Danial White |
Anyone familiar with High school football in Oregon knows about the rich tradition that the Ashland Football program carries. Back in the day (Late 80’s and 90’s) the Grizzlies were a state powerhouse winning multiple state titles at the highest classification level. Part of what made this so unique was that Ashland is a “one horse town” and doesn’t draw from other communities. They simply did things the right way, and had some of the top talent in the entire northwest.
These days that tradition is still well documented and appreciated by the current players, but things are different. The Grizzlies are a proud group but they now reside at the 5a classification level in a 6A system, and the days of Southern Oregon football dominance is in transition.
With that said the gorgeous Southern Oregon community has two of the better players in the state of Oregon for the 2014 class. Mason Montgomery (6-0 205 So. LB) and Danial White (6-0 175 So QB) have both been very successful from a very young age, and they hope to make that translate over the next couple of seasons.
Montgomery is one of the best overall players in the state for his class, starting as a freshman and earning all league honors. This past season he earned first team all league recognition and lead his defense to two respectable playoff wins over Crescent Valley and Silverton. He is an outstanding overall athlete and is currently ranked #1 in the state for his weight class at the 5a level in wrestling.
Mason’s upside is huge with his dad Mitch Montgomery standing 6-4 and having a solid football background himself. He was part of the line that blocked for for former SOU star Griff Yates. He is ridiculously strong for a kid his age Benching 300, Squatting 400, and Power Cleaning 245. ” We lose 4 starters on our line so it will be a rebuilding year, but we have some good young guys there to replace them”. He continued, ” Danial will have a very successful career, and Jon Volz (5-11 165 Jr. RB/LB ) and Austin Chandler (5-10 165 RB/LB ) will both do big things for us next year”.
White is one of the better sophomore QB’s in Oregon and earned honorable mention all league honors this past season. He has worked with Greg Barton and former Ashland Coach Jim Nagel and benefited a great deal . Danial is very dangerous because he can run as well as throw. He accounted for over 2600 yards of total offense while rushing for 14 Tds and throwing for 16. He also lettered as a freshman in Track running the 100, 200, and 4x 100 and clocking a 4.75 (40) yard dash at a very young age.
Danial says, ” I want to win first and foremost and get Ashland another state title, I think we have the kids in our class to do just that before we are done”. White’s a competitor and has uncanny composure for a 10th grade quarterback which makes everyone in the community excited about the future. ” I would personally like to progress every year, throwing and rushing for more yards then the year previous”.
Ashland finished the season (8-3) and have 7 starters coming back defensively from a team that gave an undefeated Sherwood (14-3 L) squad all they could handle in the state quarterfinals. Mason says, “everyone respects and likes Coach Hall and we feel very good about the group we have coming back”. Both Coach Charlie Hall and Craig Howard of Southern Oregon University have done an incredible job getting this football town excited again.
We will be down in Southern Oregon for one of our camps and combines during the NEI/Barton Tour, and we look forward to following these two outstanding student athletes over their high school career and beyond.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BZ0ys7jeaE Danial White Highlights
