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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 28, 2004 Writing the Pine Dusty's rise makes him easy to root for Joe Zavala Just a few tidbits from the week past and the week ahead in local sports, which are becoming more entertaining as the various postseasons approach. First, however, I think I speak for most of Ashland when I say the following: Go Dusty. After setting umpteen rushing records over four spectacular years at Southern Oregon University, Dusty McGrorty will attempt to crack the St. Louis Rams' roster in the coming months. If he does, he could become the first ever former Raider to play in a regular season NFL game. Luckily, he's received a little bit of a heads up on the inner workings of the pro game, courtesy of former NFL journeyman and current SOU assistant coach Chad Cota. The advice Cota has passed on has been invaluable, McGrorty says, from Cota's knowledge of what the average NFL workout entails to his assurance that great special teams plays actually do get noticed by the men making the decisions. Speaking of special teams, that may be McGrorty's best shot at earning a roster spot. He says he'll do whatever it takes to make the team, then try to work his way up the ladder from there. Whatever happens, the fact that he's even been offered an NFL contract five or so years after his high school coach told McGrorty he should forget about even playing college football says a lot about his drive. If only the NFL could measure that in their pre-draft tests. I'll also be rooting for the other two former Raiders eyeing NFL homes: wide receiver Andrae Thurman, who signed with the New York Giants Monday, and punter Steve Baker, who remains unsigned. Thurman cranked out one of the best 40-yard dash times in the country during his pre-draft workout and probably is the most likely of the three to be playing pro football five years from now. Still, McGrorty's rise at SOU, from Griff Yates' shadow to All-American to NFL prospect, seem to give him a special place in the hearts of Raider fans - well, at least this one. Stretch run If you attend one Southern Oregon Conference baseball doubleheader all year, make it Saturday's clash between Ashland High and South Medford. The Grizzlies desperately need a sweep to stay in the hunt for a league title (or, for that matter, to get some breathing room in the race for a playoff spot), while South Medford is in position to take a commanding lead in the conference standings. After crushing Roseburg 10-2 Tuesday, the Panthers are 11-2 in the SOC, two games ahead of second-place North Medford (9-4 SOC) and four games up on Ashland (7-6 SOC) with seven league games remaining. Only a game separates the Grizzlies and Grants Pass (7-6) from Crater and Klamath Union (both 6-7 SOC). South won the last meeting with Ashland 7-6 at Miles Field back on April 13, but this time the Grizzlies will be throwing the undisputed kind of SOC mounds, Chad Hegdahl. Hegdahl is coming off a 10-strikeout, complete game shutout of Eagle Point and will be well rested. Play ball. A road block too high Ashland No. 1 singles player Evan Schleining may have to wait a year to win the SOC singles title because North Medford's Tyler Wilson seems just too sharp and too consistent to give Schleining a chance. That was the case again Tuesday, when the two best prep players in southern Oregon squared off for the second time this season and produced the same result - a Wilson straight-set romp. Schleining is the more spectacular player; he rips more juicy winners down the line and more crosscourt zingers from ridiculous angles, but Wilson is like a ball machine. "I didn't want to do anything too stupid out there today," Wilson said after Tuesday's 6-2, 6-1 win. "I figured that after a while he'd go for it and maybe miss, but I just wanted to stay consistent and go for my shots." The two will probably meet again at this weekend's North Medford tennis tournament. Schleining is the only tennis player in the Rogue Valley capable of pushing Wilson, but he'll have to clean up the unforced errors to have any shot. This is one of the most underrated rivalries in the SOC right now. They practice together, but they're anything but buddy-buddy when it's match time. People should watch. 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