By Oly Archibald

PORT ANGELES — If local high school football fans check the 2024 Olympic League standings, they might be scratching their heads. The three Olympic League teams that made the state playoffs—Bremerton, Port Angeles, and North Kitsap—are a combined 0-6. Meanwhile, North Mason, a team that has struggled in recent years, is 2-0, as is a talented Olympic Trojan squad. Sequim and Bainbridge are both 1-1, but Bainbridge, a preseason favorite to win the league championship, was routed by Tumwater 56-6 on Friday night. After two weeks, the Olympic League teams are a combined 6-10.

Port Angeles’ Roughriders, whose varsity offense has struggled to score, were shut out in the first half against Mount Baker and managed just 7 points against a Forks team that Sequim scored 36 points on. North Mason, under new head coach and former WSU All-Pac-12 offensive lineman John Fullington, is off to a surprising 2-0 start, with wins over Kingston (30-10) and Klahowya (37-6). While Kingston and Klahowya have also had their struggles, North Mason is showing new hope and identity under Fullington’s leadership.

The Bulldogs will travel to Civic Field this Friday night to face the Roughriders. Last year, Port Angeles built a 40-point halftime lead against North Mason. If the Roughriders can’t secure a win Friday, fans might start to worry about when the first victory will come, as the rest of their schedule looks tough.

Former WSU All-PAC 12 offensive lineman John Fullington brings his 2-0 Bulldogs to Civic Field Friday night

Roughriders head coach Dustin Clark has rallied his team before, like two years ago when they lost a heartbreaker to Sequim, lost quarterback Parker Nickerson to injury, and were beaten badly by Olympic. The Roughriders kept their pride, winning their last three games of the season and carrying that momentum into a blowout victory over Blaine last season. Friday night will be a critical game for the Roughriders in their home opener against the Bulldogs. The game will be broadcast live on KONP Newsradio.

Elsewhere, Sequim will travel to Elma on Friday to face a solid 2-0 Eagles team.

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In soccer, the nation’s fourth-ranked Peninsula Pirates women’s team routed Edmonds 9-0. Shawna Larson and Kyla Hughes each scored two goals, while Isa Nishita, Desiree Duntra, Paige Johnson, Lauren Lases, and Shiori Shintaku all added a goal.

The sixth-ranked Peninsula men’s team won a hard-fought battle against Edmonds, 2-1. Nil Grau opened the scoring at the 60-minute mark, and with the game tied 1-1, Jamie Joyce netted the winning goal in the 87th minute. Peninsula will host Everett on Wednesday, with the women kicking off at 5:00 p.m.