Alaska high school football is first in the nation to begin its football season and now Alaska is first to begin its playoff system; as the 2018 ASAA First National Bowl Football State Championship playoffs begin tonight for Division I and on Saturday for both Division II and Division III football.
Division II Football: Soldotna vs Palmer
The Soldotna Stars will face the Palmer Moose in the Division II football semi-finals with a 1 p.m. game on Saturday at Palmer High School’s Machetanz Field. Palmer High School is the host site for the Division II football playoffs in 2018; the seeding process is scheduled to change in 2019 with the higher seed again hosting the playoffs first round.
SoHi earned the #1 seed for the Northern Lights Conference with a perfect 3-0 record in conference play and a 7-1 overall record. The Palmer Moose enter the playoffs as the #2 seed for the Railbelt Conference with a 2-1 conference record and a 6-2 overall record.
Both teams enter the playoffs on a high note. The Soldotna Stars closed the regular season with an impressive 72-24 victory over Kenai to secure the top NLC seed. The Palmer Moose with a 42-0 win over the Wasilla Warriors in the annual, non-conference Potato Bowl; Palmer was scoreboard watching on Friday night as Lathrop defeated West Valley 23-18 to secure the Malemutes in the top seed and the Moose in the second position from the Railbelt.
Palmer is the only Railbelt team that the Soldotna Stars did not face in the regular season. In-regards-to common opponents during the regular season, Palmer with victories over West Valley and North Pole and a loss to Lathrop; the Stars dominated all three Fairbanks opponents, averaging 59 point per game against the Railbelt. Both teams also have a common opponent victory over the Kenai Kardinals.
The Stars play Palmer for a third-straight year in the playoffs having defeated Palmer in the Division II championship game in 2016 and 2017.
SoHi vs Palmer 1 p.m. Broadcast on ESPN 1140AM and www.radiokenai.com with the Sweeney’s Pregame Show beginning at 12:45 p.m.
The Lathrop Malemutes face the Eagle River Wolves in the second Division II playoff game on Saturday at 4 p.m.
The winner’s of the semi-final games meet on Saturday, October 13th in the ASAA Division II Football Championship Game at Palmer High School. Game time scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
ASAA Football Playoff Schedule: Division III and Division I
Division III Football Playoffs: First Round Pairings October 6th
(the higher seed hosts the first round of the DIII playoffs)
Houston (#1 Peninsula Conference) vs Barrow (#2 Aurora Conference) @ Houston High at 2 p.m.
Ben Eielson (#1 Aurora Conference) vs Ketchikan (#2 Peninsula Conference) @ Eielson High at 1 p.m.
Division I Football Playoffs: First Round Pairings October 5th & 6th
(the higher seed hosts the first round of the DI playoffs)
Colony vs South Anchorage @ Colony High Friday, October 5th 7 p.m.
West (4-4) vs Wasilla (3-5) @ West High Friday, October 5th 7 p.m.
Bartlett (7-1) vs Service (4-4) @ Bartlett High Saturday, October 6th TBD
East (7-1) vs Chugiak (1-7) @ East High Saturday, October 6th 2 p.m.