Big 3rd helps Palmer grab 1st win of season

PALMER — The Palmer Moose finally had the chance to celebrate a victory Friday night.

Following three brutal weeks of nonconference play, Palmer opened its Northern Lights Conference slate with a 35-18 win at Kodiak.

After trailing at halftime, Palmer used a 20-point third quarter to help the Moose improve to 1-3 overall and 1-0 in NLC play. The Palmer special teams recovered a pair of onside kicks during the third that led to touchdowns. Larry Cutsforth scored both of his touchdowns in the third. Nick DeBach added one of his two scores during the quarter.

Palmer finished with 388 yards on the ground during the win, including a career-high 156 yards for both Cutsforth and DeBacuh. Cutsforth rushed for his 156 on 26 carries. DeBach needed only 16 carries to hit that total.

Jeff Glynn added a 50-yard touchdown run in the win.

DeBach opened the scoring for the Moose with a 3-yard run late in the first. DeBach also ran in the two-point conversation to give the Moose the 8-0 lead.

After Kodiak took a 12-8 lead into halftime, Cutsforth scored twice in just more than a 90-second span to push Palmer ahead. All three of Palmer’s third-quarter scores came within three minutes.

Palmer, in is second years a medium-schools program in the NLC, started its 2016 season with games against East Anchorage, Bartlett and Colony, three teams that advanced to the large-schools playoffs last year.

MOOSE 35, BEARS 18

Palmer 8 0 20 7 — 35

Kodiak 0 12 6 0 — 18

First quarter:

Pal — DeBach 3 run (DeBach run), 1:12

Second quarter:

Kod — Finley 13 pass from Carros (pass failed), 9:37

Kod — Carros 8 run (run failed), :29

Third quarter:

Pal — Cusforth 4 run (Cusforth kick), 7:18

Pal — Cusforth 5 run (kick failed), 6:35

Pal — DeBach 1 run (Cusforth kick), 4:23

Kod — Carros 1 run (pass failed), :28

Fourth quarter:

Pal — Glynn 50 run (Cusforth kick), 3:42

Individual Statistics:

Rushing: Palmer — Cusforth 26-156, Glynn 5-37, DeBach 16-156, Witz 4-32, Southwick 2-(-9), Oviok 2-13, Bruesch 1-3. Kodiak — Miranda 5-8, Carros 16-82, Galindez 3-8, Finley 2-13.

Passing: Palmer — Southwick 1-3-1 — 4. Kodiak — Carros 15-28-2 — 195.

Receiving: Palmer — Witz 1-4. Kodiak — Miranda 2-72, Finley 3-42, Walker 1-16, Galindez 3-16, Walton 3-23, Francisco 3 26.