PAGE A12, KEIZERTIMES, SEPTEMBER 24, 2021
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Celtics blow by Grants Pass to move to 3-0
Football
McNary receiver Gunner Smedema hauls in a 26-yard touchdown in the Celtics 41-0 win over Grants Pass
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
After coming away with a thrilling
win last week, the McNary football squad
ended their non-conference slate with a
dominant performance against Grants
Pass.
Quarterback Tyler Copeland threw for
four touchdowns and the McNary defense
held the Cavemen to just four fi rst downs
as the Celtics moved to 3-0 on the season
with a 41-0 victory on Friday, Sept. 17.
“We defi nitely had one of our best
games tonight. Our defense was in-sync
and our off ense was there all night,”
Copeland said. “We balled out tonight.”
The victory marked McNary's fi rst 3-0
start since 2008.
“They took command in every facet of
the game, especially on defense,” McNary
head coach Jeff Auvinen said. “The kids
played really hard.”
Grants Pass picked up a pair of fi rst
downs on their opening drive, but were
put behind the sticks after being called
for holding. On third-and-21, Caveman
quarterback Jace Blanchard had his
pass tipped at the line-of-scrimmage
and picked off by McNary linebacker
Zane Aicher, who returned the ball to the
Grants Pass 27-yard line.
“We started off a little slow, but after
that pick everyone started going crazy. It
was a huge momentum change,” Aicher
SPORTS
Photo by MATT RAWLINGS of Keizertimes
said.
Moments later, Aicher got the payout
on the off ensive end.
Lined up at running back on fourth-
and-goal from the one-yard line, Aicher
took the handoff from Copeland and was
initially stopped at the line-of-scrimmage,
but plowed forward and reached the goal
line on the second eff ort, giving McNary
the 7-0 advantage.
After surrendering some yardage on
the fi rst drive, the McNary defense tight-
ened things up and repeatedly got Grants
Pass into long-yardage situations — the
Caveman didn't get their third fi rst down
until the fourth quarter.
“After that fi rst drive, the front kids
were telling us that they could get by their
guy. And our DBs started playing more
aggressively. From that point on, they
really struggled to pick up fi rst downs,”
Auvinen said. “They tried running inside,
running outside, throwing short, throw-
ing medium, but we pretty much handled
everything that they did.”
“It was all about our game-plan. We
knew when they were running certain
plays and we were able to jump it,” Aicher
said.
Grants Pass ended the fi rst quar-
ter deep in their own territory and a
short punt gave McNary the ball on the
Cavemen 33-yard line. On the fi rst play of
the second period, Copeland put his play-
making ability on full display.
Copeland felt the blitz come from his
left side and scrambled out of the pocket.
After eluding a pair of tacklers, the senior
signal-caller found his brother Braiden
Copeland across the middle for a 33-yard
touchdown to extend the McNary lead to
14-0.
“You can't ask for a better competitor.
He always keeps his eyes downfi eld. It's
nice to have an athletic quarterback,”
Auvinen said.
Tyler Copeland showed his ability to
go off -script once again on McNary's fol-
lowing possession. Grants Pass brought
pressure from the outside, but Copeland
got loose with a nifty pirouette and hit
Gunner Smedema deep downfi eld for a