The high school football state championships will conclude on Friday night at the Anchorage Football Stadium with the West Eagles facing the East Thunderbirds in the ASAA First National Bowl Division I Football Championship Game.
Notable State Football Sidebars
The Division II football champion for 2018 Soldotna Stars hold a state record eleven state football titles, including seven straight Diviision II championships.
The Kenai Kardinals own six state championships; five in the Small School Division and one in the Medium School Division.
Nikiski won the Greatland Conference championship in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and the Bulldogs claimed Small Schools championships in 2000, 2001, 2011 and 2013.
The Eielson Ravens earned their fifth Division III state championship in seven years and have a total of six titles (1992 championship was all classifications).
Central Peninsula Football: History
The Kenai Kardinals, Soldotna Stars and Nikiski Bulldogs each have long and impressive history in Alaska football.
A quick, condensed, refresher on local football’s impressive run in the history of ASAA football playoffs.
Distant Past
The Kenai Kardinals, as the central peninsula’s only high school, competed in the Cook Inlet Conference from the late 1960’s through the opening of Soldotna High School in 1980. The Kardinals competed against teams from Anchorage, the Valley and Fairbanks.
Football Timeline 1980-2015
1980-89
Until 1990, football crowned champions by invitation only-Anchorage Football Invitational: SoHi finished state runner-up in 1983 and 1988; Kenai never appeared in invitational format.
1990-99
SoHi represented NLC in state playoffs in 90,91,92,93,94,99 State Runner-Up: 1990 and 1992
Kenai represented NLC in state playoffs in 93,94,96
Nikiski, played in the Greatland Conference, won three conference titles: 1997,98,99
2000-2010
SoHi and Kenai moved to Small School in 2000 with enrollment under 850.
Nikiski, SoHi and Kenai combine to win 11 consecutive Small School championships
2011-2018
Medium School division established in 2011. Kenai & SoHi enter Medium School division; Nikiski stays in Small School division.
Nikiski wins Small School titles in 2011 and 2013
Kenai wins first Medium School championship in 2011
SoHi wins seven straight Medium School championships 2012-18
Individual School State Accomplishments: 1980-2018
SoHi
1980-99 Large School 8 appearances
2000-2010 Small School Division 10 of 11 years
2011-Present Medium School Division 8 of 8 years
Total: 26 state tournament appearances
11 State Championships
*Small School State Champs: 2006. 2007, 2008, 2010
*Medium School State Champs: 2012-2018
6 State Runner-up
*1983 & 1988 Anchorage Invitational Runner-Up
*Small School Runner-Up: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009
Kenai
1980-99 Large School 3 appearances
2000-2010 Small School Division 9 of 11 years
2011-Present Medium School Division 4 of 8 years
Total: 16 state tournament appearances
6 State Championships
*Small School State Champs: 2002, 2003, 2004 ,2005, 2009
*Medium School State Champs: 2011
2 State Runner-Up
*Small School Runner-Up: 2010, 2015
Nikiski
97-99 Greatland Conference champion (Greatland State Championship Game) 1997, 98,99
2000-2014 Small School 12 appearances in State Playoffs
4 Small School State Championships: 2000, 2001, 2011, 2013
3 State Small School State Runner-up: 2012, 2014, 2015
Since the start of football playoff formats in 1990, Either SoHi or Kenai has qualified to the football playoffs in either the Small School or Medium School divisions for 26 of 29 years. Nikiski has qualified for the Small School division playoffs 12 of 18 years.
(information based on ASAA state football records)
