Document text
The big Boom at South By Don Hunt When senior quarterback John McKay broke his thumb on the first day of fall practice, some had to wonder if South Medford High�s football season was about to shatter right along with it. Following back-to-back 1-8 seasons, the Panthers were confident 2000 would be a breakout season for third-year coach Bill Singler. But how would South cope without its leader calling the signals? Extraordinarily well, it turns out. Sophomore Boomer Marshall has stepped in and played so well that he�s the top-ranked quarterback in the Southern Oregon Conference, while McKay has moved over to wide receiver and become Marshall�s main go-to-guy. McKay, in fact, leads the SOC in receiving with 12 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Broken thumb and all. "Maybe this was meant to be," McKay said in the wake of Friday night�s 26-12 victory over Eagle Point that ran South Medford�s record to 2-0. "It�s working out for the best." Had McKay not gotten hurt, then Marshall would be on the sidelines and the Panthers wouldn�t be nearly as accomplished at wide receiver, where McKay, senior tight end Bjorn Johnson and sophomore Ryan Benson � who had a 50-yard touchdown against Eagle Point � have quickly become a lethal combination. The current scenario also enables McKay to play full-time on defense, where his speed and toughness have markedly improved South Medford�s secondary from a year go. "It�s fun to be out there delivering blows rather than taking them all the time," McKay says. "It�s fun to get the uniform dirty." Marshall, meanwhile, was expected to eventually blossom into a quality QB, but he�s wasting no time in establishing himself as an impact player. In two games, the precocious sophomore has completed 32 of 48 passes (67 percent) for 458 yards, six touchdowns and only one interception. Built like a tackle at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Marshall lacks quickness but possesses an excellent passing touch along with the poise and presence of a senior. "He has a knack of getting the ball to the open receiver and putting it where it needs to be," Singler says. "It doesn�t seem to matter whether it�s a fade pattern, a slant, a curl or the home run ball, Boomer is accurate at throwing them all. "Let�s face it, this kid is mature beyond his years, not only in the way he throws the ball but also in the way he conducts himself. Boomer goes out there fully expecting to win. "This whole deal (McKay getting hurt and Marshall taking over at quarterback) has been a blessing in disguise." But now comes the acid test: Friday night�s Black and Blue game against archrival North Medford at Spiegelberg Stadium. While South has been the surprise of the SOC, the Black Tornado has played the same two opponents as the Panthers � Eagle Point and Crater � and laid waste to both. North looks to be every bit as good as it was last season when the Tornado tied for second in the SOC and advanced to the second round of the state playoffs. The Tornado�s punishing ground game leads the SOC, averaging 322 yards, and its defense has allowed only six points in two games. North is especially strong up front, where games are often won and lost. "We�re way ahead of last year as far as running the football," North Medford coach Rod Rumrey says. "We�ve got five guys (North�s offensive linemen) playing at a pretty high level." But if South can protect Marshall � and that�s a big if � then Friday�s game could produce a lot of fireworks, with North�s running attack and the Panthers� passing game each putting up big numbers. It�s an intriguing matchup between a couple of 2-0 teams, a matchup that might fill the stadium for the first time in years. 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