PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend and Chimacum football teams may not be playing for a league championship, but tonight’s big game between the two archrivals is a playoff game for each of them.
The Cowboys have to win their fourth game in a row to make the Nisqually League postseason while a victory would make the Redskins’ season.
“They could knock us out of the playoffs,” Chimacum coach Shawn Meacham said.
Port Townsend has been struggling with an inexperienced team this season and is winless at 0-6 in league and 0-8 overall after going 7-4 the year before with a lot of seniors.
Meacham, though, isn’t expecting to see a struggling team tonight at 7 at Memorial Field in Port Townsend’s final game of the year.
“A win would make their season,” Meacham said. “Coach [Tom] Webster will have them ready to play.”
Chimacum, meanwhile, will earn a playoff berth with a victory after starting the season 1-4 and looking dead in the water.
The Cowboys, though, were just playing dead.
They have won three do-or-die games against teams ahead of them in the standings to improve to 3-3 in league and 4-4 overall.
Most of those games they have dominated, outscoring opponents 118-67.
A victory tonight would give the Cowboys a playoff berth for the first time since 2005 and a win over their archrival for the first time in four years.
Ironically, the Cowboys started the season 4-1 last year during Meacham’s first season as head coach but lost four straight to league powerhouses Orting, Cascade Christian, Vashon Island and Port Townsend to finish 5-5 and miss the playoffs.
Meacham has been working hard this week making sure his players don’t overlook the Redskins.
“Our focus is on Port Townsend,” he said. “I told our young men that Port Townsend is the No. 1 team in the state and this is a playoff game for us.
“If we don’t win, we won’t be going anywhere.”
So far, the Cowboys have been doing well with the pressure of having to win each week.
“The young men have been responding really well,” Meacham said.
“They have been playing with a lot of energy and a lot of focus.”
One of the reasons Chimacum has turned it around this year is its offensive line, even with an injury to standout sophomore lineman Daryn Settlemire.
“He’s a starter both ways for us who has been banged up the past few weeks, which has limited his play,” Meacham said.
“Other kids have stepped up for us when he’s not in the game.”
The offensive line has been playing with a lot of confidence and energy, Meacham said.
“Our running backs have benefited from the line’s play,” he said.
“We have a couple of kids who are big and strong. And they’re playing smart right now. Football is a thinking-man’s game. You have to play smart.”
It also helps that the Cowboys are experienced with 15 seniors on the 33-man varsity roster.
“The seniors have been playing a lot of minutes for us,” Meacham said. “They’re enjoying a lot of success.
“No matter what happens [tonight] they will be leaving the season on a positive note.”
Other area games this weekend include the following:
Lummi at Neah Bay, 7 p.m.
NEAH BAY — Tonight’s game is for the first-ever Northwest Football League championship.
Both are 5-0 in the new league but Lummi has the emotional edge after beating the Red Devils handily in a nonleague game to open the season.
But then Lummi, ranked No. 2 in state at 7-1 overall, has been beating just about everybody easily this year.
The Red Devils (6-1 overall) have won six straight and also have been beating teams fairly easily, including pounding Quilcene 68-22 last week.
Neah Bay beat Lummi two out of three times last year, losing to its rival in the 1B semifinals.
Elma at Forks, 7 p.m.
FORKS — The youthful Spartans’ will get their last shot at a SWL-Evergreen Division win on senior night tonight, while Elma will be trying to clinch a playoff spot.
Elma is 3-3 in league and 4-4 overall, tied for fourth place with Rainier while Forks (0-6, 0-8) will be playing its final game of the year.
Quilcene at Clallam Bay, 7 p.m.
CLALLAM BAY — The youthful Bruins (1-5 in Northwest Football League and overall) will try for their second win of the year tonight.
The Rangers (3-2, 4-3), meanwhile, will look to clinch a playoff bid after playing a JV schedule last season.
Crescent at Muckleshoot, 7 p.m.
MUCKLESHOOT — Tonight’s game will break a tie for fifth place in the Northwest Football League.
The Loggers, fighting numbers problems all year, are 2-3 in league and 3-3 overall.
Muckleshoot, meanwhile, is 2-3 in league and overall.
