Santa Claus is coming to town.

But thanks to the Quilcene Rangers football team, St. Nick is going to be a day late.

With the Rangers heading to the state 1B football championship at Mount Tahoma High in Tacoma on Saturday, Quilcene has decided to move its annual holiday celebration to Sunday.

The lighting of the town tree, and Santa's arrival for the big community event, has been postponed from Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5.

The extended football season for the Rangers (10-1) has also sacked plans for the start of the boys basketball season.

Both Tuesday's home game against Crescent and Wednesday's home matchup against East Jefferson were canceled, according to Ranger Athletic Director Mark Thompson.

The Rangers football team will be playing for the first time ever in the state title game. Quilcene takes on Almira-Coulee-Hartline Warriors (11-0) in the championship matchup.

ACH advanced to the title game by beating Nasalle 68-32 in Moses Lake Saturday.

Quilcene punched its ticket to state by upending Odessa 36-12 in an upset win Saturday on Lions Field in Moses Lake.

Quilcene will play ACH at noon Saturday, Dec. 4. 

The 4A championship between Graham-Kapowsin and Lake Stevens will follow at 4 p.m.

Tickets for the 1B Washington State Football Finals can be purchased at https://gofan.co/app/events/403151?schoolId=WIAA.

A pep rally is planned for Friday afternoon at Quilcene K12 School, and the Rangers will get a rousing community-wide sendoff to state Saturday.

Family, friends and supporters of the Rangers football team will gather in the front parking lot at Quilcene K12 School at 8 a.m. Saturday "to send the boys off with a bang," team boosters said in a an email announcement of the rally.

The send-off is also being promoted on social media by the Quilcene Ranger Football Facebook group: "Bring your signs, bells, whistles & horns!!!”

The team bus departs for the game at 8:15 a.m.