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Phoenix meets tough Junction City By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Seldom over the course of a 10-week football season is there a turning point so pronounced as the one Phoenix encountered. It came midway through the second quarter of the fourth game, the Skyline Conference-opener against Hidden Valley. First-year coach Gordie Crowston looked around and barely recognized the team he had just gotten to know. "We were down 13 starters," he says. "We were in desperate straits. Injuries had been wearing on us the whole time. Every game we were paper-thin up front and just kind of hanging on. The kids were playing hard, but they were wearing down." The Pirates lost 35-26, leaving them with a 1-3 record to stew over as they entered a bye week. It was over the next two weeks that the about-face occurred. Injured players got healthy. Players who had been filling in gained experience. Stopgap measures evolved into versatility and flexibility. And the wins came, four straight to be exact until last week�s 38-20 loss to Skyline champion North Valley, the fourth-ranked team in the state. The second-half run vaulted the Pirates (5-4) into the Class 3A state playoffs as the No. 3 league representative. They visit Junction City (8-1) at 7 tonight in the first round. It�s Phoenix�s first playoff appearance since 1993, when it lost to Sherwood, 35-12. The Pirates� last playoff victory was in 1989, when they defeated Elmira, 47-28, before losing to St. Helens, 26-24. Junction City, No. 2 out of the Sky-Em League, is ranked fifth. Crowston can�t say enough about how his assistant coaches and players turned around the season. "The kids became really focused and more coachable," he said. "Instead of getting down, they kept pushing. They decided they wanted to win." The winning streak ended last week but not the Pirates� confidence. They moved the ball and scored on a North Valley defense that had been ever-so stingy and led 14-12 in the third quarter before a turnover � one of five � and a kickoff return for a touchdown put the Knights in control. "We came out of the game feeling really good about ourselves," says Crowston. "We know we can play with almost anyone. The kids are having fun and just want to get to our next opponent." Enter Junction City. If there�s a benefit to facing the Tigers, it might be that they resemble North Valley. Both squads are much bigger up front than the Pirates, but Phoenix has an equalizer in speed. "We�re outgunned a little in terms of size," says Crowston, "but our quickness is good and we have some feisty wrestlers up front who like to get after it." Even the smallish Pirates will be bigger this week with the addition of two players who have missed half the season. Returning to the starting lineup are left tackle Chris Martin and center Justin Gray. Martin�s return allows the Pirates to put Jason Hammon on the defensive line full time and use him in relief on offense. They, along with standout guards Nick Acord and Greg Brown and tackle Vern Hull, will try to create holes in the middle of a stout Junction City defense. "They pack it inside and tell you you can�t run inside," says Crowston. "Where they get hurt is if someone has the speed to get to the perimeter." The Pirates do, and they also have a passing game to keep the Tigers honest. Crowston expects to have to work the flanks with star tailback Eric Kessler in order to soften the middle for fullback Jimi Lockheed. Kessler has run for 1,585 yards and 14 touchdowns. He�s averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Lockheed comes in averaging 70 yards per game. Quarterback Ross Ellis complements the ground game. He�s completed 55 percent of his passes and thrown for 14 scores. "The main thing really has been the timing of his throws," says Crowston, singling out game-winning tosses against both Henley and Rogue River. "He�s been real clutch for us when we�ve needed it." His primary receivers are Floron McGee, who began the year competing for the quarterback position, Brady Rhodes and Martin Gonzalez. "We feel our offense can move the ball against almost anybody," says Crowston. The defense will get a test against Junction City, which is coached by Mark Henderson � Crowston�s roommate for a semester when they attended college at Western Oregon in the late 1970s. The Tigers� only loss this year is to No. 1 Pleasant Hill, 38-7. Their balanced offense has produced 1,760 yards rushing and 1,650 yards passing. Two players, Brandon Nystrom and Chris Surface, have run for 700-plus yards. Quarterback Stephen Johnson, meanwhile, has completed 97-of-167 passes for 1,340 yards and 17 touchdowns. Josh Martin has 38 receptions for 551 yards. Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 776-4479, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.