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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Measure 92 recount shows little change in Jackson County Ashland: Lions Club steps up for vision tests Police allege Ashland pizza parlor owner tried to blow up building Survey: Ashland is an affordable rental market Ashland woman wins Megabucks jackpot Education Ashland: Lions Club steps up for vision tests Ashland Rotary Student Youth of the Month: Avery Nicole Jesmer AHS arts festival is Friday AHS, SOU seek arts program director In Portland, mindfulness classes ease stress of high school Environment Home Help: Make your new house feel like home ‘Tis the season — for wild mushrooms Don't like weather where you are? 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(Aiken) Stella Demo Death Notices Cynthia �Cyna� Ann Sports Latest Stories Two Grizzlies make first-team all-state Atanda named All-America honorable mention Mariota named one of three Heisman finalists Florida, here they come North Medford boys run away from Ashland with first-half surge High school Two Grizzlies make first-team all-state North Medford boys run away from Ashland with first-half surge SOU volleyball team's season ends with loss to Vanguard at nationals Southern Oregon roughed up by defending champs Six Grizzlies voted MWL first-teamers Southern Oregon University Two Grizzlies make first-team all-state Atanda named All-America honorable mention Mariota named one of three Heisman finalists Florida, here they come North Medford boys run away from Ashland with first-half surge Opinion Latest Stories Granlund cartoon: CIA torture report Guest Opinion: Shelter is a basic human right Granlund cartoon: William and Barack Letters to the Editor, Dec. 8 Guest Opinion: Refugee children at our border Editorial Our View: Raiders are winners Our View: Celebrating more students Our View: A morning well spent Other Views: Tax reform won't be easy Our View: Give market vendors a break Letters Letters to the Editor, Dec. 8 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 5 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 4 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 3 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 2 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Shelter is a basic human right Guest Opinion: Refugee children at our border Guest Opinion: Why giving market food vendors 'a break' is poor public policy Guest Opinion: Ashland feeds them, we deal with them Guest Opinion: It's time to put a price on carbon Revels Latest Stories Community blog: William Stafford: His Writing, His Life SOU presents all-percussion concert Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists 4 Things to do this Weekend At the movies Theater Meet the real Jacob Marley New design for Bricks takes shape Hard to keep a straight face with 'Red Noses' 'Red Noses' is a romp through slapstick and pathos 'The Drunken City': Bachelorettes meet bar-crawlers Music SOU presents all-percussion concert Peter Chianca: Top 40 songs even a dad could love The Farr Side: Different artists, common songs Longtime area musician Steve Read, 64, dies The Farr Side: CMA telecast was a disappointment Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies At the movies Interview: Benedict Cumberbatch on playing ‘The Imitation Game’ Interview: Reese Witherspoon experiences life in 'The Wild' Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Citizenfour' is a matter-of-fact bore Food and Drink Blue bows out of Granite Street site, Agave moving in Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Shayne Looper: Are you infected with ‘solution aversion?’ Peter Chianca: Our dogs do love us - it’s science! Dr. Elaine Heffner: Equal and different Food for Thought: Meal-planning hacks to help you dine fast and healthy What are you doing to get ready for winter? Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Measure 92 recount shows little change in Jackson County ... Police allege Ashland pizza parlor owner tried to blow up building ... Survey: Ashland is an affordable rental market ... Measure 92 recount shows little change in Jackson County ... Police allege Ashland pizza parlor owner tried to blow up building ... Survey: Ashland is an affordable rental market ... COLLEGE FOOTBALL Tow overcomes heart condition to spark Raiders Speedy RB electrifies crowd, looks forward to showdown at No. 1 Carroll By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Nov. 25, 2014 @ 2:00 am By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Nov. 25, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Social News Sean Tow didn’t know why his heart was acting funny, thumping sporadically, adding beats where none should have been. But when he heard the diagnosis – premature ventricular contractions, or PVC – he tried to stay positive. It was mid-August, only weeks before the Southern Oregon University football team was set to open its season with a game at Menlo, and Tow (pronounced like “pow”) was looking forward to building upon what had been a successful freshman campaign, during which he rushed for 565 yards and eight touchdowns. But suddenly, the results of an electrocardiogram test were threatening to derail not only Tow’s sophomore season but his entire football career. All he knew was that the doctors said he had PVC and sinus bradycardia — a slow heartbreak — and that they felt a wait-and-see approach was best. But wait how long? Tow, who spent the next few agonizing weeks back home in Diamond Spring, Calif., undergoing tests, didn’t know what to think. “It was kind of like, as the weeks go on and as appointments go on we’ll see how it is,” he said. “There was a week when they said, ‘If this scenario happens then you’ll probably be done, but if this happens then you’ll be good.’ And then that same week is when they said, ‘OK, you’re good to go.’” How did he deal with the possibility that his playing days could be taken away prematurely? By refusing to believe that that could happen. “I never really let that thought into my head,” he said. Some may see that as avoidance, but a 5-foot-6, 160-pound running back excelling at a game designed for giants doesn’t get there by listening to reason. “I kind of just made sure the whole time that I had positive thoughts and that I was going to get through it and eventually get back on the field,” he said. On Sept. 20 against the College of Idaho, Tow did get back on the field and immediately showed the Raiders what they had been missing. He had seven rushes for 47 yards and a catch for 10 more in helping the Raiders dismantle the Coyotes 56-28 — up to that point, SOU’s most prolific offensive performance of 2014. Tow has had some better performances since, including Saturday’s big game against MidAmerican Nazarene in the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series, but his return to the field against C of I was special. “Ahhh,” he said, a wide grin spreading underneath a lumberjack beard, “it was amazing. It was amazing. It was a great time. And on the field, it seemed like I didn’t miss a beat.” Tow’s return gave the Raiders (10-2) three unique back to throw at opposing defenses, and it’s proven at times to be a deadly combination that could be especially vital this Saturday, when eighth-ranked SOU travels to Helena, Mont. for a quarterfinal game against Frontier Conference rival and No. 1-ranked Carroll College (10-1). Normally, SOU goes to the air to loosen up opposing defenses, but the weather forecast in Helena on Saturday calls for sub-20-degree temperatures and, yes, snow. If the white stuff does blanket the field at Nelson Stadium and degrade the field’s traction, it may also throw off the timing between SOU quarterback Austin Dodge and his receivers. And if that happens, the Raiders may turn to their running game. As Tow proved against MidAmerica Nazarene, that’s not necessarily a disadvantage for the Raiders. Like a baseball manager calling on a closer with unhittable stuff, SOU often uses Tow sparingly early in games before unleashing him in the second half. Saturday’s game was a perfect example. Tow carried the ball only once in the first half, accounting for only two of the Raiders’ 72 rushing yards in the opening two quarters. It was a tight game — SOU led 20-17 at the break. But in the second half the Raiders cut Tow loose, and he went off, finishing with 13 rushes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Tow’s style is everything one would expect given his size. He darts through holes then toys with linebackers, often using a knee-buckling jump-cut or tornado spin to pocket a few extra yards, always reaching for every last inch while ducking under larger shoulder pads. Against MidAmerca his longest run was 29 yards — not a game-breaker. But he probably had three of the game’s five most dazzling plays, at one point bringing the crowd to its feet with an insane four-cut needle into the Pioneers’ side. “He’s like a water skipper out there — boop, boop, boop, and they can’t get a hand on him,” said SOU head coach Craig Howard, waving his hand through the air to imitate a moving target. “He runs that inside zone and he runs that outside zone. And when he runs the inside zone there might be a linebacker sitting right in the hole and all of a sudden, boom, he’s gone. He’s got the quickest feet of any back I think I’ve ever coached. I mean, he’s a buck-65 – a lot of people say guys that small shouldn’t play college football. He’s proving them all wrong, and I’m so glad he’s on our team.” Now, Howard is hoping that Tow, who’s rushed for 587 yards and six touchdowns this season, and the Raiders can prove everybody wrong and shock the Saints on Saturday. Southern Oregon and Carroll split their season series, with each team defending its home field, but Carroll is 2-0 against SOU in the playoffs — winning back-to-back quarterfinal showdowns in 2001 and 2002. Tow, who is used to playing the role of underdog, says the Raiders are looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to make some more history. Already responsible for pulling out the most wins in a season in program history, SOU on Saturday will be gunning for another program first: a berth in the NAIA semifinals. “We’re all pumped,” he said. “We’re all excited. Respect all, honor all, we know. We respect them, but we’re not going to afraid of anyone. It’s going to be a great time. We’re ready to go.” Joe Zavala can be reached at 541-776-4469 or [email protected]. By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Posted Nov. 25, 2014 @ 2:00 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Week 15 QB Start 'Em or Sit 'Em Dec. 9, 2014 at 5:06 pm Rodgers Kneel Kills Fantasy Hopes Dec. 9, 2014 at 4:08 pm Will History Repeat Itself in Week 15 Matchups? Dec. 9, 2014 at 2:50 pm Waiver, Rankings, Projections and More Dec. 9, 2014 at 12:00 pm MNF Fantasy Fallout: Downgrade Eddie Lacy in Week 15 Playoff Matchups? 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