Mossyrock (in dark uniforms at the 2022 state basketball tournament in Spokane) and Naselle have developed an intense but mutually respectful rivalry over the past few years while the Vikings have been in the smallest 1B division. Mossyrock will be moving up to 2B this fall following enrollment increases, one of four significant WIAA regional school reclassifications affecting Naselle and Ilwaco, which are unchanged.

As the dust settles from WIAA sports reclassifications, coaches are gearing up for some changed rivalries.

Ilwaco, which competes with other 2B schools, and Naselle, a stalwart of the smallest 1B division, are not changing.

But some of their opponents are.

Most notable is Wahkiakum, which has seen declining enrollment and moves from 2B to 1B. And Mossyrock, which has proved challenging for Naselle in recent seasons, will move up to 2B. Other regional changes include Ocosta moving down to 1B and Kalama, a recent 2B powerhouse in several sports, moving up to 1A.

The upcoming changes won’t affect spring sports: instead, they will kick in for fall schedules.

It means when Wahkiakum plays Naselle, there will be more than neighborly pride at stake because both will be in 1B.

Brian Macy, retired Naselle coach and athletic director, is enthused. “I have heard about the reclassification and I think it is great that the Naselle vs. Wahkiakum rivalry will be renewed,” he said.

Rob Garrett, Wahkiakum athletic director and boys’ basketball coach, agreed. He said his district has always been at the bottom of the 2B classification, in which enrollment ranges from 105 to 224. Next fall, Wahkiakum will be at the top of 1B.

He noted nothing but positives. “The majority of all those schools that we have traditionally played are 1B at this point and time,” he said. “It’s funny because we were ‘B’ for a long time, but they split them into 1B and 2B and put us in the 2B section. In reality, Wahkiakum has been playing 1A schools that dropped down to 2B.

“I’m sure there are some people that are upset about it,” he said, “but the funny thing about it is that when I was in school our league was Morton, Pe Ell, Life Christian, Columbia Adventist and Mossyrock, and in the other league were schools like Naselle, Willapa Valley and South Bend.”

The KM Trophy is named for the mountain between the two communities.

“I know the kids are excited to play Naselle,” Garrett said. “It will be fun to bring back the KM Trophy games. Naselle is pretty darn good right now, and I think that will be a darn good rivalry. We’ll have our work cut out for us to come back in to win a few of those KM Trophy games.”

‘Edge’

Other changes prompted some wry smiles among local sports fans, not least those who have watched Naselle having challenging battles with Mossyrock in sports like volleyball and basketball in recent seasons. (Ironically, and rather delightfully, Naselle girls root vigorously for Mossyrock when the Vikings play other schools at state tournaments.) Mossyrock is moving up to 2B, which means at some stage each season it may figure on Ilwaco’s radar.

Rebekah Wirkkala, who coaches Naselle’s varsity volleyball and softball squads, noted the changes with interest. “We welcome the new competition, as the rules allow,” Wirkkala said. “Sad to see Mossyrock go up, as we enjoyed that rivalry.”

Naselle’s baseball coach, Randy Lindstrom, welcomed more local teams in the mix for league play. “Over the years, we’ve continued to play Ocosta and Wahkiakum during our regular season to gain us some good competition, as these schools are not only good but close, gaining us an edge entering the post season,” he said.

Bret Hopkins, Ilwaco’s baseball coach, is waiting to see how things shake down.

“Sad to see Ocosta move down,” he said. “Mike Alton is a great coach for their baseball program and they have been a consistent winning program since he has been there. Mossyrock is going to be a new challenge for us.”

Travel

Some fans are pleased. Poul Toftemark, whose son Elmer was a stalwart sports participant at Naselle through graduation last summer, is among them. “It will be great to have local schools competing vs. going to Idaho or Canada, which we almost did!” he said.

Naselle “superfan” Chris Dorman, a regular announcer whose son Cole was a star athlete, offered a cerebral perspective.

“In my opinion, differences in classification do not affect the historic rivalries experienced across coastal programs,” he said. “If anything, it intensifies them, shifting how programs view the reward for winning. In the end, generations of fans reflect on historic moments, further fueling competitive spirit and desire for bragging rights, in and out of season play.”