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42 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, November 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds 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 Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 29, 2004 With most of its starters back this season, including outfielder Corey O�Neill (4), South Medford could make a push for its first-ever SOC title. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman City title could equal SOC title North and South Medford picked as co-favorites to claim baseball title By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune After several years of second-hand status, the South Medford baseball team finds itself in a unique position heading into the 2004 Southern Oregon Conference campaign. Not only are the Panthers expected to reach the state playoffs for the first time since 1999, they’re considered a favorite to claim the school’s first-ever SOC baseball championship in 18 years. "We still have to go out and prove it, though," says third-year South coach Steve Antich. In what is expected to be a tight race for one of the SOC’s four state-playoff berths, the conference’s coaches bestowed four first-place votes on South Medford and four on cross-town rival North Medford in the preseason poll to make them co-favorites for the crown. Advertisement South and North each received 46 total points in the voting, with Ashland and Roseburg tying for third at 30. Klamath Union nabbed 24 points, followed by Grants Pass (21), Crater (20) and Eagle Point (7). "We feel like we’ve got the potential to be a pretty darn good club," says Antich, "but there are some other clubs out there who feel just like us. We’d like to feel like we’re right there, but we still have to show we’re a consistent threat." Until then, Antich says it’s difficult to not consider North Medford the favorite. The Black Tornado has won at least a share of the title the past two years, and has a history of playing for it all as the schedule winds down. "They’re still one of those teams you have to give a lot of credit to," Antich says of North, which South hasn’t beaten since a doubleheader sweep in 2001. "They’re out there competing for (the title) every year." While North Medford coach Brett Wolfe has no problems with his team targeted in the No. 1 spot, he, too, is impressed with a South squad that returns almost its entire lineup. "They’re going to be tough to contend with," Wolfe says. "They really swing the bat and they’re only going to get better. No question we’re going to have a battle." The Tornado (4-1) has to replace its entire outfield and is lacking in varsity experience on the mound, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare. North returns 2003 player-of-the-year Rob Folsom and a handful of others from last year’s top-ranked team which was eliminated in the state quarterfinals. Folsom helped the Tornado to a 25-4 overall record by hitting .541, with nine home runs and 36 RBIs en route to first-team all-state status at catcher. Shortstop Beau Hovland will be asked to split time on the mound, while returners Russ Vandell and Charlie Behnke provide potent bats and steady defense at third. Moving up from reserve roles will be senior center fielder Sammy McHenry and second baseman Jeff Adams. Newcomers to North’s varsity lineup will be left-handed pitchers Cole Rohrbough and Josh Suarez, right-handed pitcher Brian Place and a host of hitters in Abe Eubanks, Brandon White, Kyle Williamson and Matt Schmeltzer. "I’m real comfortable with our team and happy with it," says Wolfe. "We have a team full of competitors, and any time you have a team like that, you have to feel pretty good." Rohrbough, Suarez and Place could provide the key for North as the SOC turns to a 21-game conference schedule this season with single games Tuesdays and doubleheaders Saturdays. In Tuesday’s SOC openers, South is at Crater, Klamath Union at North, Grants Pass at Ashland and Eagle Point at Roseburg. Rohrbough has a knack for spotting his fastball and boasts a nice mix of breaking pitches to go with a changeup. Wolfe says Suarez mirrors Rohrbough on the mound, while Place is steady from the right side and Hovland brings the most heat of the rotation. At the plate, the Tornado also appears to have picked up where it left off last season by scoring 63 runs and collecting 24 extra-base hits in five nonconference games. South (4-1) has the potential of rivaling North’s offensive output with returners like Corey O’Neill, Dan Chancler, Andy Narus, Allen Smith, et. al. O’Neill and Chancler were first-team all-SOC selections last year and will be joined in the outfield by junior Logan Boyd, who missed last season with a knee injury. "They’re going to be our rock," Antich says of the outfield. "Corey’s hugely important in setting the table in the leadoff spot for us, and Dan was our most consistent, solid hitter last year. Logan was chomping at the bit last year watching, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him back." The Panthers return their entire infield, buoyed by Narus at shortstop and Smith at first base. All four South pitchers also return, led by senior right-hander Tim Holtz and junior righty Tyler Heil. Sophomore Tommy George and senior Matt Bryant will also see plenty of action after solid efforts last year. "I have confidence in sending any one of those four main guys out there to the mound," says Antich. No team can have more confidence in sending out a pitcher than Ashland does with senior Chad Hegdahl. The third-year starting southpaw is about as dominant as they come in the SOC with his sensational changeup and knack for producing ground-ball outs. Hegdahl, who shares time at first base, also led the SOC with a .511 batting average last season. "Any time you have Hegdahl on the mound, you can win," says Wolfe. "He’s done some things the last couple years where he hasn’t needed much to win." Taking some of the load off Hegdahl in Ashland this season will be senior returners Jackson Rowe, Arron Nelson, Brian Ross and Micah Weston. Roseburg returns all-conference picks Aaron Buxton and Kerry Hall, while Klamath Union will look to make it two straight trips to the state playoffs behind the play of seniors Sean Anderson, Cory Spires, Jeff Tidwell and junior pitcher Daniel Bennett. Grants Pass will pin its hopes on junior pitchers Nolan Morgan, Mike Mills and Anthony Schaff, as well as top hitters Patrick Allen and Matt Cowell. Crater will be one of the more veteran SOC teams to take the field, with seven senior starters returning, including all-conference picks Adam Reed, Kurtis Knutson and Sean Teaters. Eagle Point returns senior left-hander Ron Depuy to the fold, while senior catcher Ricky O’Callahan and junior Ryan Augino will have the task of sparking a young offense. Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, 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 © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities