Teams from the Southwest District, Northwest District, SCAC, Caribou Trail League and Northeast League begin postseason play this week. That leaves the Nisqually League as the only Class 1A conference in the state without any playoff games this week, but there’s still plenty at stake. Sixth-ranked Vashon takes on No. 3 Cascade Christian at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at Franklin Pierce High School for the Nisqually League title. The Cougars have already secured a postseason berth, but can launch themselves onto the state playoff bracket with a win and force the Pirates into a mini-playoff with Orting and Port Townsend at 7 p.m. Saturday at Franklin Pierce for the league’s second and third seeds.

If Vashon topples the Cougars, the Pirates get the No. 1 seed, Cacade Christian the No. 2 seed and, assuming Orting and Port Townsend also win this week, the Cardinals get the No. 3 seed.

With that out of the way, here’s a breakdown of this week’s crossover games and what the first round of the state playoffs might look like.

 

District 1/3
Four state berths
The Nisqually League champion receives an automatic state berth as District 1/3 No. 2 seed
Northwest District crossovers
These are not projections
Thursday, Nov. 5
Game 1: Northwest No. 4 Friday Harbor at Cascade No. 1 King’s
If King’s wins, it will be placed directly on the state playoff bracket as the District 1/3 No. 1 seed
Game 2: Northwest No. 3 Lynden Christian at Northwest No. 1 Nooksack Valley
Game 3: Northwest No. 2 Meridian at Cascade No. 2 Coupeville
Tuesday Nov. 10
These are projections
Northwest No. 3 Meridian at WCD No. 2
WCD No. 3 at Northwest No. 2 Nooksack Valley
*If both No. 2 seeds win, WCD No. 2 receives the district’s No. 3 seed and NW No. 2 receives the No. 4 seed

**Because of the possibility of a mini-playoff in the Nisqually League, we have not projected any of the possible mini-playoff teams (Orting, Port Townsend and Vashon) because of the unpredictable nature of mini-playoffs and we don’t know what teams will play first.

SCAC Crossovers (District 5)
Four state berths
East No. 4 Wahluke at West No. 1 Zillah
East No. 3 River View at West No. 2 Naches Valley
West No. 3 Goldendale at East No. 2 Royal
West No. 4 Cle Elum/Roslyn at East No. 1 Connell

If East No. 1 Connell and West No. 1 Zillah both win, Zillah receives the overall No. 1 seed.

Caribou Trail-Northeast Crossovers
Four state berths
Northeast League Mini-Playoff
Monday, Nov. 2 at Chewelah
Freeman, Lakeside and Kettle Falls are competing for the NEA’s second and third seed
Crossover Games
Friday, Nov. 6
Game 1: CTL No. 5 Chelan vs. CTL No. 1 Cashmere, winner is District 6 No. 1
Saturday, Nov. 7
Game 2: CTL No. 4 Okanogan vs. NEA No. 1 Chewelah, winner is District 7 No. 1
Game 3: CTL No. 2 Leavenworth Cascade vs. NEA No. 3, winner is District 6 No. 2
Game 4: CTL No. 3 Omak vs. NEA No. 2 winner is District 7 No. 2

District 4
Four state berths
Game 1: Evergreen No. 1 Montesano vs. Trico No. 1 LaCenter, winner is District 4 No. 1, loser No. 2 seed
Game 2: Trico No. 2 Castle Rock vs. Evergreen No. 3 Toledo, winner is District 4 No. 3 seed
Game 3: Evergreen No. 2 Onalaska vs. Trico No. 3 Kalama, winner is District 4 No. 4 seed

Here’s a link to the WIAA Class 1A state playoff bracket. Below you will find our projected first-round state playoff matchups. We’ve provided enough information so that if you don’t agree with our predictions and want to see how the playoff bracket might look with different league finishes or crossover winners, you should be able to do that fairly easily.

Game 1: District 6 No. 2 Leavenworth Cascade at District 5 No. 2 Connell

Game 2: District 5 No. 3 Naches Valley at District 7 No. 1 Chewelah

Game 3: District 7 No. 2 Omak at District 5 No. 1 Zillah

Game 4: District 5 No. 4 Royal at District 6 No. 1 Cashmere

Game 5: District 4 No. 3 Castle Rock at District 1/3 No. 2 Cascade Christian

Game 6: District 1/3 No. 4* at District 4 No. 1 Montesano

Game 7: District 1/3 No. 3* at District 4 No. 2 LaCenter

Game 8: District 4 No. 4 Onalaska at District 1/3 No. 1 King’s

*Because of the possibility of a mini-playoff in the Nisqually League for the second and third seeds, we have not projected any teams for these two slots.