Malemutes stun Moose in Division II semifinals

Sometimes the ball does not bounce your way. Friday was one of those nights for the Palmer Moose.

Lathrop scooped up a pair of fumbles and turned them into points, key moments during a 38-35 upset over the Moose during the ASAA Division II semifinals Oct. 10 at Palmer High’s Machetanz Field.

A loose ball bounced into the mitts of Lathrop’s massive defensive lineman Alfie Parker on the third play of the game, and Parker rumbled 21 yards for a defensive score. Late in the first half, a Lathrop punt caromed off a Palmer player and the Malemutes recovered. Three plays later, Lathrop’s Lucas Naber booted a 35-yard field goal to send his team into halftime with a 24-21 lead.

The combined 10 points on defense and special teams helped the third-seeded Malemutes get past the No. 2 Moose, snap Palmer’s seven-game winning streak and move into the Division II state title game for the sixth straight year, and sixth straight championship match-up with Soldotna. The Stars are the two-time defending state champs. Lathrop last won it all in 2022.

Palmer was in search of its first trip to a title game since 2017, and seventh in school history.

The Moose outgained Lathrop 394-208 in the loss. Neither team led by more than seven points in the first half and four in the second.

Palmer was able to take a 35-31 lead with 7:38 left in regulation. Moose senior Corbin Gerkin punched it in from 5 yards out for his second rushing touchdown of the game.

Lathrop quickly answered with a 38-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. The Malemutes were able to put together a 10-play, 51-yard drive. Luke Skinner capped it with a 1-yard plunge to push Lathrop ahead 38-35.

The Lathrop defense was able to hold Palmer on 4th-and-9 with 1:19 left in the game.

Gerkin, Palmer’s all-around standout, finished with more than 200 yards of total offense. The senior running back rushed for 116 yards on 21 carries. He added three catches for 50 yards. Gerkin also completed a 54-yard pass to junior Evan Denoncour.

Palmer senior quarterback Nolan Garner completed 12 of 23 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 29 yards and a score.

After Parker stunned the Moose with the early defensive score, Palmer answered right back. Just more than two minutes later, Garner hit Lee Kirby for a 20-yard touchdown pass to help tie the score at 7.

The back-and-forth continued in the second. Early in the quarter, Skinner scored the first of his three short rushing touchdowns. Less than two minutes later, Reed Craner caught a Garner pass, hit the left sideline and took it 38 yards for a score.

Skinner ran for his second touchdown midway through the second to give Lathrop a 21-14 lead. Once again, just about two minutes later, the Moose answered. Gerkin scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to tie the game.

In the third quarter, Garner muscled his way for a 17-yard touchdown run to give Palmer its first lead of the night, 28-24. That touchdown was set by a Luke Sena interception that gave the Moose the ball on the Lathrop 34 yard-line.

Lathrop’s Jaycee Brooks caught a 12-yard touchdown pass to put the Malemutes back on top. 31-28, with 4:29 left in the third.

Palmer finished the season 7-2 overall, with its only two losses coming to the two teams that will play for the DII title. Palmer opened the season with a loss to Soldotna on the road.

Palmer’s seven wins are its most in a season since the Moose finished 7-3 in 2013. The seven-game winning streak is its longest since the Moose won nine straight in 2012.

Colony and Redington also suffered losses during Alaska's first weekend of the prep football postseason. In Division I. top-seeded West Anchorage got past eighth-seeded Colony 34-14 in Anchorage. In Division III, second-seeded Homer beat third-seeded Redington 24-6 in Homer.

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