Document text
SOC teams brace for season openers Unfamiliar foes, injuries and new faces make for intrigue By DON HUNT South Medford High football coach Bill Singler admits he doesn't know much of anything about the Del Norte Warriors. And he's glad he doesn't. The Panthers open their season tonight (7:30) at Spiegelberg Stadium against the non-conference opponent from Crescent City, Calif. Singler has no video and no roster of Del Norte, and for all he knows, the Warriors are coached by a fellow named Knute Rockne (actually, his name is Tony Fabricius). "Right now, we're only concerned about ourselves," Singler says. "We're worried about what we're doing offensively and defensively. You can't get caught up in what the other team is doing, scheme-wise, going into a season-opener. "You just have to worry about yourself." In other games involving teams from the Southern Oregon Conference, North Medford (0-0) travels to Mountain View of Bend (1-0), Grants Pass (0-0) journeys to South Eugene (0-0), Ashland (0-1) hosts College Park High of Pleasanton, Calif. (0-0), Crater (0-0) entertains Redmond (0-0), Eagle Point (0-0) hosts Summit of Bend (0-0), Roseburg (0-0) is at home against Bend (0-1) and Klamath Union (0-0) travels to Mazama (0-0). South Medford was the most improved team in the SOC a year ago as the Panthers advanced to the state playoffs for the first time in six years. Now they've got bigger goals in mind, and with a high-octane offense that returns seven starters, they figure to put a lot of points on the scoreboard. The triggerman is quarterback Boomer Marshall, who passed for 1,451 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2000. The 6-foot-2 Marshall weighs 215 pounds, down 10 pounds from last season, and has looked sharp in preseason drills. "He's able to move around in the pocket better," Singler says. "And his stamina is better. "We're looking for Boomer to have a big year." The Panthers are loaded at receiver, particularly since basketball star Ryan Heil decided to join the team. The speedy senior has worked himself into a starting spot and, along with Ryan Benson, Jonathan Wright and tight end Eric Fisher, helps lend the Panthers four quality pass catchers. "Heil was the most pleasant surprise of fall camp," Singler says. "He gives us the deep threat we haven't had." South Medford also has a potent 1-2 punch at running back with senior Rob Brown and junior Andres Reed. Both will also start on defense at linebacker. Senior guard Rob Vandegrift, a three-year starter, anchors the line. "We've got more numbers and better athletes than we've had since I've been here," says Singler, now in his fourth year with the Panthers. "We're anxious to see what we can do in a game." No. 5-ranked North Medford, meanwhile, will unveil a new spread offense at Mountain View, with three and sometimes four wide receivers. The Black Tornado scored on all five of its possessions in a jamboree last week, with junior quarterback Brett Timmerman completing 5-of-8 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, the Tornado boasts two of the state's best players in safety Travis Poulton and outside linebacker Alan Borelli. Inside linebacker Josh Whitaker has also looked tough in the preseason. North Medford, which went 13-1 and finished second in the state playoffs last season, could have a battle on its hands tonight, however. Mountain View has been to the state playoffs six straight years, and the Cougars already have a game under their belts, last Friday's 47-44 victory over Hood River. Mountain View is led by quarterback Curt Plants, who passed for 1,242 yards and nine touchdowns last season, and a couple of tall wide receivers - 6-8 tight end Brandon Yon and 6-4 Pat Tyvand. Cam Davenport, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior, packs a wallop for the Cougars at tailback. "Our defense is going to get tested," North Medford first-year coach John Beck says. "Hopefully, we can pressure their quarterback and not let him get into the rhythm he got into last week. "But I feel good about our team. I think we're ready." Ashland will try to regroup following a stunning 48-0 loss to a Japanese all-star squad last Saturday. The loss was made worse by an ankle injury to starting quarterback Cameron Voget, but he's scheduled to start tonight's game against College Park, Calif. "I'm hoping what happened in Japan was an aberration and isn't typical of what's to come," Ashland coach Jim Nagel says. Nagel expects College Park to run a veer option offense that is similar to what the Grizzlies will see the following week against Gresham and later in the season against Roseburg. "We could use some work going against that offense," Nagel says. Eagle Point, 2-7 a year ago, hopes to get off to a running start against Summit, a new high school in Bend. Summit doesn't have any seniors in school and is playing an independent schedule in 2001 before joining the Intermountain Conference next season. Crater hasn't been in the winner's circle since Oct. 29, 1999, a span of 10 games over two seasons. And the Comets don't figure to have things easy tonight against Redmond, which is considered to be a title contender in the IMC. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.