Most Twin Harbors football teams will undertake their final pre-league tune-ups on the open road.
In stark contrast to last week, the majority of this weekend’s contest will be staged outside of Grays Harbor and Pacific counties.
Only two Grays Harbor clubs will be at home on Friday. Elma (1-2) will host Seton Catholic (3-1) and Ocosta (2-1) entertains South Whidbey (0-2). The latter game, originally announced for Saturday afternoon, will instead be played Friday night, with a junior varsity contest on Saturday.
Elsewhere on Friday, Hoquiam (2-1) visits La Center (1-2), Aberdeen (1-2) will be at Castle Rock (0-3), Montesano (3-0) makes the relatively short trip to Rochester (2-1), Raymond (1-2) journeys to Wahkiakum (2-1), South Bend (3-0) treks to Mossyrock (0-3) and Pe Ell-Willapa Valley (2-1) travels to Toledo (1-2).
On Saturday, North Beach (1-2) is scheduled to visit the Forks junior varsity.
Today’s scheduled State Deaf at Wishkah game was called off as the Loggers have canceled the remainder of their season.
This week’s games will be the last round of non-leaguers for the majority of Twin Harbors teams. League play in all classifications kicks off next weekend.
Hoquiam-La Center
Riding a two-game winning streak, the Grizzlies will be seeking payback for a 30-6 loss to Wildcats last year at Olympic Stadium. That game was actually deadlocked at the half, 6-6, before La Center took control with its power-running attack in the second half.
The Wildcats went on to win the Trico League championship and advanced to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state runner-up Connell.
La Center’s early season record this year is deceptive. The Wildcats played exclusively Class 2A opposition until this week. They lost decisively to Hockinson and narrowly to Woodland before trouncing Ridgefield, 35-7, last week. Quarterback Hayden Williamson ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more in that game.
“They’re a lot better than their record indicates,” Hoquiam coach Jeremy McMillan emphasized. “They return seven guys on defense and I think eight on offense from last year.”
La Center continues to employ the tightly compacted double-wing offense that North Beach teams have featured in recent years. That is no coincidence. Former North Beach head coach and assistant Hugh Wyatt had previously coached at La Center.
“Their strength is power football,” McMillan said. “They’re big up front and experienced.”
The young Grizzlies, in McMillan’s view, continued to show progress in last week’s 49-16 drubbing of Fort Vancouver.
Payton Quintanilla, previously better known as a running quarterback, demonstrated his passing chops by completing 16 of 20 for 249 yards. McMillan also commended the defensive play of linebacker Brady Cummings.
Aberdeen-Castle Rock
The Bobcats will look to build on their momentum from last week’s 56-34 win over Elma.
Senior running back Kylan Touch wound up setting three school single-game records in that game. His seven touchdowns broke the mark he had shared with several others. Touch’s 95-yard kickoff return and rushing yardage (officially listed at 326 yards) were also school marks.
Aberdeen coach Kevin Ridout also commended the play of quarterback Ben Dublanko and the team’s blocking in general.
The Bobcats are facing a Castle Rock club that has found the going rough thus far. The Rockets, however, haven’t played the easiest of schedules, having lost to Class 2A Ridgefield and Washougal and last week to state-ranked 1A power Montesano.
“They’re better than their record,” Ridout contended. “They play outstanding defense. Their bane is they’ve turned the ball over — a lot of fumbles and interceptions.”
Castle Rock operates from the old-fashioned single-wing offense, although this is folded into a shotgun set.
The Bobcats will be seeking to eliminate the defensive breakdowns and penalties that have plagued them thus far before entering play in the rugged Evergreen 2A Conference. Aberdeen’s league schedule is heavily front-loaded, with most of its toughest match-ups coming early.
“Our whole premise entering league is, No. 1, to be as healthy as possible,” Ridout said. “Two, we have to involve more people in the offense and, No. 3, is to shore things up defensively.”
Lineman Alex Reyes and receiver-defensive back Bailey Delahanty have been cleared for action, but both will be restricted to defense for the time being.
Other games
Impressive offensively the past two weeks, Elma faces something of a mystery team in Seton Catholic.
The Cougars from Vancouver have beaten three Oregon schools. Their lone game against a Washington club resulted in a 22-13 loss to Charles Wright Academy.
Montesano will be taking on erstwhile league rival Rochester. The Warriors appear to be improved after some lean seasons, owning a 21-7 win over Charles Wright.
Pe Ell-Willapa Valley challenges a Toledo club probably still smarting from a frustrating 18-14 loss to state-ranked Adna. The Indians dominated the game statistically, but a blocked punt in the final minute set up the game-winning Adna touchdown.
