(Editors Note: Updated information for the Neah Bay basketball boys has been included)
Now the real fun begins.
Basketball playoff season. When the games get tighter, tenser and more dramatic. Every basket, every call will weigh heavily. It seems like this year, we have several exceptionally good teams in the North Olympic Peninsula and it’s going to be fun to track their playoff progress.
We have a total of 12 North Olympic Peninsula prep teams in postseason play, with playoff games already ongoing for the Quilcene teams.
Here’s a quick rundown of the playoff teams and their schedules.
Port Angeles boys
The Port Angeles boys, the No. 3 seed in the Olympic League 2A Division, finished league play 9-3 (13-7 overall). They begin their playoff run in the West Central 2A District tournament on the road Thursday, going to Highline for a 7 p.m. game. Highline (10-4, 14-7) finished third in the South Puget Sound League’s South Division. If the boys win, they get to play Foss, the No. 4-ranked 2A team in the state, on Saturday. If the boys lose, they play on Feb. 14 against an opponent to be determined.
Port Angeles girls
The Roughrider girls (21-1, 18-3), a mix of veterans and some feisty freshmen, are the Olympic League 2A Division champions. They also grabbed the Olympic League 2A No. 1 seed by beating North Kitsap Saturday. The girls get a bye, and will play a home game at 7 p.m. Friday against the winner of the SPSL’s River Ridge (8-6, 10-11) and Foster 10-4, 13-6). If the girls lose, they next play on Feb. 13. If they win, they play on Feb. 14.
Sequim boys
The Sequim boys, the No. 4 seed in the Olympic League 2A, finished league play 6-6 (10-10 overall). They return to postseason play after missing the playoffs last year. Sequim will go on the road and play at Fife (12-2, 17-4), the second-place team in the SPSL North Division. That game is at 7 p.m. Thursday. If the Wolves win, they next play Clover Park (11-3, 14-7) on Saturday. If they lose, they next play Feb. 14 against an opponent to be determined.
Port Townsend boys
As Olympic League 1A champion, the Port Townsend boys (7-2, 11-8) get a first-round playoff bye. They don’t have to play until Feb. 13, when they begin in the West Central District 1A tournament at Bremerton High School at 7:45 p.m.
Port Townsend will play the Nisqually No. 2 seed, which appears to be either Bellevue Christian (5-2, 16-3) or Cascade Christian (5-2, 11-8). Win or lose, their next game will be on Feb. 15.
Port Townsend girls
The Port Townsend girls (7-2, 9-10) also were Olympic League 1A champions and thus also earned a first-round playoff bye. The Redhawks get to wait until Feb. 14 to play, also at 7:45 p.m. at Bremerton High for their WCD 1A game, against an opponent they won’t learn until Saturday. It’s possible that opponent could be Chimacum. Win or lose, their next game will be Feb. 17.
Chimacum girls
The Chimacum girls (4-5, 7-12), the No. 3 seed out of the Olympic League 1A Division, will play a pigtail loser-out game against the No. 4 seed from the Nisqually League, likely Charles Wright (3-5, 14-6), at home at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Cowboys lost a game early this season to Charles Wright by eight points. If the Cowboys win, they move on to another loser-out game on Saturday, agains the No. 2 seed out of the Nisqually League, either Cascade Christian (5-2, 12-7) or Seattle Christian (6-1, 15-2).
Forks boys
Forks had a very strong season, finishing second in the Evergreen 1A League. The Spartans (6-2, 14-4) play Seton Catholic 5-5, 9-11) at home at 7 p.m. Friday in the District 4 1A tournament. Seton Catholic finished third in the Trico League. If the Spartans win, they next play on Feb. 13, either in Hoquiam or Vancouver against either the winner of Elma (3-15, 4-16) or Trico champion La Center (10-0, 13-7). Yes, it seems La Center stands in Forks’ way every year in the postseason. If Forks wins their opening game against Seton Catholic, they remain alive in the tournament if they win or lose their second game.
Neah Bay boys
Neah Bay (9-0, 12-8), the winners of the North Olympic 1B League, get a bye in the Tri-District 1B tournament. They don’t play until Feb. 13, hosting a game at Port Angeles High School at 7 p.m. Win or lose, their next game will be on Feb. 15, at either Mount Vernon Christian or Evergreen Lutheran high schools. Neah Bay at one point this season was 1-7, but has won 11 out of last 12 games.
Neah Bay girls
Neah Bay (8-1, 18-2), won the North Olympic 1B League and gets a first-round bye in the girls’ Tri-District 1B tournament. The Red Devils are one of two very strong teams coming out of the North Olympic 1B. Neah Bay will play at Port Angeles High School on Feb. 13 against an opponent that will be determined Saturday. That game will be held at 5:30 p.m. Much like the Port Angeles girls, the Neah Bay girls are a freshman-heavy team that has steamrolled most of its opponents this year.
Clallam Bay girls
Clallam Bay (7-2, 12-6), came in second in the North Olympic 1B League and knocked off league champion Neah Bay last week. The Bruins play a first-round game at Port Angeles High School at 5:30 p.m. Saturday against the No. 5 seed from District 2 (still to be determined). That is a loser-out game. If the Bruins win, they move on to a playoff game on Feb. 13 against the District 1 No. 2 seed.
Quilcene girls
The Quilcene girls, second in Sea-Tac 1B West Division (7-5, 10-10) had their first playoff game Saturday, a 55-49 overtime loss to Northwest Yeshiva in the opening round of the Sea-Tac 1B tournament. Quilcene played Monday (after press deadline) against Pope John Paul II (2-10, 3-15). The Rangers will likely win that game as they dominated PJP II in two games this year. If the Rangers win, they will play the winner of Muckleshoot (5-6, 10-8) and Tacoma Baptist (3-9, 5-15) on Wednesday for the No. 5 seed out the Sea-Tac 1B, putting the Rangers in the Tri-District 1B Tournament along with Clallam Bay and Neah Bay.
Quilcene boys
The Quilcene boys (1-12, 3-19), won a play-in game Thursday against Rainier Christian 47-43 in the Sea-Tac 1B Tournament. They lost their next tournament game 95-25 on Saturday against Tacoma Baptist. The Rangers are still alive however. They played Pope John Paul II Monday (after press deadline) to see if they will move on to another tournament game Wednesday against the winner of Evergreen Lutheran and Northwest Yeshiva.
