Field goal lifts Hawks

KODIAK — Ryan Contreras was in unfamiliar territory on Friday afternoon.

Sure, the senior kicker has attempted countless extra points during his career at Houston High School, but the field goal has seldom been a part of the Houston game plan — especially with the game on the line.

But on Friday, the Hawks used a Contreras field goal — his first of the season — to grab a 10-7 win over the two-time small-school state runner-up Kodiak Bears at Kodiak High School.

Contreras, who chipped in a 22-yard field goal with seven seconds left in regulation on the sloppy turf of Joe Floyd Field to give the Hawks the win, was surprised to get the opportunity to win the game with his leg.

“Usually we run the ball when we’re that close,” Contreras said by phone as the Hawks returned to the Valley from Kodiak on Saturday.

After the Houston offense drove the ball deep into Kodiak territory during the final minutes of the game, Houston head coach Norm Bouchard found himself in a quandary.

With the Hawks facing 3rd-and-goal at the 7-yard line, should Houston go for the end zone or try for the kick?

“We haven’t done a lot of field goal kicking, and I was pondering going for the touchdown,” Bouchard said.

The Hawks had time for one more play, but Bouchard said he was concerned about being stopped before the goal line and the time running out.

So Bouchard and the Hawks opted to send the 5-foot-6, 150-pound kicker onto the field.

Bouchard said senior long snapper Randy Shaffer made a perfect snap and senior quarterback Jordan Webb got down the hold to allow Contreras to nail the kick.

“The snap was good, the hold was good, the line blocked great and (Contreras) drilled it,” Bouchard said.

Senior Bryan Mason intercepted a pass at midfield with 3:43 left in regulation to set up the game-winning drive.

Mason, senior Kyle Sumner and senior Anthony Origer all had catches on the final drive to help the Hawks move down the field.

Mason’s catch put the Hawks on the 7-yard line and after two incomplete passes, the Hawks went for the field goal.

Mason also caught the game-tying touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter for the Hawks. Mason’s 6-yard scoring grab and Contreras’ extra point locked the game at 7-7.

Webb led the Hawks with 120 yards passing and the touchdown in the win. Mason grabbed six catches for 69 yards and the score.

Kodiak’s Gary Anthony gave the Bears the early lead, scoring from 52 yards out 40 seconds into regulation, but that touchdown run would be Kodiak’s lone score in the game and account for much of the Bears’ offense.

After the touchdown run, Anthony was held to zero yards on 10 carries.

Bouchard said the Hawks made adjustments after the long Kodiak scoring run which proved to be a difference in the win.

“We didn’t let them get between the tackles,” Bouchard said. “We really stuffed that area.”

With the win, Houston knocked off Kodiak team that spent much of the season ranked in the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network Prep Football Poll. The Bears have also played in the last two state title games, and have been seen as a team that could realistically make a third straight appearance in the final game.

“This is one of the biggest wins in the history of the Houston program,” Bouchard said.

The Houston victory, combined with Soldotna’s 50-0 win over Kenai on Saturday, created a three-way tie for second place in the Northern Lights Conference standings.

With Houston, Kodiak and Kenai all tied at 4-2 a coin flip settled the seeding. Houston was the odd team out in the coin flip and is the fourth seed. Kodiak earned the second seed via the head-to-head tiebreaker. Kodiak beat Kenai earlier this season.

With the fourth-seed, Houston will now travel to Barrow to face the Greatland champion Whalers in the first round of the small-schools playoffs.

Bouchard said he couldn’t exactly use the term “excited” to describe the feeling of having to travel north of the Arctic Circle for the playoff game, but the Hawks are certainly excited to be in the postseason.

“We’ll go up there, play hard and hopefully come away with a victory,” Bouchard said.

The date and time of the game is expected to be announced Monday by ASAA.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Houston 10, Kodiak 7

Friday, Kodiak High School

First quarter

Kodiak — Anthony 52 run (Terrell kick) 11:20.

Fourth quarter

Houston — Mason 6 pass from Webb (Contreras kick) 11:54.

Houston — Contreras 22 field goal 00:07.

Individual statistics:

RUSHING — Houston: Sumner 18-48, Origer 9-18, Webb 3-10, Stinson 1-(-2); Kodiak: Anthony 11-52, Antonio 6-8, Lepola 6-8, Bailor 2-6, Watkins 2-0, Woodell 1-15, Matautia 1-6.

PASSING — Houston: Webb 12-33-1—120; Kodiak: Lepola 3-13-1—15, Bailor 3-3-0—3, Matauita 1-2-1—7.

RECEIVING — Houston: Mason 6-69, Origer 3-21, Sumner 2-19, Munoz 1-9.