $ 1,000 CUSTOMER CASH RETAIL BONUS CASH 3,000 $ SELECT $ 500 INVENTORY CASH OR $ 3,000 PLUS 0 % x 60 ** March Markdown DAYS OREGON'S DEALER 1 FORD 8 YEARS RUNNING! # UNTIL FIRST PAYMENT ON ALL NEW FORDS** *Plus license, tax, title & doc. fee. One at this price. Subject to prior sale. Stk#6568P, VIN: 1FMCU0F65LUA58255, Art for illustration only. Former courtesy unit. Offer expires: 4/1/2021. 0%x60=21,406 TO FINANCE AFTER SKYLINE DISCOUNT -3000 REBATE, **Must finance with FMCC OAC. TEST DRIVE NOW — BRONCO SPORT & MACH E 3555 River Rd N, Keizer (503) 463- 4853 • skylineforddirect.com KEIZERTIMES.COM Celtics hang on for season-opening win BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes In their fi rst game since November 2019, the Mc- Nary defense set the tone from kickoff until the last play. Facing fourth-and-goal from the McNary 10-yard line with four seconds left on the clock and trailing by fi ve, West Albany quarterback Michael Cale tried a fade to his favorite target, Caden Zamora, in the corner of the end zone for the win. But McNary’s Sage Allen broke up the pass as time expired, giving the Celtics the 19-14 victory on Friday, March 5. During a typical McNary home game, there would be a celebration with the student section on the fi eld and players would stay be- hind for nearly an hour after the horn sounded, greeting friends and family members and taking photos. But due to COVID-19 protocols, the Flesher Field grandstands were empty. There was no band, there was no cheering after a big play, only silence. However, after the game was over, the players weren’t dwelling on what had been taken away from them during this tumultuous year, they were instead, thankful for the simple joy of playing football once again. “It feels amazing to be out here again. Right before kick- off I was like 'man, I am really about to play football again,' and I am so glad it turned out the way it did,” McNary line- backer Dyami Rios said. “It feels so good to be back. It's a blessing that we are able to be out here,” Celtics run- ning back Dakota Dunagan added. McNary head coach Jeff Auvinen, who has been coaching football at McNary for nearly three decades and has been a part of two state championship teams (1997, 2001), claimed that this might be one of the best feelings he has ever experienced after a game. “I've been doing this a long time, and no matter what lev- el it's at, it's always been awe- some. But this might be the best I have ever felt,” Auvinen said. With it being the fi rst time either team had played in over a year, the game was sloppy during certain points. When West Albany made a pair of crucial mistakes in the fi rst quarter, the Celtics took full advantage. Please see CELTS, Page A10 KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings McNary defensive back Jake Paton celebrates after a big hit in McNary’s 19-14 win over West Albany on Friday, March 5. Zavala looks to continue hot streak with the Ducks KEIZERTIMES/Matt Rawlings McNary midfi elder Karla Rodriguez controls the ball off the bounce. The Celtics scored the opening goal of the contest, but lost to South Salem by a score of 4-1 in their home opener. McNary falls to South Salem after gaining early advantage BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes The McNary girls’ soccer squad was able to compete with South Salem for the fi rst 55 minutes of the con- test. The Saxons, however, ran away with the game in the second half. After the Celtics took a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, South Salem scored four un- answered goals to earn the 4-1 victory on Thursday, March 4, spoiling McNary’s home opener. McNary fi rst-year head coach Lauren Brouse said that she felt that the fi nal score wasn’t indicative of how the team competed. “I was really proud of the way my team played. I don’t feel like the score is refl ective of how we played,” Brouse said. “We’re still learning how to play together.” Coming into the season, the Celtics didn’t have a set goalkeeper in place. During the fi rst half of this game, Brouse put senior defender Caitlin Huffman in the back of the net to play goalie for with 15 minutes remaining in the half. the fi rst time in her career. Celtics midfi elder Tes- Huffman was tested ear- ly and often, but refused to sa Fisher broke past the budge. South Salem had a pair Saxons back line off the dribble and got of great looks herself enough in the opening space on the 10 minutes, but “ I was really right side to Huffman got proud of cross the ball back-to-back to the middle. diving saves to the way my Walker turn the Saxons team played. Isabella positioned her- away — Huff- self to receive man had fi ve I don’t feel the ball and saves in the fi rst knocked it into 15 minutes of like the score the back of the the game. is refl ective net to give Mc- “We don’t Nary the lead. really have a of how we “It was a set keeper right played,” great pass from now, so when we asked who —Lauren Brouse, Tessa. I was re- McNary head coach ally glad she wanted to step was able to send up, Caitlin was it in and I was ready and will- ing,” Brouse said. “You never just in the right place at the would have guessed that she right time,” Walker said. South Salem, however, had never been a keeper be- broke through just mo- fore. She did so well.” McNary only had one shot- ments later when Mya Fry on-goal in the fi rst 20 minutes scored the fi rst of her two of the game. However, the Please see GSOC, Page A10 Celtics broke the scoreless tie BY MATT RAWLINGS Of the Keizertimes At the start of the 2020 season, no player on the Uni- versity Oregon baseball team was swinging a hotter stick than sophomore Aaron Zav- ala. Through 15 games, the Keizer native was leading the team with a .418 batting av- erage. Zavala also was leading the squad in both multi-hit (8) and multi-RBI (9) games and had the most RBIs in the Pac-12 Conference. But once the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of last year, the collegiate baseball season was canned, and Zava- la’s gaudy numbers ended up being all-for-not. Zavala was still named a third-team All-American at third base for the shortened 2020 season, but the disap- different, Zavala couldn’t pointment in the cancellation contain his enthusiasm for returning to still lingered. campus for his “I just want junior cam- to keep play- “ I feel like I paign. ing and fi n- grew up a lot “I was really ish out the excited to get season. It was between my going,” Zavala the most frus- freshman and said. “There trating not to has been a lot be out there sophomore of anticipa- every day with year. I got my tion. It’s been my teammates. a while since That was the feet under me lot of us have hardest part,” and was playing a played last.” Zavala said. Just six After many with a lot more games into the months of not year, Zavala playing ball, confi dence...” and his team the Ducks — Aaron Zavala have already began win- gotten off to ter workouts a great start. in January to prepare for the spring sea- After splitting a four-game son. Even though it will look series with the University of Seattle in late-February, the Ducks went on the road last weekend and swept a four- game set with UC Santa Bar- bara — who were ranked as high as #7 in some college baseball polls. Proving that he was wor- thy of being named to the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award watch list, Zavala has already picked up right where he left off from last year, going 13-for-29 (.448)) with a pair of homers and 10 runs scored so far this year. Zavala was a serviceable player as a freshman for the Ducks in 2019, batting .273 in 43 games, but said that he really made a leap in his abil- ity between his freshman and sophomore seasons. “I feel like I just grew up a lot between my freshman and sophomore year. I got my feet under me and was playing with a lot more con- fi dence on a day-to-day basis and I wasn’t caring who I was facing. I was just playing ball,” Zavala said. Zavala grew up playing Samuel Marshall/Goducks.com Keizer native Aaron Zavala is expected to be one of the best players in the Pac-12 Conference this season. Please see ZAVALA, Page 10