Head-to-head competition heats up

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The Townsend and Chimacum high school classes of 1980 heralded a new era in their long standing rivalry. Both schools were now competing in the same class “A” Nisqually League. Their games would no longer be labeled “non-league” contests. 

In addition, encouraged by Title IX, gender equality sports programs had developed, doubling student participation in an expanded list of athletic endeavors.

The league opener for both schools took place on the tennis court soon after the school year began. The Sept. 29, 1979, Leader headline reported, “PT Netters Halt Chimacum.” Townsend’s team included Bridget Yearian, Sue Garred, Judy Michelson, Kathy Kerns, and Cynthia Tiller. Chimacum countered with Andrea Newell, Sara Olson, Joanne Bryant, Marie Johnson, and Kathy Stewart. Townsend took all matches defeating Chimacum 5-0. 

Chimacum managed to return serve in girls’ volleyball. Their win over Townsend helped them move on to districts, finishing their season 11-3. Both these sport seasons took place before the two schools met for their traditional football battle. 

It was their first meeting in four years, and their first league contest. 

It was also the homecoming game for both schools. Both bands paraded onto the field. The stadium was packed, as was “cheapskate” hill high above the north side of the field opposite the grandstands. 

The opening whistle blew and eight seconds later Chimacum was behind 6-0. 

It wouldn’t get any closer. Townsend would win 40-0 and go on to finish 6-1 in the Nisqually League. Chimacum finished 1-6. 

Rivalry Heats Up in Basketball

The intensity of the rivalry would be taken up a notch during basketball season. 

The Dec. 12, 1979, game was so heated and controversial that a formal protest to league officials was filed. The problem started before the opening tip-off. Due to a scheduling error, the referees for the boys’ varsity game failed to show. The referees who just finished the junior varsity contest were not certified for varsity games but were available and regrettably they agreed to officiate.

Chimacum was leading by six with less than three minutes to play when things began to unravel. 

With 22 seconds remaining Townsend was awarded an out of bounds ball that clearly belonged to Chimacum. Then, with the game tied and one second on the clock the whistle blew. 

Chimacum went to the sideline with the ball and prepared to throw it in for a last second “Hail Mary,” shot. 

In the meantime, Townsend was stepping up to the foul line to shoot a free throw. 

After a brief consultation, the referees sent the Townsend player to the line who promptly sank the shot giving Townsend a 52-51 victory. Chimacum athletic director “Mac” McMullen filed the protest. The Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) recommended the game be declared “no contest,” something the two football teams were used to (see previous articles) and be replayed. Townsend athletic director Vince Lux demurred.

The defeat was particularly galling to Chimacum since it was the team’s only league loss. The teams met again in January 1980 before a capacity crowd. This time Chimacum prevailed 59-41. The team would finish 7-1 in its first year in the Nisqually class “A” league, the only blemish their disputed loss to Townsend.

Teams Evenly Matched 

The early ‘80s saw the two schools evenly matched in most sports. The Chimacum golf team of 1980 which included Cotton, Eldridge, and the Wurtz brothers, defeated the Townsend team of Kerns, Pidge, Lux, and Potthoff by two points. 

Two weeks later they met again with the same result, a two-point win for Chimacum. 

Mark Wurtz, who helped lead Chimacum to both victories, would later join the Professional Golf Association and during his career win the Canadian Open. 

The same year the two schools split in baseball. Townsend taking the first game 14-10, and Chimacum the second 7-6. 

Volleyball was also tightly contested. The Oct. 12, 1988, Leader reported, “Chimacum comes from behind to win volleyball barn burner over Townsend.” 

The scores of the three hard fought games were 15-12, 11-15, and 16-14. Townsend’s team included Angela Cupp, Lisa Hoffman, Tayna Ajax, Sara Carlson, and Jodi Williams. Chimacum’s team included Tracy West, Kim Rogers, Vanessa Birkland, Marcia Schreyer, and Cathy Solberg. By season’s end they would be ranked eighth in state.

“Da Boyz” Come to Town

The late eighties would be a different story, particularly in football. The Oct. 26, 1988, Leader would print the prescient headline, “Townsend Football Dynasty Ends.” Although Chimacum didn’t play Townsend in football every year, between 1948 and 1985, Townsend won every game played. The Leader called Chimacum’s 14-2 win in 1986 “historic.” 

The next year, it appeared Townsend would begin a new dynasty when they defeated Chimacum 25-6. But the Chimacum freshmen who played in the 1988 game, and who forever after would be known as “Da Boyz,” started their own dynasty.

First, they ruined Townsend’s homecoming in October 1988 when they defeated Townsend 35-6. Chimacum’s largest ever margin of victory. 

The next year, now known as the “Rhody Bowl,” Chimacum made it two in a row beating Townsend 32-15. 

Prior to the 1990 game, in an interview with The Leader, Chimacum sophomore Michael Anderson stated, “The last couple of years Town hasn’t hit hard, but they probably will now because I said that.” 

He was right. The hard-fought contest wasn’t decided until the final minutes, when Kyle Jackson scored the game winning touchdown on a fourth and goal dive into the endzone. 

The 19-16 final score gave Chimacum its third consecutive football victory over Townsend. 

In October 1991, by a score of 14-0, the Chimacum class of ’92 became the first and only class to defeat Townsend in football all four years of their high school careers. The players involved in the clean sweep included Erik Dodd, Denny Miller, Ryan Lopeman, Jeff Graves, Mike Anderson, Joe Campbell, Trevor Huntingford, John Joy, Jamie Boening, Aaron Heineman, and Sam Watson. 

As noted in their 1992 “Tahl-Kie-Chee” high school annual, when asked of their feelings about the game, Senior Denny Miller replied, “I knew lots of people who lost to Town and feel bad and I’m glad none of us have to know that feeling.”