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High school football: Playoffs arrive along with big rain storm

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While the last couple of weeks have been rainy, football teams, and their fans, should expect the most rain they have seen all season during the Week 10 playoffs to qualify for state.
While the last couple of weeks have been rainy, football teams, and their fans, should expect the most rain they have seen all season during the Week 10 playoffs to qualify for state.

League champions La Center, Washougal, and Camas, as well as Skyview, host playoff games this week, with five other teams on the road

Playoff atmosphere will meet the Atmospheric River this weekend as the high school football playoffs begin across the region.

Prepare for elimination games and to get soaked.

State preliminary round playoffs are here for Class 4A and 3A football teams, while district playoffs are on tap for the Class 2A and 1A teams. Clark County has nine teams in these playoffs, with four playing home games either Friday or Saturday.

Class 2A Greater St. Helens League champion Washougal is playing a true home playoff game for the first time since 1994. The Panthers host Shelton at 7 p.m. 

Jalen Ward and the La Center Wildcats, shown here in Week 1, will be “home” on Friday night at Woodland High School. La Center’s Week 10 playoff game against Hoquiam was moved to Woodland. Photo by Mike Schultz
Jalen Ward and the La Center Wildcats, shown here in Week 1, will be “home” on Friday night at Woodland High School. La Center’s Week 10 playoff game against Hoquiam was moved to Woodland. Photo by Mike Schultz

Trico League champion La Center’s home game has been moved to Woodland. The Wildcats, after all, are one of just a couple of teams that still play on a natural grass field. That wasn’t going to do with the forecast for this weekend. La Center will face Hoquiam at 7 p.m. Friday at Woodland High School.

The 4A GSHL champion Camas Papermakers are home, as well, but get an extra day to prepare to take on North Creek. Camas has won six in a row after a slow start (against a very tough non-league schedule) and looks to make it seven in a row. Kickoff against North Creek is 2 p.m. Saturday at Doc Harris Stadium.

Skyview did not get a league title but did play well enough all season to earn a home game in the 4A state preliminary round. The Storm host Puyallup at Kiggins Bowl at 7 p.m Friday. (Clark County Today’s Paul Valencia will be in the broadcast booth for this one. To stay dry and watch from home, visit Vancouver Public School’s Game Time YouTube Channel or find the game on cable Ch. 28/238.)

All other local playoff teams are on the road Friday and Saturday.

In 3A, Mountain View could be a matchup nightmare for Rainier Beach at 5 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. The Thunder have a 5-4 record but are playing their best football of the season right now. 

In 2A, Woodland will travel to face W.F. West in Chehalis at 7 p.m Friday. Ridgefield, meanwhile, will travel to Tumwater for a 5 p.m. game Saturday. 

In 1A, Seton Catholic will head to Montesano for a 7 p.m. Friday game. King’s Way Christian is on the road to Tenino, also for a 7 p.m. Friday game.

All winners this weekend will advance to the state playoffs. The WIAA seeding committee will then meet to determine matchups for Week 11.

Here is the playoff schedule for Clark County-based teams, along with some playoff history.

State preliminary round playoffs

Class 4A

Puyallup (6-3) vs. Skyview (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday at Kiggins Bowl. … Skyview is looking to reach the state state playoffs for the fourth consecutive season (not counting the non-playoff COVID season). 

North Creek (4-4) at Camas (6-3), 2 p.m. Saturday at Doc Harris Stadium. …Camas is looking for its third consecutive trip to the state playoffs. The Papermakers also won state championships in 2016 and 2019. 

Class 3A

Mountain View (5-4) vs. Rainier Beach (6-2), 5 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. … Mountain View is looking to  make the state playoffs for the first time since 2018 when the Thunder reached the semifinals.

District playoffs

Class 2A

Shelton (5-4) at Washougal (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday. … Washougal is looking to make it to state for the first time since 2019, when it reached the quarterfinals. 

Woodland (4-5) at W.F. West (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday … The Beavers know they have a challenge in their hopes of making it to the state playoffs for the first time since 2013. But at least they are still playing. This is Woodland’s first district playoff game, first Week 10 game, since 2018.  

Ridgefield (5-4) at Tumwater, 5 p.m. Saturday … Ridgefield is hoping for its third consecutive trip to the state playoffs. Of course, to do so, the Spudders will have to shock the rest of the state with a win at Tumwater. Ridgefield reached the state quarterfinals last year.

Class 1A

Hoquiam (4-5) vs. La Center (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday at Woodland High School. … The Wildcats will not overlook this opponent. A year ago, La Center was stunned in this round and did not make the state playoffs. 

Seton Catholic (5-4) at Montesano (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday. … This is the second consecutive playoff appearance for Seton Catholic. The Cougars have never won a playoff game.

King’s Way Christian (4-4) at Tenino (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday … King’s Way Christian made it to state as a 1B team in 2011, but has never qualified for state playing 1A, 11-man football. 

The Study of Sports Podcast by Clark County Today

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