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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend October 29, 2005 Raiders take on Baker’s air attack ASHLAND — Even though an 0-7 record suggests otherwise, the Southern Oregon University football team has shown flashes of its old NAIA playoff-caliber self throughout the 2005 season, and the Raiders hope their offense and defense click simultaneously for the first time tonight. A sizable crowd is expected at Raider Stadium for the school’s 68th-annual Homecoming contest that pits Southern Oregon against an unfamiliar bedfellow: Baker University. In addition to fighting for regional pride, SOU hopes to end a 10-game losing streak and an unprecedented six-game slide at in Ashland at the expense of the pass-happy Wildcats (2-6), who are making a 1,900-mile journey from Baldwin City, Kan., via airplane and bus. Homecoming has historically been kind to Southern Oregon. The Raiders are 42-23-2 in those games dating back to a scoreless tie against Eastern Oregon in 1931. Baker has won two of its past three games after an 0-5 start. The Wildcats upset 17th-ranked Missouri Valley, 45-24, on Oct. 8 and forced sixth-ranked MidAmerica Nazarene to overtime before falling the following week. Baker, which ranks ninth in the NAIA for passing offense (269.5 yards per game), is coming off a 27-24 win at Heart of America Athletic Conference rival Avila, Mo. Advertisement Tonight’s contest marks the final home game in the Raider careers of nine seniors: Justin and Brandon Despotakis, Chad Harrell, Chris Hill, Madison Caeser, Curt Stout, Johnny Brown, Dave Tippett and Jason Woody. Southern Oregon’s opponents have thrown an average of 32 passes through seven games, but Baker might reach that total before halftime. The Wildcats have scored 19 of their 22 touchdowns this season via the pass. The key cogs in the aerial attack are 6-foot-5 sophomore quarterback Kendall Bradley (who is 99-for-198 for 1,306 yards and 11 scores) and receivers Ryan Pitts and Brandon Crosby. Pitts, a 6-5 senior, has 34 catches for 522 yards and six touchdowns, while Crosby, a 5-10 junior, has 33 grabs for 453 yards and five scores. Despite the high-wire act that has helped produce a healthy 25-point scoring average, the Wildcat ground game is averages only 72 yards per game. Making the program’s first trip to the Pacific Northwest, Baker has been challenged defensively and has surrendered at least 24 points. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Distance Education Computer Security Cheap Website Hosting Discount Hotel Reservations dvd-r Online Pharmacy Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews High End Computers Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Advertisement s