Knights fall in semifinals

ANCHORAGE — The Service Cougars punched their ticket to the Division 1 State Championship game with a 27-18 win over the Colony Knights on Friday at Service High School.

The Cougars running game excelled behind 153 yards from Ryan Williams to earn a matchup with South Anchorage in the state championship. Colony entered the playoffs as the fourth seed from the Chugach Conference, but upset a top seed and the defending state champion East Thunderbirds en route to a semifinal match with the Cougars.

“I’m proud of how far these kids have come. Obviously we turned around and made it to here tonight,” head coach Robbie Nash said.

The Knights would dominate much of the first half with punishing defense that resulted in three Service turnovers in the first 12:05 of play, allowing just five plays for the Cougar offense in the first quarter. The Knights forced a missed field goal on the Cougars’ first drive and a fumble on the first play of the Cougars’ second drive. Service then fumbled a punt recovery following Colony’s second drive and the Knights capitalized on the turnover with a made field goal from senior Michael Bradley. The Knights continued their stellar play on defense when senior defensive back Ridge Raval came across the middle of the field and intercepted Jacob Scott’s pass high up above the turf with the first play of the second quarter. Colony forced a missed field goal and three turnovers on the Cougars’ first six plays, but the turnover tide would turn. After Colony’s second fumble of the second half, the Cougars still could not get any production on offense. Prior to running rampant on Colony’s defense in the second half, Williams made an impact on special teams for Service. Punting near his own 20 yard line, Williams, whose primary sport is rugby, punted the ball high and deep into the cold October night. With Knight kick returners standing near the 50 yard line, the punt sailed over any possibility of a Colony return and was downed at the five yard line. While penalties plagued both teams throughout the contentious playoff matchup, Service had an interception for a touchdown wiped off the scoreboard by a penalty midway through the second quarter. However, the Cougars continued to march toward the end zone and scored the game’s first touchdown with an eight yard strike from Scott to LeTreyvon Sanchez-Dickerson on fourth down. Trailing Service 13-3 in the third quarter, Bradley fielded a kickoff at the eight yard line and made his way to midfield before reversing his field, evading defenders and beating the Cougar defense to the corner of the end zone. However, the Knights suffered a similar fate as Service when the touchdown was called back due to a penalty. The Knights turned the ball over five times to the Cougars.

“Turnovers and penalties really got to us more than we could overcome. I’m really proud of these kids,” Nash said.

The Knights would not go quietly into the second half. Both Bradley and quarterback Ryan Murphy suffered injuries on the first drive of the second half but returned with a vengeance. Murphy was perfect passing once Colony got the ball following Bradley’s kick return touchdown that wasn’t. Murphy hit three different targets with passes, culminating with a diving Dominic Freeman touchdown grab in the short corner of the end zone.

While Williams accounted for nearly all of the Cougar offense, his backup provided much of the work for Williams to vulture a touchdown and extend the Service lead on the next drive. Atlas Faafetai carried the ball five times for 21 yards setting up Williams’ first of his two seven-yard touchdown runs on consecutive snaps for the Cougars. After a Knights failed fake punt, Williams cashed in on another seven yard touchdown run on the first play of the drive, giving the Cougars the commanding 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Knights had one last offensive outburst saved for their next drive. Ridge Raval made a tough catch with the Cougar cornerback draped all over him and shook the safety for a healthy gain that gave the Knights field position near midfield. Colony then pulled out the trickeration when Bradley, lined up as the split-back, took the lateral pass from Murphy and heaved it down field, hitting Hunter Sasser wide open behind the Service defense for another Knight touchdown, closing the gap to 27-18. Colony was unable to recover the onside kick, and Jon’uel Fisher jumped in front of Murphy’s pass for his second interception of the game with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter, squashing the Knights’ hopes of a comeback and setting a date for the Cougars with South Anchorage for the Division 1 football ASAA/First National Bank State Championship game.

Service 27, Colony 18.

Friday, Service High School.

Scoring

First Quarter

Colony Bradley 23 yd field goal 39.8.

Second Quarter

Service Sanchez-Dickerson 8 yd pass from Scott (Mittelstadt PAT) 5:00.

Third Quarter

Service Scott 5 yd run (PAT Failed) 4:10.

Colony Freeman 13 yd pass from Murphy (Bradley PAT) 8:13.

Fourth Quarter

Service Williams 7 yd run (Mittelstadt PAT) 6:41.

Service Williams 7 yd run (Mittelstadt PAT) 5:32.

Colony Sasser 41 yd pass from Bradley Bradley (2 pt) 4:23.

Individual statistics

Rushing: Colony; Raval 16-35, Bradley 22-72, Murphy 3- -6, Xander Freeman 1-2, Ehmann 2-1. Service; Williams 33-153, Scott 3-0, Faafetai 6-23.

Passing: Colony; Murphy 6-15-55-2-1. Bradley 1-1-41-0-1. Service; Scott 9-17-72-1-0.

Receiving: Colony; Sasser 2-55, Raval 3-66, Dominic Freeman 1-13, Ehmann 1-7. Service; Williams 2-1, Sanchez-Dickerson 3-27, Helgeson 1-11, Johnson 2-30.