Friday, Nov. 13, marks the start of the Oregon high school football quarterfinals, and six Lane County programs are still in contention. Thurston High School will host the 5A‑Special District 5 champion Sandy at 7 p.m., while the other five teams travel to face higher‑seeded opponents.
Thurston vs. Sandy
Thurston (8‑1, 6‑0) earned a home game after a dominant first‑round win over Ridgeview. Coach Justin Starck describes the season as a “before‑and‑after” journey, noting a turning point after a heavy loss to West Albany early in the year. Senior quarterback Emmit Distefano was injured in the previous round, but the Colts have continued to thrive behind backup quarterback Dean Knowles and a strong running attack led by Quintin Fisher.
Starck declined to comment on Distefano’s availability for Friday’s game. Regardless, the team’s defense has ranked among the best in 5A, allowing the fourth‑fewest points all season. Sandy, the 5A‑Special District 1 champion, will look to be the first team to score on Thurston’s defense, which has allowed only 20 points in its last three games.
Other Lane County quarterfinal matchups
• 6A No. 5 Sheldon (8‑2, 3‑1) travels to face No. 4 Tualatin (8‑2, 3‑2). Sheldon’s defense, once a top unit, has given up 27 and 34 points in its last two outings, while its offense remains versatile despite missing star back Cody Hall.
• 6A No. 9 Willamette (7‑3, 3‑1) visits No. 1 Lake Oswego (10‑0, 5‑0). Willamette’s junior quarterback Zeke Thomas has surged late in the season, scoring nine touchdowns in his last two games, but will be the underdog against the unbeaten Lakers.
• 4A No. 9 Junction City (7‑3, 4‑2) heads to No. 1 Cascade Christian (10‑0, 6‑0). The Tigers earned a dramatic win over Marist Catholic and will need another upset to stay alive.
• 2A No. 5 Lowell (9‑1, 4‑1) meets No. 4 Culver (10‑0, 5‑0). After a costly loss to Waldport, the Devils rebounded with a 52‑16 first‑round victory and aim to continue their run.
All games kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, offering Lane County fans a chance to support their local teams as the state championship race intensifies.
Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.
