Opinion

By Steve Gress
Mid-Valley Sports

Jake Roy zeroed in on Randy Ball, took the proper angle and wrapped up the McNary sophomore quarterback for the final time Friday night.

Roy jumped up, both fists clenched, and celebrated a 20-0 victory over the Celtics, a win that put the Corvallis High football team into the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

As soon as the moment passed, Roy led his teammates to the line to congratulate the Celtics on a hard-fought game before heading over to the large contingency of Spartan students who lined the field from the 15-yard line to the end zone.

This was as much their win as it was Roy's and his teammates'.

The turnaround is complete for the Spartan football team.

"I'm just ecstatic," senior quarterback Max Chaney said. "Everyone came out playing hard and ready to go. I'm just glad we all executed well."

That's what the Spartans have done all season — played hard and executed. They also have been one of the best teams in the league when it comes to sportsmanship, as was evidenced by the way the team celebrated its win Friday night.

They players lined up, sang the school fight song and headed back to the locker room to change. They then went out with friends, headed home or to the school dance. There was no taunting or bragging.

Maybe that's because this team knows what it feels like to be on the other side of the scoreboard. This group of seniors has been preparing for this moment for the past four years, many playing together and dreaming of going to the playoffs since they were in eighth grade.

"It's crazy because ever since eighth grade we knew we were going to take over Corvallis High football," senior wide receiver Billy Clontz said. "It just took a while. We stepped up and took the challenge and ran with it."

Clontz couldn't have said it better. The Spartan players and coaches have acted like they have been in this situation before, even though they haven't. That is what I have admired the most out of this team — the way they respect each opponent before, during and after the game.

That's the challenge I have for the team this Friday night when they travel to take on cross-town rival Crescent Valley. It's been a heated contest the past couple of years, with some antics that need not be duplicated this year.

Three years ago, the Raiders traveled to Corvallis and won a laugher, 47-7 over the winless Spartans. Late in the game, one CV player scored and started breakdancing in the end zone, much to the displeasure of the Spartan fans.

Two years ago, the Spartans ended a 27-game losing streak with a 7-0 victory at CV. A few days later, shirts with the slogan "What's up, Shut up" and "City champs" began appearing, much to the chagrin of the Raider fans.

I can understand how heated this rivalry gets, but sometimes it can get out of hand. Let's hope that doesn't happen after this year's game.

The Spartans' victory over McNary saved the Valley League from a potential ugly situation. Had the Celtics won, they would have been tied with Corvallis and McKay with 6-2 records. Had all three teams finished with identical records, only two of the three teams would have advanced to the playoffs because the Valley League only has three playoff berths this year.

So who would have been left out? It would have come down to the luck of the draw as opposed to what the teams did on the field, unfortunately.

My solution, the fairest I have come up with, would have been to take the two teams that had the largest margin of victory against the three teams involved. I realize, however, that no matter what the tiebreaker would have been, one team would still be staying home.

But thanks to the Spartans' win, there is no need for a tiebreaker.

Finally, congratulations to the Corvallis High girls cross country team for compiling a 4.0 grade point average to lead all schools and sports programs in the state. That distinction earns the Spartans top billing in the fall edition of the Dairy Farmers of Oregon Academic All-State program released by the OSAA.

The Spartans finished the year by placing fifth at the Valley League district meet this past Saturday at Bush Pasture Park in Salem. Juliana Houston (16th), Johanna Withrow-Robinson (17th) and Kathryn Bailey (20th) were all in the top 20.

Steve Gress can be reached at 758-9544 or steve.gress@lee.net.