East High running back Johnny Afuvai was in a playful mood Saturday afternoon, understandable after the way he and his teammates toyed with West Valley in the state large-school football quarterfinals.
Afuvai, a junior, rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries to spearhead the T-birds' 49-0 victory over the visiting Wolfpack at East High.
"With the help of my line, we can do anything,'' Afuvai said with a smile. "If I had to rate the line, 1 to 10, I'd say an 8.''
And then he laughed.
"This feels great,'' Afuvai said.
Of course it does, and not just because the T-birds (6-3) advanced to this week's semifinals. Saturday's blowout not only marked East's third consecutive victory but proved more redemption – and a continued resurrection -- for a program that won just one game in each of the two previous seasons, each time against overmatched Eagle River.
East, the No. 1 seed from the Cook Inlet Conference, made quick work of West Valley (3-6), the No. 3 seed from the Railbelt Conference. The T-birds next face fellow CIC member West, a 28-27 winner over Lathrop in Fairbanks on Saturday night. East beat West, 22-15, in the regular season.
Afuvai bolted 64 yards on the game's first play from scrimmage and quarterback Carson Washburn scored on a 2-yard run three plays later. On East's third possession, Afuvai raced 53 yards, and he scored on a 1-yard run three plays later.
With Afuvai conversion runs on both of those touchdowns, the T-birds jumped to a 16-0 lead and never had reason to check the rearview mirror.
By the time each team had five first-half possessions, the T-birds owned 228 yards total offense and a 29-0 lead – Washburn by then had added a 25-yard touchdown run and Afuvai a 2-yard scoring run – and West Valley had produced just 19 yards total offense. East coach Jeff Trotter said several plays he and his staff determined from their video scouting could be successful proved precisely that.
"We just basically ran those plays out of different looks, and it worked,'' Trotter said.
Afuvai, Washburn and Joshua Malnoske (43 yards and one touchdown on nine carries) flourished behind the line of center Tausili Vaafuti, guards Mike Marquez and Auomanu Manu, tackles Donnell Page and Junior Tuianna, and tight end Jiovanni Franklin-Santacrose.
On defense, the T-birds permitted the Wolfpack just one snap in East territory in the first three quarters and turned that into a turnover.
Zeimaurion Fleming and Ethan Kalolo-Bass recovered fumbles for East, and Poutasi Pulalasi snatched an interception. Furnishing sacks for the T-birds were La Antanoa, Ralph Toleafoa, Gerry Lee and Brandon McIntire, and Amen Ua and David Chatterton combined for another.
"The defense seems like it keeps getting a little better every week,'' said Trotter, crediting defensive coordinator Don Powell for the improvement.
East's defensive line overwhelmed West Valley's offensive front, and only the cagey and athletic scrambling of junior quarterback Zach Lester, who repeatedly extended plays, prevented things from going worse for the Wolfpack. West Valley's 40 offensive plays included 12 that went for negative yardage.
"My line said (East) did a lot of stunts and it was confusing for them, and I couldn't get time,'' Lester said. "They're just a real physical team.
"They just outplayed us. We've got a lot of work to do in the offseason in the weight room to get stronger.''
West Valley finished the season with four straight losses. The Wolfpack surrendered 173 points in their last three losses.
The T-birds also received a 14-yard touchdown run from Zak Paulsen and a 29-yard touchdown reception from Sam Logoleo, who Washburn hit in stride in the second quarter. East's quick start made the result predictable by halftime – the T-birds led 42-0 at the break.
"We got the momentum, and started the game off with a great run,'' Afuvai said.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr
WV 0 0 0 0 -- 0
East 16 27 7 0 -- 49
First Quarter
East – Washburn 2 run (Afuvai run), 10:02.
East – Afuvai 1 run (Afuvai run), 1:56.
Second Quarter
East – Washburn 25 run (run failed), 11:16.
East – Afuvai 2 run (Wagar kick), 7:02.
East – Logoleo 29 pass from Washburn (kick failed), 1:50.
East – Paulsen 14 run (Wagar kick), 3.6.
Third Quarter
East – Malnoskie 5 run (Wagar kick), 3:23.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – WV: Preston 4-16, Lester 14-9, Birklid 1-2, Campbell 1-1, Omnik 4-(-12). East: Afuvai 12-224, Malnoske 9-43, Paulsen 4-36, Logoleo 5-6, Smith 2-6, Washburn 7-5, Williams 1-2, Emmsley 1-)-6).
PASSING – WV: Lester 11-16-1--119. East: Washburn 3-6-0—83, Logoleo 1-1-0--3.
RECEIVING – WV: Omnik 3-41, Preston 3-21, Joyner 2-29, Birklid 2-26, Blackweasel 1-2. East: Malnoske 1-33, Logoleo 1-29, Vea 1-8, Hague 1-3.