QuickTake:

The 5A Colts are rolling after a win over 6A Sheldon reaffirmed high expectations for their season. Elsewhere, the Irish and Willamette both go on the road in search of their first win while Springfield hosts Bend and South Eugene looks to kick-start its campaign.

Lane County’s prep football programs head into the first full week of OSAA competition largely on the back foot. Most local teams took early losses in their season openers last week, including lopsided losses by Willamette to Lake Oswego and North Eugene to South Albany. One notable exception: Thurston’s win over Sheldon in a local battle, which sets the Colts up to take advantage of a stacked September schedule.

In Week 1 for the upper-division schools, Willamette and Sheldon both head on the road to Silverton and West Salem, respectively, while Thurston hosts West Albany and Springfield hosts Bend. South Eugene opens its season against 4A Phoenix in a test of the Axe’s rebuilding program.

Several lower-division programs also begin their schedules, including 1A state finalist Crow against Falls City.

Unless otherwise noted, all these games kick off Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m.

Home games

Murray’s pick: Thurston (1-0) vs. West Albany (0-1)

The Colts took advantage of Sheldon’s offense and quarterback Riker Rohaley to the tune of five total turnovers in their 20-17 win over the Irish last Friday. It’s the right tune to strike at the start of their season, and a matchup with West Albany is a chance for Emmett DiStefano to rev the offensive engine alongside tight end Leofatu Filipe (who had a pick-six against Sheldon) and wide receiver Bodie Bonar. 

Thurston has a rematch with Churchill, which knocked it out of the state playoffs last winter, looming after its bye next week. The Colts could be headed into that game 2-0 with reinforced proof of offensive spark.

West Albany enters winless after a 13-10 loss to Mountain View on the road.

Also of interest: South Eugene (0-0) vs. Phoenix (0-0)

This game wasn’t on the schedule two weeks ago, when the Axe were planning to play a 5A varsity season with a reduced roster. That changed with South’s Aug. 26 decision to pivot to an “independent” schedule, and now head coach Eric Scott’s team is opening its season at home against 4A Phoenix.

The Axe had 24 student-athletes at practice Wednesday. They lost just one player — tight end Jackson Ingram — in the wake of their schedule change. Their stars, led by running back Daniel Jetty, extol the feelings of connection and family they’ve felt grow over the past weeks.

“They’re hoping for a season,” Scott said. “They’re hungry for games. …The kids are here, they’re dialed in, they want to play. They want this to happen — they want to change the perception of South football.”

Other home games in a sentence

  • Springfield (0-0) vs. Bend (0-0): The Millers look to prove their viability behind a stacked skill core against a Bend program that won in overtime in this matchup last year.
  • Churchill (0-1) vs. Liberty (0-0): The Lancers have a chance to even their non-league record before a bye week and a matchup with Thurston.
  • Cottage Grove (0-0) vs. Creswell (0-0): The Lions are looking to prove they belong in 4A football, but first must face an old 3A foe in Creswell.
  • Junction City (0-0) vs. Seaside (1-0): After a Sky-Em championship, Junction City hosts the team that dealt it a season-opening loss in 2025. (Kickoff is 6 p.m. Friday.)
  • Pleasant Hill (0-0) vs. Amity (0-0): Senior Wylie Blake begins his tenure as the Billies’ quarterback as Pleasant Hill replaces its stars under center and at wide receiver.
  • Oakridge (0-0) vs. Neah-Kah-Nie (0-0): An experienced Oakridge team with a returning quarterback (Rowdy Williams) faces its first test after a one-win 2025 season.
  • Crow (0-0) vs. Falls City (0-0): Last year’s state finalist begins a campaign to return to the top without some of the stars who got it there.
  • Triangle Lake (0-0) vs. North Lake (0-0): The 1A Special District 2 champion attempts to run it back with a heavily changed team.
  • McKenzie (0-1) vs. Country Christian (0-0): The Eagles look to get back on track after a season-opening blowout loss.

Away games

Murray’s pick: Sheldon (0-1) at West Salem (0-0)

The Irish held Thurston to 20 points and less than 200 yards in their season-opening loss last Friday. They turned the ball over five times, including the Filipe pick-six that sealed the game, and need a bounce-back against a West Salem team that beat them 29-14 last September.

A solid performance here will reinforce the belief that the mistakes that sank Sheldon’s ship in the opener were growing pains from a program that says it’s on a “redemption tour.” 

Other away matchups in a sentence:

  • Willamette (0-1) at Silverton (0-1): The Wolverines look to get back on track after a season-opening loss to reigning champion Lake Oswego.
  • Marist Catholic (0-0) at Stayton (1-0): Marist gets quarterback Brody Gilliam back after the senior missed time with an injury in 2025.
  • Elmira (0-0) at Sutherlin (1-0): Elmira continues to evaluate options at quarterback with Connor Cutsforth expected to get the start and Michael McCoy in the picture.
  • Lowell (0-0) at Regis (0-0): A reset year for Lowell after nine starters graduated begins against a Regis team that won one game in 2025.
  • Siuslaw-Mapleton (1-0) at Vale (1-0): The Vikings, coming off an impressive 44-0 blowout win over Coquille, take on Vale in a noon Saturday game scheduled for Caldera High School. 
  • Mohawk (0-0) at Pilot Rock-Ukiah (0-1): The Mustangs open their season with a 4 p.m. Thursday game at Dufur High School.