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Who will be the top high school quarterback in the Eugene-Springfield area in 2026?
With the fall sports season just around the corner, The Register-Guard will spend the next few weeks highlighting the top local football players in the area. We are kicking off this year's preseason coverage with a look at Lane County's quarterbacks.
Now, it's time for you to decide which QB is the best of the bunch.
Without further ado, here are the nominees.
Information about each nominee is listed below. Vote for the athlete you think is most deserving at www.registerguard.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, Aug. 9.
With all-conference quarterback Steven Bounds moving on, Pleasant Hill will have some big shoes to fill at quarterback as it looks to defend its share of the league title.
After serving in a Swiss army knife offensive role last season, rising senior Wylie Blake will look to keep the Billies rolling. Blake was the school's junior varsity quarterback in 2024 and was an asset at receiver, running back and defensive back in 2025. His younger brother, Wyatt Blake, will be the backup signal-caller.
"Wylie became this really indispensable part of our offense last year, where we could move him and (all-state receiver Jacob Neely) around to a lot of different spots," Pleasant Hill coach Kenny Koberstein said. "He's back for us and is a really, really highly intelligent kid. Really tough kid, and we feel really, really good about him."
Elmira will open fall camp with a three-man quarterback battle as it looks to replace all-conference starter Talon Jerabek, who transferred to Churchill.
Sophomore Connor Cutsforth, junior Daniel Mataisz and junior Michael McCoy are all pushing for the starting job for the Falcons.
"It's going to be whoever can lead our team the best," Elmira coach Conrad Davis said of what will be the deciding factor in the competition. "It's not necessarily about who's going to throw the tightest spiral; we need a leader who our kids respect when he's talking in the huddle. We need 11 guys playing together as a team this year, and whoever starts at the quarterback spot is going to be a huge catalyst for that."
In his first season as Thurston's starting quarterback last fall, Emmit Distefano earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors after leading his team to the Midwestern League title.
Now, the Colts' standout could be poised for a massive encore during his senior year.
Distefano has picked up college offers from Pacific, Lewis and Clark and several other schools since the end of his junior year. He will have no shortage of talented playmakers surrounding him in 2026 and could be one of the more productive passers in the entire state.
"Emmit is doing such a great job," Thurston coach Justin Starck said. "We've got a new offensive coordinator — Blake Sentman — and he's really teaching Emmit how to take what the defense gives him; how to read the defense, go through his progressions and just play smart football. Very excited about his progress and what he's done this summer."
Marist Catholic will have talent aplenty in its quarterback room this fall.
The Spartans return last year's Week 1 starter, Brody Gilliam, who showed plenty of promise early in the year for the Spartans but missed the final seven games due to injury. Coach Zach Loboy said sophomore Cooper Jones "looks great and is going to get a little bit of playing time." Churchill transfer Laylo Lathrop is a dangerous runner who could serve as a change-of-pace option.
"At least right now, Brody Gilliam looks like the clear starter," Loboy said. ". ... He's got a really strong arm; he can move the ball downfield really effectively. He's very good at throwing the ball on the move. His ability to roll out and make those kinds of passes is pretty impressive. He's all of 6-foot-1, 210 pounds and can run the ball a little bit."
North Eugene standout seniors D'Mariyae "Dae Dae" Ireland and Bode Hough are both going to play huge offensive roles for the Highlanders in 2026.
But coach Rick Raish is still working to determine who will start at quarterback and who will start at running back.
Ireland was an all-Midwestern League honorable mention quarterback last fall. One of the more electric playmakers in Class 5A, Ireland was also a first-team all-league running back as a sophomore in 2024 before making the move to QB.
Hough shone as North Eugene's starting middle linebacker last year and is ready to take on a greater offensive role.
"They're both great football players and they're both willing to do whatever we need them to do to help the team," Raish said. "It's just about deciding what's the best fit for our team. I would feel very good about rolling with either of those guys all day long."
After starring at Elmira as a junior last season, senior Talon Jerabek has transferred to Churchill and will get the keys to the Lancers' vaunted double-wing offense.
Jerabek earned second-team all-Mountain Valley Conference honors for the Falcons in 2025. He is joining a Churchill squad that reached the Class 5A semifinals last fall.
"Obviously, Lucas Gansen did a lot of really good things for us last season," Churchill coach Layne Coffin said. "Honestly, I think Talon can do those same kind of things. ... He's a pretty good runner and a pretty good thrower. We're really happy with him."
As a sophomore last season, Carson Jolliff gained valuable reps at quarterback while helping an up-and-coming Creswell squad to a 4-5 record.
Joliff is back under center for the Bulldogs this fall and could be set to take a big step forward in his second year leading the offense.
"We're really excited with the growth that we've seen; Carson has just as much arm talent as anybody in this area — at any level," Creswell coach Chase Beach said. "He's been hitting the playbook. Played really well at team camp. We've spent the summer working on the run game with him, and he's getting a much better overall understanding of the game. We expect big things from Carson."
Lowell will have a new quarterback this fall after surging to the league title behind longtime starter Carter Harris in 2025.
Senior Wyatt McNamee will lead the Devils this season. He saw plenty of playing time last year in blowout second-half scenarios and played the majority of Lowell's playoff win over Oakland.
"I fully believe Wyatt would have been the first-team all-conference quarterback last year if we didn't have Carter in there," Lowell coach Ray Yarbrough said. "I'm very confident going into the season with Wyatt."
After contributing at wide receiver as a freshman last season, Junction City sophomore Brayden Rauschert will take the offensive reins for the defending Sky-Em League champions.
Rauschert is a multi-sport standout who started at shortstop for the Tigers' baseball team last spring. His skill set could be a major asset as Junction City transitions to an RPO-centric scheme this fall, according to coach Tye Rauschert.
"Brayden possesses outstanding athletic ability, poise under pressure, arm strength, and the ability to extend plays with his legs," Tye Rauschert said. ". ... We believe (the scheme) will allow us to maximize his talents while keeping defenses honest and off balance."
Sheldon will have a pair of talented juniors battling it out for the starting quarterback spot during fall camp.
Ryker Rohaley saw action for the Irish last year and performed well when filling in for injured starter Micah Ritchie-Tuisue. Keaton Welch is coming off a sensational sophomore baseball season and could be poised to step into a big role for Sheldon's football team.
"Obviously, Ryker got a ton of action last year as a sophomore, but Keaton is in that mix as well; he's a really good athlete and great baseball player for us," Sheldon coach Tyler Martell said. "It's been good. Both of those guys have been awesome from a teammate and work ethic standpoint."
The top college quarterback prospect in the state according to both Rivals and 247Sports, Willamette junior Zeke Thomas is coming off a stellar sophomore campaign in which he led the Wolverines to the Class 6A quarterfinals.
A 3-star recruit who is committed to play at Boise State University, Thomas earned honorable mention all-state honors in 2026. He threw for 2,652 yards 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
"Zeke has 100% command of the offense," Willamette coach Josh Line said. "He knows exactly what everyone is doing, not just what he is supposed to do, on every play. That has a lot to do with his intelligence level and his preparation. ... I think he's the best quarterback in the state, and I still think he can get a lot better."
After Springfield cycled through several different quarterbacks last season, senior Brayden Wickersheim will run the show this fall.
Wickersheim played valuable snaps during his sophomore and junior years and will set the tone for the Millers both on and off the field in 2026.
"He's developed into a pretty good leader," coach Frank Geske said. "We've had talented guys in the past, but Brayden is gifted in the leadership area and we feel really good about him there. While he's got a good arm, his best trait is accuracy on a lot of different patterns."
Jarrid Denney is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @jarrid_denney
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Vote! Who will be the most impactful Eugene-area quarterback in 2026?
Continue reading...
With the fall sports season just around the corner, The Register-Guard will spend the next few weeks highlighting the top local football players in the area. We are kicking off this year's preseason coverage with a look at Lane County's quarterbacks.
Now, it's time for you to decide which QB is the best of the bunch.
Without further ado, here are the nominees.
- Wylie Blake, Pleasant Hill
- Connor Cutsforth, Elmira
- Emmit Distefano, Thurston
- Brody Gilliam, Marist Catholic
- Bode Hough, North Eugene
- D'Mariyae "Dae Dae" Ireland, North Eugene
- Talon Jerabek, Churchill
- Carson Jolliff, Creswell
- Daniel Mataisz, Elmira
- Michael McCoy, Elmira
- Wyatt McNamee, Lowell
- Brayden Rauschert, Junction City
- Ryker Rohaley, Sheldon
- Zeke Thomas, Willamette
- Keaton Welch, Sheldon
- Brayden Wickersheim, Springfield
Information about each nominee is listed below. Vote for the athlete you think is most deserving at www.registerguard.com/sports. The poll closes at noon Sunday, Aug. 9.
You must be registered for see images attach
Wylie Blake, Pleasant Hill
With all-conference quarterback Steven Bounds moving on, Pleasant Hill will have some big shoes to fill at quarterback as it looks to defend its share of the league title.
After serving in a Swiss army knife offensive role last season, rising senior Wylie Blake will look to keep the Billies rolling. Blake was the school's junior varsity quarterback in 2024 and was an asset at receiver, running back and defensive back in 2025. His younger brother, Wyatt Blake, will be the backup signal-caller.
"Wylie became this really indispensable part of our offense last year, where we could move him and (all-state receiver Jacob Neely) around to a lot of different spots," Pleasant Hill coach Kenny Koberstein said. "He's back for us and is a really, really highly intelligent kid. Really tough kid, and we feel really, really good about him."
Connor Cutsforth, Daniel Mataisz or Michael McCoy, Elmira
Elmira will open fall camp with a three-man quarterback battle as it looks to replace all-conference starter Talon Jerabek, who transferred to Churchill.
Sophomore Connor Cutsforth, junior Daniel Mataisz and junior Michael McCoy are all pushing for the starting job for the Falcons.
"It's going to be whoever can lead our team the best," Elmira coach Conrad Davis said of what will be the deciding factor in the competition. "It's not necessarily about who's going to throw the tightest spiral; we need a leader who our kids respect when he's talking in the huddle. We need 11 guys playing together as a team this year, and whoever starts at the quarterback spot is going to be a huge catalyst for that."
You must be registered for see images attach
Emmit Distefano, Thurston
In his first season as Thurston's starting quarterback last fall, Emmit Distefano earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors after leading his team to the Midwestern League title.
Now, the Colts' standout could be poised for a massive encore during his senior year.
Distefano has picked up college offers from Pacific, Lewis and Clark and several other schools since the end of his junior year. He will have no shortage of talented playmakers surrounding him in 2026 and could be one of the more productive passers in the entire state.
"Emmit is doing such a great job," Thurston coach Justin Starck said. "We've got a new offensive coordinator — Blake Sentman — and he's really teaching Emmit how to take what the defense gives him; how to read the defense, go through his progressions and just play smart football. Very excited about his progress and what he's done this summer."
You must be registered for see images attach
Brody Gilliam, Marist Catholic
Marist Catholic will have talent aplenty in its quarterback room this fall.
The Spartans return last year's Week 1 starter, Brody Gilliam, who showed plenty of promise early in the year for the Spartans but missed the final seven games due to injury. Coach Zach Loboy said sophomore Cooper Jones "looks great and is going to get a little bit of playing time." Churchill transfer Laylo Lathrop is a dangerous runner who could serve as a change-of-pace option.
"At least right now, Brody Gilliam looks like the clear starter," Loboy said. ". ... He's got a really strong arm; he can move the ball downfield really effectively. He's very good at throwing the ball on the move. His ability to roll out and make those kinds of passes is pretty impressive. He's all of 6-foot-1, 210 pounds and can run the ball a little bit."
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D'Mariyae "Dae Dae" Ireland or Bode Hough, North Eugene
North Eugene standout seniors D'Mariyae "Dae Dae" Ireland and Bode Hough are both going to play huge offensive roles for the Highlanders in 2026.
But coach Rick Raish is still working to determine who will start at quarterback and who will start at running back.
Ireland was an all-Midwestern League honorable mention quarterback last fall. One of the more electric playmakers in Class 5A, Ireland was also a first-team all-league running back as a sophomore in 2024 before making the move to QB.
Hough shone as North Eugene's starting middle linebacker last year and is ready to take on a greater offensive role.
"They're both great football players and they're both willing to do whatever we need them to do to help the team," Raish said. "It's just about deciding what's the best fit for our team. I would feel very good about rolling with either of those guys all day long."
Talon Jerabek, Churchill
After starring at Elmira as a junior last season, senior Talon Jerabek has transferred to Churchill and will get the keys to the Lancers' vaunted double-wing offense.
Jerabek earned second-team all-Mountain Valley Conference honors for the Falcons in 2025. He is joining a Churchill squad that reached the Class 5A semifinals last fall.
"Obviously, Lucas Gansen did a lot of really good things for us last season," Churchill coach Layne Coffin said. "Honestly, I think Talon can do those same kind of things. ... He's a pretty good runner and a pretty good thrower. We're really happy with him."
You must be registered for see images attach
Carson Jolliff, Creswell
As a sophomore last season, Carson Jolliff gained valuable reps at quarterback while helping an up-and-coming Creswell squad to a 4-5 record.
Joliff is back under center for the Bulldogs this fall and could be set to take a big step forward in his second year leading the offense.
"We're really excited with the growth that we've seen; Carson has just as much arm talent as anybody in this area — at any level," Creswell coach Chase Beach said. "He's been hitting the playbook. Played really well at team camp. We've spent the summer working on the run game with him, and he's getting a much better overall understanding of the game. We expect big things from Carson."
Wyatt McNamee, Lowell
Lowell will have a new quarterback this fall after surging to the league title behind longtime starter Carter Harris in 2025.
Senior Wyatt McNamee will lead the Devils this season. He saw plenty of playing time last year in blowout second-half scenarios and played the majority of Lowell's playoff win over Oakland.
"I fully believe Wyatt would have been the first-team all-conference quarterback last year if we didn't have Carter in there," Lowell coach Ray Yarbrough said. "I'm very confident going into the season with Wyatt."
Brayden Rauschert, Junction City
After contributing at wide receiver as a freshman last season, Junction City sophomore Brayden Rauschert will take the offensive reins for the defending Sky-Em League champions.
Rauschert is a multi-sport standout who started at shortstop for the Tigers' baseball team last spring. His skill set could be a major asset as Junction City transitions to an RPO-centric scheme this fall, according to coach Tye Rauschert.
"Brayden possesses outstanding athletic ability, poise under pressure, arm strength, and the ability to extend plays with his legs," Tye Rauschert said. ". ... We believe (the scheme) will allow us to maximize his talents while keeping defenses honest and off balance."
You must be registered for see images attach
Ryker Rohaley or Keaton Welch, Sheldon
Sheldon will have a pair of talented juniors battling it out for the starting quarterback spot during fall camp.
Ryker Rohaley saw action for the Irish last year and performed well when filling in for injured starter Micah Ritchie-Tuisue. Keaton Welch is coming off a sensational sophomore baseball season and could be poised to step into a big role for Sheldon's football team.
"Obviously, Ryker got a ton of action last year as a sophomore, but Keaton is in that mix as well; he's a really good athlete and great baseball player for us," Sheldon coach Tyler Martell said. "It's been good. Both of those guys have been awesome from a teammate and work ethic standpoint."
You must be registered for see images attach
Zeke Thomas, Willamette
The top college quarterback prospect in the state according to both Rivals and 247Sports, Willamette junior Zeke Thomas is coming off a stellar sophomore campaign in which he led the Wolverines to the Class 6A quarterfinals.
A 3-star recruit who is committed to play at Boise State University, Thomas earned honorable mention all-state honors in 2026. He threw for 2,652 yards 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
"Zeke has 100% command of the offense," Willamette coach Josh Line said. "He knows exactly what everyone is doing, not just what he is supposed to do, on every play. That has a lot to do with his intelligence level and his preparation. ... I think he's the best quarterback in the state, and I still think he can get a lot better."
You must be registered for see images attach
Brayden Wickersheim, Springfield
After Springfield cycled through several different quarterbacks last season, senior Brayden Wickersheim will run the show this fall.
Wickersheim played valuable snaps during his sophomore and junior years and will set the tone for the Millers both on and off the field in 2026.
"He's developed into a pretty good leader," coach Frank Geske said. "We've had talented guys in the past, but Brayden is gifted in the leadership area and we feel really good about him there. While he's got a good arm, his best trait is accuracy on a lot of different patterns."
Jarrid Denney is a sports reporter for The Register-Guard. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @jarrid_denney
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Vote! Who will be the most impactful Eugene-area quarterback in 2026?
Continue reading...
