Hawks approach Week 2 with playoff mindset

HOUSTON — Heading into the second week of the season is not always the right time to start thinking playoffs. But as the Houston Hawks prepare to meet five Northern Lights Conference opponents over the next seven weeks, the Hawks will have to think playoffs when they open their NLC schedule tonight against the Skyview Panthers in Soldotna.

“It’s huge. It’s a must win,” Houston head coach Glenn Nelson said of tonight’s game, scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. “I think it has playoff implications even though it’s our first conference game. It’s been something of a given that Soldotna and Kenai get in. There’s pretty good competition between Houston, Homer, Kodiak and Skyview.”

Nelson said the Houston coaches have spent the week emphasizing the importance of the game. A win over Skyview would also give the Hawks an early season winning streak. Houston opened the season with a 47-0 win over Seward last week.

The win and a fresh look for the Hawks has his players excited, he said. Houston has spent the week practicing on the school’s new turf field. The Hawks are also sporting new helmets and uniforms.

“Look good, feel good, play good,” Nelson said.

The number of players on the roster has also spiked. Houston took the field with 31 players for its first day of practice about three weeks ago. Nelson said Thursday the team is pushing 50.

Skyview also opened its season with a victory, earning a 42-0 win over Valdez last Saturday. Like Houston, Skyview is led by a first-year head coach. Chris Finley is the team’s new bench boss.

Brandon Rice topped 200 all-purpose years and scored twice to lead the Panthers to a win over Valdez.

Nelson said the Hawks haven’t seen any film of the Panthers and know little about what Skyview will bring to the field tonight. The Panthers ran a spread offense under former head coach Eric Parmeleau. But Nelson said he’s been told Skyview is working in the I formation this season.

“We’re not sure what to expect. But we’re just practicing our defense,” Nelson said. “We’re not running any scout offense during practice. We run our ‘D’ against their ‘D’.”

Houston pilled up 466 yards of total offense, 361, on the ground in Week 1, but Nelson said the Hawks still have plenty to work at on the offensive side of the ball.

“We weren’t able to get our inside run game going,” Nelson said.

The Hawks have been without center Doug Hepler, and all-conference selection last year.

Senior Waylon Soptick ran for a career-high 264 yards, and Houston rushed for four touchdowns last week. But Nelson said he’d like to do more damage to the interior of opposing defenses.

Senior quarterback Nai Saechao finishd 6 of 7 for 105 yards and two scores.

Houston beat Skyview 32-26 last year.

Colony at Soldotna

Colony (0-1) is also making a trip south and will face Soldotna tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Soldotna High School.

It’s the second part of a brutal two-week stretch for the Knights. Last week, Colony suffered a 52-21 loss to Service, which finished as the large-schools runner-up in 2012. Tonight’s test is to take on the defending medium-schools champion. Soldotna (1-0) opened the season with a 55-19 win over Eielson, Alaska’s defending small-schools champ.

“We wouldn’t want it any other way. We want to play the toughest teams,” Colony head coach Brian McIntosh said prior to the Service game.

Colony did have some success against the Cougars. The Knights jumped out to a 7-0 lead, and Colony senior quarterback Bryce Niver finished with more than 200 yards of total offense.

Niver threw for 174 and ran for 60. Senior Daniel Bilafer caught five balls for 96 yards and a score. Senior Antonio Bush had four catches for 42 yards and two touchdowns.

Soldotna’s quarterback, Colton Young, also had a big day in Week 1. Young finished with 168 yards rushing and 80 passing, and Soldotna topped the 550-yard mark in total offense.

Palmer at West Valley

Palmer opens its Railbelt Conference season tonight against the West Valley Wolfpack in Fairbanks.

Palmer (1-0) scored a 21-15 nonconference win over Bartlett last week. Senior James Nisbett led the Moose with 138 yards and a touchdown. Seniors Zeth Merritt and Ben Aumavae also rushed for scores.

Palmer, the defending conference champion, has not lost a regular season game since 2011. West Valley opened its season with a 17-6 nonconference loss to Chugiak.

Quarterback Charles Suddeth threw a touchdown pass during the final seconds of the game to put the Wolfpack on the scoreboard.

West Valley is led this year by first-year head coach Kyle Allison, a former Wolfpack player and assistant coach.

Kenai at Wasilla

Wasilla hosts the lone game in the Valley, welcoming Kenai to town. The Warriors meet the Kardinals tonight at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Field.

Senior Cash McGregor enjoyed a career day last week while leading the Warriors to a 24-14 win over West Anchorage. McGregor picked off five West passes. He also ran for 60 yards and a score.

But Kenai also had its own player enjoying a career afternoon. Running back Jace Daniels ran for an unofficial state record 480 yards during a 51-16 win over Nikiski. Limited state records indicate the previous best may have come in 1997 when Service’s Dominique Maddox rushed for 395 yards against Dimond.

Daniels also scored seven times during the victory.