In this season of long-sought-out football respectability for the Rogue River Jr. High program, another kryptonite program fell at their feet on their home turf.
This time, it was Lost River, the Class 2A (and sometimes 1A) powerhouse that has won three state championships in the last four years and four through the recent 2000s quarter-century. A Chieftains opponent since Rogue River moved into the current Class 3A and 2A football, the Raiders had beaten Rogue River the first nine times the teams met, by an average of 39 points to seven.
The Chieftains got a little prompting at Lost River’s preseason jamboree that this year’s Raiders might be adjusting to the loss of nine seniors from their 2025 2A title team—and could be vulnerable.
Through an initially pounding running attack, the Chieftains trailed 16-6 in the first quarter on Senior Night at Chieftain Stadium. They adjusted, taking the ball away four times and scoring 27 straight points on the way to a 33-22 win.
Another big streak ended.
The win moved the Chieftains (3-3) to 1-1 in Class 2A District 5. After going 3-2 at home, they will play their final three games, all in district play, and will probably need to win all of them to make the state playoffs. District 5 gets two automatic spots in the 2A bracket, with four statewide at-large berths based on OSAA ranking. Early this week, going into their Friday, Oct. 16 game at Lakeview (0-6, 0-2), the Chieftains are ranked No. 17.
Lost River (2-4), ranked 14th, may already be out of the running for an outright playoff berth. No. 4 Culver (6-0, 2-0) is one of four unbeaten teams in 2A, and St. Mary’s, which beat Rogue River last week, is off to a hot start. St. Mary’s and Lost River face off in Southern Klamath County on Oct. 16.
The Chieftains won with their sophomore backup at quarterback. Rylan Homan, showing a competitive fire that left no room for hesitation over youth or inexperience, threw three touchdown passes—all to senior Mason Scott in his final regular-season game at Chieftain Stadium—and ran for another.
“That felt amazing. Upsetting the No. 6 team in the 2A OSAA Coaches’ poll, coming in, first-ever varsity start at quarterback, came in, dealt, hit my receivers right in stride, did my job,” Homan said. He said he and the receivers spent the week studying film, identifying gaps in Lost River’s defense and preparing how to attack them.
Homan was 14-of-18 passing for 171 yards. After moving from Redmond last winter, this is his first season in the Chieftains program—and his first season as a quarterback.
“He was a running back before that,” coach Mike Braxton said.
Homan has seen action in place of junior starter Trevor Dirks at various times this season. Dirks injured his left arm on a running play in the Oct. 2 St. Mary’s game and was still favoring it in his only running play against Lost River. Braxton announced Saturday, Oct. 10, that Homan will start again at Lakeview while Dirks continues to “favor his arm big time.”
He made it clear, though, that “Trevor, when healthy, is our guy.”
“Both (he) and Rylan have been super-supportive of one another this week,” Braxton said.
Braxton said the team put together a different game plan to keep Dirks healthy, focusing on quick passes to the flats.
Homan threw touchdown passes of 16 and 14 yards in the first half and one of 25 yards in the second. Matthew Smith, maneuvering through Lost River’s big defensive line, scored on a two-yard run in the fourth quarter. But Homan’s three-yard keeper, running left into the end zone as time expired in the first half, gave the Chieftains the lead for the first time—and for good—at 19-16.
Lost River had 249 yards rushing, including 107 from sophomore Angel Meza. Half of Meza’s total came on a 51-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, but the Raiders’ backs were less effective in the second half.
“The inner linemen, we started taking out their big guys’ legs, so that would free up another guy and free the linebacker to go through. (Linebacker) Xander (Ahrens) had a way better second half,” Braxton said.
The Chieftains got two interceptions from junior safety Devante Mungai, who nearly had a third, and recovered two Raider fumbles. They did not turn the ball over.
“In practice (during the week), the whole mindset was if we win this game, we have a good shot at getting into the playoffs, so I think practice was good this week, a lot of focus, a lot of intensity,” said Scott, who caught six balls for 80 yards.
“We need to capitalize and work hard every single day, not just slacking, messing around,” said Smith, who caught five balls for 89 yards.
Reach reporter Brian Mortensen at [email protected] or 541-582-1707.