Document text
50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, May 10, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | 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 March 23, 2004 Baker says Beck has tools to revive Crater Prep Notebook By DON HUNT Mail Tribune Larry Baker has a pretty good idea of what John Beck is about to endure as the new Crater High football coach. Twenty-three years ago, Baker inherited a downtrodden Comets program that had suffered several losing seasons in succession, had never won a conference title and had never been to the state playoffs. Within four years, Baker had put an end to each of those voids, punctuated by a Southern Oregon Conference championship in 1985 (the Comets tied with Medford High and Roseburg for the title). "I think Beck is going to do a good job because he has a passion for the game and he obviously knows the game," says Baker, who is retired from teaching and coaching and now lives in Grants Pass. "And if he brings in all those assistant coaches he had at North Medford, then I can’t see anything holding him back, really." Baker said the two biggest obstacles he faced when he inherited the Crater job in 1981 were teaching his players the value of discipline and getting them to come to summer workouts. Advertisement "Getting the kids to lift weights and do the conditioning stuff was tough that first year," Baker says. "Once we had some success, then the kids were beating the doors down trying to get into the locker room." Baker, who had been Thurman Bell’s top assistant at Roseburg prior to coming to Central Point, says one advantage Beck has is the credibility he established at North Medford. Beck posted a 28-7 record in his three seasons with the Tornado, including a state runner-up showing last fall. "The Crater kids know that he’s won and they’ve seen his teams score a ton of points against them," Baker says. "Someone like that — how could he not get your attention?" Baker, who has season tickets to the Crater games, would love to see fans pack Dutch Meyer Stadium the way they did in the mid-1980s when the Comets were in their heyday. "I remember a few nights when it was hard to find a seat," he says. "We had to put bleachers in the end zone for a couple games. It would be great to see that excitement come back." IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE any high school football team in Oregon facing a tougher nonconference schedule for the 2004 season than the South Medford Panthers. Bill Singler’s squad opens its season at home against Class 4A defending state champion Tigard, travels to West Linn the following week and then plays host to Lake Oswego in its third game. Tigard returns nearly half of its starters from its 2003 team that beat North Medford, 18-6, in the state championship game, including first-team, all-state linebacker Mark Lucas. Lake Oswego, which handed North Medford its only other loss last season, has been a top-10 team the past several years under Steve Coury, while West Linn is an upper echelon program in the Three Rivers League. Singler isn’t shying away from the challenge. "We feel like our program has elevated itself to playoff status, and if we’re going to be a championship contender in our league then we need to play these people," Singler says. "We want our kids exposed to some intense games in the preseason." North Medford’s non-conference schedule is no slouch, either. The Black Tornado is at Lakeridge, at home against Central Catholic and at Clackamas the first three weeks of the season. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, 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 RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times