Redington debuts varsity football

KNIK — A new era for Valley football began Friday on the Redington Junior-Senior High School campus, as the newly-minted high school’s varsity football program debuted to a home crowd of some 300.

Despite spotty rain showers and a seasoned nonconference opponent in Monroe Catholic from Fairbanks, Redington’s Huskies showed early solid progress for coach Tony Brooke before the more experienced Rams pulled away en route to a 59-6 win.

Still, excitement and anticipation were the order of the day Friday night in the Knik area. The school off Knik-Goose Bay Road, named for famed musher Joe Redington Sr., opened its doors at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.

As the players left the field and headed up the hill to the school after pregame warmups, Brooke said the inaugural game was special.

“These kids are excited; we’re ready to play some man football now,” he said. Redington played a junior varsity schedule in 2015, and this season will compete in the small-schools Peninsula Conference that also includes Homer, Nikiski, Seward and Voznesenka.

Up in the press box, assistant principal and athletic director Claudia Blydenburgh and teacher and coach Angie Reavis manned the scoreboard and music controls. They were soon joined by Matt Swalling, Redington’s music director, who handled first-time duties as the public address announcer.

“There has been quite a buzz around the school this week,” Blydenburgh said of the staff, which has been preparing for the Aug. 15 return of students. “I know the kids have been looking forward to this game for a while.”

The stands filled up quickly after the 7:05 p.m. start. Monroe won the coin toss and chose to receive the opening kickoff, rolling off a couple of first downs behind the running of Caleb Thomas before Redington recovered a fumble near midfield. The Rams suited up 13 players for the trip from the Interior, while the host Huskies dressed around 25.

Redington running back Brian Horne would score the first varsity touchdown for the Huskies, a 3-yard sweep with 1:05 left in the first quarter that capped a 55-yard drive.

Beyond the fence of the south end zone, Brian and Tanya Amirault served hot dogs, nachos and other treats from a concession trailer they donated for the Husky booster club. No power outlets and a balky generator made for a rougher evening, Brian said, but added things would work themselves out as the season progressed.

The Amirault’s son Brian, a junior, is a starting offensive tackle this season.

“He has played all over,” the elder Amirault said of his son’s different positions on the Husky squad, “and he has been really pumped this week for the first game.”

Contact reporter Steven Merritt at 352-2269 or steven.merritt@frontiersman.com