FANTASTIC FUN

WASILLA — Yes, Hank Williams Jr., the Mat-Su Valley is ready for some football.

Sunday’s debut of the Arctic Predators, the Valley’s first locally based professional sports franchise, was a howling hit with area fans.

The latest addition to the 13-team American Indoor Football Association, the Predators had 1,193 fans whooping, hollering and doing a little head-scratching during what was for many their first indoor football experience. Although the Predators lost 52-21 to the Yakima (Wash.) Valley Warriors, there weren’t many in the vocal crowd disappointed.

“I’ve watched (indoor football) on TV a couple of times, but it’s pretty cool being here,” said Randy Brown. “And, it’s entertaining. We’ll come back. The game’s been pretty exciting and surprising.”

Following a 64-12 road loss in the franchise’s first game to the San Jose Wolves, the home team came out firing on Sunday, taking a 21-17 lead into the halftime break.

“They look good this week,” Brown said. “For the first home game of the season, this isn’t bad. It’s a lot more exciting than I expected. We would buy another ticket, definitely.”

Fans at Sicily’s Field at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center needed a few minutes to get used to indoor football. Played on a 50-yard field with padded boards, the game is more like hockey meets 8-man high school football than what most fans are used to watching on television.

Mike and Edith Schutten of Palmer are huge Green Bay Packers fans and didn’t know what to expect from their first indoor football game.

“I’ve heard about it being in Anchorage, but by the time I’d go there and come home, it’d be too late (to attend games there),” Mike said. “When I heard we had a team here, I figured I’d come. It’s a first-time experience.”

After a pregame performance from Unite the North, an Alaska hip-hop quartet, the crowd was quiet for about the first half of the first quarter adjusting to indoor football rules, like coaches being on the field during play, eight players per team on the field instead of 11 and no punting.

After Yakima took the first lead with a touchdown with 9:28 remaining in the opening quarter, the crowd came to life when quarterback Damion Ward connected with Andre Velazquez on a 45-yard touchdown bomb to tie the score 7-7. Three minutes later, lineman Ron Jackson had the Menard roaring when he sacked the Yakima quarterback, stripped the ball and returned the fumble into the end zone. Although the play was called back on a facemask penalty, the fans were hooked. The home team took their first lead 21-17 at the end of the half when Victor Smith made a juggling catch and ran for a touchdown.

By then, the crowd had also picked up on the team’s signature cheer, a wolf-like howl, although Brown thinks public address announcer Eddie Maxwell needs a little work on his.

“That announcer needs to learn how to howl,” Brown said of Maxwell’s “yip-yip” intro to get the crowd howling. “To tell the truth, I’m used to watching the NFL all the time, but this ain’t bad. The no punting is pretty cool. I like that.”

For Stephen and Tari Jacobson of Wasilla, the game was a family outing made more enjoyable with popcorn and soft pretzels with cheese.

Tari called the product on the field “weeble-wobble” football and Stephen wanted to experience the speed of indoor football, which often sees teams score 50 or 60 points or more.

“I’ve heard they’re really fast,” he said of the Predators. “They have two of the fastest players in the league, so I thought I’d check it out. It’s an afternoon family day.”

But for Haley Smith, the game-day eats were the attraction. The 14-year-old admitted, “I like the outdoor football better. This is kinda weird.”

Mike Schutten said that as a football fan, the indoor game isn’t what he expected, but that Sunday’s home opener was an entertaining experience.

“Well, football really belongs on the grass, and if it’s raining, in the mud,” he said.

“But we like it,” added wife Edith. “It’s not better than the Packers, but it’s entertaining. It’s a lot like miniature golf, but with a football.”

With the Arctic Predators cheerleaders egging the crowd on and throwing tiny footballs and the team’s mascot Marv, a large gray wolf, the idea for many was to embrace the team as a part of the Valley, said Kim Lords of Palmer, who was one of Sunday’s loudest howlers.

“We’re rooting for our guys, man,” she said. “That’s all there is to it. Got to give them that spirit so they can see we have spirit for them. We want to see them win. … I love it. We know coach (Hans) Deemer and we’re Valley people who’ve lived here all our lives, and we just totally love this game.”

There are still plenty of kinks to be ironed out as the Arctic Predators continue with their 14-game season. The field turf was bought used from a defunct franchise and still bears logos of the Stockton (Calif.) Lightning, and the halftime entertainment consisted of a kids’ shoe hunt, wheelbarrow races and two guys hitting soccer balls down the field with golf clubs.

By the team’s next home game, which kicks off April 10 at 6:30 p.m., Lords is certain the Predators will record their first home win for Valley fans.

“They are good — they’re great — and I want to see them every game to see how they improve and get better,” she said. “Oh yeah, it’s definitely worth the ticket.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.