Kenai Central quarterback Zeke Yragui throws against Kodiak on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at Kodiak High School in Kodiak, Alaska. (Photo by Derek Clarkston/Kodiak Daily Mirror)

Kenai Central quarterback Zeke Yragui throws against Kodiak on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at Kodiak High School in Kodiak, Alaska. (Photo by Derek Clarkston/Kodiak Daily Mirror)

Mid Alaska: Kenai football blows past Kodiak; Barrow tops Homer

The visiting Kenai Central football team defeated Kodiak 49-6 on Friday in Mid Alaska Conference play.

The Kardinals finish the regular season at 4-1 in the conference and 6-2 overall and will be in the Division III playoffs.

Kodiak, at 1-4 and 1-6, does not qualify for the playoffs. The Bears had started their season with a 37-0 loss to the Kardinals in nonconference action.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Also in the conference, Barrow defeated Homer 22-6 on Saturday and Houston topped Redington 52-0 on Saturday.

Barrow finishes 4-1 and 5-2, Houston finishes 4-1 and 7-1, Homer finishes 2-3 and 4-4 and Redington finishes 0-5 and 0-8.

Top seed Kenai will host No. 4 Homer on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Division III semifinals, while No. 2 Barrow will host No. 3 Houston at noon Saturday in the other semifinal.

The Kardinals received huge games from quarterback Zeke Yragui and receiver Sawyer Vann.

Yragui was 11 of 18 for five touchdowns and 204 yards, while also rushing for 56 yards and a touchdown on four carries.

Three of those touchdown tosses went to Vann, who caught three balls for 91 yards in the game. Vann also kicked a 29-yard field goal.

Kodiak actually took a 6-0 lead in the game, but Kenai’s defense dominated from there, giving up 42 yards on the ground and 9 yards in the air for the game.

The Kardinals led 7-6 after a quarter, 16-6 at halftime and 24-6 after three quarters.

Cole Langham and Makai Johansen also had touchdown catches for the Kardinals, while Bobby Hayes had a touchdown run.

Friday

Kardinals 49, Bears 6

Kenai 7 9 8 25 —49

Kodiak 6 0 0 0 —6

1st Quarter

Kod — Hughes 1 pass from Anderson (pass failed), 4:46.

Ken — Vann 51 pass from Yragui (Vann kick), :05.

2nd Quarter

Ken — Vann 29 field goal, 7:13.

Ken — Yragui 44 run (run failed), 2:59.

3rd Quarter

Ken — Langham 34 pass from Yragui (Hayes run), 2:26.

4th Quarter

Ken — Hayes 1 run (Vann kick), 5:56.

Ken — Johansen 26 pass from Yragui (kick failed), 5:40.

Ken — Vann 7 pass from Yragui (kick failed), 5:16.

Ken — Vann 33 pass from Yragui (kick failed), :00.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing — Kenai: Yragui 4-56, Wilson 12-28, Hayes 8-54. Kodiak: Macapugay 2-13, Canaveral 3-16, Anderson 13-(-30), Bungay 15-33, Loya 2-7, Timu 1-3.

Passing — Kenai: Yragui 11-18-0—204. Kodiak: Anderson 4-11-1—9.

Receiving — Kenai: Johansen 2-32, Langham 2-31, Hayes 4-50, Vann 3-91. Kodiak: Hughes 2-6, Canaveral 1-(-2), Ferris 1-5.

Barrow 22, Homer 6

The host Whalers avenged a 38-12 loss to the Mariners on the first week of the season.

Homer coach Justin Zank said his defense played well, but ultimately the Mariners made too many mistakes to win.

For instance, on the opening drive Barrow recovered an onside kick. Homer made the Whalers go three-and-out, but fumbled away the punt. Homer then put Barrow in a fourth-and-long situation, but the Whalers converted it due to pass interference and ultimately scored.

Zank said the Mariners can’t blame the Barrow weather for not putting points on the board.

“We weren’t executing,” he said. “The weather wasn’t terrible. In the third quarter, the sun even came out.”

Zank said Homer was down 16-0 pretty quick and held it there, even cutting it to 16-6 in the fourth quarter on a Chris Martishev rush.

“Barrow played a heck of a game,” Zank said. “They’re big and physical.”

The coach said inside linebacker Wyatt Counts, cornerback Landan Branstetter, outside linebacker Martishev and outside linebacker Jake Tappan all played solid games.

Barrow had 195 yards rushing and 33 passing, while Homer rushed for 109 and passed for 13. Martishev led the way with 58 yards on 11 carries. Gabriel Ortilla had 16 rushes for 100 yards for Barrow.

Kenai defeated Homer 29-8 on Sept. 2. Zank wasn’t happy with the way the Kards established the inside run game in that contest.

“If I’m Kenai, I do more of the same and try to pound it at us,” he said. “We’re going to have to make some adjustments to stop the run and play physical, but we’ve been playing pretty physical the last four weeks.”

On offense, Zank also said Homer must play better.

“We have to believe in ourselves is what it comes down to,” he said. “When things are going well, we score a bunch in the quarter.

“When we face adversity, we have a difficult time overcoming it.”

More in Sports

Zac Cowan putts a golf ball into a hole during the Alaska Sign Source Pro Am at Birch Ridge Golf Course in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 14, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Azzara, Moore win Birch Ridge Pro Am

The top four pros were rounded out by Zac Cowan with 78 and Bill Engberg at 84.

tease
1st Soldotna Cycle Series of the year draws 49

The first Soldotna Cycle Series race took place Thursday, July 10, at… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Can things get even better?

The silvers are starting to get their finny freak on at our famous Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon.

Runners line up at the start for the Seldovia Salmon Shuffle 5K race on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Seldovia, Alaska. Photo courtesy Ecola Collier
255 do the Salmon Shuffle

The 5K race is held annually as part of Seldovia’s 4th of July celebrations.

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole

The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.

Seward's Fred Moore stands at the base of Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, on Monday, June 24, 2019. Moore will run in his 50th consecutive Mount Marathon race on July 4. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It’s been a good run’

Seward’s Moore explains his decision to end his Mount Marathon streak at 54

Matthew Schilling of the American Legion Post 20 Twins slides safely past Eagle River catcher Jack Mullen on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Monday: Twins keep rolling with sweep of Eagle River

The American Legion Post 20 Twins swept Eagle River on Monday at… Continue reading

Sharon Tyone, Dan Aaronson and Jessica Small make the "real life slot machine" work at the Oilers All-Star Family Field Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Oilers return to field for All-Star Family Field Day

It was only for a day, but the Peninsula Oilers were able… Continue reading

David Norris, 34, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, wins the men's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Norris goes 6 for 6 in Mount Marathon men’s race; Moore’s streak ends at 54 races

One streak lived while another streak ended during a brilliantly sunny men’s… Continue reading

Anchorage's Klaire Rhodes, 27, wins the women's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Rhodes defends women’s Mount Marathon crown

With Seward stuffed with people for 97th running of the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

The juniors start at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Zuber, Flagstad capture junior Mount Marathon races

Kenai’s Boonstra takes 2nd in junior girls race

tease
Thursday: Twins finish strong road trip by sweeping South

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins picked up 10-0 and 18-5… Continue reading

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in