Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1916-12-04
Turkey Day Game
Goes To MedfOrd

Before a crowd of over 1900 rabid
football fans, with music by two
bands and the enthusiastic cheering
of two wcll-organized roofing sections
urging them on, Ashland and Med
ford high schools battled for the
championship of southern Oregon at
Medford Thanksgiving day, Medford
winning by a 10 to score in an
evenly contested game.
The Medford team outplayed the
Ashlanders in practically every de-
partment, but by such a small mar
gin as to be hardly noticeable. The
Ashland team displayed the same
failing which has been evident in for
mer games this year and showed but
one flash of their true form. In the
third quarter the wearers of the red
and white suddenly awoke to true
form and for five minutes were SIM
ply Irresistible. marching over,
through and around the Medford line
with a steamrollerliko precision
which brought the cheering fans up
on their toes. For five minutes the
locals played the real football of
which they have shown themselves
capable on several occasions this
year, and then slumped back into the
state of listlessness Through the
rest of the game the locals fought
Individually like demons and appear
ed to he doing their best hut the psy-
Geological moment for n score was
past. Had the whistle marking tho
end of the third quarter held off a
few seconds, Ashland would have un-
doubtedly have scored. The team
was working as a unit.
Medfords men were trained right
down to the minute and showed the
effects of most conscientious work.
Corum and Gentry starred for the
, winners, hitting the line with bullet
, like speed
2 Medfords first score came with a
- drop kick from the twenty-yard line
in the first quarter after an eX-
I change of punts had netted them
| good gain Ashland got to the fif-
e TEEN yard line in the second quarter
S but failed to make two yards on the
!. fourth down and lost the ball ASH
d land was again dangerous when q
: Medford tumble, the only one of the
! day, was recovered by an Ashlander.
/ but forward pass was intercepted
s with disastrous results MedfOrd
this time, but stone wall defense
stopped them. The Medford touch
down came in the last quarter and
, with but three and half minutes
left to play. Young ran a punt well
back and forward pass, line plunges
and shift plays carried the ball over.
Brandon converted goal. The locals
came back with another flash of form
in the last two minutes and carried
the ball forty yards with a beautiful
series of end runs, passes and lins
bucks, but 1t came too late.
Cunningham played the star game
for Ashland and was closely seconded
if not equalled by Lowe. The tack
ling of these two was terrific and
, time after time prevented long gains.
Harrell played a consistent game and
Jones was whirlwind in the line,
playing the best ball he has exhibited
this season. Furry was laid out with
cracked rib and collarbone in the
first quarter, leaving a big hole in
his side of the line, which contributed
a great deal to Ashland's defeat.
Post mprtems are hardly in order,
but one or two "ifs" must be in
dulged in. If Ashland had played up
to the form displayed in brief flashes
victory would have hovered over Ash
land steeples Thursday. If the Med
ford safety had not picked up an
onside kick, calmly and apparently
not knowing that Harrell, who was
three feet away, was onside, Harrell
would have picked it up and scored.
If Buck had turned to the outside in
stead of the inside on forward pass
after he had passed the entire Med
, ford defense including the safety
who was coached to come up on pass
es, he would probably have held it
and scored. If-but what's the use?
Wait until next year.
Ashland supported her team roy
ally, several hundred going down to
the game. The students had hired
the ebony colored, relocated min
strel band which was in town, and
the way those coons put the pep into
Loyalty Song" was caution. Med
ford had big band but the eight
coons held their own. II was good
investment.
Suits for Christmas, tailored to