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--> --> Sept. 10: Raiders dim the Lights By Bobby Heiken Ashland Daily Tidings Finally Jeff Olson has the offense he's been wanting all six years atop the Southern Oregon University football program. The 14th-ranked Raiders gained 544 yards of offense (272 on the ground and 272 in the air) during a 48-6 rout of Montana State-Northern Saturday at Raider Stadium. "That was what we've been working toward," Olson said. "Now opponents have to worry about us going deep on them because we're not as one dimensional as we have been in the past." The main reason for the balanced offensive attack was the impressive debut of starting quarterback Travis Mari. The senior transfer from Humboldt State connected on 14 of 22 passes for 214 yards. "Travis is pretty talented," Olson said. "Dan Walters (the starting quarterback for SOU the past four years) got us to where we are now. We really think Travis is the one that's going to take us to the next level. He gives us more options. He just missed a few times today." Mari's debut mixed well with another ho-hum day for sophomore running back Dusty McGrorty. After bursting on the scene last year with 1,100 rushing yards, McGrorty gained 178 yards on 15 carries Saturday against the Lights (1-2) and scored four touchdowns. "He's a great back," Mari said. "It's kind of nice being the secondary option on offense. Teams have to prepare a lot for him and hopefully we'll be able to attack them with the passing game." The Raiders first series of the game was a perfect example of that. On the first play Mari completed a 14-yard pass to senior wideout Leo Stoddard. Then four straight McGrorty running plays gave SOU a 7-0 lead. "They already had two games under their belt," Olson said. "I thought it was key for us to not wait for the flow of the game ... We had to come out flying." Late in the first quarter after the Lights fumbled a punt, Mari and SOU offensive coordinator Matt Sayre went straight for the heart as Mari found tight end Nate VanderKley for 21-yard touchdown. McGrorty added another touchdown run and Mari a 43-yard touchdown pass to junior Danny Negra in the second quarter to take a 28-6 lead into halftime. In the second half, McGrorty turned off the Lights with just two plays. On the first series of the half, SOU was facing a third-and-1 when McGrorty busted through the line for a 67-yard touchdown run. The Raider defense forced a punt and after Nick Daniken's 31-yard return, McGrorty took the next play to the house again - his one from 45 yards out for a 41-6 lead. "We were wearing them down quite a bit," Mari said. "I think at the start of the second half they mentally were in the basement." While the offense was turning heads, the SOU defense was giving its usual top-notch effort. The Raiders limited the Lights to 236 yards and their only score of the game came on a 94-yard kickoff return by Travis Crawford. SOU's defense has not allowed a point in the school's past three home openers. "It's all about playing with heart and going out and making plays," senior lineman James Powers said. "Everyone on the defense is talented and we want to go out and be aggressive, and we all want the ball." Linebackers Erube Magana and Matt Scaglione, and lineman Cory Sanborn, each had a sack for SOU, while Mike Seedborg and Vaughn Morris each had an interception. Offensively, 10 different Raiders caught passes with Stoddard leading the group with 63 yards on three receptions. With the season opener out of the way, all eyes are locked in on the Raiders big-time matchup Saturday with fifth-ranked NCAA Division III foe Linfield (1-0) at Raider Stadium. "They are the next team on the schedule," Olson said, "so that makes it the biggest game of the season." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing