Thurston’s balance key to semifinal run

SPRINGFIELD – It didn’t look good for the Thurston Colts in early September, sitting at 0-2 with losses to Wilsonville and Summit high schools – perennial powerhouses. But head coach Justin Starck believed that those two losses could help his inexperienced team down the road, and his team rewarded that belief, big time.

The Colts have strung together nine consecutive wins, including Friday night’s 27-14 victory over the Dallas Dragons at Cottage Grove High School…