Playoff football will be. back in Juneau on Saturday.
The Huskies, Juneau’s unified high school football team, will take on the Dimond High School Lynx at 3 p.m. at Adair-Kennedy Field.
“One of the goals when you start off the season is to put yourself in a position where you have a playoff game at home,” said Juneau coach Rich Sjoroos in a phone interview. “It’s always an exciting time of the year.”
Sjoroos said he’s appreciative of the community’s support for the team over the years and is hopeful an excited home crowd will provide the atmosphere needed to propel the Huskies into the next round of the playoffs.
Dimond and Juneau last played each other in Week 2 of the regular season. Juneau won 35-6 en route to a 6-1 record, conference title and the top spot in the weekly Alaska Sports Broadcasting Network poll.
However, Sjorooos previously told the Empire that the playoffs are effectively a new season, and the two teams will be entering the game with identical 0-0 records.
Juneau will be coming into the game off of a Week 8 bye week. Sjoroos said there’s ups and downs to having the week off. On one hand, the extra time allowed for additional film review, but Sjoroos said timing and chemistry benefit from a live game.
Still, on balance, the Huskies have given preparing for the game their best.
“We’ve done the best we can with the time and I think we’re ready for Saturday,” Sjoroos said.
All-conference awards
The Huskies will be fielding a well-decorated football team, according to a list of conference award winners shared with the Empire.
Special award:
—All-conference kicker: Wallace Adams
—All-conference deep snapper Lucas White
—All-conference Coach of the Year: Rich Sjoroos
Wallace Adams keeps a Colony High School defender at arm’s length during a Huskies home game. Adams was named first team all-conference on both sides of the ball as well as all-conference kicker. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
First team all-conference: Wallace Adams (DB), Jarrell Williams (DB), Lucas White (ILB), Jamal Johnson (OLB), Brandon Campbell (DE), Wyatt Harvey (DE), Noah Chambers (QB), Gaby Soto (RB), James Connally (WR), Wallace Adams (TE), Mathias Wiederspohn (OL, G), Nathan Burkhart (OL, T)
Second team: Sam Sika (DL), Mathias Wiederspohn (DL), Hunter Derr (DE), Kadin Messmer (DL), Jamal Johnson (RB), Payton Grant (WR), Chris Harris (WR), Landon Guthrie (OL, G)
Honorable mention: Jayden Johnson (DB), James Connally (DB), Miles Peterson (ILB), Matt Hartsock (WR), Sam Sika (FB), Lucas White (TE) Sione Veikoso (C) and Brandon Campbell (OL, G)
• Contact Ben Hohenstatt at (907)308-4895 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BenHohenstatt
Gaby Soto rushes down the field ahead of trailing Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School defenders during a Juneau Huskies home game. Soto was among the Huskies to earn all-conference honors. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire File)
