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North to face formidable Churchill By Don Hunt North Medford and Churchill have seemingly been on a collision course since the Class 4A state playoffs began on Nov. 10. Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, the two prep football juggernauts will finally get the chance to see who�s best. The No. 3-ranked Black Tornado has stormed to a 12-0 record while the No. 6 Lancers have reeled off 11 straight victories � all by wide margins � since a season-opening loss to Marshfield. Saturday at 3 p.m., something�s got to give. "Churchill�s the best team we�ve seen so far," North Medford coach Rod Rumrey says. "They�re big, they�re physical and they�ve got some outstanding skill position players that get it done. "Our defense is going to be tested like never before." What makes the Eugene team all the more difficult to defend is that they operate out of a double-wing offense. The power attack features two tight ends, a fullback and two wingbacks who line up within a couple of feet of the tight ends. The bread-and-butter play is a sweep to one of the wingbacks with all of the other backs � including the quarterback � and several of the linemen leading interference. It�s smashmouth football at its sternest. "It�s an offense that definitely presents problems," Rumrey says. Problem No. 1 for the Tornado will be finding a way to contain Niles Mittasch, the Lancers� standout wingback. The 6-foot, 190-pound senior is Churchill�s leading rusher (1,540 yards), leading receiver (35 catches, 520 yards) and has scored 39 touchdowns, an average of more than three per game. The speedy, shifty and deceivingly powerful runner is being recruited by Nebraska and several Pac-10 Conference schools. "If he gets a step, he�s gone � every time," Rumrey says. "He�s an outstanding back in every respect, and what really makes him scary is that he breaks a lot of tackles. "We�ve got to have two or three guys tackling him every time he carries the ball, with two or three more ready to help out. "And we�ve got to be careful not to overrun that sweep play, because he (Mittasch) does a great job of cutting back." A smattering of teams run the offense that former Bandon coach Don Markham brought to Oregon in 1990, but the Tornado has never faced it, Rumrey says. "When you don�t see it all season, that�s another problem it creates," Rumrey says. While Mittasch is the spark of a Lancer offense that averages 450 yards and a staggering 53 points per game, he�s not a one-man show. Wingback Adrian Poggi and fullback Steve Suetos are also running threats, and quarterback Jeff Rhode has blossomed into an excellent passer under the tutelage of former University of Oregon and NFL quarterback Chris Miller. Without warning, the Lancers will abandon their double wing and spread the field with receivers. "Chris Miller is obviously a great resource and we�re taking advantage of it," Churchill coach Jack Wigmore says. "We�re doing a lot of what the (Denver) Broncos do, a lot of West Coast offense stuff." Miller spent last season with the Broncos before the last in a series of concussions ended his professional career. Rhode has completed 92 of 146 passes for 1,705 yards, 22 touchdowns and just one interception. Rhode is also a standout basketball player for a Churchill squad that is ranked No. 3 in the preseason, and a pitcher in baseball with a 90 mph fastball. Mittasch, Poggi and Joel Worcester are Rhode�s favorite targets. Rumrey knows the Tornado will be hard-pressed to hold the Lancers� offense in check for an entire game. That means the onus will be on the North Medford offense to do some damage of its own. "We�ve told our offense that this is their biggest challenge," Rumrey says. "We need to establish our own running game, mix in some passes, make some first downs and put points on the board. "We can�t be going three-and-out very many times." North Medford quarterback Kevin Foreman is having a sensational season of his own. The 6-3, 180-pound senior has passed for 1,342 yards and 19 touchdowns and run for 646 yards and 16 scores. Foreman registered 259 yards in total offense and had a hand in four touchdowns during the Tornado�s come-from-behind 34-21 victory over Newberg last Saturday. Tailback Phil Ouellette has put together back-to-back 100-yard games to go over the 1,000-yard mark, while wide receiver Mike Olson leads the Tornado in receiving with 29 catches for 615 yards and 11 touchdowns. While Churchill is averaging 45 points and has outscored its opponents by a 540-149 margin, North is averaging 42 points and has outscored its foes by a 504-111 count. "They have some great athletes and team speed, and so do we," Wigmore says. "It should be a barnburner." Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.