What to know about Eugene area football teams for the 2023 season
Friday night lights are back.
Eugene area teams will compete in nonleague games on Friday as action begins for the 2023 high school football season.
Teams will compete for nine weeks during the regular season for their shot at making the playoffs. State championship games for all classifications are set for Nov. 24-25 at multiple venues.
The Register-Guard took a deep dive into how Eugene area teams are preparing for the new season. Here's what you need to know.
Sheldon lacks experience after graduating key players
The Sheldon football team earned a No. 4 ranking in the OSAA preseason coaches poll, and rightfully so. The Irish are coming off a narrow Class 6A state championship loss to West Linn in 2022.
The Irish will attempt to fill the void after several key players who earned all-state honors in 2022 graduated, including all-state defensive player of the year Teitum Tuioti and quarterback Brock Thomas, who are both playing football at Oregon. The Irish also lost running back Grafton Robinson; wide receiver Cade Welch, tight-end Luke Leighton, offensive linemen Ryan Yakovich and Tanner Thomas, defensive lineman Josh Merriman, center Carl Harward, defensive back Isaac Peters and linebacker E.J. Peterson.
"We don't have a lot of experience, and I can't really duplicate that until we get to game situation, Irish head coach Josh Line said. "I do see our team as a team that if we choose to, we will get better every week. We've got good players, and they've done everything we've asked them to do in the offseason in terms of their preparation in the weight room."
Line highlighted offensive lineman Will Haverland and junior linebacker Teimana Tuioti, who he nicknamed as "Mr. Dependable" for his work ethic and leadership.
Tuioti said his No. 1 goal this season is to "always be a great teammate."
"I don't like to put myself first because the team is always first," he said. "Whatever the team want, I want to have that goal."
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Haverland said although he's hungry to be in the state championship game again this season, he plans to focus on being a leader and keeping the teams' moral high.
Line said he had a hard time scheduling nonleague games.
"We're the Irish and not very many teams want to play us, I couldn't tell you why," he said.
That's when Teimana Tuioti's dad, Tony Tuioti, who is the defensive line coordinator at Oregon, reached out to former Hawaii teammate and Mililani head coach Rod York.
Sheldon will host the Mililani Trojans (2-1) in its nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
"It's going to be a tough challenge for us," Line said.
Thurston looking for another strong season
The Thurston football team is looking ahead to another strong start after finishing 9-3 overall last season, including a Class 5A semifinal appearance.
The Colts will be led by junior quarterback Noah Blair while junior Kyle Miller will serve as backup quarterback.
Sophomore wide receiver Matt Newell and junior tight end Tim Dreiling will be key playmakers for the Colts this season.
“Really, really good decision making in their (quarterbacks) part,” Thurston head coach Justin Starck said about last week's jaboree against Sheldon. “We didn’t have any turnovers in the jamboree at all and that was super encouraging. We forced turnovers by the other team, so to have the advantage in that area was good. Got some really good play from our receiving core."
North Eugene jiving on camaraderie, cohesiveness and chemistry
The North Eugene football team faces a tough schedule when the Highlanders hit the road for their first four games of the season.
The Highlanders travel to Hidden Valley in their nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
"I think the camaraderie, cohesiveness and chemistry are at an all-time high this year," Highlanders head coach Rick Raish said. "It's wonderful to coach because the kids' attitudes and efforts have been outstanding."
The Highlanders are without Devon Anderson, who was the Midwestern League Player of the Year in 2022.
Kelin Knutson will take over at quarterback this season while senior Jack Brinkhous will be a key offensive lineman. A newcomer to watch is junior running back Luis Hernandez.
"Our offensive line will be our strong point," Raish said. "We have everybody coming back but one kid."
The Highlanders finished 5-5 overall last season and reached the 5A state playoffs.
South Eugene 'exceeding expectations' ahead of season
The South Eugene football team is already exceeding expectations since starting practice more than two weeks ago.
Edmund Rivera, who previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Axe, is in his first season as head coach. Derek Brimmer will take over as defensive coordinator while Thomas Simonis will serve as offensive coordinator.
"In our transition from last year to this year and continuing with a stringent double-day practice schedule they have far exceeded any of our expectations of where we thought they would have been," Rivera said. "Their angle of pursuit is much better; retention of plays is much better and their ability to communicate with each other on the field defensively and offensively has seen a vast improvement."
South Eugene will be led by a few seniors: running backs Ronan Schmidt and Thomas Sayer, lineman Zevariah Moses and Landon Lea at quarterback. Lea, who is in first year on varsity, was out last season after he suffered a season-ending injury in the Axe's jamboree game.
Dylan Stevens transitioned to running back after previously serving as quarterback. While the bulk of the team will feature a strong freshman and sophomore group, Rivera said he'll rely heavily on the senior class throughout the season.
"Right now, we're probably five weeks ahead of where we were last year," Rivera said. "It's more mental right now. The physical part, I know they can do it."
The Axe finished 1-8 overall last season and 0-7 in the 5A Special District 2.
South Eugene will host McDaniel in its nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
Churchill looking to improve
Layne Coffin replaces Churchill coach Kirk Miller, who in one season with Lancers led them to a 3-6 overall record in 2022.
Coffin comes to Churchill from Vallivue in Caldwell, Idaho, where he posted a 90-77 record, and the Falcons made the state playoffs eight times, reaching the semifinals in 2018. He has a 124-95 career record that includes two state championships (2000, 2001) at Century in Pocatello.
The Lancers will be led by senior Tyler Mikel at quarterback.
They open the season at home against Marist Catholic in a nonleague game at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Marist Catholic fields a young team
Charlie Landgraf takes over for former Marist coach Frank Geske, who spent 15 seasons with the Spartans and led them to a state title win in 2009.
In 2022, the Spartans went 8-2 overall, winning the 4A Special District 3 league title and made a playoff appearance in Geske's final season.
Landgraf played at Oregon and completed his career in 2019 with the Ducks after they won the Pac-12 champion and Rose Bowl. He served as the assistant offensive line coach at UNLV the following year. He also coached at Central Catholic the last two seasons in Portland, where he helped lead the Rams to the 6A title in 2021.
Marist will be led by junior quarterback Nick Hudson.
Marist will open the season at Churchill in a nonleague game at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Springfield kicks season off at Ridgeview
Springfield finished 6-4 overall in 2022 and were able to reach the 5A playoffs with a 5-2 league record in the Special District 2.
The Millers will be led by Geske, who replaces coach Miles Haley. He led the Millers for four seasons.
Springfield will travel to Ridgeview for its nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
Willamette team comprised of mostly upperclassmen
It will be interesting to see the Willamette football team compete this season given it will be comprised of 18 seniors, 18 juniors and one freshman.
The Wolverines will be led by senior quarterback Blake Thornton, and his brother, senior wide receiver Brandon Thornton, according to the OSAA roster.
The Wolverines finished 3-6 overall last season and 2-5 in the Special District 2.
Willamette will host Reynolds in its nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
Junction City: 'Very young at key positions'
The Junction City football team enters the new season with an entirely new roster.
"The first two weeks of practice have been interesting," Tigers head coach Max Wall said. "Very young at key positions."
The Tigers graduated three key linemen, two defensive specialists as well as their quarterback, running back and wide receiver who were Special District 3 selections on the offense last season.
Wall said a key returner this season is senior tight-end Cooper Rothenberger, who will be taking over at quarterback.
Seniors Levi Walker, Dalton Vogt and Tylen Franks will be ones to watch at running back. At wide receiver, seniors Keivon Riley and Grant Barnes will also be key.
Up front, seniors Eli Mainenti, Connor Koon, Xander Ratashak, Kaleb Moore and newcomer Cole Kelso will anchor the line.
Wall said junior Josh Berry "brings good speed to the defense."
"We look to compete for the playoffs and are working hard in that direction," Wall said.
The Tigers finished 6-4 overall and were able to reach the 4A playoffs last season with a 4-2 league record in the Special District 3.
Junction City travels to 3A Elmira in its nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
Steve Turner takes over the reins as Cottage Grove head coach
After finishing 0-9 last season, the Cottage Grove football team hired Steve Turner to take over as its head coach.
Turner replaces Joe Polamalu, who led Cottage Grove for three seasons.
Turner took Cascade to a Class 4A state title in 2015 and 5A Mountain View to its first state title in 2011.
His resume includes a 121-89 record across five schools: Rainier (1985-1987), Crook County (1998-2004), Mountain View (2008-2011), Cascade (2012-2015) and North Medford (2018-2020).
Cottage Grove will travel to 3A Pleasant Hill for its nonleague season opener on Friday at 7 p.m.
Edith Noriega is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at ENoriega@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Noriega_Edith.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Sheldon, Thurston football top Eugene area teams for 2023 season
