PAGE B2, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019SEPTEMBER 6, 2019, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, PAGE B3®5825 Shoreview Lane, Keizer • 503-540-64711600 State Street, Salem • 503-540-6300Hope Orthopedics of Oregon is a comprehensive resource for treating injured competitors, but the scope of our center’s sports medicine care extends far beyond elite athletes. The Hope sports medicine specialists are committed to helping individuals of all ages and activity levels regain their highest level of functioning after an injury. From local school and college athletes who have been injured playing organized sports to the fitness enthusiast who has pulled a muscle in a spin class, Hope’s sports medicine specialists can get you back to your formal level of functioning as quickly and safely as possible.Our doctors are proud to serve on the sidelines, providing care and reassurance to players and their families.Sports Medicinefor oureliteathletesandeveryoneelseNo need to travel all the way across town.Both of our Salem and Keizer locations are now FULL SERVICE CLINICS.Sept. 6Lake Oswego at West SalemWest Salem faces the tough test of hosting the defending state champions to begin the season. This will be the second straight year that the Titans will face off against Lake Oswego — they fell to the Lakers 48-21 last season. The number one goal for West Salem coming into this game is to somehow slow down Lake Oswego's Casey Filkins, one of the best players in the Northwest. Filkins had 1,160 yards rushing to go along with his 869 receiving yards and had a combined 39 touchdowns last season. He also recently committed to the University of California (Berkley). Sept. 13 West Linn at McNaryMcNary will take on perennial football power West Linn for the third consecutive season in their home opener. The Celtics got demolished by West Linn 41-6 in the second round of the playoffs in 2017 and also lost to to the Lions 55-27 last season. However, this will be the first time that West Linn will make the trip down to Keizer. The Lions also will have to replace 10 all-league players from last season, including quarterback Ethan Long, who now plays at Arizona State University and was selected as a team captain. With McNary's experience, look for this to be a closer game than it has been in years past.Sept. 13 Sunset at South SalemThe Saxons will have a chance to redeem themselves after suffering a 36-3 drubbing at the hands of Sunset last season. It will be no easy task as the Apollos are projected to be a top-15 team once again this season with returning first-team all-Metro quarterback Callum Craig, and his top target Nate Archibald. Sept. 20 Tualatin at McNaryMcNary will be challenged for the second straight week when they host the Timberwolves, who trounced the Celtics 50-6 last season. Like West Linn, Tualatin also lost 10 all-league players from the 2018 team. But McNary's offensive line will have their hands full trying to contain Tualatin linebacker John Miller — an Oregon State commit who was the co-defensive player of the year last season in the Three Rivers League. Sept. 27 Sprague at South SalemOne of the oldest rivalries in the Salem area. The series has been evenly matched in recent years with Sprague winning four of the last seven head-to-head match-ups. However, South Salem won a 21-20 thriller last season. Oct. 4 Beaverton at West SalemThe Beavers pulled off the 35-33 upset against West Salem last season. Despite finishing with a losing record, Beaverton averaged nearly 30 points per game in 2018 and had one of the more dynamic attacks in the Metro League. However, the Beavers defense went through their struggles last year, surrendering more than 36 points per game. It's safe to say fans should expect a shootout in this one. Oct. 4 McKay at North SalemThe game between Salem's two 5A schools wasn't competitive last season as North Salem had their highest scoring output since 2011, routing the Royal Scots 52-31. But McKay will have more team experience coming into 2019, which should make this a more competitive contest. Oct. 10 Corvallis at McKayMcKay spoiled a shot at the postseason for Corvallis last season, knocking off the Spartans 17-15 for their only win of the year. With a senior-led roster, Corvallis will be looking for revenge against the Royal Scots in 2019. Oct. 11 West Salem at South SalemThe Titans have had South Salem's number for the last three seasons — winning all three games by a combined score of 125-12. The Saxons will hoping to be able to take advantage of West Salem's relative inexperience this time around. Oct. 18 Mountain View at W. SalemMountain View made a fairly seamless transition into the 6A level last year as they finished the regular season with a 5-4 record and qualified for the playoffs. West Salem defeated Mountain View 46-28 last year and will need a similar defensive effort to stop the Mountain View attack — the Cougars scored more than 40 points five times last season and return a significant portion of their offense. Oct. 18 Bend at McNarySimilar to Mountain View, Bend also faired well in their inaugural season at the 6A level, reaching the five-win mark and making the playoffs. But after beginning the season with a 5-1 record, the Lava Bears dropped their remaining four games to end the year. Making the trip over the mountain to face McNary late in the season will provide a good barometer as to where this team is at.Oct. 18 Summit at SpragueSummit was the one Bend school that struggled in their move up to 6A, going 2-7 last year — despite having Henry Bledsoe — son of former NFL great Drew Bledsoe — as the starting quarterback. Fortunately for the Storm, they have the majority of their roster coming back in 2019 as they try to beat a Sprague team that defeated them 49-14 in 2018. Oct. 25 West Salem at McNaryA contest that could determine the league champion in the MVC. While the Titans looked to be the best team in the conference for the majority of last season, they were knocked off by McNary by a score of 35-23 — the Celtics would go on to win the league title. It was only the second time in the last three seasons that West Salem had lost a conference game at home. Nov. 1 McNary at South SalemFor the second straight season, these two teams will meet in the regular season finale. The Saxons gave McNary all they could handle in last year's contest, but the Celtics still prevailed with a 40-33 victory. South Salem could potentially put themselves in position for a playoff spot if they are able to pull off the upset in this one. Nov. 1 Lebanon at North SalemThis will be a chance for Salem fans to watch one of the best football players in the country — yes, you read that right — in Lebanon junior Keith Brown. At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, Brown is considered the number four inside linebacker in the country for the class of 2021.PAGE B4, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019ANTHONY PUGH // TE/LB, WEST SALEM, JUNIORERIK BARKER // QB, McNARY, SENIORJUNIOR WALLING // RB/LB, McNARY, SENIORBRYSON KIEVIT // OL/DL, SPRAGUE, JUNIORANDREW SHAW // OL/DL, WEST SALEM, SENIORADRIAN MONTIEL-GOMEZ // OL/DL, SOUTH SALEM JUNIORANTONIO GARCIA // OL/DL, NORTH SALEM, SENIORRYAN RICKMAN //RB/LB, SOUTH SALEM, JUNIORETHAN BULLOCK //RB, SPRAGUE, JUNIORRAFAEL AGUILAR //RB/LB, McKAY, SENIORZAIRE KU-BEIZA //TE/DL, McKAY, SENIORJASON CARTER-VARAY //RB/DB, NORTH SALEM, SENIORDYAMI RIOS //RB/LB, JUNIOR, McNARYSEPTEMBER 6, 2019, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, PAGE A51101 CHEMAWA RD N, KEIZER • 971.273.0565UNITS AVAILABLE FROM $7900Brand new facility,Great location,Safe & clean units,Units of all sizes,State-of-the-art securityLong or Short TermRentals Available Reserve a Unit Online or Come By and See Us!PAGE B6, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019McNary roster# PLAYER NAME YR. POS. HT. WT.1 Ethan Martin WR/DB 11 5-7 1452 Junior Walling RB/LB 12 6-2 2303 Jack McCarty QB/DB 11 5-9 1754 Alex Tavera WR/DB 12 5-9 1505 Quintin Camenisch WR/DB 11 5-8 1406 Noah Lelack WR/DB 12 6-1 1757 Ethan Rubio WR/DB 12 6-2 1958 Spencer Delacruz RB/DL 12 6-0 19010 Layton Thurlow RB/LB 12 6-0 20511 Quinn Bach RB/LB 10 5-9 16512 Erik Barker QB/DB 12 6-4 22013 Josh Winslow RB/LB 12 5-9 17014 Joseph Fowler RB/LB 12 5-11 18015 Junior Nunez WR/DB 11 5-10 15516 Haley Hughes K 12 5-6 13517 Tyler Copeland QB/WR 10 6-2 17018 Gunner Smedema QB/WR 10 5-7 14019 Evan Cornell WR/DB 10 6-1 17520 Zane Aicher RB/DB 10 5-10 17521 Daniel Mood K 12 5-11 17023 Riley Flores WR/DB 12 6-2 17525 Adam Dang RB/DL 12 5-11 185# PLAYER NAME YR. POS. HT. WT.27 Ethan McMunn WR/DB 12 5-11 17528 Logan Ready WR/LB 10 6-1 17029 Nico Sandoval RB/DB 12 5-8 16531 Drew Brown RB/DL 12 5-11 20034 Matt Mehlhoff RB/LB 11 5-10 18035 Jake Paton WR/DB 10 5-8 15038 Hayden Kaiser TE/DL 10 6-3 21045 Dyami Rios RB/LB 11 6-2 22048 Rudy Garcia RB/LB 10 5-11 21055 Griffen Hubbard OL/LB 11 6-3 20056 Jeremiah Ratliff OL/DL 10 5-10 20558 Anthony Garcia-Reyes OL/DL 12 5-8 22059 Gavin Anderson OL/DL 11 6-2 21564 Nathan Young OL/DL 12 6-0 29070 Malakai Vasseur OL/DL 12 6-6 37572 Michael Tischer OL/DL 12 6-1 29073 Aldo Villalvazo OL/DL 10 5-11 25074 Nic Shepherd OL/DL 12 6-4 26075 Michael Ridgway OL/DL 12 6-3 27076 Coleman Young OL/DL 11 6-3 26078 Jose Delgado OL/DL 11 5-6 350 is public service announcement provided by:VEHICLE ACCIDENTS INCREASE 15 PERCENT IN THE FALLYour locally owned and family operated collision repair business SINCE 1958CAUTION: DRIVERS TYPICALLY FAIL TO ADAPT TOTHESE CHANGING DRIVING CONDITIONS• Slippery roads caused by falling leaves• Darker evenings • First heavy rain of autumnGive Us Your Keys,& You’ll be Pleased!3353 Silverton Rd NE, Salem503-363-1990KEIZERTIMES/Matt RawlingsWith 22 seniors on their varsity roster, the McNary Celtics have high hopes for the 2019 season as they prepare to defend their Mountain Valley Conference crown. McNARY CELTICSMcNary looks to repeat as conference champsBy MATT RAWLINGSOf the KeizertimesA roller coaster season for the McNary football squad last year still resulted in the Celtics being crowned the 2018 Mountain Valley Conference champions. But despite winning the league title, there were aspects of last season that left a bad taste in the mouth of McNary head coach Jeff Auvinen.The Celtics were 0-6 last year against teams that weren’t in the MVC (including playoffs) and really struggled to be competitive in their non-league contests, with their average margin of defeat being over 30 points. “We got better last year and we won the league title, but we didn’t compete very well in non-league games, or in our playoff situation. I think that’s a mentality. I don’t think the talent level was all that different, I just think the kids didn’t believe that they could be successful,” Auvinen said. “One of our goals is to develop the mentality that we can compete and be successful against those type of teams.”McNary will have plenty of chances to prove themselves in their non-conference slate this season.Along with playing road games at North Medford and South Medford, the Celtics host a pair of teams ranked in the top-10 in the preseason coaches poll. They will take on #5 West Linn on Friday, Sept. 13 and #6 Tualatin on Sept. 20.“We’re on par with anyone as far as physicality goes. We just need to prepare ourselves every day,” Auvinen said. One of the main reasons that the Celtics are considered the favorite to win the conference for a second straight season is the return of Erik Barker and Junior Walling — arguably two of the top skill position players in the state. “They have been around and have got through a lot of ups and downs. They are natural leaders and they will do well for us in that aspect,” Auvinen said of his two senior captains. “They really care about the success of the team and they care about each one of our guys, which helps them lead by example.”Walling, a running back and linebacker, has been a starter for the Celtics every year of his career. Last season, he rushed for 1,005 yards and 12 touchdowns on 210 carries. On defense, Walling recorded 86 total tackles (49 solo) and had five sacks — he was named first-team all-conference on both sides of the ball.Back in June, Walling committed to continue his education and football career at Oregon State University. Barker, on the other hand, is entering his third year at the Celtics signal-caller and is the only retuning quarterback in the MVC that received all-league recognition last season, throwing for nearly 1,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is currently being looked at by several Division I-AA schools and was offered a scholarship by Georgetown University. At 6-foot-4, 220 lbs., Barker is one of the most physical players on the team, which is why he will also be playing on the defensive end “We’re on par with anyone as far as physicality goes.”— Jeff Auvinen, McNary head coachSEPTEMBER 6, 2019, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, PAGE B7Love – Peace – BBO GreaseFamily Time, Game Time,Traeger®Time!Sales, Service, Parts(503) 302-84893800 River Road NSuite 120, KeizerNew Traeger®Grills & Accessories ▲ BIG GREEN EGGCAN COOKER ▲TRAEGER IRONWOOD 885 ▲Don’t forget our Seasonings,BBQ sauces and MarinadesALL GAMES START AT 7 P.M.Sept. 6 at North MedfordSept. 13 vs West LinnSept. 20 vs. TualatinSept. 27 vs. BarlowOct. 4 at South MedfordOct. 10 at SpragueOct. 18 vs. BendOct. 25 vs. West Salem*Nov. 1 at South Salem*game will start at 7:15 p.m.SCHEDULEat times this season. “He’s an ultimate team guy. He’s got great technique and I think it would be a mistake not to use him on that side of the ball,” Auvinen said. While Barker and Walling have gotten a lot of recognition during the offseason, junior linebacker Dyami Rios might have just as big of an impact for the Celtics in 2019. As a sophomore, Rios had 10 sacks to go along with his 87 tackles (38 solo), which helped him achieve second-team all-league status.With a 4.18 GPA, Rios is also one of the best students on this McNary roster.“We expect huge things from Dyami. He’s a physical specimen, but he’s really sharp mentally too,” Auvinen said. “He loves to mix it up and be as physical as possible and he’s got very good instincts. The sky is the limit for that kid.”Not to be lost in the shuffle is senior offensive tackle Michael Ridgeway, who was a first-team all-conference performer last season and is expected to be the leader for McNary in the trenches. Senior offensive lineman Nathan Young is also expected to have an impact on the line of scrimmage.One of McNary’s biggest question marks coming into 2019 is how they are going to replace the talent they had with their secondary and receiving core. The Celtics graduated Nigel Harris, Griffin Oliveira and Jacob Jackson from last year’s team — all three players got all-league recognition for their play in the secondary and as receivers. However, Auvinen has a trio of senior receivers in Riley Flores, Noah Lelack and Alex Tavera that he believes are ready to fill the void.“I think those guys are ready to step up and have their time. They are physical kids who can run and catch. We’re light on experience but I know that those kids can play,” Auvinen said.Lelack is also expected to be the starting free safety alongside sophomore Zane Aicher, who is slotted to play strong safety. However, Auvinen and his staff are still deciding who will make the rotation at cornerback. Even though McNary will have a target on their back as they head into this season, it’s clear that the Celtics still have a chip on their shoulder. “We want to win a league championship and then make a run in the playoffs. We want to at least get to the second round,” Barker said. “I’m most looking forward to the out-of-league schedule, because we have something to prove.”“We’re definitely looking to take a step up,” Auvinen added. To obtain a complete sponsorship packet, visit www.mcnaryabc.comEmail Joe Egli — President@McNaryABC.comSIGN UP TODAYSUPPORTYOUR CELTSWhile advertising your businessHelp be a part of supporting ALL of our athletic programs while promoting your business!All funds from these sales will go to support the needs of the athletes in various sports, clubs, and JROTC as requested by those programs, based on need, and voted on and approved by the board. The advertising and sponsorship programs closely align with our mission statement and we are proud to provide these options. If you’d like 60% of your payment to goto a specific sport, club, or JROTC, please specify when ordering. BRONZE PKG.$250SILVER PKG.$500GOLD PKG.$750ULTIMATE PKG.$1500Your logo on LED Scoreboard or a banner at your choice of available locations.Your logo at two locations, on the LED Scoreboard and/or a banner at your choice of available locationsYour logo on LED Scoreboard and a banner at the location of your choice, PLUS a 4’x8’ advertising panel on the east side of the turf fieldThis package includes everything in the gold package, PLUS you can choose two locations for banners – This package is good for 2 years!By MATT RAWLINGSOf the KeizertimesThe McKay football program was optimistic before the start of the 2018 season as they moved from the 6A classification down to 5A.However, not much changed for the Royal Scots last season in the Mid-Willamette Conference — arguably the best league at the 5A level — as McKay finished the year with a 1-8 record. One thing McKay does have, though, is an energetic first-year head coach in Brandis Piper. After playing football at Lewis & Clark College, Piper was the offensive coordinator for Stayton High School from 2013 to 2016. He then spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons as the running backs coach at Willamette University, before taking over as the head man at McKay. Piper hit the ground running with his kids over the last couple months, filling the summer with workouts and weekly 7-on-7 competitions against opposing schools, as well as holding a team camp. As the Royal Scots prepare for their opener against West Albany on Friday, Sept. 6, Piper is really pumped about the work that his crew has put in during the offseason. “It’s been awesome so far. I’m really excited about it, and the kids are excited,” Piper said. “We were having 50 kids show up to every single workout during the offseason. When they’re pumped and ready to go, it puts me in that same boat.”Getting kids excited about football has the potential to be a big deal for McKay — a program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2003. Over the course of the summer, Piper has been getting his players to buy into the new motto of the program. The motto is EAT, and it stands for energy, attitude, toughness, and it’s something Piper wants to see in every phase of his players’ lives, not just on the football field. “It’s something that’s not skill-based. You don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest kid on the team to do those three things. We’re asking kids to do those things, not only on the football field, but also when they’re in the classroom and out in the community,” Piper said. “If they can do those three things, they will be successful in all aspects of their life. So we’re really trying to build something in our program and our culture that is more than just being good on the football field. It’s about what they do every single day, from the time they wake up until the time they go to bed.”Even though they had a rough season in 2018, McKay is returning some stud seniors that hope to have a big impact in 2019. “We have definitely got some guys that I have been impressed with over the summer,” Piper said.Elliott Schaffner is a key senior will be entering his third season on the McKay varsity team. He was a honorable mention selection on the offensive line last year and looks to be the Royal Scots best interior lineman for the second straight season. “Elliot’s really done a great job in practice. He’s been a force on the offensive line and he does a really good job of getting to the second level. He can also play multiple positions on the O-line if needed,” Piper said.McKay’s other top dog on the line of scrimmage appears to be Zaire Ku-Beza, who also received honorable mention status as a tight end last season.“He’s a guy that can be a difference maker. He will be tough for opponents to handle on the line of scrimmage,” Piper said. Ku-Beza looks to be a terror on the Royal Scots defensive line as well, along with junior twins Janderi Perez and Giovanni Perez.Senior Rafael Aguilar is arguably McKay’s best returning player. Aguilar has been on the Royal Scots varsity team all four years of his career, and last season, he was an honorable mention selection as both a linebacker and running back. “Rafael has definitely put a lot of time in the weight room for us. He’s just a guy that gets it. He sees natural holes out there,” Piper said. PAGE B8, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019NOW SCHEDULING seasonalfurnace & heat pump maintenance“I cannot recommend CEC highly enough! They helped us work through the issues we were having with our old heat pump/ac unit. Even during the heatwave, they were able to get their technicians to our home right away. We ended up having to replace our system and everyone we worked with were professional, able to answer any questions we had, and skilled at their trade. This is now our go to company for any and all our HVAC needs.” — Google Reviewer3816 River Rd. N - KeizerCCB #193064CALL US TODAY503-304-1320ALL GAMES START AT 7 P.M.Sept. 6 at West AlbanySept. 13 vs. CentralSept. 20 at South AlbanySept. 27 vs. LebanonOct. 4 at North SalemOct. 10 vs. Corvallis*Oct. 18 at DallasOct. 25 vs. Silverton Nov. 1 vs. Crescent Valley*game will start at 7:15 p.m.SCHEDULEMcKAY ROYAL SCOTSKEIZERTIMES/Eric A. HowaldIn their second season in the Mid-Willamette Conference, the Royal Scots are hoping for improvement in 2019 under new head coach Brandis Piper. McKay enters rebuild under first-year head coach“When they’re pumped and ready to go, it puts me in that same mindset.”— Brandis Piper, McKay head coachSEPTEMBER 6, 2019, KEIZERTIMES FOOTBALL PREVIEW, PAGE A9110 Wallace Road NW, Salem • OFFICE: 503.485.9500 • NMLS 1114314APPLY AT WWW.GREATESTLENDER.COMYOUR HOME PURCHASE OR REFINANCEMADE POSSIBLE BYPurchase & RefinanceHome Improvement LoansInvestment PropertiesManufactured HomesVA and FHA Loans, Jumbo LoansReverse MortgagesCommercial Loans$0 & Low Down ProgramsSenior Mortgage ConsultantNMLS 291931PHILLIP H.GERSTNER503.871.4968Thislittle piggywentall the wayhomeTHE LOCAL COMPANY WITH A BIG REACH!Our access to multiple national financing sourcesis your access to multiple national financing sources.4765 River Rd Nin Keizer503-363-90007:30 am to 3:00 pmOpen EveryDay of the WeekFridayNight LightsORDERUP!Morning Delights“He’s savvy and has a high football IQ.”Tyler Kynaston played receiver for McKay in 2018 after losing the quarterback competition. But according to Piper, the senior has spent much of the summer attending quarterback camps and looks to be ready to take over as the Royal Scots signal-caller in 2019. “Tyler has had a really good summer working at quarterback for us. He definitely gives us another dimension because he’s a really good athlete, both with his arm and with his legs,” Piper said. Seven of McKay’s eight losses last season came by 20 points or more. This season, one of Piper’s main goals is to have his squad be more competitive from a game-to-game basis. “We want to be competitive in every single game. For us, being competitive means that we have an opportunity to experience success in every single game,” Piper said. “At its base level, success is about wins and losses. But it’s more than that. It’s that feeling of being in a game. Going into the third and fourth quarter and having an opportunity. If we have the ability to be in games, we will be seeing some on-field success.” However, some of the seniors have loftier goals for this season as they try and change the culture of McKay football moving forward.“As a group, we’re trying McKay roster# PLAYER NAME YR.1 James Jennings JR2 Kaven Enlet SR3 Jermimiah Chokai SR4 Keven Cornejo SR5 Ben Ponce JR6 Steven Anderson SR7 Tyler Kynaston SR8 Carlos Martinez SR9 Adal Cantano SR10 David Ortiz JR11 Chris Cradduck SR12 Francisco Cervantes JR13 Wesley Guitierrez JR14 Chansse Lee So.15 Josiah Garibay So.20 Elijah Gust So.21 Joshua Boyzo JR22 Alex Paniagua JR23 Jeremy Hernandez SR25 Isreal Villareal SR26 Oscar Picho JR27 Gavin Harris So.33 Rafael Aguilar SR# PLAYER NAME YR.34 Chris Marker-Names SR37 Joshua Morrison SR42 DeAndre McCrae JR45 Zair Ku-Beiza SR49 Issac Fa’agata SR50 Roger Nunez SR55 Janderi Perez JR56 Kyle Whitaker JR58 Giovanni Perez JR60 Brandon Ruiz SR62 Josiah Jepsen SR64 Elliott Schaffner SR67 Anthony Alvarez SR68 Paige Simpson JR70 Andy Nguyen SR74 D’Moore Michiud SR75 Dario Gonzales SR76 Jacob Whitaker SR78 Ramiro Solis JR81 Ricardo Ochoa JR88 Ryan Cox JR89 Brian Coburn JR90 Chance Jacobs JRto get that competition level up so we could go get a playoff spot,” Schaffner said. Aguilar added: “Our goal as seniors would be a playoff berth, but we really just want to go out there and compete.”Next >