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CLOUDY Temp: 40 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, December 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 November 20, 2002 Pelicans abandon SOC tiesin football By FRANK SILOW Mail Tribune It’s official: Klamath Union High has dropped out of the Southern Oregon Conference in football and will play an independent schedule next season. What had been rumored for some time became official with an announcement on Monday. "The big thing I wanted everyone to understand is this is only for football," Klamath Union athletic director Tonie Kellom said. "All the other sports will continue to be in the Southern Oregon Conference." Klamath Union, a charter member of the SOC dating back at least 60 years, has posted a 12-100 record over the past 11 seasons. "It wasn’t an easy decision," said Kellom, who notified the other conference schools about KU’s decision at an AD meeting in Grants Pass last week. "We have an excellent coaching staff and they’ve done everything they could to have kids come out. We’ve been the smallest school in the SOC for a long time." Successful fall soccer and cross country programs worked against football at Klamath Union. The Pelicans, with an enrollment of 956 students, haven’t fielded a full junior varsity schedule for three years. "This is a process that has been going on since August," said Kellom, a 1981 KU graduate and teacher at the school for 16 years. "The ultimate goal is to build the program so we can enter the SOC in a positive way." Kellom explained one of the biggest worries by the other conference schools was filling a nine-game football schedule for next year since it is the second of a two-year scheduling rotation. Klamath Union will continue to play Ashland, Eagle Point and Crater during its independent status. The Pelicans will also play Class 3A county rivals Mazama and Henley along with Skyline Conference member North Valley next year. Roseburg football coach Thurman Bell assisted in landing games for the Indians, North Medford and Grants Pass next year at a Portland-area high school scheduling meeting last Friday. "I went up and begged and pleaded," said Bell. "We had some ADs that understood our dilemma. During that day I bet I made 20 phone calls." Through Bell’s negotiations, North Medford picks up Jesuit and Grants Pass plays Central Catholic next year. Bell had to give up a game against Oregon City coached by his son, Mark, but added David Douglas and Canby to fill out Roseburg’s schedule. South Medford is the only school still looking for a ninth game, but Panther athletic director Dennis Murphy is optimistic. "At this point we do not have a game," said Murphy. "We have some options we are exploring." Klamath Union football coach Wayne Amos initially resisted dropping out of the SOC. But after a winless SOC campaign and only one victory in nine outings this season, he went along with the move. Amos was optimistic this year — his sixth at Klamath — after winning three games and being close in some others in 2001. "I had some high expectations this year," said Amos, who previously coached at Southern Oregon University and Willamette. "As the season progressed we got more and more kids hurt. If you don’t have the bodies, it’s hard to turn things around. "It’s going to benefit the other teams in the conference playing better competition than us," Amos added. "I think it will be a plus for them." Reach reporter Frank Silow at 776-4480, 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