2B state playoff preview

We begin our week-long coverage of the Comets first round game with Tacoma Baptist with a look at the road before them to reach the state title game over the next four weeks.

So the Comets are in, locking up second place in the Pacific League and the third seed in District IV.
This is the third straight year that the Comets have made the state playoffs and a look ahead at the road before them that could lead to a state championship game looks eerily familiar.
Last year the Comets began their run to the semifinals on the road against a private Christian school, Seattle Lutheran, which they easily dispatched 34-7. And while they won't be facing the Saints this time (they also beat them in the first round of the 2007 playoffs) instead they will face Tacoma Baptist, a member of the Pacific League until last year when they converted to the much easier Sea-Tac League — a four team league populated by underperforming private schools. In fact, outside of Tacoma Baptist, who went 10-0 this year against weak competition, the other three teams in the league combined record is 6-21.
If the Comets get past the Crusaders this Saturday they will likely have a rematch with the team they beat in last years quarterfinals (and the only team they've lost to this year) the Valley Vikings. Valley plays Concrete in their first round game, a 6-4 team that barely scored more than they gave up (212-201) this year. A Naselle-Willapa Valley rematch would be much anticipated, especially by Naselle fans after the Vikings had their way with the Comets earlier this season. The X factor there would be the fact that the Comets were missing several of their key players in that game. Since then Valley has sent a scout to at least three Comets games, watching them run over all in their path.
If Naselle can once again advance to the semifinals at the Tacoma Dome they may once again match up with the same foe as last year, Napavine, who beat them en route to the state title. Napavine plays the top team from the Northwest 2B/1A league Orcas Island in the first round. Orcas Island are no picnic though, going 8-2 and outscoring opponents 299-77 on the year. Napavine is also 8-2 with similar scoring and defensive numbers. Another possible match-up in the semis could be Central League powerhouse Adna, who are 9-0 this year and have been blowing teams out all year — only giving up 39 points all season, by far the best in the state at the 2B level. They face off against Seattle Lutheran, who got in with a 5-4 record as the second place team in the Sea-Tac League, in the first round.
At this time we are unable to assess the teams coming from the east side of the bracket, as most of the spots are not filled out yet in the 2B bracket. South Bend would play in that bracket if they can beat Mossyrock on Tuesday night in a play-in game. The only way the Comets would face them again is if both teams advanced to the finals.

Continue to quick in throughout the week as the Comets prepare for their opening round game.