The Soldotna Stars and Lathrop Malemutes earned #1 seeds into the Division II football playoffs with conference victories in week eight of the regular season for high school football; those victories also guaranteed playoff spots for the Palmer Moose and Eagle River Wolves.
SoHi 72 – Kenai 24
The Soldotna Stars won their 13th-straight Northern Lights Conference regular season championship and secured the #1 seed from the NLC into the Division II football playoffs on Saturday with a dominating 72-24 dismantling of the Kenai Kardinals.
The Stars scored on all 10 possessions against the Kardinals including eight rushing and two passing touchdowns. SoHi never punted, never turned the ball over on downs or committed a turnover. The SoHi defense twice halted Kardinal drives on downs and ended two drives with interceptions including Kenai’s first drive and the Kardinals first, second quarter drive at the SoHi goal line.
The Stars lead 14-0 after on quarter, 34-8 and the half, busted the game open 64-16 after quarter three and added one fourth quarter touchdown.
For the contest, SoHi amassed 450 rushing yards lead by Wyatt Medcoff with 204 yards and Truesdell carried for 85 yards. Kenai’s ground game was lead by Titus Riddall with 171 yards and Tucker Vann with 101 yards; as the Kardinals rushed for 303 yards on 43 carries. SoHi’s Jersey Truesdell completed 6 of 7 passes for two touchdowns and 121 yards.
Scoring Drives By Quarter
1st Quarter
SoHi Wyatt Medcoff 8-yard run
SoHi Jersey Truesdell 43-yard run
2nd Quarter
SoHi Truesdell 2-yard run
SoHi Truesdell 1-yard run
Kenai Titus Riddall 8-yard run
SoHi Hudson Metcalf 8-yard reception from Truesdell
3rd Quarter
SoHi Hudson Metcalf 16-yard run
SoHi Wyatt Medcoff 11-yard run
Kenai Tucker Vann 11-yard run
SoHi Zach Zeigler 31-yard reception from Truesdell
SoHi Cy Updike 15-yard run
4th Quarter
Kenai Connor Felchle 2-yard run
SoHi Brock Wilson 7-yard run
Final Score: SoHi 72 – Kenai 24
Division II Playoff Seeding
The Stars advance to the Division II football playoffs as the NLC top seed and will face the Palmer Moose (#2 seed from the Railbelt) in round one with the game scheduled for Saturday, October 6th at Palmer High Schcol. The Lathrop Malemutes, with a 23-18 victory over West Valley on Friday, earned the Railbelt #1 seed; the Malemutes will face the Eagle River Wolves in the Division II playoffs on Saturday. More playoff details will be available once records are confirmed by ASAA.
Nikiski 20 – Homer 22
An eleven-year run of playoff appearances ended on Saturday for the Nikiski Bulldogs football program as the Bulldogs closed the regular season with a 22-20 loss to the Homer Mariners at Nikiski.
The Mariners scored the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter following a blocked Nikiski punt. Homer lead 16-0 and the Bulldogs scored 20 unanswered points to take a 20-16 lead in the fourth quarter.
Nikiski finished the regular season with a 3-5 overall record; the Mariners finish 2-6.
Division III Playoff Seeding
The Division III football playoffs open with first round action on October 5th and 6th. The higher seed from the Peninsula and Aurora conferences host opening round contest. Aurora Conference playoff teams will be determined following Saturday’s games.
Houston, #1 seed from the Peninsula Conference, will host Aurora Conference #2 seed
Aurora #1 seed will host Ketchikan, #2 seed from Peninsula Conference
