PORT TOWNSEND — It’s prove-it time for North Olympic Peninsula prep football teams eying a shot at postseason playoff berths.
Two teams have playoff spots locked up: Sequim won the Olympic League 2A Division title with a 46-6 win over Port Angeles last week and Quilcene (4-0, 8-0) moved closer to its second straight Sea-Tac League crown this week by virtue of a 2-0 forfeit win over Muckleshoot.
The Rangers could sew up the league title if Rainier Christian beats Evergreen Lutheran on Saturday night.
Port Angeles could seal up a playoff spot with an upset of North Kitsap at home tonight, but it’s more likely that next week’s regular-season finale with North Mason at Civic Field winds up deciding the league’s final playoff spot.
Two more — Port Townsend and Forks — face crucial league contests.
More on the Spartans later in this column.
The Redhawks (2-1, 3-4) host Klahowya (3-0, 5-1) tonight at 6 p.m. at Memorial Field in what amounts to a win-or-stay home contest for Port Townsend.
“Big one for us this week,” Redhawks coach Patrick Gaffney said. “We need to win to have any hopes of a [playoff] spot.”
Top two advance
Only the top two teams from the Olympic/ Nisqually League will reach the postseason and earn direct passage to the Class 1A state bracket.
The Eagles are a six-point loss to 2A North Mason away from an unbeaten record, but still must face No. 7 Cascade Christian (3-0, 4-1) and Bellevue Christian (3-1, 4-3).
Port Townsend’s initial league loss came against Bellevue Christian, and the Redhawks wrap up the regular season at Cascade Christian in two weeks after visiting Chimacum in the Quimper Quarrel next Friday.
Klahowya’s biggest advantage over the Redhawks is depth. The Eagles have 43 players listed on their roster, Port Townsend 27.
• Prediction: Port Townsend 34, Klahowya 31
North Kitsap at Port Angeles
PORT ANGELES — The visiting Vikings (3-1, 6-1) have been on an absolute tear since slipping up and effectively ceding the Olympic League 2A Division title to the Sequim Wolves back in week three.
Since that 16-14 loss, North Kitsap has allowed just six total points in four games and scored 179 in the same stretch.
• Prediction: North Kitsap 45, Port Angeles 6
Forks at Elma
ELMA — The Eagles are much improved this season, bolting out to a 5-0 record before falling 14-13 to league-leading Hoquiam two weeks ago.
A dedicated, large crop of juniors have done much of the heavy lifting for Elma (1-1, 6-1).
The winner of the Forks-Elma game has decided the Evergreen League’s No. 3 seed to the Southwest District 4 playoffs the past two seasons, with the Spartans (1-1, 5-2) claiming both games.
• Prediction: Forks 22, Elma 21
Sequim at No. 4 Hoquiam
HOQUIAM — The Olympic League 2A Division-champion Wolves (4-0, 7-0) have their postseason path all figured out: they will face the South Puget Sound League’s No. 7 seed in a winner-to-state, loser-out contest on Nov. 2 or 3.
But first they face what Sequim coach Erik Wiker described as a “practice playoff game” against the undefeated, fourth-ranked Class 1A Grizzlies (3-0, 7-0).
Hoquiam handed Montesano its first Evergreen League loss since 2015 last week.
Sequim will be tasked with shutting down Grizzlies QB Payton Quintanilla who ran for 159 yards, threw for 150 and returned an interception for a touchdown in the win over Montesano.
• Prediction: Sequim 27, Hoquiam 19
Chimacum at Vashon
VASHON — A tussle to escape the Olympic/Nisqually League cellar between the Cowboys (0-4, 1-6) and Pirates (0-4, 0-7) will kick off at 5 p.m. on Vashon Island.
Prediction: Chimacum 27, Vashon 14
Darrington at Neah Bay
NEAH BAY — The Red Devils (2-2, 3-4) rolled the Loggers 54-14 on Sept. 28. While Neah Bay is dealing with injury woes again this season the Red Devils should roll once again. Neah Bay is third in the
• Prediction: Neah Bay 46, Darrington 14
Saturday’s Games Oakville at Crescent
JOYCE — The Loggers (3-0, 7-2) have the strangest record in all of Washington high school football thanks to two wins by forfeit and two six-man victories against Clallam Bay.
This is Crescent’s homecoming and senior recognition game. Kickoff is 1 p.m.
The Loggers lead the Northwest Football League’s South Division. If they can hold on to the top spot, Crescent will get the sixth seed to the 12-team Quad-District playoffs.
• Prediction: Crescent 46, Oakville 6
• Last Week: 5-1
• Season-to-date: 34-12
