Some Big SD1 Football Showdowns This Week
Unbeaten North Salem entertains once-beaten North Medford—South Medford hosts South Salem
Just two contests into the Oregon Special District One football schedule, two big games loom large this week. North Salem—the top team in the still unclear 6A power rankings---will be home against once-beaten North Medford, while undefeated and fourth-rated South Salem travels to Spiegelberg Stadium to take on fellow unbeaten South Medford. Those games will go a long way in determining 6A playoff seeding out of SD1.
North Medford (2-1) at North Salem (3-0) Friday
North Salem’s big home game pits the speed of the Vikings against the size and strength of the visiting Black Tornado—led by the talents of University of Oregon bound tight end AJ Pugliano.
North Salem coach Jeff Flood says Pugliano is the catalyst for the opposition.
“Pugliano is weapon they find different ways to utilize and we need to try to limit his impact on the outcome of the game.”
Last week against West Salem, Pugliano was a force on the defensive side of the ball, and also scored on a 40-yard touchdown pass thrown his way in the third quarter by sophomore quarterback Traeger Healy—who took over as the signal caller after the Black Tornado lost their opening game to Tigard 27-7 in a turnover filled affair.
Healy has been a force to be reckoned with through the air since taking over in game two from senior Jeremiah Robbins, who has settled in as a running back for North Medford.
The Tornado had several big plays to set up scoring opportunities last week, and Flood says his Vikings need to limit those chances.
“We need to stop the big plays and be physical at the line of scrimmage,” says Flood.
Easier said than done, as North Medford has an extra-large line on both sides of the football that could cause problems for the smaller but athletic Vikings.
North Salem has had few problems in their opening games, including a young Roseburg team which was out-manned last Friday in the 39-13 Viking victory.
The Viks’ key for success will be breaking free from the physical NM personnel, allowing speedsters like Pierce Walker, Jamahl Wilson and Demari Thompson to spread their wings in the team’s fly sweep-based offense. There might even be more passing out of Vikings QB TC Manumaleuna, who has only had six passes at once in any game this season.
Neither team has an advantage as both squads have relatively small rosters, but injuries could be a nagging issue if either team falters in that department.
Ought to be an interesting chess match at Littlejohn Field in Salem Friday.
South Salem (3-0) at South Medford (3-0) (Spiegelberg Stadium) Friday
Last season, South Medford came into South Salem’s Caldarazzo Stadium and played a dominant game in outscoring the Saxons on their home. It is unspoken, but South Salem would love to return the favor this time around on the road.
The passing prowess of South Medford was lost to graduation last season, and so Coach Bill Singleton has set aside the old sets in favor of a run-heavy offense. So far, it has been quite successful. The Panthers marched into Keizer and pounded McNary 35-0, rolling up 434 yards on 39 carries.
In asking for his key to the game, South Salem coach Scott Dufault said pointedly that “we need to tackle well.”
There is a lot contained in that brief sentence. The host Panthers have a physical front line and a stable of running backs that include junior Bridger Foss and senior Ryder Scheid—who scored three times in last week’s game on runs of four, 26, and 29 yards respectively. And the Panthers did it without the services of standout running back Kameron Rague (like the spaghetti sauce) who sat out the second half of their previous game due to a possible concussion.
South will continue to push the pace with their Air Raid offense—operated masterfully by senior Athan Palmateer. Palmateer was named the OSAA’s football athlete of the week two weeks ago after throwing for 503 yards and four touchdowns in South’s exciting 45-44 victory at Sunset. This past week at Grants Pass, the Saxons quickly wore down the young Caveman squad in a decisive 40-6 win. South cut back on their passing a bit, running for a season-high 222 yards on 30 carries. Palmateer still managed 184 yards through the air.
South would like nothing better than to keep the Panthers off their home field and run up the score. But the defense will be severely tested by the rushing skills and physical line play of the Panthers—and any missed tackles could cost the Saxons dearly.
The game should draw a packed house to Spiegelberg Stadium.
THURSDAY: Grants Pass (1-2) at West Salem (0-3)
Two young teams square off a night earlier than the rest of SD1—both hoping to land their first district victory.
Grants Pass won their opening game at Del Norte, CA in Crescent City. But since then, the Cavemen have been outscored decisively 74-20 in their last two contests.
West Salem played two top-ten teams to open the season in Sherwood and Lake Oswego, falling by scores of 34-21 and 42-20. To open SD1 action, West was outmuscled at North Medford 33-12.
Coach Shawn Stanley remains patient with his team, which returned just one returning player on defense and two on offense. But he is also very confident his team can prevail in the Thursday home contest.
“If we block and finish the assignments made for every play, says Stanley, “we should be able to pick up a win.”
Junior quarterback Kaden Martirano seems due for a big game. The 6-2, 200 pounder was injured as a sophomore in game four last season, putting West in a tailspin that produced just one victory on the year. A younger, but somewhat deeper team this season wants to improve on last year, and has plans to win their Thursday night home game behind their strong-armed signal caller.
West Salem scored first in last week’s game against North Medford, but yielded 20 straight points to fall behind 20-6 at the half. Martirano managed to complete 13 of 33 pass attempts for 149 yards—but had no touchdowns, just an interception. A set of better passing stats this week along with a solid rushing outing and stifling defense for the Titans could make a West win entirely possible. RB Carson Evenson was injured in the third quarter last Friday, but his status for the game with Grants Pass has yet to be determined.
The two teams begin play Thursday with a 7:00 pm kickoff at West Salem High.
McNary (0-3) at (1-2) Sheldon (Friday)
Last year’s SD1 champions, the Sheldon Irish got off to an amazingly slow start this season, managing just a pair of field goals in two games, losing first to a Hawaiian power, followed by a trouncing at the hands of defending state champion West Linn. But Sheldon’s real power was finally realized in week three, when they scored the first 27 points against Sprague, enroute to a convincing 50-13 victory in Salem. Two-way Sheldon standout Mana Tuioti (6-0 200) ran for 84 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries, and anchored the Irish defense at linebacker in pounding the Olympians last week.
McNary coach Connor Astley admits this is yet another very difficult opponent in as many weeks, and it is a very tall challenge for his team to bring home their first win.
“Our approach this week is make them uncomfortable and have them second guess themselves both on offense and defense.”
“I believe we can make some good things happen.”
Making the task all the more challenging is a short list of Celt injuries. Starters Drew Zeller (LG) and linebacker Cammeron Ferrando may not play at all this week. Key substitute Jack Tavares is also listed as questionable.
McNary will need to play a practically perfect game just to stay close in this one, especially being short handed on the field. Celtics coach Connor Astley and his staff have their work cut out for them.
The game at Sheldon High in Eugene begins at 7:00 pm. (editor’s error corrected)
Sprague (0-3) at Roseburg (1-2) (Friday)
This could be quite the competitive game , pending on whether Sprague overcomes the travel lag that seems to hit most Salem teams after the trip South on game night.
The visiting Olympians are hungry for a win—having fallen to 0-3 after their difficult loss to defending district champion Sheldon last Friday.
Sprague junior quarterback Dukkati Witherspoon managed to produce 154 yards passing on just 13 completions in 34 attempts. Witherspoon had two TD passes on the night—a three-yard pass to running back Kenya Johnson at the end of the first half, and a 41-yard strike to receiver Tyler Buchheit late in the third quarter in last week’s 50-13 loss.
Sprague’s defense found its footing in the second half of last week’s contest, and hope to slow down the vaunted Roseburg (1-2) rushing attack spear-headed by junior RB Cayden Eckel this Friday night. Sprague has the personnel and the right attitude to convert the game into an Olympian victory. To quote Coach Robinson, “we can contend with the top teams when we play our game.”
This should shape up to be a genuinely competitive contest at Roseburg High School. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 pm.
5A McKay (2-1) at Woodburn (0-3) (Friday)
On paper, this game might look like an automatic victory for the visiting McKay Royal Scots. McKay improved its class 5A record to 2-1 in Mid Willamette Conference play last Friday in a tense defensive struggle—an 8 to 6 home win over South Albany.
Falling behind 6-0 in the third quarter, Scots QB Kyrin Fuimaono had a two-yard TD run in the fourth quarter, while PAT holder Justice Anthony went from potential goat to hero when he picked up the football snap he had bobbled and hit Adolfo Flores with the winning conversion pass in the end zone to provide the advantage the Scots needed to hold on for the victory.
McKay faces a Woodburn Bulldog team that has lost all three of their games to open the season, including a 77-7 drubbing last week to conference power West Albany. McKay Coach Brandis Piper says his team can’t sell any of its opponents short— and Woodburn junior quarterback Cruz Veliz is perhaps the most talented of several good athletes for the Bulldog squad.
“We need to be solid up front to have success,” says Piper.
“We (also) preach consistency because we know it allows us to weather the storm when things don’t go our way.”
Game time for McKay at Woodburn High School is slated for a 7:00 pm kickoff Friday.
Astounding is a good word for it.
I recently found your blog and am enjoying your content. Having grown up in Southern Oregon during the days of the six-team Southern Oregon Conference (Ashland, Crater, Grants Pass, Klamath Union, Medford and Roseburg), it’s astounding to read that the Medford schools are traveling to Salem for league play.