It took a year of adjusting, but Phoenix football appears to be turning the corner in its second season under former Ashland and Southern Oregon University coach Charlie Hall.
The 3A Pirates, who entered the season with a 33-game losing streak, defeated Brookings-Harbor 41-0 and Harrisburg 41-14 in their first two games. They have energized the community as they head into Friday's nonleague game at Sutherlin (2-0).
“I think the whole culture of Phoenix High School has changed as a result of us winning and not having that doom and gloom of Monday, coming back after a loss,” Hall said. “It's good to have the energy on campus. Our kids walk around proud and humble, I hope, about their success.”
Friday's game against the Bulldogs, who have routed Pleasant Hill 52-6 and Creswell 41-13, will be a good measuring stick for Phoenix. The Pirates lost to Sutherlin in each of the last three seasons, including 41-20 on the road in 2023. The teams also squared off at a camp in the summer.
“We're quite familiar with each other,” Hall said. “It's going to be a good test for us. On the road, having to deal with the mental psychology of having the confidence now. Is it real?”
Hall, who went 91-41 in 12 seasons at Ashland (2005-16) and guided Southern Oregon to the NAIA national semifinals during his six-year tenure (2017-22), said the state of the Phoenix program was “pretty dismal” when he took over last year. A 4A school, Phoenix is playing its third season in 3A after meeting the OSAA criteria to move down.
“It's a lower socio-economic community, more so than Ashland,” Hall said. “Kids have to work. They have jobs, and they've got to balance other things. I didn't have to deal with that at Ashland.
“Now that we're doing well, I think the families are seeing the value of being in a program. I think parents feel like their kids are improving socially because they have us to hold them accountable. For them to see the success on the field the last Friday nights, it sort of validates everything we've done.”
Phoenix was dealt a devastating blow in Sept. 2020 when a wildfire ravaged the community.
“The combination of COVID and the fire, they were trying to get kids through some tough times, and when you do that, you lower your standards so much,” Hall said. “I don't know if that's always the best way. At some point, you've got to maintain a fairly high standard to be able to achieve great things.”
Hall said the program had fewer than 30 players when he took over, but now has about 60, enough for two teams. The players lack experience but are trusting the coaches and starting to understand the meaning of commitment, according to Hall.
It has led to two impressive wins.
“I think the community is a little surprised, but as coaches and players, we're not,” Hall said. “The biggest thing is confidence. They didn't have that last year.”
In the home win over Brookings-Harbor, junior Cody Martin rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, senior quarterback Payton Turner passed and ran for scores and the defense held the Bruins to 131 total yards. Last week against visiting Harrisburg, four running backs had rushing touchdowns in Martin, junior Brayden Winters and seniors Parker Devey and Derek Corder.
The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Martin, who placed fourth in the 100 meters in the 4A track meet as a sophomore, is a game-breaker. The 190-pound Devey can pound inside.
“It's a thunder-and-lightning effect,” Hall said.
The 6-4, 155 pound Turner, plagued by injuries early in his high school career, did not play football until last season. He is starting to get a feel for playing quarterback.
“Last year he was running around, chicken with his head cut off,” Hall said. “But he's calmed down, made some throws.”
Senior receiver and defensive end Tobias Akpan (6-5, 200) – the team's best player last year, according to Hall – has yet to play after suffering an injury in basketball last winter. Hall said the team is hopeful that Akpan, the brother of South Medford volleyball and girls basketball standout Mayen Akpan, will be back in a couple weeks.
Other top matchups in Week 3:
Friday
6A No. 6 Sheldon (2-0, 1-0 SD1) at North Medford (1-1, 1-1 SD1), 7 p.m.: Sheldon handed the Black Tornado its only loss (24-3) in Special District 1 last year, when the teams finished tied for second place behind South Salem. The Irish are 2-0 under new coach Tyler Martell.
Sumner, Wash. (2-0) at 6A No. 1 West Linn, 7 p.m.: Sumner, ranked No. 2 in Washington's big-school division behind Camas, has beaten Lake Stevens 31-28 in overtime and Auburn Riverside 47-0. West Linn is coming off a 35-0 rout of No. 8 Sherwood in which junior Viggo Anderson rushed for 149 yards, giving him 284 in two games.
6A No. 2 Tualatin (2-0) at 6A No. 8 Sherwood (1-1), 7 p.m.: One week after falling to No. 1 West Linn 35-0, the Bowmen take on the state's No. 2 team in the Timberwolves, who feature BYU-bound quarterback Nolan Keeney. The 6-5 senior has passed for 556 yards and eight touchdowns so far.
Oregon City (1-1) at 6A No. 7 Jesuit (1-1), 7 p.m.: Jesuit coach Ken Potter (352-87 in 38 seasons) tied Dewey Sullivan atop the state's career wins list last week when the Crusaders dropped Tigard 42-21. He can become the all-time leader with a win over the Pioneers, who lost to Mountainside 35-28 last week.
5A No. 2 Silverton (2-1) at 5A No. 6 West Albany (2-1), 7 p.m.: The Foxes and Bulldogs had one of the state's best rivalries in the past decade in the Mid-Willamette Conference, but Silverton has moved into Special District 2 this year. The Foxes defeated West Albany twice last season, 49-28 in Week 8 and 41-14 in the quarterfinals.
4A No. 1 Henley (2-0) at 5A No. 7 Summit (0-3), 7 p.m.: The Storm plays its third reigning state champion in four weeks by hosting the Hornets, who last week won at Marist Catholic 19-16 in a rematch of last year's 4A final. It is Summit's first game against a 4A team since 2013.
4A No. 3 Marist Catholic (2-1) at 4A No. 5 Seaside (2-1), 7 p.m.: The Spartans fell out of the top spot in the OSAAtoday 4A coaches poll this week after their 19-16 home loss to Henley. They will try to get back on track against the Seagulls, who lost to 3A No. 2 Banks 32-14 last week.
Baker (1-1) at 3A No. 1 Vale (3-0), 7 p.m. (MDT): The road team has won this nonleague matchup in each of the last three years, with Vale edging the Bulldogs 8-7 last season. It is the third consecutive 4A Greater Oregon League opponent for Vale, which defeated La Grande 30-8 and Ontario 62-10 the last two games.
3A No. 3 Cascade Christian (1-1) at 3A No. 6 Siuslaw (2-0), 7 p.m.: Siuslaw has been winning with defense, beating Marshfield 22-14 and North Valley, and will be tested in its next two games against the Challengers and No. 7 South Umpqua. Cascade Christina thumped Hidden Valley 68-28 last week.
2A No. 9 Salem Academy (2-0) at 2A No. 1 Oakland (2-0), 7 p.m.: Salem Academy has been impressive in handling Gold Beach and Nestucca by identical 35-6 scores, and now will find out where it stands in back-to-back games against Oakland and No. 2 St. Paul. The Oakers own wins over last year's 2A finalists, knocking off reigning champion Lowell 42-35 and runner-up Weston-McEwen 36-0.
1A-8 No. 1 Crane (2-1, 1-0 SD2) at 1A-8 No. 6 Powder Valley (3-0. 0-0 SD2), 7 p.m.: After going 1-8 last season, Powder Valley has reversed course. The Badgers can make a statement with a strong performance against Crane in the Special District 2 game. The Mustangs throttled Powder Valley 49-16 in last season's finale.
Saturday
2A No. 2 St. Paul (2-0) at 2A No. 5 Lost River (2-0), 2 p.m.: The teams, 1A-8 powers in recent seasons, both moved up to 2A this year. Lost River has won three of four games against the Buckaroos the last two seasons, including 43-0 in the 2022 state final and 54-28 in a 2023 semifinal.
