EUGENE, Ore. — A heavy pregame downpour soaked the seats and slicked the field, but there was still something electric in the air at North Eugene High School, where two teams from the same region and two very different seasons met on the gridiron.
The Thurston Colts (7–1) had taken a short 20-minute trip northwest into Eugene, riding a six-game win streak and an offense that had been nearly impossible to slow down.
Sophomore wideout Bodie Bonar – averaging 86 yards per game with seven touchdowns on the season – has stretched the field all season, while elusive junior running back Justin Fisher contributed 106 rushing yards per game despite his smaller frame. Junior quarterback Emmitt DiStefano has also kept it all composed with 16 touchdown passes and poised decision-making.
And although North Eugene (4-4) had entered on a two-game skid, the Highlanders were determined to send their seniors off with a statement, leaning on senior running back Riley Whitwood – 80 yards per game – and junior receiver Aiden Hiber – 66 yards per game – to spark an upset on senior night.
Despite losing only once and showcasing a high-powered offense, Thurston had not often finished games in dominant fashion. The Colts regularly found themselves winning by just one or two scores in matchups they were expected to control. Because of that, North Eugene came in believing it could hang around and make things uncomfortable, hoping to turn a close contest into late-game heartbreak.
Instead, Thurston slammed that door shut early in the 26-6 win.
The Colts struck quickly and repeatedly, turning the wet turf into a runway for their playmakers.
After the Highlanders opened the night with a quick three-and-out, a botched punt snap handed Thurston prime field position at the North Eugene 32-yard line. The Colts wasted no time taking advantage, marching deliberately down the shortened field before sophomore running back Quintin Fisher powered in from two yards out for the game’s first touchdown.
They didn’t let off the gas. On their next possession, the Colts capped off another sharp drive with a perfectly placed fade to the left corner of the end zone, where promising sophomore receiver Bentlee Davenport hauled in the touchdown. Then, on the very first play of North Eugene’s ensuing drive, Thurston’s defense delivered a knockout punch.
Star sophomore defensive standout Leofatu Filipe, a towering 6-foot-5, 230-pound force, stripped the quarterback and scooped the ball himself, rumbling into the end zone for a defensive score.
By early in the second quarter, the game was already slipping out of the Highlanders’ reach.
Despite showing little spark offensively, the Highlanders were handed multiple opportunities thanks to sloppy fumbles by Thurston, including one after an Aiden Hiber kick return touchdown. They failed to capitalize on any of them.
One drive, which started at the Thurston 32, reached goal-to-go territory, but a series of penalties pushed the Highlanders back, and the possession ultimately ended in a turnover. Thurston was also once pinned deep, and when the punter dropped the snap, he was forced to rush the kick. The punt sailed poorly, but a Highlanders player ran into the kicker, giving the Colts a first down and another gift from their own mistakes.
Heading into the playoffs, these mistakes are exactly the type Thurston will need to clean up if they want to avoid trouble against tougher opponents.
“A little uncharacteristic in our game plan this week,” Thurston head coach Justin Starck said after the game when asked about the turnovers. “We have the chance to focus on the things we need to improve on, because we did some things that are kind of our weakness. We’ve got two weeks to get those things cleaned up.”
The Colts scored all 26 of their points in the first half and coasted the rest of the way, locking in a 26–6 victory and the Midwestern League title. With the win, Thurston secured a home playoff game in two weeks, and after delivering a dominant performance in the cold, the Colts head into the postseason with momentum and the belief that their best football may still be ahead.