Juneau got rushing touchdowns from four different players and the Huskies racked up 494 yards on the ground to run over Service 49-32 in the capital city.
Jarrell Williams, Lucas White, Jayden Johnson and Payton Grant each found the end zone as Juneau scored a season high point total and wrapped up a second straight Cook Inlet Conference championship.
Williams ran the ball 22 times for 224 yards and two scores. He also threw a 43-yard TD pass. He also set the tone after scooting around the left end and going untouched for a 51-yard TD run on the second play of the game.
The senior quarterback led Juneau to TDs on its first three drives, two scores on the ground and one through the air after hitting a wide-open Johnson over the top for a 21-0 lead.
In the last two weeks, Williams has accounted for 466 yards of total offense and eight TDs. The best player on the best team in the league has got to be a frontrunner for CIC MVP honors going into Week 8.
A Lucas White (21) block buys Jarrell Williams more room to work. Photo by Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire
White, a senior running back, furnished a 22-145-2 rushing line and scored on runs of 11 and 2 yards.
Service outscored Juneau 26-21 in the second half behind an awesome air attack orchestrated by quarterback Jonathon Tautua. He did most of his best work across the third and fourth quarters after leading scoring drives of 88, 64 and 65 yards.
Tautua completed 20-of-35 passes for 223 yards and four TDs. He hooked up with wide receiver Tinius Manu for three scores of 52, 12 and 35 yards.
Service running back RJ Fine was busy, carrying the ball 32 times for 145 yards. His work between the tackles forced Juneau to respect the run, which opened up the passing game.
Service’s RJ Fine makes his way up field during his 145-yard day. Photo by Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire
Tautua’s backup also lit it up, coming into the game late in the fourth quarter and completing back-to-back passes including a 37-yarder to Mason Crosby with 15 seconds left.
The teams combined for 25 drives, 988 yards and 81 points – 34 coming in a wild fourth quarter.
With Juneau leading 21-6 in the second quarter, Johnson took a reverse 26 yards to the house.
Right before halftime, Service marched 75 yards to reach the 7-yard line but stalled when a fourth-down pass was knocked down by a Juneau linebacker at the goal line.
Service’s Tinius Manu holds onto a tough catch while being tackled by Juneau’s Chris Harris. Photo by Ben Hohenstatt/Juneau Empire
In the third quarter, Service pulled within 35-12 after driving 88 yards capped by Tautua’s 5-yard scoring strike to Ethan Hopper, who fought through a tackle to reach the end zone. Other key plays on the drive included Tautua’s 30-yard pass from Elijah Bartz, Crosby’s 13-yard run and Fine’s 13-yard run.
In the fourth quarter, Juneau stretched its lead to 42-18 after Grant broke off a 49-yard TD run on a misdirection play that worked to perfection.
Service kept coming, with Tautua and Manu combing for 46 yards on a 65-yard drive punctuated by a 35-yard TD pass, set up by Tautua’s pump fake and Manu’s double move.
The Cougars finished with 451 yards of total offense.
CIC Football Standings
League Team Overall
6-0 Juneau (7-0)
5-1 Bartlett (5-1)
4-2 Colony (5-2)
4-2 West (4-3)
3-3 East (3-4)
2-4 Service (2-5)
0-6 Dimond (1-6)
0-6 South (0-7)
Week 7 Scores
Colony 37, West 17
East 29, Dimond 26
Bartlett 64, South 43
Juneau 49, Service 32
Week 8 Schedule
Friday
Bartlett at West
Colony at Service
Saturday
Juneau at East
Dimond at South
END REGULAR SEASON