After falling short in 2012, Knights have eye on postseason

PALMER — The Colony Knights have some unfinished business.

Last year, the Knights spent October watching football after seeing their season come to an end thanks to a set of tiebreakers. The Knights finished in a three-way tie at 3-3 alongside Juneau-Douglas and West Valley. Point differential involving the tied teams gave the Crimson Bears and Wolfpack the final two Railbelt Conference playoff berths.

This year, Colony head coach Brian McIntosh said the Knights are determined to not let a tiebreaker decide their fate.

“We definitely understand the value of points,” McIntosh said after his team’s practice on Monday. “A point here, a point there makes a difference. All through the offseason, through two-a-days, we’ve said, every inch, every point makes a difference. The seniors really know that, the returning starters know that.”

Colony returns plenty of players who still remember the feeling of being left out of the playoffs. Ten starters on offense return and three defensive starters are also back.

Record-breaking receivers Antonio Bush and Daniel Bilafer are among the veterans back for another season. Bush and Bilafer each broke school records during their junior season and combined to form the best pass catching duo in Alaska history. Bush and Bilafer caught a combined 107 passes in 2012, the most ever by teammates in a single season in the 49th state.

Bilafer caught a school-record 61 passes in 2012, second-highest in state history. He finished nine grabs short of former Service receiver Alan Busey, who caught 70 passes in 2011.

Bush hauled in 56 catches for a school-record 851 yards. Bush’s 56 catches are fifth best in state history, according to unofficial records. Bush and Bilafer also combined to catch 17 touchdowns.

McIntosh said Bush and Bilafer present the best pair of receivers he’s ever seen.

“I haven’t seen it anywhere else,” McIntosh said. “There’s always been a clear No. 1. We call them 1A and 1B.”

But McIntosh said people should not forget about Colony’s third receiver, senior Jacob Hall, who finished with 22 catches for 291 yards and a score last year.

“Jacob is a close 1C,” McIntosh said. “Jacob, nobody really knows about him. He’s been doing great. He was clutch for us last year.”

The Knights graduated starting quarterback Rob Lorentz, who threw for a school-record 1,977 yards passing. He capped his career with 530 yards passing against North Pole in Week 8 of the 2012 season.

It marked the second most passing yards by any Alaska quarterback in a single game in state history.

With the loss of Lorentz, the Knights will look to senior Bryce Niver, who played running back and backup quarterback for the Knights last year. Despite not starting in every game, Niver still managed to run for a team-high 525 yards and five touchdowns.

“He’s not a prototypical drop-back quarterback like Rob, but he’s a lot more mobile,” McIntosh said of Niver.

McIntosh said Niver will have to adjust to the position, but the Knights are excited about his potential as their starting quarterback.

Niver will have five veterans blocking for him up front. Senior Ian MacKenzie, a Colony wrestling standout, moves in to anchor the line at center, replacing graduating center Brandon Maniaci. But everyone else on the line has experience as a starter. All-conference tackle D.J. Mutini will make the move from tackle to guard. He’ll line up next to right tackle Justin Booth, a returning starter. Tobie Zook and Mike Haire will line up on the left side.

McIntosh said the Knights are excited about Logan Conway, who has earned a spot in the CHS backfield. Colony also has senior Ryan Ertz, who carried the ball 34 times last season.

On defense, the Knights will line up with the 3-5 formation to take advantage of the team’s depth at linebacker. Leading the charge on defense is senior linebacker Myles Cullenberg and junior middle linebacker Zach Doan, McIntosh said.

Senior defensive lineman Mikeael Anderson and senior defensive back Tyler Harvey are also expected to help lead the CHS defense.

The Knights have a demanding 2013 schedule. Their first two opponents played in a state championship game last year. Colony opens the season Friday in Anchorage against large-schools state runner-up Service and travels to face medium-schools state champion Soldotna in Week 2.

“I think we have one of the toughest schedules, if not the toughest, in Alaska,” McIntosh said. “But we look forward to the competition.”

Colony opens Railblet Conference play against Wasilla in Week 3.

See the Friday edition of the Frontiersman for the Palmer Moose season preview, and visit frontiersman.com/sports for stories previewing the Wasilla Warriors and Houston Hawks.

Head coach: Brian McIntosh

2012 finish: 5-3 (3-3 in Railbelt)

Key returners: Antonio Bush, Sr., WR; Daniel Bilafer, Sr., WR; Bryce Niver, Sr., QB; DJ Mutini, Sr., OL/DL; Myles Cullenberg, Sr., LB

Key losses: Rob Lorentz, QB; Austin Rench, LB; Sam Talliai, OL/DL; Ken McCoy, DB.