All-State: 3 Valley football coaches honored by peers

PALMER — A trio of Valley coaches who helped lead a pair of local prep football teams to their respective state championship game were recognized by their peers recently.

Palmer assistant coach Tim Popowski was named the Medium Schools Assistant Coach of the Year, while Houston head coach Glenn Nelson and assistant coach Jarred Barrett earned Small Schools Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year honors. All three were honored by the Alaska Football Coaches Association during the postseason meeting last weekend in Anchorage.

Popowksi, Palmer’s offensive coordinator, helped guide the Moose to their first state championship game ever at the medium schools level, and Palmer’s first appearance in a state football final at any level since 2007. The Moose rebounded from an 0-3 start, to finish 5-2 during the final seven weeks of the 2016 season. Both losses during that stretch came to Northern Lights Conference rival Soldotna, first midway through the year and again in the medium schools state championship game Oct. 15.

Nelson and Barrett, Houston’s longtime defensive coordinator, helped the Hawks make school history in 2016, leading the team to its first appearance in a state football title game. Eielson scored a victory over the Hawks Oct. 15 to win the small schools crown.

A Houston senior also earned another major all-state award. Running back Ben Pelesasa was named the Small Schools Offensive Player of the Year.

“His ability to see the field. He’s really good at making the right decision,” Nelson said recently about Pelesasa, listing some of the attributes that allow the senior to stand out.

Pelesasa finished the season with more than 1,000 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns.

He was also one of a half-dozen Hawks to garner first-team honors, and three to earn spots on both sides of the ball. Pelesasa was also named first-team all-state at inside linebacker. Vanu Mose was named first-team at both fullback and outside linebacker. Reed Graham was named all-state at offensive guard and defensive line for the Hawks.

Tim Sasiu (offensive tackle) , Wyatt Mulhaney (outside linebacker) and Silas Ross (defensive back) were also named to the first team. Mulhaney was also named to the second team at tight end.

Redington placed a pair of players on the first team, TJ Laumatia (defensive line) and Tommy Lonh (utility player). Laumatia was also named second-team offensive tackle.

Palmer landed five players on the medium schools first team.

Seniors Nick DeBach (running back), Travis Wheeler (offensive guard), Aaron Christiansen (outside linebacker) and Austin Farris (defensive line) each earned first-team spots for the Moose. Senior Trey Witz was named second team at wide receiver, and junior Jared Oviok was named to the second team at defensive back.

The large-schools all-state team was not available prior to press time. See an upcoming edition of the Frontiersman and frontiersman.com/sports for coverage. For the complete small and medium schools lists, see frontiersman.com/sports.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Alaska Football Coaches Association All-State teams

Small schools

Offensive Player of the Year: Ben Pelesasa, Houston

Defensive Player of the Year: Taylor Benjamin, Eielson

Lineman of the Year: Chris Kilpatrick, Eielson

Coach of the Year: Glenn Nelson, Houston

Assistant Coach of the Year: Jared Barrett, Houston

First-team offense:

Quarterback — Ryan Brantley, Monroe; Running back — Antonio Griffith, Eielson; Ben Pelesasa, Houston; Fullback — Vanu Mose, Houston; Wide receiver — Travis Adams, Barrow; Dawson Felde, Homer; Tight end — Rhett Severts, Seward; Tackle — Billy Makinen, Eielson; Tim Sasiu, Houston; Guard — Reed Graham, Houston; Chris Kilpatrick, Eielson; Center — Scott Fry, Eielson

First-team defense:

Defensive line — Chris Kilpatrick, Eielson; Reed Graham, Houston; Taylor Benjamin, Eielson; TJ Laumatia, Redington; Outside linebacker — Wyatt Mulhaney, Houston; Vanu Mose, Houston; Inside linebacker — Ben Pelesasa, Houston; Billy Makinen, Eielson; Defensive back — Travis Adams, Bartlett; Jeremiah Brown, Eielson; Silas Ross, Houston.

First-team special teams:

Punter — Jordan Higgbeey, Monroe; Utility player — Tommy Lonh, Redington; Kicker — Zach Paul, Eielson;

Second-team offense:

Quarterback — Ian Johnson, Nikiski; Running back — Patrick Perry, Nikiski; Michael Wilps, Seward; Fullback — Matthew Minium, Nikiski; Wide receiver — Jordan Higgbeey, Monroe; Joe Raven, Homer; Tight end — Wyatt Mulhaney, Houston; Tackle — TJ Laumatia, Redington; Jadin Mann, Homer; Center — Kjell Nilson, Seward

Second-team defense:

Defensive line — Tim Woo, Homer; Nikit Anufriev, Vozneskenka; Sione Tuifua, Barrow; Trent Frieberg, Seward; Outside linebacker — Rhett Severts, Seward; Matthew Minium, Nikiski; Inside linebacker — Ian Johnson, Nikiski; David Sanarov, Voznesenka; Defensive back — Avnan Salzmann, Homer; Teddy Croft, Homer; Nik Pahno, Seward.

Second-team special teams:

Punter — Dia Martishev, Voznesenka; Utility — Divon Davis, Monroe; Kicker — Kyle Wells, Homer;

Medium schools

Offensive Player of the Year: Brenner Furlong, Soldotna.

Defensive Player of the Year: Wendell Tuisaula, Soldotna

Lineman of the Year: Kyle Marcuson, Soldotna

Coach of the Year: Randy Quinto, Thunder Mountain

Assistant Coach of the Year: Tim Popowski, Palmer

First-team offense:

Quarterback — Brandon Crowder, Soldotna; Running back — Nick DeBach, Palmer; Roy Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Fullback — Brenner Furlong, Soldotna; Wide receiver — Jaime Johnson, North Pole; Zack Tuttle, Kenai; Tight end — Andy West, Soldotna; Tackle — Jon Delgado, Kenai; Kyle Marcuson, Soldotna; Guard — Bryce Martin, Soldotna; Travis Wheeler, Palmer; Center — Stephen Chase, North Pole.

First-team defense:

Outside linebacker — Aaron Christiansen, Palmer; Andy West, Soldotna; Inside linebacker — Lafi Skipps, North Pole; Wendell Tuisaula, Soldotna; Garth Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Defensive back — Zach Murrah, North Pole; Rykker Riddall, Kenai; Jake Tapala, Thunder Mountain. Jace Urban, Soldotna; Defensive line — Austin Farris, Palmer; Aseli Finau, Soldotna; Kyle Marcuson, Soldotna; Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain.

First-team special teams:

Punter — Shaun Walton, Kodiak; Kicker — Franco Vidal, Thunder Mountain; Return specialist — Chase Gilles, Kenai; Long snapper — Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain; Utility player — Donavin McCurly, Juneau.

Second-team offense:

Quarterback — Craig Borba, North Pole; Running back — James Bartley, North Pole; Lance Flagatusa, Juneau; Austin Schrader, Soldotna; Fullback — Lafi Skipps, North Pole; Wide receiver — Cody Malouf, Ketchikan; Trey Witz, Palmer; Tight end — Mahina Toutaiolepo, Thunder Mountain; Tackle Jacob Breazealle, North Pole; Ivan Williams, Thunder Mountain; Guard — Garth Tupou, Thunder Mountain; Dominic Watt, Juneau; Center — Dayton Denter, Eagle River.

Second-team defense:

Outside linebacker — Dennis Rosa, North Pole; Steven Rosales, Thunder Mountain; Inside linebacker — Nick Beeson, Kenai; Nate Van Sickle, Juneau; Defensive back — John Hamrick, Juneau; Dominique Maua, Thunder Mountain; Jared Oviok, Palmer; Shaun Walton Kodiak; Defenisve line — Jordan Baeza, Eagle River; Stevie Byron, Ketchikan; Jon Delgado, Kenai; Vinny Fontana, North Pole.

Second-team special teams:

Punter — Riley Olsen, Thunder Mountain; Kicker — Zack Tuttle, Kenai; Return specialist — Donvan McCurley, Juneau; Long snapper — Alex Goodermote, Soldotna; Utility player — Avery Hieber, Kenai.