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Grizzlies set to face formidable Marshfield By Don Hunt Friday night�s Ashland-Marshfield football game may be a non-conference matchup that means nothing in each team�s quest to make the state playoffs. But the contest at Walter A. Phillips Field will unite two of the state�s elite high school coaches and premier programs. Furthermore, Marshfield has a No. 2 state ranking to protect and, more significantly, a 55-game regular-season win streak. "If we hadn�t played each other in a state championship game and if their program wasn�t one of the best in the state then we�d probably take this game as a ho-hummer and get ready for Grants Pass (the following week)," Ashland coach Jim Nagel says. "But beating them is no ordinary accomplishment." Pirates coach Kent Wigle, like Nagel, is one of the most successful coaches in Oregon prep football history. He has posted a 251-64-2 record in 30 years of coaching, first at South Umpqua High in Tri City and for the past 12 seasons at Marshfield. His teams have won 18 league championships and four state titles. And, of course, there�s that 55-game win streak to protect. "It isn�t something we talk about too much � we�re too busy getting ready for the next opponent," Wigle says. "But we�d definitely like to keep it going for a while longer." The last of Wigle�s state championships came in 1992 when Marshfield staged a remarkable comeback to stun the Grizzlies. With Ashland leading 21-7 late in the first half and seemingly about to go up 28-7, Marshfield�s John Lemmons returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown. The Pirates scored the game�s final 29 points to register a 36-21 victory. Marshfield also defeated Ashland 20-19 in the opening round of the state playoffs in 1994 and posted a 28-9 win over the Grizzlies last season, leaving Wigle with a 3-0 record against Nagel � quite an achievement in itself. In 18 seasons at Ashland, Nagel has registered a 156-45 record with seven league championships, three state titles and two runner-up finishes at state. "It�s nice," Wigle says of his 3-0 mark against Nagel, "but it won�t mean a whole lot come Friday night. And we�ve never had to play on their field." Marshfield opened this season with an impressive 26-21 victory over Midwestern League rival Churchill last week. Pirates quarterback Luke Morrow racked up 288 yards of total offense, two touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown. "He�s got a strong arm and he�s very athletic," Wigle says of the 6-foot, 190-pound Morrow, a grandson of former Newport coach Gene Morrow, who is the winningest prep football coach in state history. Morrow�s favorite target last week was wide receiver Tyler Draper, who had six catches for 166 yards. Marshfield�s other wideout � Albert Benavidez � caught the winning touchdown pass. "We knew about Benavidez and suddenly we see this No. 5 (Draper) on video," Nagel says. "At first we thought Benavidez must have changed his uniform number. "They�re really loaded at the receiver position and Morrow makes the whole offense click. "I�ve seen both Marshfield and (top-ranked) Beaverton on video the past two weeks and really, it looks to me like Marshfield is the better team." The Grizzlies opened their season with a 29-17 loss to Roseburg and while they showed flashes of excellence on both sides of the ball, their once-feared passing attack fizzled throughout. In an effort to jump-start the offense, Nagel will start Cameron Voget at quarterback in favor of Mike Allen, who completed only 4 of 19 passes for 25 yards last week. "We�re going to give Cameron a shot and see what he can do," Nagel says. "He�s earned it." Voget came off the bench and led the Grizzlies on a touchdown drive last week, scoring himself on a 12-yard run. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior has a cannon for an arm � he won the district javelin champion last spring � but has struggled with finesse passes. "He has that spear chucker�s mentality and it�s not an easy thing to change," Nagel says, "but we�re working at it." The Grizzlies� offensive line opened a lot of holes against a rugged Roseburg defense last week, enabling halfback Mac Contreras to gain 87 yards and fullback Noah Hayes McKiernan to pick up 37. But without a competent passing attack, the Grizzlies have little chance of beating a good team. "This team has the potential to be right up there with some of our better ones," Nagel says, "but this week we�re jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire." Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA