By Jeremy McDonald
jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.—The Celtic Football Club of McNary Brayden Copeland was in the middle of the Celts big 14-7 win over the Southridge Eight Sunday afternoon at McKay City Park.
Coming off a three-hour lay-over, waiting for whoever came through the bracket to play them in the Championship Game, McNary had picked up a big pick-six from Jake Patton early in the game.
“It was very tough, going off to the sidelines sitting down. Your muscles are getting tight up and try to get back into it, trying to warm them up is tough,” said Copeland, who played running back and linebacker Sunday. “(Southridge Club) stopped us a few times.”
Quarterback Jack McCarty had played the Southridge squad two times before the Championship and ended up the wrong side of the scoreboard against them. The Senior gunslinger joked about where did the Skyhawks come from as his McNary squad were nursing a minor leading margin entering the final minute of the game.
“Southridge had only like eight guys, but all of their guys were balling out. I was asking them, ‘you guys aren’t tired?’ and they were like, ‘no we play like every weekend’. I was actually surprised with how well they did,” said McCarty, who also quarterbacks the GymClub squad. “I played them three times today and only beat them once barely.”
Southridge was on the move once more like they had against their opposition, getting a fresh set of downs inside the ten-yard line. The Celts held them just shy of the goalline on first down before Copeland did a blitz, pulling the flag of on the Skyhawks draw attempt to force a third down.
On the decisive third down, a double-crossing route came his way, only to see him and his defense get the deciding bat down with only seconds remaining in the game.
“It was pretty intense because they crossed over on the routes and I could only pick up one of those guys, so it was hard,” said Copeland. “It was awesome.”
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
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