Whalers clinch top seed for Greatland Conference prep football playoffs
Published Sunday, September 28, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — After just two years of varsity play, the Barrow Whalers earned the right to host a high school playoff game near the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
With a 76-0 Greatland Conference win over the Delta Junction Huskies on Saturday afternoon, the Whalers (7-1, 5-1 Greatland) secured a place in the three-way tie atop the conference.
Barrow won a just-in-case coin flip last week among the other two teams atop the Greatland, Eielson and Nikiski, to earn home-field advantage against Houston next weekend.
“It’s a fantastic set of circumstances,” Whalers coach Mark Voss said by telephone. “It’s just like someone’s been writing it, like a script.”
That script would have Barrow quarterback Albert Gerke in a starring role. He boosted his state-leading passing statistics with 197 yards and three touchdowns on 10 completions off 15 attempts. Gerke has 1,577 yards and 25 touchdowns overall.
Gerke’s effort was complemented by big receiving efforts from Austin Fishel (84 yards, 3 TDs) and Justin Sanders (79 yards, 3 TDs). Cody Romine threw two passes for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Anthony Edwards led the Whalers rushing attack with 79 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries. Teammate Joe Burke had 32 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Delta was simply “outmatched physically,” Huskies coach Gregg Wojcik said by telephone.
“It’s too bad we had to end on a bad note like this,” he said, “but our coaching staff is still really proud of the players.”
Wojcik expects 22 of Delta’s 25 players to return next year, which he believes will beget a vastly improved team from this year’s Huskies (1-7, 1-5 Greatland). Two of those returners, Eathan Gebauer and Justin Hjelm, he described as “Pillars on this year’s defense and offense.” He also sees a bright future for freshman quarterback Caleb McLaren.
“I guarantee you we’re gonna be a better team,” Wojcik said. “We’ll put up better numbers.”
A three-year-old program that began on a dirt field, Barrow’s rise to an elite team in Alaska’s small schools is nothing short of meteoric.
“(It’s) beyond anyone’s realistic expectations,” Voss said, “but I also feel we’re right on schedule, where we should be.”
Voss said he looks forward to having a full week of practice and the home-field advantage in the playoff atmosphere.
“It does make everything a little more final,” he said of the playoffs. “Every game is the potential end.”
And there’s always the advantage of Barrow’s weather. Voss was told it snowed in the North Slope village Saturday.
Delta’s statistics were not available.
Other games
In other scores around the state Saturday, the West Anchorage Eagles scored a 49-28 win over the Eagle River Wolves and the East Anchorage Thunderbirds defeated the Dimond Lynx 48-20. The Eagles and Thunderbirds both improved to 3-4 in the conference, while the Lynx dropped to 3-4.
The Cook Inlet Conference champions, the South Anchorage Wolverines, topped the Chugiak Mustangs 21-14 on Saturday to complete a perfect 7-0 season. Chugiak’s loss gives it a 3-4 conference record.
The four-way tie between Chugiak, Dimond, West and East has left the Cook Inlet Conference unsure of which of those teams will get the fourth and final playoff spot.
The conference will announce Monday which team will go to the playoffs, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
In Friday’s action, the Bartlett Golden Bears clinched a large schools state playoff berth with a 42-27 upset of the third-ranked Service Cougars in a Cook Inlet Conference game at the Anchorage Football Stadium.
The playoff-bound Palmer Moose rolled to a 42-14 rout of their Matanuska Valley and Railbelt Conference rival Wasilla Warriors in the 30th annual Potato Bowl in Palmer.
Community Discussion
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I was at the game and it was too bad Barrow thought they needed to run up the score. I was told 19 of the 21 Barrow players were upperclassmen. It looked like Delta had 5 upperclassmen suited up. Barrow was running a hurry up offense well into the 3rd quarter and was still passing when the score was 70-0. I found it very disappointing that a team would do this. What happened to sportsmanship?
My son has been on the losing end of a runaway game just like Delta experienced. But I can also see where Barrow needed this. They do not have the number of players or any other teams to scrimmage against to fine tune their game due to their location. I've been very impressed with Delta's sportmanship and attitudes everytime my son has played them. Good luck in the future!
Good Sportsmanship? I am a firm believer in playing your heart out until the clock reaches zero regardless of who you are playing. I think a team gains more respect by playing all out.
Thats only if you have no confidence in your team. Good win for such a young team and program but a poor coaching judgement for the win.
PioneerAK......just where did you read about this alleged investigation against ABC and NBC? Don't you think if there was such an investigation that there would be something in the news or on the internet about it? Hmmmm? That's right.....there is NOTHING out there about it! Before you post such slanderous allegations you had better check your facts in the future! You are the victim of someone's idea of a sick joke!
Dellroy,you're right.Barrow needed to work on executing plays for this weeks playoff game.I also admire Delta for hanging in through a rough season.I am sure they will do much better next year.
Apowindward,I think we have 11 seniors,at least one is a girl.The starting QB was taken out early in the 3rd,and the backup did some passing after that.The hurry up is a part of our offense,and needs to be played to get the bugs out.
It wouldn't be fair to either team to play clock killing ball,when for some it may be their last game.As for the score,we didn't score much more than anyone else did against Delta.I feel for them,but it was not by any means "run up"to make them feel bad or to pad any stats.
Pioneer AK,the coach is supposed to tell the kids what?Don't score?Slow it down?That wouldn't be fair to the kid that hasn't played much this year.
Good luck next year Delta, from a Barrow Dad
I was also at the Delta/Barrow game. The sportsmanship on the side of the Barrow players and coaches reached a new low. Barrow players taunting the Delta players, coaches encouraging Barrow players to intercept another pass and run it in for a score, Barrow players slam dunking the football over the goal posts, keeping starters in late into the 4th quarter (despite what BRwDad says), continuing to pass deep with less than two minutes left. This would have been a good game for Barrow to give their inexperienced players some action. Delta doesn't want charity. They will be in a similar position as Barrow in a couple of years, however, Barrow didn't display very much respect nor class at the game I saw.
Their star running back/linebacker Anthony Edwards played linebacker until there was 4 minutes left in the game. Barrow continued to blitz linebackers until the game was over. Barrow, the classy thing to do is called 'calling off the dogs' (not blitzing)so a young team that is 80% underclassmen can at least have a little bit of success. I wonder how the Barrow coaches would have felt had Edwards been injured with 5 minutes to go in the game. When one of Delta's players was hauled off the field in the ambulance on the first play of the game, One of the chain gang guys heard a Barrow coach say '1 down, 19 to go.' Barrow might know football but they could seriously use a lesson on showing class.
footballdad,after your comments; worst to first in three years...something sounds fishy in the great North;and I sense Delta will upset Barrow;its plain to see where your coming from.
Edwards didn't play in the 4th,and so what if he did?He was injured on Aug.22nd against Eilson and hasn't played much since then.Maybe the coaches wanted to shake the rust off.Our underclassmen got alot of playing time,one of them scored his first TD.
One player shook his head when he made a tackle,showing emotion.Another was a little excited on scoring a touchdown and slammed it over the goal post.Both got chewed out for their actions.I guess in this day and age that is "bad sportsmanship".
Gregg,our coaches would never and did not say anything like 1 down 19 to go.No one on our teams ever celebrates when a player is injured.I called to a friend that was at that game when that happened,and was upset that ANYONE got hurt,no matter whose team.Our coaches and players know that winning is not so important,playing fair and square and walking away OK is.When they say a prayer before the game,it is for the safety of BOTH teams. Peace
I don't remember ever writing that Delta would upset Barrow. I guess money talks. With a $150000 football budget it is hard to compete when your budget is under $5000. I think it is great that kids in Barrow have something they can feel good about. I'm always a bit skeptical when teams make miraculous turnarounds...especially with kids who have never played before. How do you manage to keep all your players eligible? If you have a system for doing this please share with the rest of us.
I think most of the budget goes to travel.We have always paid for teams to come up here and play,and as far as I know no one ever complained about that.I don't know of anyone ever paying our way to play them.But when people read the paper and see our budget,there seems to be a misconception that we live the lifestyles of the rich and famous.Our team doesn't even have the capes to keep warm with,which I think we should have,BRRRRR.
As far as keeping my son eligible,its like the carrot in front of the horse.I hound him everyday also.Wish he would be like my daughter.....st8 A student.
Football is a great community sport. I for one am very happy that Barrow started a football team for your community. Another team buildng sport that the town comes out to support.
I first visited Barrow in 1974 to wrestle. I wrestled a kid named Levett. They fed us caribou stew and the works. A dance was preformed by the elders and we toured the naval research complex. The gym was open all night and many played basketball or played ping pong. We slept above the stage. Pop tarts was the big thing. All the kids had money. We had lunch at Dairy Queen before leaving. When I came back in 1996 what a difference.
Best of luck in the playoffs.
Peace
Coach Ham
North Pole Patriots
Coach Ham, I'm glad you liked Barrow,and yoou are sure right about things changing here.I guess they have everywhere.I sure loved that old school.I just wish we had football when I grew up here.
Hey,were you at the Eilson/Barrow game earlier this season?I may have met you,if you were in the Barrow stands.A fellow from North Pole was next to me and that might have been you,LOL
Best of luck to the Patriots,maybe we can meet up in Anchorage if things go good for all.
Peace to you too
Dave Gerke
Barrow
BrwDad,
it was'nt me at the game. maybe Coach Balash. We both went to school at Eielson.
Thanks Coach Ham,
Still hope to see you and you're team in Anch.Good Luck
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