Wasilla football squad still looking for first win

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

The Wasilla Warriors and Lathrop Malemutes are in the same boat. Both teams are still in search of their first league win, and desperately trying to avoid sinking to the bottom of the Railbelt Conference.

But after tonight one of these teams will replace the goose egg with a check mark in the win column. Lathrop (1-4 overall and 0-4 in Railbelt play) hosts Wasilla (1-4, 0-3) at 7 p.m. tonight in Fairbanks.

"At this point the season's a disappointment," Wasilla head coach Joe Gardner said. "This is a big week. A big character thing. Not a big week for the 'W', but a big week to show any pride we have left."

The Malemutes, stocked full of talent, lead the league in underachieving. Despite its talent and ability to put the ball in the end zone, Lathrop has been unable to gain a victory this season. The Malemutes have scored 147 points, third best in the Railbelt, but allowed a league-high 192.

"I am confident we can move the ball on them, " Gardner said. "The big thing (for us) comes down to defense."

The Wasilla defense has allowed 106 points in the last two weeks. But that is against the high powered offenses of North Pole and Juneau-Douglas.

With an opponent like Lathrop, that is traditionally known to underachieve, scoring first should be an advantage for Wasilla. Gardner said the key is scoring first, and not letting up.

"We have got the first punch in the last couple of weeks," Gardner said. "We need to play all the way through."

Senior running back Jake Wade has established himself as the workhorse for the Warriors. Wade has a team-high 517 yards on 94 carries. Quarterback Zach Bennett has also had success running the ball. The senior has rushed for 415 yards, and is averaging more than seven yards per carry.

Lathrop is led by senior quarterback Derek Stevenson, senior running back Sid Johnson and senior wide receiver John Thies.

"They've got great athletes," Gardner said. "Their quarterback is really dangerous. He's very allusive, and can throw the ball."

In other action, the Palmer Moose travel to Fairbanks for the first time this season, and face the West Valley Wolfpack at 7 p.m. tonight.

The Moose (4-1, 2-1) scored a 27-6 win over the Colony Knights last week at Machetanz Field in Palmer.

West Valley (2-3, 2-1) suffered a 21-0 nonconference loss to 3A power

Eielson.

The Wolfpack's 2-1 conference record is one of the surprises of the Railbelt Conference this season. West Valley notched come-from-behind victories against Wasilla and Lathrop.

Colony travels to Juneau to take on the undefeated Crimson Bears. Juneau-Douglas (5-0, 5-0) handed Wasilla a 59-7 loss last week, and Palmer a 50-7 loss the week before.

The Knights loss to Palmer last week was their first of the season.

Houston also travels to the Southeast Alaska this weekend. Saturday, Houston (3-2, 3-1) meets the winless Sitka Wolves (0-4, 0-4).