Thurston Colts running back and game MVP Wesley Kommer, #36, celebrates with his team while offensive lineman Grant Starck hoists the 5A State Championship trophy Cody Warren/The Chronicle
ROSEBURG – The Thurston Colts defeated the Crater Comets on Saturday night to win their second straight Oregon 5A State Football Championship, becoming the first team to do so from Lane County since Coburg High School won back-to-back state titles in 1952 and 1953.
Fans packed into Roseburg High School’s Finlay Field, despite the 38-degree temperature and periodic rain showers, to watch what would be a defensive battle between two typically high-scoring teams.
Neither team has scored less than 20 points in any other game this season. However, the cold and wet field caused both teams to struggle. The Colts recovered two fumbles in the red zone, but failed to create points off turnovers missing three field goals.
The turning point in the game for Thurston came on a long touchdown rush by MVP running back Wesley Kommer near the end of the third quarter. An extra point kick put an end to Thurston’s kicking woes and gave them a late 14-10 lead.
Interceptions were the story of the fourth quarter. Thurston threw an interception, giving Crater a late chance to take back the lead.
Two interceptions thrown by Crater in the endzone prevented them from scoring on promising drives and sealed the win for Thurston.
After the game was over, Wesely Kommer celebrated by throwing the ”club” cast that he had worn on his right arm all season high into the air. He said, ”I’m glad the club is done with, but I don’t want the season to be over. But it ended in the best possible way.”
Thurston head coach Justin Starck said the win was ”bittersweet because it’s the last time we get to coach them.”
When asked about the possibility of a three-peat next season, Starck said they were going to do everything they can to make it happen.
GAME STATISTICS
CRATER VS THURSTON
OSAA / OnPoint Community Credit Union 5A State Championship
Nov. 30, 2019, Roseburg High School
SCORE BY QUARTERS 1 2 3 4 Final
Crater 7 3 0 0 10 Record: (11-2)
Thurston 7 0 7 0 14 Record: (13-0)
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 02:37 THURSTON – Cade Crist 1 yd run (Gavin Levesque kick), 4-75 1:12, CRATER 0 – THURSTON 7
01:14 CRATER – Trevor Jaasko 68 yd pass from Trever Davis (Trever Davis kick), 3-65 1:16, CRATER 7 – THURSTON 7
2nd 04:14 CRATER – Trever Davis 29 yd field goal, 4-1 1:38, CRATER 10 – THURSTON 7
3rd 01:48 THURSTON – Wesley Kommer 41 yd run (Gavin Levesque kick), 7-67 2:42, CRATER 10 – THURSTON 14
RUSHING: Crater-Trever Davis 14-49; Gavin Acrey 11-20; Brady Brock 4-11. Thurston-Wesley Kommer 24-193; Cade Crist 7-29; Dawson Muggy 1-9; Calvin Royce 1-2; TEAM 5-minus 74.
PASSING: Crater-Trever Davis 7-21-3-99. Thurston-Cade Crist 16-21-1-105.
RECEIVING: Crater-Dawson Douglas 3-12; Trevor Jaasko 2-74; Tyler McIntosh 1-9; Chase Sherer 1-4. Thurston-Dawson Muggy 6-43; Caleb Scott 6-30; Santino Stranieri 3-24; Wesley Kommer 1-8.
TACKLES (UA-A): Crater-Tyler Ennis 3-9; Caden Lasater 2-9; James Ruth 1-9; William Woitte 2-5; Chase Sherer 4-2; Bruce Cwiklinski 4-0; Robert Amoson 2-2; Blake Eaton 2-2; Gerritt Warner 0-4; Brady Brock 0-4; Jacob Chenoweth 2-1; Jimmy Jordahl 0-3; TEAM 1-0; Tyler McIntosh 1-0; Angel Perez 0-1; Gavin Acrey
0-1. Thurston-Keenan O’Donnell 2-4; Santino Stranieri 5-0; Jake Riley 4-1; Dawson Muggy 4-0; Wesley Kommer 3-1; Caleb Scott 3-0; Varney Doreen 2-1; Kelton Campbell 2-1; Jeremy Foss 1-2; Kyle Casley 2-0; Colby Howard 1-1; Casen Phillips 1-0; Kellen Humphries 1-0; TEAM 1-0; Calvin Royce 1-0; Duncan Hicks 1-0; Braden Reed 1-0; Austin Brahm 0-1; Grant Starck 0-1; Cameron Herrick 0-1.
CRATER THURSTON
FIRST DOWNS 8 12
RUSHES-YARDS (NET) 29-80 38-159
PASSING YDS (NET) 99 105
Passes Att-Comp-Int 21-7-3 21-16-1
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS 50-179 59-264
Fumble Returns-Yards 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards 4-2 1-13
Kickoff Returns-Yards 3-47 2-28
Interception Returns-Yards 1-3 3-0
Punts (Number-Avg) 5-43.8 6-42.5
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 0-0
Penalties-Yards 4-43 9-78
Possession Time 20:20 27:40
Third-Down Conversions 3 of 13 3 of 13
Fourth-Down Conversions 1 of 2 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances 1-2 1-3
Moda Health Players of the Game: Wesley Kommer, Thurston; Tyler Ennis, Crater
