Sports

Master vs. pupil on the gridiron

When Service coach Jason Caldarera and West's Tim Davis square off tonight at Anchorage Football Stadium it will be the first time the two men have met as opposing coaches.

But not the first time they've met.

For that moment, you've got to go back in time more than a decade.

"He was a little freshman in my science class," Caldarera said of Davis, a 2001 Service grad who played and coached under Caldarera. "I've known him since he was just a kid."

Even as a scrawny teenager, Caldarera said, Davis had the makings of a football coach.

"He was one of those sports encyclopedia nerds," Caldarera said. "He knew every fact about every pro and college player. He's always been a student of the game."

Davis left the Service staff after the Cougars' state-championship run last season and landed at West, where he's guided the Eagles to a 4-0 record. The Eagles enter tonight's game ranked No. 2 in the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network's statewide media poll -- one spot below Service, which is also 4-0.

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"This is great," Davis said Thursday before practice. "You couldn't ask for more. Coming into this thing, who would have thought the team I came from would be undefeated, we'd be undefeated and No. 1 and No. 2 in the state?"

Davis said he might not be in position to challenge his former team if it wasn't for the encouragement he got from Caldarera as a young Service student.

"He's actually one of the main reasons I played football," Davis said. "I didn't play my freshman year, and he really gave me the confidence to play ball. I had a lot of fun and was fairly successful and then he gave me a shot to start coaching, so I owe a lot to Jason."

Caldarera said he couldn't be happier for Davis' success at West, which hasn't finished higher than fifth in the CIC since winning the conference title in 2004.

"I'm very proud of Tim and what he's done. In his time at West he's done a lot to change the culture there," he said. "... He's kind of grown up with us, so it's neat to see him on his own and doing his thing."

In addition to bringing a state championship ring from Service, Davis also brought the spread offense, which West has used to put up 33.7 points per game -- second to only Service's 44.3 among large-schools teams.

The coaches' familiarity with each other may influence how the teams prepare.

"Obviously everybody's got their little tweaks that they're going to keep quiet about until game time," Caldarera said.

Davis said he wouldn't put it past the Service staff to add a few wrinkles to throw off West defenders.

"Who knows, maybe it'll be wishbone versus wishbone when we both show up," he joked.

That's unlikely. Both teams boast efficient, dangerous starting quarterbacks who can run and throw, as well as receivers and running backs that can make plays. West quarterback Justin Kauffman is second in the Cook Inlet Conference in rushing yards and third in passing, while Service sophomore J.J. Christy leads the state in passing and has also rushed for 161 yards and three scores.

Davis said he doesn't think either team will stray too far from what's worked so far.

"Both teams are confident in what they do; we're just going to go out and let the best team win," he said.

Whichever team that is will have an edge on the rest of the CIC, which gets four berths in the state playoffs. No team with at least four conference wins has ever finished lower than fourth in the CIC, and a win tonight would all but guarantee a playoff spot -- and go a long way toward a conference title.

"There's a lot of teams that are still going to have their say in things," Davis said. "However, if we can find a way to get it done this week, absolutely we'll be in the driver's seat."

WEST VS. SERVICE

RECORDS: West 3-0 Cook Inlet Conference, 4-0 overall; Service 3-0, 4-0

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TIME: 7 p.m. At Anchorage Football Stadium

RADIO: FM 93.7

LAST MEETING: Service won 33-6 last season

PLAYERS TO WATCH: West linebacker/punter/offensive lineman David Solomona never leaves the field. In addition to recording a sack in every game he's played this season, the senior has also returned an interception for a touchdown and pulled off a successful fake punt. Service senior wide receivers Connor Mamikunian and Lucas Cosgriff have combined to catch more passes (31) than any tandem in the state.

THE SKINNY: The all-time series, which goes back to 1971, is knotted at 22-22.

SOUTH VS. EAGLE RIVER

RECORDS: South 2-1, 3-1; Eagle River 1-2, 2-2

TIME: 1 p.m. at Chugiak High

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LAST MEETING: South won 63-7 last season

PLAYERS TO WATCH: South running back David Sollars is averaging 9.7 yards a carry for the Wolverines, which boast five players with at least 100 yards rushing this season. Eagle River wide receiver Darius Horton caught four passes for 102 yards and two scores in Eagle River's first CIC win last weekend against East.

THE SKINNY: Expect plenty of running. South averages fewer than four pass attempts per game, while the Wolves average just over five.

BARTLETT AT DIMOND

RECORDS: Bartlett 1-2, 2-2; Dimond 0-3, 0-4

TIME: 2 p.m.

RADIO: FM 93.7

LAST MEETING: Bartlett won 12-6 last season

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Bartlett senior wide receiver/defensive back Wilber Everett has scored touchdowns on both offense and defense this season. Dimond quarterback Ahmad Nasir is the team's leading rusher and is fourth in the CIC in passing yards.

THE SKINNY: Both teams are in desperate need of some momentum after taking tough losses last week. A Dimond loss would put the Lynx on the brink of elimination, while Bartlett needs to avoid its second straight CIC defeat.

HOMER AT EAST

RECORDS: Homer 3-1 Northern Lights and 3-1 overall; East 0-3, 0-4

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TIME: 7 p.m. at AFS

LAST MEETING: First meeting between the schools.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: East wideout Caleb Holley has been the state's top receiver this season, with 19 receptions for 421 yards and four scores.

THE SKINNY: In Homer's five previous meetings with CIC schools -- all losses -- the Mariners have been outscored 155-35, including a 35-12 loss to South in 2005. East is seeking its first win of the season after dropping a controversial 43-40 decision to Eagle River last weekend.

NORTH POLE AT CHUGIAK

RECORDS: North Pole 2-1 Railbelt, 2-2 overall; Chugiak 3-1, 3-1

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TIME: 7 p.m.

LAST MEETING: Chugiak won 28-6 in 2002

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Chugiak kicker Bryan Maley is 12 for 12 on extra point tries and has also nailed both field goals he's attempted this season, including a 36-yard game-winner last week in Chugiak's 24-21 win over Dimond. North Pole quarterback Lee Jones is third in passing yards (629) and second in passer rating (198.6 by the high school rating system) among Alaska quarterbacks.

THE SKINNY: Chugiak doesn't get much of a break from its conference schedule. The defending Railbelt champions, North Pole's two losses have come at the hands of No. 3 Colony and No. 5 South.

Find Matt Tunseth online at adn.com/contact/mtunseth or call 257-4335.

Week 5 schedule

TODAY

Seward at Nikiski, 6:30 p.m.

Palmer at Colony, 7 p.m.

West Valley at Wasilla, 7 p.m.

Eielson at Lathrop, 7 p.m.

West vs. Service at Anchorage Football Stadium, 7 p.m.

Sitka at Thunder Mountain, 8 p.m.

East Valley (Wash.) At Juneau, 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Monroe At Valdez 1 p.m.

South vs. Eagle River at Chugiak, 1 p.m.

Delta Junction at Barrow, 1:30 p.m.

Bartlett at Dimond, 2 p.m.

Kenai at Skyview 2 p.m.

Kodiak at Soldotna, 2 p.m.

Houston at Ketchikan, 6 p.m.

Homer vs. East At AFS, 7 p.m.

North Pole at Chugiak, 7 p.m.

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By MATT TUNSETH

mtunseth@adn.com

Matt Tunseth

Matt Tunseth is a former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News and former editor of the Alaska Star.

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