Anchorage Daily News

Saturday afternoon's Southside Showdown between South High and Service High is more than a rivalry game -- it will also decide the state's No. 1 football team and reveal which team owns the inside track to the Cook Inlet Conference championship.

South (4-0 overall, 3-0 CIC) leapfrogged Service (3-1, 3-0 CIC) to seize No. 1 among large schools in the latest edition of the Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network's poll, released Monday.

The Wolverines used the strength of a 21-6 victory over West to ascend to the top of the poll. Previous No. 1 Service slipped to No. 2 after falling 24-0 Friday night on the road to Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, the defending Nevada 4A champion.

South and Service play at 3 p.m. Saturday at Anchorage Football Stadium.

Railbelt Conference co-leader North Pole (4-0, 3-0 Railbelt) moved up one spot in the poll after throttling Eielson 61-12. Railbelt co-leader Palmer (3-1, 3-0 Railbelt) also jumped one spot to No. 4 after beating previously No. 3-ranked Juneau 34-19. Defending state champion Juneau (2-2, 2-1 Railbelt) slipped to No. 5.

Among small schools, two-time defending state champion Soldotna (3-0) remained No. 1, Barrow (3-0) stayed No. 2, Kodiak (4-0) held at No. 3 and Houston (4-0) stayed No. 4. Nikiski (2-2) moved into the poll at No. 5, supplanting Eielson.

The best small schools game this week pits Houston at Soldotna.

South-Service figures to be intriguing on a number of levels. Both teams sport multi-faceted offenses, stubborn and stingy defenses, and dangerous special-teams units.

South routinely uses 10 or more running backs in a game, constantly shuttling in fresh legs against defenses that can never key on just one or two backs, and averaging more than 180 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Colin Graham, who has thrown for 655 yards in four games, has connected with 10 different receivers.

And South's defense has surrendered just 39 points in four games.

Service quarterback Kevin Reilly has thrown for 656 yards in four games. He has hooked up with Matthew Weedman for 15 completions and five touchdowns. Running back Leo Aukusitino, who has rushed for 319 yards and five touchdowns in three CIC games, also anchors Service's defense at linebacker.

Service's defense surrendered just 18 points to three CIC opponents.

South and Service have played one common opponent, East. South beat the Thunderbirds 34-13 in Week 2 after Service thumped East 49-6 on the season-opening weekend.

Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network Football Poll

Team Record

1) South 4-0

2) Service 3-1

3) North Pole 4-0

4) Palmer 3-1

5) Juneau 2-2

SMALL SCHOOLS

TeamRecord

1) Soldotna 3-0

2) Barrow 4-0

3) Kodiak 4-0

4) Houston 4-0

5) Nikiski 2-2

Friday's Games

Juneau at Lake Oswego (Ore.), 2:30 p.m.

East vs. E. River, 7:30 p.m., AFS

West Valley vs. Bartlett, 7 p.m., Chugiak Stadium (nc)

Palmer at Colony, 7 p.m.

Skyview at Kenai, 5:30 p.m.

Delta Junction at Eielson, 6 p.m.

Juneau JV at Sitka, 5 p.m. (nc)

Saturday's Games

West at North Pole, 2 p.m. (nc)

Chugiak at Dimond, 2 p.m.

South vs. Service, 3 p.m., AFS

Lathrop at Wasilla, 4 p.m.

Homer at Barrow, noon, (nc)

Houston at Soldotna, 2 p.m.

Kodiak at Ketchikan, TBA, (nc)

Monroe Cath. at Seward, 1 p.m.

Valdez at Nikiski, 1 p.m.

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