Mustangs

Matthew Meszaros and Aaron McGinnis scored 20 seconds apart during the first period to spark the Service hockey team to a 4-1 victory over Chugiak on Thursday night.  Andrew Cummings scored earlier in the first for the Cougars, who led 3-0 after one period and never looked back. The issue was decided by the third period, when Ben Morse buried the Mustangs only goal of the night.   Service improves to 3-1-0 in CIC play, while Chugiak drops to 2-2-0.

The Eagle River hockey team played a strong two periods against Alaska powerhouse South Anchorage on Tuesday night, but the Wolves effort fell short, 4-0.  South improves to 3-0-1 in league play, while Eagle River drops to 0-3-0. The Wolves were outshot 37-18, but the game remained scoreless into the second period.  That's when Kyle Simmons took over, dishing out beautiful across the crease passes to create goals by Quest Bain and Steven Orizotti.  The latter strike occurred with only 19 seconds left in the second.

The Chugiak Mustangs had every reason to hang their heads entering week seven of the high school football season.  On Thursday, the Mustangs, who stood 3-3 overall and 2-3 in the Cook Inlet Conference, received word that they would have to forfeit all three wins because of an administrative oversight that resulted in an ineligible player suiting up in all six games.  Their playoff hopes crushed, Chugiak went out and beat West anyway, 34-32....

West High School's first experience in softball's state tournament Friday was a head-on collision with an Alaska titan. West and Chugiak won Friday's openers, setting up a CIC clash in the winners' bracket semifinals. Scoreless in the 5th inning, the Eagles' Jazmin Smith hit a bouncer to short. The throw by Mollie Mathis was low, enabling the first run of the game to score. But then the Mustangs kicked the ball around some more, with Taylor Donovan coming in ahead of a wild throw home to make West's tally 2-0. Chugiak drew even in the 7th inning, with a bunt down and a runner on second base while Pauline Tufi chucked it into right field.

When Chugiak met South in Week 8 of the prep football season, it was essentially a playoff game. The teams were tied at 3-3 in the Cook Inlet Conference standings, so the winner would be postseason bound, while the loser would be out. The Wolverines jumped out to a 21-10 third quarter lead on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Zach Lujan to Rafiki Frey, the first of three scoring plays in the game covering 60 yards or more. Down 21-17 in the fourth, the Mustangs jumped in front when runningback Greg Ghramm tossed a 79-yard bomb to Colby Mitchell.

Everywhere else in the country, high-school football teams are just now kicking off. But in Alaska, the end of August is the midpoint of the season -- and a critical Week 4 in the Cook Inlet Conference, with six of the eight schools 1 and 1 in league play. That list includes third-ranked Chugiak and Dimond. Following a scoreless first quarter, the Mustangs gave the ball to their prized thoroughbred Greg Graham With over 200 yards under his belt, Graham made a 1-yard carry to score first blood.

In what may have been an unprecedented accomplishment, the Kenai Twins won four games in a two day span, including a championship round sweep of Chugiak to reign as champions of the Alaska State American Legion Baseball Tournament.  Kenai lost its first game in the double elimination tournament last Saturday, only to win seven straight games over seven days. Against Chugiak in the finals, the Twins needed two wins against the Mustangs on Saturday, who came into the game undefeated in the tournament.  Trailing 6-3 in the eighth inning of game one, the Twins rallied with five runs in their half of the inning to pull off a stunning 8-7 comeback win.  The Mustangs were four outs from victory before Kenai made its rally.  Hector Rivera sparked the Kenai attack, going 4 for 5 with 2 RBI's while AJ Hull drove in the tying and go-ahead runs on a single.

For South and Chugiak, this week’s Cook Inlet Conference playoff possibilities have been pretty easy to figure: the winner advances, the loser stays home. Saturday’s game at the Anchorage Football Stadium proved a bit more complicated, however. In the second quarter, Chugiak’s Bryan Maley split the uprights with a 38-yard field goal, giving Chugiak a 10-7 lead. The third quarter saw South make a push for the lead, claiming it 14-10. Later in the third, South’s Zach Lujan would look and fire to Rafiki Frey, increasing that lead to 21-10.

Thursday saw a great finish in a flag-football contest as 6 and 1 East, coming off a win over Dimond, visited Chugiak. Tia Harrison made a long pass to connect with Donniece Hoskins for an 86-yard touchdown, leaving the T-Birds up 12-6 in the fourth quarter and forcing Chugiak to start a do-or-die drive. With less than 30 seconds left on the clock Kendra Bulawa was able to get the ball to Sam Sweeney, tying the game. There are no kicking points in flag football, so it all came down to the conversion try for the win. Chugiak’s Becca Zellers caught the ball off the ricochet, giving the Mustangs their only lead -- as well as the game, on a 13-12 final score.

Chugiak and Bartlett were both 2 and 2 in the Cook Inlet Conference at the kickoff of their Week 6 contest Saturday, each school striving to improve its CIC record. The home-team Mustangs pounded the pigskin in the first quarter, with Greg Ghram motoring up the middle like a Mack truck, scoring first blood for Chugiak on a 25-yard run. Bartlett returned fire as Mark Cox made a 4-yard plunge to tie the game at 7. In the fourth quarter, the Golden Bears were down by 3 with five (minutes?

In what may have been an unprecedented accomplishment, the Kenai Twins won four games in a two day span, including a championship round sweep of Chugiak to reign as champions of the Alaska State American Legion Baseball Tournament.  Kenai lost its first game in the double elimination tournament last Saturday, only to win seven straight games over seven days. Against Chugiak in the finals, the Twins needed two wins against the Mustangs on Saturday, who came into the game undefeated in the tournament.  Trailing 6-3 in the eighth inning of game one, the Twins rallied with five runs in their half of the inning to pull off a stunning 8-7 comeback win.  The Mustangs were four outs from victory before Kenai made its rally.  Hector Rivera sparked the Kenai attack, going 4 for 5 with 2 RBI's while AJ Hull drove in the tying and go-ahead runs on a single.

The Cook Inlet Conference Baseball season is a 10-game sprint that allows little time for a slump.  The Service Cougars and South Wolverines have avoided that, and have now also clinched berths in the ASAA tournament with two games to play. Service defeated Dimond, 3-2 on Friday to remain perfect at 8 and 0.  After falling behind 2-0 after three innings, the Cougars rallied with two in the fifth to tie the game.  Then in the sixth, Trace Woodruff collected the go-ahead RBI single with two outs.  Dimond loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but could not push the tying run across.  The Lynx drop to 4 and 4 and fall out of contention.

After a morning Alaska School Activities Association meeting left the fate of the Chugiak High football team in the Anchorage School District's hands, the district has decided that the team's three forfeits imposed by ASAA will stand and Chugiak will not be going to the playoffs. An administrative error allowed an ineligible player to participate during the season, leading to the forfeiture of the team's three wins earlier in the season. The Alaska School Activities Association Board of Directors decided Monday morning to uphold a prior decision to forfeit a series of Chugiak victories because of the mistake.

The Chugiak Mustangs had every reason to hang their heads entering week seven of the high school football season.  On Thursday, the Mustangs, who stood 3-3 overall and 2-3 in the Cook Inlet Conference, received word that they would have to forfeit all three wins because of an administrative oversight that resulted in an ineligible player suiting up in all six games.  Their playoff hopes crushed, Chugiak went out and beat West anyway, 34-32....

When Chugiak met South in Week 8 of the prep football season, it was essentially a playoff game. The teams were tied at 3-3 in the Cook Inlet Conference standings, so the winner would be postseason bound, while the loser would be out. The Wolverines jumped out to a 21-10 third quarter lead on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Zach Lujan to Rafiki Frey, the first of three scoring plays in the game covering 60 yards or more. Down 21-17 in the fourth, the Mustangs jumped in front when runningback Greg Ghramm tossed a 79-yard bomb to Colby Mitchell.

Matthew Meszaros and Aaron McGinnis scored 20 seconds apart during the first period to spark the Service hockey team to a 4-1 victory over Chugiak on Thursday night.  Andrew Cummings scored earlier in the first for the Cougars, who led 3-0 after one period and never looked back. The issue was decided by the third period, when Ben Morse buried the Mustangs only goal of the night.   Service improves to 3-1-0 in CIC play, while Chugiak drops to 2-2-0.

The Eagle River hockey team played a strong two periods against Alaska powerhouse South Anchorage on Tuesday night, but the Wolves effort fell short, 4-0.  South improves to 3-0-1 in league play, while Eagle River drops to 0-3-0. The Wolves were outshot 37-18, but the game remained scoreless into the second period.  That's when Kyle Simmons took over, dishing out beautiful across the crease passes to create goals by Quest Bain and Steven Orizotti.  The latter strike occurred with only 19 seconds left in the second.

For South and Chugiak, this week’s Cook Inlet Conference playoff possibilities have been pretty easy to figure: the winner advances, the loser stays home. Saturday’s game at the Anchorage Football Stadium proved a bit more complicated, however. In the second quarter, Chugiak’s Bryan Maley split the uprights with a 38-yard field goal, giving Chugiak a 10-7 lead. The third quarter saw South make a push for the lead, claiming it 14-10. Later in the third, South’s Zach Lujan would look and fire to Rafiki Frey, increasing that lead to 21-10.

Thursday saw a great finish in a flag-football contest as 6 and 1 East, coming off a win over Dimond, visited Chugiak. Tia Harrison made a long pass to connect with Donniece Hoskins for an 86-yard touchdown, leaving the T-Birds up 12-6 in the fourth quarter and forcing Chugiak to start a do-or-die drive. With less than 30 seconds left on the clock Kendra Bulawa was able to get the ball to Sam Sweeney, tying the game. There are no kicking points in flag football, so it all came down to the conversion try for the win. Chugiak’s Becca Zellers caught the ball off the ricochet, giving the Mustangs their only lead -- as well as the game, on a 13-12 final score.

Chugiak and Bartlett were both 2 and 2 in the Cook Inlet Conference at the kickoff of their Week 6 contest Saturday, each school striving to improve its CIC record. The home-team Mustangs pounded the pigskin in the first quarter, with Greg Ghram motoring up the middle like a Mack truck, scoring first blood for Chugiak on a 25-yard run. Bartlett returned fire as Mark Cox made a 4-yard plunge to tie the game at 7. In the fourth quarter, the Golden Bears were down by 3 with five (minutes?