A key matchup for first-place in the 2B Pacific League’s Coastal division highlights this week’s high school football games for Twin Harbors teams.

Ocosta at Pe Ell-Willapa Valley

When and Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Willapa Valley High School

Players to Watch: Ocosta — Cole Hatton QB/LB; Dakota Davis RB/DB; Isaac O’Hagan LB. PWV — Max Smith RB/LB; Kollin Jurek RB/LB; Tyler Adkins QB/DB

As far as games go in the 2B Pacific League, this is a big one.

When the undefeated Ocosta Wildcats take on the Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans on Friday in Menlo it will likely be for a 2B Pacific Coastal League title.

Both the Wildcats (7-0 overall, 3-0 Coastal 2B) and Titans (4-3, 3-0) are undefeated in league play with just one week left in the regular season after Friday, with the victor owning the inside track to a league title.

Ocosta has been one of the few teams that has remained relatively healthy in the Coastal League this season. Quarterback Cole Hatton, running back Dakota Davis and linebacker Isaac O’Hagan have each played in at least six of seven contests in 2019, as have the bulk of Ocosta’s starters.

Ocosta’s offense runs through Hatton, who has thrown for 1,219 yards and touts a completion percentage just under 53%. The senior has thrown 20 touchdowns this year, seven of those to Davis, who leads Ocosta in both rushing yards (327) and receiving yards (366).

The Wildcats have scored less than 33 points in just one game this season, a 12-7 defensive victory at Ilwaco on Oct. 11. Aside from that game, Ocosta’s average margin of victory has been 33.7 points.

While the Wildcats have been able to keep its key players on the field this season, for PWV it’s been anything but that.

The Titans have lost two key seniors —quarterback Logan Walker and running back Peter Hamilton —to injuries this year and have had to rely on the likes of underclassmen such as Tyler Adkins and Kollin Jurek to fill the void.

A run-heavy team, PWV has turned to senior running back Max Smith to shoulder the load. Smith has carried the ball 95 times, more than twice that of the next closest Titan (Jurek, 47), for 667 yards and 14 touchdowns to rival Hatton’s bid for the league’s offensive MVP.

PWV has also challenged itself with its non-league schedule, with losses to No. 2 Onalaska and No. 7 Adna on its resume. But thus far in league play, the Titans have yet to yield a point, blowing out Raymond (49-0), Chief Leschi (52-0) and North Beach (50-0) to set up Friday’s key league contest.

Elma at Forks

When and Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Spartan Stadium

Players to Watch: Elma — Cody Vollan QB/DB; Brady Shriver RB/LB; Isaiah O’Farrill RB. Forks — Carter King QB; Hayden Queen WR; Ethan Bello K

The Elma Eagles kept their playoff hopes alive with a rout of lowly Tenino last week. If the Eagles are to earn a spot in a crossover game, they’ll need to beat the Forks Spartans on Friday.

Elma running back Brady Shriver carries the football against Tenino last week. Shriver and the Eagles hit the road to take on Forks on Friday. (Photo by Sue Michalak Budsberg)

Elma (4-3, 1-1 Evergreen 1A) is currently tied with the Spartans for the third and final league playoff spot with two games left on the league schedule.

With a healthy Cody Vollan back at quarterback, Elma put up 54 points last week and should be able to do the same against a Forks team that has struggled to compete against better-quality opponents this season. The Spartans (4-3, 1-1) have losses to Sequim, Montesano and Olympic —teams that are a combined 18-3 in 2019.

Forks’ four wins have come against teams that are a combined 8-19.

Tenino at Montesano

When and Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Jack Rottle Field

Players to Watch: Montesano — Trace Ridgway QB; Sam Winter RB/LB; Aydan Darst RB/LB. Tenino — Aiden Wright, QB; Shawn Nicholson RB; Paxton Russell WR

The Montesano Bulldogs passed arguably its toughest test of the league schedule last week with an emphatic 48-0 victory over Hoquiam, taking sole possession of the league’s top spot with the victory.

Monte (7-0, 2-0 Evergreen 1A) has won every game this season in blowout fashion, winning by no fewer than 35 points to keep its record spotless.

The Bulldogs’ defense has been superb, with its latest feat holding a Hoquiam team that had been averaging 44.6 points per game scoreless in a 48-0 drubbing.

Monte shouldn’t have much trouble against Tenino (2-5, 0-3) as the Beavers have suffered three consecutive blowout losses after putting up 56 points in a win against 2B Northwest Christian.

Hoquiam at Sequim

When and Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Sequim High School

Players to Watch: Hoquiam — Dane McMillan QB; Malaki Eaton RB; Cameron Bumstead WR/DB. Sequim — Taig Walker QB; Walker Ward RB; Garret Hoesel WR

The Hoquiam Grizzlies won’t get a reprieve after last week’s disheartening loss to Montesano as the Grizzlies take on a one-loss Sequim Wolves team on Friday.

Hoquiam’s 48-0 loss to Monte last week was its first shutout loss since a 35-0 defeat to Monte back on Sept. 20, 2013.

The Grizzlies (5-2, 2-1 Evergreen 1A) don’t get a break on Friday as they’ll face a 2A Sequim Wolves team in Hoquiam’s final non-league matchup of the season.

Sequim (6-1, 4-1 Olympic 2A) shutout Port Angeles in its last contest, led by running back Walker Ward’s 128 yards on 21 carries.

The Wolves have won four straight games since suffering their only loss of the season, a 16-8 defeat at the hands of North Kitsap on Sept. 20. During its winning streak, Sequim is averaging 33.5 points per game while allowing just 11 points per game on defense.

Rochester at Aberdeen

When and Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Stewart Field

Players to Watch: Aberdeen — Ethan Morrill RB; Connar Sherman RB; Elijah Brown QB/LB. Rochester — Daniel May, QB; Talon Betts WR/S; Tristen Johnson, RB/S

With last week’s loss to Black Hills, the Aberdeen Bobcats find themselves in a must-win situation over the final two weeks of the season if they are to earn a spot in a crossover playoff game.

The Bobcats can take a giant step toward reaching that goal with a win over the Rochester Braves on Friday.

Aberdeen (2-5, 1-2 Evergreen 2A) has suffered two league losses in a row after beating Centralia 46-30 back on Oct. 4 and will need a win over the Braves (1-6, 0-3 Evergreen 2A) if the resurgent Bobcats are to put themselves in playoff contention.

The Braves have struggled since an opening-week win over Tenino, losing six straight games, including big losses to Elma and Centralia, the two teams Aberdeen has beat this season.

Other Games

(All games 7 p.m. Friday unless noted)

South Bend at Mary M. Knight (3:30 p.m. Friday)

Taholah at Darrington (5 p.m. Friday)

Ilwaco at Raymond

Oakville at Lake Quinault (1 p.m. Saturday)

North Beach at Northwest Christian (7 p.m. Saturday)