PORT TOWNSEND — Few would have predicted it before the high school football season started.
But here we are, entering the second-to-last week of the regular season, and the Chimacum Cowboys (2-3 in league, 4-4 overall) and Port Townsend Redskins (3-2, 5-3) are still both in the playoff hunt.
Just in time for Rhody Bowl at Memorial Field tonight at 7 p.m.
“Anytime you play a team that is your rival you certainly have a lot at stake for local bragging rights,” said Port Townsend coach Brian O’Hara, whose Redskins must win out to reach the postseason.
“That in itself is a motivator. [The playoff possibilities] just adds another dimension.”
And one that is a pleasant surprise for Quimper Peninsula football fans.
It’s not that the Redskins’ rise to prominence in the Class 1A Nisqually League is all that unexpected.
They brought back a host of starters on both sides of the ball, including the deadly aerial combination of quarterback Eric Thomas and wide receiver Cameron Robinson.
Rather, it’s the Cowboys who have surprised in head coach Shawn Meacham’s first season this fall.
This was a team coming off back-to-back 1-9 seasons, and was a combined 5-25 the last three years.
Still, the Cowboys are a win away from a .500 season and still clinging to some playoff hopes, however slim those might be.
“I wouldn’t think it was a surprise, but I wouldn’t call it expected either,” said Meacham, whose team must win out and get help.
“I knew we had some talent. I just didn’t know how well the talent would come together.”
It gelled just fine in the Cowboys’ first five games, a stretch that saw them go 4-1.
But Chimacum dropped its last three against the 1A Nisqually elite, scoring a total of 26 points in losses to Cascade Christian, Vashon Island and Orting.
Leading runners Austin McConnell, Devin Manix and Taylor Handly have all struggled to get it going in those losses.
McConnell was knocked out of the Vashon game with a minor concussion and wasn’t available for last Friday’s 34-6 loss to Cascade Christian.
“We’ve worked a lot up front [this week],” Meacham said. “We pushed the sled around quite a bit.
“We talked a lot about pride with our offensive line, and what it takes to really win the battle up front.”
That will be a difficult task against the Redskins, who have 6-foot-3, 305-pound Noah Bryant clogging up the middle at defensive tackle.
He’s the Redskins third leading tackler (43) behind roving linebackers Mikhail Maduska (54) and Cameron Johnson (50).
Then there’s the aforementioned duo of Thomas and Robinson.
The two are coming off their most productive game of the season, a 46-28 win over Charles Wright.
Thomas passes for 295 yards and six touchdowns that game, four of which were caught be Robinson.
“They’ve put up some good numbers, and they are all pumped up and ready to go,” O’Hara said of his two offensive stars.
“We’ve been improving [on offense], and certainly each week we’ve felt like we’re moving forward and taking advantage of things the other team is doing.”
Robinson has 59 catches this season for 766 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Robinson has completed 132-of-229 passes for 1,426 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
“I think what really makes that offense go is [Thomas],” said Meacham, adding that he plans to show Thomas some different looks on defense.
“If he has time to sit back there and throw he’s going to complete some passes. He’s the engine of that team
“He’s the one that has to get Robinson the ball.”
He’s also 3-0 against the Cowboys, having started at quarterback for the Redskins in each of the last Rhody Bowls.
Port Townsend has won 9 of the last 11 overall, with Chimacum’s last victory coming in 2005.
That was also the last time the two teams met with each in playoff contention.
And what a game it was: Six lead changes, five turnovers and a game-winning touchdown in the final minute by Cowboys running back Arlo Evasick.
“We worked really hard to put the past behind us and move forward,” Meacham said. “I think the kids really believe in what they’ve done and what they are cable of doing.
“We still haven’t played our best game yet. We could really use it this week. Port Townsend is tough.”
Here is a preview of the rest of the games on the North Olympic Peninsula this weekend:
Today Washington at Sequim
SEQUIM — Sequim can clinch the Class 2A Nisqually/Olympic League championship and a berth in the first round of the state playoffs this week with a win over the Patriots (1-4, 2-6) and a Fife (4-1, 5-3) loss at North Mason.
The Wolves (5-0, 7-1) clinch a playoff berth at the very least with a victory.
Wolves head coach Erik Wiker is 3-0 all-time against Washington, including a 20-14 win in his first game as Sequim head coach in 2004.
Port Angeles at North Kitsap
POULSBO — North Kitsap is ripe for an upset this week after coming off a 21-14 loss to Olympic that eliminated the Vikings (2-4, 3-5) from playoff contention.
Port Angeles (0-6, 0-8) should focus on establishing the run against North Kitsap as the Vikings have allowed players from three league opponents to rush for more than 200 yards, and league rushing leader Larry Dixon also bruised North Kitsap for 174 more yards last weekend.
Clallam Bay at Highland Christian
ARLINGTON — The Bruins (0-3, 0-5) have their best chance all season to pick up a win against the Knights (1-2, 1-5).
Highland Christian Prep’s only win came as a result of a forfeit by Lopez Island last week.
Saturday No. 4 Neah Bay at Lummi
BELLINGHAM — Is a changing of the guard in order for the Pacific Coast League’s (PCL) North Division?
Lummi (3-0, 6-2) has won four PCL North Division titles in a row dating back to 2005, and that streak will be on the line in Saturday’s game with the Red Devils (3-0, 8-0).
Neah Bay rushed for 330 yards against the Blackhawks in a 28-22 nonleague win in week four, but Blackhawks coach Jim Sandusky, a former CFL football player, surely kept a few tricks up his sleeve with this game in mind.
Lopez at Crescent
JOYCE — The Lobos (1-2, 3-4) are dealing with low numbers this season but have won as many games (three) as they have forfeited this year.
“They only have 10 players but they have some tough guys and a big running back,” Crescent (1-2, 5-3) coach Tim Rooney said.
The Loggers need to win out to claim the PCL North’s No. 3 spot in the playoffs.