Still developing, Jefferson learns early lesson

Demos have shot at PIL 5A title, but couldn’t go distance with Glencoe

By Steve Brandon

The Portland Tribune, Sep 15, 2006, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Myles Wade, Central Catholic’s Oregon-bound standout, is featured on the cover of preps magazine Rise this month.

The football season usually is a learning process at Jefferson. Lesson No. 1 came last week, when the relatively inexperienced Democrats lost 37-21 at Glencoe. Class will be in session again tonight when the Demos travel to another Hillsboro school, Liberty.

Jeff has talent to win at the new 5A level. “We didn’t play that badly against Glencoe,” new coach Anthony Stoudamire says. “There were about five plays that made the difference. Three times we got in the red zone and didn’t score.”

The athletes at Jefferson typically don’t take part in a lot of offseason football camps, passing leagues and workouts like players with the most successful large programs in the metro area. The Democrats tend to take longer to jell. Expect to see some progress tonight, at Eagle Point on Sept. 22 and in the home opener Sept. 29 versus Benson.

Then comes the Oct. 6 PIL 5A opener at home against Roosevelt, a game that could decide the eventual league champ. Those two teams did not meet last year.

The Democrats have potential playmakers in quarterback Kalonji Paschal, a junior transfer from Benson who is a dangerous runner; backs Dominic Dixon and Tremaine Channel; and receiver-linebacker Herschel Slaughter.

Sophomore Marlon Miles, brother of former Jeff and Kansas basketball star Aaron Miles, is at slotback. “He probably gained over 100 yards on only four carries last week,” Stoudamire says. Miles can line up at QB, too.

Donte Savage was an all-PIL linebacker last season. The 235-pound senior is back on defense and playing offensive tackle. “He’s a great tight end, but with our numbers, I need him at tackle,” Stoudamire says.

Norman Richmond, who became the first PIL state wrestling champion since 1994 when he won at 125 pounds last season, is playing fullback and defensive back and some slot at about 140 pounds. “Size-wise, he’s a little challenged, but I wouldn’t trade his heart for anything,” Stoudamire says.

Jefferson was still in the Glencoe game in the fourth quarter when sophomore punter Anthony Robinson took a snap in his end zone, took off running and got tackled at the 1-yard line to set up a Crimson Tide touchdown.

“I don’t know what he saw, but he did it on his own. He tried to make a play to pump his team up,” Stoudamire says.

Just one of those lessons to learn. “He’s a great kid with a lot of talent,” Stoudamire says.

nCentral Catholic lineman Myles Wade is the cover boy for the September issue of Rise magazine, formerly School Sports magazine.

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