Houston senior sweeps All-Valley football awards

The 2020 prep football season was unusual for everyone in Alaska. Local teams were restricted to just intradistrict play during the regular season, and the ASAA state playoffs were canceled after the opening weekend of the postseason.

But all of the adversity did not slow down Tolupo Falaniko. The Houston High senior standout recently swept the major awards on the All-Valley football teams. Falaniko earned the offensive, defensive and player of the year awards.

The All-Valley teams included Palmer, Houston and Redington, the Valley’s Division II and Division III programs. Division I programs Colony and Wasilla will participate in the All-Chugach Conference voting.

Falaniko rushed for more than 1,000 yards on offense and scored 15 total touchdowns in only seven varsity games. The senior has the physical tools, but Houston head coach Glenn Nelson said Falaniko’s value to the program starts with the intangibles.

“It starts with his leadership,” Nelson said.

Falaniko was the leader and a voice of the team, Nelson said. Falaniko would make sure the team was ready for practice and helped with the additional protocol requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nelson said Falaniko also helped motivate the team as the Hawks prepared to play the larger programs in the Valley in intradistrict play.

On offense, Falaniko stepped into a key role in Houston’s wishbone offense after the team lost a large group of talent to graduation following its run to the first state championship in school history in 2019.

“We were a little young at running back, and he said hey coach I want to be a running back next year,” Nelson said.

Falaniko was a wide receiver in 2019.

“He showed up a few pounds heavier, a little faster and knew the playbook,” Nelson said.

The result was a stellar season with 1,032 yards on the ground and 11 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry.

“He just took off,” Nelson said.

Falaniko also made the move from cornerback to safety on defense, and excelled there also. He was among team leaders with about 10 total tackles per game.

During the seven-game season, Falaniko scored on offense, defense and special teams. He intercepted three passes, and returned one for a touchdown. He also returned a punt and a kickoff return for a score. He caught a touchdown pass, and even threw for a touchdown this season.

“He’s a great athlete,” Nelson said.

Falaniko was named first-team All-Valley at both running back and defensive back. The first team also includes Houston’s William McComish (tight end and defensive end), Kiderro Fono (offensive line and defensive line) and Ezra Fono (inside linebacker); Palmer’s Ben Simmerman (quarterback), Lucas Frank (fullback), Alex Godfrey (long snapper) and Catherine Uschmann (kicker); and Redington’s Jahzeah Williams (wide receiver and kick returner) and Dallas Mattson (outside linebacker).

The second team includes Houston’s Kalvin Kolb (fullback and outside linebacker) and Eric Preboski (wide receiver); Palmer’s Cal Tipton (offensive lineman) and Elijah Barnes (defensive back); and Redington’s Jonathon Dailey (tight end), Wayde Bowman (quarterback), Jaden Spaulding (running back and linebacker), Mason Brouillet (defensive lineman) and Trenton Reagan (defensive end).

Nelson was named the coach of the year Houston’s Brenden Pelesasa, Redington’s William Reeder and Palmer’s Josh Henry earned assistant coach of the year honors.

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

All-Valley football

Valley Player of the Year: Tolupo Falaniko, Houston

Offensive Player of the Year: Tolupo Falaniko, Houston

Defensive Player of the Year: Tolupo Falaniko, Houston

Coach of the Year: Glenn Nelson, Houston

Assistant Coach of the Year: Brandon Peleasasa, Houston; WIlliam Reeder, Redington; Josh Henry, Palmer

First-team offense:

Tight end — William McComish, Houston; Offensive line — Kiderro Fono, Houston; Quarterback — Ben Simmerman, Palmer; Running back — Tolupo Falaniko, Houston; Fullback — Lucas Frank, Palmer; Wide receiver — Jahzeah Williams, Redington.

First-team defense:

Defensive line — Kiderro Fono, Houston; William McComish, Houston; Inside linebacker — Ezra Fono, Houston; Outside linebacker — Dallas Mattson, Redington; Defensive back — Tolupo Falaniko, Redington

First-team special teams:

Kick returner — Jahzeah Williams, Redington; Long snapper — Alex Godfrey, Palmer; Kicker — Catherine Uschmann, Palmer.

Second-team offense:

Tight end — Jonathan Dailey, Redington; Offensive lineman — Cal Tipton, Palmer; Quarterback — Wayde Bowman, Redington; Running back — Jaden Spaulding, Redington; Fullback — Kevin Kolb, Houston; Wide receiver — Eric Preboski, Houston.

Second-team defense:

Defensive lineman — Mason Brouillet, Redington; Defensive end — Trenton Reagan, Redington; Inside linebacker — Jaden Spaulding, Redington; Outside linebacker — Kevin Kolb, Houston; Defensive back — Elijah Barnes, Palmer.

Honorable mention offense:

Offensive line — Ezra Fono, Houston; Siu Sasiu, Houston; Mason Brouillet, Redington; Trenton Reagan, Redington; Alex Godfrey, Palmer; Jesse Dupre, Palmer; Quarterback — Colton Bunn, Houston; Running back — Michael Smith, Palmer; Fullback — Joshua Miller, Redington; Wide receiver — Owen Perry, Redington; Elijah Barnes, Palmer.

Honorable mention defense:

Defensive line — Siu Sasiu, Houston; Samuel McDonald, Redington; Jackson Heard, Palmer; Inside linebacker — Josh Gosh, Redington; Lucas Frank, Palmer; Ben Simmerman, Palmer; Outside linebacker — Trenton Hawes, Houston; Samuel Pinard, Redington; Defensive back — Gordon Ratcliffe, Houston; Eric Preboski, Houston; Jahzeah WIlliams, Redington; Owen Perry, Redington; Michael Smith, Palmer.