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Poulton anchors North Medford secondary By Don Hunt Travis Poulton found himself in a close battle for the North Medford starting quarterback job last August. Poulton lost out to Kevin Foreman, but that didn�t mean the 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior was headed for the bench. In fact, Poulton has been on the field most of the time for the Black Tornado in its march to the Class 4A state championship game. A full-time player on defense at safety, Poulton also lines up at tight end on offense, mostly in passing situations. His combination of size, savvy and speed � he runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds � has begun to catch the attention of college recruiters. "I�ve played quarterback my whole career and miss it a lot, but I probably wouldn�t be playing much defense right now if I was taking the snaps and leading the team," Poulton says. "And Kevin (Foreman) has done a great job. "It�s worked out for the best." Poulton is the second-leading receiver for the Tornado with 19 catches for 364 yards. He also has seven touchdowns and is averaging 19.2 yards per catch, which illustrates his mobility. "He covers a lot of ground for a kid his size," North Medford coach Rod Rumrey says. "He�s a big target with good speed, and he hardly ever drops the ball." Poulton showed his athleticism during last Saturday�s 29-28 victory over Churchill when he outleaped a defensive back for a 25-yard gain to the 5-yard line that set up a Tornado touchdown. Poulton has been just as valuable on defense. He made a couple of touchdown-saving tackles and knocked down several deep passes last week. He has nine interceptions on the season. In a game against Klamath Union on Oct. 20, Poulton intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble � all in the first half. "He�s always around the football," Rumrey says. As much as Poulton has enjoyed North Medford�s dream season, he didn�t have much fun at Hillsboro on Nov. 17 during the Tornado�s 30-13 second-round playoff victory over Glencoe. He was blasted by a Glencoe player on the side of his helmet during a running play and then hit his head on the turf when he went down. Poulton suffered a mild concussion and spent a couple of hours in a nearby hospital after the game. "My eyes wouldn�t focus and I had a splitting headache," Poulton says. He didn�t go through any contact drills the following week but played in the following game, catching four passes for 63 yards and a touchdown during the Tornado�s 34-21 victory over Newberg. With his full beard and mature look, the 17-year-old Poulton could pass for someone five or six years older. His teammates often refer to him as "coach." Poulton made an appointment to trim his hair and shave his beard last week � "my girlfriend doesn�t like it," he says � but his fellow offensive linemen wouldn�t allow it. The group began sprouting whiskers following North Medford�s homecoming game against Thurston on Oct. 13. "If I shaved and we lost, that might be the end of me," Poulton says. "You don�t argue with the hogs (linemen)." If Poulton has a weakness, it�s his blocking, or lack of same. That�s why Shawn Backstrom plays tight end during most of North Medford�s running plays, and it�s why Poulton has yet to be invited to the linemen�s weekly dinner, otherwise known as the hog feed. "I think my blocking has improved, but they keep coming up with excuses," Poulton says. "They look at me as a skill player and not a hog. They won�t let me eat." Poulton started kindergarten in Medford but moved to Oklahoma City, Okla., the following year when his father, Lee, had to have a heart transplant. He went through the first grade in Oklahoma City, but was so traumatized by the move and his father�s condition that he was put back in the first grade when his family returned to Medford. (His father has made a full recovery). Poulton was disappointed that he was separated from Foreman � his best friend in kindergarten � and his other buddies upon his return. But things have a way of working out for the best. Poulton will return to quarterback next season. And might never again be asked to block. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.