Anchorage Daily News

After surviving two-a-day practices in some wickedly strong wind and snow storms that have come off the Chukchi Sea this month, the Barrow Whalers seem poised to handle any audible this season.

How about this one:

Playing in just their second varsity football season, the Whalers have earned some respect after a solid 36-27 season-opening win at home Saturday against Skyview.

The nonconference victory helped the Whalers slide into this week's Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network's football poll as the fourth-ranked small-schools team in the state.

For a team that didn't exist three years ago -- the Whalers played junior varsity in their inaugural season -- to win its season opener for the second straight season is bound to garner some attention.

"It's nice to get recognition at any time," Whalers coach Mark Voss said by phone from Barrow, where it was a brisk 37 degrees at kickoff Saturday.

This is the first time in program history that Barrow has been ranked in the ASBN football poll. Voss is hoping its certainly not the last.

"We're making really nice progress," he said. "We're close to where a coach wants his third-year program to be."

This weekend the Whalers host Seward (0-1), a team they beat 18-16 during their home opener last season. From that game on, the competition will only get tougher, Voss said.

"We've got a really tough road coming up," he said, noting the Aug. 22 Greatland Conference road game against No. 3 Eielson.

Coming in at No. 1 for the second straight week were the Kodiak Bears, who crushed Seward 53-0 in Saturday's nonconference game at home.

Two-time defending small-schools champion Soldotna still has the No. 2 spot, even after a 55-22 victory nonconference win over Nikiski on the road.

The Stars are preparing this week for a game that could perhaps be the toughest nonconference games this season for a small-school team.

They face Colony (0-1), a perennial playoff team coached by Jaime Mayo that has won 69 percent (34-15) of its games against small-school teams.

Another marquee matchup this week will be No. 1 Juneau-Douglas against No. 5 Wasilla in the state's capital city.

The Warriors (1-0) are coming off a hard-fought 21-14 nonconference win over Chugiak that was played on the Mustangs' new turfed field.

Wasilla quarterback Adrese LaVern looked confident in his first start of the year, completing 10 of 17 for 103 yards with one touchdown strike to fellow senior Chris Crane.

"Adrese is a great quarterback," said Crane, who finished with two touchdowns. "He's got a beautiful ball."

A victory in Juneau would be just as beautiful as the Warriors haven't beaten the defending large-schools champion Crimson Bears since 1990.

Wasilla will need to contain Dakota Smith, Juneau's new quarterback who scored three rushing touchdowns and passed for 164 yards in Saturday's 45-7 Railbelt Conference win against West Valley.

Silver Maake, the state's fourth-leading rusher last season, was out serving a one-game suspension but will be in uniform for Friday's kickoff.

Juneau offensive coordinator Rich Sjorros is expecting it to be a great showdown.

"I think (Wasilla's) the real deal," he said. "That town is on a mission."

Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.

High school football poll

Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network Football Poll

After Week 1

LARGE SCHOOLS

Team 2007 Record

1) Juneau-Douglas 1-0

2) Service 1-0

3) South 1-0

3) North Pole 1-0

5) Wasilla 1-0

Others receiving votes: West (1-0)

SMALL SCHOOLS

Team 2007 Record

1) Kodiak 1-0

2) Soldotna 1-0

2) Eielson 1-0

3) Barrow 1-0

5) Houston 1-0

Others receiving votes: Homer (1-0)

Friday's Games

Ketchikan at Sitka, 5 p.m.

Colony at Soldotna, 6:30 p.m.

Dimond vs. West, 7 p.m., Anchorage Football Stadium

Service at Chugiak, 7 p.m.,

North Pole at West Valley, 7 p.m.

Wasilla at Juneau-Douglas, 8 p.m.

Saturday's Games

Valdez at Kenai, 1 p.m.

Skyview at Houston, 1 p.m.

Eagle River vs. Bartlett, 1 p.m.

Eielson at Monroe Catholic, 2 p.m.

Homer at Kodiak, 2 p.m.

Seward at Barrow, 2 p.m.

Nikiski at Delta Junction, 5 p.m.

South vs. East, 7 p.m., AFS

Palmer at Lathrop, 7 p.m.

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