PORT TOWNSEND — All Port Townsend needs is one more victory to clinch its first state football appearance since 2004.
The odds are good that the Redhawks will get that win tonight when they face Bellevue Christian in a state play-in game at Memorial Field at 7 p.m.
Not only is Port Townsend (9-0) undefeated and ranked eighth in Class 1A while Bellevue Christian (4-5) has a losing record, but they have already defeated the Vikings fairly easily once this season.
Port Townsend blanked Bellevue Christian 44-0 in Week 2, one of six shutouts by the Redhawks this season.
The sixth one came last week against Charles Wright.
And Charles Wright is the reason why Port Townsend isn’t assuming anything.
Last year, the Redhawks overlooked the Tarriers a week after dominating them and ended up losing in the play-in game.
“Every Friday night, anything can happen. You don’t want to underestimate your opponent, as we have learned,” Port Townsend coach Nick Snyder said.
“We’re going to prepare for them like it’s a royale.”
The Redhawks also fell one game shy of state two years ago when they lost to Blaine.
Even without leading rusher Wesley Wheeler, who suffered a season-ending injury last month, Port Townsend remains loaded with offensive weapons.
Especially by ground.
David Sua switched from quarterback to fullback and has more than capably filled Wheeler’s role the past three games, and Detrius Kelsall, Ezra Easley and Kyle Blankenship each have rushed for more than 300 yards this season.
Last week against Charles Wright, Kelsall, a sophomore, ran for 227 yards, Port Townsend’s highest individual total this season.
Bellevue Christian hasn’t changed its personnel, as the Redhawks have, but it does have a different look.
“They have switched to an under-center I-back attack. Before they were spread,”
Snyder said. “They put a fullback in there to help with blocking and to establish the run. I think that plays into our strengths on defense, as our run D is pretty dang good.”
The Vikings are led on both sides of the ball by Dylan Parsons.
“They have a running back [Parsons] that is by far their best player. He runs hard and is a great inside linebacker on defense,” Snyder said.
Parsons has 157 carries for 798 yards and six touchdowns, and on defense he leads the team with 74 tackles.
Port Townsend held Parsons to 33 yards on 10 carries in the teams’ first meeting.
If the Redhawks win, they’ll likely have the West Central District’s second seed at state.
An agreement between Olympic League 1A and the Nisqually League gives the Nisqually the first shot at the top seed, and defending state champion Cascade Christian can nail that down with a win over Chimacum on Saturday.
Barring an upset by the Cowboys, Port Townsend will face District 1’s top team, likely third-ranked King’s.
Chimacum at Cascade Christian
SUMNER — The Cowboys’ reward for all that winning they’ve been doing recently is a game against the reigning Class 1A state champion Cougars (7-1) on Saturday at Sunset Chevrolet Stadium.
Chimacum (2-7) is undaunted.
“We’re not timid at all,” senior Trevon Noel said.
“We’ve played tough teams, and when it comes down to it, I feel like our 11 can hang with their 11 any day.”
Head coach Mike Dowling reminded the Cowboys that even state champions have to get dressed in the morning.
“You are getting Cascade Christian,” Dowling told the team after it defeated Coupeville in a half-game tiebreaker Tuesday.
“They put their pants on the same as you. They have our respect as defending champions. They have a great name. But you know what? So do you. It’s a new season, now.”
If the Cowboys win, they’ll take the West Central District’s third seed to state.
Clallam Bay at Lyle-Wishram
LYLE — The Bruins can make state for the first time since 2007 by defeating the Cougars tonight in the Class 1B Quad-District playoffs.
Lyle-Wishram (6-3) has the better record, but records might not matter.
The Cougars’ schedule was made up mostly of District 4 competition. Clallam Bay (3-5), meanwhile, was facing District 1 and 3 foes in the Northwest Football League.
An example of the apparent disparity is that the No. 1 team in District 4, Naselle, lost to District 1/3’s third seed Tulalip Heritage 74-40 last month.
The Bruins, though, have to make a long trip that includes crossing into Oregon and traveling along the Columbia River.
The Bruins, though, have to make a long trip that includes crossing into Oregon and traveling along the Columbia River.
Tonight’s game can be heard live on Forks 1490 AM and online at www.forks1490.com.
The winner faces Neah Bay next week on an artificial turf field far away from all three teams’ home fields.
Quilcene at Tulalip Heritage
MARYSVILLE — The Rangers are back in the Quad-District playoffs and aiming to return to state for the second consecutive season.
Five of the nine combined wins by Quilcene (6-2) and Tulalip (3-4) have come against Crescent and Clallam Bay, and four of their combined six losses have been to Evergreen Lutheran and Seattle Lutheran.
“I think they’ll be ready to go as they realize it’s win or go home,” Quilcene coach Byron Wilson said.
“They have one kid that’s a terrific athlete in [Robert] Miles. We have to keep him under wraps.
“They have some lineman bigger than me. We will have to find the spaces, find the gaps and get to the outside against that size.”
The winner of tonight’s game will open the Class 1B state tournament against Taholah next week.
Crescent at Darrington
DARRINGTON — The Loggers are one of the few Western Washington 8-man teams to play a full slate of games this season.
Not only was Crescent (2-7) able to find a replacement for its game with Lopez last week, it also managed to schedule a Week 10 matchup with Darrington, also the Loggers, tonight.
“We’d play 10 more games if they’d let us,” first-year Crescent coach Brian Shimko said.
Due to low turnout, Darrington (1-2) is taking the year off from playing 11-man games at the Class 2B level and instead scheduled four 8-man games this season.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
