The Columbia Press
February 26, 2021
5
Team ready to push aside pandemic, get out and play
By Bruce Dustin
For The Columbia Press
Charlie Bergerson is a
starting senior on Warren-
ton High School’s varsity
football team, No. 55 on
the offensive and defensive
lines.
In an interview, Charlie
talked about the impact the
pandemic has had on his life.
“I’m grateful that school is
starting up again. But, more
importantly, I’m excited
about football,” he said. “It’s
a way of relieving my stress.
It gives me an opportunity
to hang out with friends and
to socialize--to be a part of a
team.”
Initially, he found the pan-
demic was depressing, espe-
cially when thinking about
his high school career.
“From kindergarten, my
dream was of being a se-
nior,” he said. “But once I got
there, it was like a rug being
pulled out from underneath
me. I didn’t have any incen-
tive to work hard at home. I
wasn’t motivated, so I just
didn’t do it.”
Warrenton’s first full-pad
practice of the season was
on Friday, Feb. 19, according
to Head Coach Ian O’Brien.
The resumption of sports has
changed Charlie’s attitude.
“I had lousy grades in the
beginning -- like I wasn’t go-
ing to graduate. In my head,
a diploma was just a piece of
paper. I just didn’t see the
reason to put any real effort
into something that I saw as
ridiculous,” he said. “Hybrid
ed (education) and being
part of a team has pulled me
back out of my lethargy. It
has given me a tomorrow.”
Ian O’Brien, Warrenton’s
athletic director, said he’s
glad players finally have a
chance to get out and com-
pete.
“Our kids have been putting
in a lot of hard work on the
field during the lockdown,”
O’Brien said. “We have con-
sistently had anywhere from
28 to 32 kids attending out-
door workouts through these
last six weeks or better.”
The training and hard
Charlie
Bergerson
Bruce Dustin
Warrenton High School football players partic-
ipate in the first full-pad practice of the season
on Friday, Feb. 19.
Coach Ian
O’Brien
workouts are beneficial in
many ways, he added.
“I would also like to take
this time to thank all our
coaches who have been dili-
gently finding creative ways
to give students these oppor-
tunities. We have dedicated
kids and coaches.
“I am beyond fired up that
our students have the oppor-
tunity to compete and play.
It’s going to be an exciting
day on March 5th.”
College news
Three local residents have
been named to the Eastern
Oregon University dean’s list
for the fall term.
To qualify, students must
achieve and maintain a grade
point average of 3.5 or higher
while completing a minimum
of 12 hours of graded course-
work.
Those on the list are Aman-
da Adams and Trenton Shaw,
Astoria; and Robert Leitch,
Hammond.