Teams across Valley are in a race for playoff spots

PALMER — For the Palmer Moose, it’s simple.

Win and you’re in. And you get to celebrate some history along the way.

Palmer will be in Kenai Saturday afternoon playing for a spot in the Division II state playoffs and a record for its longtime head coach Rod Christiansen. Palmer is 2-1 in Northern Lights Conference play, and with a victory over the Kards (1-1), the Moose would lock up one of the NLC’s two postseason berths.

“We have everything in our own control,” Christiansen said after a 35-8 win over Eagle Rive last week.

It would also give Christiansen the 151st win of his career, a state record. Christiansen is currently tied with the late Buck Nystrom at 150. Christiansen hit that milestone with the win over the Wolves in Week 6.

Palmer won’t be eliminated with a loss. Kenai is 1-1 in NLC play and would leap ahead of the Moose with a win Saturday. But the Kards still have to play five-time defending state champion Soldotna in Week 8. A Kenai win over Palmer and loss to Soldotna could create a three-way tie with Kodiak, if the Bears beat Eagle River in Week 8.

Division III playoff races

The Houston Hawks and Redington Huskies need wins to stay alive in their playoff races.

Redington (4-2 overall, 2-1 in the Peninsula Conference) hosts Homer (5-1, 2-0) Friday night at Redington. A Homer win would give the Mariners the regular season conference title and a top seed in the four-team Division III playoffs. It would also eliminate the Huskies from playoff contention. With a win, Redington would improve to 3-1, but could still finish first, second or out of the playoff race depending on what happens during the final week of the regular season.

Houston (4-2, 2-1) also needs a win to stay alive in the race for one of the Aurora Conference’s two playoff berths. The Hawks play Barrow in Barrow Saturday at 1 p.m.

Barrow (3-2, 2-0) can clinch the conference and a top seed with a win over the Hawks. Barrow upset defending state champion Eielson last week. With a win, Houston would improve to 3-1, but like Redington, can still finish first, second or out of the playoffs depending on what happens in Week 8.

Railbelt Conference

Colony and Chugiak, both 2-0 in conference, have clinched two of the Railbelt’s four automatic berths to the Division I playoffs. The remaining three teams, Lathrop (2-3, 1-1), Wasilla (2-4,1-2) and West Valley (0-3, 2-4) are still in the hunt for one of the two spots remaining.

Colony (6-0, 2-0) hosts Lathrop Friday at 7 p.m. at Colony High. Wasilla hosts Chugiak (6-0, 2-0) Saturday at 7 p.m.

Both Lathrop and Wasilla would clinch playoff sports with a Lathrop upset of Colony Friday.

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