The drive to the Tacoma Dome and the high school football state championships begins this weekend for Southwest Washington teams.
And if you plan on following your favorite team through the postseason, consider this column as your road map through the playoffs.
If you’re reading this column online, consider it your football GPS.
And remember, once the state playoffs begin, it doesn’t really matter what your win-loss record, nor what your state ranking is, or even what seed is.
Home field all depends on where you are placed on the bracket. The team on the bottom of the bracket is the home team.
So bracket placement of your team will determine how far you’ll have to go to watch your favorite team.
Class 4A
CAMAS: The Papermakers (9-0) are set up for three home playoff games, starting Friday night against Tahoma of Covington (6-3). If Camas wins, it would host either Bellarmine Prep or Kentwood next week, then comes the possible matchup with No. 1 Bothell, again at Doc Harris Stadum.
UNION: The Titans (8-1) open their playoff run Friday at McKenzie Stadium against Curtis of University Place (5-4). From there, if it prevails Friday, Union will head on the road, first against Mariner or Federal Way, then possibly at Lake Stevens.
SKYVIEW: The Storm (6-3) must run the gauntlet on the road in the postseason. It starts Friday at Skyline of Sammamish (6-3). If the Storm gets past the Spartans, they must head to the east side of the state to possibly face defending champion Chiawana. Another road game would await Skyview in the 4A quarterfinals.
Class 3A
COLUMBIA RIVER: The Chieftains (7-2) hope to open the playoffs at Kiggins Bowl on Friday against Garfield of Seattle (6-3). River was still waiting for confirmation from Garfield on that Friday date. The Chieftains hope this week isn’t the last time they play at Kiggins Bowl. They are set to host two games at state if they survive. The first-round matchup would be against Central Kitsap or Roosevelt.
Class 2A
HOCKINSON: The Hawks (9-0) will host Black Hills of Tumwater (5-4) on Friday at Battle Ground’s District Stadium in the district playoffs. Unless Tumwater is upset by R.A. Long, Hockinson would claim the district’s No. 2 seed with a win this week. That would put the Hawks on the road at state in the first round and quarterfinals. The first-round matchup would be against Sammamish, Renton or North Kitsap.
WOODLAND: The Beavers (8-1) would claim the district’s No. 2 or No. 3 seed if they beat W.F. West of Chehalis (5-3) on Friday at Kalama. If they are the No. 3 team, they would travel at state, starting in the first-round against No. 2 seed from District 1.
Class 1A
LA CENTER: The Wildcats (6-3) receive a bye at district and will go to state as the No. 1 seed. That means they won’t have to leave Clark County in the first two rounds of state. Their first-round matchup would be against Kings, Meridian, Mount Baker or Cedar Park Christian at Ridgefield in two weeks.
STEVENSON: The Bulldogs (4-5) will host Hoquiam (6-3) on Friday (the exact game time and site has not been announced). If they win, the Bulldogs would go to state as the No. 3 seed and open on the road at Kings, Meridian, Mount Baker or Cedar Park Christian. If Stevenson reaches the quarterfinals, the Bulldogs would return to Southwest Washington.
