Wasilla, Palmer host key conference matches; Colony, Houston on road

WASILLA — The first half of the prep football season was rough on the Wasilla Warriors.

Wasilla, which features only three players with significant varsity experience prior to 2015, dropped its first four games of the year. But despite its 0-4 record, Wasilla’s season is not lost, and with a victory tonight, everything could change for the Warriors.

With a win over West Valley tonight at Veteran’s Memorial Field, Wasilla could have a direct path toward the playoffs.

Wasilla (0-4 overall, 0-1 in conference play) and West Valley (2-2, 0-0) are among only four teams left in the Railbelt Conference following Alaska Schools Activities Association’s offseason reclassification of prep football. Four conference teams means only three conference games, leaving teams the realistic potential to qualify for the postseason with only one conference win. Even though the conference was sliced to four teams, the Railbelt still kept its three large-schools playoff bids.

“The way it’s set up, one win could get us in the playoffs,” Wasilla head coach Kent Rilatos said Wednesday afternoon. “This is a very important game, a must-win type thing.”

Wasilla dropped its Railblet opener, suffering a 28-14 loss to Lathrop in Fairbanks in Week 3. The Warriors finish their Railblet slate at Colony in Week 7. West Valley’s first Railbelt game of the season is tonight. The Wolfpack host Colony next week and play Interior rival Lathrop in Week 8.

Colony currently leads the Railbelt with a 1-0 mark. Lathrop is second at 1-1. The Knights edged Lathrop 12-9 at Colony High last week.

Wasilla’s first half of the season included a pair of lopsided losses to Anchorage programs Service and Dimond, but also losses to East Anchorage and Lathrop in games that were closer than the score may have indicated. Wasilla led East 7-6 at halftime, but the T-Birds scored 14 unanswered points in the second half to win. Rilatos said he also felt the Lathrop game was closer, and a key moment came just seconds into the game when Lathrop’s R.J. Henry returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown. Rilatos said that play gave Lathrop momentum right away, but he’s proud of the way his players responded.

“We were playing with them. We battled to the very end,” Rilatos said.

Injuries have also compounded the large learning curve the inexperienced Warriors have faced this year. Wasilla entered the season with only three players — running back and defensive back Justin Lee, tight end and defensive end Austin Sodorff and lineman Ben Frick — with significant varsity experience. Lee has been out with an injury. The Warriors also lost two quarterbacks to injuries during the first three weeks of the season. Rilatos said Lee and quarterback Aeron Milliron are among about five players the Warriors will have back this week. Rilatos said he hopes that will help boost the Warriors.

Despite the winless first half of the season, Rilatos said he’s proud of the way his players have conducted themselves on and off the field.

Soldotna at Palmer, Friday, 7 p.m.

Palmer (3-1 overall, 1-0 in conference) continues Northern Lights Conference play against Soldotna (4-0, 1-0) tonight at 7 p.m. at Machetanz Field. The Moose marked their return to the NLC last week with a 47-6 victory at Eagle River.

Three-time defending medium-schools state champion Soldotna is also 1-0 in NLC play, using a 49-14 win over Kodiak to extend its state record winning streak to 33 straight victories.

Palmer was the last team to beat Soldotna, edging the Stars during Week 1 of the 2012 season.

Tonight the Moose will see a Soldotna squad that outscored opponents 187-80 during the first four weeks of the season.

“They’re very methodical. They’re like a machine. They do everything correct,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said of the Stars. “It’s going to be a big challenge. We’re looking forward to it.”

Palmer is averaging 37 points per game during its three wins this season. The Moose were shutout in their lone loss.

The Moose received a boost last week with the return of all-state running back Chase Ferris, who missed most of a Week 2 win over Lathrop and virtually all of a Week 3 loss to Colony because of an injury. Ferris rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and caught a touchdown pass during the first half of the win over Eagle River.

Colony at South, Friday, 7 p.m.

Colony (2-2, 1-0) meets South (0-4, 0-3) in nonconference action tonight at 7 p.m. in Anchorae.Defending state champion South is still looking for its first win of the season, and is coming off an ugly 67-14 loss to Cook Inlet Conference rival Bartlett.

Colony started the season 0-2, but has won two straight. The Knights blanked Palmer 24-0 in Week 2, and edged Railbelt rival Lathrop 12-9 last week. The Knights defense forced five Lathrop turnovers, four interceptions and a fumble recovery.

“With as many turnovers as our defense caused, that kept us in the game 100 percent. That won us that game,” Colony head coach Rhett Magner said after the win. “Lathrop has an amazing offense. For us to cause that many turnovers, that opened our eyes a little bit.”

Houston at Nikiski, Saturday 2 p.m.

Houston (2-2, 0-1) makes a trip south to the Kenai Peninsula for the second straight week. The Hawks, who suffered a 63-6 loss at Kenai, face Nikiski (3-1, 2-0) Saturday at 2 p.m.

After a season-opening loss to Kodiak, Nikiski has won three straight. The Bulldogs improved to 3-1 with a 52-0 win over Voznesenka last week.

Houston opened the season with back-to-back wins over Homer and Seward, but have suffered consecutive road losses to Barrow and Kenai.

Valdez at Redington, Saturday, 3 p.m.

The Redington Huskies make their official debut Saturday at 3 p.m. at Redington Jr./Sr. High School.

It’s the first of four scheduled games for the first-year program. Redington Jr./Sr. High, which opened its doors for the first time Aug. 17, includes students in grades 6th through 10th. The Redington football program includes freshmen and sophomores, and will field a junior varsity program for the first two years.

Valdez (1-1), a member of the small-schools Aurora Conference, has played two varsity games and two junior varsity games this season. In varsity play, the Bucs beat Monroe 32-6, but suffered a 64-0 loss to Eielson.

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