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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels June 29, 2004 Morris rethinks college plans By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings Ten days ago, former Ashland High all-star wide receiver and cornerback David Morris had all but wrapped up his days of competitive football. With one prep game left, the Class of 2004 grad had redirected his energies toward preparing for his freshman year of college at Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City, Utah. Then he played starting cornerback for the South All-Stars in the Les Schwab Bowl, the annual summer battle between the best Class 4A senior football players. "I really didn't know if I had the skill to play at the next level," Morris said. "I realized that I was just as good as most of those guys up there." Morris also discovered that, among the almost-80 players he trained with, lived with and played ball with last week at Lewis and Clark University in Portland, he was among the minority. Only about five of the guys invited to the bowl weren't planning on playing collegiate ball in the fall. Morris may no longer be one of the few. "I'll probably get in touch with some people," Morris said. "Walking onto BYU might be an option." A different end Following the Grizzlies 0-6 Southern Oregon Conference performance last fall, the Les Schwab Bowl gave Morris one last chance to end his prep career with a win. Morris started all but one and a half defensive series for the South squad, which included SOC foes from North Medford and Roseburg, as well as the former Crater head coach and current South Medford leader, John Beck. "I was really hesitant going into it," Morris said. "I actually became really good friends with all of the North guys. I pretty much got along with all of the guys up there." It helped that Beck and his coaching staff had hand-picked Morris, the lone Grizz representative at the North-South battle, to play wide receiver. "I went up there an they told me I was going to play offense, but they needed me on defense," Morris said. The last-minute switch didn't seem to faze Morris, who had six solid tackles at corner in the first half. No passes were completed to his side of the field in the entire game and the South handled the North 9-6. The South scored first, on a short pass play from inside the red zone. The North responded with an 89-yard pass play, bringing the score to 7-6 in favor of the South after the point-after attempt was rejected. The South squad earned a safety on the blocked kick and the North never recovered. "It was fun. I'm glad I went up there," Morris said. "It was definitely a better way to finish my prep career." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams