In the annals of football gabbing, maybe no greater statement’s been made than some time ago when the former pro coach publicly exclaimed “you play to win the game.”

Obvious? Sure. But it’s also an honest assessment for anyone strapping on a helmet and lacing up cleats at any level. We need look no further than the players in the current make-up of the Cook Inlet Conference. They continue to put on occasionally entertaining exhibitions about a month ahead of the real competitions expected next month in the Division I postseason.

Friday night on the Winchester Field at Dimond Alumni Stadium turf, Bartlett added to its regular-season resume by dominating all facets and barreling to a 41-14 victory over the Lynx. The Golden Bears (2-1 overall, 2-1 CIC) and the time-tested wing-T offense they’ve implemented roughly since ‘Pulp Fiction’ premiered in theaters averaged more than 7 yards per carry and compiled 450 total rushing yards.

Bartlett’s Makisi Poleo. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report

While impressive, lest we forget the eight CIC teams are playing an eight-week regular season to determine seeding for the Alaska School Activities Association First National Bowl DI playoffs. Everyone’s in. Yeah, it’s kind of anti-climactic and strange.

But the players at Bartlett, Colony, Dimond, East, Juneau, Service, South and West aren’t consumed by that silliness. Nor should they be.

“Whether we’re talking about what we’ll do in the game a week from now or what we’ll do at the end of the season, one thing we love to say on the field is (make the) next play,” said Bartlett senior Zuriel Guzman, who rushed for 63 yards and scored a second-quarter touchdown from 7 yards out. “We’re not playing for a championship (right now) or the playoffs.

“We played Sept. 2 for Sept. 2. Next week, we’ll play for Sept. 10. It goes like that.”

Five Golden Bears accounted for six rushing touchdowns, led by junior Manu Satele’s two. Senior Niko Alailefaleula totaled 164 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Makisi Poleo added 95 rushing yards and junior Tavita Lauvale (29 rushing yards) and senior lefty quarterback Carl Colavecchio also scored running touchdowns.

Lauvale also picked off three Dimond passes on defense. Oh, the defense.

Bartlett’s Tavita Lauvale. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report

Bartlett’s defensive-line trio of Jordan Mua, Joseph Afe and Tristan Savelio performed just as well if not better than the winner’s patented rushing offense. Each starting lineman recorded a sack of Dimond senior quarterback Tyler Reese and essentially made Reese’s job impossible with pressure snap after snap.

“We do have some kind of chemistry and confidence in each other,” Afe said.

Bartlett enjoys a luxury Dimond doesn’t in the personnel department. The Lynx’s best players seldom come off the field, and the Golden Bears’ rush game and pass rush took a logical toll on the home team. Guzman doesn’t have to play defense, so he watched joyously as his D-line went to work.

“Those guys won this for us, for sure,” Guzman said. “Watching them explode and wreak havoc was the best thing I could possibly see.”

Bartlett takes its two-game win streak to Service and will face the Cougars on Sept. 10.

Dimond (1-3, 0-2) proved an intriguing watch under first-year coach Brian Yim, also the school’s Pro Start/culinary arts teacher.

The program last won the DI state crown in 2001 and hasn’t won more than a single game in a season since going 3-5 in 2016. Yim is the fifth head coach in less than three calendar years, and initially appears to offer the Lynx some steadiness in game situations despite the debilitating lack of depth.

Dimond’s Malachi Casey. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report

The new coach dressed Friday in a black, salmon and aqua floral print shirt and quietly roamed the sidelines while calling offensive plays. He wasn’t one to go full “football guy” yelling after each play, a pleasant sight. However, Yim did not so graciously offer the team a piece of his mind in the postgame.

“Coach has given us a lot of stability and a lot of support,” said Dimond senior Kaleb Fautanu. “He’s helped urge us about working in practice and getting more (players) to come out. I mean, I wasn’t supposed to be playing football.

“He’s our coach, definitely calm and collected.”

Dimond plays at West on Sept. 9.

Under duress from the second he arrived at the field, Reese completed 14 passes for 209 yards. Senior Malachi Casey caught an 8-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and Reese scored on a 3-yard jaunt late.

Senior Vance Harris grabbed five balls for 117 yards. He also displayed a stick-to-itiveness Dimond desperately needs. As a defensive back, Harris ran full blast from one sideline to the other in the third quarter. He tackled Poleo on a lengthy run that appeared destined for the end zone but stopped after 55 yards.

The Harris hustle meant something to his teammates.

“We know we don’t have the same numbers as Bartlett or East,” Fautanu said. “But at the end of the day we know all we’ve got is each other. We’re relying on one another.”

Dimond’s Vince Harris. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report

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