Juneau quarterback Krew Ridle tucks and runs in Saturday’s 17-14 win over East. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Jaxin Jim ran for a touchdown in the first quarter to kick off the scoring and then turned the lights out on the T-birds in the third quarter with a dominating defensive performance to power the Juneau-Douglas football team to a 17-14 win at East High School on Saturday.
The Crimson Bears marched 65 yards on their opening drive, capped by Jim’s 8-yard scoring sprint and set up by a 36-yard reception to Andrew Sanders from quarterback Krew Ridle. In the third quarter, Jim picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards for a score and later delivered a third-down sack that forced an East punt as the Crimson Bears built a 17-8 lead and made it stick to improve to 1-1 in the Cook Inlet Conference.
Jim finished with just 16 rushing yards, but he made ’em count. The two workhorses in the run game were Ethan Van Kirk (14 rushes, 70 yards) and Ridle (15 rushes, 62 yards). Van Kirk and Ridle each had two double-digit runs – twice the number East had as a team.
Van Kirk produced the game’s longest run of 14 yards. The slippery running back never went down on first contact, falling forward and dragging tacklers along for the ride. He was a catalyst one week after a subpar performance in the season opener, taking the ball up the middle and going around the edge on the slot reverse.
Prep Football
Week 2 Scores
Saturday
Juneau 17, East 14
West 52, Dimond 0
Lathrop 42, Eagle River 0
Seward 48, Nikiski 12
Kodiak 40, Monroe 12
SWDP 90, Valdez 0
Friday
Colony 26, Service 10
South 13, Bartlett 0
Soldotna 49, West Valley 19
Wasilla 35, Chugiak 15
Palmer 32, North Pole 26
Kenai 68, Redington 18
Barrow 40, Homer 22
After punting on its second drive, Juneau got on the scoreboard again in the second quarter after kicker Sonny Mazon split the uprights from 30 yards. This was a 10-play drive that chewed up nearly six minutes and gave the capital city boys an 11-8 lead at halftime.
On East’s second drive of the third quarter, Jim stepped in front of a receiver to pick off a jump pass by East’s Travis Motoa. Five plays later, Jim sacked Motoa on third down to give Juneau the ball back.
With the win, the Crimson Bears improved to 13-11 against East since the series started in 1994.
In the fourth quarter, Juneau defensive back Jarry Maghinay picked off an underthrown pass by Motoa, triggering East coach Jeff Trotter to make a change under center on the team’s final drive.
The T-birds found life offensively behind backup Kiona Toa, who topped off a 71-yard scoring drive with an 8-yard strike to Kaiedenn Sanders with 12 seconds left. The sparkplug generated 48 yards (30 passing, 18 rushing) and led the T-birds down the field and into the end zone to give East some momentum heading into next week’s game against Oakmont in Roseville, Calif.
Kiona Toa pumped life into the T-birds down the stretch. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Toa’s mobility was a difference maker in a spread offense as he was able to attack the defense with his feet and arm. The kid also showcased incredible toughness after taking two big hits on runs outside the pocket. Both East QBs are at their best on the move and combined for 40 of the backfield’s 133 yards.
On Toa’s TD toss, he scrambled to his right before throwing to his left and hitting Sanders in stride. Earlier in the drive, Sanders hauled in a 10-yard reception for a first down on a play extended by Toa’s legs.
East’s defense held Juneau off the scoreboard for the final 15 minutes of the game to give the team a chance to win, getting an interception from Sanders and a 5-yard tackle for loss by Devoh Peseti. The biggest culprit in East’s 0-2 start has been a fruitless offense that has scored just 22 points in eight quarters, and there is plenty of blame to go around.
Juneau-Douglas 8 3 6 0 – 17
East Anchorage 0 8 0 6 – 14
FIRST QUARTER
Juneau – Jim 20 run (Van Kirk run), 8:27
SECOND QUARTER
East – Peseti 10 run (Fatialofa run)
Juneau – Mazon 30 FG, 0:03
THIRD QUARTER
Juneau – Jim 16 interception return (kick missed) 3:43
FOURTH QUARTER
East – Sanders 8 pass from Toa (kick blocked) 0:12
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Juneau – Van Kirk 14-70, Ridle 15-62, Jim 4-16, Washington 2-1. East – Tuga 8-31, Toa 4-30, Peseti 4-25, Curry 6-12, Fatialofa 4-11, Motoa 2-10, Standifer 1-8, Alabado 1-4, Johnson 1-2.
PASSING
Juneau – Ridle 2-6-46. East – Motoa 6-12-33, Toa 2-5-18.
RECEIVING
Juneau – Sanders 2-46. East – Standifer 4-21, Sanders 2-18, Toa 1-7, Tuga 1-5.
East’s Kaiedenn Sanders signals to move the chains. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Crimson Bears were winners in Week 2. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Big-man dance moves. Juneau’s Liam Fenumiai and Isaiah Galletes-Fale celebrate as they come off the field. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
