The Soldotna Stars and the Kenai Kardinals finally return to the turf opening their football campaigns for 2021 in week two of the Alaska high school football season following cancellations in the first week for both the Stars and Kards. Homer and Seward look for victories following week one losses.
SoHi vs Lathrop @ Lathrop High School Friday 8 p.m. ESPN 1140 AM and radiokenai.com
The Soldotna Stars, ranked #1 in Division II football, opens the season on the road in Fairbanks against the #2 ranked Lathrop Malemutes on Friday night under the lights at Lathrop High School.
SoHi’s trademark Full-T offensive run game and stifling defense will get its first test in a strong Lathrop program which returns large numbers from 2020. The Stars look to extend the current 22-game win streak as SoHi takes the first step toward a ninth-straight (plus undefeated 2020) Division II state championship.
Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Follow the Stars on ESPN 1140AM and streaming live at radiokenai.com
Homer vs Chugiak @ Homer Friday 6 p.m. KSRM 920AM and radiokenai.com
The Mariners face a second-straight Division II opponent with the Chugiak Mustangs traveling to Homer on Friday night. The Mustangs were re-classified to Division II beginning in 2021. Homer fell 57-0 to Eagle River in week one football play.
Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Follow the Mariners on KSRM 920AM and radiokenai.com
Kenai vs North Pole @ North Pole Saturday 1 p.m. ESPN 1140 AM and radiokenai.com
After the cancellation of Kenai’s week one pairing, the Kardinals travel to Fairbanks to face the North Pole Patriot on Saturday to open the Kardinals regular season. Kenai, now in Division III football, faces DII North Pole, the first of three Division II opponents on the Kenai schedule.
Game time scheduled for 1 p.m.
Follow the Kards on ESPN 1140AM and streaming live at radiokenai.com
Football Division & Conference Alignments for 2021
The 2021 Alaska football season will feature changes to all three classifications of football within the state.
Division II Football
The reigning Division II champion Soldotna Stars, winners of eight-straight DII state championships and undefeated in 2020, will face additional competition with two DI programs Wasilla and Chugiak reclassified to DII. With the new additions comes a two-conference format: Railbelt and Northern Lights. Five of the seven largest schools reside in the NLC.
The Stars are placed in the Northern Lights Conference with Eagle River, Palmer, Chugiak and Wasilla.
The Railbelt Conference will include: Kodiak, Lathrop, West Valley and North Pole.
The Kenai Kardinals change classification joining Homer in Division III football.
Division II School Enrollments (according to ASAA school contact information form)
West Valley, 987; Lathrop, 952; Chugiak, 905; Wasilla, 868; Eagle River, 855; SoHi, 754; Palmer, 743; North Pole, 638; Kodiak, 628
Division III Football
The Kenai Kardinals move to Division III football for 2021 and will be the largest school in the classification. Division III is comprised of 10 football programs, with Kenai the only newcomer. Houston is the reigning champion from 2019; the Hawks completing an undefeated 10-0 season.
Division III will also have two conferences: Mid-Alaska and Denali.
Mid-Alaska Conference: Kenai, Barrow Homer, Houston and Redington.
Denali Conference: Ben Eielson, Monroe Catholic, Nikiski, Seward and Valdez.
Division III School Enrollments (according to ASAA school contact information form)
Kenai, 456; Homer, 391; Houston, 337; Redington, 311; Barrow, 269; Eielson, 201; Nikiski, 185; Seward, 165; Valdez, 183; Monroe, 100
