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FOOTBALL

Pili and defensive power propel Dimond to 36-6 semifinal win over Bartlett

by | Oct 20, 2024 | Cover Story, Football

Dimond’s Alex Borke (right) is congratulated by Carson Wingate. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report

For almost the entirety of Alaska high school sports’ existence, Anchorage teams have made bus trips out to the Matanuska-Susitna Valley for games of varying importance. Valley squads have done the same in reverse.

In a few days, senior Alex Borke and his unbeaten Dimond High football teammates will take their seats for the hour-or-so ride out to Palmer. Soon after, they’ll get a shot at making history for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century.

“We won’t worry about how long it takes,” Borke said of the pending journey. “Shoot, you could take us all the way to Fairbanks, and it would still be the best bus ride.”

Borke caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass and recovered a crucial fumble early in the second half Saturday at Dimond’s Don Winchester Field. Fueled further by a stalwart defense and the cruise-control style of junior quarterback Cayden Pili, the Lynx motored past Bartlett 36-6 in the Division I First National Bowl semifinals.

The Cook Inlet Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, Pili continued making magic in the state semifinals. On a uniquely Alaska fall afternoon with chilled temps in the 30s and laser-like sunshine piercing out from the Southwest skies, Pili rushed for a game-high 91 yards and four touchdowns. He added 96 passing yards that included a 10-yard toss to Borke with 7 minutes, 6 seconds to play.

Dimond’s Cayden Pili in scramble mode. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report

“I don’t even know with Cayden,” Borke said. “It’ll be third-and-15, and he’ll make a play. You just can’t tackle him. He hasn’t played a lot on defense for us because we can’t have him get hurt. But he’ll come in and make a fourth-down stop.

“He’s the best player I’ve ever played with, that’s for sure.”

The Lynx held Bartlett to only 88 yards of total offense and recovered three fumbles. Golden Bears senior Makisi Poleo finished with 15 carries for only 44 yards. He averaged 169 yards on the ground coming in and amassed 182 rushing yards in August’s 35-30 regular-season loss at Dimond.

“The whole plan was to make (Bartlett) one dimensional, make them have to throw, which they’re not known to be good at doing,” Borke said.

Dimond improved to 10-0 and advanced to its first First National Bowl since winning it all in 2001. In only head coach Brian Yim’s third season, the Lynx have risen from the depths of CIC bottom feeders to appear in the school’s sixth championship game since 1983.

Dimond’s Pea Asailevai wraps up Makisi Poleo. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report

Dimond won crowns in 1983, 1993, 2000 and 2001.

“It doesn’t feel real, really, it just doesn’t feel real,” said Dimond senior co-captain Josiah James. “I’m thrilled at the chance, but my job and our job will be to make sure we’re focused and that nothing distracts us.”

Dimond earned a CIC rematch versus West in Friday night’s DI championship game at Colony High. The Eagles ruffled up East by a 34-14 count in Saturday’s other DI semifinal, which Anchorage School District officials ridiculously scheduled to kick off 90 minutes before the semi at Dimond started. Good luck catching both games, dedicated sports fans.

Dimond dealt West a 29-12 regular-season setback at Winchester Field on Sept. 7.

Pili and Dimond enjoyed the Saturday semifinal run of the store. But most of that running purposely went away from Bartlett junior defensive end Deuce Alailefaleula, who returned to the field for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury Sept. 14 (four games). Once he entered the game on his team’s second defensive series, the Lynx routinely ran left to avoid the can’t-miss prospect.

“I took a break from those games so my leg could get better,” Alailefaleula said seconds after completing postgame handshakes. “I put it at about 75 percent.”

Bartlett’s Deuce Alailefaleula was back on the field Saturday. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report

Injury or not, offenses must factor in Alailefaleula on every play. Deuce so resembles his father, Tui, who used his Bartlett career from more than 20 years ago to play at NCAA DI Washington. Deuce should be just as sought after by college recruiters as he looks ahead to his senior season at Bartlett.

A senior season he confirmed will be at Bartlett (6-4) as opposed to somewhere Outside for so-called greater exposure.

“For sure,” Deuce said. “I have to continue the legacy.”

Bartlett 0 6 0 0 – 6
Dimond 7 6 13 10 – 36
FIRST QUARTER
Dimond
– Pili 1 run (Lajoie kick)
SECOND QUARTER
Bartlett
– Tyrell 1 run (kick failed)
Dimond – Pili 6 run (run failed)
THIRD QUARTER
Dimond
– Pili 2 run (Lajoie kick)
Dimond – Pili 2 run (kick blocked)
FOURTH QUARTER
Dimond
– Borke 10 pass from Pili (Lajoie kick)
Dimond – Lajoie 33 FG

Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report

Story made possible by:

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Alaska Airlines | Nicole Johnston | Richard Mize | Advanced Diagnostics, INC | Aktive Soles | Alaska Oil and Gas Association | Aspen Endodontics | Black-Smith, Bethard & Carlson, LLC. | BOSCO's | Coho Financial Group | Continental Auto Group | Don Clary & Judy Besh | Glen Bailey | Invisalign-Ben Ward | JL Properties | Joey Caterinichio & Ja Dorris| Kathleen Navarre | Midas Alaska | Moose's Tooth, Bear Tooth and Broken Tooth Brewing | Perkins Coie - Sarah & A.J. Schirack | R&M Consultants, Inc. | Dave & DeAnne Rand | RE/MAX Dynamic Properties Kevin Taylor | Scott Taylor |Residential Mortgage | Seth Wickersham & Alison Overholt | Taylored Restoration | Korndrop Family Foundation | Arctic Slope Regional Corporation | Replacement Glass | Zareena and Allen Clendaniel | Foley & Pearson | UAA Seawolves | Tony and Carla Slaton Barker | Sportclips Haircuts | Alliance for Support of American Legion Baseball in Alaska | Alice & Gunnar Knapp | Amy and Jason Miller | Burgerfi | Charles Fedullo | Dan Rufner | Darren Lieb | In Honor of James Libby | Seawolf 5th Line | Deb Essex | Don Winchester | Donley Family | Dr. Justin Libby, DDS | Firetap | Harlow Robinson | Jason & Shannon Metrokin | Jim & Michelle Hajdukovich | Joe Alston | Kathie Bethard | Krispy Kreme | Kristopher Knauss | Loren Kroon | Mark and Jamie Johnson | Mark Silverman | On the Border | Pete Robinson | Rick Mystrom | Team Heat | Team Moriarty | The Conway Family | Todd Whited | Moria Smith | In memory of Drs. John & Elizabeth Tower | Peter Pounds | Pete Robinson | Skinny Raven | Multisport Training of Alaska/Lisa Keller | RSA Engineering

Family of Sponsors

Alaska Airlines | Nicole Johnston | Richard Mize | Advanced Diagnostics, INC | Aktive Soles | Alaska Oil and Gas Association | Aspen Endodontics | Black-Smith, Bethard & Carlson, LLC. | BOSCO's | Coho Financial Group | Continental Auto Group | Don Clary & Judy Besh | Glen Bailey | Invisalign-Ben Ward | JL Properties | Joey Caterinichio & Ja Dorris| Kathleen Navarre | Midas Alaska | Moose's Tooth, Bear Tooth and Broken Tooth Brewing | Perkins Coie - Sarah & A.J. Schirack | R&M Consultants, Inc. | Dave & DeAnne Rand | RE/MAX Dynamic Properties Kevin Taylor | Scott Taylor |Residential Mortgage | Seth Wickersham & Alison Overholt | Taylored Restoration | Korndrop Family Foundation | Arctic Slope Regional Corporation | Replacement Glass | Zareena and Allen Clendaniel | Foley & Pearson | UAA Seawolves | Tony and Carla Slaton Barker | Sportclips Haircuts | Alliance for Support of American Legion Baseball in Alaska | Alice & Gunnar Knapp | Amy and Jason Miller | Burgerfi | Charles Fedullo | Dan Rufner | Darren Lieb | In Honor of James Libby | Seawolf 5th Line | Deb Essex | Don Winchester | Donley Family | Dr. Justin Libby, DDS | Firetap | Harlow Robinson | Jason & Shannon Metrokin | Jim & Michelle Hajdukovich | Joe Alston | Kathie Bethard | Krispy Kreme | Kristopher Knauss | Loren Kroon | Mark and Jamie Johnson | Mark Silverman | On the Border | Pete Robinson | Rick Mystrom | Team Heat | Team Moriarty | The Conway Family | Todd Whited | Moria Smith | In memory of Drs. John & Elizabeth Tower | Peter Pounds | Pete Robinson | Skinny Raven | Multisport Training of Alaska/Lisa Keller | RSA Engineering

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