Houston building, Kenai and Soldotna regressing

J's World, by Jeremiah Bartz

I would like to take time to commend Houston and condemn the schools from the Kenai Peninsula such as Kenai and Soldotna.

The three schools are a part the state's 3A state football class.

Two years ago, when the Alaska Schools Activities Association opted to reformat the states' football conferences, a group of Kenai Peninsula schools decided to make the giant plunge into the 3A ranks for reasons that do not make sense to the sports writer.

Each school has a myriad of excuses why they decided to take the dive into the small-school class. Most of the arguments surround their lack of numbers in the student body.

Each school does have a limited number of students in attendance. The average is currently about 300 people, which is the same size as Eielson High. The difference is Eielson remained in the 4A ranks.

Kenai and Soldotna have always had a quality football program in the State of Alaska. There was a time when the schools had some of the better teams in the state and were among the elite schools in the 4A class. Now they have taken a dive.

These schools have taken it upon themselves to take the easy road and stock their schedule full of programs that, in many cases have just begun. They play teams like Seward, Ketchikan, Kodiak and Sitka. Soldotna's senior class has more playing experience than all of these teams combined.

Houston on the other hand is making an attempt to play quality competition. They have Lathrop and Wasilla on their schedule. Houston may have been beaten in both contests, but they are a better team because of it.

The fact that infuriates me the most is that Soldotna and Kenai are matching their varsity program against Anchorage junior varsity teams. This is rediculous!

Kenai defeated the Service JV 75-0 this season. I am so impressed that Kenai can beat a bunch of freshman and sophomores 75-0. Wow, they must be a power.

75-0? They should have just ended the game when Kenai hit 30 points. Why did they need to run up the score anyway. Do they have self-esteem issues that need to be addressed?

What does this do to the Service JV? The idea of junior varsity play is for the athletes to learn and get experience, not to watch your opponent -- a team made up of upperclassman -- celebrate because they can actually score 75 points against a JV team. I think to make things fair, the Kenai JV should get to play the Service varsity. See how you like them apples Kenai.

This week Soldotna is playing the East JV. That one will be a game for the archives. I hope they don't pull a muscle celebrating when they run for triples digits in scoring.

I can not believe a team that has advanced to the state championship in the past has become satisfied with loading their schedule with junior varsity teams.

High school football in Alaska is cycular. Every team has their periods where they are up and the periods when they are down. Right now the Valley schools are at the top of their game and field some of the premiere talent in the state.

So in three years, Colony, Palmer and Wasilla may struggle. Should they take the dive into the small school ranks. Maybe because

Palmer has the smallest student body in the Valley, they should play Valdez and Ketchikan and a bunch of JV teams.

If Soldotna or Kenai ever gets tired of their current nickname, they can become the Lions, or the Cowardly Lions rather.

And if Soldotna and Kenai are ever looking for competition, I hear that the area Pop Warner teams are looking for games.

Jeremiah Bartz is the sports editor for the Frontiersman. Jeremiah can be reached at sports@frontiersman.com. All negative correspondance can be forwarded to Casey Ressler at valleylife@frontiersman.com.