North Medford Black Tornado Football 22-14 Lakeridge

North Medford football kicked off its 2026 season on a strong note Friday night, defeating Lakeridge 22-14 in a non-league home opener at Medford, Oregon. The Black Tornado, competing in the Southwest Conference (6A), controlled enough of the game to earn a hard-fought victory over the visiting Pacers and move to 1-0 on the young season. The win sets a confident tone heading into what figures to be a demanding conference schedule. Lakeridge made things interesting, pulling within striking distance late, but North Medford's defense held firm when it mattered most to preserve the eight-point margin. Without a full box score available, the final result speaks clearly enough. A home victory to open the year is exactly the kind of momentum a program can build on. North Medford will look to carry that confidence into next week as the schedule stiffens and the stakes for Southwest Conference positioning begin to take shape.