Document text
SUNNY Temp: 55 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, November 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 20, 2002 Ashland, South square off in benchmark game Grizzlies hope to carry momentum from last week’s win into tonight’s SOC opener against the Panthers By DON HUNT Mail Tribune The Ashland High football locker room buzzed with excitement following last Friday’s game with Gresham. The Grizzlies had just rallied from a 27-13 fourth-period deficit to edge the Gophers, 35-34, for their first victory of the season. It wasn’t the win as much as it was the character and resolve of the players that pleased coach Jim Nagel. It’s unlikely the Grizzlies will hand Nagel his fourth state championship or eighth Southern Oregon Conference title this season. But at least they’re playing up to their potential, something they failed to do a year ago when they struggled to a 3-6 record and missed out on the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. "We kept our intensity, we never gave in, and that’s something I didn’t sense last year," Nagel says of last Friday’s victory. "It’s encouraging." The Grizzlies meet South Medford tonight (7:30) at Walter A. Phillips Field in a benchmark game for both teams. In other SOC matchups, it’s Roseburg (1-1) vs. fourth-ranked North Medford (2-0) at Spiegelberg Stadium, Grants Pass (1-1) at Crater (1-1) and Klamath Union (1-1) at Eagle Point (1-1). While Ashland is trying to re-establish itself as a playoff contender in the SOC, South Medford is attempting to live up to its billing as the conference favorite. The Panthers defeated Redmond, 41-20, last week but were embarrassed, 43-21, by Canby on opening night. Both the Grizzlies and Panthers are flourishing offensively, thanks to high-octane passing games, but they are laboring to stop their opponents. Ashland ranks last in scoring defense (32.5) and next-to-last in total defense (369.5) while South Medford is next-to-last in scoring defense (31.5) and last in total defense (482.5). "It’s an interesting matchup, it really is," South Medford coach Bill Singler says, adding that it could be a high-scoring contest. Senior quarterback Bryan Clevenger has been a godsend for the Grizzlies, completing 35 of 71 passes for 502 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in the team’s two games. Against Gresham, Clevenger ran for a 1-yard score and then drove into the end zone for the winning two-point conversion in the game’s final minute. "He’s made the plays at crunch time and he’s been a great leader for us," says Nagel of Clevenger. "The kids respect him." Clevenger’s favorite target has been Nick Palmesano, the SOC’s second-leading receiver with 12 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns. The Grizzlies have struggled to find a running game, however, with minus 4 yards in a 31-14 season-opening loss to Pleasant Valley, Calif., and registering a modest 86 yards on the ground against Gresham. Part of the problem has been a shoulder injury to starting fullback Chase Cook, who got hurt against Pleasant Valley and missed the Gresham game. He’s expected to be back in the lineup tonight. South Medford hasn’t mustered much of a running game, either, and will try to rev up senior tailback Andres Reed tonight. Reed gained 990 yards in seven games last season but has only 81 yards in two contests this fall. GRANTS PASS AT CRATER — This game would have been regarded as a mismatch in the preseason, but Crater has been surprisingly good and Grants Pass a mild disappointment. The Comets, under new head coach Rich Cable, nearly upset Redmond in Week 1, then routed Crook County, 27-6, last Friday. Linebackers Andrew Norum and Tim Frazier and end Kyle Lambert have fueled a defensive renaissance for the Comets, who are giving up just 190 yards and eight points per game. North Medford is the only team in the SOC that has yielded fewer yards and points, and the Comets lead the conference in turnover ratio at a plus 6. "We’re still humble in the fact that we’re still in the process of changing things and doing them right, but at the same time we feel like we’re improving every week," Cable says. "We know we’re going to have to step up to another level to beat Grants Pass, but that’s the plan." Fullback Mike Peila has sparked the team offensively. He rumbled for 305 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Crook County and now leads the SOC in rushing with 359 yards and four scores. Peila played mostly defense last season, but when Cable stuck him at running back at the Gold Beach camp last June, "he found the holes and read his blocks." Grants Pass, meanwhile, is coming off a 21-0 victory over Mountain View last Friday following a 53-13 loss to Willamette on Aug. 30. Although the Cavemen yielded a ton of points in their opener, most of them were gift-wrapped in six turnovers. GP’s defense, like Crater’s, is the real deal. The front four of Mitch Coe, Terry Brown, Matt Davenport and Jake Tierce — along with free safety Kory Mahr — has anchored the Caveman `D.’ "It’s going to be our strength against their strength," Grants Pass coach Jeff Weiss says. KLAMATH UNION AT EAGLE POINT — This game is the battle of the fly offenses. Both schemes depend on motion and misdirection plays, with a good deal of passing. Eagle Point first-year coach Harry Hedrick has taken his offense a few steps further — all the way to Barnum and Bailey. In last week’s 32-8 victory over Del Norte, the Eagles scored on two trick plays — a double reverse pass and a hook-and-lateral. "The kids are having fun with what we’re doing — I think they see it as a breath of fresh air," Hedrick says. "We know we’re not going to be able to run trick plays all year, but we’re going to keep spreading the field and getting our skill kids in one-on-one situations." Eagle Point quarterback Tyson Nelson leads the SOC in passing yards (459) and touchdowns (six), while Hedrick’s son, Casey, paces the conference in catches (13, for 164 yards and three TD). Klamath Union notched its first win of the season last Friday, 28-14 over Woodburn. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S