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Cavemen club Pirates in nonleague clash
By Scott J. Adams, Sports Writer
Saturday, September 22, 2007 | No comments posted.
COOS BAY — At least Marshfield’s punting looked good.
That was one of few positive things coach Kent Wigle took from Friday’s 34-2 loss at home to Grants Pass. But then again, where do you begin to assess a one-sided nonleague loss to a team that’s not even in your division?
“There’s not a whole lot I can say about it,” Wigle said afterward. “Grants Pass is a (Class) 6A team, but they’re also a very good team — probably one of the best we’re going to play this year.”
The visiting Cavemen (4-0), who entered Pete Susick Stadium ranked eighth in Class 6A, shelled the Class 5A Bucs with a precision aerial attack and a yard-pinching defense that forced nine punts.
“It was our defense’s second shutout in a row, so that helped us a lot,” said Grants Pass coach Tom Blanchard, whose Cavemen blanked Oregon City 37-0 last week. “The Pirates were missing some guys tonight with injuries so that probably hurt them. I’m very proud of the way our kids played tonight.”
Marshfield (2-2) was held to four first downs, 42 yards passing and minus 18 yards on the ground — mainly due to Grants Pass sacking Brogan Oswald seven times.
“It’s frustrating because one of the biggest improvements we saw last week was in our offensive line, and tonight that was our poorest part of the game,” Wigle said.
The tone was set on the opening play of the game when center McKenzie Freeman snapped the ball over Oswald for a 9-yard loss. Ironically enough, Marshfield mustered its best series of the game from there. The Bucs drove 42 yards in 10 plays, converting two third-down plays with a pair of short passes to wideout Alexz Elletson, Marshfield’s leading receiver with 37 yards.
After stalling at the Grants Pass 34-yard line, the Pirates got help on special teams from a long-awaited source, their all-Midwestern League tight end John Parrish. The 6-foot-5 senior, who missed the first three games while recovering from offseason knee surgery, came in at punter on fourth-and-12 and buried the Cavemen inside their own 5-yard line with a 30-yard kick.
Marshfield tallied its lone score on the next play as tailback Criss Bowen was tackled 2 yards deep in the end zone by three defenders for a safety.
From there, it was all Grants Pass.
The Cavemen’s senior QB Zach Morgan completed 15 of 22 for 196 yards, three touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Morgan went 8-for-10 in the first half.
“We got a great game from him,” Blanchard said. “Zach can be on fire sometimes. He’s just a really bright kid that doesn’t panic too much, and he throws to the right guy.”
The right guy Friday was Buddy Saxon. The lanky senior wideout, who towered over the Marshfield defensive backs with his 6-foot-6 frame, hauled in seven catches for 75 yards and all three of Morgan’s touchdown passes.
“Their height was definitely tough to play against,” Pirates cornerback Jesse McClintock said. “We’ve got to step up and be more athletic though.”
Morgan hooked up with Saxon for a 3-yard score in the second quarter, which gave Grants Pass a 13-2 lead with 5:31 left in the half.
Morgan found Saxon again two minutes later — this time on a 19-yard fade pattern, pushing the lead to 20-6.
“Having a 6-foot-6 guy on one side and a 5-foot-11 guy on the other side and a 6-foot-3 guy it really helps,” said Morgan, referring to wideouts Saxon and Dee Wiersma and tight end Jennings Stewart. “You’re not going to find too many corners that are big and fast enough to catch up with our guys.
“The chemistry I have with my receivers really helps, too.”
Grants Pass got rushing touchdowns of 2 and 4 yards from John Tardieu and Bowen, respectively.
The Morgan-to-Saxon connection ushered the Cavemen’s final score, coming midway through the fourth quarter on a 25-yard bomb Morgan caught over two defenders.
“Our offense played well tonight, but it’s our defense that really carried us,” Blanchard said. “They’ve been doing that all season.”
Marshfield committed one turnover despite fumbling six times. Conversely, the Pirates got fumble recoveries from linebackers Will Messerle and Kyle Brown.
“From here, we just need to focus on getting better,” Wigle said. “We’ve got one more game before league, and we still have a lot of work to do.”
Marshfield visits Ashland, the No. 7 team in Class 5A, next Friday before opening league play at home against Churchill on Oct. 5.
Notes: After the game, Wigle was formally honored by the home crowd for his 300th career victory, which came last week in a 33-15 win at Klamath Union.
That was one of few positive things coach Kent Wigle took from Friday’s 34-2 loss at home to Grants Pass. But then again, where do you begin to assess a one-sided nonleague loss to a team that’s not even in your division?
“There’s not a whole lot I can say about it,” Wigle said afterward. “Grants Pass is a (Class) 6A team, but they’re also a very good team — probably one of the best we’re going to play this year.”
The visiting Cavemen (4-0), who entered Pete Susick Stadium ranked eighth in Class 6A, shelled the Class 5A Bucs with a precision aerial attack and a yard-pinching defense that forced nine punts.
“It was our defense’s second shutout in a row, so that helped us a lot,” said Grants Pass coach Tom Blanchard, whose Cavemen blanked Oregon City 37-0 last week. “The Pirates were missing some guys tonight with injuries so that probably hurt them. I’m very proud of the way our kids played tonight.”
Marshfield (2-2) was held to four first downs, 42 yards passing and minus 18 yards on the ground — mainly due to Grants Pass sacking Brogan Oswald seven times.
“It’s frustrating because one of the biggest improvements we saw last week was in our offensive line, and tonight that was our poorest part of the game,” Wigle said.
The tone was set on the opening play of the game when center McKenzie Freeman snapped the ball over Oswald for a 9-yard loss. Ironically enough, Marshfield mustered its best series of the game from there. The Bucs drove 42 yards in 10 plays, converting two third-down plays with a pair of short passes to wideout Alexz Elletson, Marshfield’s leading receiver with 37 yards.
After stalling at the Grants Pass 34-yard line, the Pirates got help on special teams from a long-awaited source, their all-Midwestern League tight end John Parrish. The 6-foot-5 senior, who missed the first three games while recovering from offseason knee surgery, came in at punter on fourth-and-12 and buried the Cavemen inside their own 5-yard line with a 30-yard kick.
Marshfield tallied its lone score on the next play as tailback Criss Bowen was tackled 2 yards deep in the end zone by three defenders for a safety.
From there, it was all Grants Pass.
The Cavemen’s senior QB Zach Morgan completed 15 of 22 for 196 yards, three touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Morgan went 8-for-10 in the first half.
“We got a great game from him,” Blanchard said. “Zach can be on fire sometimes. He’s just a really bright kid that doesn’t panic too much, and he throws to the right guy.”
The right guy Friday was Buddy Saxon. The lanky senior wideout, who towered over the Marshfield defensive backs with his 6-foot-6 frame, hauled in seven catches for 75 yards and all three of Morgan’s touchdown passes.
“Their height was definitely tough to play against,” Pirates cornerback Jesse McClintock said. “We’ve got to step up and be more athletic though.”
Morgan hooked up with Saxon for a 3-yard score in the second quarter, which gave Grants Pass a 13-2 lead with 5:31 left in the half.
Morgan found Saxon again two minutes later — this time on a 19-yard fade pattern, pushing the lead to 20-6.
“Having a 6-foot-6 guy on one side and a 5-foot-11 guy on the other side and a 6-foot-3 guy it really helps,” said Morgan, referring to wideouts Saxon and Dee Wiersma and tight end Jennings Stewart. “You’re not going to find too many corners that are big and fast enough to catch up with our guys.
“The chemistry I have with my receivers really helps, too.”
Grants Pass got rushing touchdowns of 2 and 4 yards from John Tardieu and Bowen, respectively.
The Morgan-to-Saxon connection ushered the Cavemen’s final score, coming midway through the fourth quarter on a 25-yard bomb Morgan caught over two defenders.
“Our offense played well tonight, but it’s our defense that really carried us,” Blanchard said. “They’ve been doing that all season.”
Marshfield committed one turnover despite fumbling six times. Conversely, the Pirates got fumble recoveries from linebackers Will Messerle and Kyle Brown.
“From here, we just need to focus on getting better,” Wigle said. “We’ve got one more game before league, and we still have a lot of work to do.”
Marshfield visits Ashland, the No. 7 team in Class 5A, next Friday before opening league play at home against Churchill on Oct. 5.
Notes: After the game, Wigle was formally honored by the home crowd for his 300th career victory, which came last week in a 33-15 win at Klamath Union.
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