Rarely in recent years has the Alaska Division II football scene looked as equal as it does now.
Either Lathrop or Soldotna has won every D2 state title since 2012 (the Stars’ eight-year title streak ended after Lathrop was reclassified from Division I in 2018). (only in the last 10 years).
That could very well happen again this year, considering just last Saturday Lathrop became the first team to beat Soldotna since Lathrop in 2022. However, the Malemutes have lost to four conference opponents this fall and are not guaranteed a playoff spot. That means they are somewhere between a state title contender and a playoff contender.
For better or worse, the D2 scene looks more open this year as the ASAA returns to a four-team playoff (rather than having all eight Railbelt Conference teams participate).
Last year, three teams amassed conference records of 5-2 or better, but the 3-4 team (West Valley) won a playoff game on its home field, but quickly became 2-5. We lost to the team (North Pole).
This year, there are at least three teams in the Railbelt Conference with winning records in league play (all losing to the same D2 team), and four teams in the 3-4 vie for the final playoff position. It is thought that there is a possibility that
Things will start to sort out on Friday, when the only undefeated team in conference play (North Pole) hosts the team with one loss as well (Soldotna). The winner of this game will earn the No. 1 seed for the playoffs, which begin on October 18th.
Soldotna won’t overlook the Arctic team, whose only loss came to the same team that beat the Stars. In addition, North Pole defeated the team that Soldotna did not beat, as the Patriots won the rematch with Malemutes.
Has Sohee’s iron wall been broken? Since 2020, the Stars have a 38-0 record against opponents other than Lathrop. Some may wonder if Lathrop’s 18-game winning streak over the past two seasons could erode the Stars’ confidence. They may also be looking to bounce back after winning their first seven games of the year by four points or more.
North Pole defeated West Valley last Friday with a more balanced offense (and won the turnover battle 2-0) and will now face Soldotna’s similarly run-heavy T-formation offense. Become.
The Patriots can move rocks themselves. Patrick Melvin and Devin Cooper-Jackson (the latter missed last week) are averaging just 200 rushing yards per game combined.
North Pole also has a good enough passing game to keep the defense honest, with junior receiver Landon Ritter accounting for nearly half of North Pole’s passing volume at 50 yards per game through senior quarterback Brayden Martin. have obtained more than that.
North Pole and Soldotna secured the top two spots in the conference and qualified for a playoff game on their home field. Who will visit them is up for debate, but it’s certain that the Fairbanks team will be among them.
The winner of Saturday’s Dog Bowl will be guaranteed a winning record in the conference and a postseason berth as both Fairbanks teams are tied for third place with a total of three wins and three losses in league play.
This could be one of the best West Valley vs. Lathrop rivalry games in recent memory, with one team in the Golden Heart City guaranteed a postseason berth and another likely garnering outside attention. It will be a match of eight.
While West Valley runs wing T and distributes the ball to several playmakers including Zaire Stebbins, Evan Harris, Grayson DeVaughn and Haylen Nield, Lathrop is built as a run-first team at North Pole as well. and remains a threat in the air. .
Malemutes’ offense is centered around senior running back Oshawn Esaw. He is a 6-foot-1, 245-pounder who leads the state in rushing yards (1,289) and carries (198) by a wide margin and has scored 18 total touchdowns. Senior quarterback Devin Emmett, in his first year playing the position, is tied for first in the state in touchdown passes (16).
His top target, sophomore receiver Wilson Lawson, ranks fourth in the state in receiving yards (391) and second in touchdowns (5). Lathrop’s offense is averaging 49.7 points in its three-game winning streak, after averaging 16.8 points in its four-game losing streak.
Malemute or Wolfpack wins. What happens to the losers?
Eagle River beat Lathrop and lost to West Valley, but is tied with both Fairbanks teams at 3-3. Palmer and Chugiak are both 2-4 in conference play. Chugiak is coming off a win over West Valley but lost to Palmer last week. Palmer defeated Lathrop for his second league win.
The Moose are expected to beat Wasilla (1-7 overall) this Friday. Meanwhile, the Mustangs play in Eagle River. The Wolves are favored to win that game, and a win would secure them the fourth playoff spot (along with the Dog Bowl winners). Eagle River, 4-3, will become the No. 4 seed if West Valley wins Saturday, and the No. 3 seed if Lathrop wins in the head-to-head matchup.
Things get even more complicated with the Wolves losing. That would put Eagle River, Chugiak and the Dog Bowl loser at 3-4 in league play. If the Moose beat Wasilla, Palmer could be added. That means a scenario where four teams (half of the conference) are tied for fourth place with a 3-4 record.
It’s not as simple as Chugiak beating the Wolves on Friday to earn Eagle River honors. The Mustangs lost to Lathrop (Lathrop lost to Eagle River). Palmer will have wins over the Mustangs and Malemutes and a loss to Eagle River.
At that point, head-to-head tiebreakers will become somewhat meaningless. 4th place will move on to the next tiebreaker. It’s a record against common opponents, and Lathrop’s win over Soldotna should give him an advantage.
That means Lathrop can play Saturday even if Eagle River loses. For the same reason, if Eagle River loses and West Valley loses to Lathrop, the Wolfpack theoretically benefits from being the only D2 team to beat Eagle River other than North Pole and Soldotna. You should receive it. The next tiebreaker is the difference in points between games with tied schools.
Half of the D2 playoff field is made up of interior schools. By this time next week, we will know whether all three Fairbanks North Star District football teams will play in the postseason.
