PAGE A16, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 3, 2021
A family affair: Copeland bros lead McNary football
Brothers Tyler (left) and Braiden Copeland are expected to be two of the top players in the Mountain Valley Conference this season.
SPORTS
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
For brothers Tyler and Braiden
Copeland, sibling rivalry has always
been prevalent in their household.
“There was a moment right around
sixth or seventh grade where you could
see that it was becoming contentious
and the rivalry was really increasing. It
was at that moment that my wife and
I sat and encouraged them to fight
against the world instead of fighting
against each other because they are
each other’s best allies,” said Andrew
Copeland, Tyler and Braiden’s father.
The brothers took their dad’s advice
to heart and have now established them-
selves as two of the best players on the
McNary football squad — Tyler will be
entering his senior year while Braiden
will be a junior this season.
“There are some days where we can
get into pretty heated arguments, but
then we can separate for 30 minutes
and we are completely fine after that.
It’s awesome and then we can come out
here and compete. We can get a little
mad at each other, but then go home
and play Xbox together,” Braiden said.
During the spring football season,
Tyler started at receiver and free safety
while Braiden got first-team reps at
receiver, running back and linebacker.
In the second game of last season
against McKay, the Copeland brothers
got the opportunity to put their skills
on full display.
On the second drive of the game,
Tyler caught a long pass down the side-
line for the score to put the Celtics up
14-0.
Later in the half, Braiden hauled in a
touchdown pass of his own on a shallow
crossing route to extend McNary’s lead
to 28-0.
Not to be outdone by his little brother,
Tyler extended the McNary lead to 35-0
with an incredible touchdown grab with
less than two minutes remaining in the
first half.
Tyler was targeted down the mid-
dle of the field in double coverage
and it appeared that a McKay safety
was camped under the ball after it was
thrown, preparing to make the intercep-
tion. But at the last moment, Tyler leapt
and snagged the ball out of the air and
got to the end zone for the 32-yard score.
But Braiden had a highlight-reel
play of his own in the second half. On
McNary’s first play of the third quarter,
Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes
Braiden caught a quick slant, broke
numerous tackles and rumbled 68 yards
for his second score of the game.
Both Copelands had over 70 yards
receiving and two touchdowns in
McNary’s 42-7 rout of McKay.
“It was the moment we realized that