Golden Bears edge Warriors in football quarterfinals

WASILLA — Regardless of the outcome Friday, the Wasilla Warriors were ready to push the envelope.

The Warriors were aggressive and active along the defensive front and creative on offense. For the most part, the formula worked. But the Warriors fell just short.

Bartlett edged Wasilla 31-29 during the quarterfinal round of the ASAA large schools state playoffs at Veterans Memorial Field.

“We threw everything we had at them,” Wasilla head coach Kent Rilatos said. “Everything was there for us to win the game. We did everything to win the game.”

Bartlett’s Jay Tito returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown and quarterback Tala Sappa scored on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to push the Bears into the semifinals, where they will face South Anchorage.

The scores, less than five minutes apart, gave Bartlett the nine-point lead, but an advantage that was far from safe.

“Our kids have zero quit in them,” Rilatos said. “I don’t know of any games where there was any quit.”

On the kickoff following the Tito score, Wasilla’s super sophomore Mosiah Renk returned the ball 70 yards to the Bartlett 22-yard line. Three plays later, Renk hauled in a 17-yard scoring pass, his second touchdown catch of the day. The Renk touchdown and a Carson Reed extra point cut Bartlett’s lead to 31-29.

The long kickoff return and the late touchdown catch were part of a remarkable night for Renk, who was recently named the Railbelt Conference Utility Player of the Year. Renk finished with a career-high 127 yards receiving, 59 yards rushing and two touchdown catches.

Early in the fourth quarter, with the Warriors trailing, senior quarterback Blake Marks flipped a short pass to the left side of the field. Renk caught the ball, hit the sideline and raced 70 yards for the score. Renk also had a key special teams play in the second quarter. With the Warriors trailing 13-7 and facing 4th down, Wasilla opted for a fake punt. Renk, lined up in the backfield, took the short snap and rumbled 46 yards down the field. That helped set up senior Zack Garnett’s 13-yard touchdown run on the next play.

The Garnett touchdown gave Wasilla the 14-13 halftime lead.

“He’s going to be a special young man,” Rilatos said of Renk.

Marks threw for a career-high 190 yards and three touchdowns in the loss, after coming into the game with only 288 yards passing and four touchdowns through the first eight games of the season. In addition to the pair of touchdown passes caught by Renk, Marks also connected with senior Layne Morrison on a 31-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.

The Morrison catch gave Wasilla the 7-0 lead.

Rilatos said the ability of Marks and the potential of Wasilla passing the game has been there, but the rushing attack has been central to the game plan.

“Blake is a capable quarterback. We could have went to the air a little more, but our strength is in the run,” Rilatos said.

Rilatos said the Warriors wanted to use the pass to help with its run game Friday. When Bartlett brought its safety down to play the run, Marks and Morrison capitalized on a one-on-one situation on the left side of the field.

“We wanted to try to loosen it up with the pass,” Rilatos said of the Bartlett defense.

Rilatos praised his defense, his front line in particular. Bartlett’s standout running back Ethan Falaniko finished with a game-high 154 yards rushing. But Falaniko was held to only 31 in the first half.

Wasilla ended its season 6-3 with the loss.

“It was a great year for Wasilla football. We set the bar high. The juniors and sophomores have to understand where it’s at and surpass it,” Rilatos said.

Bartlett 31, Wasilla 29

Large schools quarterfinals

Friday, Wasilla High

First quarter:

Wasilla — Morrison 31 pass from Marks (Reed kick) 2:11.

Bartlett — Sappa 1 run (Carey kick) 0:45.

Second quarter:

Bartlett — Falaniko 2 run (kick failed) 5:32.

Wasilla — Garnett 13 run (Reed kick) 1:16.

Third quarter:

Bartlett — Pace 42 pass from Sappa (run failed) 4:50.

Fourth quarter:

Wasilla — Renk 70 pass from Marks (Renk pass from Marks) 9:16.

Bartlett — Sappa 1 run (kick failed) 6:12.

Bartlett — Tito 30 interception return (kick blocked) 1:36.

Wasilla — Renk 17 pass from Marks (Reed kick) 1:06.

INVDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — Bartlett: Falaniko 31-154, Pace 8-23, Sappa 7-(-17), Malletufa-Lauofo 3-16, Atafuo 1-0; Wasilla: Otto 19-42, Renk 8-59, Garnett 6-49, Marks 5- (-3).

PASSING — Bartlett: Sappa 2-9-0—57; Wasilla: Marks 9-18-2—190.

RECEIVING — Bartlett: Pace 1-42, Atafuo 1-15; Wasilla: Renk 5-127, Garnett 3-42, Morrison 1-31.