No. 3 Celtics win Valley title with 40-12 victory

By the Gazette-Times

KEIZER - The Corvallis High football team knew it needed to keep third-ranked McNary off the board in order to pull an upset, but the Celtics wasted little time getting into the end zone Friday and rolled to a 40-12 Valley League win.

The Spartans (2-6) found themselves down without either team running a play from scrimmage as McNary's K.J. McCrae returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a score.

The Celtics, who won the league title with the victory, took a 34-0 halftime lead, adding a touchdown with 22 seconds left in the second quarter.

Corvallis quarterback Jason Tacchini was 15 of 27 for 175 yards and two touchdowns, both to receiver Cory Dickson.

The Spartans were able to move the ball on their first drive to McNary's 31-yard line, but the drive sputtered on fourth-and-inches due to a false start, and then Tacchini was intercepted by McCrae.

The Spartans got the ball right back when Jake Roy recovered a fumble at the 20, but CHS was turned back again when a sack put them at fourth-and-14 and Cory Dickson's 40-yard field goal try sailed to the left.

The Celtics then took charge, marching 80 yards in nine plays, the drive capped by Aaron Spivey's 3-yard run.

Corvallis seemed to have McNary stymied on the next drive, forcing a third-and-18, but Tyler Matheson made a diving catch on a pass from Ryan Rufener for a 45-yard gain. Tyler Weaver followed up with a diving grab of his own, this one for a 30-yard score.

Rufener finished the half with 226 yards on 16-of-24 passes and three touchdowns. Matheson had seven receptions and two scores.

McNary 40, Corvallis 12

CORVALLIS 0 0 6 6 - 12

McNARY 21 13 6 0 - 40

First quarter

M - K.J. McCrae 85 kickoff return (Gilmore kick)

M - Aaron Spivey 3 run (Gilmore kick)

M - Tyler Weaver 30 pass from Ryan Rufener (Gilmore kick)

Second quarter

M - Tyler Matheson 5 pass from Ryan Rufener (kick failed)

M - Tyler Matheson 1 pass from Ryan Rufener (Gilmore kick)

Third quarter

M - Andrew Quackenbush 13 run (kick blocked)

CHS - Cory Dickson 12 pass from Jason Tacchini (pass failed)

Fourth quarter

CHS - Cory Dickson 30 pass from Jason Tacchini (run failed)

Rushing: CHS (Roy 4-18; Manning 5-9, Simmons 4-12, Tacchini 8-1, Strowbridge 1-0, Graves 1-4). McNary (Spivey 10-54, Quackenbush 4-31, Rufener 5-5, Yamamoto 4-9, Palmer 1-0, Lewis 2-12, McCallister 1-7, Kyley McCrae 13-35, Miller 1-2, Ball 1-(-15)

Passing: CHS (Tacchini 15-27-1, 175 yards, 2 TD; Hubel 0-3, 2 int) McNary (Rufener 17-25-0, 257, 3 TD; Ball 1-4-2, 39; Miller 1-2-1, 15)

Receiving: CHS (Dickson 8-116, 2 TD, Clontz 3-23, Manning 1-14, McKimmy 2-19, Graves 1-3). McNary (Matheson 7-121, Spivey 1-4, Weaver 3-67, McCallister 4-50, Stauber 2-38, Mackey 1-15, Pacadena 1-6).