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46 °F 5 Day Forecast Saturday, December 6, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend November 16, 2003 South Medford�s Spencer Hunter (13) celebrates with teammates Corey O�Neill, bottom, and Mikey Belzberg, back, after the Panthers won the Class 4A title. Photos by Craig Mitchelldyer / for the Mail Tribune Panthers prevail A goal in overtime by Spencer Hunter gives South Medford its second state title in seven years By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune TIGARD — A set piece dreams are made of. That’s what delivered South Medford the Class 4A boys soccer state championship Saturday night at Tigard High School. Oh, there were all the other ingredients — relentless hustle, deft touches, crunching tackles, sprawling saves, intelligence under fire, unyielding determination — that go into title- worthy soccer, too. Advertisement But it was the set piece that made the dream a reality. The 94th minute, just more than three minutes into the second half of overtime of a scoreless thriller, is when it happened. Redmond senior fullback Jon Maroni had been whistled for a shove of Panthers senior forward Joel Connors. The ball was placed 20 yards out and a shade to the right as South seniors Spencer Hunter, Corey O’Neill and Josh Williams convened. Looking at the Redmond wall, which was guarding the near post, O’Neill had an idea. "I’m all, ‘Spencer, just shoot it,’" O’Neill said. On the sidelines, head coach Dave Potter knew, "Spencer was just drooling." On the artificial turf, Hunter let his right foot rip. After Williams and O’Neill stepped over the ball in opposite directions, Hunter used the outside of his right foot to smoke a shot to the left of Redmond’s wall and into the far-post side-netting. Redmond senior goalkeeper Josh Snyder never moved. There was nothing he could do. "I always hope I get one of those shots because I like hitting the ball hard with the outside of my foot, bending into the far post," Hunter said. "That was probably the best opportunity I’ve ever had to do that. And I don’t think I’ve ever hit a better shot, nor at a better time." Redmond head coach Ken Marshall — whose team applied frenzied pressure for the remaining 6 minutes, 54 seconds, firing six more shots, could only dole out credit where it was due following a 1-0 overtime defeat. "It was two pretty evenly matched teams right there," he said. "And Hunter’s free kick was just brilliant. That was a brilliant shot. What can you say? That was hit as well as a ball is hit, right there. It was a great shot." It was the difference in a match as fast and furious as a professional indoor game. Only it was outside, amid periodic rain and in front of an estimated 7,500 passionate fans. It was the state championship the way it’s supposed to be played. "It has to be the most intense game I’ve ever played in," said senior marking fullback Eric Rubey, who was integral in helping the Panthers (17-2-1) to their 10th shutout in 20 matches this fall. "The emotion, the speed of play, the physicalness. I give them so much credit, they’re a great team. It could have gone either way, but we just wanted it today." Redmond, the top-ranked champion of the Intermountain Conference, had not lost all season. It finishes 18-1 after finally allowing its first goal in five state-playoff matches — "unheard of," Potter said — and only ninth overall this fall. South, the No. 1 seed out of the Southern Oregon Conference, earned the second state title in program history, joining its 1997 crown. Redmond constructed a 16-7 edge in shots — although almost all of South’s were of the extremely dangerous variety — and earned a 9-2 advantage in corner kicks. The Panthers of Redmond were whistled for 19 infractions to 15 on the Panthers of Medford. South junior goalkeeper Mikey Belzberg looked like he was born to play on artificial turf in making six saves, including two and a punch out of a net-bound corner following Hunter’s goal. Redmond’s Snyder made only two saves, but his right-handed reflex stop on senior defensive central midfielder Andrew Egan’s 10th-minute header was as fantastic as any all night. South had a goal called back, controversially, for offsides in the 64th minute. Williams, a senior central midfielder, had used his head to flick Hunter’s long drive off a dead ball past Snyder. But the linesman flagged offsides, and the match would have to wait until the drama could further intensify. That’s when Hunter stepped up, and a dream was lived — not just for the Panthers’ star sweeper, but for all involved with an entire program. "Wow," said O’Neill, the star forward who has played with Hunter since the two were 6-year-olds and teamed with junior Shane Holiday in applying exhausting pressure for South on Saturday night. "This is why you start playing soccer at a very young age. Everyone wants to play soccer in high school. Everyone wants to win it — there’s no other reason why they’re playing it. We are the only team out of 80-something high schools in the state of Oregon, 4A, that took home the trophy." And that’s the stuff dreams are made of. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times