PAGE A20, KEIZERTIMES, NOVEMBER 5, 2021
McNary set to host North Medford in fi rst round
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
After posting a 6-3 record (3-3 in
Mountain Valley Conference play)
during the regular season, the McNary
football squad will host their fi rst home
playoff game since 2017 as they prepare
to take on North Medford at 7 p.m. on
Friday, Nov. 5.
“The kids will be excited,” McNary
head coach Jeff Auvinen said.
The Celtics began the year with four
straight wins, with three of their victo-
ries coming by 20 points or more. But in
the back half of the season, McNary suf-
fered injuries to several key players and
lost three of their fi nal fi ve games to fi n-
ish tied for third place in the Mountain
Valley Conference (MVC).
Before their last regular season con-
test against Summit, McNary had a pos-
itive COVID-19 case in their program,
forcing fi ve starting linemen to miss the
game due to contract-tracing protocols.
The Celtics were missing eight starters
before kickoff , many of which play on
both sides of the ball, and fell 27-7 to the
sixth-ranked Storm.
“The kids battled their butts off .
Our cupboards were just a little bare,”
Auvinen said.
The Celtics are expected to go into
the fi rst round without one of their top
playmakers in Gunner Smedema, who
suff ered a leg injury in a loss against
West Salem on Oct. 15. McNary’s top
receiver, Braiden Copeland, who missed
last game with an Achilles injury, is
expected to be a game-time decision.
However, McNary is planning on
having their entire off ensive line ready
to go on Friday, which will be key in han-
dling the physicality of North Medford.
“They are a very physical team. We
are going to have to bring our lunch
pails,” Auvinen said.
At the beginning of the season, mul-
tiple media outlets predicted that North
Medford would win the Southwest
Pet
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hap
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McNary quarterback Tyler Copeland will try and lead the Celtics to their first playoff win in four years as the Celtics take on North Medford
on Friday, Nov. 5. FILE PHOTO, Keizertimes
Conference and possibly compete for
a state championship. Although the
Tornadoes fell short of expectations,
fi nishing 4-4 on the regular season, they
have proved to still be a dangerous foot-
ball team under fi rst-year coach Nathan
Chin.
Behind an experienced off ensive line,
North Medford’s scored 25 points or more
in six of their eight games this season.
Although they run a spread off ense, the
Tornadoes rely heavily on their ground
game, led by junior running back Ty
Pugliano. Pugliano’s brother, AJ, is also a
focal point of the North Medford off ense
at tight end — as a sophomore, AJ has
already received a scholarship off er from
the University of Oregon.
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On defense, the Tornadoes have
been susceptible at times this season,
giving up more than 35 points in half
of their games.
Despite playing in diff erent leagues,
North Medford and McNary had three
common opponents this season (Bend,
South Medford and Grants Pass).
McNary picked up wins against all
three teams, defeating South Medford
35-13, beating Grants Pass 41-0 and
defeating Bend 41-21.
North Medford defeated Bend 25-21
and beat Grants Pass 51-7 but lost to
South Medford 40-34 in their fi nal
regular season contest.
“We don’t want to come into the
game feeling overconfi dent. At the
same time, the kids know that they can
be successful against North Medford.
It’s important we come in with the right
level of confi dence,” Auvinen said.
If McNary’s front-fi ve can set the
tone throughout the game, Auvinen
likes his team’s chances on Friday
night.
“It’s going to be about who can win
the battle up front and who can make
plays on the outside. It is going to be a
good ballgame,” Auvinen said.