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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels September 11, 2004 Turnovers trip up Grizzlies By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings MILWAUKIE - The Grizzlies had high expectations entering Friday night's non-league clash with Rex Putnam High. Following the Grants Pass Jamboree, where Ashland went toe-to-toe with three SOC teams, a win in the preseason match-up with the Kingsmen could have given the Grizzlies an early confidence boost. So Ashland took the opening kickoff and started moving the ball downfield. Things looked good - for about 30 seconds. But a bobbled ball turned into a Putnam fumble recovery and with 11:29 left in the first quarter, the Kingsmen had dashed that fumble into the end zone. "That was not good," second-year Grizz head coach David Coldiron said of the way the Grizzlies started off against the Kingsmen, who went 4-5 last season in the PIL. Ashland had its opportunities down the line, scoring twice and forcing three Putnam turnovers, but that chance first-quarter Kingsmen score proved to be the difference in their 13-9 victory. "It's tough to lose a game, there's no doubt about that," Coldiron said. "The kids are really disappointed. They really wanted to come out and make a statement." Ashland had its moments, out-doing the Kingsmen on offense in the second half by nearly 200 yards - about 240 passing yards courtesy junior quarterback Sam Littleton and a handful of rushing yards compared to about 70 yards of offense for Putnam. "Passing-wise, we have some real player makers in Steven Jorgensen, Dylan Steeves, Josh Cornelius and Jeff Skinner," Coldiron said. "We've got some kids who can really catch the ball." The comeback Ashland notched a field goal in response the Kingsmen score early in the game, but time slipped off the clock before the Grizzlies could mount a successful touchdown drive in the first half. Early in the third quarter, senior Grizz linebacker Morgan Mason forced a Putnam fumble on the Kingsmen 42-yard line. On Ashland's first offensive play of the second half, Littleton connected with Skinner on a 42-yard touchdown reception that pushed the Grizzlies ahead 9-6 with 11 minutes left in the third quarter. Rob McNamara's point-after attempt failed, but the Grizzlies still had the momentum. "We came back in the second half," Coldiron said. Putnam responded on its very next opportunity. A 15-yard facemask penalty on the kickoff return gave the Kingsmen ideal field position on their own 44-yard line. Two plays later, on third and four at the 50, it looked like the drive was over for Putnam. Quarterback Daniel Thompson was scrambling in the backfield, about to be sacked, when he found tight end Matt Gordon deep in Ashland territory. Grizz defenders knocked Gordon out-of-bounds around the 10 to save a touchdown. But the Kingsmen fell back on running back Cody Heinlin, who squirted through the Ashland D-line for the score. The 13-9 Putnam lead persisted through the last 22 minutes of play. "We have to get better," Coldiron said. "There are so many little things that, if we did those a little bit better, I think it's a different ball game." Steps in the right direction Although Ashland lost, the improvements the team has made since last season - or even last week - were evident on the field. "Our defense got better on every snap of the ball," Coldiron said. The players agreed. "I felt our defense played a really good game," senior linebacker Alex Aleccia said. "We just weren't clicking on offense. We had our moments, but we need to be solid." The Grizzlies had one last solid look at a touchdown, and the win, late in the fourth quarter. Ashland took control of the ball on an Aaron San Nicholas interception at midfield with five minutes remaining. Two incomplete passes and one four-yard toss to Cornelius later, the Grizzlies were staring at fourth and six when a penalty marker threw them into a fourth-and-14 scenario. Littleton completed a long pass to keep the drive alive at the Kingsmen 31. The Grizzlies worked their way to the 23 with 1:34 left, but saw their comeback hopes dashed when Littleton's pass over the middle to Jorgensen was intercepted. "It's just going to make us work harder in practice," Aleccia said. The home team ran down the clock and walked out with the win. "We still need to get some things done," Coldiron said. "It was only Game 1. This is not the end of the world." 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