Homer football opens with convincing win over Barrow

The host Homer football team, the defending Division III state champions, began the season with a 38-12 victory over Barrow on Saturday.

The game was nonconference. The two teams will play their Mid Alaska Conference game Sept. 30 in Barrow.

“I’m very happy with how we played today,” Homer head coach Justin Zank said. “I’m optimistic for the season. Barrow’s a tough team and a very tough first week matchup.

“We can definitely do a lot of things better, (we had) a lot of missed cues, a lot of mistakes — it’s to be expected in week one at the first game, but I’m happy with how we played.”

Junior Preston Stanislaw had a successful debut in taking over for 2023 graduate Carter Tennison, the Division III Offensive Player of the Year.

Stanislaw completed 15 of 22 passes for 233 yards and five touchdowns without throwing an interception. He also rushed 18 times for 70 yards.

The quarterback helped the Mariners take a 30-6 lead after the first quarter.

After Homer led 2-0 on a safety by Nathan Overson, Stanislaw threw touchdown passes of 56 and 10 yards to Chris Martishev, with Payton Yates adding a conversion, to push the lead to 16-0.

Stanislaw then had a 19-yard scoring strike to Jonah Martin and ran in the conversion for a 24-0 lead.

Barrow’s Dwight Unutoa scored for the first time for the Whalers with a 9-yard pass from teammate Ethan Goodwin, giving the Whalers six points.

Martin then snared a 22-yard pass from Stanislaw for a 30-6 lead.

In the third quarter, Martin caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Stanislaw and Yates had the conversion for a 38-6 lead.

A steady rainfall commencing halfway through the fourth quarter didn’t dampen either team’s spirits. Homer continued to play assertively, and Barrow scored another touchdown in the final minute of the game with a 7-yard pass from Unutoa to Goodwin.

Martin finished with six catches for 75 yards, while Martishev had four catches for 87 yards and Makary Reutov had three catches for 53 yards.

Homer plays Redington on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Homer High School, with the junior varsity game at 10 a.m. and the varsity game at 1 p.m.

For more information, visit kpbsd.org/schools/homer-high/athletics/.

Saturday

Mariners 38, Whalers 12

Barrow 6 0 0 6 —12

Homer 30 0 8 0 —38

First quarter

Hom — Overson safety.

Hom — Martishev 56 pass from Stanislaw (conversion failed).

Hom — Martishev 10 pass from Stanislaw (Yates 3 run).

Hom — Martin 19 pass from Stanislaw (Stanislaw 3 rush).

Bar — No. 2 9 pass from No. 4 (conversion failed).

Hom — Martin 22 pass from Stanislaw (conversion failed).

Third quarter

Hom — Martin 12 pass from Stanislaw (Yates 3 run).

Fourth quarter

Bar — No. 2 7 pass from No. 4.

Bar Hom

First downs 11 17

Rushes-yards 37-218 36-115

Passing yards 16 233

Comp-att-int 2-2-0 15-23-0

Fumbles 2-1 1-0

Penalties 8-46 17-128

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — Homer: Stanislaw 18-70, Burns 5-19, Yates 7-17, Tappan 4-9, Jackson 2-0.

Passing — Homer: Stanislaw 15-22-0—233.

Receiving — Homer: Martishev 4-87, Martin 6-75, Reutov 3-53, Burns 1-22, Yates 1-(-4).