These aren’t the two best football teams ever to meet in the Port Townsend-Chimacum rivalry that dates to 1979. Each squad needs to win their final games this week to finish with 5-5 records.

It was not the largest crowd ever to witness a “Rhody Bowl” game between the Cowboys and Redskins: in the 1980s the grandstands would be packed and people would be standing three-deep on the sidelines.

But Chimacum’s thrilling 27-25 win (or call it PT’s heart-sapping loss) certainly goes into local sports history as the first one to stretch into five overtime periods.

According to Leader sports records, the 13-10 PTHS win in 1985 is the only other overtime game in Rhody Bowl history – that game went three overtime periods. Chimacum's 14-2 win in 1986 was the school's first football victory over PT since 1948.

For modern-day players, this game could be just as memorable.

“This is going down in history,” said CHS coach Shawn Meacham, who enjoyed three victories over PTHS as a player and now in three of his four seasons as head coach. “They played a historic football game. We’re fortunate to be on top. Our kids showed grit and determination. It is a total team win.”

PTHS head coach Nick Snyder, who was part of four wins over CHS as a player and two during his previous time here as head coach, was disappointed in the loss, but not his players.

“It was a great game,” said Snyder. “You play hard like that, I can’t be upset.”

Not to say that when he watches the game film that he would not have “loser’s lament” about “woulda shoulda coulda.”

“It was a great game,” Snyder repeated. “They played real good defense and so did we. That’s what you expect in this rivalry game.”

First half

An afternoon downpour left Jefferson County Memorial Athletic Field soggy – the sidelines along the grandstand are a mud pit – but no rain fell during the game.

Chimacum had the field position advantage in the first half, starting with recovery of the game-opening onside kick. PT’s first two offensive possessions ended in fumbles and the second turnover led to a seven-play, 32-yard drive that included a fourth-down conversion by Trevor Hare on a dive play that worked all night. The drive was capped, on the second quarter’s first play, by an 18-yard pass from Alex Morris to freshman Drew Yackulic at the end zone’s right side. Morris booted the conversion.

Townsend responded immediately, with a six-play drive topped by Matt Cain on a counter play, busting 46 yards for a TD with 8:45 left before halftime. Placekicker Dillon Ralls tied the score 7-7.

Chimacum did have a first down at the PT 12 with 1:27 left before halftime, with no timeouts, and a fourth-and-three toss sweep by Mel Thornton to his left was stuffed with 17 seconds before half.

Second half

The respective defenses in the second half kept the respective offenses in check – although penalties and dropped passes played a role. On one series, a CHS holding penalty negated a great catch by Yackulic at the PT 25, and a few plays later, an interception by PT’s Cain was nullified because one of his feet came down on the sideline boundary.

PT had another fumble in the third quarter, but CHS could not capitalize after being stopped on a fourth-down play.

CHS sophomore Gregg Shold had the second of his two quarterback sacks to thwart the final PT fourth-quarter possession.

The high school overtime rules (no sudden death) have each offense starting at the 25-yard line, and each given a chance to score. If the score is tied after two such overtime periods, the offenses start at the 10 and it keeps going until one team comes out ahead.

The teams played at the west end zone, facing the scoreboard.

Overtime one: PT was on offense first, but gained six yards on three plays. On fourth down, Ralls missed a 36-yard field goal. Chimacum’s offense gained two yards in three plays, and a high snap negated a potential game-winning field goal attempt.

Overtime two: Chimacum bumbled with a fumble, a penalty and then came up short on a long fourth-down run. PT gained seven yards on three plays, but a 34-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

Overtime three: PT started at the 10, but three plays gained just four yards so Ralls kicked and made a 27-yard field goal. However, a roughing the kicker penalty gave PT a first down at the 6, and coach Snyder took the 3 points off the board to go for a TD. Senior Mitiku Little scored on third and goal from the 1, but the conversion kick failed for a 13-7 score. CHS responded quickly. After Hare gained 4 yards on first down, Morris threw to Yackulic on a slant pattern from the right side for a TD. A successful conversion would be the game-winner, but Morris lost his footing on the attempt and the kick failed.

Overtime four: Starting again from the 10, Chimacum stuck to a power run game and on third-and-goal from the 2, Morris was stopped just short but scored thanks to a push from behind by teammates. The conversion kick was blocked by Lucas Foster, so CHS led 19-13. Starting at the 10, PT scored on one play – Little’s burst off the right side. With a chance to win, the conversion kick was blocked by Thornton.

Overtime five: PT had first chance on offense, and on second down from the 9, King rolled to his right and completed a short pass to David Sua, who was stopped inches short of the goal. King slipped and lost yards on a third-down run, but on fourth-and-goal from the 2 – after a PTHS timeout – King passed to Sua in the end zone for a 25-19 lead. But in deciding whether to go for a 2-point conversion or kick, PT got a delay of game penalty. The ensuing kick failed.

Again, it was up to CHS to win, lose or tie. The Cowboys’ first-down pass was incomplete in the end zone, and then a swing pass to Thornton became a 2-yard loss, thanks to PT defensive end Liam Anderson. Third down produced another incompletion. On fourth and goal from the 12, Thornton took the toss sweep to the left, using blocks from Daryl Settlemire and Colton Shaw, broke a tackle at the 4-yard line, and scored.

“That was a gutsy call,” Snyder said of the toss sweep on fourth-down. “We had stopped that all night.”

Instead of attempting a conversion, CHS ran the ball – Ajax scored the winning points on an inside counter play: 27-25 final.

“We wanted it over,” Meacham said of going for a 2-point run instead of what is generally considered the better odds of a 1-point kick. “Everybody was confident they could score.”

Post-game

Meacham’s post-game concern was focused on senior Michael Nordberg, who left the field with concussion symptoms and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Monday, he was listed in satisfactory condition. (See related story on this page).

Meacham was full of praise for his team.

“It is the measure of a man, this last overtime, and they showed character.”

Thornton was full of praise for his offensive line. Although his quest for a CHS single-season rushing record hit a snag against PT, he is all about the team.

“It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had in football,” said Thornton, who played for PTHS as a freshman and sophomore and for Chimacum as a junior and senior. “It’s special to win in this fashion and it is all because of our linemen. All my success this season is due to the line.”

Hare said he was so proud of how, “we pulled it out, boi, boi, boi.”

Settlemire, one of the best high school football players in modern Jefferson County history, has received letters of interest from Ivy League and Pacific 12 schools. Whatever football lies ahead, he will always remember this game. “It is everything I ever wished for. It is the best game I’ve ever played in.”

Looking ahead

As always, PTHS coach Snyder complimented his own team, and made no excuses.

“Hats off to Chimacum,” Snyder said. “Settlemire and Thornton on that left side of their defense, they were tough, and their linebackers blitzed hard.”

PT played without a pair of two-way starters: one due to injury and one out from academic ineligibility, and another injured starter only made it a few plays. Junior quarterback/ safety Jacob King, after missing a game and a half due to a bruised thigh, played the whole way on defense and came on in the second half as quarterback. But the slick field, and the CHS defense, limited his effectiveness.

Injuries also thrust freshman David Sua into his first significant varsity time at fullback and inside linebacker. Unlike the past two seasons, when PTHS had to play freshmen simply to field a team, this year coaches have had the luxury of needing to use only a few ninth-graders.

But Snyder knew what Sua could do.

“He’s going to be a player,” Snyder said of the five-foot-10 JV quarterback and linebacker.

While eight of Chimacum’s 21players are seniors and five are freshman, four of PT’s are seniors and 15 are freshmen. The numbers this season allowed PT to field a junior varsity team that lost only to Eatonville.

“Our freshman class is loaded with players,” Snyder said.

That bodes well for PTHS in the football future, while Chimacum will need to replace a corral of key players. But next year is next year, and this year, the Cowboys reign in the Rhody Bowl for a third consecutive season.

Chimacum 0 7 0 0 0 0 6 6 8 - 27

Port Townsend 0 7 0 0 0 0 6 6 6 - 25

C – Drew Yackulic 17 pass from Alex Morris (Morris kick)

PT – Matt Cain 46 run (Dillon Ralls kick)

PT – David Sua 1 run (kick failed)

C – Yackulic 6 pass from Morris (kick failed)

C – Morris 2 run (kick failed)

PT – Mitiku Little 10 run (kick failed)

PT – Sua 2 pass from King (kick failed)

C – Thornton 12 run (Derek Ajax run)

YARDSTICK

Passing: C – Alex Morris 5-13 45 yards, 2 TD. PT – Jacob King 3-6 18 yards, 1 TD; Jeff Seton 1-4 8 yards.

Rushing: C – Derek Ajax 20-70, Trevor Hare 11-51, Mel Thornton 24-34, Morris 5-(-16). PT – Matt Cain 11-87, Mitiku Little 12-72, David Sua 10-44, King 6-8, Seton 2-1, Tim Russell 2-0.

Receiving: C – Drew Yackulic 3-38, Hare 1-2, Thornton 2-3. PT – Sua 3-18, Skyler Coppenrath 1-8.

Tackles/assists: C – Seth Ham 5/6, Daryl Settlemire 5/6, Gregg Shold 7/2 (2 sacks), Trevon Noel 3/5, Colton Shaw 6/1, Michael Nordberg 6/0, Yackulic 4/2, Ajax 3/3. PT – Coppenrath 8/10, Cain 6/12, Seton 8/8, Sua 3/9, Alex Rierson 4/6, Dillon Ralls 2/6, Luke Flannigan 1/6, Liam Anderson 2/3 (sack).

Fumble recoveries: C – Hare, Ham, Dustin Finley.