View of Mt. Ashland from Roxy Ann Peak Trail

@mtashland @TravelOregon

The day before heading to Daytona, two weeks ago today, we took a walk up to the top of Roxy Ann Peak. Strangely enough, this was our first time up Roxy Ann Peak even though we have lived in the Rogue Valley for over 14 years now.

The weather forecast was for no rain. That’s not what the sky looked like. We didn’t get rained on, but it did begin raining the moment we got into the car at the end of our hike. This storm ultimately turned out to hold enough snow for the mountains that Mt. Ashland was able to open a few days later for the first time in two seasons.

Posted on December 28th, 2014 under nature, outside of ashland, places. Tags: hike, landscape, mt. ashland, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED AF-S VR, Nikon D750, Roxy Ann Peak. Comments Off on Road to Mt. Ashland

2014 SOU football team @ Daytona International Speedway finish line

@SOU_Football @SOURaiders @Coachfozz

2014 Rawlings NAIA Coach of the Year – Coach Howard

Aldrick Rosas had eight kickoffs that went for touchbacks in addition to being a perfect 7-7 in PATS and 2-2 in field goals including a 48 yarder

Walking on sunshine after another Melvin Mason touchdown

Alex Stork and Heston Altenbach

JJ Latu

Austin Dodge celebrates his final collegiate game

2014 NAIA Championship Game scoreboard and trophy

Coach Ken Fasnacht enjoys bus ride after the victory

Posted on December 27th, 2014 under people. Tags: Aldrick Rosas, austin dodge, Coach Craig Howard, coach ken fasnacht, football, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, Southern Oregon University, sports photography. Comments Off on Ten more of the champs

SOU football practice in Daytona with Smith, Dodge, and Singler

@SOU_Football @SOURaiders

With the graduation of the 2014 NAIA Player of the Year, Austin Dodge, the biggest question with regard to the future of the Raider football team is “Who will be the quarterback in 2015 (and beyond)?”

Teran Togia, Larry Bowen, Jeremy Scottow, and QB Jack Singler on the sidelines in Chicago

Kamerun Smith taking a snap in Chicago when Austin Dodge’s helmet came off

Posted on December 27th, 2014 under people. Tags: football, Kamerun Smith, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, Southern Oregon University, sports photography. Comments Off on Future quarterbacks

All-American Daniel Breaux has graduated

@SOU_Football @SOURaiders

The SOU football team will be losing many of their seniors from the championship team for next season.

Dustin Fretwell has used up his eligibility and will be graduating with a degree in business

However, the national championship should help with recruiting top student athletes in future years.

Austin Dodge will of course be gone, but Melvin Mason (over 1,000 yards and 17 TDs in 2014) will be a junior in 2015.

In addition, all three of the running backs have at least two years remaining.

Sean Tow averaged 5.6 yards per carry in 2014 and will be a junior in 2015.

Keegan Lawrence averaged over 7 yards per carry and will be a sophomore in 2015.

Julius Rucker will be a junior in 2015.

#92 David Weider will be a senior, #26 Daniel Abernethy will be a sophomore, and #42 Isaiah Carter will also be a sophomore in 2015.
#10 Tevin Lake on Marian rushed for over 5,400 yards in his career, but the Raiders allowed only 68 of those yards on 18 carries.

Jaylenn Hart had 57 tackles this year and 3 interceptions against Marian. He will be a senior in 2015.

The future looks bright. More photos of next year’s returning players coming…

Posted on December 26th, 2014 under people. Tags: Daniel Breaux, dustin fretwell, football, julius rucker, keegan lawrence, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, sean tow, Southern Oregon University, sports photography. Comments Off on Past and future stars of the Raiders

Coach Craig Howard on phone with Stan Smith “Mr. Raider” just prior to taking the field in Daytona

@SOURaiders @SOU_Football

Coach Howard had a quick conversation with Stan Smith a few minutes before the game began in which the Raiders won the NAIA National Championship. I’m not sure if Stan answered Coach Howard’s question and gave him his ring size then, but he better tell him now.

P.S. I still have many more photos from the game that I will be posting here. They are now spilling over onto additional pages. To see all of the photos I have posted so far click here, here, and here. For photos from Florida not necessarily directly tied to the game (but sometimes containing SOU football players) click here and here.

Posted on December 26th, 2014 under people. Tags: Coach Craig Howard, football, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED AF-S VR, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, stan smith. Comments Off on “What size ring do you wear?”

2014 SOU football team in Daytona Beach, Florida

@SOURaiders @SOU_Football

Municipal Stadium locker room (Daytona Beach, Florida)

I had never been in the SOU locker room prior to or during a game before. I don’t want to disturb anything, anybody, or be any sort of obstacle to the players or coaches. I was told I could go in for photos of the pre-game speech during this epic, championship game though. To see what it would be like, where I should stand, and to get my camera settings correct for the speech, I went in while everyone was on the field a half hour or so before game time. The above photo is the result.

Posted on December 25th, 2014 under people. Tags: football, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED AF-S VR, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics. Comments Off on Back to the pregame

@SOURaiders @SOU_Football @SloppyJoesDB @DaytonaHilton

After the bus ride back to the hotel, the post-game recap took place in the Hilton rather than the normal location of on the field.

Max Proudfit and Coach Howard

SOU football post game in Hilton Daytona with Sean McShane, Sean Tow, and Grant Torgerson

Before the game, Coach Howard came out to the tailgate to give the fans a speech. ESPNU later aired his words in the first half of the game. Part of what he said included, “Let’s all jump in that ocean together after this game.” He kept his promise.

Coach Howard coming out of the Atlantic Ocean after claiming the 2014 NAIA Championship

Coach Howard shakes hands with Athletic Director Matt Sayre as President Roy Saigo looks on with friends, fans, and family – Sloppy Joe’s Daytona Beach

125+ more photos from the 2014 NAIA Championship can be found here.

Posted on December 24th, 2014 under people. Tags: Coach Craig Howard, football, Matt Sayre, Max Proudfit, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED AF-S VR, Nikon D750, President Roy Saigo, Raider Athletics, sean mcshane, Southern Oregon University. Comments Off on Coach Howard makes good on his promise

offensive line

@SOURaiders @SOU_Football @racetodaytona #NAIAfootball

2014 NAIA Player of the Year Austin Dodge

defensive line

Kelii Padello

Coach Greg Stewart and the running backs

Alex Stork, Mylz Blake, and Tyler Rogers

Coach Nathan Chin and the defensive backs

Senior Bubba Rylance and Coach Howard

shout out to Mr. Raider Stan Smith

outside linebackers

Posted on December 23rd, 2014 under people. Tags: austin dodge, bubba rylance, Coach Craig Howard, football, Greg Stewart, keegan lawrence, Max Proudfit, mylz blake, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, Southern Oregon University, sports photography. Comments Off on Ready for 10 more pics?

Thomas Giddens and Aldrick Rosas with Coach Howard

Thomas averaged about 50 yards per punt with his 5 punts in the championship game

Seniors Laurence Calcagno and Heston Altenbach

Coach Josh Winfield and the linebackers

Posted on December 23rd, 2014 under people. Tags: Aldrick Rosas, Heston Altenbach, Josh Winfield, mylz blake, NAIA National Championship Game Daytona Florida, Nikon D750, Raider Athletics, Southern Oregon University, sports photography, thomas giddens, Tyler Stinn. Comments Off on Inside linebackers and the feet