Kenai football finally played in-front-of a home crowd on homecoming day Saturday; however, the Kardinals were unable to deliver a victory over West Valley. In Ketchikan on Friday night, the Nikiski Bulldogs rallied late for a Peninsula Conference win over the Kings.
Kenai 22 – West Valley 45
The Kardinals and Wolfpack faced-off in a Division II, inter-conference pairing on Saturday, Kenai committing five turnovers and allowing four passing touchdowns in a 45-22 win for West Valley.
Kenai’s Zach Burnett opened the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run set-up by a fumble recovery by Cody Bookey staking Kenai to a 7-0 lead. That would prove to be Kenai’s only score of the first half. West Valley scored on a 49-yard run by Justin Cummings and a 12-yard pass reception by Dylan Thomas. West Valley lead 14-7 at the half.
The Wolfpack’s Cummings added a 10-yard touchdown run on West Valley’s first possession of the second half following a Kardinal interception. Tucker Vann drew the Kards to within a touchdown at 14-22 on a 5-yard touchdown following a 63-yard kick return by Vann.
The teams traded touchdowns with Kenai’s Justin Anderson scoring on an 18-yard run and West Valley’ Tyriq Nance catching a 16-yard touchdown pass. West Valley added touchdown passes to Thomas and Nance to close the scoring, 45-22 Wolfpack.
Kenai committed five turnovers, three interceptions and two fumbles.
The Kardinals drop to 1-3 on the season; West Valley posts their first win of the season.
Nikiski 9 – Ketchikan 8
The Bulldogs recorded their first win of the season in Ketchikan on Friday night with a come-from-behind 9-8 victory over the Kings.
The Bulldogs lead 3-0 at the half.
Nikiski, trailing 6-3 in the fourth quarter, scored on a Noah Litke to Michael Eiter 15-yard touchdown pass to take a 9-6 lead over the Kings. Ketchikan drove to the Bulldog 1-yard line; then turned the ball over on a Eiter interception. With the three point lead and with five seconds remaining, Nikiski chose to take a knee in the end zone for a 2-point safety. Nikiski kicked to Ketchikan and time expired for the 9-8 Bulldog victory. Nikiski posts a Peninsula Conference win and improves to 1-3 overall.
