‘Best cheering section in Alaska’ helps propel Chugiak to final four

The AC/DC classic “Back in Black” blasted from the loudspeakers at Tom Huffer, Sr. Football Stadium at Chugiak High School during the Oct. 6 state quarterfinal game against the Service Cougars. The Mustang fan base that was packed into the bleachers responded within the first measure, rising dutifully, spontaneously and enthusiastically to their feet clapping their hands, dancing to the rhythm and singing as loud as their voices could produce in the crisp fall air.

Young and old, students from elementary grades to high school, their parents and their grandparents all chanted the lyrics in unison as the chorus of the song plays, “Cause I'm back. Yes I'm back. Well I'm back. Yes I'm back. Well I'm back. Well I'm back in black. Yes I'm back in black.”

Indeed, they were glad – glad to be back in the stands one year later cheering on their gridiron boys hoping and praying that 2017 would not be a repeat of last year when the Cougars beat the Mustangs.

By the time the folks in the announcer’s booth queued up the iconic rock song in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs hopes of reaching the state quarterfinals with a 63-27 advantage on the scoreboard.

With less than two minutes left to play and a 36-point spread, the announcer said, “it looks like the Mustangs about have this one sewed up.”

It prompted another round of exuberant chanting and cheers from the devoted faithful still pounding their feet on the bleachers as Queen’s sportsiest chorus, “we will, we will, rock you,” came across the loudspeaker.

Friday night’s game featured plenty of fancy footwork on the part of the stars of the show – the football players – with 182 total rushing yards spread between seven players and Hunter Harr, CHS quarterback, going for another 158 through the air.

But there were plenty of other Mustangs traditions playing out Friday night along the fence that circles the track and separates the crowd from the action on the football turf, in the stands where the fans and the school’s band members take their rightful place and on the track itself where the cheerleaders also worked up a sweat doing more than 300 push-ups combined to honor the each and every Mustang point accumulated.

Mustangs football tradition dictates that cheerleaders do a push-up for every point on the scoreboard when the team is ready to kick-off again after a score – whether that be a touchdown and a point after kick or a field goal.

With nine scoring drives resulting in nine touchdowns and nine point-after kicks, the cheering squad spent nearly as much time parallel to the track completing a total of 315 push-ups as they did jump up and down on it.

“We love it,” two of them shouted out in unison when asked if they were getting worn-out.

Along the perimeter fence stationed near the security gate to allow media members access along the field, Chugiak football superfans Bill Stoltze and Tom Huffer, Sr. were sure to be chatting football.

Stoltze – a CHS graduate and former long-time state legislator – nearly bleeds Mustangs colors. His tenure in the state legislature netted plenty of dollars to fund improvements at CHS. Huffer, Sr. – for whom the field is named – hasn’t missed a game in years and is on hand for most team practices. His grandson, Tyler Huffer, is on the current roster and scored a rushing touchdown in Friday night’s game.

But it was star running back Derryk Snell that was the topic of conversation between the two local community pillars.

The senior made a verbal commitment to play at Montana State University. In his fourth season as a Mustang, Snell’s play has been a major contributor to the team’s dominance of the Railbelt Conference.

“It’s been since 1996 since we have seen something like him,” Huffer, Sr., said.

“Yep, he sure is something” Stoltze said.

The two exchanged reminiscences of past players, where they are now and how the CHS winning column was not as full in their glory days when Stoltze was a student and Huffer, Sr., was head coach from 1969 to 1990.

When asked what Mustangs tradition he liked best, Stoltze was quick to say, “I like this new one: Winning,” as he pointed to the scoreboard that was displaying 42-27 at the half. “We didn’t win much when I was in high school.”

Winning was much on the minds of everyone in Mustangs blue and black.

A line from the first verse of, “Back in Black,” summed it up: “Let loose from the noose that’s kept me hanging about

Even the band members – juggling instruments and music stands – were on their feet for each salute.

Dale Bazan, CHS band director, kept his students playing through the first half despite chilly temperatures. Their sound was loud and clear with plenty of pep songs featuring the traditional, “Go, Fight, Win.”.

He kept one eye on the action on the field watching for appropriate times for his students to chime in with a few measures as well as spots during which longer segments would work.

“At this school, it is about all of the students and having the band members here gives them a connection to school spirit,” he said. “It helps them feel good about being part of the school community.”

Late in the fourth quarter, a yellow penalty flag and a huddle by the officials on the field prompt humor from the folks in the announcer’s booth again as the game show Jeopardy theme song is played from the loudspeakers on the CHS side of the field.

CHS Seniors DJ Davis, Ian Ekmann and Ryan Lebo cannot resist. The three are humming the tune as loud as possible and swaying back and forth in their seats raising their hands in a questioning manner and laughing.

Davis – a swimmer – is there to support his buddies on the football team that come out to his swim meets to support him.

He readily joins in with the rest of the crowd to slightly taunt the Service Cougars fans with the words, “You wish you were a Mustang.”

Despite the ardent support for the black and blue, school officials say they are proudest that Mustangs supporters show true school spirit.

He’s been at CHS for 20 years and Rodney Wild, hockey coach who was on hand for Friday night’s game along with many other school teachers and staff to monitor the night’s event, said it would be difficult for him to recall too many incidents in which the fan base and or students became unruly at a game.

“Seldom do we have reports of stupid behavior or mischief,” Wild said.

Friday night was the final home game for the 2017 season for the CHS Mustangs Boys Football team. Advancement in the play-offs means future games are played at the Anchorage Football Stadium in midtown. Chugiak plays Bartlett High School at 7 p.m. on Oct. 13.

Editor’s Note: The Service High School cheerleaders complete jumping jacks to honor Cougars points on the scoreboard. Amy Armstrong is a longtime Eagle River resident and freelance writer.