Anchorage Daily News

Kevin Reilly and Colin Graham formed their friendship at the lunch table, on the basketball court and on the gridiron.

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Saturday afternoon, though, the state's top two high school quarterbacks will put goodwill on hold when No. 1 South and No. 2 Service battle for supremacy in the Cook Inlet Conference.

"We're friends," Service's Reilly said at Wednesday's practice. Then the senior quickly corrected himself. "Old friends."

A few miles down the road, South's Graham, also a senior, prepared for what ranks as the state's most anticipated regular-season game this year.

"I'm always ready for a big game," Graham said. "Playing Service is a big game."

How big is this meeting between the top two offenses in the conference?

South coach John Lewis offered some perspective after he visited the office of Service coach Jason Caldarera, who is also Service's athletic director. They exchanged game videos, talked about Saturday's game and how the Service and South showdown has evolved since South opened in 2004 and drew many students who previously attended Service.

"You don't hear the 'I hate South' or 'I hate Service' anymore," Lewis said. "Kids have grown past that. It's a rivalry."

Even so, Lewis felt a bit out of place in Service High, like he walked into enemy territory without backup. Caldarera invited Lewis to an assembly later that afternoon, but Lewis politely declined the offer.

"It was like Darth Vader stepping into a colonial ship," Lewis said.

With unbeaten conference records and south-side bragging rights on the line, there is no room for camaraderie between Service (3-1 overall, 3-0 CIC) and South (4-0, 3-0).

Some athletes in the rivalry grew up on the same street, while others have known each other since elementary school.

Reilly and Graham's friendship dates back to the eighth grade when they attended Goldenview Middle School. They hung out practically every day, eating lunch, shooting hoops on the playground and playing football for the Jaguars in Pop Warner football.

"I was like the fifth-string safety and Kevin was the center," Graham recalled.

Oh, how life has changed.

"We're as good of friends as rivals can be," Graham said.

The seniors, who seem poised to lead their teams deep into the large-school playoffs next month, are enjoying seasons that are eerily similar.

Reilly ranks No. 1 the state with 656 passing yards, leading Graham by one yard.

Reilly has completed 58 percent of his passes (50 of 87) and has thrown seven touchdowns, while his counterpart has converted 57 percent (35 of 62) with five touchdowns.

Both have thrown four interceptions. Both stand 6-foot-2. Their only noticeable difference is their weight -- Reilly is listed at 190, Graham checks in at 178.

But in terms of this south-side rivalry, Graham holds a valuable edge -- experience. He is 1-0 against Service and would love nothing more than to finish his career unbeaten against the Cougars.

For Reilly, playing the Wolverines will mean more than just facing his old buddy Graham or remaining the state's top passer. Leading Service to its first win over South ranks No. 1 on his priority list.

"Beating South is the most important thing in my life right now," he said.

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

EAGLE RIVER VS. EAST

RECORDS: Eagle River 1-3, East 0-4

TIME: 7, tonight

PLACE: Anchorage Football Stadium

LAST MEETING: East won 56-12 on Sept. 21 last year

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Eagle River RB Archie Blair rushed for a team-record 177 yards and three TDs last week against Skyview. East's Jeffry DeBrill took over for struggling Navarr Lopez as the T-birds' starting QB. But the junior only passed four times -- two for completions and one for an interception.

THE SKINNY: Could Eagle River actually win two in a row? After snapping its 19-game losing skid with a 45-7 nonconference win over Skyview on the road, the Wolves seek their first victory over a Cook Inlet Conference opponent.

WEST VALLEY VS. BARTLETT

RECORDS: West Valley 1-3, Bartlett 2-2

TIME: 7, tonight

PLACE: Chugiak Stadium

LAST MEETING: Bartlett won 22-16 in 2003

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Bartlett needs more production from sophomore QB LaMichael Fernandez, who passed for 65 yards and one TD in his last two games. Jacob Claypoole is West Valley's go-to guy in the backfield. He averages 94 yards a game and has two TDs.

THE SKINNY: The Golden Bears are 7-0 all-time against West Valley and will use this nonconference game as a tuneup before making a final push into the playoffs. They will likely need to win at least two of their last three CIC games to make the playoffs. Bartlett has East next week, followed by Dimond and Service.

SOUTH VS. SERVICE

RECORDS: South 4-0, Service 3-1

TIME: 3 p.m., Saturday

PLACE: Anchorage Football Stadium

LAST MEETING: South won 35-28 on Sept. 22 last year

PLAYERS TO WATCH: South WR Paxti Colbern has become Colin Graham's main target, leading the team with 11 catches. Colbern needs 10 more to tie South's single-season record set by Zach Sterling in 2006. Service's Kevin Reilly needs 344 passing yards to become the program's fourth QB to surpass the 1,000-yard mark.

THE SKINNY: The south-side showdown between No. 1 South and No. 2 Service never had so much at stake. The winner will likely go on to capture the conference's regular-season title. But chances are good they will meet again in the playoffs. The Cougars are looking for their first victory against the Wolverines, who lead the all-time series 4-0.

CHUGIAK VS. DIMOND

RECORDS: Chugiak 1-3, Dimond 3-1

TIME: 2 p.m., Saturday

PLACE: Dimond Alumni Field

LAST MEETING: Chugiak won 44-28 on Sept. 22 last year

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Chugiak QB Chris Wood is a more effective rusher than passer. He averages 7.2 yards a carry but has only completed 35 percent of his passes. Dimond WR Ryan Holta has caught eight passes for 174 yards in his last two games.

THE SKINNY: Chugiak's playoff hopes are on the line -- a loss would surely knock the Mustangs out of contention. Dimond needs to refocus from a sloppy win over Lathrop last week. Chugiak coach Duncan Shackelford is 2-2 against Dimond, a team he coached from 1994-2003. The Mustangs lead the all-time series 26-19-1.

WEST VS. NORTH POLE

RECORDS: West 2-2, North Pole 4-0

TIME: 2 p.m., Saturday

PLACE: Patriot Pride Field, North Pole

LAST MEETING: West won 49-20 on Sept. 16 of 2005

PLAYERS TO WATCH: West DB's Wesley Tulimasealii and Justin Kauffman each picked off South's Colin Graham last week and held the state's second-ranked QB to 105 passing yards. North Pole RB Dane Ebanez rushed for 235 yards on 12 carries last week and ranks third in the state with 501 rushing yards.

THE SKINNY: North Pole is heavily favored in this rematch of the 2004 state championship game. The third-ranked Patriots have outscored opponents by 19 points a game. West needs to contain Ebanez and Taylor Lewis, who combine for 193 yards a game. North Pole leads the all-time series 4-2.

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