ASHLAND – The Southern Oregon University football coaching staff has signed 33 high school seniors from the states of Oregon, California, Washington and Idaho to join the program for the 2012 season, head coach Craig Howard announced Wednesday.
 
Twelve Oregon and California all-state honorees highlight the incoming class as the Raiders look to build on a 5-5 record in 2011, Howard's first season at SOU.
 
“Our coaching staff has worked hard to find not only good football players, but men of character, strength and honor,” Howard said. “These 34 signees are going to have an immediate impact on our program. This class is extremely talented, and there is terrific balance between offense and defense.”
 
The 2012 class features seven Oregon all-state performers in Matt Retzlaff (Medford, Ore./South Medford) (Medford, Ore./South Medford H.S.), Hayward Demison (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic H.S.), Sonny Tupua (Siuslaw, Ore./Siuslah H.S.), Turner Young (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lake Oswego) (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lake Oswego H.S.), Mick Hartwig (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic H.S.), Garrett Bossert (Banks, Ore./Banks) (Banks, Ore./Banks H.S.) and Jacob Holloway (Florence, Ore./Siuslaw) (Florence, Ore./Siuslaw H.S.).
 
Demison rushed for over 1,400 yards and tallied 19 total touchdowns as a senior after suffering a heart attack during a game his junior year. His heart stopped beating before he was revived by a cardiac nurse attending the game. He underwent open heart surgery and returned his senior year to earn all-state recognition.
 
“What is not to love about this young man?” Howard said. “What he's overcome, it is one of the great stories nationally. If he had not missed most of his junior year, I believe he would have been a DI signee. He brings more to the table than just being a great running back – Hayward Demison (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic) has the character and demeanor of a champion.”
 
The Raiders found another all-state performer in their own backyard  when they inked wide receiver Retzlaff out of South Medford High School. Retzlaff tallied 1,118 receiving yards on 56 catches with 21 touchdowns last season and added six interceptions from the defensive back position to earn all-state honors on both sides of the ball.
 
“I had the opportunity to see Matt play three times this season, and every time he made big plays to help his team win,” Howard said. “Matt is the best high school football player in southern Oregon, and we are excited and delighted that he has chosen to become a Raiders. Matt is not just a great football player, he is also a leader and a winner and for the next four years SOU fans are in for a treat.”
 
Tupua was named the Oregon 4A Player of the Year last season after concluding a record-breaking career at Siuslaw H.S. Tupua rushed for over 4,000 yards in his prep career and was the MVP of the All-State Championship game. Howard praised Tupua's devotion to service off the field, saying that “what impressed me is how much Sonny was engaged in his community and donated so much of his time to church, youth organizations and civic affairs.”
 
Young comes to SOU following an all-state career as a lineman that ended with the 2011 Oregon State 6A Championship. Howard called Young a “great player out of a great program. He is a winner on and off the field, and I am so pleased that Turner committed to us.”
 
Southern Oregon picked up two more commitments from Rogue Valley players in offensive linemen Doug Francis (Rogue River H.S.) and Dillon Henke (North Medford H.S.). Francis earned all-state recognition as a junior to earn recruiting attention from several NCAA Div. I programs, and Howard praised him as a “Terrific drive blocker with size and great feet. He's a Rogue Valley product, and we love getting the best local players in our program.”
 
The SOU coaching staff reached down into California to bring in 14 recruits from the Golden State, including five all-state performers in running backs Mark Jenkins (Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove H.S.) and Melvin Mason (Vacaville, Calif./Vacaville) (Vacaville, Calif./Vacaville H.S.), linebacker Leon Rapisura (Stockton, Calif./Lincoln) (Stockton, Calif./Lincoln H.S.), offensive linemane Brian Collins (Lodi, Calif./Lodi H.S.) and defensive back Jaylenn Hart (Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood) (Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood).
 
Jenkins dominated opponents on the ground, gaining over 5,000 yards the past two years while finishing with 82 career touchdowns. According to Howard, Jenkins is “a walking/running highlight film. He has terrific speed and brings a definite breakaway threat to the Raiders.”
 
Mason joins Jenkins, Demison and Tupua as a running back recruit with tremendous potential going forward. He put together nearly 2,000 yards rushing with 32 touchdowns last season to earn all-state recognition. Howard considers Mason to be “a big time player. The fact that he was an all-state selection at running back from a state that produces the top running backs in the country is amazing. Remember his name.”
 
Of the 33-player recruiting class, 16 athletes come from Oregon with 14 from California, two from Washington and one from Idaho.
 
Among the rest of the Oregon recruits, all seven have received all-league honors at some point during their prep careers. Bryce Alderman (Sister, Ore./Sisters) (Sister, Ore./Sisters H.S.) was a first-team all-league tight end, while Colton Aronson (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City) (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City H.S.) earned first-team all-league recognition for his play on the defensive line.
 
Reggie Coulter (Beaverton, Ore./Sunset H.S.) is an all-Metro performer, Kolby Koberstein (Molalla, Ore./Molalla) (Molalla, Ore./Molalla H.S.) earned all-conference recognition as both a center and defensive end and Jack Pfau (Molalla, Ore./Molalla H.S.) earned second-team all-league recognition. Austin Smith (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City) (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City H.S.) and Grant Torgerson (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City) (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City H.S.) each earned first-team all-league honors as defenders.
 
All of the California recruits also earned all-league recognition. Mylz Blake (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades Charter) (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades Charter H.S.) and Austin Brown (Stockton, Calif./Lincoln H.S.) each earned first-team honors. Le'Dontrae Gooden (Elk Grove, Calif./Cosummes Oaks) (Elk Grove, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks H.S.), Darion Jackson (Sacramento, Calif./Sheldon) (Elk Grove, Calif./Sheldon H.S.) and La'Shawn Jameison (Stockton, Calif./Eidson H.S.) all received all-area recognition and are slated to play defense for the Raiders.
 
Offensive lineman Tanner Lardie (Aptos, Calif./Aptos) (Aptos, Calif./Aptos H.S.), linebacker Marquice O'Leary (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda) (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda H.S.), defensive back Sterling Shaw (Modesto, Calif./Central Catholic H.S.) and kicker Jon David Smith (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oakridge) (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge H.S.) fill out the California contingent of the class, with all four receiving first-team all-conference honors.
 
A pair of all-league players from Skyview High School in Vancouver, Wash., represent the Evergreen State in the 2012 recruiting class. Dylan Bratlie (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview) earned first-team all-state recognition as an offensive lineman, and wide receiver David Garlington is a two-time all-league honoree. Defensive end Jake Mendenhall (Boise, Idaho/Centennial) (Boise, Idaho/Centennial H.S.) is an all-conference defensive lineman who will represent Idaho.
 
Southern Oregon will join the Frontier Conference for the 2012 season, giving the Raiders the opportunity to compete against some of the strongest teams in the NAIA. Howard expects this recruiting class to help push SOU to the top of the Frontier Conference standings in the coming years.
 
“The real results will be several years from now, but I feel this group of young men is going to change Southern Oregon very significantly over the next few years,” Howard said. “I don't know if the strength of this class is in the offensive line, at linebacker or running back. We have improved all three of those positions both in depth and quality.”
 
The Raiders will hold a signing day celebration at Louie's on the plaza in downtown Ashland at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Fans and friends are invited to attend as the coaching staff officially unveils the 2012 recruiting class.
 

Name	Pos	Hometown/High School	Ht	Wt	Honors
Bryce Alderman (Sister, Ore./Sisters)	CAT	Sisters, Ore./Sisters	6-1	235	1st-team all-league TE, honorable mention LB
Colton Aronson (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City)	DL	Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City	6-3	250	1st-team all-league
Mylz Blake (Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades Charter)	LB	Los Angeles, Calif./Palisades Charter	5-10	205	1st-team all-conference running back
Garrett Bossert (Banks, Ore./Banks)	LB	Banks, Ore./Banks	6-1	205	1st-team all-state LB, 1st-team all-league, Defensive POY
Dylan Bratlie (Vancouver, Wash./Skyview)	OL	Vancouver, Wash./Skyview	6-4	285	1st-team all-state OL, 1st-team all-league
Austin Brown	OL/DL	Stockton, Calif./Lincoln	6-3	285	1st-team all-league OL/DL, Team Captain
Brian Collins	OL	Lodi, Calif./Lodi	6-3	285	1st-team all-state OL
Reggie Coulter	DB	Beaverton, Ore./Sunset	5-10	170	All-metro defense
Hayward Demison (Portland, Ore./Central Catholic)	RB	Portland, Ore./Central Catholic	6-1	200	1st-team all-state RB, 1st-team all-league RB
Doug Francis	OL	Rogue River, Ore./Rogue River	6-4	285	1st-team all-state, 1st-team all-conference
David Garlington	WR	Vancouver, Wash./Skyview	6-0	175	Two-time all-league, 4.0 GPA
Le'Dontrae Gooden (Elk Grove, Calif./Cosummes Oaks)	DB	Elk Grove, Calif./Cosumnes Oaks	5-10	180	All-Metro, All-league, led league in tackles
Jaylenn Hart (Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood)	DB	Inglewood, Calif./Inglewood	5-11	180	ESPN Cal-Hi all-state nominee, first-team all-city
Mick Hartwig	DE	Portland, Ore./Central Catholic	6-3	205	Honorable mention all-state, 1st-team all-league
Dillon Henke	OL	Medford, Ore./North Medford	6-4	320	Team Leader
Jacob Holloway (Florence, Ore./Siuslaw)	DL	Florence, Ore./Siuslaw	6-0	220	1st-team all-state
Darion Jackson (Sacramento, Calif./Sheldon)	LB	Elk Grove, Calif./Sheldon	6-0	210	All-league LB, Team Captain
La'Shawn Jameison	DB	Stockton, Calif./Edison	5-10	170	2nd-team all-area QB, 1st-team all-league athlete
Mark Jenkins	RB	Elk Grove, Calif./Pleasant Grove	5-10	180	All-state RB, Offensive MVP, League MVP
Kolby Koberstein (Molalla, Ore./Molalla)	OL	Molalla, Ore./Molalla	6-4	245	1st-team all-conference DE, 2nd-team center
Tanner Lardie (Aptos, Calif./Aptos)	OL	Aptos, Calif./Aptos	6-0	270	All-county 1st-team, Lineman of the Year 2011
Melvin Mason (Vacaville, Calif./Vacaville)	RB	Vacaville, Calif./Vacaville	5-10	200	All-state RB, 1st-team Monticello Empire RB
Jake Mendenhall (Boise, Idaho/Centennial)	DE	Boise, Idaho/Centennial	6-3	230	2nd-team all-SIC DL
Marquice O'Leary (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda)	LB	Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda	5-10	195	1st-team all-conference
Jack Pfau	CAT	Molalla, Ore./Molalla	6-3	225	2nd-team all-league
Leon Rapisura (Stockton, Calif./Lincoln)	LB	Stockton, Calif./Lincoln	5-9	200	All-state, All-area LB, Team Captain, Honor Roll
Matt Retzlaff (Medford, Ore./South Medford)	WR	Medford, Ore./South Medford	6-0	180	1st-team all-state, NW Elite Index all-state
Sterling Shaw	DB	Modesto, Calif./Central Catholic	5-9	180	Offensive MVP, 1st-team all-league offense, 2nd-team defense
Austin Smith (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City)	LB	Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City	6-2	230	1st-team all-league defense, Advanced Diploma/Honors cord
Jon David Smith (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oakridge)	K	El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge	6-0	180	1st-team all-league, 1st-team all-metro
Grant Torgerson (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City)	DE/LS	Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City	6-3	235	1st-team all-league
Sonny Tupua	DL	Siuslaw, Ore./Siuslaw	5-11	210	All-state co-offensive POY, All-conference offensive POY
Turner Young (Lake Oswego, Ore./Lake Oswego)	DL	Lake Oswego, Ore./Lake Oswego	6-0	250	1st-team all-state, two-time wrestling national team member