Thurston head coach Justin Starck and the Colts kick off the season this week.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Thurston Colts (0-0) vs. Wilsonville Wildcats (0-0)
Game facts: 7 p.m. at Thurston High School
What2Know: A rematch of last season’s semifinal matchup, the Colts host the Wildcats to kick off the 2022 season. Last November both teams entered the semis undefeated, but only one would leave that way. The fifth-seeded Colts took down the top-seeded Wildcats 34-14, and the Wildcats should be hungry for payback this season. Both teams are favorites to win their respective conferences, and be contenders for the title come playoffs. Only one will be able to start off their campaign with a win on Friday.
Pierre’s take: A clash of 5A titans is a no-brainer for our inaugural game of the week. While Wilsonville returns half of its starters from last season, Thurston returns only three. A less-experienced Colts team at home against a veteran Wildcat team look- ing for revenge. This game will be low scoring for sure, which could set up a great finish.
Quotable: “We can gauge where we are, and if we’re as good as we hope, then that’s exciting.” – Starck
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Creswell Bulldogs (0-0) at Jefferson Lions (0-0)
Game facts: 7 p.m. at Jefferson
What2Know: The Bulldogs defeated the Lions last season 18-12 in Jefferson, and will look to do the same in the opener this season. The Bulldogs are
an experienced group, and should look to come out of the gates strong. A win against the Lions on the road could set the tone for the kind of season head coach Scott Worsham surely wants them to have, one that includes a playoff berth for the first time in a decade.
Quotable: “We’re off to a good start this season. There’s a good vibe right now in our program.
… The goal is to put a focused work week in and be prepared in all facets of the game. Looks like they run the spread offense a lot like we do. So we will be familiar with the offense and hopefully play solid and compete to win.” – Worsham
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Cottage Grove Lions (0-0) vs. Pleasant Hill Billies (0-0)
Game facts: 7 p.m. at CGHS
What2Know: A tale of two coaches trying to find their foot- ing should provide an exciting matchup. Joe Polamalu is coaching his third season for the Lions, but the first one that isn’t majorly impacted by the pandemic. Meanwhile, Jeremiah Heacock has crossed the river from Thurston to Pleasant Hill after a 21-year stint as a Colts assistant. Both teams are coming off rough seasons, as the Lions went 1-8 and the Billies were winless for the first time in 14 years. Will Heacock get a win in his first game as head coach, or can Polamalu help get the Lions season off on the right foot?
Quotable: “We are still at that point of truly getting better each day by focusing on the little details. We are focused on getting things right Monday- Thursday and being competitive on Friday.” – Polamalu
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Springfield Millers (0-0) vs. Ridgeview Ravens (0-0)
Game facts: 7 p.m. at Springfield High School
What2Know: The Millers haven’t had a ton of success thus far under fourth-year head coach Miles Haley, but that could change this season. The Millers welcome a junior class that won the 7th- and 8th-grade championships. It’s a group Haley will lean on heavily, and they have a great Week One matchup to test where they are. The Ravens had eight wins last season before losing to Thurston in the first round of the playoffs, and they only lost eight seniors from that team. The Millers should have high hopes for
this season, and a win at home against a talented Ravens team would be a perfect start.
