Week 6 preview - 10/8

Get on your traveling shoes, pack up the car, we're going on a road trip!

Game of the Week

Naselle @ Pe Ell, 7 pm, Friday, Oct. 8, Pe Ell High School

Naselle (3-2, 1-2) could not have played much worse than they did the last two weeks, scoring only 6 points while giving up a total of 44 in back to back losses at home to the two best teams in the Pacific League — South Bend and Valley. The Comets haven't lost two games in a row since 2006 — which was also the last time they lost two home games. Not surprisingly, that was the last year they had a losing record.

This losing streak has caused the coaching staff to apparently reorganize the line-up in an effort to get healthy and rediscover their mojo. 

Perhaps their two most explosive players, FB/DL Robert Eaton and RB/S Leo Mendoza, are out this week to rest injuries suffered over the last two games. This creates some serious holes on both sides of the ball. On offense, these two had been the most productive ball carriers on the team this year, and Mendoza has been successful while playing QB out of the wildcat formation. On defense, Eaton helps make up the line that for most of the season has held opponents running game in check, while Mendoza is by far the biggest player in the secondary as the lone safety, backing up a pair of shorter CB's. Kai Leach, who has had some success at RB this year, is being moved to FB. This seems an odd choice seeing as how he is a speed back who is not very large in his physical stature. The Chapman brothers — Chase and Chandler — are being moved to RB. On the defensive side of the ball, Jesse Lopez is being moved off the D line, replaced by Tanner Hovan, while Ryley Queener is being replaced on the line by Jake Condon.

So will these changes lead to victory for the Comets? Well, this week it probably will as they face awful Pe Ell Trojans (0-5) in a mid-season non-league game. The Trojans have scored only 22 points all year, while giving up 176 (and average of 35 per game). They have also been shut out three times this season, including the last two weeks. One thing to keep in mind? It is supposed to rain tomorrow night, and the Comets have had a pretty difficult time hanging onto the ball this year.

A win Friday could get Naselle back on track as they prepare for the most important game of their season at Northwest Christian, currently the second place team in the league. The Comets need to win out in order to put themselves into one of the top three places in the league and at least have the opportunity to play their way to a state playoff spot in a crossover game. The Crusaders face league-leader Valley this week and will play South Bend on the final week of the season. South Bend will play for league superiority the week before in Menlo. 

**NOTE: To kind of make up for us dropping the ball last Saturday in terms of coverage reports, Observer photojournalist Damian Mulinix will be attending a rare away game and posting a photo gallery.

Don't forget to check back Saturday for a game recap, photo gallery and player blog posts

Ilwaco @ Columbia of White Salmon, 7 pm, Friday, Oct. 8, White Salmon High School

The Fishermen (1-4, 0-3) have a heck of a chance this Friday. Chance to what, you might say? A chance to get their second win of the year. A chance to get their first league win since 2007. Chance to see some returns on their exceptional efforts they have put forth this year on defense. 

Aside from the blow out loss at Kalama in week four, 45-8, the defense has been stout, holding league leader Stevenson to 23 points (they average 30 ppg) and LaCenter last week to 21 (they average 25 ppg). 

This week they travel to White Salmon to face a Columbia team that has scored only 33 points this year, while giving up a Trico League worst 198 (an average of 40 ppg!).

The Fishermen offense hasn't inspired much confidence this year, but they did put up the points the last time they faced a lesser adversary — 34-6 win at 0-4 Neah-Kah-Nie back in week two. Josh Berteaux's debut at QB was inauspicious, 0-2 passing and 20 yards on 10 run attempts, but new RB Skylar Olson did rip off an 80-yard run for a TD late in the game.

Pigskin Pick'em

Both teams lose last week, bad for them, good for my picks— now 6-3 this year

W- Ilwaco @ Columbia of White Salmon

Fishermen have a chance at a multi-win season, I think they take it

W- Naselle @ Pe Ell

Comets get back on track with a possible blow out, giving them plenty of time to plan for NWC next week