Whalers end historic playoff game

BARROW — The Barrow Whalers ran on a dirt field two years ago in a loss to the Delta Junction Huskies in the first high school football game above the Arctic Circle.

On Saturday about a half-mile from that dirt field, Barrow got a chance to make a run for a state title, as they outran the Houston Hawks in a 46-14 victory in a smalls state quarterfinal game that was the first high school football playoff above the Arctic Circle.

The 8-1 Whalers, the top seed from the Greatland Conference and ranked among Alaska small schools, face the Kodiak Bears in a state semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday or Saturday at the Anchorage Football Stadium. The winner returns to the stadium for the state championship game at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18.

“It means a lot to the community and all the players,’’ junior running back Anthony Edwards said. “The next game, we’re going to bring it.’’

Edwards brought a pair of powerful legs Saturday to the snow-covered, wind-pelted blue artificial turf of Cathy Parker Field, named for the Jacksonville, Fla., bank account executive and football mom who spearheaded a $500,000 fund-raising drive for the field.

Edwards rushed Saturday for a career-high 269 yards on 23 carries and contributed 30-yard tourchdown sprint in the first quarter for an 18-0 lead.

The Whalers amassed 363 yards over the snow, while he Hawks, 5-4 and the fourth seed from the Northern Lights Conference, had 119 yards, led by 63 from senior running back Anthoney Origer.

“We knew we couldn’t throw it, so we decided we had to hold them and make a statement and run it,’’ Edwards said.

Whalers quarterback Albert Gerke came into the game with state-season bests of 1,577 yards and 26 touchdowns, but the snowy 28-degree weather with 25-mph gusts predicated that Barrow would rely more on a ball-control attack.

“We thought we could run a power game and not do anything fancy,’’ said Whalers assistant coach and offensive coordinator Jeremy Arnhart. “It’s hard to run from sideline to sideline and we knew we had to go north and south with quick hits right off the tackle, right behind our big offensive line moving.’’

Gerke threw for only 45 yards Saturday on 5-for-10 passing with an interception, but he also padded his touchdown total by two, connecting with senior wide Justin Sanders on a 28-yard strike for a 24-0 lead with 11:22 left in the second quarter and a 7-yard toss with 6:06 left in the fourth for the Whalers’ final score.

“It means everything to me right now … all the hard work we put into it. I’m grateful for it,’’ Sanders said of the victory and advancing to the next round of the playoffs.

Gerke’s legs were as effective Saturday as his arm was for most of the season, as he contributed an 18-yard run to put Barrow ahead 12-0 with 7:31 left in the first.

Junior receiver/quarterback Cody Romine helped punch Barrow’s ticket to Anchorage by scoring on a 12-yard run with 9:12 left in the first and a 2-yard burst with 7:52 remaining in the third.

The Whalers defense, which included many of the players who formed the big offensive line, pressured Hawks quarterback Justin Webb for most of the game, causing him to throw five interceptions among his 12-for-29 passing for 103 yards.

The Hawks and their quarterback adjusted to the weather and the Whalers in the second half.

“Our kids were still wheeling on the weather and thinking about staying warm. They (Barrow) had already prepared for that and came out mentally ready to go,’’ said Houston head coach Norm Bouchard. “We just talked to them at halftime about pride and not letting this roll over.”

Running back Kyle Sumner scored on a 2-yard run with 41 seconds left in the third and a 1-yarder at the 10:48 mark of the fourth.

Webb connected with sophomore running back Micah Ranum for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in the game.

“We just came together and realized that we needed to stick together and not worry about the cold,” Webb said.

Webb and Sumner were among 16 seniors of Houston’s 20 players who ended their careers Saturday.

“It’s a real big loss for us seniors because we’ve been playing together since we were little kids,’’ he said.

For Barrow, it was a big win for a program that has its roots in a dirt field.

Contact staff writer Danny Martin at 459-7586.

Barrow 46, Houston 18

ASAA/First National Bank small-schools quarterfinals

Saturday, Barrow

First Quarter

BAR—Romine 12 run (pass failed), 9:12.

BAR—Gerke 18 (kick failed), 7:31.

BAR—Edwards 30 run (run failed), 5:13.

Second Quarter

BAR—Sanders 28 pass from Gerke (run failed), 11:22.

BAR—Sanders 42 run (pass failed), 8:37.

Third Quarter

HOU—Sumner 2 run (pass failed), :41.

Fourth Quarter

HOU—Sumner 1 run (pass failed), 10:48.

BAR—Romine 2 run (Fishel pass from Gerke), 7:52.

BAR—Sanders 7 pass from Gerke (Fishel pass from Gerke), 6:06.

HOU—Ranum 5 pass from Webb (pass failed), :15.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Houston: Origer 9-63, Sumner 15-46, Webb 6-11, Contreras 2-4, Stinson 1-(-6). Barrow: Edwards 23-269, Gerke 11-36, Sanders 2-33, Romine 8-16, L. George 2-8.

PASSING — Houston: Webb 12-29-5-103. Barrow: Gerke 5-10-1-45, Romine 0-0-0-0.

RECEIVING — Houston: Sumner 4-63, Mason 3-14, Stinson 2-14, Origer 1-7, Ranum 1-5, Munoz 1-0. Barrow: Sanders 3-41, Fishel 2-8.