It's the calm before the storm for MWL, SWC.

Byline: Steve Mims The Register-Guard

There's one more week of tune-ups before the Midwestern League and Southwest Conference football schedules begin.

The biggest local nonleague game this evening, Churchill at Sheldon, features the defending champion from each of those two leagues. The Irish are ranked sixth in this week's Class 6A poll, and Churchill is ranked No. 7 in the 5A poll.

Next week, the Irish (3-1) travel to South Medford to begin defense of the inaugural SWC title they won last year, marking the sixth straight league title for Sheldon dating back to its five straight Midwestern titles from 2001-05. While the Irish must wait another week before trying to extend their 51-game league winning streak, Sheldon takes a 50-game winning streak against Midwestern teams into tonight's game after defeating Thurston 41-13 last week.

Churchill (2-1) takes another shot at an SWC team after losing to South Eugene, 34-17, last week.

Ninth-ranked South Eugene has a bye this week before opening league play at No. 7 Grants Pass.

In the Midwestern League, Willamette and North Eugene are at home tonight, and Marshfield and Springfield are on the road. Thurston has a bye.

Sixth-ranked Willamette (4-0) looks to cap a perfect nonleague slate when it hosts Madison (1-2) out of the Portland Interscholastic League. North Eugene (2-1) also hosts a PIL foe, as Marshall (0-3) visits the Highlanders.

Marshfield (2-2) travels to fifth-ranked Ashland (4-0), and the Pirates expect to have tight end/defensive end John Parrish, an all-league senior who has missed the first four games of the season due to a knee injury suffered last year. Parrish might face off against Matt Lipski, a 6-foot-9, 340-pound senior lineman for the Grizzlies.

Springfield (2-2) looks for its third straight win under new coach Dave Heuberger when it travels to Crater (1-3), the defending Southern Sky Conference champion.