Panthers take flight against Barlow

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Mail Tribune/ Jamie Lusch South Medford’s Patrick Thibeault breaks a tackle attempt by Kevin Cook.Jamie Lusch

November 10, 2007

By Kris Henry

Mail Tribune

Trailing 13-0 with one of your best defenders on the sidelines isn't exactly how you would want to start a state-playoff football game, but that's exactly where eighth-ranked South Medford found itself Friday night against Barlow.

Fortunately for the Panthers, the predicament was nothing new, and the answer was simple: settle down on defense and fire up the passing game.

South Medford accomplished both over the final 42 minutes, and left the Bruins in the dust en route to a 42-19 first-round win at Spiegelberg Stadium.

Senior quarterback A.J. Palazzolo passed for 377 yards and five touchdowns and the Panthers made Barlow work for every yard from there on out to earn South Medford's first playoff win since 2004.

"One thing that's great about our football team is we never question ourselves and we never think we're out of a game," said Palazzolo, who completed an efficient 16 of 24 passes. "I think that's a great intangible to have. We just stick together through the ups and downs. We just didn't question that we were going to get it done."

E.J. Singler, a first-team all-Southwest Conference defensive back, was limited to only offensive duties but made the most of that time by hauling in seven passes for 196 yards and two scores. Mitch Singler, who had six receptions for 115 yards and a score, kept his streak alive of catching a TD pass and reaching 100 yards receiving in every game this season.

"We've just been waiting for a chance to really explode on a team through the air," said Palazzolo, who was a first-team all-Southwest Conference selection. "Our offensive line can do it all, they can run block and pass block, and tonight was just a big night for all our guys. I just got them the ball as quick as I could so they could make something happen."

With the win, South Medford (8-2) advances to the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs and will play at Tualatin (5-3) next Friday in a rematch of their Sept. 14 encounter. The Timberwolves, champions of the Pacific Conference, edged the Panthers 41-38 in that early season game and received a first-round bye in the playoffs.

"We're not looking for revenge, we're just looking to keep our roll going," added Palazzolo.

Barlow (5-6) was the team on a roll early Friday, using the shifty runs of junior Malcolm Johnson to set up a 2-yard plunge by Jordan Raney on the opening drive.

After a three-and-out series by the Panthers, the Bruins picked right up where they left off. This time, however, Johnson — the state's leading rusher with more than 2,200 yards — provided the scoring after taking a toss right and then dancing through the South defense for a 45-yard touchdown run.

The jubilation on the Barlow sideline was readily apparent, but quieted not long after as the Panthers rolled off 35 straight points to take an insurmountable 35-13 lead early in the third quarter.

"We just wanted to come out fast and that's what we did," said Johnson, who finished with 215 yards on 42 carries. "We executed, but we just couldn't finish the game the way we wanted to."

South Medford was moved back to its own 8-yard line after a fumble on the ensuing drive, but then Palazzolo went to work. The 6-foot senior connected with Mitch Singler on a 23-yard gain and then found E.J. Singler for a 40-yard hookup to get the Panthers in scoring position.

Two more receptions by Mitch Singler, including a diving comebacker as Palazzolo eluded pressure, helped get South down to the Barlow 8 and Patrick Thibeault went over from there to make it 13-7.

The Panther defense came up big to finally slow Barlow on its third drive, with D.J. Titus, John Adamson and Steve Lankford each making big stops.

South took over on its own 34 after a Bruin punt, but needed only one play to pull ahead as Thibeault took a screen pass 66 yards and Sam McLaughlin followed with the extra-point to make it 14-13.

On a play Panthers coach Bill Singler said might have been the best executed at the school in years, Palazzolo sucked the defense in and lobbed a perfect pass over Barlow's Joey Walker to Thibeault. The junior caught the back end of the football in stride, then found a wall of waiting blockers that shielded him from harm.

"Thank goodness Patrick Thibeault is Patrick Thibeault," Palazzolo said of the play. "Once you get the ball to him he's hard to stop."

Brett Wallan, Zach Barge and Rylee Jackson joined the Panther hit parade after that, and South Medford pushed its lead to 21-13 with 4:55 to go until halftime on an 11-yard TD pass to Mitch Singler. The drive was spurred on by two pass interference penalties by Barlow.

Titus, who unofficially went over 20 tackles for the third game this season, held Johnson to a 1-yard gain on a fourth-and-two play at the South 39 to give the ball back to the offense. Palazzolo then capped a five-play drive with a perfectly placed 23-yard pass to E.J. Singler in the end zone to make it 28-13 with 55 seconds to go until halftime.

The quarterback and tight end picked up where they left off to open the third quarter, with E.J. Singler taking a quick hitter by Palazzolo 72 yards for a back-breaking score. Mitch Singler helped spring his cousin on the play with a block that took out two Bruin defenders with 25 yards to go until pay dirt.

"EJ's seriously one of the top five football players in the state of Oregon, there's no doubt in my mind," said Palazzolo. "I know that he's a basketball player, but that kid could play some big-time college football. I'm just really fortunate to be able to throw him the football."

Barlow managed to answer with a score of its own, with Raney capping a 15-play, 77-yard drive on a 4-yard scamper. The drive, however, took about seven minutes off the clock.

"We thought we could try to come back but the drive's took too long," said Johnson.

South was in position to score at the Barlow 1-yard line on its next series but a mixup in the backfield resulted in a fumble that the Bruins eventually recovered in the end zone.

The Panthers kept Barlow out of the end zone despite another grueling 14-play drive. Kyle Smith and Barge each came up with big plays to slow the surge, and Michael Harthun knocked down a fourth-down pass from the Panther 35 to force a turnover on downs.

Palazzolo later notched his fifth TD pass, this one on a 3-yarder to McLaughlin to cap the scoring with 4:50 to play.

After the game, Bill Singler heaped praise on his senior class for helping provide the leadership for such a comeback.

"I'm really proud how this year's senior class has led the team, especially with A.J. and Titus," said the coach. "Those two guys have been really unsung heroes this year."

Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail khenry@mailtribune.com

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