The football postseason picture is becoming more clear in the Olympic and Nisqually leagues.
Among the most interesting revelations is the potential for a Chimacum-Port Townsend match-up in Week 9 (the last weekend of this month).
During Week 9, the two divisions of the Nisqually League will face off, with match-ups based on each team’s place within their division.
The top teams in both divisions will play each other, the second-place teams will play each other, and likewise the third- and fourth-place squads.
Port Townsend is locked into the No. 3 spot in Division 1 because they have no divisional game left this year.
Chimacum is currently third in Division 2.
A victory over Charles Wright Academy this week would create a tie for first place in Division 2 between the Cowboys and Tarriers.
And if Cedar Park Christian beats Cascade Christian tonight, it would create a complicated three-way tie, because Cedar Park beat Chimacum this year, Chimacum would have its win over Charles Wright, and Charles Wright defeated Cedar Park.
Such a tiebreaker would move the Week 8 games for Division 2 to Wednesday or Thursday, presumably to allow tiebreakers to be played out before Week 9.
But, if Chimacum loses to Charles Wright, they will have cemented their spot at No. 3 in Division 2, which would set up a game with Quimper Peninsula rival Port Townsend in Week 9.
The winner of the game between the division winner automatically moves on to the 1A state playoffs.
The loser moves onto the district playoffs, along with the winner of the game between the second-place teams.
For everyone else, other games will be arranged for Week 10.
Olympic League spots
In the Olympic League, the top four teams will face off in Week 10 to determine which two teams will move on to the West Central District playoffs.
The district will send five teams to the 2A state playoffs in 2012 and 2013.
Though both are winless, neither the Roughriders nor Wolves appear to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet.
With three games left, they trail Klahowya, Olympic and North Mason by two games and Kingston and North Kitsap by three games.
That means this week’s games — Port Angeles versus North Kitsap and Sequim versus Klahowya — are crucial to the Riders’ and Wolves’ slim playoff hopes.
Those Olympic League teams who finish outside the top four will play other games, which have yet to be scheduled, in Week 10.
It is important to note that these playoff scenarios also apply to Olympic League boys and girls soccer for the next two school years.
Klahowya
at Sequim
Last year, the Wolves beat the Eagles 53-0, and Sequim is 10-0 against Klahowya since Erik Wiker became coach.
But these aren’t the usual Eagles and Wolves.
Both teams are in unfamiliar situations — Sequim without a win, and Klahowya in the thick of the playoff race.
Sequim’s fortunes might be reliant on its ability to contain the pass-catch combination of quarterback Jacob Sheets and receiver Josh Ganowski
Doing so will take patience by the Wolves’ defensive backs, because Sheets has a knack for avoiding the pass rush until Ganowski manages to ditch his defender.
When the two hook up, big plays are often the result, as Chimacum and Port Angeles found out in losses to the Eagles last month.
Klahowya also beat Port Townsend this season, so a victory over Sequim would give them a North Olympic Peninsula sweep.
Neah Bay
at Lopez
The Red Devils should receive a nice test on the road against the undefeated Lobos on Saturday.
So far, Lopez has rolled through it schedule, including a 52-16 win over Clallam Bay last week.
But the Lobos’ moments of truth have come.
They face defending state champion (AP No. 2) this week and 1B powerhouse Lummi next week.
Life/Sea. Christ.
at Port Townsend
The Redskins will move above .500 by beating the winless Life Christian/Seattle Christian team Saturday night.
That’s a nice feat for a team coming off two winless seasons of their own.
Tulalip Heritage
at Crescent
The Loggers and Hawks have both been served doses of humility in the last few weeks.
Crescent was undefeated before losing 58-6 to Lummi last week.
Tulalip feasted on a few of the weaker 1B teams to start the season, including a 94-point output against Highland Christian, but Lopez and Neah Bay brought them back to Earth over the last two weeks.
Charles Wright
at Chimacum
This is the end of a brutal stretch for the Cowboys.
They will have faced three of the Nisqually League’s top teams — Cedar Park Christian, Eatonville and now AP No. 9 Charles Wright — over a four-week period.
Rochester at Forks
Playing in Forks has been good to the Spartans in 2012. They are undefeated at home so far this season.
Their chances of pulling off an undefeated home schedule are good as the Warriors have struggled to win anywhere this year.
Clallam Bay
at Lummi
The Bruins have received harsh reminders of how tough the Northwest Football League North Division is with losses to Crescent and Lopez.
And now? They have to travel to face AP No. 4 Lummi in Bellingham for a Saturday tilt.
Quilcene
at Highland Christ.
Even after an 0-3 start, the Rangers find themselves atop the Northwest Football League South Division.
With three wins, Quilcene has more wins than the division’s other four teams combined.
Highland Christian has none of those wins. In four games (one loss was a forfeit), Highland Christian has only scored 42 points.
Oh, and Quilcene is finally at full strength with the return of quarterback Jacob Pleines.
North Kitsap
at Port Angeles
There has been some confusion about the location of this game, but Port Angeles athletic director Dwayne Johnson has confirmed that it will be played at Civic Field.
That’s good news for the young Roughriders as they try to knock off one of the Olympic League’s best teams this season.
The Vikings are coming off a 48-18 win over North Mason.