With a week of refining at practice and following film study of the opening weekend, high school football opens week two of the regular season with peninsula teams facing divisional and non-divisional opponents.
Nikiski opens Denali Conference play on Friday in Seward; Soldotna travels to Anchorage for a battle against Division I Service on Friday; and Kenai plays Division II North Pole on Saturday at KCHS.
Friday Night Football
Nikiski @ Seward 5 p.m. ESPN 1140AM, 96.9FM and streaming at radiokenai.com
The Bulldogs look to build on a solid performance in Barrow on opening weekend, falling in the final two minutes to the Whalers 12-8. Seward fell 45-0 to Houston in week one. Both teams play in the five-team (four this year with Monroe out) Denali Conference with only one playoff berth available; so every conference game has added meaning. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Seward High School.
SoHi @ Service 8 p.m. ESPN 1140AM, 96.9FM and streaming at radiokenai.com
Following a 60-6 blow-out of Division II North Pole, the Soldotna Stars face Division I Service on Friday at Service High School. The Stars dominated play against the Patriots scoring on nine of ten drives and holding North Pole to a lone touchdown. The Cougars challenged 2021 DI state champion East Anchorage on opening day, falling 39-18 to the #1 ranked T-Birds. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Service High School.
Homer @ Houston 7 p.m. at Houston High School
The Mariners defeated Kodiak 42-30 in the Mariners season-opener. Homer faces Division III 2021 state runner-up Houston.
Saturday Football
Kenai vs North Pole @ KCHS 1 p.m. ESPN 1140AM, 96.9FM and streaming at radiokenai.com
Kenai plays out-of-division on Saturday with the Kardinals first home contest matching Kenai against DII North Pole. Kenai plays their second-straight Fairbanks opponent and first home game. The Kardinals will feature a running game which generated four touchdowns in a 32-7 victory at Eielson last week in a Division III, non-conference pairing. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at KCHS.