George Lane punches the ball free at the 1-yard line. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
In a game defined by offense, it was defensive lineman George Lane who sealed the deal for the East High football team in last weekend’s 50-48 win over Bartlett in an epic six-overtime slugfest.
On what turned out to be the final play, Lane called game after he forced a fumble at the 1-yard line on Bartlett’s potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt for his 20th tackle of the day.
“I had a feeling that they would run the play they did in the other five overtimes. We had trouble stopping it,” Lane said.
Looking to force a seventh OT, Bartlett quarterback Salvation Tyrell ran a keeper to the right side and was met by East defensive back Marad Wright and Lane. As Tyrell reached for the goal line, the 6-foot-5, 250-pounder punched the ball free.
“I knew what they wanted and how they were going to get it,” Lane said, “so when they ran the play, I shed my blocker and tried to take the running back to the ground as fast as possible and I just so happened to knock out the ball and save the game.”
East recovered the fumble in the end zone to secure the win and remain undefeated in the Cook Inlet Conference.
CIC Football Standings
| TEAM | CONF | OVERALL |
| Dimond | 5-0 | 6-0 |
| East | 5-0 | 5-1 |
| Bartlett | 3-2 | 4-2 |
| West | 3-2 | 4-2 |
| Service | 2-3 | 3-3 |
| South | 1-4 | 2-4 |
| Juneau | 1-4 | 2-4 |
| Colony | 0-5 | 0-6 |
FRIDAY
South at Colony
West at Service
SATURDAY
Bartlett at Juneau
Dimond at East
You see a 50-48 score and assume defense was optional, but that wasn’t the case for Lane, a tenacious T-bird who recorded a career-high 20 tackles (7 solo, 4 TFL) to go with three forced fumbles.
Lane said he spent all week preparing for that end-of-the-game moment. When it arrived, his instincts kicked in.
“I watched as much film as I could, analyzing formations, plays, tendencies from each lineman,” he said. “I asked questions and talked to my coach to understand the offense I was going against.
“My hard work paid off.”
Lane, who has racked up 49 tackles in six games, is among the CIC’s top defensive linemen along with teammate Alema Masaniai, Bartlett’s Deuce Alailefaleula, Dimond’s Lamarr Heanu-Williams, West’s Leo Mata and Tristan Taamu, and South’s Gabe Fisher and Thomas Jones.
Fisher is an imposing figure who leads the CIC in both tackles (72) and sacks (9) going into Week 7.
The line of scrimmage is where pass rushers and 300-pound blockers collide like battering rams. To Lane, all defensive linemen are studs to take on that challenge.
“I have respect for anyone willing to line up against the behemoths that can be found on the offensive line,” he said.
Mid-season Highlights. George Lane 6’5 250lbs DE/TE c/o25 East Anchorage High School. @BrandonHuffman @GabriellDTaylor @OutsideTheGames pic.twitter.com/WR8KKvMIBj
— George Lane (@GeorgeLane48) September 15, 2024
Lane is currently being recruited by several colleges and holds offers from Judson, Minnesota North Vermilion and Sul Ross State. He’s also been invited for unofficial visits to Wagner, Rochester and Western Colorado and received invites to the Hawaii Tiki Bowl and Blue-Grey All-American Bowl.
It wasn’t this way in the spring when he had zero offers and “zero excuses,” he said.
So he got to work.
He attended Lower 48 college camps at Buffalo, Idaho and Pacific Lutheran and hit up local events like the All-Alaska Football Camp, Avery Showcase and Chris Kuper Solstice Lineman Camp.
“A big part of success in football is based on passion,” Lane said. “Passion in football is the emotional desire to win; who’s willing to hit the hardest, who’s willing to give everything on every play, who’s willing to put the most time into their preparation.”
That groundwork has paved the way for Lane to extend his football career at the next level. But first, his focus is helping East win the CIC.
Lane closes in on Juneau quarterback Noah Ault. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
CIC Offensive Leaders
| PASSER | YARDS | COMP | TD |
| Cole Yarrington, South | 1,317 | 58% | 12 |
| Cayden Pili, Dimond | 1,061 | 52% | 11 |
| Jethro DeCastro, West | 1,040 | 56% | 8 |
| Toa Samoa, East | 684 | 61% | 6 |
| Clark Beling, Colony | 585 | 70% | 3 |
| RUSHER | YARDS | CAR | TD |
| Makisi Poleo, Bartlett | 969 | 112 | 9 |
| Zephaniah Sailele, West | 790 | 123 | 9 |
| Cayden Pili, Dimond | 402 | 65 | 11 |
| Sam Sarof, Juneau | 358 | 103 | 5 |
| Andre Jameson, Bartlett | 350 | 36 | 5 |
| RECEIVER | YARDS | REC | TD |
| Landon Drumm, South | 547 | 35 | 5 |
| Josiah James, Dimond | 505 | 28 | 7 |
| Brandon Young, East | 491 | 36 | 5 |
| Ridge Spencer, Colony | 410 | 37 | 2 |
| Caleb Doerr, South | 319 | 17 | 3 |
CIC Defensive Leaders
| PLAYER | TACKLES |
| Gabe Fisher, South | 72 |
| Henry Lantz, South | 68 |
| Hayden Aube, Juneau | 67 |
| Isaiah Douyon, South | 62 |
| Josiah James, Dimond | 56 |
| PLAYER | SACKS |
| Gabe Fisher, South | 9 |
| Thomas Jones, South | 7 |
| Ethan Yarrington, South | 5 |
| Deuce Alailefaleula, Bartlett | 4 |
| Lamarr Heanu-Williams, Dimond | 3.5 |
| PLAYER | INT |
| Daniel Campbell, Juneau | 4 |
| Alex Borke, Dimond | 4 |
| Andre Jameson, Bartlett | 3 |
| Caleb Cooke, Dimond | 3 |
| Seven tied | 2 |
CIC Special Teams Leaders
| KICKER | FG | LONG |
| Sammy Mazon, Juneau | 3 | 28 |
| Johnny Figgins, Colony | 2 | 39 |
| Elias Sandberg, West | 1 | 31 |
| Ralf Braun, South | 1 | 27 |
