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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 26, 2004 North Medford�s Rod Rumrey, left, and Grants Pass� Tom Blanchard,right, came out of retirement, while Crater�s John Beck, center, took over the coaching helm at Crater High. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli The Year’s Top Local Sports Stories Coaches on the move Selecting the top local sports story of the year is rarely an easy venture, and 2004 was no different for the Mail Tribune sports staff. In any year there is plenty of scrutiny and debate over whether a certain individual or team achievement should rank higher than another, and whether value should coincide with amount of coverage in the newspaper. Given that the voting for each year is intrinsically controversial, it really should be of no surprise that the top three stories in 2004 essentially involved controversy. There was a Southern Oregon Conference coaching carousel that brought two veterans out of retirement and had another opt for a rebuilding venture. And there were site-specific issues, in which one grand old stadium was leveled (Miles Field) and another refurbished (Spiegelberg Stadium), each carrying some sort of emotional or financial baggage. Advertisement Few coffee shop topics ran as hot and as long as the one involving John Beck’s move from 2003 state runner-up North Medford to Crater High, but that didn’t take away from the other stories’ importance in the shaping of the 2004 local sports scene. With such a diverse list of stories, the votes cast this year were equally varied — with only our top story chosen on every ballot. Here’s how we saw things: 1. SOC COACHING CAROUSEL Four first-place votes The Southern Oregon Conference football coaching carousel got its start in February when Tom Blanchard, who coached Grants Pass from 1986-99, opted to return to the sideline. As intriguing as that decision was, it paled in comparison to what came next. After guiding North Medford to a runner-up finish in the Class 4A state football championships, head coach John Beck sent shock waves across the Rogue Valley on March 8 when he accepted the position as athletic director and football coach at Crater High. The move brought forth a ripple effect that led to a complete overhaul of both coaching staffs — with North losing seven of its 10 assistants — and very little love lost between the SOC programs. Nine days after Beck’s surprising departure, Rod Rumrey officially returned to the fold after serving as a volunteer assistant during the runner-up 2003 campaign. The switch brought the duo full-circle since it was Beck who took over as North’s head coach after serving as Rumrey’s defensive coordinator for three seasons. The Tornado compiled a 28-7 record in three years under Beck, while Rumrey led North to a 98-61 record, a state title in 1993 and runner-up finish in 2000 in the 13 previous seasons. Both coaches had their share of ups and downs in the fall of 2004. North Medford finished in a three-way tie for second place at 4-2 in the SOC and 7-3 overall, while Crater went 1-8 overall and 0-6 in the SOC, including a 42-6 loss to the then-No. 1 Black Tornado. 2. MILES FIELD Two first-place votes After much speculation and public debate over the past year, the 18.9-acre Miles Field property was officially sold to Wal-Mart in June and the 42-year-old facility demolished three months later. The Medford City Council had previously voted in May to reject a 207,000-square-foot Supercenter proposed for the site by Wal-Mart, but that decision was appealed and the case is pending. About $2.3 million of the roughly $8 million purchase price for the Miles Field property was earmarked for a replacement facility, which is currently being constructed at Medford’s new 132-acre sports park on Highway 99 across from Bear Creek Corp. The Medford Youth Baseball Society was assigned the task of managing the construction and operation of the new Harry & David Baseball Park, which is designed to seat 1,500 but has the potential to expand up to three times that amount with the addition of portable bleachers. Arbuckle Costic Architects, Inc. in Salem has modeled Harry & David Baseball Park after Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, with a completion date set for the summer of 2005. Alternate plans for the 2005 spring baseball season include games being played at North Medford and South Medford high schools. 3. SPIEGELBERG STADIUM Two first-place votes Already one of the finest high school facilities in Oregon, Spiegelberg Stadium underwent a stunning renovation from June to August that included the installation of FieldTurf and a new gleaming blue track surface to the grand old stadium. The privately funded, $700,000 venture was the brainchild of the Medford Linebackers booster group and was aided by significant contributions from community members and local organizations. The state-of-the-art FieldTurf, which is in use at Autzen Stadium in Eugene and at the Oregon State indoor football facility in Corvallis, is a grass- like surface made of fibers and a soft composite of sand. The two-tone look at Spiegelberg is believed to grace the field of only two other high school stadiums in the country. The surface, which is expected to last at least 15 years, allows for multiple and continual use of the stadium and is expected to save the Medford School District maintenance fees associated with a grass field. The high school football teams at North Medford, South Medford and St. Mary’s each call the facility home, with the soccer teams from the aforementioned schools also playing matches at the stadium. Twice, three soccer matches and a football game are played on the same day at Spiegelberg for the first time in history. 4. JASON ALLRED Jason Allred saved some of his best golf for last as the former Ashland High standout birdied four of his final eight holes at the PGA Tour qualifying tournament to finish in a tie for 13th place and earn his PGA Tour playing card for next year. Allred’s consistent play in La Quinta, Calif., proved key to the 24-year-old’s successful run in his third attempt at qualifying. He opened the six-day tournament, which is the last of a three-stage process for qualifying, with a 1-under-par 71 on the PGA West Stadium Course. The former Pepperdine standout followed with rounds of 3 under 69 and 1 over 73 on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, then cemented his spot on tour with another 71 on the PGA West layout, a 2 under 70 on the Nicklaus course and a 3 under 69 at PGA West. Allred entered the final round tied for 32nd, which would have only qualified him for the Nationwide Tour. He finished at 9 under 423. 5. PBA IN MEDFORD With Professional Bowlers Association Tour stops falling like head pins, Medford was left standing as one of only two stops on the West Coast. In announcing that Medford would remain a tour stop after its three-year contract expired in January, PBA Commissioner Fred Schreyer cited the outstanding community support as one of the main reasons Medford was left off the chopping block. Pete Weber won the Medford Open in January with a 265-256 triumph over Tommy Delutz Jr. in the highest scoring title match in more than a year. The event drew the third-largest audience in the history of bowling on ESPN as more than 1.25 million households watched, or 1.41 percent of the homes in the United States that get ESPN. Two weeks ago, in the newly named Earl Anthony Medford Classic, Mike Wolfe defeated Walter Ray Williams Jr. and Norm Duke in the match-play final four en route to his first win in three-plus years on tour. Williams’ loss in the semifinals prevents the legend from a chance at matching the all-time victory mark of 41 set by Earl Anthony. 6. CRATER WRESTLING Buoyed by championship performances by juniors Bryson Gutches at 135 pounds, Chase Maloney at 152 and Ron Lee at 171, Crater garnered its second straight Class 4A wrestling title and fifth in the past seven years under head coach Greg Haga. Lee capped a 36-2 season with a 4-2 decision over Tigard’s Joey Nobriga, while Maloney rolled to a 13-6 victory over Marshfield’s Brady Hampton and Gutches eked out a 3-2 win over Woodburn’s Chris Karsseboom. Maloney capped his season at 37-4, and Gutches avenged his only loss of the season to post a 41-1 campaign. Crater’s other competitor in the finals — heavyweight Taylor Wilkerson — dropped a 5-1 decision to Gresham’s Charles Beasley to finish as runner-up. 7. DUSTY MCGRORTY An undrafted free agent signed to the St. Louis Rams practice squad, Dusty McGrorty became the first-ever Southern Oregon University football player to suit up for an NFL regular-season game when he is promoted to the active roster for St. Louis’ Oct. 24 road game against the Miami Dolphins. The Warrenton native shattered 10 school or Northwest small-college records at SOU, compiling 5,414 rushing yards (No. 4 all-time among NAIA players), 75 rushing touchdowns (No. 1 all-time) and 474 points (No. 2 all-time). McGrorty had played in all four Rams preseason games and was a part of the scout team prior to his promotion. Following the Miami game, McGrorty was released by the Rams and then re-signed to the practice squad. 8. OREGON TECH MEN’S BASKETBALL Under the guidance of former Medford great Dan Miles, the Oregon Tech men’s basketball team capped a remarkable run at the NAIA Division II national championships with an 81-72 triumph over Bellevue University of Nebraska. Oregon Tech (30-9) became the lowest seed in tournament history (No. 16) to claim the NAIA crown as the Hustlin’ Owls beat the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds en route to claiming the school’s first men’s basketball title in school history. Senior forward Kevin Baker scored a game-high 24 points and added six rebounds and three assists in the championship final and was named most valuable player of the tournament. Joining Baker on the all-tournament team were senior guards Todd Matthews and Florian Houguet. The Owls also earned the tournament’s sportsmanship award, and Miles was named coach of the year after leading OIT to its sixth 30-win season in his 33 years. 9. PERRY CUSTANCE Former South Medford High cross country standout Perry Custance was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound near his Ruch home on the weekend of June 12. The 22-year-old senior at Oregon Tech had been prescribed the anti-depressant Lexapro around the first of April after he sought treatment for a side ache and lower back pain. Custance, who holds South’s school records in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter runs, apparently stopped taking the medication in early June and friends said he had gotten really down about a week before the suicide. Lexapro is approved for the treatment of anxiety and major depression, and the manufacturer’s Web site warns that discontinuing the medication against a doctor’s advice might worsen depression or anxiety symptoms. Custance was an All-American scholar-athlete in 2003 at OIT, where he claimed a Cascade Conference cross country title and ran the second-fastest steeplechase in school history. He was one term away from graduating college. 10. MATT GENTRY Former North Valley High standout Matt Gentry became Stanford’s first-ever national champion in wrestling with a victory over Jake Percival of Ohio University in the only finals match of the NCAA Championships pairing unbeaten wrestlers. Gentry, who capped his junior campaign at 41-0, had already made history prior to his 4-2 victory at 157 pounds because Stanford had never before had a finalist. Gentry was previously named Pac-10 Conference newcomer of the year as a freshman at Stanford when he compiled a school-record 35 wins, and is 108-21 in three seasons with the Cardinal. He won two Class 3A state championships and made it to the finals three times while at North Valley, capturing the 103-pound title as a sophomore in 1998 and the 135 crown in 2000. HONORABLE MENTION Crater softball team goes undefeated in the Southern Oregon Conference and moves to 26-0 behind pitchers Jenni Bittle and Janelle Cristofaro before losing a 2-1, 14-inning thriller to Tualatin in the second round of the state playoffs. South Medford volleyball team snaps a winless streak of 36 regular-season matches against North Medford and, one month later, completes a first-ever sweep of the Black Tornado. Craig Johnson named to Class 4A all-state first team after leading South Medford, which posted a school-best 27-2 record, to a fourth-place run at the boys basketball tournament. Rob Folsom caps a prep career at North Medford High that includes honors as first-team all-state catcher (twice), first-team all-state linebacker and third-team running back. He helps the Tornado to two runner-up finishes in four years in football and is twice runner-up at state in wrestling. Medford motocross rider Caleb Wyatt earns a gold medal with a win at the Winter X Games VIII in the Moto X best trick competition. Southern Oregon University’s Wes Balensifer and Brian Wilson earn NAIA wrestling titles as SOU takes fourth overall at NAIA Championships. Rogue River’s Shannon Jentzsch sets the Class 3A state-meet record by going 12-0 to win the pole vault. In 4A action, Eagle Point’s Robbie Johnston wins the pole vault and North Medford’s David Faaeteete the discus. Injury forces decathlon world champion Tom Pappas of Glendale to withdraw from the Olympics. Boys soccer teams from Ashland (4A), Phoenix (3A), Hidden Valley (3A) and St. Mary’s (2A/1A) all advance to the state semifinals before losing matches by one goal. Ashland head coach Eisa Tiaa Tou Tou is named 4A boys soccer co- coach of the year. Brooks Newsom earns a 7-and-6 victory over San Francisco’s Mike Spiegel to claim the men’s championship in the 75th annual Southern Oregon Golf Tournament. Also, 59-year-old Nettie Morrison becomes the oldest winner in the women’s division, Bend’s Jay Audia wins the junior-senior, Jim Smith wins senior men’s title and Carmen Akins wins senior women’s title. Central Point’s Mike Wilson earns Bulldog Boxing Club’s first-ever U.S. Amateur Championships title with his super-heavyweight triumph. He later loses a box-off to become a member of the Olympic team. Scott Lusk moves from Cedar Links Golf Club to become head pro at Stone Ridge Golf Club as Cedar Links is later set to be razed for a housing development. OTHER NOTABLES South Medford earns its first-ever SOC baseball crown and sets a school-record for wins (21-6). Medford bowler Lela Larkin lands in record books when she becomes first woman to roll an honor score in 61 years of the state championships. Larkin twice rolls honor scores (299 and 300 the next day) at the Oregon State Women’s Bowling Association Tournament at Lava Lanes. North Medford tennis tandem McKenzie Hilmer and Lauren Wilson take second at state in doubles Isaac Stoutenburgh places sixth to help Crater finish third overall as a team and earn its first cross country trophy. The Comets actually tie South Eugene in points for second place behind Jesuit, with the tiebreaker going to South Eugene’s No. 6 runner over Crater’s No. 6. Kendel Nelson places seventh in the girls meet. Prospect’s volleyball team, the Sky A League Southern Division champ, advances to the 1A state tournament for the first time in school history. Joe Hagler earns his 300th career win with the Phoenix baseball team. North Medford sprinter Brittany Hodges ties a record with 12 district titles in her four-year run. Eagle Point football team posts the best start in school history (6-0), ties for second place in the SOC (4-2) and beats Roseburg for only second time in school history and first since 1986. Former Ashland High star Jeremy Guthrie makes his major-league debut with the Cleveland Indians Ashland girls win second straight snowboarding championship. Phoenix volleyball team earns sixth-place trophy at 3A state tournament. Cascade Christian volleyball team scores its first-ever undefeated run through the Southern Cascade League. Ashland boys swim team ends Roseburg’s 13-year championship reign with district upset. Rogue River pitcher Laura Jones and catcher Jill Artoff earn first-team all-state softball honors. Ashland’s Stephanie Johns takes third in 4A girls golf state tournament and North Medford boys team takes third at 4A state tourney. North Valley sophomore Zack Giesen earns his second 3A wrestling title and teammate Trey McLean his first, while Phoenix takes third as a team. SOU wrestling team secures 34th straight winning dual-meet season. Medford Mustangs finish as runners-up at the American Legion state tournament. Owner Roy Rider sells Medford Lanes to Kids Unlimited. Scott Schnugg earns first professional tennis victory with men’s singles title in the Morgan Stanley Open at RVSTC. First-ever Chad Cota Celebrity Golf Shootout at Eagle Point GC. Max King wins his second straight Pear Blossom Run; Rosa Gutierrez wins the women’s race. Clifford "Chief" McLean and Lee Ragsdale each die at age 91. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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