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CLOUDY Temp: 61 °F Wind: WNW at 5 mph Monday, September 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection 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 Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 6, 2003 Canby�s Dan Lever (28) breaks through the line of scrimmage in Friday night�s game against South Medford at Spiegelberg Stadium. Third time not a charm After dropping a pair of games to Canby last year, South Medford bested by the Cougars to start 2003 By DON HUNT Mail Tribune The stakes were much lower this time around, the crowd wasn’t as big and both football teams had a lot of new faces on the field. But Friday’s season-opening game between Canby and South Medford was eerily similar to last season’s state quarterfinal matchup between the two teams. The Cougars assembled big leads in both games only to watch the Panthers make stirring second-half comebacks. Advertisement In the end, however, Canby’s rough-and-tumble ways got the best of the Panthers — again. The Cougars won Friday’s contest, 33-21, on the strength of quarterback Sam Doman’s three touchdown passes and a punishing ground attack that produced 326 yards. But as was the case in last season’s playoff game — which Canby won 47-44 after nearly blowing a 24-point lead — South Medford made the visitors from the northern end of the state sweat a little bit in the second half. Trailing 26-7 at halftime and 33-14 early in the fourth period, the Panthers pulled within 33-21 with 5:15 to play when senior quarterback Ryan Fiegi hit senior tight end Allen Smith on a 30-yard touchdown pass. South Medford’s attempt at an ensuing onside kick failed, but the Panthers forced Canby to punt and then drove from its own 25 to the Cougars’ 8 in the closing minutes. Canby’s Ken Scharmota batted down a pass intended for 6-foot-6 freshman Kyle Singler in the end zone on fourth down with 15 seconds remaining, enabling the Cougars to finally breathe a sigh of relief. Never mind that the Panthers needed two touchdowns in the final seconds to win. Stranger things have happened. "They never stopped competing — just like that group they had last year," Canby coach Mike Doty said of the Panthers. "I know they’ve got a lot of new kids, but I’d be encouraged if I were them." Fiegi got off to a poor start, completing just one of his first six passes for minus 3 yards, but he wound up hitting 24 of 45 for 273 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. "I was definitely nervous at the start," said the 6-5, 185-pound Fiegi, who is replacing Southern Oregon Conference offensive player-of-the- year Boomer Marshall. "But as soon as I completed that first pass, I felt like I could complete anything." Fiegi got the Panthers back in the game when he lofted a 34-yard touchdown strike to senior Ryan Neuenschwander with 2:44 remaining in the third period. The score trimmed Canby’s lead to 26-14, and South Medford was right back in business moments later when defensive tackle Nick Griffin recovered a Doman fumble at the Cougars’ 42. However, two straight dropped passes that led to four consecutive Fiegi incompletions left the ball at the 42, and Canby promptly marched 58 yards in seven plays for its final touchdown. Doman’s 13-yard pass to Scharmota in the left corner of the end zone was the clincher. "I felt that sequence was the turning point of the game," South Medford coach Bill Singler said. "We get the score, get the turnover and have the momentum, but we can’t capitalize. "But Canby did what it had to do to win. They’re a top-10 team that can roll you up if you’re not careful." The Cougars, who also beat South Medford in last year’s season-opener, could have made life easier on themselves had they not turned the ball over three times and suffered a few costly penalties. South Medford did not have a turnover. Doty also left himself open to second-guessing when he began clearing his bench early in the fourth period with his team leading 33-14. South Medford’s final touchdown came against Cougar reserves and forced Doty to put his first-teamers back in. "This was a nonconference game and we’re going to get a lot of players on the field," Doty explained. "Kids don’t get better if you don’t play them, and when you play them, it helps motivate them for practice. "This is the sort of thing that will pay off for us down the line." Scharmota paced a balanced Canby rushing attack with 84 yards on 10 carries. Shawn Doman added 64 yards on nine carries, and Sam Doman had 50 yards on seven attempts. Neuenschwander, who had to leave the game with severe cramps in the second half, had five receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns for South Medford. 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 Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times