Four North Olympic Peninsula teams made the state playoffs thanks to Quilcene’s and Clallam Bay’s exciting Quad-District victories last week.
This week’s games featuring Clallam Bay, Neah Bay, Port Townsend and Quilcene marks the first time 19 years that the area has produced four state football teams.
The last time it happened was in 1996, when Chimacum, Clallam Bay, Crescent and Forks played at state. Crescent went on to claim the Class 1B state title that year.
The best-case scenario for the Peninsula this week is for three teams to advance to the quarterfinals because Neah Bay and Clallam Bay face each other Friday night.
This isn’t the first time the Red Devils and Bruins have faced off at state. In fact, they met four straight years, from 1997-2000, with each team winning two of those meetings.
Neah Bay (8-0), making its eighth consecutive state appearance, and Clallam Bay (4-5), playing in its first state game since 2007, will play at North Kitsap High School in Poulsbo on Friday night at 7 p.m.
While the date, time and place of 1B playoff games played in Kitsap County always seem fluid until the middle of the week, three area athletic directors — Clallam Bay’s Kris Hansen, Neah Bay’s Michael Brunstad and Crescent’s Dave Bingham — confirmed these details Monday.
The Bruins’ state berth is their 18th overall, which is the most of the Peninsula’s nine schools and keeps them one ahead of the Red Devils, who now have 17.
The winner of Friday’s game faces the winner between Naselle and Seattle Lutheran in the 1B quarterfinals next week.
Quilcene (7-2) is at state for the second consecutive year. The Rangers will look for their first state win in four appearances when they play Taholah (4-4) on Saturday afternoon at Stewart Field in Aberdeen at 1 p.m.
The winner will play either Lummi or Evergreen Lutheran next week.
Port Townsend (10-0) ends the Peninsula’s second-longest state drought when it faces travels to King’s (9-1) at King’s High School in Shoreline. (Crescent hasn’t made state since its 1996 championship season, giving the Loggers the area’s longest state absence.)
The Redhawks are ranked eighth in 1A by The Associated Press, while the Knights are third. Their only loss was to Archbishop Murphy, the No. 4 team in 2A.
If Port Townsend beats King’s, it will face Meridian or Hoquiam in the 1A quarterfinals.
Here are two other things learned last week in area high school football:
■ All Clallam Bay needs is eight.
Not only did the Bruins have to travel all the way to Lyle, which is on the north bank of the Columbia River about 20 minutes west of The Dalles, to face the Lyle-Wishram Cougars, but Clallam Bay only had 10 player dress for the game.
Eight players played a majority of the snaps for the Bruins.
Head coach Cal Ritter said fatigue probably did play a factor for Clallam Bay after halftime as Lyle-Wishram mounted a potential comeback with 30 third-quarter points, but the Bruins still scored enough points and made enough plays to prevent the Cougars from becomeing a serious threat.
“The guys, they got tired, they got banged up, but you got to reach down deep inside and pull it out,” Ritter said.
“That’s what we’ve been working for all season.
“It was a good win for the kids, and the school and the community.”
Making the win even more impressive is that half of the eight players are freshmen or eighth-graders.
■ Wounded Redhawks.
Port Townsend’s lack of depth might be challenged at the worst possible time.
In the Redhawks’ 51-8 state play-in game victory over Bellevue Christian, starting defensive back and receiver Jacob Ralls finished the game on the sideling leaning on crutches.
Ralls, who was named to the AP All-State defensive second team last year, would be a big loss for Port Townsend if he is unable to play against King’s on Friday.
Not only does the senior have three interceptions this season, but he also has been a weapon on offense with 14 catches for 186 yards and three TDs, and on special teams with two punts returned for scores.
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“Three things learned in high school football” appears each week during the football season in the PDN.
Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
