Bartlett thumps Service 70-32 in state football quarterfinals

While Elijah Lear admitted to losing track of his touchdown total Saturday, he also lost his lunch.

Lear, a senior and one of second-ranked Bartlett's wide array of backfield options, scored five rushing touchdowns and ran for 277 of the Golden Bears' 506 rushing yards in a 70-32 home-field victory over fifth-ranked Service. With the win, Bartlett (8-1 record) advanced in the Division I First National Bowl playoffs and will stay home to face West in the semifinals later this week.

Top-ranked East flew by Chugiak 49-21 in a quarterfinal also played Saturday. The Thunderbirds will host third-ranked Colony in the semis. Official dates and start times should be known in the next few days. But since neither field at Bartlett or East is equipped with lights, expect both games to played Saturday afternoon.

Fourteen carries into his contribution to Bartlett's run-filled afternoon, Lear had amassed 192 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 75 yards. But moments after a 14-yard gain put the Golden Bears back in the red zone, something didn't feel quite right. As he jogged to the sidelines, Lear vomited up a portion of his pregame meal near the 12-yard line at the south end of the field.

"Honestly, we had some real good fried rice with eggs in there and some Spam," Lear said, allowing the postgame embarrassment to settle. "I had two or three plates."

Golden Bears' co-coach John Jessen was aware.

"Oh yeah, Elijah went in for seconds," Jessen said. "Of course he did."

Bartlett scored 35 first-quarter points and put 56 on the scoreboard by halftime. Senior Josh Siania finished with 11 rushes for 134 yards and three touchdowns.

"Between the skill position players and our linemen, we've been blessed as coaches," Jessen said. "A lot of those players are among our 37 seniors who have been playing in our program for four years."

Bartlett entered the day averaging 479 rushing yards per contest. Service arrived with a more balanced offense. The Cougars averaged 180 yards on the ground and 247 through the air in their first eight games.

Despite gamely maneuvering around the pocket to regularly rid himself of Bartlett's defenders, Service senior Jason Villanueva-Kaeo couldn't complete the usual bevy of passes. One of the two all-Cook Inlet Conference first-team quarterbacks finished 10 of 30 for 113 yards before leaving the game with an injury with 5 minutes, 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Villanueva-Kaeo threw a pass and was knocked to the ground. Bartlett was whistled for a personal foul. Medical personnel tended to him for nearly 20 minutes before an ambulance arrived. Immobilized and on a stretcher as he was rolled into the vehicle, Villanueva-Kaeo raised his right fist in the air to signal he heard the applause of his teammates and everyone in attendance.

On the sidelines, Service High principal Frank Hauser confirmed Villanueva-Kaeo was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

The injury delay and possibly the quantity of points scored increased tensions between the teams throughout the second half. But by game's end, the handshake line went smoothly and without incident.

Service, which finished its first season under CIC coach of the year Kahlil Bolling with a 4-5 record, scored 18 of the game's final 26 points. Junior Ryan Williams finished with 139 rushing yards and three total touchdowns, freshman Brendan Amiatu returned a third-quarter Bartlett fumble 42 yards for a defensive touchdown and receiver-turned-backup quarterback Henry Helgeson plunged into the end zone on a 3-yard run in the fourth.

"It was a bittersweet moment to be playing the last game of the season," Williams said. "I love all these guys and it was amazing to play football with them."

Meanwhile, Bartlett remained hungry for two more wins and a second straight First National Bowl state title.

But Lear wasn't sure about when he might again eat.

"Nah, I think I'm cool for a while," he said.