SEQUIM — An Olympic League 2A Division championship is on the line when Port Angeles visits Sequim in the Rainshadow Rumble tonight at 7 p.m. at Sequim.
A win by the Wolves (4-0, 6-0) salts away the first league title for Sequim since the school’s 2009-2011 teams won three consecutive Olympic League crowns.
The Roughriders (2-1, 2-4) aren’t solely playing for pride, however. Port Angeles is tied for second place with North Kitsap (2-1, 5-1) and is right in the midst of a five-team fight for one of the league’s three other district playoff spots.
Port Angeles holds a 52-23-6 record in games played since 1928, but an asterisk is necessary.
The Wolves and Roughriders resumed the rivalry in 2004 after taking a 13-year break.
Since the reboot, results have been one-sided in the other direction with the Wolves holding a 10-4 record with three straight Rumble victories, including last year’s 29-14 triumph at Civic Field.
That 10-4 Rainshadow Rumble record for Sequim has come under head coach Erik Wiker, while Port Angeles’ Troy Mann is in his first season as head coach of the Riders.
Some coaches play up the rivalry in preparation for the game, while others prefer to focus on the “nameless, faceless opponent” and avoid hyping up or adding more emphasis to the contest.
With a potential league championship added to the rivalry game mix, Sequim’s Wiker said this week’s focus was internal.
“For the most part with this year’s game we are trying to take care of ourselves,” Wiker said.
“To say its not a rivalry is a mistake, so we approach it both ways: we treat it like another game and try not to make it bigger than it is, but also make it a meaningful game, one you’ll remember and talk about 20 years from now.”
Wiker said his team has been focused on winning a league championship game-by-game and opponent-by-opponent each week during the league season.
“It’s been more of a business-like approach,” Wiker said.
“For awhile we have been having these league championship games, and if we win this one it would seal it numerically, so that’s something that’s been discussed — [a league title] will come if we take care of business, so it’s been mentioned but not hyped or played up.”
Mann is taking the “another game” approach.
“I understand it’s a big rivalry, but its another game,” Mann said. “Don’t outthink it, don’t make it bigger than it is. I didn’t know until Wednesday that [Sequim] could win the league [with a win].
“It should be the same emphasis. Mentally, we have to play football and every game we play we should have the same mentality, the same focus and expect the same outcome regardless of who we are playing.”
For this late in the season, both teams are relatively healthy.
Each coach said their teams have the normal dings that come after nearly two months of practices and games.
Mann said lineman Darrell Duckett may miss the contest with a calf injury.
Sequim has played like a team on a mission this season — a mission to secure the Olympic League championship. The Wolves are balanced offensively behind the running game of Taig Wiker (637 yards, six TDs on the ground) and dual-threat quarterback Riley Cowan.
And the defense has been stingy, allowing just 9.3 points per game in league play.
Sequim is just too steady for a Port Angeles team that’s been up-and-down all year.
Prediction: Sequim 29, Port Angeles 9
Bellevue Christian at Chimacum
PORT TOWNSEND — The Cowboys (0-3, 1-5) host the Vikings (2-1, 3-3) for homecoming tonight at Memorial Field.
Prediction: Bellevue Christian 27, Chimacum 20
Port Townsend at Concrete
CONCRETE — A long trip up state Highway 20 for the Redhawks (2-1, 2-4) to play the Class 2B Lions (2-0, 2-4) in a nonleague contest. Concrete also will visit Chimacum to wrap the regular season Nov. 2.
Prediction: Port Townsend 30, Concrete 27
Olympic at Forks
FORKS — The Spartans (1-1, 4-2) step out of Evergreen League play and into a matchup against a Trojans’ team (2-2, 2-4) looking to rally after losing to Sequim 28-9 last week.
Prediction: Forks 20, Olympic 16
Saturday’s Games Forks JV at Crescent
JOYCE — The Loggers have picked up three wins by forfeit in recent weeks, so thanks to Forks for putting a game together on relatively short notice.
No predictions are made for contests involving a JV team.
Seattle Lutheran at Quilcene
QUILCENE — The Rangers (2-0, 6-0) have the heavy lifting out of the way with SeaTac League wins over Tacoma Baptist and Rainier Christian. Seattle Lutheran (0-3, 0-4) have had little success this season.
Prediction: Quilcene 60, Seattle Lutheran 6
Last Week: 5-2
Season-to-date: 29-11
