East football team outlasts Bartlett

"We didn't want to back into the playoffs," he said.

And they didn't. The Thunderbirds handed the ball to junior Osa Atifale, who lifted his team a 20-13 Cook Inlet Conference win over Bartlett by scoring his second game-winning touchdown run in as many weeks.

The East defense still had to manage one last stop of an electric Bartlett rushing attack that gained 192 yards, but when a fourth-down Bartlett pass attempt fell incomplete around midfield with 2:28 to go, the Thunderbirds (4-3, 4-2 CIC) ran out the clock and clinched a spot in the state playoffs.

The win was East's first over Bartlett in three years and earned the Thunderbirds possession of the "East Side Boot," a trophy that travels between the two schools to honor the memory of former East standout Aanooalii "Auno'' Filoialii, who died in a car accident in 2002.

"We had a lot of motivation for the boot," East receiver Jarred Laws said.

Laws provided the game's biggest highlight when he caught a 60-yard touchdown pass on a slant play early in the fourth quarter. Laws came into Saturday's game as the fourth-leading receiver in the CIC, and the big play gave him a game-high 100 yards on four catches.

When Laws caught the pass from quarterback Jesse Vanilau, his tentative reaction made it appear he might get tackled on the spot for about a 15-yard gain.

"I had to get a good grip on it," Laws said. "Once I did, we were off to the races."

It took Laws about three steps to separate himself from two pursuing defenders and cruise into the end zone. Celisa Hahn's extra point made it 13-13.

The touchdown provided a spark for East's defense, which suddenly began mauling Bartlett's ballcarriers. The Thunderbirds quickly forced the Golden Bears to punt from deep in their own territory, setting up a 37-yard drive that culminated in Atifale's winning touchdown.

"We have great chemistry, and when we step on the field, we expect to win," Laws said.

For an East team to feel so confident is a big turnaround for a program that only won three games over the previous two seasons.

"I feel really happy for them, with some of the things they've gone through the last couple of years," Trotter said.

For the Golden Bears (3-4, 2-4 CIC), the loss means they are eliminated from playoff contention with one week remaining in the regular season.

"It hurts because we had so many chances to win," said senior Trent Anthony, the top rusher in the CIC. "I'm proud of my team. They didn't give up the last two games."

Anthony topped 100 rushing yards for the seventh straight game, gaining 112 on 16 carries. He broke away for big run after big run, helping to set up two first-half field goals for Treshawn King-Dunbar and a 2-yard touchdown run for Darrian Parker in the third quarter.

Trotter said the Thunderbirds employed some new defensive tactics this week, but Anthony proved nearly impossible to stop at times.

"He's just shifty," Trotter said. "He's got that nasty spin move."

The Thunderbirds did just enough to get the win, however, and will get one more tune-up, next week against Chugiak, before the playoffs.

When Saturday's game ended, the team huddled around Trotter and fell silent as they waited for his post-game speech. Just four words escaped his mouth before the Thunderbirds erupted with victory cheers.

"Welcome to the playoffs," Trotter said.

Reach Jeremy Peters at jpeters@adn.com or 257-4335.

East \t6 \t0 \t0 14 -- 20

Bartlett \t0 \t6 \t7 \t0 -- 13

First Quarter

East -- 18 run Atifale (kick blocked) 3:02.

Second Quarter

Bartlett -- 27 field goal King-Dunbar, 4:57.

Bartlett -- 32 field goal King-Dunbar, 00:44.

Third Quarter

Bartlett -- 2 run Parker (King-Dunbar kick), 8:18.

Fourth Quarter

East -- Laws 60 pass from Vanilau (Hahn kick), 10:16.

East -- 3 run Atifale (Hahn kick), 3:59.

East Bartlett

First downs 15 12

Rushes-yards 44-148 37-192

Passing yards 118 0

Return yards 31 70

Passes 8-12-1 0-7-1

Punts 3-12.3 2-31.0

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards 6-49 5-35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- East: Vanilau 17-61; Atifale 17-54; DeLoria 3-16; Bachman 5-11; Rowles 2-6. Bartlett: Anthony 16-112; Parker 9-30; Honore 4-21; King-Dunbar 4-20; Heckmann 4-9.

PASSING -- East: Vanilau 8-12-1--118. Bartlett: King Dunbar 0-7-1--0.

RECEIVING -- East: Laws 4-100; Rowles 2-20; Schnellbaecher 1-2; Atifale 1-(-4). Bartlett: none.

Prep football Week 7 Friday's Results Chugiak 34, West 32 Service 66, Eagle River 36 Palmer 42, Colony 6 Wasilla 43, North Pole 29 Nikiski 58, Seward 6 Houston 37, Lathrop 20 Saturday's Results East 20, Bartlett 13 Barrow 8, Valdez 6 Eielson 48, Delta 0 Homer 21, Kenai 14, 2OT Kodiak 37, Monroe 0 Soldotna 34, Skyview 7 Thunder Mountain 30, Ketchikan 12 South 24, Dimond 19 West Valley at Juneau, late