Week 6 Valley pigksin preview

Each of the four Valley football squads are playing in the Valley this weekend. Actually each of the four Valley schools are playing in the Valley at the same time this weekend.

The Colony Knights will host the crosstown rival Palmer Moose at 7 p.m. tonight, while the Wasilla Warriors will welcome the Houston Hawks to Veterans Memorial Field at 7:30 p.m. this evening.

Palmer at Colony

After tonight, there will no longer be a three-way tie at the top of the Northern Railbelt Conference standings. With Wasilla hosting a non-conference opponent, the winner of this match will be alone in first place and have their sights set on one of the top seeds in the post-season bracket.

Palmer's first and foremost task will be simply scoring on the Colony defense. The Knights have notched two consecutive shutouts and have not allowed an opponent to score in the last 10 quarters. Colony has not allowed a score since the second quarter of their contest against Lathrop on Aug. 23.

The Knights have also added in a steady running game and stellar special teams play into their winning formula. Colony has a defensive or special teams touchdown in each of their last three games.

Colony shutout West Valley last week, 9-0 in Fairbanks. Auggie Manelick returned a fumble 54 yards for the lone touchdown of the contest. The Knight defense added a safety in the victory.

On the flip-side, the Knight's toughest task could be stopping the Moose offense. Palmer leads the conference in scoring with 147 points and has more than 1,000 yards of total offense this season.

The Moose are coming off their highest scoring affair of the season. Palmer defeated North Pole 42-30. After falling behind 14-0, Palmer began to roll scoring six touchdowns in the second and third quarters.

The Moose may have found a second option in their running game as potent as their first. Before, opposing defenses would merely have to worry about Palmer fullback Ali Larijani pounding his way through the

middle.

Wing back Mike Weber has proven that he can carry the Palmer running game as well. Weber has gained 100-yards in consecutive games including a 137-yard and two touchdown performance against North Pole last week.

Palmer continues to open up their passing game as quarterback Charlie Bentti completed seven passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Bentti connected with three different receivers in the game.

Houston at Wasilla

The Warriors are riding the play of Abe Salmon. The senior running back scored on runs of 90 and 16 yards in the second half to help Wasilla come from behind to beat Lathrop last week. Salmon has been a true workhorse for Wasilla this season with 637 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. He leads all large school running backs in scoring and is second to only Eielson's Jon Rogers in rushing yardage.

Warrior quarterback Kevin Donahoe continues to improve for the Warriors. Donahoe has become a weapon for the Warriors by both throwing and running the ball.

The Warrior defense has been led by the play of defensive lineman Josh Nelson and Sam Widmer. The duo of interior tackles can be credited for sparking the clutch play of the Wasilla defense.

The Hawks are coming off of their first conference win of the season. Houston defeated Sitka 21-14 on the road. With the score tied 14-14, quarterback Peter Clemens found flanker Taylor Richey on a 50-yard scoring strike for the go-ahead score.

Clemens is among the state's leaders in passing with 33 completions for 599 yards and seven touchdowns.

Richey is fourth in the state in receiving with 16 catches for 264 yards and four touchdowns.

Wasilla is one of two 4A opponents on the schedule for the 3A Houston Hawks. Houston fell to Lathrop 34-12 earlier this season.

The Hawks were without several starters in the contest, including Clemens.