The Columbia Press
March 5, 2021
Celebrating 100 days
Start of high school football a welcome relief
By Bruce Dustin
For The Columbia Press
A first-grader sports a new T-shirt marking his 100th
day of classes at Warrenton Grade School. While the
100th day celebration is an annual event, “We felt it
was essential to hold onto as many traditions as we
were able,” Vice Principal Sean O’Malley said.
Coaches as well as students
are thrilled the state finally is
allowing high school sports
play to begin.
“When 35 other states have
already successfully played
football and volleyball, and
are in the midst of finishing
their winter sports season,
you have to ask yourself why
Oregon was shut out for so
long,” said Ian O’Brien, vice
principal and head football
Playing without spectators is whole new game
By Bruce Dustin
For The Columbia Press
Mia McFadden, a starting
senior for this year’s Warren-
ton High School volleyball
team, hopes there will be a
section in the stands set aside
for students.
“It can affect the whole mo-
mentum of the game,” she
said, although she realizes it’s
unlikely to happen.
“They won’t be able to open
the stands to spectators like
they have in the past,” she
said. “I’m feeling pretty good
about this year’s season,
though.”
The team was undefeated in
league play last year and was
league champ the last two
years.
While the players long to
have the stands filled with
cheering fans, each player
has only two tickets to give
away.
“So, at least we’ll have a
small audience,” Mia said.
When asked who would
get those two tickets, several
girls started laughing.
“Well see,” Marlee Annat
said. She also is a starting se-
nior on the team.
“I think, despite this Covid
thing, the team has stuck to-
gether really well. We’ve been
5
good
team-
mates to each
other,” Marlee
said.
After gradu-
ating, she plans
to attend Linn
Benton Com-
munity College
and then trans- Mia McFadden
fer to Oregon
State University to study an-
imal science or zoology.
Marlee Annat
How has the pandemic af-
fected her?
going to be difficult,” Marlee
“I can’t learn through on- said. “We’ll push through.
line, but I pushed through,” We have to. It’s a team effort.
she said. “I had to, but it was But, it’s still going to be pret-
really hard.”
ty hard.”
She then reflected on what
The JV team faces Seaside
Mia had said.
at 4:30 p.m. March 6 followed
“The student section is why by varsity at 6. Games can be
we push ourselves. So, it’s viewed at nfhsnetwork.com.
coach. “Safety of our kids
has always been the prior-
ity, but forcing students to
their homes with little so-
cial interaction has proven
not to be the safest in terms
of social-emotional health.
Compound that with not be-
ing able to attend in-school
learning and not being able
to see their friends.”
The Oregon Athletic Coach-
es Association and the Ore-
gon School Activity Associa-
tion have been working with
state leadership to reopen
high school contact sports.
“I’m just glad Oregon lead-
ership finally followed the
science and data,” O’Brien
said. “I’m also thankful to all
the folks who are advocating
for a safe return to play local-
ly and statewide.”
Lance Smith is a senior
on the WHS football team.
Wearing No. 12, he’ll share
the duties of quarterback
with Hordie Boddin Boddin
and then play some tight end
and linebacker.
He talked about the season
and what he missed about
school.
“I think it’s going to be kind
of weird to not have specta-
tors. The idea of no playoffs
makes it just a matter of foot-
ball, as in ‘who likes football
Bruce Dustin
Quarterback Lance Smith
prepares for a game.
and who doesn’t,’ ” Lance
said.
“In the beginning, the pan-
demic made school very
challenging,” he added. “The
motivation often comes from
the teachers and the setting,
a motivation of competition
with your friends, and I’ve
missed that. Home is a lo-
cation of rest and relaxation
and it was hard to motivate
me to study.”
He’ll join the Coast Guard
after graduation.
“So this season of football
is it; everything is on the
line.”