This blog is part of Jeff Fisher's High School Football America network that's dedicated to providing high school football fans in Alaska with the most up-to-date news,information, videos and scores.
Service captured the school's sixth overall Alaska football championship Saturday with a 37-23 win over South.
The Cougars iced the Big Schools title with a 25-yard fourth-quarter interception return by Daniel Murakami. Murakami also led the team in rushing with 129 yards.
Service, which finished runner-up last year, finishes the season unbeaten at 10-0-1. The only blemish was a season-opening tie in the Fire and Ice Bowl in Hawaii. South finishes with an 8-3 record.
The Nikiski Bulldogs are the first 2011 high school football champs.
Nikiski today beat Barrow 52-21 to win the Alaska Small School championship. The Bulldogs won the first two Small School championship games in 2000 and 2001. Kenai (5 titles) and Soldotna (4 titles) are the only other schools to win Small School crowns.
The Bulldogs used a strong running attack and the right arm of quarterback Colton Anderson to win the school's third state title. Nikiski rushed for 391 yards, while Anderson was 6-of-8 for 128 yards and three touchdowns.
South knocked-off defending Big Schools' champ West Friday night 30-28 to advance to next week's state championship game.
This one came down to the end with the South needing a blocked field goal with :26 to go to grab the victory. Click here to read the game story from the Anchorage Daily News.
Next week, the Wolverines, who won 2006 Big School title, will face the winner of Saturday's game between Service and Juneau-Douglas.
While Soldotna and Kenai have become arch-rivals battling for Small School championships during the past decade, no one saw what happened Saturday coming.
Kenai upset the defending state champion Stars 28-12 Saturday in the semifinal round of the newly created Medium School division. The Kardinals entered the postseason with a .500 record at 4-4, the Stars were riding a 19-game win streak. Between the two schools, they had won the last nine Small School titles.
Kenai will play Homer (8-1) next week for the state championship.
The 2010 Alaska state champs are back in the playoffs to defend their titles, but there will be at least one new champ this year thanks to the addition of a third classification called Medium Schools.
In the Big Schools classification, both of last year's finalists West and Service are back, however defending champ West has a big hill to climb as it enters the playoffs after a 4-4 regular season. Service, on the other hand, enters its quarterfinal game against Palmer on an eight game unbeaten streak. The Cougars finished the regular season with a 7-0-1 record with the tie coming against Leilehua in its season opener in the Fire and Ice Bowl in Hawaii
Earlier this year, I spoke with Service head coach Jason Caldarera about that game, and you can listen to that interview by clicking here or listening to the show on High School Football America's YouTube channel.
Defending Small Schools champ Soldotna will not be defending its title, because the Stars are now in the Medium School classification. In the semifinals on Friday, Soldotna will face Kenai. Those two schools have combined to win the last nine Small Schools state titles.
In the Small Schools category, Barrow, the only school above the Arctic Circle, enters the postseason with a 6-1 record and looking for its first state championship in only its sixth season of varsity football.
In the inaugural High School Football America radio show, I spoke with first year head coach Brad Igou and his assistant Brian Houston about their team. Igou felt this team had a good shot at winning a state title.
To listen to that interview, click here or check-out the interview below from our YouTube channel.
Now here's a look at this weekend's match-ups:
Large School Quarterfinals
Palmer (4-4) at Service (7-0-1), Saturday
West (4-4) at Wasilla (6-2), Saturday
West Valley (6-2) vs. South, Saturday
East (4-4) at Juneau-Douglas (7-1), Saturday
Medium School Semifinals
Homer (7-1) at Thunder Mountain (3-4), Friday
Kenai (4-4) at Soldotna (8-0), Friday
Small School Semifinals
Monroe (5-3) at Barrow (6-1), Saturday
Eielson (4-4) at Nikiski (7-1), Saturday
