For once, the Eagle River Wolves football team feels the light at the end of the tunnel isn't an oncoming train heralding certain, impending doom.
Granted, the Wolves fell to 0-4 with Thursday night's 47-6 Northern Lights Conference loss to visiting Palmer, but their drop this season to the medium-school division from their previous station among large-school teams has softened the blow.
Neither a 20-0 loss to Kodiak nor last week's 33-14 loss to Ketchikan in a game Eagle River led 14-13 after three quarters were anything like the sort of blowouts the Wolves routinely suffered in nearly a decade of large-school competition.
And the two overwhelming losses the Wolves have suffered – Thursday's setback and a season-opening 54-0 loss to Dimond of the large-school Cook Inlet Conference, Eagle River's old home – came against schools that either have an enrollment advantage (Dimond) or a recent history of success (Palmer).
"Now, we're making strides,'' said Eagle River junior Jordan Porter. "We're going to be competitive. It's a boost for all of us.''
Both Eagle River and Palmer this season dropped to the medium-school division from the large-school division after the Alaska School Activities Association, the governing body of high school sports, altered classifications. ASAA raised the maximum enrollment limit for medium-school football teams to 900 from 800 in the offseason.
Even though Palmer qualified for the large-school playoffs 15 consecutive seasons, longtime coach Rod Christiansen believed the time was right for the Moose to move down a division.
"The kids have always believed Palmer was going to be tough. The next guys up would say, 'It's our turn,' '' Christiansen said. "But it's hard to get a lot of good athletes out (for football), and for us it's a question of depth, and it gets harder when the season gets longer, because of injuries.''
Palmer (3-1, 1-0 conference) can still compete. A season-opening 28-20 victory at Chugiak of the CIC stands as evidence.
Meanwhile, Eagle River (0-4, 0-2 conference) still is trying to establish a foundation.
"The big teams, like Bartlett, we just can't compete with them – we don't have the numbers,'' Porter said. "Our games this year have been a lot more competitive.''
Eagle River coach Matt Turner, in his second season, calls his program a work in progress. The Wolves only had 48 players in the entire program last season, Turner said, enough for a small varsity team and small junior varsity team. This year's turnout is approaching 70, he said, and his goal is to eventually increase turnout enough to field varsity, junior varsity and C teams.
"It's a process,'' Turner said. "There are definitely athletes in this school – I see them because I also coach track – but we don't have big kids, and that's where we're lacking.''
For instance, Turner said, he only has seven varsity offensive linemen. That's five starters and two substitutes, and very little wiggle room if injuries arise.
Palmer made quick work of Eagle River on Thursday. Moose running back Chase Ferris, who has been hobbled by an ankle injury, only played the first half. But he rushed 10 times for 119 yards and two touchdowns, turned one of his two receptions into a touchdown and set up his touchdown catch with a 26-yard punt return.
Palmer's Jeff Glynn rushed 127 yards and a touchdown on five carries, and quarterback Trey Witz completed both of his passes for touchdowns, one to Ferris and one to Nick Daniels.
Eagle River quarterback Chad Heagy, a sophomore and second-year starter, scored on a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter. He also completed 6 of 9 passes for 36 yards, with one interception.
Porter made an impact on both sides of the ball. He rushed five times for 30 yards and caught two passes for 31 yards, with one of his receptions coming on a fake punt. Porter also recorded a sack and two other tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
The Wolves, who Turner said fumbled eight times in each of their two previous games and 21 times in their first three games, did not fumble Thursday.
"Small victories,'' Turner said.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
Palmer 26 7 6 8 47
Eagle River 0 0 0 6 6
First Quarter
Palmer – Ferris 59 run (Cutsforth kick), 10:59.
Palmer – Ferris 9 run (kick failed), 8:28.
Palmer – Ferris 11 pass from Witz (kick failed), 4:58.
Palmer – Daniels 15 pass from Witz (Burton kick), 1:17.
Second Quarter
Palmer – Daniels 8 run (Burton kick), 7:07.
Third Quarter
Palmer – Farris 14 run (kick blocked), 3:00.
Fourth Quarter
Eagle River – Heagy 5 run (run failed), 7:32.
Palmer – Glynn 18 run (Glynn run), 6:28.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Palmer: Glynn 5-127, Ferris 10-129, Farris 2-29, Witz 1-11, Daniels 1-8, Southwick 2-(-16). Eagle River: Thompson 10-41, Porter 5-30, George 5-8, Heagy 4-3, Moseley 1-3, Clark 2-0, Walker 3-(-3), Osborne 3-(-4), Team 1-(-13).
PASSING – Palmer: Witz 2-2-0—26, Southwick 1-2-0--6. Eagle River: Heagy 6-9-1—36, Clark 2-5-0—26, Thompson 1-2-0--12.
RECEIVING – Palmer: Ferris 2-17, Daniels 1-15. Eagle River: Smith 3-22, Porter 2-31, Walker 2-15, Sivil 1-7, George 1-(-1).