Kodiak held off Barrow 19-13 Friday night at the Anchorage Football Stadium to secure its third straight trip to the small-schools championship game. The Bears, winless in the last two title games, will play the winner of Saturday's semifinal between Soldotna and Eielson.
Kodiak rode a two-touchdown performance by Raphael Matautia, who switched from wide receiver to running back just in time to carry his team to the championship game. Matautia, a bruising sophomore, rushed seven times and scored twice on runs of 17 and 13 yards.
Matautia's second touchdown broke a 13-13 tie with 54 seconds left in the third quarter, giving Kodiak the lead for good.
Barrow, in the postseason for the first time in two years of varsity play, threatened in the fourth quarter, but Kodiak's defense stood strong. Pinned at its own 2-yard line after a Kodiak punt, Barrow drove 63 yards on nine plays before turning the ball over on downs with 89 seconds left. The drive ended on quarterback Albert Gerke's incomplete pass.
Barrow ends the season with an 8-2 record. Kodiak is 6-3.
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