Tanner Trosin with the touchdown

@TannerTrosin @SOURaiders @SOU_Football

Earlier this week I talked about how computer rankings are better than a coaches’ poll for NAIA football (as I’ve done previously). I also mentioned how the computer picked SOU to beat the College of Idaho, 48-32, today. Did they? Well, they came pretty darn close. SOU won, 42-27. Massey Ratings predicted a 45-32 SOU victory, again very close to the actual result. What does the computer say about next week? SOU should win by 40 points over Montana State-Northern next Saturday (at home in Ashland) according to compughterratings.com and by 32 according to Massey Ratings.

What else happened today in NAIA football, and what will Monday’s poll look like?

Eastern Oregon beat previously undefeated Montana Tech (as I sort of, and the computer, predicted).

#1 Marian lost. This means Morningside will move up to #1 in the coaches’ poll, thanks in large part to their weak schedule and their location in the country (near the voting coaches). Massey Ratings doesn’t believe Morningside is a top five team (and predicts they will lose to their DIII opponent next week).

Lindsey Wilson will move up to #2. With a schedule not much stronger than Morningside, Massey also doesn’t consider them to be a top five team.

SOU will move up to #3. Massey Ratings will continue to have SOU at #1 after today’s results are factored in.

September 19th, 2015 | Tags: football, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, sports photography, Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens for Nikon | Category: people | Comments Off on How did the computer do?

Ashland Hills Hotel

@NHGoregon

I spent this past Thursday at Ashland Hills Hotel. The prior time was on September 11, 2001, but that’s another story.

Anyway, I never knew of the tennis court on the property, a court with perhaps the best view of Grizzly Peak in town. I would have a hard time focusing on hitting the ball in such an environment.

September 19th, 2015 | Tags: grizzly peak, Samsung SM-G900V Galaxy S5 cell phone camera | Category: nature, only in ashland | Comments Off on Tennis court with a view of Grizzly

Lauren McGowne

@SOURaiders @RaiderVB @LMcGowne

The 11-0 Raiders return to Ashland for a couple of matches this weekend. The first is tonight against Multnomah at 7 p.m. Tomorrow night (9/19/15) they will be playing an early 5 p.m. match vs. Warner Pacific.

September 18th, 2015 | Tags: Lauren McGowne, Raider Athletics, sports photography, volleyball | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on #8 SOU volleyball back in town

@SOURaiders @RaiderVB @TyanaAndrews @jgregs9 @emmagassy

September 17th, 2015 | Tags: Raider Athletics, soccer, Southern Oregon University, sports photography, volleyball | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on First-ever home SOU men’s soccer

http://www.compughterratings.com/CFB/simulations

@SOURaiders @SOU_Football

…or so says the simulator linked above.

JJ Latu with a 15-yard run for the Raiders against Eastern Oregon

September 16th, 2015 | Tags: football, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, sports photography, Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens for Nikon | Category: only in ashland | Comments Off on Raiders to beat Yotes by 16…

Thomas Giddens has been great in SOU’s first two games, but the Raiders need to use him less.

@SOURaiders @SOU_Football @giddentn

Yesterday I linked to NAIA rankings based on a computer formula. There are various formulas out there. Massey‘s formula has SOU at #1 even after the loss to Carroll. Even more interesting is that Massey says that five of the top six NAIA football teams are in the Frontier Conference.

September 15th, 2015 | Tags: football, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, sports photography, Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens for Nikon, thomas giddens | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on Massey Ratings

@VolleyballGrizz

After 13 games on the road, the Ashland High School Grizzlies play their first home match tonight at 6:45 against Eagle Point.

September 15th, 2015 | Tags: ashland high school, ellie, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II, Nikon D750, sports photography, volleyball | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on Volleyball in Ashland tonight

Louis Macklin breaks through a hole vs. Eastern Oregon

@LouieVHbk @SOURaiders @SOU_Football

The new 2015 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll is out, and unsurprisingly, SOU has dropped from #1 to #4 because of a road loss to Carroll in the first week. Carroll’s road loss to Montana Tech cost them more than a few spots as well. The Frontier Conference is now wide open. Montana Tech and Montana Western have both looked good in their first two wins. However, Montana Tech will have their hands full @ Eastern Oregon this weekend. Montana Western faces Carroll in a couple weeks. It’s unlikely any Frontier Conference team will enter October without a loss.

A less-biased poll is one not done by coaches. This one has SOU @ #2, Carroll @ #3, and seven Frontier Conference teams in the top 22.

September 14th, 2015 | Tags: football, louis macklin, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, sports photography, Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD Lens for Nikon | Category: only in ashland, people | Comments Off on NAIA football rankings

Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville (9/13/15)

@brittfestivals @brandicarlile @baskery

Today’s photo comes from last night’s show. Baskery was about to hit the stage, and Brandi played her seventh Britt show later in the evening. More photos of Baskery and Brandi Carlile coming soon. (Unfortunately, I can’t process any at the moment as my hard drive has filled up again. After I move a few hundred GB of files off I will get to them.)

Wednesday night is Primus at Britt.

September 14th, 2015 | Tags: brandi carlile, britt festivals, Nikon AF‑S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens, Nikon D750 | Category: only in ashland | Comments Off on Britt evenings