1) Which school last beat Marist in a regular season game?
2) Which school last beat Marist in a Midwestern League game?
3) Which MWL team scored more than one touchdown against Marist since Marist joined the MWL?
Marist at Springfield.
The Millers made history in Coos Bay last week with the huge 61-13 win over Marshfield. Now they have a chance to make more history when they play Marist. I'll get to the 'making history' aspect later.
Springfield found an air game last week when Britton Auxier went 16 for 23 and four touchdown passes. Better yet, the Millers had a nice running game going. Whoever the Millers go with at qb, it'll be a lot tougher this week facing Bennett Chiongbian, Taylor Walcott, James Banks, Levi Yarborough and Austin Baird. Chiongbian, Walcott and Banks each have two picks so far this year.
As far as Marist's offense goes, I think they are still a work in progress. If I'm right, that's not good for opponents as the Spartans scored 49 and 60 points in the last two games. But I have to think the Spartans want to spread their passes to more than Walcott and Baird. Maybe not, but if one of those guys gets injured, it will be much easier to cover the one left playing and then put pressure on Marist's running game.
Bottom line is speed kills, and Marist has speed in spades. Not just in Walcott and Baird, but all through the roster. Have to pick Marist.
I'm looking forward to the Marist-Springfield game, although I wish it could be a few weeks later. I'd like to see Springfield play Marist with a quarterback having more playing time. So far this year, Miller qb time has been split between Auxier and Ty Mannila. Another issue I'm interested in observing is Springfield's conditioning level. Springfield's coach Raish has done a great job of increasing the turnout for Miller football, and he's got the kids working hard in the weight room. Have the Millers worked hard enough to keep up with Marist for four quarters, or will this years Springfield juniors learn they need to take it up yet another notch?
How can Springfield make history this week? They just need to update the answers to the trivia questions:
1) Springfield is the last team to beat Marist during the regular season, 34-33 in overtime on September 12, 2008.
2) No MWL team has beaten Marist since Marist joined the MWL in the fall of 2010.
3) No MWL team (including Ashland and Eagle Point's 2010 teams) has scored more than 7 points against Marist since Marist joined the MWL.
Willamette at Ashland
MWL fans are leaning towards Willamette by a 60-40 split so far. I'll provide some considerations about Willamette before I pick a winner.
Willamette is 3-0, but their opponents are a combined 2-7. Two games ago, Willamette put several fumbles on the ground, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Expect Ashland to put their helmets on the ball. Visarraga can't score six rushing touchdowns again, can he?
This is the game to watch this week. Someone put it on TV.
- Visarraga is trying to establish himself as one of the better MWL backs in the past ten years, while the entire Willamette team is trying to establish itself as a legitimate top tier program.
- Ashland QB Danial White is probably the most exciting qb in the league this year. The Ashland team is trying to establish that you don't have to be a huge school to have a great football team.
- Willamette's qb, Dustin Leber, is probably the most exciting qb in the league this year. Oops, that's two 'most exciting qb's'. And I"ll be in Springfield wishing I was watching the qb's in Ashland. Darn!
- Ashland's receivers are good and unselfish and they don't care who gets the catches - Franlin Lime, Sam Geisslinger, Quaid Walters and Jordan Thompson.
- Willamette has reloaded their receiving corp with another stellar group - Mitch Crownover, Zach Hatefi and Bryce York.
Marshfield at Eagle Point
Last year, Eagle Point beat Willamette 58-19, then travelled to play Marshfield and lost 41-32. Last week, Eagle Point reversed their fortunes against Willamette and lost 55-22, so the Eagle's will likely reverse their fortunes when they host Marshfield. Both teams are 1-1 in league. Eagle Point was plagued by turnovers last week against Willamette. That's not likely this week at home. I"m going with Eagle Point.
Churchill at North Eugene
Both teams are 0-2 in league. Churchill has lost two heartbreakers against the two southern MWL foes. Lancer junior AB Mitch Reese has completed almost 60% of his passes. Receivers Andrew Bennion, Tucker Molinski and Tyler Reid (out of the backfield) all have at least 10 catches in two league games. The Lancers running game is averaging only 2.3 yards per carry in the two league games. Churchill will want to improve those rushing numbers before they play Springifeld on September 30.
North has put Marist behind them and has three games left at home, including Churchill. Going with Churchill.
Join the voting in the MWL polls.
Twitter and Facebook
You can receive my tweets from the Springfield game and retweets of other games (thanks Chris Park for Marist scores) by following the MWL Twitter ( http://twitter.com/#!/mwlnow ) or the MWL Facebook page. Don't forget to 'like' the MWL Facebook page. You're son can tell you how to set up your phone for tweets or Facebook emails.
Photos
Each team has a photo team on my website. I usually post photos on Monday or Tuesday after the games. I'll be adding game photos for Springfield next Tuesday, and Willamette and Eagle Point the following Tuesday. I usually post eight to ten photos on the page and then set up a gallery on Smug Mug where you can purchase photos. Half of the profit from the photos goes to the schools booster club. Team Photos
When will you finally become a believer that Ashland has probably the best coached, best prepared team in S. Oregon? Grant it, unfortunately, they do not have the athletes to compete with the Marist and Sherwoods of the world, but they play very well for an undersized group and deserve some respect. Ashland over Marshfield this week!
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