PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Roughriders football team enters the 2026 season in another major rebuild.
New head coach Derrell Duckett Jr. is the Roughriders’ 14th head coach in the last 26 years.
Roughrider receivers coach Rweha Munyagi leads his receivers through practice in preparation for Friday night’s game against Mount Baker.
Port Angeles travels to Class 1A state power Mount Baker Friday night.
Mount Baker head coach Ron Lepper has led the Mountaineers for 32 years, compiling a record of 218 wins and 103 losses while competing in the tough Whatcom County League.
Mount Baker beat Port Angeles 47-12 last season. Two years ago, the Mountaineers beat the Roughriders 49-22 in the season opener after building a 42-0 halftime lead.
The Mountaineers went 10-2 last season, winning the Whatcom County League championship and advancing to the second round of the state playoffs before losing to Cashmere.
Mount Baker lost a lot of talent on offense but, as usual, has plenty of experienced players returning.
One key returner is senior running back Gage Smith. The 6-foot, 150-pound Smith rushed 46 times for 368 yards, averaging eight yards per carry with one touchdown. He also caught nine passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively, the Mountaineers are loaded, led by 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior defensive end Kell Reardon. Reardon finished third on the team in tackles last season and recorded 12 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks.
The Roughriders’ offense will have to contend with Mount Baker’s 6-foot-6, 240-pound senior defensive end Kell Reardon.
You can hear Port Angeles and Mount Baker live on KONP Newsradio Friday night. The pregame show starts at 5:05, with kickoff at 6. Oly Archibald and Robert Grove will have the live play-by-play.
The Sequim Wolves also open their season on the road Friday night, traveling to Eatonville for a 7 o’clock kickoff.
In other local sports, Port Angeles hosts the Olympic League swimming jamboree today at 2:30.
Port Angeles swim coach Sally Cole and her Roughriders host the Olympic League swimming jamboree
And the Port Angeles and Sequim cross-country teams travel to Allyn for the Olympic League jamboree today, starting at 4.