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Foreman takes the reins for North By Don Hunt North Medford High football coach Rod Rumrey said throughout the preseason that Kevin Foreman would be an asset at quarterback. For one game, at least, Foreman has made his coach � and his team � look good. Foreman, taking over for two-year starter Nate Mayben, passed sparingly but efficiently in the Black Tornado�s season-opening 48-0 romp over Eagle Point last Friday. He completed 7 of 13 attempts for 132 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and finds himself No. 2 in the Southern Oregon Conference quarterback rankings. Foreman faces his second test under fire Friday night in Central Point when the Tornado (1-0) meets Crater (0-2) at Dutch Meyer Field. In other games involving SOC teams, Eagle Point (0-1) visits South Medford (1-0), Grants Pass (1-0) journeys to Klamath Union (1-0), Roseburg (1-1) travels to Redmond (0-1) and Ashland (0-1) is at home against No. 2-ranked Marshfield (1-0). "Kevin isn�t real flashy but he�s a play-maker and I think people saw a little of what he can do last Friday," Rumrey says of the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Foreman, who led the North Medford JVs to an 8-1 record two years ago but spent most of his time on defense in 1999. "For an opening game, he did a very nice job." Foreman doesn�t have to carry too much of the offensive burden because the Tornado features an experienced line along with veteran tailback Phil Ouellette, who amassed 147 yards rushing on 24 carries and a touchdown last week. As well as Foreman performed, he had to share accolades with an inexperienced North Medford defense that stuffed Eagle Point all night, holding the Eagles to three first downs, 97 yards and no points. The Tornado should get a more stern challenge Friday, even though the Comets are 0-2 under third-year coach Randy Heath. "If they can put things together they could be a very dangerous team," Rumrey says of the Comets, who dropped their opener 28-20 to Mountain View on Sept. 1 and were defeated 36-21 by South Medford last Friday. "And they always seem to give us a tough game at their field." Rumrey is particularly worried about speedster Kenny Strate, who has returned a kickoff for a touchdown in both of the Comets� games. EAGLE POINT AT SOUTH MEDFORD � The Panthers look like the SOC�s darkhorse team following last week�s victory over Crater and will now attempt to go 2-0 for the first time since 1996. Sophomore quarterback Boomer Marshall had an outstanding varsity debut, completing 17 of 22 passes for 177 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. "In terms of managing the team, Boomer exceeded our expectations," South Medford coach Bill Singler says. "He made some good decisions throwing the ball, he hung tough in the pocket and he called a couple audibles. "Boomer may be a sophomore, but football is in his blood and he�s prepared himself for this moment." Eagle Point got nothing going offensively against North Medford but Eagles coach Mike Johnston will stick with senior quarterback Kyle Gray. "We need to see a lot of improvement across the board," Johnston says. "I�m confident we can bounce back." GRANTS PASS AT KLAMATH UNION � This game could be closer than some SOC insiders anticipate. While Grants Pass opened its season with a 40-0 rout of Crook County last Friday, Klamath Union clobbered crosstown rival Mazama 38-12. The Pelicans� rebuilding process under fourth-year coach Wayne Amos has finally reaped rewards. "They�ve got me nervous," Grants Pass coach Jeff Weiss says of the Pelicans. "I�m sure a lot of our guys think we�re going to waltz over there and hammer them, but this isn�t the same, old Klamath ballclub." Klamath Union tailback Brad Mejia, who played soccer and eschewed football until he entered high school, gained 124 yards on 24 carries last week. But the Pelican that Weiss fears the most is quarterback Jason Mortenson, who ran and passed for 223 yards against Mazama and had a hand in three touchdowns. The Pelicans have installed the veer option attack to accommodate Mortenson�s talents. "He�s shifty � he�s an athlete playing quarterback and those are the guys who drive a coach nuts," Weiss says. Grants Pass has a fine QB of its own in senior Nathan Olson, who completed 6 of 10 passes for 140 yards and two scores last week. Olson leads the SOC quarterback rankings after week one. ROSEBURG AT REDMOND � Roseburg backup tailback Rod Cope burned Ashland for 108 yards rushing, 81 yards receiving and four touchdowns last Friday and is bound to see the ball more often this week, particularly if starting tailback Conway Bixby � who sprained his ankle against the Grizzlies � is still ailing. Roseburg hopes to control the ball on the ground and keep it away from the pass-happy Panthers, who racked up 320 yards through the air and 477 yards of total offense in their opener last week. Problem was, they also suffered seven turnovers and lost 31-28 to LaGrande. 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