Coupeville Sports

   Lathom Kelley and the other Coupeville seniors will get an extra half of action (and a bus ride to Sequim) next Tuesday. (John Fisken photo)

“Playoffs? We’re talking about the playoffs?!?!”

Yeah, we’re talking about the reality that we could have a 1-8 football team in the playoffs.

Don’t like it? Not gonna change reality.

The 1A Olympic League gets three playoff spots this year, up a spot from last year when Coupeville went 5-5 overall, 3-3 in league play and was denied a postseason run.

With the extra berth this year, either the Wolves or Chimacum, who both sit at 1-7 today, will travel to Puyallup Saturday, Nov. 7 to face the defending 1A state champs from Cascade Christian in a game in which they will be a billion-to-less-than-one long-shots.

But, first, they have to decide which (current) one-win team is slightly more deserving.

After the two schools wrap regular season play this Friday with non-conference games (Coupeville hosts Concrete for Senior Night at 7 PM, while Chimacum hosts Vashon Island), they will have a very short turn-around.

Both squads will head to a neutral field at Sequim High School Tuesday, Nov. 3, where they will play half a game. Kickoff is set for 5 PM according to a report today by the Peninsula Daily News.

That could put the game directly opposite a home playoff game for Coupeville’s volleyball squad, which would play the same day if they are the #3 seed.

If the Wolf spikers win their final match and triumph in a tiebreaker of their own, though, they would be the #2 seed and not play at home until Thursday, Nov. 5.

The winner of the football mini-playoff gets to go face a juggernaut four days later, while the loser will get a season-ending crossover game on the road with another non-playoff team Nov. 6 or 7.

We’re in this situation because Coupeville surrendered a touchdown with 1.6 seconds to go at Homecoming, allowing Chimacum to escape with a 14-9 win that snapped an 18-game losing streak.

The Wolves had won the first meeting, 28-26, on the road.

Both teams finished 1-5 in league play, while Port Townsend (6-0) and Klahowya (4-2) grabbed the top two slots.