Sheldon Irish Football 17-20 Thurston

Thurston handed Sheldon a 20-17 defeat in Friday night football action, spoiling the Irish's home opener at Eugene, Oregon. The non-league matchup was a competitive early-season test for the Southwest Conference (6A) program, which dropped its first game of the 2026 campaign and falls to 0-1 on the young season. Playing in front of their home crowd, the Irish kept it close throughout, ultimately falling by just three points in a game that could have gone either way. The narrow margin suggests Sheldon has pieces in place to compete, but the offense and defense will need to sharpen up as conference play approaches. Close losses in the non-league slate can serve as valuable learning moments, and the coaching staff will have plenty of film to work with heading into next week. Sheldon will look to regroup quickly and earn their first win as the schedule continues. Keep an eye on how the Irish respond in the coming weeks.