Thirteen Lane County high school football programs are moving onto this week’s state playoffs after the regular season wrapped up last week. Four schools entered the postseason as partial or full league champions: Sheldon and Willamette split the 6A‑Special District 2 title, Thurston captured the 5A‑Special District 5 championship and Triangle Lake earned the 1A six‑man Special District 2 crown.

Opening games and matchups

First‑round games begin at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, unless otherwise noted. Rankings reflect seeds in the Oregon School Activities Association playoff brackets.

Murray’s pick: No. 12 Lakeridge (5‑4, 2‑3, No. 11 OSAA) at No. 5 Sheldon (7‑2, 3‑1 league, No. 5 OSAA). The Irish are riding high after an emotional win over No. 9 Willamette in the league‑title game last Friday. Head coach Tyler Martell said the team is prepared for the home playoff game they earned.

Sheldon’s depth was on display in the Willamette win, with backup quarterback Keaton Welch stepping in early and scoring a rushing touchdown. Welch (6‑1, 190 lb) has proven reliable in goal‑to‑go situations all season. Martell praised both Welch and starter Ryker Rohaley, noting their different physical styles but both contributing to the team’s success.

Junior running back Owen Ashton, also the Irish’s starting middle linebacker, scored the winning touchdown on a fourth‑and‑goal play. Martell highlighted Ashton’s film study habits, saying the player “watches more film than I do” and that his preparation helped the team secure the victory.

Willamette will travel to face No. 8 Sprague (5‑4, 4‑0, No. 12 OSAA). Sprague averaged 32.6 points per game this season and has won four of its last five contests.

In the 5A bracket, No. 2 Thurston (7‑1, 6‑0, No. 2 OSAA) hosts No. 15 St. Helens (6‑3, 3‑1, No. 20 OSAA). Thurston’s quarterback Emmit Distefano and tight end Leofatu Filipe lead a team that has been dominant all season, highlighted by a 35‑6 win over Roseburg.

Other first‑round matchups include:

• No. 12 Churchill (6‑3, 5‑1, No. 11 OSAA) at No. 5 Wilsonville (7‑2, 5‑0, No. 6 OSAA).
• No. 14 Springfield (6‑3, 3‑3, No. 12 OSAA) at No. 3 West Albany (7‑2, 5‑1, No. 3 OSAA).
• No. 16 Marist Catholic (5‑4, 4‑2, No. 15 OSAA) at No. 1 Cascade Christian (9‑0, 6‑0, No. 1 OSAA).
• No. 9 Junction City (6‑3, 4‑2, No. 9 OSAA) at No. 8 La Grande (6‑3, 4‑0, No. 9 OSAA) – game starts at 6:30 p.m.
• No. 9 Siuslaw‑Mapleton (7‑2, 3‑1, No. 8 OSAA) at No. 8 Warrenton (6‑3, 5‑1, No. 10 OSAA).

Looking ahead

Coach Martell emphasized that the stakes change in the playoffs: “It’s win or go home. Our guys have put the regular‑season win behind us and are focused on the next opponent.” He added that Lakeridge, coming from a strong Three Rivers League, will be a “really, really good football team” deserving of attention.

Fans can catch the opening games at the respective high school fields, with Sheldon’s kickoff slated for 7 p.m. Friday. The playoff schedule will continue through the weekend as teams vie for a chance to advance toward a state championship.

Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.