Finally healthy, Colts seek to gallop to title.

Byline: Shawn Miller The Register-Guard

This is the season.

After an inconsistent and injury-marred season, the Thurston football team is almost completely healthy, deep with experience and confident - a potent combination that might equal a Midwestern League title.

"Anything less than a league title, to me, is going to be a disappointment," said senior Michael Akins, a second-team all-league defensive back.

The Colts return a trio of all-league players, play four of the five league games in Springfield and are one of only two league schools with a returning starting quarterback.

However, Colts coach Justin Starck thinks his team is likely the third best - equaling last year's finish and the league's final playoff slot.

"I think that specifically Churchill and probably Marshfield, they are kind of in an upper echelon," Starck said. "I think the rest of us seem to be battling for that third spot.

"We still need to foster more depth and we need to foster more of a sense of urgency. I think that the kids need to stay hungry and continue to develop."

If Thurston's season opener on Aug. 30 against state quarterfinalist Bend - the team that knocked the Colts out of the playoffs last season - is any indicator, the team faces an offensive struggle.

Thurston, playing without starting quarterback Tym Pearson - who is out with an injury - lost a 10-0 lead, allowing an interception to be returned for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the first half.

Bend scored on its opening possession of the second half and added a short touchdown run later in the third quarter, winning 20-10.

As important as the nonleague games are to momentum and confidence, the record doesn't mean much once league play begins in early October.

Churchill returns six all-league players, but lost reigning league MVP, quarterback Andrew Schumacher.

Marshfield brings back four all-leaguers, but also graduated last season's starting quarterback Rayce Stacey.

Notably returning for the Colts is Pearson - a second-team all-league quarterback - assuming his injury isn't significant, first-team all-league linebacker Tim Autele and running back Travis Newman, who missed almost all of last season with a foot injury.

Pearson missed the season opener, reportedly because of a back injury. Starck, who declined to specify the injury, said that the team will find out today the extent of the injury and how long Pearson will be out.

Four starters, including Newman and Danny Urness - the top two running backs - missed significant game time because of injury last season. However, several players filled in for the injury-depleted Colts, guiding them to a 3-2 league record (4-6 overall) and the playoffs for the third straight year.

"I think it's going to be a really good season because we have a lot of returners," Newman said. "Our team was really young last year. We had a lot of sophomores and juniors that stepped up and played varsity. We have a lot more experience, a lot more depth this year."

Five full-time starters return to the Colts defense, which led the league in points allowed and was second in rushing yards allowed and yards per game. On the opposite side of the ball, six regular starters come back to improve the offense, which finished fourth in the league in both rushing and passing yards last season.

Urness is another major player who is out this early in the season, recovering from a severely broken arm in June.

Urness, who became the starting running back after Newman was injured, suffered a season-ending foot injury in the league opener at North Eugene last year. He was on pace to return this season, but the arm injury leaves him questionable for the season. Starck said the best potential return would be mid-to-late October.

Thurston hasn't won a league title since 1989, the closest being a tie for second with South Eugene in 2005.

"I think winning league is definitely something we should do," Pearson said.