Service’s Noah Cummings collected 270 yards of total offense to key Friday’s home win. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
In a meeting of longtime rivals and contrasting styles, it was Service and its powerful running attack blazing to a big early lead and cruising to a 54-26 victory over Dimond on Friday night at Service High School.
The quarterbacks for both squads put up video-game numbers as Service’s Noah Cummings thrilled the homecoming crowd with 201 yards on the ground, 69 through the air and seven total touchdowns – five rushing and two passing.
Not to be outdone, Dimond’s Braden Pili waited just one week to smash his own school passing record. After going for 409 yards in an upset of Juneau, the senior totaled 441 yards on 20-of-37 accuracy against the Cougars, tossing four touchdowns and no interceptions.
On a night when the offenses shined, it was Service’s defense that set the tone for the game when it stopped Pili one yard short on a fourth-down attempt near midfield on the opening possession. The short field turned into eight points when Cummings and running back Edward Thompson alternated carries on seven straight plays, even splitting the touchdown (Cummings) and two-point conversion (Thompson) chores.
Prep Football
CIC TEAM OVERALL 7-0 West Anchorage 7-1 5-1 South Anchorage 5-2 4-3 Colony 4-4 3-3 Juneau-Douglas 4-3 3-4 Service 4-4 2-4 East Anchorage 2-5 1-5 Bartlett 2-5 1-6 Dimond 2-6 Friday
Service 54, Dimond 26
West 45, Colony 7
Saturday
East at South 3pm
Bartlett at Juneau 3pm
END REGULAR SEASON
Pili wasted little time getting the Lynx on the board, though, marching his team down the field in just 82 seconds. At the Service 38, he scrambled toward the sideline and threw across his body to Kaiden Gratrix, who made a nice move to avoid a tackle and scoot into the end zone.
The 8-6 deficit would be as close as Dimond would remain all night, seeing Service answer with another quick scoring drive. After six straight runs, Cummings dropped back on third-and-long and fired a perfect longball over the middle to Sanchez as he crossed the goal line.
Service blew the game open when it stopped Pili’s crew on downs and went on an eight-play scoring drive – all runs – to make 22-6. Cummings earned his second rushing touchdown from 8 yards out and made it a trifecta and a 28-6 lead just 15 seconds later, scoring on a 1-yard plunge after the Cougars forced a fumble and returned it 20 yards to the doorstep.
Pili continued to keep his team within striking distance, throwing an 11-yard touchdown to Nico Sila and a 64-yard long bomb to Konner Adams to stay within 34-20 at the half.
Service’s defense was up to the task after the break, bending but managing to hold Dimond’s air attack under control with a solid pass rush.
Braden Pili has combined for 850 passing yards the last two weeks. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Cougars doubled the score, 40-20, early in the third quarter when Sanchez raced 11 yards up the gut, and the hosts closed it in the final minutes when Cummings plowed in from 6 yards for his final touchdown.
The teams combined for 981 yards of total offense, with Service piling up 429 on the ground. The Cougars came within a whisker of putting three ball carriers over the century mark, with Thompson toting the rock 11 times for 122 yards and Sanchez carrying 14 times for 99 yards.
Sanchez managed a big night receiving as well, nabbing four catches for 62 yards.
Pili had two or more completions to all six of his receivers, with Gratrix gabbing six catches for 118 yards. Juju Reed had four receptions for 124 yards, including a late 21-yard touchdown, and Adams made three catches for 82 yards.
Dimond 6 14 0 6 – 26
Service 16 18 6 14 – 54
FIRST QUARTER
Service – Cummings 2 run (Thompson run), 7:33
Dimond – Gratrix 38 pass from Pili (kick failed), 6:03
Service – Sanchez 27 pass from Cummings (Thompson run), 2:40
SECOND QUARTER
Service – Cummings 8 run (run failed), 6:35
Service – Cummings 1 run (run failed), 6:20
Dimond – Sila 15 pass from Pili (Pili run), 4:08
Service – Cummings 25 run (run failed), 2:02
Dimond – Adams 64 pass from Pili (run failed), 1:46
THIRD QUARTER
Service – Sanchez 11 run (run failed), 8:48
FOURTH QUARTER
Service – Wahlman 10 pass from Cummings (Davis run), 11:23
Dimond – Reed 21 pass from Pili (pass failed), 7:13
Service – Cummings 6 run (pass failed), 1:18
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Dimond: Pili 8-44, Sila 1-(-2). Service: Cummings 30-201, Thompson 11-122, Sanchez 14-99, Williams 1-7.
PASSING
Dimond: Pili 20-37-441. Service: Cummings 8-12-69.
RECEIVING
Dimond: Gratrix 6-118, Reed 4-124, Leonard 4-68, Adams 3-82, Evans 3-20, Sila 2-29. Service: Sanchez 4-62, Wahlman 3-10, Davis 1-(-3).
