Hawks blank Seward, win 5th straight

WASILLA — If Houston head coach Glenn Nelson had any concerns following his team’s big 22-20 win at Ketchikan last week, it was the fear of an emotional let down when the Hawks took the field in Seward.

Nelson’s Hawks started slow, but used 26 second-half points to storm past Seward 38-0 Friday in Seward.

“The kids realized Seward came to play,” Nelson said by cell phone late Friday night.

The Seahawks gave Houston a scare early, Nelson said, marching more than 70 yards on their opening drive of the game. Houston needed a defensive stand, and the Hawks stopped the Seahawks inside the 1-yard line.

“The defense finally stiffened up,” Nelson said.

Nelson said after holding a 12-0 lead at the half, the Hawks made adjustments before the third quarter.

“We finally realized what we had to do,” Nelson said.

Houston pushed the tempo on offense during the final two quarters, he said.

“At halftime, we went to a hurry-up. They were shorthanded,” Nelson said.

Apete Sasiu led Houston with a pair of touchdowns in the win.

Last week, Houston beat a previously undefeated Ketchikan team, which is in its first season at the Division III level after dropping from Division II.

Houston improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Peninsula Conference. The Hawks have outscored opponents 186-88, and have allowed only 46 total points during their five-game winning streak. Houston can win the Peninsula Conference title with a win over Nikiski next week at Houston High. The Hawks can still finish anywhere from first to out of the playoff hunt, depending on the outcome of the Nikiski game, which is also Houston’s homecoming. A Nikiski win combined with a Ketchikan win over Seward would leave Houston, Nikiski and Ketchikan all tied at 3-1.

Nelson said the Hawks have not spent time worry about those scenarios.

“We’re preaching one game at a time,” Nelson said.

But Nelson said the Hawks know exactly how important every game is.

“Small schools, you can’t lose a game,” Nelson said. “Every game we treat the same.”

Houston also had to alter its game plan for the week. The Hawks were originally scheduled to play Seward Saturday afternoon. The game was moved to Friday at 4:30 p.m. because a shortage of available referees on Saturday, Nelson said. But the Hawks were not notified until early in the week. Houston made the trip to Seward a day earlier than expected.

Seward dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in conference play.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.