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Prep Football Preview: Raymond-South Bend, Pe Ell-Willapa Valley resume rivalry

Ryan Sparks, The Daily World, Aberdeen, Wash.
·7 min read

Oct. 12—As the high school football season enters its final weeks for Twin Harbors teams, longtime rivalries and critical league games are on deck this weekend.

Raymond-South Bend at Pe Ell-Willapa Valley

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Crogstad Field, Menlo

Players to watch: RSB — Austin Snodgrass QB/LB; Ferrill Johnson RB/DB; Robby Stigall RB/LB. PWV — Nathan Fluke QB; Blake Howard RB/LB; Cody Strozyk TE/LB.

Raymond-South Bend and Pe Ell-Willapa Valley resume their premiere Pacific County rivalry when the two teams square off Friday at Willapa Valley High School.

RSB (5-1, 1-0) has won five straight games after an upset loss to begin the season and would love nothing more than to exact a little revenge on the Titans (4-2, 2-2), which defeated the Ravens in both the regular season and in a 2B State quarterfinal game in 2022.

PWV has lost two of its past three games, including a second-half comeback falling just short last Friday against Toledo.

JARED WENZELBURGER — THE CHRONICLE Pe Ell-Willapa Valley's Blake Howard (32), seen here in a file photo, runs with the football during a game on Sept. 22 in Napavine.

JARED WENZELBURGER — THE CHRONICLE

Pe Ell-Willapa Valley's Blake Howard (32), seen here in a file photo, runs with the football during a game on Sept. 22 in Napavine.

Last season, PWV beat RSB by being the more physical team and wrapping up talented speedsters in running back Ferrill Johnson and quarterback Austin Snodgrass.

The Titans will likely have to repeat that feat once again if they are to emerge victorious over the fifth-ranked Ravens, which has scored 40 or more points in its last four on-field victories and will be well rested, having had a week off due to Neah Bay forfeiting its scheduled game with RSB.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM Montesano's Terek Gunter, seen here in a file photo, returns a fumble for a touchdown in a victory over Eatonville on Sept. 6.

PHOTO BY FOREST WORGUM

Montesano's Terek Gunter, seen here in a file photo, returns a fumble for a touchdown in a victory over Eatonville on Sept. 6.

Hoquiam at Montesano

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Jack Rottle Field, Montesano

Players to watch: Hoquiam — Zander Jump QB/DB; Dominic Standstipher RB/LB; Trevor Turpin OL/DL; Chance LaBounty WR/DL. Montesano — Gabe Bodwell RB/DL; Cam Taylor OL/DL; Tyson Perry QB; Mason Rasmussen WR/LB.

In the not too distant past, this was the game to watch in the 1A Evergreen League, but in its current state, this game is likely to be one-sided.

Montesano (6-0, 1-0) has looked every bit the part of the state's 3rd-ranked team as the Bulldogs have dominated its competition despite starting quarterback Jaxson Wilson going down with a collarbone injury three weeks ago.

Monte's dominance is largely contributed to its defense, which has allowed no more than seven points in any game this season and has shut out its last two opponents by a combined score of 91-0.

By contrast, Hoquiam (1-5, 0-2) has lost four straight — including a 51-15 defeat at the hands of previously winless Tenino last week — and has allowed an average of 56 points per game over that streak.

The Grizzlies have been banged up as of late, leading to a host of underclassmen starting in key positions on both sides of the ball.

Aberdeen at Rochester

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Rochester High School

Players to watch: Aberdeen — Grady Springer QB/DB; Aidan Watkins RB/LB; Marcus Hale RB/LB; Paul Baltazar OL/DL. Rochester — Tate Quarnstrom RB/LB; Ethan Rodriguez RB; Palmer Watt RB.

Depending on how the rest of the 2A Evergreen Conference plays out, Friday's game between Aberdeen and Rochester could be the deciding factor for the league's No. 2 playoff spot.

The Bobcats (4-2, 2-1) and the Warriors (4-2, 3-1) currently sit in a log jam for the league's second through fourth playoff spots along with W.F. West (3-3, 3-1).

An Aberdeen win would give the Bobcats the inside track as Rochester's last league game is next week against a powerhouse Tumwater team.

Aberdeen still has two games left on its league schedule — against W.F. West and Shelton — after Friday's game, meaning a Cats win puts them in prime position to secure an outright playoff spot and avoiding any Kansas tie-breaker situations, which the Bobcats have dealt with over the previous three seasons.

But if Aberdeen is to do so, it will have to get healthy as a physical game against Tumwater last week led to several Bobcats sidelined with injuries, including two starting lineman and do-everything senior Patrick Walsh, a starter on offense, defense and all special teams.

After three straight league victories, Rochester was stopped by W.F. West in a 28-6 loss last week.

With both teams needing a league win at a key point of the season, there is much at stake when they square off on Friday.

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Elma receiver Jackson Schneider, seen here in a file photo from Sept. 15, had nine catches for 130 yards in last week's victory over Black Hills.

DAILY WORLD FILE PHOTO Elma receiver Jackson Schneider, seen here in a file photo from Sept. 15, had nine catches for 130 yards in last week's victory over Black Hills.

Tenino at Elma

When and where: 7 p.m. Friday at Davis Field, Elma

Players to watch: Elma — Carter Studer QB; Isaac Phillips FB/MLB; Jackson Schneider WR/LB; Jacob Meadows WR/CB. Tenino — Cody Strawn QB; Mikey Vassar RB; Austin Gonia REC.

Things have been clicking for Elma the past two weeks as the Eagles offense has found a rhythm.

Starting quarterback Carter Studer has been the catalyst for the offense, completing 55% of his passes for 454 yards and five touchdowns in Elma's last two victories. Studer has not thrown an interception over the past two weeks after throwing seven in the team's previous three games.

Studer's favorite target last week was senior wide out Jackson Schneider, who caught nine passes for 130 yards, giving him 258 yards on the season. Schneider is the fourth Elma receiver to surpass 200 yards on the season, led by Jacob Meadows' 419 yards.

Elma (4-2, 1-0) now turns its attention to the new-look Tenino Beavers (1-5, 1-1), who are coming off their first win of the season with a victory over Hoquiam last week.

Tenino entered the season with a completely new coaching staff that has instituted a run-pass option offense that has yet to produce the results on the field the Beavers were hoping for.

Elma has to avoid what might be considered a trap game and not get caught looking ahead to games against Eatonville and Montesano.

If the Eagles can do that, they'll be in control of their own destiny leading into the final two weeks of the regular season.

Other games

Ilwaco at Ocosta — The second-place Wildcats (2-3 overall, 2-2 league) face a Fisherman team (2-4 overall, 1-3 league) on a four-game losing streak in a 2B Central Lower East-West League game at 7 p.m. on Friday.

North Beach at Wahkiakum — The Hyaks (0-5, 0-4) are still searching for their first win of the season when they face the Mules (2-4, 2-3) in a 2B Central Lower East-West League game at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Taholah at Chief Leschi — The Chitwhins (2-2) have a tough test against one-loss Chief Leschi (4-1) in a 1B Coastal (8-man) matchup at 7 p.m. on Friday.

Evergreen Lutheran at Wishkah Valley — A team beset by injuries and illness this season, the Loggers (1-4) hope to pick up their second win of the season when they face Evergreen Lutheran (1-3) at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Clallam Bay at Lake Quinault — Lake Quinault forfeits due to disciplinary reasons.