PORT TOWNSEND — For the second time in three seasons Charles Wright stands in the way of Port Townsend’s path to the Class 1A state football tournament.
The teams faced off at Memorial Field two consecutive weeks in 2014 — the last week of the regular season and in the district playoffs.
The Redhawks easily won the first game 49-6 and had every reason to expect another victory the following week. Instead, Charles Wright won 24-14.
Port Townsend exacted a measure of revenge last season in a 36-0 nonleague victory.
Now, a state tournament berth is again on the line when the Redhawks (5-1, 6-3) host the Tarriers (4-2, 5-4) tonight in a Nisqually-Olympic League showdown at Memorial Field at 7 p.m.
A Port Townsend victory gives the Redhawks their second-straight 1A state tournament appearance.
A loss to Charles Wright, coupled with a Klahowya (4-2, 6-3) victory over Chimacum, would set up a three-way tie for the Nisqually-Olympic League’s second berth to state.
Port Townsend athletic director Scott Wilson said if that scenario played out a three-team tiebreaker would be played Tuesday at a neutral site.
However it shakes out, the Nisqually-Olympic League’s No. 2 will face the District 4 No. 1 in the state tournament’s first round.
Prediction: Port Townsend 35, Charles Wright 22
Forks at No. 6 La Center
LA CENTER — The Spartans head south for a winner-to-state District 4 playoff game against the Trico League-champion Wildcats (8-1).
“We don’t know much about them, but if they won that league they are a great team,” Forks coach Emil West said after last week’s 55-22 loss to Hoquiam, a team La Center beat 30-6 back in September.
The Spartans (4-4) and Wildcats also share another common opponent, King’s Way Christian, which rallied to beat Forks 42-28 and lost 26-24 to La Center for the Trico title.
Forks’ last playoff victory came against La Center, a 27-3 win in a driving rainstorm in 2008.
Prediction: La Center 36, Forks 22
Evergreen Lutheran vs. No. 3 Neah Bay
FORKS — The Red Devils (6-1) have the honor of playing the first postseason contest on the new artificial surface at Spartans Stadium in Forks when they host the Eagles (1-7) in a Quad-District Playoff game tonight.
Neah Bay should be playing Seattle Lutheran (4-4), which finished above Evergreen Lutheran in the Sea-Tac League, but Seattle Lutheran athletic director David Sleighter said the school would not be participating in the playoffs and declined to cite a reason why.
So the one-loss Red Devils will play the one-win Eagles. It won’t be close, but at least Neah Bay will have a chance to play some football for the first time since a 64-0 win over Tulalip Heritage on Oct. 21.
The winner will advance to face Taholah (5-2), likely in Aberdeen, next weekend.
Prediction: Neah Bay 58, Evergreen Lutheran 0
Chimacum at Klahowya
BREMERTON — The Cowboys (0-6, 1-8) wrap their season on the road against an Eagles team (4-2, 6-3) that is still mathmatically alive for a state berth.
Prediction: Klahowya 42, Chimacum 6
Mary M. Knight at Quilcene
QUILCENE — The Rangers stumbled at home last week against Rainier Christian, losing the game and a first-round bye in the Quad-District Playoffs.
Now Quilcene (6-2) faces a rematch with the Owls (1-7), a team the Rangers shut out 52-0 in their season opener.
Expect more of the same when the game kicks off at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The winner will face No. 1 Lummi next weekend.
Prediction: Quilcene 52, Mary M. Knight 0
Crescent at Oakville
OAKVILLE — The Loggers (4-4) will look to crack the Acorns (2-5) in a Quad-District Playoff contest at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The winner advances to face No. 4 Tacoma Baptist (9-0) next week.
Prediction: Crescent 40, Oakville 14
Sequim vs. Eatonville
BREMERTON — The Wolves face off with the South Puget Sound League’s fifth seed, the Eatonville Cruisers (7-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Silverdale Stadium.
Sequim (7-2) is seeking its first state tournament appearance since a run of six consecutive state appearances was snapped in 2011.
The game will feature two-long tenured coaches. The Wolves’ Erik Wiker has been in charge since 2004, while Eatonville’s George Fairhart is in his 24th season in charge of the Cruisers.
Prediction: Eatonville 34, Sequim 27
Last Week: 5-2
Season to date: 51-9
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
