In 2024, Thurston's football team finally relinquished its crown in the 5A Midwestern League, where it had won seven consecutive titles and 42 games in a row.
If the seventh-ranked Colts (6-1, 4-0) are to regain that perch this season, the time is now. Friday's home game against Crater (4-1, 3-0) and next week's road game at Churchill (3-2, 2-1) will go a long way toward determining their fate.
“This will be a big couple games,” said Thurston coach Justin Starck, who guided the Colts to 5A titles in 2018 and 2019. “Two of the better teams in our league. We're excited for the opportunity.”
Thurston failed to win a playoff game for the first time in five postseasons last year, falling to Mountain View 42-18 in the first round. The Colts were eager to show improvement in their second game this season at No. 2 Silverton, but they struggled at the line of scrimmage and had communication breakdowns in a 35-6 defeat.
“We didn't put our best foot forward,” Starck said. “They're a good team and things just snowballed on us.”
That loss, combined with last year's early playoff exit, shows Starck that the Colts are a notch below the top 5A contenders, until they prove otherwise.
“I'm kind of a realist. I don't sugercoat things,” Starck said. “The state has a lot more depth at the top. I think there are four or five really good teams up there. Right now we're in the second echelon. We've got to get over the hump.”
Thurston's foundation is its offensive line. The Colts brought back three starters in all-state senior center Jordan Barr and seniors Will McCluskey and Johnathan Mills. They are supported by senior Matt Carter and juniors Parker Edwards and Landon Cramer.
“They're the best unit we've had in for sure five or six years, since we had those teams that went to the championship,” Starck said.
Senior running back Justin Fisher is thriving behind the line. He has rushed for 628 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per carry.
“He's always been fast. But he used to go down on first contact, and now he's running harder and keeping his balance longer,” Starck said. “He's getting more yards after contact.”
Thurston has a new quarterback in junior Emmit Distefano, who replaced a three-year starter in Noah Blair (85 career touchdown passes). Distefano has completed 65.0 percent of his passes for 1,169 yards and 13 touchdowns with four interceptions. Seven scoring passes have gone to junior Bodie Bonar (36 catches, 541 yards).
“We're good at screening, and we're good at throwing the ball deep,” Starck said. “We've got to work on our intermediate passing game. We're missing too many right now.”
Crater has won four in a row since opening with a 41-30 home loss to 4A No. 2 Marshfield (5-0). The Comets are surging with momentum after coming from behind late for a 37-36 home win over Churchill last week.
In that game, Crater scored a touchdown with 57 seconds left to draw within 36-34, but failed to convert the two-point conversion attempt. The Comets recovered the ensuing onside kick and won when senior Ben Warner booted a 27-yard field goal as time expired.
Senior Terrius Allen, who has moved from receiver to running back, rushed for 295 and two touchdowns in the win for Crater. Thurston's defense, led by senior inside linebacker Cruz Gray and senior defensive end Caleb Jones, will have its hands full.
“Their run game is legit,” Starck said.
Thurston won at Crater 52-31 last year as Blair passed for a season-high 446 yards and five touchdowns.
Other top match-ups in Week 6:
Friday
Beaverton (4-1, 1-0 Metro) at 6A No. 10 Jesuit (3-2, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Beaverton has 6A's leading receiver in Eastern Washington-bound senior Oliver Luebkert (53 catches, 858 yards, 14 touchdowns). To have a chance to beat the Crusaders, the Beavers must slow down junior running back Luke Ortner (929 rushing yards).
6A No. 7 Lakeridge (3-2, 1-0 Three Rivers) at 6A No. 1 West Linn (5-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.: West Linn, which supplanted Lake Oswego atop the 6A coaches poll this week, must deal with the dangerous Pacers before turning its attention to next week's game against the Lakers. Last year, West Linn scored a season low in a 13-0 win over Lakeridge.
Grants Pass (4-1) at 5A No. 2 Silverton (5-0), 7 p.m.: A nonleague game between the 6A Cavemen and 5A Foxes. Silverton's defense stuffed West Albany in a 29-0 win last week. The Foxes' challenge this week will be a Grants Pass offense that features junior running back Treyton Powers (894 rushing yards).
5A No. 9 Hood River Valley (5-0, 3-0 SD1) at Milwaukie (4-0, 3-0), 7 p.m.: The explosive Eagles (41.8 points per game) clash with upstart Milwaukie with first place in Special District 1 at stake. The Mustangs, who spent the last five seasons in 4A, are 4-0 for the first time since 2012.
5A No. 3 Dallas (5-0, 3-0 Mid-Willamette) at 5A No. 10 West Albany (3-2, 0-2), 7 p.m.: Dallas hasn't been pushed this season, winning by an average margin of 40.8 points. That should change in a three-game stretch against West Albany, 6A No. 4 Willamette and 5A No. 2 Silverton.
Kennedy (4-1, 3-0 SD1) at 3A No. 2 Banks (5-0, 2-0), 7 p.m.: Banks posted its 38th consecutive regular season win last week by going on the road to handle No. 6 Gervais 41-20. Kennedy has won four in a row since losing to Taft 39-33.
3A No. 3 Burns (5-0) vs. 3A No. 7 North Valley (4-1) at Summit HS, 6 p.m.: Reigning state champion Burns, which has outscored opponents 228-26, gets a test in a neutral-site game against the Knights. North Valley returns to the site of a 20-3 semifinal loss to Vale last year.
Harrisburg (4-1) at 2A No. 10 Clatskanie (5-0), 7 p.m.: Clatskanie has rebounded from a 3-6 season to win its first five games. The Tigers take on a Harrisburg team that suffered its first loss last week, 51-0 at home to No. 6 Lowell.
1A-8 No. 7 Crosspoint Christian (3-2, 1-0 SD1) at Riddle (4-0, 1-0), 7 p.m.: It's been a terrific start for Riddle, which already has doubled its win total from last season. The Irish will have to ramp up their game against the Warriors, who defeated them 62-6 a year ago.
1A-6 No. 4 Joseph (5-1, 5-1 SD1) at 1A-6 No. 1 Harper Charter (5-0, 5-0), 7 p.m.: Harper Charter, the state runner-up last year, shut out its first four opponents before winning by forfeit last week. Joseph, averaging 44.9 points per game, represents a bigger challenge for the defense.
1A-6 No. 3 Eddyville Charter (5-0, 2-0 SD2) at 1A-6 No. 2 Triangle Lake (5-0, 2-0), 7 p.m.: Last year, Eddyville Charter won at Triangle Lake 56-20 in a game that decided the district title. The Lakers, once again at home, get a chance to settle the score.
jerryu@osaa.org
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