Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Fire guts home on Beekman Street in Medford Since You Asked: Typhoon or hurricane? Depends on who you ask Emergency Services Devastating inferno in Weed leaves behind a blackened town Medford resident plans to fly to 49 state capitals Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Fire guts home on Beekman Street in Medford Emergency Services Weed fire damage rises to 150 structures Weed residents begin to assess damage as crews make progress against flames UPDATE: Blaze in Weed 20 percent contained Politics and Elections Mark L. Hopkins: What the next election should be about Senate race could be expensive Talent to consider taxing recreational, but not medicinal marijuana Candidate files false statements Just one seat will be contested for Central Point council Education K-12 enrollment up countywide, except for Medford Homework matters HOLA program helps Latino students ease into college Phoenix-Talent gets grant to create teacher-leaders Alert system kept parents in the loop during shooting threat Environment New disease strikes Roseburg deer herds Dredgers might return to the Rogue next year Dubs' auction preview draws bidders and gawkers OR-7's pups are true wolves ODFW director Elicker will step down State news Nation - World Obituaries LaVern Raymond Johnson Marylyn Sue Singleton Paul Steven Sanderson Sr. Gary Warner Adsitt Julia Anna Fletcher Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Southern Oregon Spartans set to start season Cavemen top Tornado to stay perfect Jensen, Panthers open SWC with win Sheldon hands North Medford straight-set defeat Rogues sign six players, announce staff changes Varsity 541 College Sports Raiders take hit on road Thompson leads Huskies to rout of Illini No. 2 Oregon pulls away from Wyoming Loyd nets emotional assist for Oregon No. 2 Ducks not looking past Wyoming Pro Sports Jensen, Panthers open SWC with win 49ers’ Harbaugh facing greatest challenge NFL has good guys too if you look Criticism is mounting for Vikings, Peterson Comeback Eagles Community Sports Barry fires back into SOGC finals Super seniors strong at SOGC Crenshaw pulls off upset in SOGC Murphy claims victory in Stroke Play Championships South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Business Latest Stories Entrepreneurs move from classroom to real world Oregon's work force grows faster than number of jobs Rogue Retreat thrift shop to open Sept. 30 Dutch Bros., 'Walking Dead' comic artist team up for new book Rogue Valley seeks to get on the map in search for new businesses Real Estate News Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround Historic building owners get lessons in restoration Pleasant weather, stable interest rates spurred summer home sales People In Business Transportation Agriculture Purchasers praise Harry & David's turnaround 1-800-Flowers.com buying Harry & David for $142.5 million Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Weisinger's Winery has earliest crush on record Amy's Kitchen begins expansion in White City Opinion Latest Paid sick leave for all is long overdue Letters to the Editor, Sept. 17 Catherine Rampell: Many life milestones are out of millennials' reach Granlund cartoon: Adrian Peterson abuse charge Kent Bush: Feeding the outrage machine Editorials Paid sick leave for all is long overdue Other views: Privacy will be key to tech industry's future Cover Oregon won't be mourned by many Balance needed in rules protecting streams Obama does what must be done in the Mideast Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Sept. 17 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 16 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 15 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 14 Letters to the Editor, Sept. 12 Guest Opinions Manor residents give in many ways Transparency is essential in O&C debate Hazardous fuel treatments vital to protection from severe wildfires Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch Lifestyle Latest stories Wholesale program puts Rogue Valley food in aisles Backpack stuffers add zest to fall outings Community blog: Taste cherry tomatoes to judge sweetness, acidity Rogue Valley's latest aerobics craze is Insanity Wedding Food Wholesale program puts Rogue Valley food in aisles Backpack stuffers add zest to fall outings Community blog: Taste cherry tomatoes to judge sweetness, acidity Community blog: Rise to challenge of eating more local tomatoes Quail Run Vineyards expands into Talent drainage Home and Garden Counting the reasons to keep your eating local Medford gardens to be showcased Saturday Trees aren't always the best companions for plants Hot tips for a cool (shade) garden An August checklist for your garden Health Rogue Valley's latest aerobics craze is Insanity Community blog: Menopause: What's it Good For? Community blog: A Fish Tale Community blog: A Healthy Way to Enrich the College Experience Community blog: What's Wrong With This Picture? Hiking Faith Religion Briefs Religion briefs Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements Wedding New Arrivals Barbecue will support treatment for stricken skateboarder Ink Out provides inexpensive tattoo removal for those trying to move on Grange memberships going like hot cakes Columnist for a Day Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories There's no accounting for poor manners Holly Theatre hosts its first public event in 28 years Downtown Art + Sound Festival Greg Frederick & Friends at The Wild Goose Dark Night of the Celtic Dream Theater There's no accounting for poor manners Friends of Jim Giancarlo remember Ashland theater icon OCT's Ginger Rogers tribute sparkles 'Cocktail Hour' shows at the Craterian Theatre CultureFest at Oregon Shakespeare Festival Music Holly Theatre hosts its first public event in 28 years Greg Frederick & Friends at The Wild Goose Dark Night of the Celtic Dream Paul Schmeling Trio at Martinos Creedence Clearwater Revival Community Events Downtown Art + Sound Festival Oregon Poet Laureate Peter Sears reads in Ashland Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists 5 Things to Do This Weekend From business professor to artist Dining Jacksonville's Thai House is everything good Thai should be Ami Sushi serves up Asian dishes Wild River Brewing & Pizza Co. NW Raw Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Weed fire damage rises to 150 structures ... Weed residents begin to assess damage as crews make progress against flames ... United Way sets up fund for Weed fire victims ... Weed fire damage rises to 150 structures ... Weed residents begin to assess damage as crews make progress against flames ... United Way sets up fund for Weed fire victims ... COLLEGE FOOTBALL No. 22 Raiders ready for first test at Menlo MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 29, 2014 @ 6:07 pm Posted Aug. 29, 2014 @ 6:07 pm » Social News ASHLAND — A 2013 season that didn’t always go according to plan means the Southern Oregon University football team will have to earn respect if it wants to be among the top teams in the NAIA rankings, but that doesn’t mean everyone isn’t already asking the question: Who’s going to stop SOU in 2014? The 22nd-ranked Raiders hope an answer isn’t found at Menlo College, where they will commence regular-season festivities today in a nonleague matchup with the Oaks in Atherton, Calif. Kickoff is set for noon at Connor Field. It’s the only opportunity the Raiders will have to tune up for their Sept. 6 Frontier Conference clash with No. 2 Carroll College in Ashland, and they’d like it to play out differently than last year’s opener — a 35-30 loss to Rocky Mountain in Grants Pass. Though Rocky would eventually have to cough up that win due to use of an ineligible player, it set a sour tone as SOU went on to drop a costly Week 2 game at Montana Western. The Raiders finished with a record of 7-4, and had to settle for a second-place tie with Rocky in the conference standings at 7-3. With the return of nearly an entire offensive unit that led the nation in yardage for a second straight year and a defense boosted by athleticism, fourth-year head coach Craig Howard believes the Raiders are in better position now. “We started hungry in the spring, worked out very hard this summer and we’re further along in the preseason than we’ve ever been since I got here,” Howard said. “We’re more advance than needing to teach them how to just line up correctly. Preseason camp is always a grind but we got a lot more accomplished and tried to keep them fresh.” Menlo, an independent that went 5-5 last season, got a head start on the Raiders by opening its season last week. The Oaks lost on their home field, 45-27 to Eastern Oregon, but led 27-23 going into the fourth quarter. The Oaks and Raiders have eight meetings in their history with the Raiders winning six of them, including two most recently in 2011. “It’s great to have them back on our schedule and a tough challenge for us,” Howard said. “They got a game under their belts, and I’ve always believed that teams make their biggest improvement from the first game to the second game, so we’ll see what happens. But they have excellent tight ends, good skill receivers and excellent linemen.” ON THE OAKS : Menlo made strides in 2013 under first-year coach Mark Grieb, who will be attempting to lead the program to a record above .500 for the first time since 2003. The Oaks return starting quarterback Wade Dawkins after he averaged 144 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and five interceptions, and most of a defensive secondary that held opposing quarterbacks to 174 yards per game. Linebacker Cameron Grad is also back after getting in on 61 tackles with 5.5 sacks last season. Of concern for the Oaks is that they allowed Eastern Oregon quarterback Zach Bartlow to throw for 391 yards and four TDs last week, and the Mountaineers to gain 574 yards to Menlo’s 374. That may not bode well for their chances against SOU quarterback Austin Dodge and company. Hawkins completed 18 of 33 attempts for 228 yards against the Mountaineer defense, helping receiver Brandon Soohoo accumulate 134 yards, but also threw two interceptions. Nine different Menlo backs contributed to 27 rushes and 169 yards on the ground. HISTORY LESSON : The second win of the Howard era came at 24th-ranked Menlo in 2011, 31-17, and the Raiders ended the season with a 25-19 win over the Oaks in Ashland. Dodge went 22-for-32 with 283 yards and three TD passes in the finale. He was also sacked five times, and only endured seven sacks the entire next season. In 23 games since they last saw Menlo, the Raiders have not scored less than 30 points. SOU was held under 40 points in the first two games of 2013. They went on to score over 50 points the next six weeks. COACH HOWARD SAYS : On the offense: “I guess what I want to see is that the offense operates at the tempo we expect right away. We want to do everything we can to put the pedal to the medal and run more plays than any team in America. I think we’ve got the best quarterback in the country and he’s at the top of his game, but we don’t think he’s a finished product yet. We also have an outstanding offensive line, and since we’ve been here it’s been about developing that group because that’s the hardest position to play in college football.” On the defense: “I want us to adhere to our philosophy of swarming to the football and making big plays. We’ve got an interesting blend and I think we’re more athletic than we’ve been in four years. We’ll rely on our senior leaders and try to play as many people as we can, because now we have the luxury of some depth.” AROUND THE FRONTIER : Besides Eastern Oregon, one other game of interest to the Raiders went down last week: Montana Western defeated Montana Tech, 38-6. This week in conference action, No. 9 Rocky Mountain plays at Dickinson State and Montana State-Northern is at Montana Tech. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Aug. 29, 2014 @ 6:07 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Can Delanie Walker Build off Huge Week 2 Performance? Sep. 17, 2014 at 2:00 am A.J. Green's Updated 2014 Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 3 Sep. 17, 2014 at 1:49 am Ball's Updated Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 3 Sep. 17, 2014 at 12:40 am Keenan Allen's Updated Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 3 Sep. 16, 2014 at 10:17 pm Antonio Brown's Updated Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 3 Sep. 16, 2014 at 9:08 pm Jeffery's Updated Fantasy Outlook Heading into Week 3 Sep. 16, 2014 at 8:49 pm calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501