The Soldotna Stars football program has answered all challenges, taken-on all contenders, constructed a sixth undefeated season in the past seven years and now stands ready to record an eighth-straight Division II football state championship.
The 2019 ASAA First National Bowl Football Championship Division II title game is set for Saturday, October 19th at the Anchorage Football Stadium.
The Stars will battle the Lathrop Malemutes in the 4 p.m. championship contest.
Soldotna High School
Soldotna High School finished the regular season with a record of 7-0, 3-0 in the Northern Lights Conference and the Stars extended their current, state-best win streak to 16 games.
SoHi, the #1 seed from the NLC into the Division II playoffs, overpowered Railbelt Conference #2 seed West Valley 54-22 to extend the win streak to 17 games and advance to the Division II championship on Saturday.
The Soldotna Stars has recorded 450 points through eight games, averaging 56 points per game; many times with the starting offense sitting out the third and fourth quarter and with every game except one going to the mercy rule and a running clock. SoHi has amassed over 3,900 total yards including 3132 rushing yards and 770 passing yards.
The Stars defense has allowed a total of 69 points (8.6 per game) with the starting defense allowing only 6 touchdowns all season.
Soldotna defeated Lathrop 51-14 in the regular season on September 13th.
Lathrop Malemutes
Lathrop advances to the Division II football championship game following a 3-0 run through the Railbelt Conference and a first-round playoff victory over NLC #2 seed Eagle River 54-10 last Saturday in Fairbanks.
The Malemutes’ first state championship game comes in the Malemutes’ second season in the Division II classification; Lathrop moved from Division I to Division II in 2018. Lathrop last played in the state football championship game in 1985, when all teams played in the same classification and the state title game was the Anchorage Invitational (no playoffs, no divisions).
In the only meeting between Lathrop and SoHi, the Malemutes rushed for 128 yards including 96 by quarterback Jace Henry. A majority of Lathrop’s near 185 passing yards came in the second half with the SoHi starting seniors watching from the sideline.
ASAA First National Bowl Division II State Football Championships
Soldotna High School vs Lathrop High School
Saturday, October 19th
Anchorage Football Stadium @ 4 p.m.
Broadcast on ESPN 1140AM and streamed live and free at www.radiokenai.com
Division III State Championship
Houston will battle Barrow on Saturday, October 19th at the Anchorage Football Stadium in the Division III championship game scheduled for noon.
The Houston Hawks extend their unbeaten season with a 64-21 dismantling of perennial powerhouse Eielson. The Barrow Whalers will return to the Division III championship on the strength of a 52-0 shut out of the Nikiski Bulldogs. Barrow won the Division III title in 2017 and finished as runner-up in 2018.
