Moose, Hawks crack top-5 in poll

MAT-SU — A week after Mat-Su teams were left out of the conversation, a pair of Valley squads have cracked the top-five of the latest Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network’s Prep Football Poll.

Palmer and Houston each hold fourth place in their respective classes.

The Moose, who blanked Lathrop 46-0 in the Interior last Friday, are fourth in the large-schools poll. Houston, a 37-0 winner over Ketchikan, is fourth on the small-schools list. Both teams are ranked by the voters, sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the state, for the first time this season.

Palmer improved to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in Railbelt Conference play with that win over Lathrop. Chugiak, which scored 19 unanswered points to beat the Moose 31-21 during Week 1, hold on to the top spot for the second straight week following its win over Eagle River.

Juneau-Douglas, which beat West Valley, 37-15 in Fairbanks, is ranked second. The West Anchorage Eagles, who escaped with a 7-6 win Colony last Friday at Colony High, is ranked third.

South bounced back from a season-opening loss to Juneau to beat Bartlett and is now ranked fifth.

Chugiak, Juneau and West are all 2-0 on the young season.

Soldotna leaped Peninsula rival Kenai and is now ranked first in the small-schools ranks. The Stars shut out Kodiak 28-0 to improve to 2-0.

Kenai, which suffered a 20-13 nonconference loss to large-school Service, is ranked second.

Undefeated Thunder Mountain, which beat Homer, is third. Eielson is ranked fifth after its shutout win over Barrow.

Kodiak and Nikiski also received votes in the small-schools poll.

ASBN Football Poll

(released Monday)

Large-schools:

1. Chugiak (2-0); 2. Juneau-Douglas (2-0); 3. West Anchorage (2-0); 4. Palmer (1-1); 5. South Anchorage (1-1); Others receiving votes: Service.

Small-schools:

1. Soldotna (2-0); 2. Kenai (2-1); 3. Thunder Mountain (2-0); 4. Houston (2-0); 5. Eielson (1-1); Others receiving votes: Kodiak, Nikiski.