Plus tidbits on the Week 10 playoff games
In all, there are 11 teams from Clark County that have made it to Week 10 playoff games, including four from the 2A Greater St. Helens League and two from the Trico League.
This week, I will be highlighting the teams that did not make the playoffs with their best moments of the year.
Oh, don’t worry. I’ve got the basic playoff information here, as well.
Still, let’s also give a salute to every football team as another regular season has come to a conclusion.
Today, the 2A GSHL and the Trico League:
WOODLAND (2-7, 2-4 2A GSHL)
The Beavers have to be kicking themselves for their Week 9 performance. A win, and they would have squeezed into the playoffs. Instead, Mark Morris got the victory, and Woodland’s season came to an end.
The Beavers knew this season was going to be a challenge after graduating so many seniors after last year’s playoff team. Then things got tougher with injuries in August.
Still, the Beavers kept fighting. Got a win over R.A. Long and then stunned the league with a win over Columbia River in Week 8.
Best moment: Woodland was holding on to a 20-13 lead and got the ball with 5:32 to play in the game against Columbia River. The Beavers killed the clock.
There was a fourth-down run by Brooks Massey in Woodland territory. The Beavers were determined to keep the ball, keep the lead..
Then, on third-and-8, a swing pass to J.J. Fuerst, who plowed over a defender to get to first-down yardage.
From there, victory formation.
Not trying to score. Just trying to move the chains. The defense in desperation mode. And the Beavers executed.
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Now to the 2A playoff matchups:
Hockinson (8-1, 6-0 2A GSHL)
Opponent: Centralia (5-4)
Time/day/place: 1 p.m. Saturday at Hockinson High School
Notes: The Hawks got more awful injury news as they head into the playoffs. They were without Peyton Brammer for Week 9, and he confirmed Sunday afternoon that his season was over due to a knee injury. That’s two Division-I athletes the Hawks have lost this season … Still, no one will feel sorry for the Hawks, who have won 35 of their past 36 games. The Hawks still expect another long playoff run. They are two-time defending state champions. For them, the real season starts now … Please note this is a Saturday game.
Ridgefield (5-4, 4-2 2A GSHL)
Opponent: Aberdeen (3-6)
Time/day/place: 6 p.m. Saturday at Ridgefield High School
Notes: The Spudders have to be loving life this fall. The team won a total of three games the previous two seasons and were an afterthought in the 2A GSHL. This year, under new coach Scott Rice, the Spudders not only earned a winning regular season, they jumped up to the No. 2 seed in the league, courtesy of their stunning win over Washougal … If Ridgefield wins this game, the Spudders will advance to state for the first time since 2005 …. Please note this is a Saturday game.
Washougal (5-4, 4-2 2A GSHL)
Opponent: W.F. West
Time/day/place: 7 p.m. Friday at Bearcat Stadium in Chehalis
Notes: This is a rematch of a Week 4 game that W.F. West won 23-7. The Panthers were without key players that night. Not to suggest that is an excuse. Just that the matchups will be entirely different this time around … Washougal tied for second place in the 2A GSHL, but its loss to Ridgefield means the Panthers are on the road. Washougal is trying to advance to state for the first time since 1999 and just the third time in program history.
Columbia River (3-6, 3-3 2A GSHL)
Opponent: Tumwater (9-0)
Time/day/place: 7 p.m. Friday at Tumwater
Notes: How did Columbia River make the playoffs? How about Chieftain pride? Seriously, a new team. Not a whole lot of experience. A new coach. And yes, look at the record, just three wins. But the three wins were league wins, and that put the Chieftains in position to make it to Week 10 … Of course, the difficult part of being the No. 4 seed is the district cross-over with the No. 1 team from the Evergreen Conference. That just happens to be Tumwater, the unanimous selection as the No. 1 team in the state in Class 2A.
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Now to the Clark County 1A schools.
SETON CATHOLIC (4-4, 0-4 Trico)
Well, that is certainly one way to help build a program. The program did not know how many players would be out this season so the Cougars gave up a league game against might La Center and scheduled another program with number issues. Well, the Cougars won that game, which means the Cougars did not have a losing season.
The Cougars, in fact, started the season 3-0. It is a promise to improve as the school grows.
Best moment: How about back-to-back defensive stands in Weeks 2 and 3? Northwest Christian scored to pull within a point late in the game, and then went for two for the win. Seton got pressure on the quarterback and the defensive backs were in perfect position to defend the pass.
The next week, Seton held an eight-point lead as Fort Vancouver was driving inside the 10-yard line. On a fourth-down play. Seton Catholic linebacker Isaac Washington made the initial hit at the 3-yard line, then four Seton teammates came in to help stop the ball carrier at the 1-yard line.
Two defensive stops turned a 2-6 season into a 4-4 season for the Cougars.
LA CENTER (8-0, 4-0 Trico League)
Opponent: Elma (5-4)
Time/day/place: 7 p.m. Friday at La Center High School
Notes: This is a rematch of last year’s week 10 game. Elma got the best of the Wildcats in 2018. That was when La Center was the No. 2 seed. This year, La Center is rolling along as league champions, hoping to take care of business in Week 10 to get to state … La Center is looking for its 13th trip to state this century. La Center is ranked sixth in the latest AP state poll.
KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN (5-4, 3-2 Trico League)
Opponent: Montestano (9-0)
Time/day/place: 7 p.m. Friday at Montesano
Notes: Oh, what a season for the Knights. A winning regular season. Three league wins. This, coming after not getting a league win in 2018. This is a successful campaign for the Knights no matter what happens Friday … And yes, this is a steep challenge for the Knights. Montesano is 9-0 and ranked seventh in the state.
