Montesano and Pe Ell-Willapa Valley will play at home, while Hoquiam faces a long road trip for the opening round of the state football playoffs this weekend.

The Bulldogs (10-0) will host Charles Wright Academy (8-2) in a state 1A playoff opener scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Rottle Field.

Hoquiam (6-4), however, must journey to Bellingham to take on Meridian (10-0) in another state 1A opener. That contest is planned for 7 p.m. Saturday at Bellingham’s Civic Stadium.

Montesano and Hoquiam, incidentally, are in the same quarter of the bracket. With wins this weekend, the Harbor rivals would face each other in the state quarterfinals on Nov. 17 or 18.

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley (8-2) will take on Friday Harbor (5-4) in a state 2B playoff opener tentatively set for noon Saturday at Menlo’s Crogstad Field.

The time and location is pending an inspection of Crogstad’s grass field by district officials. Willapa Valley athletic director John Peterson, however, expressed confidence that the field would pass muster. If the contest is moved, it would likely end up at Centralia’s Tiger Stadium.