The high school football season kicks off this weekend with all nine North Olympic Peninsula schools in action.
And tonight in Dungeness Valley, new Forks head coach Mark Feasel and his Spartans will receive a trial by fire when they take on the state-ranked Sequim Wolves at 7 p.m.
Much like a year ago, when Sequim rolled to a 58-7 victory in the two teams’ season opener at Spartan Stadium, the Spartans come in with a new head coach.
And, much like a year ago, the Class 2A Wolves enter the game as heavy favorites.
Talk about a first-game trial by fire.
“I just don’t know really, 100 percent, what to expect . . . other than I know they are going to be tougher than snot,” said Feasel, who came to Forks by way of western Montana.
Sounds like he’s is pretty well informed.
The Wolves (9-2 in 2010) have won six league titles in seven seasons, including last year’s Olympic League crown, and were picked to do so again by league coaches this fall.
Opening the season against 1A Forks for the fourth year in a row, they are ready to back that up, as well as their No. 8 2A preseason ranking from the Tacoma News Tribune.
“We definitely take it as a chip on our shoulder, because obviously everybody is out to get Sequim,” said Sequim senior Tyler Forshaw, entering his third season as a varsity starter.
“Everybody is trying to beat us, so we’ve got to play as hard as we can and we can’t take any team lightly.”
Obviously, that includes Forks, which was winless last season at 0-9.
In addition to its new coach, the Spartans will also be debuting a new Wing-T offense.
Facing a Sequim defense that returns three all-league selections, they’ll get to see exactly where they are in terms of development.
“I’m hoping we can chunk out some first downs and [hold on to] the ball,” Feasel said. “That’s got to be a goal for us, is to have some ball control.
“I want the kids to bring the fight and play to the end of the fourth quarter no matter what, and we’ll build from there.”
Here’s a rundown of the other six games on the Peninsula:
Chief Sealth
at Port Angeles
■ Time: Tonight at 7.
■ Last meeting: Port Angeles 41-0 win at Seattle, Sept. 3, 2010.
■ 2010 records: Port Angeles, 9-2 overall; Chief Sealth, 2-8 overall.
■ At stake: The Roughriders began last fall’s improbable rags-to-riches season with a 41-0 win over the Seahawks of the 3A Metro League.
Port Angeles went on to win eight straight before finishing second in the Olympic League and reaching the state playoffs for the first time in 14 years.
With most of that team now gone — quarterback Keenen Walker is one of just three offensive starters returning — the Riders are looking for the same spark against a Seahawks team that lost 15 seniors of its own.
Coupeville
at Port Townsend
■ Time: Today at 4 p.m.
■ Last meeting: Coupeville win 33-6 at Coupeville, Sept. 3, 2010.
■ 2010 records: Port Townsend, 0-9; Coupeville, 2-8 overall.
■ At stake: The Redskins look to snap a 10-game losing streak as they open the season against Coupeville for the fourth straight year.
The first of two games tonight at Memorial Field — Chimacum hosts Kingston at 7:30 p.m. — the contest features two teams that finished last in its respective leagues last season.
While Port Townsend won the first game of the series in 2008, the Wolves of the 1A Cascade League have won the last two nonleague affairs.
Lummi at Neah Bay
■ When: Tonight at 6.
■ Last meeting: Lummi 61-14 win at Class 1B state semifinals.
■ 2010 records: Neah Bay, 9-3 overall; Lummi, 13-1 overall.
■ At stake: The Northwest Football League’s premiere programs face off in a nonleague affair to begin the season.
The two rivals have met in the 1B semifinals each of the past two seasons, with the Blackhawks eliminating Neah Bay each time.
Lummi must replace a number of starters, while Neah Bay brings back a majority of its 2010 team.
No doubt, the Red Devils are out for revenge.
Kingston at Chimacum
■ Time: Tonight at 7:30 in Memorial Field.
■ Last meeting: Kingston 20-18 win at Kingston, Sept. 3, 2010.
■ 2010 records: Chimacum, 5-5 overall; Kingston, 6-4 overall.
■ At stake: The Cowboys have developed something of a rivalry with their 2A Olympic League counterparts the past three years.
While Kingston has won 2 of 3 in the series, each game has come down to the final possession.
That included last year’s 20-18 thriller between a pair of teams that eventually made the playoffs.
Clallam Bay at Crescent
■ When: Saturday at 1 p.m. in Joyce.
■ Last meeting: Crescent 46-22 win at Clallam Bay, Sept. 11, 2010.
■ 2010 records: Crescent, 3-5 overall; Clallam Bay, 1-7 overall.
■ At stake: The Loggers and Bruins each had an open date to begin the season, so they decided to take on each other in a nonleague matchup.
With the two teams set to face each other in Northwest Football League action next week, Saturday’s game will serve as a tune-up.
Crescent has won five straight in the series, including a pair of wins each in the 2008 and ’09 seasons.
Highland Christian at Quilcene
■ Time: Saturday at 1 p.m.
■ Last meeting: Quilcene 50-0 win at Arlington, Sept. 10, 2010.
■ 2010 records: Quilcene, 6-4; Highland Christian 0-7.
■ At stake: The first of two meetings this season, the Rangers are set to host the Knights in a nonleague affair.
Quilcene opened its season last year with a mercy-rule drubbing of Highland Christian.
