Moose welcome Outside opponent to Machetanz Field for first time

PALMER — A surprise on the schedule led to a chance for the Palmer Moose to make school history tonight.

Palmer hosts the Woodinville (Wash.) Falcons, marking the first time a team from outside of Alaska will play in a football game at Machetanz Field.

“This is an opportunity for our guys, our team, our coaches, everybody, to do something nobody has done before,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said of the chance to host the Falcons. “We’re pretty excited.”

Playing teams from Outside has become a trend for Alaska teams. South Anchorage traveled to California to play Moorpark last week. Service has made trips to Hawaii in recent years. Juneau-Douglas typically plays at least one Outside opponent per year. Nearly half the Bears’ slate this year is made up of out-of-state opponents, with scheduled games against teams from Calabasas, Calif., Tacoma, Wash., and Pemberton, British Columbia, Canada.

Woodinville had initially planned to make a trip to Juneau to play the Crimson Bears this season. But after Juneau-Douglas and North Pole opted to leave the Railbelt Conference and join the medium-schools Southeast Conference, changes had to be made to the 2013 Alaska master football schedule.

“Because a couple of teams left our conference there wasn’t an Alaska team for us to play Week 4,” Christiansen said. “You have to get so many nonconference games and there’s only so many teams in the state playing.”

Christiansen said Palmer explored options to fill the hole in the schedule, and even tossed around the idea of leaving the state in search of a game.

“We didn’t want to have a bye week in such a short season,” Christiansen said. “We wanted to have a game. We were toying with the idea of going Outside and playing, but we pretty much decided it was too late in the game. Going Outside, you pretty much have to have your ducks in a row (this time of year) for next year. It’s a huge fundraising deal.”

But when Christiansen first saw his schedule, it showed a Week 4 opponent.

“The schedule showed up and it said, Woodinville. I said, who’s Woodinville?” Christiansen said.

Christiansen said he talked with Juneau-Douglas head coach Rich Sjoroos about the matchup. Woodinville had already laid the groundwork to travel to Alaska. Once Christiansen and the Moose warmed up to the idea of hosting the Seattle-area team, Christiansen said he made his pitch.

“I told them the glacier’s better up here, it doesn’t rain as much and it costs less to fly here. It’s much more of an Alaska experience,” Christiansen said. “Of course, I’m a little biased.”

Christiansen and the Moose will welcome a Woodinville program that is only two years removed from a trip to the Washington Class 4A state semifinals. The Falcons finished 12-1 in 2011 en route to its appearance in the state’s final four.

“They’re a good team with an experienced coaching staff,” Christiansen said of the Falcons. “I think we’ll see a really good team.”

Woodinville finished 6-3 last season.

“We’re excited about it. I’m a little apprehensive. We watched them on tape, and they’re very good,” Christiansen said.

Christiansen said the Falcon offense uses a shotgun set and has a number of good athletes.

“A lot of what you’re seeing at the college level, a lot of zone-read stuff,” Christiansen said. “They like to throw a lot of passes, a lot of bubble screens. It reminds me a lot of the things Colony is doing.”

Woodinville is led by senior Alek Kacmarcik, a first-team all-league selection on defense and second-team selection on offense. Kacmarcik rushed for 238 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Wide receiver Drew Accimus also returns, after collecting 25 catches for 411 yards. Will Jack is expected to move into the starting quarterback spot. Jack threw for 233 yards in two games last year.

Overall, Christiansen compared Woodinville to a team Palmer saw in the Alaska semifinals last year — South Anchorage.

“They remind me a lot of South. Not the same offensive scheme, but players-wise — quickness, aggressiveness. That reminds me of South, Service,” Christiansen said.

Palmer will take its 3-0 record to the field tonight. The Moose stayed undefeated with a 32-0 drubbing of East Anchorage last week in Anchorage. Palmer finished with 359 yards of total offense, and held East to only 118 yards. The T-Birds gained 82 of their 118 during the fourth quarter while Palmer held the 32-point lead.

Christiansen said he’s happy with some of what he’s seen, but also stressed the need for improvement.

“I wish we were a little more polished, doing some things. It’s still an upward climb. We’re trying to see what we can do offensively, and defensively too,” Christiansen said.

Senior James Nisbett, the state’s leading rusher last season, had only one carry for 29 yards against East before leaving due to injury. Christiansen said Nisbett with be a game-time decision tonight.