First High School Football Championship Trophies Handed-Out

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

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.

2010 High School Football Regular Season Opens Tonight in Alaska

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

With over a dozen states ready to open camps next Monday, Alaska kicks-off its regular season this weekend.

There are three games on the schedule tonight and thirteen tomorrow.  To learn more about what's happening on the Alaska high school football scene, go to the Alaska High School Football Huddle for news, rankings, schedules and scores.

Welcome to the 2010 season!

2010 High School Football Season is Officially Underway

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

At long last, the 2010 high school football season is here...even if it's only in four states at this point.

Practice began today in Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The Tennessean reports that temperatures were pretty mild for the start of two-a-days across the Volunteer State.  Tennessee actually conducts one of the longest pre-seasons in America since its regular season doesn't start until August 27th.

To keep up-to-date with news from all three states, click on the links below.

Alaska High School Huddle
Hawaii High School Football Huddle
Missississippi High School Football Huddle
Tennessee High School Football Huddle

Alaska Crowns 2009 High School Football Championships

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Kenai and Soldotna wrote another chapter in their rivalry Saturday.

Three weeks after being blown out by three-time defending champion Soldotna 52-27 in the regular season finale, Kenai (10-1) bounced back and beat the Stars 21-10 on Saturday to claim the 2009 Alaska Small Schools high school football championship.

The title is the fifth for Kenai during this decade. The Kardinals won four straight championships before Soldotna (8-3) began its run of three straight in 2006. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Soldotna hadn't lost to a small schools opponent since the 2005 season.

That opponent? Kenai, of course.

In the Large Schools championship, Bartlett's defense keyed the Golden Bears 21-3 win against Chugiak. The Anchorage Daily News reports that Bartlett forced five turnovers.

2009 Alaska High School Football Championships Set

by Jeff Fisher
Alaska High School Football Huddle

Before Soldotna went-on its run of three straight championship, Kenai captured four straight. Next week, Soldotna will try to match Kenai's streak when the two square-off for Alaska's Small Schools Championship.

Saturday, Soldotna held-off Homer 44-20. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Homer was able to hang with the champs even though they only dressed 24 players.

Friday night, Kenai reached the final with a 34-13 win over Kodiak. It's the first time that the Kardinals are back in the finals since 2005. The Anchorage Daily News reports that the underdog Bears hung with Kenai for the first half.

In the Large Schools championship...Chugiak will face Bartlett next week.

Chugiak needed a 24-21 overtime win over Palmer on Saturday to move-on to the championship game. The Anchorage Daily News reports that the Mustangs captured the championship berth on the right leg of junior kicker Bryan Maley.

Bartlett sealed its fate with a 40-19 defeat of pre-season #1 North Pole Friday night. According to the Anchorage Daily News, Bartlett running backs Jamal Hale and Cyrus Chenault combined for 392 yards on the ground.

High School Football Playoffs Underway in Alaska

by Jeff Fisher
Alaska High School Football Huddle

It made me smile today when I read the first line of the Bartlett Flies Past Colony in the Anchorage Daily News that said there was snow in the mountains as the first round of the Alaska high school football playoffs began Friday.

Ever since I was a little kid, I've thought there's something romantic about football and snow.

Friday night, Bartlett and Palmer moved on to the Large Schools semifinals next week.

Alaska High School Football Scores
Friday, October 2, 2009

Bartlett 34 Colony 12 Anchorage Daily News game story
Palmer 48 Anchorage South 12 Anchorage Daily News game story

Alaska High School Football Scorebord - Week 4

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

While most of America is kicking-off the 2009 high school football season, the state of Alaska reached the half-way point last night. Colony continues to show that it's deserving of the #1 Big Schools ranking. Colony beat three-time Small Schools champ Soldotna 24-17 to move to 4-0 on the season. The Anchorage Daily News reports that the win avenged last year's 40-16 loss to the Stars.

In Small Schools, top-ranked Kenai smashed Seward 69-0. For the season, the Cards have outscored their opponents 228-0

Alaska High School Football Scores
Friday, August 28, 2009

Anchorage South 24 North Pole 27
Anchorage West 20 Bartlett 13 Anchorage Daily News game story
Chugiak 24 Dimond 21 Anchorage Daily News game story
Colony 24 Soldotna 17
Kenai 69 Seward 0
Service 53 West Valley 15

Alaska High School Football Scorebord - Week 3

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Thanks to a rapidly developing sophomore quarterback, defending Big Schools champ Service (3-0) is looking like a return to the championship game could be in the cards. J.J. Christy, battling a head cold, threw for 416 yards Saturday to lift the Cougars to a 57-14 win over Eagle River. The Anchorage Daily News has the details.

Alaska High School Football Scores
Saturday, August 22, 2009

Anchorage South 27 Dimond 7 Anchorage Daily News game story
Eielson 48 Barrow 13
Kodiak 48 Thunder Mountain 20
Palmer 33 West Valley 0 Anchorage Daily News game story
Seward 40 Valdez 16
Soldotna 70 Houston 0

Alaska High School Football Scorebord - Week 3

Alaska High School Football Scores
Friday, August 21, 2009

Anchorage West 37 Chugiak 21 Anchorage Daily News game story
Bartlett 41 Anchorage East 6
Colony 46 Lathrope 0
Homer 21 Skyview 0
Kenai 41 Nikiski 0
North Pole 61 Wasilla 6
Pine View (UT) 46 Juneau-Douglas 13

Alaska HIgh School Football Scoreboard - Week 2

by Jeff Fisher
The High school Football Huddle

Service's 49-3 Saturday night win over Dimond may have been just as exciting as the Cougars Big Schools championship last season. That's because the Anchorage Daily News reports that assistant coach Fenumiai "Numi" Italio, Jr. was back roaming the sidelines after returning from his tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Alaska Army National Guard.

This is a great story about a coach that has touched a team and a community.

Alaska High School Football Scores
Saturday, August 15, 2009

Anchorage West 44 Anchorage East 20 Click here for game story
Colony 23 Kodiak 6 Click here for game story
Kenai 71 Houston 0 Click here for game story
Monroe 41 Ketchikan 6
Nikiski 27 Barrow 2
Service 49 Dimond 3
Sitka 32 Delta Junction 0

Alaska HIgh School Football Scoreboard - Week 2

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

It's safe to say that the new #1 team in next week's Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network high school football poll won't be very excited. The reason?? For the second straight week the #1 team in the Big Schools poll was beaten.

Anchorage South beat #1 Bartlett Friday night 23-21. According to the Anchorage Daily News, the Wolverines did it with a solid ground attack. Click here to read the game story.

Alaska High School Football Scores
Friday, August 14, 2009

Anchorage South 23 Bartlett 21
Chugiak 34 Eagle River 0 Click here for game story
Eielson 84 Valdez 7 Click here for game story
Juneau-Douglas 47 Wasilla 0 Click here for game story
North Pole 47 West Valley 7 Click here for game story
Palmer 46 Lathrop 0 Click here for game story
Seward 14 Skyview 0
Soldotna 33 Homer 0

Bartlett Takes Over #1 in Alaska Big School High School Football Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

After a wild Week 1 that saw both of the pre-season #1 teams in Alaska lose, everyone is wondering what Week 2 will bring?

The one thing we know is that there's a new #1 in both of the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network high school poll. Barlett moves-up from #2 to take over the top spot in Big Schools, while Kenai leaps from #3 to #1 in Small Schools.

Check-out the new polls...

Big Schools

1. Bartlett (1-0)
2. Colony (1-0)
3. Service (1-0)
4. Juneau-Douglas (1-0)
5. Chugiak (1-0)

Small Schools

1. Kenai (1-0)
2. Eielson (1-0)
3. Kodiak (1-0)
4. Soldotna (0-1)
5. Homer (1-0)

To look ahead to the Week 2 games, click here to go to the Alaska High School Football Huddle.

Soldotna's 29-Game Win Streak Comes to an End on Opening Weekend of Football in Alaska

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

When it comes to the longest win streaks in Alaska football history, the Anchorage West Eagles has had something to say about them.

On Saturday, West beat Soldotna 34-21 to snap the three-time defending Small Schools champ's 29-game win streak. The loss leaves the Stars tied with Anchorage East for the long win streak in state football history. Back in 1988, it was West that ended East's 29-game streak.

Click here to read how West stormed back from a 14-0 deficit.

The opening week of action also saw the #1 pre-season Big Schools team lose. North Pole lost to Colony 17-7.

Alaska High School Football Scores
Saturday, August 8, 2009

Colony 17 North Pole 7 Click here for game story
Eagle River 57 Houston 0 Click here for game story
Eielson 35, Seward 0 Click here for game story
Juneau-Douglas 41 West Valley 0 Click here for game story
Kodiak 21 Barrow 7
Monroe 42, Delta 0 Click here for game story
Palmer 25 Dimond 22
Service 18, South 15 Click here for game story
Sitka 20 Thunder Mountain 6 Click here for game story
Skyview 55 Valdez 8
West 34, Soldotna 21

Alaska HIgh School Football Scoreboard - Week 1

Alaska High School Football Scores
Friday, August 7, 2009

Four games, four shutouts as the 2009 high school football season kicked-off in Alaska. Below are the scores with game stories. 11 games are on the schedule today.

Bartlett 39 Wasilla 0 Click here for game story
Chugiak 37 Anchorage East 0 Click here for game story
Homer 27 Nikiski 0
Kenai 47 Lathrop 0 Click here for game story

High School Football Officially Arrives This Weekend in Alaska

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle
They begin playing for real up north tonight as Alaska kicks-off the 2009 high school football season with three games on tonight's schedule and twelve tomorrow.

For those of you that don't know much about football in America's 49th state, there are 31 schools that battle during an eight-week regular season in two classifications...Big Schools and Small Schools Divisions. A three week post-season leads to two champions taking home the First National Bowl trophies from Anchorage Football Stadium.

History may be made tomorrow when three-time defending Small Schools champ Soldotna faces Anchorage West. The Stars will be looking for their 30th straight win, which will set a new record for consecutive wins.

Service is the defending Big Schools champ.

The Anchorage Daily News has a nice preview of all of the Anchorage-area teams. Click here to read the opening night story.

Here are some other team previews:

Delta Junction
Lathrop
Monroe Catholic
Thunder Mountain

For more on high school football in Alaska, click here to go to the Alaska High School Football Huddle.

Friday Games
Lathrop at Kenai, 6:30 p.m.
Nikiski at Homer, 6:30 p.m.
Chugiak at East, 7 p.m., Anchorage Football Stadium

Saturday's Games
Bartlett at Wasilla
Thunder Mountain at Sitka
Delta at Monroe
Valdez at Skyview
Eielson at Seward
Houston at Eagle River
Service at South
Soldotna vs. West
North Pole at Colony
Dimond at Palmer
Kodiak at Barrow
West Valley at Juneau

Opening Day in Alaska & Tennessee

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

High school football practice officially began in Alaska and Tennessee this morning and there certainly was a contrast in temperatures for two-a-days...Knoxville was in the mid 80's; Anchorage in the mid 60's.

It was the first day with new heat policy instituted by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association that limits the amount of exposure to high heat indexes. Coaches are required to take players off of the field if the heat index reaches 95 degrees. Click here to read more about the policy from the Tennessean.

All eyes will be on Alcoa that will be going after it's sixth straight state title this fall. Click here to read a story about a quarterback logjam from the Knoxville News.



Here's the 2008 Tennessee high school football champs:

5A- Oakland
4A- Hillsboro
3A- Knoxville Catholic
2A- Alcoa
1A- Troudsdale County
Division II A- Davidson Academy
Division II AA- MUS

Click here for preview capsules from the Nashville area.

Up north, Soldotna will be looking for its fourth straight Alaska Small Schools championship. The Stars can also set a new state record for consecutive victories with a win in the season opener. Soldotna has won 29 straight.

Service is the Big Schools defending champ.