Sports

Alaska football playoffs: Rematches abound

All four state high school football playoff games this weekend – championship clashes in medium- and small-school divisions, and semifinals in the large-school division – are rematches of regular-season games.

Three-time defending state medium-school champion Soldotna (9-0), Alaska's only undefeated team this season and owner of a state-record, 38-game winning streak, takes on rival Kenai Central (7-1) in Saturday's title game at Dimond's Alumni Field. Soldotna won 23-0 at Kenai two weeks ago in the traditional regular-season finale for both teams.

Defending small-school state champion Eielson (8-1) plays Nikiski (7-2) for the championship Saturday at Dimond. In the regular season, Eielson beat visiting Nikiski 34-7.

All four large-school semifinalists are from the Anchorage-area Cook Inlet Conference.

Dimond (6-3) and Chugiak (6-3) meet Friday night at West High. Dimond won the regular-season meeting 40-32 at Dimond.

East (7-2) takes on West (7-2) at West on Saturday afternoon. East beat West 22-15 in the regular season.

That Soldotna and Kenai have emerged as the two best medium-school teams is hardly a surprise. The schools have combined for 13 straight state championships – seven by Soldotna, six by Kenai – in the medium- and small-school divisions. The schools last met in a championship game in 2010, when Soldotna beat Kenai, 77-42.

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Eielson and Nikiski have accounted for all four small-school championships – two each -- since the Alaska School Activities Association, the governing body for prep sports, split football into three divisions in 2011. Eielson beat Nikiski 55-51 in last season's title game.

In the large-school division, West won titles in 2013 and 2010, East last stood on top in 2003, Dimond last won titles in 2001 and 2000, and Chugiak seeks its first championship since 1996.

ASAA/First National Bowl

State Football Championships

Large-school semifinals, at West High

Friday – Dimond (6-3) vs. Chugiak (6-3), 7 p.m.

Saturday – East (7-2) vs. West (7-2), 2 p.m.

Medium-school championship, at Dimond High

Saturday – Soldotna (9-0) vs. Kenai (7-1), 4 p.m.

Small-school championship, at Dimond High

Saturday – Nikiski (7-2) vs. Eielson (8-1), 12:30 p.m.

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