Alaska News

Come crunch time, West delivers for 34-23 football win at Chugiak

When West High's comfort nearly degenerated into crisis Friday night, the Eagles responded with big plays in all three phases of football to repel host Chugiak's comeback bid and deliver a 34-23 nonconference win at Tom Huffer Sr. Stadium.

West led 28-10 late in the second quarter, but Chugiak touchdowns on consecutive possessions — Karletty Faamatuainu on a 2-yard run and Derryk Snell on a tackle-breaking, 7-yard run — seized momentum for the Mustangs and put plentiful pressure on the Eagles.

And then the Eagles answered — on special teams, offense and defense.

[Friday night's high school football scores]

To that point, West punter Will Troxel had endured a difficult stretch on a night when the setting sun painted the sky purple and pink — punts of 18, 16 and 19 yards. On another occasion, he struggled to handle a snap, tried to run to escape danger, and then tried to get off a punt, but turned over the ball, which led to Faamatuainu's scoring run.

Yet when the Eagles (2-1), clutching desperately onto a 28-23 lead with less than five minutes remaining, needed relief, Troxel boomed a 37-yard punt that furnished breathing room.

When West's defense, which Chugiak (1-2) gashed in the second half, needed to halt the Mustangs, it forced a fumble on Chugiak's penultimate possession and and a four-downs-and-out on Chugiak's final possession.

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And when West's prolific offense, which sputtered for three straight three-and-outs in the second half, needed to regain its equilibrium, quarterback Qyntyn Pilcher and receiver Turek Taylor produced their third touchdown connection of the night on a 42-yard bomb with less than three minutes to go. That strike pushed West's lead to 34-23.

[West Valley beats South for first time in program history]

Eagles defensive lineman Rapi Sotoa said the Eagles played like they practice — always looking ahead to the next play.

"When we practice, coaches really emphasize winning the next play," he said. "So when we get down, we just tell each other, 'Next play.' "

Taylor, who caught nine passes for 145 yards to continue his remarkable start through three games, said being detail-oriented in practices fortifies the Eagles for turbulent times.

"We actually pay attention to all parts of the game — offense, defense and special teams," he said "So, when it comes to crunch time, we know what we have to do."

And West coach Tim Davis said the culture of the defending large-school state football champions is all about supporting one another. Witness the Eagles' big plays in the big final minutes.

"It says they look out for each other," Davis said. "They play for each other."

West, sparked by running back Justin Tovio's 150 yards on 24 carries, and Pilcher's 285 yards passing, accumulated 442 yards total offense and has averaged 426 yards total offense through three games. The Eagles also have averaged 40 points a game — they lost 49-30 at defending medium-school champ Soldotna to open the season before throttling nonconference Lathrop 55-10 last week.

Pilcher completed 18 of 32 passes Friday and threw four touchdown passes, three to Taylor and one to A.J. Su'esu'e. Pilcher also ran for one touchdown.

Taylor, meanwhile, is practically off the charts through three games. He has caught 27 passes for 491 yards and eight touchdowns.

Fellow wideout Lazono Martin caught three passes for 54 yards, and also bagged an interception and a fumble recovery before cramps got the best of him late in the game.

"My whole body's cramping," he told trainers with a grimace and laugh as he lay on the ground and the trainers stretched his legs.

Chugiak's Swiss knife, Snell, caught five passes for 88 yards, rushed 16 times for 65 yards and stripped Taylor for a first-quarter fumble recovery that was basically a hijacking.

Mustangs quarterback Aaron Tomosulo completed 13 of 22 passes for 154 yards, and Faamatuainu turned 17 carries in 80 yards and two touchdowns.

West      7  14  7  6   — 34

Chugiak   0  7  3  13   — 23

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First Quarter

West — Pilcher 1 run (Harjehausen kick), 1:47.

Second Quarter

Chugiak — Faamatuaini 4 run (Morey kick), 9:11.

West — Su'esu'e 27 pass from Pilcher (Harjehausen kick), 4:38.

West — Taylor 24 pass from Pilcher (Harjehausen kick), :12.2

Third Quarter

Chugiak — 25 FG Morey, 7:06.

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West — Taylor 8 pass from Pilcher (Harjehausen kick), 2:20.

Fourth Quarter

Chugiak — Faamatuainu 2 run (Morey kick), 8:11.

Chugiak — Snell 7 run (run failed), 5:40.

West — Taylor 42 pass from Pilcher (pass failed), 2:46.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — West: Tovio 24-150, Pilcher 8-19, Team 1-(-12) . Chugiak: Faamatuainu 17-80, Snell 16-65, White 3-31, Johnson 3-8, Tomosulo 8-(-20).

PASSING — West: Pilcher 18-32-0–285, Hughes 0-1-0–0. Chugiak: Tomosulo 13-22-1–154.

RECEIVING — West: Taylor 9-145, Martin 3-54, Tovio 3-40, Su'esu'e 2-40, Bl. Despain 1-6. Chugiak:  Snell 5-88, White 4-11, Jones 2-12, Maad 1-33, Carlos 1-10.

Bartlett 49, North Pole 7

Trey Kingsland returned the opening kickoff 92 yards Friday night to set the tone for the Bartlett Golden Bears.

Bartlett beat North Pole 49-7 in a nonconference football game in North Pole.

The Golden Bears raced to a 35-0 halftime lead behind three touchdowns from Markus Sagatu.

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Sagatu scored on a 25-yard pass play and on runs of 12 and 39 yards to lead his team.

Bartlett's ground game produced 248 yards.

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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