Service seeks to recover from 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Perhaps no other Alaska prep football training program combines an optimistic outlook with a desire to redeem itself more than the Service High School Cougars. Coach Jason Caldarera's team started off sizzling last season, before dropping three of its last four games to miss the state playoffs.

Service’s team was young, though, and the Cougars had a few sophomore starters. The more repetition those young athletes get in the spread offense, the better they will become.

“A lot of those guys who were on the team last year certainly have something to prove,” Caldarera said. “We were a 5-and-3 team that didn't make the playoffs -- so that’s certainly something we want to make sure we rectify this year.”

“One year under my belt, I kind of stepped into a higher role this year,” said quarterback J.J. Christy. “Definitely we’ve got a good line looking out, good receivers, so we're hoping to just work hard and hopefully have a good season.”

Contact Kevin Wells at kwells@ktuu.com