Sports

South wins state football title 20-6 over West

Behind a strangling defense whose death grip on opposing ball carriers would make Darth Vader proud, South's "Darkside" football team completed a dominant season of football with a 20-6 win over West on Friday night in the large-school state championship football game under the lights at Anchorage Football Stadium.

"Our defense really sets the tone," said South defensive tackle Matt Keogh.

The Wolverines tallied six sacks in the game and held West to just 95 yards in the second half -- 65 of those coming on the Eagles' lone big play of the game. West had just seven plays of 10 yards or more, and two of those were on successful fake punts by the underdog Eagles, who were embarrassed by the Wolverines 55-9 in the regular season.

The win capped an undefeated season against Alaska competition for the Wolverines, whose only loss came to Stephenville, Texas, in August. South's victory gave it two state titles in the last three years and three since 2006.

South's players struggled to put the victory into words.

"It just tingles all over right now," said South defensive lineman Tyler Vang.

Despite the team's self-styled reputation as a merciless bunch – the Wolverines sport all-black helmets and carry themselves with an undeniable swagger – Vang said South's players were a close group of players who cared as much about each other as themselves.

ADVERTISEMENT

"This is like my second family," he said. "Everyone has each other's backs."

That all-for-one mentality extended to the post-game picture. As South's players gleefully posed for photos, running back Nick Settle dutifully spoke with a television reporter. By the time the interview was over, the pictures had all been taken. But South's players quickly regrouped to add Settle's grinning mug to the photo.

"I love every single one of these guys," Settle said.

Wolverines coach John Lewis said the tight-knit nature of this year's championship team was its calling card.

"If you saw these guys last year there was a lot of individuals," said Lewis, who now has three state championships in 11 seasons as South's head coach. "This year was different."

Settle, Sam Cook and Justice Augafa led a balanced South offensive attack. Cook finished with 87 yards and one touchdown, Augafa had 85 yards and two scores and Settle had 49 yards on 10 carries as the Wolverines piled up 222 yards on the ground.

P.J. Seui led all rushers with 102 yards on 13 carries for West, which also got 85 yards from Dave Tuilimu.

But South held West to just 71 passing yards and dominated the line of scrimmage all evening in front of a packed house at AFS.

While South's players shouted with joy after hoisting the championship trophy, West's fought back tears. But Seui said the loss to Alaska's premier team was nothing to be ashamed of.

"It shows a lot of heart," Seui said as he struggled to contain his emotions. "No one expected us to fight back."

Seui said he had just one word to sum up his feelings about a West team that battled back from two losses in its first six games to reach the title game for the second year in a row.

"Proud," he said.

The first half was played almost exclusively on the ground, with South attempting just two passes -- one of them intercepted by Turek Taylor -- and West completing three passes for minus-1 yards. The Eagles outgained South in the first half, racking up 128 yards to the Wolverines' 105.

Taylor's interception gave West its best starting field position of the first half at the South 37, but the stout Wolverines' defense held strong, stuffing Tuilimu on fourth-and-short to thwart the West attack.

South entered halftime clinging to a 6-0 lead after strong defensive performances by both teams. Augafa gave his team the lead, taking a handoff from Colin Thompson and shimmying through the heart of the West defense for the game's first touchdown.

South set the tone for the second half on its opening possession. After Settle's kickoff return set the Wolverines up near midfield, South drove 53 yards on seven crisp plays, capping the drive with a powerful 11-yard touchdown run by Sam Cook, who was hit near the line of scrimmage yet somehow found a way to barrel all the way to the end zone.

South's defense was relentless in the second half. The Wolverines -- who finished with nine tackles for loss -- harried West starting quarterback Sean Duffy all night long, eventually knocking the junior out of the game in the fourth quarter after sacks by Logan Murray and Matt Keogh.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I can't even put into words what it feels like right now," Murray said after the game.

Augafa put his team up 20-0 early in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard dive that capped a soul-crushing drive, a 10-play, 74-yard march that put the Wolverines minutes away from their final goal.

West had one final trick up its sleeve, a 65-yard catch-and-run by Jordan Murchinson, who took a short pass from Sam Wedin and exploded through the defense for the Eagles' lone score.

West was hoping to win back-to-back state titles for the first time in school history. Despite the loss, coach Tim Davis said he was pleased with his team's gutty effort.

"Coming in as the underdog you've got to empty the tank, and I felt like we emptied the tank," Davis said. "They were the better team all season and the better team tonight."

Augafa said his only wish after the game would be to spend more time with his teammates.

"I want to stay with my team," he said. "I wish we could go off to college together, but we can't."

Instead, the Wolverines will have to settle for one perfect night of football on which the Darkside stepped into the spotlight as Alaska's premier football team.

ADVERTISEMENT

"These guys just believed in themselves and each other," said Lewis. "That's where this team excelled."

Contact Matt Tunseth at 257-4335 or mtunseth@alaskadispatch.com

SOUTH 20, WEST 6

West 0 0 0 6 -- 6

South 0 6 7 7 -- 20

Second Quarter

South – Augafa 14 run (kick failed), 4:42

Third Quarter

South – Cook 11 run (Seglem kick), 9:50

Fourth Quarter

South – Augafa 1 run (Seglem kick), 11:53

West – Murchinson 65 pass from Wedin (kick blocked), 5:33

ADVERTISEMENT

West South

First downs 11 17

Rushes-yards 40-152 54-222

Passing yards 71 38

Passes 7-20-1 1-4-1

Punts 4-30.3 4-30.3

ADVERTISEMENT

Fumbles-lost 0-0 3-0

Penalties-yards 5-32 9-50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – West: PJ Seui 13-102, Tuilimu 19-85, Murchinson 1-(-1), Wedin 2-(-4), Duffy 5-(-30). South: Cook 14-87, Augafa 21-85, Settle 10-49, Thompson 8-2, Hanks 1-(-1).

Passing – West: Wedin 1-4-0—65, Duffy 6-16-1—6. South: Thompson 1-4-1—38.

Receiving – West: Taylor 2-5, Murchinson 1-65, Tuilimu 1-2, Bell 1-1, PJ Seui 1-1, Leon 1-(-3). South: Hudson 1-38.

Matt Tunseth

Matt Tunseth is a former reporter for the Anchorage Daily News and former editor of the Alaska Star.

ADVERTISEMENT