Service Wins Alaska Big Schools Football Title

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

At halftime, it looked like Service's incredible season would end with a runner-up finish for Alaska's Big Schools high school football championship. Defending champ Juneau-Douglas held a 14-2 lead and looked like it would cruise to it's third championship in the last four years.

However, the dream changed in the second half as the Cougars clawed back with two second quarter touchdowns on the way to a 22-14 win.

Click here to read a recap story.

Alaska High School Football Championship Game Webcasts

If you want to watch Saturday's Alaska high school football championship games, click here to watch a webcast of the Big Schools title game between Juneau-Douglas and Service or the Small Schools championship between Soldotna and Kodiak.

Big Schools Championship
Juneau-Douglas vs. Service 4PM EST

Small Schools Championship
Soldotna vs. Kodiak 8:30PM EST

Juneau-Douglas and Soldotna Ready to Defending State Titles

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Alaska's Big Schools high school football championship game will feature two teams that weren't expected to make it to the title game. With seven losses between them, defending state champ Juneau-Douglas (6-4) will face Service(7-3) for the title on Saturday.

Juneau made it back to the championship game with a 28-27 come-from-behind win Saturday against unbeaten Anchorage South in the semifinals. Click here to read a recap of that game.

Service will play for its first title since 1999 after beating Alaska's other unbeaten big school North Pole 27-12 on Friday. Click here for a Service/North Pole recap.

In the Smalls School semis, Barrow's season of first ended with a 19-13 loss to Kodiak. Kodiak will play two-time defending state champ Soldotna, a 69-33 winner over Eielson on Saturday. Soldotna is now within one win of tying Alaska's consecutive win streak of 29 set by Anchorage East between 1985 and 1987.

Click here for a Kodiak/Barrow recap. Click here for the Soldotna/Eielson recap.

2008 High School Football Season Kicks-Off in Alaska

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

While the Lower 48 and Hawaii will have to wait a little bit for the regular season games to start, they're strapping on the helmets for real tonight and Saturday in Alaska.

How does footbal in Alaska differ? While most schools are sweating out two-a-days, there's already been snow at the Barrow Whalers practices. Of course, Barrow is the only school above the Arctic Circle, and is the northernmost city in the country. The team's blue astroturf field sits only 100 yards from the Arctic Ocean. Click here for a story on the Whalers entering their third season of football.

Barrow and 27 other schools from around the state open their eight week regular season this week, and Alaska High School Football Huddle is here to keep you up-to-date with news and scores from around the state.



Juneau, which was a perfect 11-0 last year, will be going after its third Big Schools' title in four years. The Soldotna Stars will be going for the three-peat in Small Schools. Click here for a story on the Crimson Bears and Soldotna trying to defend their titles.

Click here to read about Chugiak unveiling its new artificial turf in its opener against Wasilla.

Tonight's Games

Kenai at Lathrop, 7PM
Palmer at Anchorage East, 7PM
Wasilla at Chugiak 7PM
Soldotna at Nikiski 6PM

Saturday Games

Barlett at Anchorage West, 7PM
Colony at North Pole, 6PM
Delta Junction at Houston, 1PM
Eagle River at Dimond, 1PM
Juneau at West Valley, 1PM
Monroe Catholic at Homer, 2PM
Service at Anchorage East, 4PM
Seward at Kodiak, 2PM
Skyview at Barrow, 2PM
Valdez at Eielson 1PM

Juneau-Douglas Wins 2nd Alaska High School Big Schools Championship

Both of Juneau-Douglas' Alaska High School Big Schools' Championships have come at the hands of the Palmer Moose. The Crimson Bears won Saturday's 2007 championship by defeating the Moose 23-13.

J-D, which beat Palmer 49-29 in the 2005 title game, used a strong defense to shutdown Palmer's strong rushing attack. Palmer entered the game averaging 268 yards per game rushing, but the Crimson Bears held the Moose to just 113 yards on 50 carries.

It was the 13th time in state history that a team has won the title while going undefeated. J-D finished 11-0 while Palmer ends the season 6-5. The game marked only the second time since the Alaska School Activities Association began it's championships in 2000 that a team with four losses played for a title.

To read more about the championship game from the Anchorage Daily News, click here.

Here's a look at Alaska's state champions. 1990 was the first season of the Alaska School Activities Association tournament.

Big Schools Champs

2007 Juneau-Douglas
2006 Anchorage South
2005 Juneau-Douglas
2004 North Pole
2003 Anchorage East
2002 Barlett
2001 Dimond
2000 Dimond
1999 Service
1998 Service
1997 Service
1996 Chugiak
1995 Palmer
1994 Service
1993 Dimond
1992 Eielson
1991 Bartlett
1990 Anchorage East
1989 Bartlett
1988 Chugiak
1987 Anchorage East
1986 Anchorage East
1985 Anchorage East
1984 Chugiak
1983 Dimond

Small Schools Champs

2007 Soldotna
2006 Soldotna
2005 Kenai
2004 Kenai
2003 Kenai
2002 Kenai
2001 Nikiski
2000 Nikiski