The prep football season hits the home stretch this weekend with several teams still holding on to playoff hopes.
While some still have a lot of work to do, others are just a win away from clinching a postseason bid.
The latter group includes the Olympic League’s top two teams: Port Angeles (4-0 in league, 6-0 overall) and Sequim (4-0, 5-1).
Each can lock up a spot in the playoffs with a win tonight while moving one step closer to a dramatic showdown for the Olympic League title Oct. 29 at Civic Field in Port Angeles.
On the other side of the spectrum, homecoming hosts Forks and Port Townsend are both one loss away from being knocked out of postseason contention.
Here is a quick rundown of the area high school football slate for this weekend:
Port Angeles at North Kitsap
POULSBO — The Roughriders’ dramatic turnaround can come full circle tonight with a win against the Vikings (1-3, 1-5) in Olympic League action.
Port Angeles not only has a chance to exorcise some demons against North Kitsap — a team it has continually lost to — but also earn its first playoff bid in four years.
The Riders can clinch a No. 2 seed and a home Class 2A preliminary playoff game with a victory.
By starting the year 7-0, they can also achieve something no Port Angeles team has since the Lyndon Johnson administration.
The last time a Port Angeles football team won its first seven games was 1967.
Those Riders finished the year 9-0 as Olympic League champions.
Olympic at Sequim
SEQUIM — The Wolves face the perfect homecoming patsies with the Trojans (1-3, 1-5) coming to town tonight at 7.
Olympic hasn’t been the same team without bruising running back Larry Dixon, who graduated last spring and now plays on scholarship for Army.
The Trojans earned their lone win of the season last Friday after beating North Kitsap 19-3.
In the Wolves, winners of four straight by a combined score of 206-62, they obviously face much stiffer competition.
Sequim is looking to clinch its seventh straight postseason berth while moving to 30-0 in October games under head coach Erik Wiker.
The seventh-year coach will be honored during the game by the Seattle Seahawks and Sterling Bank “for a job well done.”
Cascade Christian at Port Townsend
PORT TOWNSEND — Talk about a scheduling gaffe.
The Redskins (0-4, 0-6) get no gimme for tonight’s homecoming game. Instead, the top-ranked Cougars (4-0, 6-0) pay a visit to Memorial Field at 7 p.m.
Port Townsend hasn’t knocked off the Cougars — 1A state runners up the past two seasons — since joining the 1A Nisqually League in 2008.
It figures to get no easier this time around either.
Cascade Christian has outscored opponents 261-79 this season.
And quarterback Kyle Stennes (1,117 yards passing, 16 TDs, two interceptions) is the front runner for league MVP.
Chimacum at Charles Wright
TACOMA — The Cowboys (1-3, 2-4) have another do-or-die Nisqually League game tonight at 7 p.m. against the Tarriers.
A loss would virtually eliminate Chimacum from playoff contention, while a win would give them a critical victory against another middle-of-the-pack Nisqually team in Charles Wright.
Chimacum saved its season with a come-from-behind 32-24 win over Vashon Island (1-3, 2-4) at home last Friday.
Charles Wright (2-2, 3-2) comes into the game on a two-game losing streak after dropping games to league powers Orting and Cascade Christian.
Rainier at Forks
FORKS — The Spartans will be shooting for their first win of the season when they host the Mountaineers in their homecoming game tonight at 7.
Forks (0-4, 0-6) will have to do so without its lead runner in Luke Brown, who is out after breaking his arm in last week’s loss to Montesano.
A loss to Rainier (2-2, 3-3) would eliminate the Spartans from postseason contention.
Neah Bay at Highland Christian
ARLINGTON — The Red Devils take on the Northwest Football League’s bottom feeders when they visit the winless Knights (0-4) tonight at 7.
Neah Bay (3-0, 4-1) can stay on top of the league standings with a win
Quilcene at Lummi
BELLINGHAM — The Rangers hope to take a big step toward a Northwest Football League crown with an upset win over 1B’s second-ranked Blackhawks (1-0, 3-1) tonight at 7.
Quilcene rebounded from a blowout loss to Peninsula rival Neah Bay with a 36-32 victory over Muckleshoot last Friday.
Clallam Bay at Ever. Lutheran
DES MOINES — The Bruins look to build on their first win in 18 games when they take on the Eagles in a Northwest Football League game Saturday afternoon.
