Ravens need late work to get past upset-minded Hawks

PALMER — It was close late, but the Eielson Ravens used a pair of big plays on defense to cement a victory.

Eielson senior linebackers Taylor Benjamin and Billy Makinen each intercepted Houston passes during the final 2 minutes and 51 seconds of the fourth quarter to help the Ravens grab a 40-18 victory over the upset-minded Hawks during the ASAA First National Bowl small-schools state championship at Machetanz Field in Palmer.

Eielson was clinging to a 28-18 lead before Benjamin picked off a Houston pass. That turnover led to a quick score, a 16-yard Jayden Manibusen run, and on Houston’s ensuing possession, Makinen returned an interception 6 yards for a touchdown.

“It was the turning point. It was just the reassurance, knowing that we got it,” Benjamin said after the win. “Then Billy got that pick for a touchdown. That was the icing on the cake.”

It was also some insurance for Eielson against a Houston squad that pulled back into the game with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. With the Hawks trailing 28-6 early in the third quarter, Houston senior linebacker Malaki Barrett gave the Hawks a spark, blocking an Eielson punt at the Ravens’ 2-yard line. Barrett scooped the loose ball, and stepped into the end zone to cut Eielson’s lead to 28-12. Houston capped the third quarter with Ben Pelesasa’s 10-yard touchdown run, which shaved Eielson’s advantage to 28-18.

Beyond that, it came down to defense. The Houston defense held Eielson to only 28 total yards during the entire second half. The Eielson defense used the big plays late to fend off Houston’s attempt at the rally.

“I knew it was going to be a defensive game the entire game,” Benjamin said. “Before the game even happened, I knew it was going to be two defenses going at it.”

In the first half, it was two running attacks going at it. On the first play of the game, Pelesasa stunned the Ravens with a 72-yard run. Later in the quarter, Pelesasa rumbled for a 28-yard touchdown run to give the Hawks the early 6-0 lead.

“He’s one of those runners. As soon as he gets running, it’s really hard to stop him,” Benjamin said.

Pelesasa finished with a game-high 234 yards on 30 carries, and the two scores. The senior rushed for a 146 yards in the first quarter alone.

“It’s just tough to deal with,” Benjamin said of facing Pelesasa.

But the Ravens had a workhorse of their own during the first half. Senior Tobias Dobashi-Noa rushed for 144 yards during the first half, and scored three times. His 10-yard touchdown run gave Eielson the 14-6 lead. With his final two carries of the second quarter — touchdown runs of 34 yards and 41 yards — Dobashi-Noa helped his team take a 28-6 lead into the intermission.

“He did really well against them the last time we faced him,” Benjamin said of Dobashi-Noa’s work against the Hawks during the regular season. “We knew he’d be a big factor. Speed kills. But we have to give it to the (offensive line). The left side of that O-line was doing the work to get those holes open.”

Senior Antonio Griffith gave Eielson its first lead of the game with a 50-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter.

With the victory, Eielson notched its third straight state championship. This year marked the first time Eielson met someone other than Nikiski in the small-schools state final. It had been Eielson-Nikiski each season since ASAA added the small-schools class prior to the 2011 season.

Houston made its first trip to a state football final in school history. The Hawks are in their second season in the Aurora Conference, after dropping from the medium-schools Northern Lights Conference prior to the 2015 season.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Eielson 40, Houston 18

Saturday, Palmer High School

First quarter:

Houston — Pelesasa 25 run (kick failed) 8:51.

Eielson — Griffith 50 run (kick good) 8:31.

Second quarter:

Eielson — Dobashi-Noa 10 run (kick good) 10:32.

Eielson — Dobashi-Noa 34 run (kick good) 1:55.

Eielson — Dobahski Noa 41 run (kick good) 0:03.

Third quarter:

Houston — Barrett 2 fumble recovery (run failed) 10:13.

Houston — Pelesasa 10 run (kick failed) 0:00.

Fourth quarter:

Eielson — Manibusan 16 run (kick failed) 2:06.

Eielson — Makinen 6 interception return (pass failed) 1:52.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — Houston: Pelesasa 30-234, Croghan 9-19, Sanderlin 4-(-11); Eielson: Dobashi-Noa 22-141, Griffith 14-46, Manibusan 13-55, Brown 5-0.

PASSING — Houston: Sanderlin 0-7-2—0, Pelesasa 0-1-1—0; Eielson: Brown 0-1-0—0.

RECEIVING — Houston: none; Eielson: none.