Anchorage’s Aiden Williams (71) celebrates after his TD. Photo courtesy UMD
You gotta love a Big Man Touchdown.
Offensive linemen never get the opportunity to score in a football game and so it’s something to marvel when it happens, and Anchorage’s Aiden Williams made it happen for the University of Minnesota Duluth over the weekend.
The sixth-year blocker turned in the play of the game after he scored from 11 yards out in the second quarter of his team’s 62-0 victory over Southwest Minnesota State.
Williams, of East High fame, caught a lateral at the 20-yard line and followed a convoy of Bulldogs into the end zone for his first TD in 33 career games for the NCAA Division II school.
Duluth racked up 484 yards of total offense behind its offensive line as the 6-foot-6, 295-pound Alaskan contributed in more ways than one.
A returning All-NSIC second-team selection, Williams blocks for one of the most potent rushing attacks in Division II. Last year, the team ranked seventh nationally with 243.8 yards on the ground per game.
Last Saturday, he was on the other end of the equation.
BULLDOG TOUCHDOWN!! It's Aiden Williams from Kyle Walljasper for 11 yard TD just 44 seconds into the second quarter! UMD now up 27-0! pic.twitter.com/vDboXtRPCb
— UMD Football (@UMD_Football) September 28, 2024
At Sierra College, Malachi Casey and Elijah Reed have gone from Cook Inlet Conference rivals to teammates.
On Saturday, they scored in the same game for the same side for the first time.
Both Anchorage playmakers delivered TDs in the fourth quarter against Foothill to put Sierra ahead 29-19 in a game the team went on to lose 40-29 after Foothill rallied for a pick six and fumble TD return in the final 37 seconds.
Casey (Dimond High) made three catches for 43 yards, including a 20-yard TD at the 11:58 mark that put Sierra ahead 22-19. He also had a 16-yard kickoff return in the game. Casey has 9-112-1 totals in four games.
Reed (East High) scored on a 5-yard run at the 5:35 mark to make it 29-19. He finished the game with 31 yards on six carries, giving him 21-135-2 totals in four games.
Jamal Johnson had a 46-yard TD run. Photo by Kaitlyn Silva
At Fort Lewis College, Juneau’s Jamal Johnson enjoyed a career rushing day against South Dakota School of Mines in a 49-33 loss.
The sophomore running back broke off a 46-yard sprint in the first quarter for his first TD and finished the game with career highs in carries (11) and yards (81).
His previous high in yards was 57 against Arizona Christian and his previous longest run of 26 yards came against William Jewell.
Johnson (Thunder Mountain) has carried the ball 37 times for 203 yards in four games.
