Central Kitsap football is in the Class 4A state football tournament for the second consecutive year.

Howie McDonald rushed for a school record 391 yards as well as five touchdowns to lead CK past Snohomish 49-13 in the state preliminary round Nov. 8, setting up a first-round game against No. 3-ranked Olympia.

With four touchdown runs of 20 yards or more, including 71- and 62-yard bursts, McDonald’s performance catapulted CK to the school’s first ever back-to-back state berth.

The Cougars (7-3) are going to need another big-time game from McDonald, and others, to beat Olympia (10-0), which beat Eastlake 42-21 in a prelim game Nov. 8 to advance.

Olympia is allowing just 5.5 points per game (55 total) and has posted five shutouts on the season, giving CK’s potent offense about the toughest first-round draw imaginable.

The Bears won every regular season game by at least 30 points after 21-7 and 7-0 wins against Gig Harbor and Capital, respectively, to begin the season.

The CK-Olympia winner faces the winner of the Rogers (Puyallup)-Skyview game in the quarterfinals either Nov. 21 or Nov 22 . Today’s game begins at 7 p.m. at Ingersoll Stadium in Olympia.

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