Colby Schwartz, South Medford football

An ability to adapt to personnel has been a staple of South Medford’s football program under Bill Singler, and this fall expects to be a bit of a throwback for the Panthers.

After leaning on big-play production from the passing game to put opponents on their heels the past few years, South Medford will be returning to the basics for Year 2 in the South/Central Football Conference.

“We’re a different team than we’ve been the last couple years,” said Singler, who enters his 26th season at the helm. “The strength of our team offensively is going to be up front and in the running back corps. We’ve had some good teams in the past that have leaned on that kind of element.”

“We don’t have a 100-meter sprinter out there this year,” he added, “and we don’t have the downfield threats like we’ve had in the past couple years, so we’re going to be leaning on the run and on our dual-purpose quarterbacks throwing and running.”

Laying the foundation will be a veteran offensive line that returns senior starters Li Moala, Anthony DelPizzo, Diego Luna and Jayden Solis. The first three on that list earned all-conference honors a year ago, and Solis was on his way before an injury cut short his season in the fifth game of the season.

Seniors Gabe Staszak and Taylor Tucker also will play key roles in the trenches for a group that averages around 245 pounds with good athleticism to reach the second level.

“We have a good group of senior linemen that have been through the wars a little bit as juniors,” said Singler, “so that should give us some experience up front on both sides of the ball.”

With that group paving the way, the Panthers should be able to unleash a backfield brimming with talent in running backs Ryder Scheid, Bridger Foss and Kameron Rague, who played an integral role in helping Cascade Christian to the Class 3A state championship last fall.

Scheid, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior, provided the Panthers a solid combination of rushing and receiving last year en route to second-team all-SCFC honors. Scheid’s 376 yards on the ground led the team, and his 18 catches for 240 yards ranked third.

“He’s a kid that can run the ball and catch the ball in the backfield, and those are the kind of guys we like,” said Singler. “We like to get the ball to those guys in the flats and on the wheel routes and things out of the backfield.”

Foss played primarily with the junior varsity last year but worked his way into some main game action, bringing good power and an ability to work through traffic. Foss (5-9, 180) finished second at the Class 6A wrestling state championships as a sophomore last year.

Rague was a featured player during his first two seasons at Cascade Christian, earning 3A state player of the year honors on offense as a sophomore after carrying the ball 110 times for 1,331 yards and 20 touchdowns. The versatile 6-1, 185-pounder also ranked second on the Challengers with 61 tackles to go with four interceptions.

“He brings good size and athleticism to the backfield,” said Singler of Rague.

Juniors J.T. Dalton and Wyatt Jennings and sophomore Ty Flowers also give South Medford solid options in the backfield.

“I know (running backs coach Jason Bauer) is excited about that group and I’m excited, too,” said Singler. “There is a good group of kids to look at and to have. It bodes nicely with the lack of experience we have at receiver and lack of experience as a starter at the varsity level at quarterback.”

Those latter areas are where the Panthers hope to see the most growth if they hope to contend again for one of the top-16 spots in the state playoffs.

South Medford senior Colby Schwartz (6-1, 185) was the backup quarterback to three-year starter Deacon Edgar a year ago and will look to take the reins in his final season.

“Colby has a lot of game experience as a JV player,” said Singler. “He just has to see the speed of varsity play now, but he’s a tough kid and a tough runner and a tough-minded kid. From that standpoint, I don’t have a question.”

That said, Schwartz also has competition for the starting role in junior Kohen Carpenter and sophomore Makana Brown, who is also vying for playing time at linebacker.

“It’s going to be a ball-control run and play-action pass kind of football team offensively,” said Singler, “so the key will be having the quarterback make good decisions.”

Providing a bit of an unknown commodity will be a receiving corps that is tasked with replacing its three leading perimeter threats, including all-state star Andrew Walker. That top trio accounted for 16 of the team’s 19 TD receptions and all but 481 of the 1,968 receiving yards — creating even more of a question mark when you factor in Scheid’s production.

“It’s a big hit because we did lose the three starters,” said Singler.

Senior tight end Tanner Tuggle (6-2, 190) is the most experienced of the bunch and has shown good leadership after also being one of the team’s top linebackers last year. Gannen Jones, another senior, also saw varsity action last year, while juniors Ajani Ingram, Mike Duclos and Landon Westphalen will seek to seize their opportunities at receiver.

“They’ve got to gain my confidence,” said Singler of the newcomers. “I saw them a little bit under the gun this summer in our camp, but these guys need game experience. They just need to get in and see that varsity is much different than junior varsity. The speed is different, the abilities of the corners are different and all those kinds of things. I think that there’s some talent there, though.”

On defense, all-conference senior Makani Manuwai (6-0, 250) sets the tone in the trenches with Staszak, Moala and senior Logan Crocker (6-1, 260). Newcomers Grady McQuillan and Isa DeLaTorre have also had eye-opening offseason efforts.

The linebacker corps has good size and depth with returners Tuggle, senior Gio Livingston (6-1, 205) and juniors Caleb Morgan (6-2, 215) and Jacob Dalton (6-0, 210) joined by senior Alex Varner (6-1, 200) and junior Dasan Jackson (6-1, 190).

In the secondary, senior Austin Hofeling reunites with Scheid at safety while a host of skill players are open for cornerback duties for a team that forced 17 turnovers but allowed nearly 348 yards per game last year.

“We have a good group of defensive returning starters and I think that bodes well, especially up front,” said Singler. “It gives us some physicality, which I think helps us a lot because we’re very young on the back end.”

—

PANTHERS

HEAD COACH

Bill Singler (26th year, 150-105)

GENERAL INFORMATION

ASSISTANTS: Jason Bauer (assistant head coach/running backs), Chris Parnell (defensive coordinator/defensive backs), Damian Jackson (offensive line), Mike Tejada (linebackers), Jack Singler (JV head coach/quarterbacks), Matt Boudreaux (receivers/defensive backs), Freddie Taulani (linebackers), Sam Woods (defensive line), Sean Johnston (freshman head coach), Dave Alonzo (freshman), Mike Johnston (freshman), Logan Emonds (freshman), Joey Martinez (freshmen), Skyler Gosson (freshman).

2022 LEAGUE RECORD: 4-3 (T4th, SCFC)

2022 OVERALL RECORD: 6-4.

2022 RESULTS

SOUTH MEDFORD OPPONENTS

41 Beaverton 0

21 Del Norte 7

55 McNary 21

48 South Salem 35

33 Sprague 18

0 Sheldon 49

26 Grants Pass 27

37 Roseburg 0

0 North Medford 35

State Playoffs

6 Central Catholic 63

RETURNING STARTERS

OFFENSE (5): Left guard Li Moala (5-10, 235, sr.), center Anthony DelPizzo (6-0, 235, sr.), right guard Jayden Solis (6-0, 280, sr.), right tackle Diego Luna (5-11, 220, sr.), running back Ryder Scheid (5-10, 180, sr.).

DEFENSE (9): Lineman Makani Manuwai (6-0, 250, sr.), lineman Gabe Staszak (6-6, 255, sr.), linebacker Tanner Tuggle (6-2, 190, sr.), linebacker Jacob Dalton (6-0, 210, jr.), linebacker Gio Livingston (6-1, 205, sr.), lineman Logan Crocker (6-1, 260, sr.), safety Austin Hofeling (5-10, 165, sr.), safety Ryder Scheid, lineman Li Moala.

OTHER NOTABLES

Quarterback/defensive back Colby Schwartz (6-1, 185, sr.), running back/linebacker Bridger Foss (5-9, 180, jr.), running back/linebacker Kameron Rague (6-1, 185, jr.), running back/linebacker J.T. Dalton (6-0, 190, jr.), receiver/safety Gannen Jones (5-10, 165, sr.), receiver/cornerback Ajani Ingram (5-8, 145, jr.), lineman Taylor Tucker (5-10, 240, sr.), quarterback/defensive back Kohen Carpenter (5-8, 145, jr.), quarterback/linebacker Makana Brown (6-1, 190, so.), linebacker/receiver Caleb Morgan (6-2, 215, jr.), linebacker/tight end Alex Varner (6-1, 200, sr.), cornerback/running back Ty Flowers (5-9, 165, so.), running back/defensive back Wyatt Jennings (5-8, 155, jr.), receiver/defensive back Mike Duclos (6-1, 160, jr.), receiver/defensive back Landon Westphalen (6-2, 160, jr.), linebacker/receiver Dasan Jackson (6-1, 190, jr.), defensive end Grady McQuillan (6-1, 210, jr.), defensive tackle Isa DeLaTorre (5-10, 220, so.).

2023 SCHEDULE

Sept. 1 MOUNTAINSIDE, 7 p.m.

Sept. 8 at Del Norte, 7 p.m.

Sept. 15 at McNary, 7:15 p.m.

Sept. 22 SOUTH SALEM, 7 p.m.

Sept. 28 at Sprague, 7 p.m.

Oct. 6 SHELDON, 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 GRANTS PASS, 7 p.m.

Oct. 20 at Roseburg, 7 p.m.

Oct. 27 at North Medford, 7 p.m.