Prep football: Warriors, Moose prepare for rematch

WASILLA — Friday will be the scene of Potato Bowl II.

Just one week after the Wasilla Warriors edged the Palmer Moose 36-35 in the 2007 Potato Bowl, the Valley rivals will meet once again in the first round of the Alaska Schools Activities Association large-schools playoffs.

Kickoff is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at Wasilla High School’s Veterans Memorial Field.

Wasilla faced a must-win situation last week, needing a win over Palmer to earn one of the Railbelt Conference’s four postseason spots. The win not only gave the Warriors the right to play in the postseason, but host the Moose in the first round.

This is the second time in six years the Warriors and Moose have met in the large-schools quarterfinals just a week after playing in the final regular season game of the season. Palmer defeated Wasilla in the Potato Bowl and the first round of the playoffs in 2002.

“It’s hard for both teams,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said. “The emotional drain. You’ve got to line up for four more quarters and do what yo u just did.”

Colony used a 40-8 win over Lathrop on Saturday to secure the Railbelt’s fourth playoff berth. The Knights now travel to face the Railbelt champion Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears.

The game is tentatively scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m.

In other playoff action, Chugiak is set to host Service at 2 p.m. Saturday. Chugiak is the top team in the Cook Inlet Conference.

East Anchorage and South Anchorage are tentatively scheduled to meet on Friday at Anchorage Football Stadium.

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