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 To Crown Champs Today

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Juneau-Douglas is back to defend its 2007 Alaska Big Schools high school football championship, while Soldotna is looking for the three-peat in Saturday's Small Schools championship game in Anchorage.

Juneau-Douglas (6-4), which has won two of the last three Big Schools titles, will face Service (7-3), which is playing in its first title game since 1999. Click here to read a preview story on Service. Click here to read a preview story on Juneau-Douglas.

It's deja vu all over again in the Small Schools championship as two-time defending champ Soldotna faces Kodiak for the third straight year for the title. The Stars are riding a 28-game win streak. A win by Soldotna will equal the straight record for consecutive wins. Anchorage East currently holds the record at 29.

Click here to read a preview story on Soldotna. Click here for a preview story on Kodiak.

2008 High School Football Season Kicks-Off Tonight 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. For those of you that don't know, Barrow is the only school above the Arctic Circle, and is the northernmost city in the country. In fact, the team's blue astroturf field sits only 100 yards from the Arctic Ocean.

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



Alaska crowns two state champs, one in the Big Schools classification and one in Small Schools. 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.



Both teams will be in action this week. Below is this weekend's entire slate of games.

For a previews of the games, please click here to go to the Alaska High School Football Huddle.

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