Dimond’s Mai Mateaki outraces a defender. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
When a few flocks of geese soared overhead during halftime of Thursday night’s Cook Inlet Conference flag football title game, a few things were certain.
One, those birds were likely headed in a southerly direction because the area’s first measurable snowfall landed an evening prior as another Alaska winter neared.
Second, Dimond stood two two quarters away from further cementing its championship legacy. The Lynx kept leaning into a dominant run game to get it done and earned the vaunted program’s fourth straight league title and 11th in the sport’s 18-year history.
Seniors Malie Wilcox and Mai Mateaki combined for 239 of 295 Dimond rushing yards in 26-7 dispatching of South on Dimond Alumni Stadium’s Winchester Field. Minted as the CIC offensive player of the year afterwards, Mateaki ran for two touchdowns and also tossed a second-quarter touchdown pass, thus capping one of the more impressive high school careers witnessed in Anchorage in any sport.
“A different breed,” Dimond senior Zoe Fanning said of Mateaki and all her other teammates. “They’re so good, and so fast.”
Dimond won its first CIC championship in 2009 after not appearing in any of the first three flag season’s title games. It beat South for the second consecutive year Thursday and improved to 11-1 in the championship round. Coach Kristen Melican-Nevala has teamed with best friend Kathleen Navarre, the recently-retired Brad Lauwers and others for the entire run of the sport, offering every Lynx who’s joined them on field the kind of coaching stability that breeds success.
“Each team has that fight in them, ours as well,” said Dimond senior Liliana Harris, who made a key defensive stop in the fourth quarter. “But our teams have always been super close, and it’s that team bonding that makes all the difference.”
Dimond’s Maile Wilcox looks for open space. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
In 18 seasons, Dimond’s produced the 11 CIC titles while winning close to 82% of the time (236-52). Thanks to the continued growth of the game around Alaska, especially in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, flag could receive Alaska School Activities Association sanctioning as soon as next season. We’ll have to wait and see what Dimond and the other seven CIC schools can accomplish if and when they’re afforded the opportunity to gain official state supremacy.
Mateaki scored on a 6-yard run in the first quarter and Dimond (16-1) seldom moved off the run game. They rushed 35 times while only attempting five passes. One of those passes came in the second quarter when on a halfback-option pass going left, Mateaki found Fanning deep in the back corner of the end zone.
The Lynx led 13-0 at halftime.
“I was nervous, but it was a big moment for me, and I really wanted it,” Fanning said. “The only thing I was thinking was to get as far back (in the end zone) and past the defense as I could. I had to get open.”
Wilcox scored the third quarter’s lone points on a 2-yard run with 39 seconds remaining.
Meanwhile, whether by design or necessity, South (14-3) opened up its offense in the second half and found something of a stride in the passing game. Sophomore quarterback Jillian Preston completed 11 of 16 second-half attempts and finished the game with 124 yards through the air.
“We ran it for most of the first half, so we decided it was better to start throwing the ball,” Preston said.
South’s Jillian Preston lets one fly. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
Fellow sophomore Brianna Bailey scored the Wolverines’ lone touchdown and Preston found Niveah Heartwell for the conversion with 3:41 remaining. What transpired next is difficult to fully explain, but we’ll give it a try.
Apparently, South elected for the equivalent of an onside kick after the touchdown and conversion cut the deficit to 20-7. In what’s believed to be a new rule, the Wolverines lined up in an offensive formation at the Dimond 20-yard line. If South scored on the dead-ball play, it would regain offensive possession. Even the officials were a little confused because Dimond’s players weren’t immediately told to get in a defensive alignment.
Once everyone was properly lined up, Harris sacked Preston who was scrambling to her left. Harris dove forward and snatched the flag off Preston’s waist.
“It’s new thing that was added that no one has really done against us,” Harris said. “I kept chasing after her and everyone else must have been covered.”
In turn, Dimond received the ball on South’s 30-yard line. Two plays later, Mateaki walked-off the win with a 22-scoring scamper to the left – the decades-long Dimond dominance showing out one last time.
“If I was a girl who played here 10 or 11 years ago, I’d hope they would be as proud of what we’ve accomplished as I will be someday when looking back,” Harris said.
South 0 0 0 7 – 7
Dimond 7 6 7 6 – 26
FIRST QUARTER
Dimond – Mateaki 6 run (Mateaki run)
SECOND QUARTER
Dimond – Fanning 16 pass from Mateaki (run failed)
THIRD QUARTER
Dimond – Wilcox 3 run (Harris pass from Wilcox)
FOURTH QUARTER
South – Bailey 2 run (Heartwell pass from Preston)
Dimond – Mateaki 22 run (no attempt, game ended)
Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
ALL-CIC FIRST TEAM
A season removed from offensive line play getting shutout in CIC all-conference first team balloting, Dimond senior Tipatipa Mulu is this season’s legit center of attention.
A center, Mulu was the lone member of any program’s offensive line crew to be named by the league’s coaches to one of the 29 first-team spots. Teams employ centers and guards in 7-on-7 play.
Mulu joined three other Lynx on the squad – Ayla Ertekin, Mateaki and Wilcox. Ertekin (running back-rusher), Mateaki (running back-linebacker), Eagle River senior Lauren Bodeen (running back-linebacker) and West sophomore NayNay Wyche (running back-rusher) were recognized on both sides of the ball. Mateaki and Bodeen achieved that feat for the second consecutive season.
Mateaki was named the offensive player of the year after averaging nearly 10 yards per rush and more than 107 rushing yards in 13 regular-season games played. She totaled 14 touchdowns rushing and receiving while also throwing for a handful of scores. Named the regular season’s defensive player of the year, Ertekin was credited with 62 defensive pulls. Seventeen of those went for a loss – she scored another one in the championship game. She also added one regular-season interception.
Bartlett receiver Sina Maugaotega and Service safety Princess Leia were the only freshman bestowed with first-team honors.
Eagle River’s Matt Turner (head coach) and Travis Millsap (assistant) earned top coaching accolades. The Wolves sported a 4-10 regular-season record.
2023 Cook Inlet Conference
Offensive Player of the Year: Mai Mateaki, senior, Dimond
Defensive Player of the Year: Ayla Ertekin, junior, Dimond
Punter/Kicker of the Year: Sarah Stantus, senior, Eagle River
Head Coach of the Year: Matt Turner, Eagle River
Assistant Coach of the Year: Travis Millsap, Eagle River
First Team All-Conference
Quarterback: Ariel Misa, sophomore, West; Kristen Paraoan, senior, Service; Anna Rajek, senior, Chugiak; Malie Wilcox, senior, Dimond.
Running Back: Lauren Bodeen, senior, Eagle River; Ayla Ertekin, junior, Dimond (slot); Mai Mateaki, senior, Dimond; NayNay Wyche, sophomore, West.
Receiver: Niveah Heartwell, junior, South; Sina Maugaotega, freshman, Bartlett; Loree Reupena-Tualao, senior, West; Megan Traxinger, senior, Chugiak; Raighen Wendler, junior, Chugiak.
Center: Tipatipa Mulu, senior, Dimond.
Defensive End: Azare Aumua, senior, Bartlett; Ayla Ertekin, junior, Dimond; Tali Novakovich, senior, South; Saline O’Brien, sophomore, East; Kristine Odsigue, senior, Bartlett; Nora Simon, junior, Service; NayNay Wyche, sophomore, West.
Linebacker: Lauren Bodeen, senior, Eagle River; Morgan Galko, senior, South; Mai Mateaki, senior, Dimond.
Cornerback: Isabella Jones, junior, East; Skylar Lind, junior, South; Sumiko Ramos, senior, Service.
Safety: Makaylen King, senior, South; Princess Leia, freshman, Service.
Dimond’s Liliana Harris chases Jillian Preston. Photo by Bryan Boyett/Alaska Sports Report
Cook Inlet Conference Flag Football
Championship History
2023 – Dimond 26, South 7
2022 – Dimond 27, South 9
2021 – Dimond 12, West 6
2020 – Dimond 22, West 0
2019 — South 21, West 12
2018 — Dimond 26, West 6
2017 — Dimond 19, West 18
2016 — Chugiak 12, West 7
2015 — East 19, Dimond 6
2014 — Dimond 6, Service 0
2013 — Dimond 33, South 7
2012 — Dimond 14, West 6
2011 — East 13, West 12 (OT)
2010 — Dimond 21, East 15
2009 — Dimond 32, Bartlett 12
2008 — Chugiak 13, Bartlett 6
2007 — Chugiak 33, Service 7
2006 — Bartlett 19, Chugiak 18