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Peyton Maurer, Triston Wallace hold grandfather’s legacy going at Cascade Christian
When pondering of his grandfather Andy, Cascade Christian junior Peyton Maurer likes to inform a narrative from his childhood.
“I bear in mind him selecting on me somewhat as a result of I like my Whopper with out the entire toppings,” recalled Peyton. “He’d simply get the Whopper as it’s. He’d get the entire thing and he’d inform me to eat all of it.”
It was all about appreciating the entire fixings.
And Andy Maurer was not going to have it another method.
It’s a reminder, in a method, to Peyton Maurer that grandpa was at all times instructing, regardless that it wasn’t on the soccer discipline. And for Peyton Maurer and teammate/cousin Triston Wallace, retaining grandpa’s legacy alive in the identical program he based may be very a lot on the entrance of their minds every time they take the sphere.
“Each day after I get up I’m reminded of what he began and what he’s completed for this program,” Wallace stated of Andy Maurer. “And with the ability to step on this discipline is a superb honor.”
“I simply bear in mind his huge smile,” continued Wallace, “and him at all times laughing and chuckling and messing round with us. He was at all times enjoyable to be round.”
Because the Challengers get able to play for one more Class 3A state title on Saturday afternoon in opposition to No. 1-seeded Kennedy, the existence of the Cascade Christian soccer program will be traced again to 1 man — Andy Maurer.
The branches of the Maurer tree are aplenty regardless of if it’s on the soccer discipline or the basketball courtroom.
The Maurer household stretches three generations at Cascade Christian, with twin brothers Peyton and Austin Maurer and Wallace being the newest trio to come back by the doorways.
However there’s no denying who all of it begins with: Andy.
Andy Maurer, who was born in Silverton and proved to be among the finest athletes to ever come out of Prospect Excessive, performed school soccer on the College of Oregon after which within the NFL after being a third-round decide of the Atlanta Falcons in 1970. He additionally performed for the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos.
He performed in two of the primary 12 Tremendous Bowls, as he began at guard for the Vikings in Tremendous Bowl IX and later for the Broncos in Tremendous Bowl XII.
It was in 1992 when he began a soccer program at Cascade Christian, with the objective of displaying that you may nonetheless be of Christian religion and in addition play a tricky model of soccer.
“He actually began it on all people being man and never only a good soccer participant,” stated Wallace, a senior working again/linebacker.
In his near-two a long time as head coach at Cascade Christian, Andy Maurer amassed a 100-78 report because the Challengers made the transition from 1A as much as 3A. Cascade made the state playoffs six instances throughout his tenure, together with profitable the 2A state title in 2006 earlier than shifting as much as 3A.
Now 30 years later, the Challengers have had simply two head coaches — Andy Maurer and the man he handpicked to be his successor, Jon Gettman.
Between then and now, Andy Maurer’s son and Peyton’s dad, Marty, has additionally performed soccer at Cascade Christian earlier than happening to play at Oregon State. Marty Maurer was a part of the Beavers group that went to the 2001 Fiesta Bowl and was inducted into the OSU Corridor of Fame final fall.
Andy Maurer handed away in 2016 after a protracted battle with most cancers.
“I really feel sort of honored to hold on his legacy each time I put (the Cascade Christian uniform) on,” stated Peyton, who’s tied for the group lead with six landing catches this season. “I’m glad to be part of it and to maintain each my grandpa and my dad’s legacy happening and I hope to proceed it.”
It’s that legacy that Peyton remembers earlier than every recreation.
“I do some factor earlier than the sport and simply bear in mind what I play for,” he stated. “I simply bear in mind my grandpa and I really feel his presence on the sphere and that he’s there with me.”
When Andy Maurer was able to step apart, he had one particular person in thoughts to take over this system he constructed from scratch. That was his former all-state security and quarterback Gettman.
Gettman, who might be teaching in his fifth state title recreation throughout his 13-year tenure on Saturday, was an assistant underneath his mentor beginning in 2004 and ultimately known as performs for Cascade in 2008 and 2009 earlier than being named head coach in 2010.
“He’s a man that gave me the prospect to educate soccer,” stated Gettman. “He’s a mentor for me and, before everything, he’s my soccer coach in highschool. It was a fantastic blessing that he taught me what it meant to be that and helped me develop as a younger man, helped me develop and challenged me in methods to assist me be a Godly man.
“As a coach, he actually pushed me and gave me plenty of alternatives. I used to be too younger, I didn’t know what I used to be doing however he let me go do it.”
When taking a look at how Gettman runs this system, each Peyton Maurer and Wallace are reminded of their grandfather.
“I feel it’s actually cool and I feel he does a fantastic job of instructing us how one can be good males,” stated Wallace. “I feel Andy can be very ecstatic to see what he’s created.”
Added Peyton Maurer: “I like how coach Gettman builds relationships with the youngsters and you’ll inform he actually cares about what he does. I feel he bought that from my grandpa.”
Each Peyton Maurer and Wallace gained a state title with the Cascade Christian boys basketball group final March, with all-state heart Austin Maurer — Peyton’s brother and the reigning 3A participant of the yr — main the best way for the Challengers.
All three performed youth soccer for South Medford rising up earlier than Austin — who was very a lot the tallest one of many group at the same time as they have been in elementary faculty — shifted his focus to basketball.
Doubtlessly getting a second state championship ring is one thing that’s not escaping Peyton Maurer and Wallace.
“The sensation of profitable a state championship is simply unbelievable,” stated Peyton Maurer. “You don’t actually really feel it at first, however you are feeling it after every week and it settles in. To get that feeling again can be superior. And to get it with the seniors and simply being round them, I might like to get a hoop for them.”
Wallace, a kind of seniors, has been credited with being one of many Challengers’ leaders each on the sphere and off it.
“Successful a state championship is like no different feeling I’ve ever had,” stated Wallace. “This group of seniors, they’ve actually stepped up this yr, they’ve actually stepped up as seniors. With the small senior class that we had final yr, it was kinda up within the air on who’s going to be a frontrunner, however I feel all people has stepped up this yr and with the period of time we put in over the summer season to now I feel we deserve it.”
This coming January would be the seventh anniversary of Andy’s passing.
However the very purpose why he wished a soccer program and the by-product of that also stays true three a long time later.
And regardless of the opponent, grandpa Andy goes to be there in spirit.
“What it meant to have love for the sport and what it means to be a tough employee,” Peyton Maurer stated of what he realized from his grandfather. “That basically caught with me and I attempt to hold that with me in all the pieces I do. No matter I do, I simply do it for him.”
Attain reporter Danny Penza at 541-776-4469 or dpenza@rosebudmedia.com. Observe him on Twitter @penzatopaper.
Cascade Christian’s soccer cousins Triston Wallace and Peyton Maurer at Lithia & Driveway Fields in Medford Wednesday. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]
Andy Maurer sits with grandsons, from left, Austin Maurer, Triston Wallace and Peyton Maurer previous to a Pop Warner soccer recreation. Picture courtesy of Marty Maurer
Former Cascade Christian participant and present assistant coach Marty Maurer, heart, poses with son Peyton Maurer (13) and nephew Triston Wallace (22). Picture courtesy of Marty Maurer
From left, Austin Maurer, Peyton Maurer and Triston Wallace pose with their Pop Warner championship medals at Autzen Stadium. Picture courtesy of Marty Maurer
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