The Redington Huskies punched their first ever ticket to the Division III football state title game with a 60-14 win over the Kenai Kardinals at Redington Jr./Sr. High School on Friday.
Kenai (2-5 overall) struggled against a Redington defense that forced two turnovers in the first half and allowed Kenai to gain just 24 yards of total offense in the first two quarters.
The Huskies (8-0) led at half 38-0 and played many of their reserve unit players during the entirety of the fourth quarter. Kenai played three different quarterbacks during the first half, two of whom were intercepted.
Sophomore running back William Wilson provided a much-needed spark for the Kardinals in the second half. The Kardinals took advantage of a targeting penalty and Wilson found the end zone from 11 yards out late in the third quarter to get Kenai on the scoreboard.
Wilson rushed for 119 yards on 16 carries, all coming in the second half. Late in the fourth quarter, Wilson broke off the longest play of the game for the Kardinals, sprinting up the middle of the field for a 45-yard touchdown.
“It’s such an outstanding season and playing a playoff game at home for the first time in front of a crowd like that with those players, they just understand where they’re at,” Redington head coach Mathias Weinberger said. “It’s just coming together unbelievably and Kenai did a good job preparing.
“They’re a different team than when we met them the first time and they did a good job over there, but I’m really glad that our guys responded and kept going and ultimately we had a good result on our side.”
Redington defeated Kenai 68-14 in Week 5.
While Kenai’s season ended with the loss, Redington advances to the Division III state title game against rival Houston, which will be played at Service High School at noon on October 16.
Redington 60, Kenai 14.
Friday, Redington Jr./Sr. High School
SCORING
1st Quarter
Red — Spaulding 20 run, 9:20.
Red — Spaulding 13 run (Brouillet conversion), 4:45.
2nd Quarter
Red — Brouillet 1 run (Spaulding conversion), 8:20.
Red — Seymore 30 yard pass from W. Bowman (Spaulding conversion), 4:18.
Red — Seymore 22 yard pass from W. Bowman (Spaulding conversion), 0:34.
3rd Quarter
Red — Seymore 14 yard pass from W. Bowman, 10:31.
Red — Seymore 10 yard pass from W. Bowman (Comins pass from W. Bowman), 6:00.
Ken — Wilson 11 run (PAT good), 3:16.
Red — Lawrence 14 run (Vargas-Gutierres pass from W. Bowman), 0:30.
4th Quarter
Ken — Wilson 45 yard run (PAT good), 5:52.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: Kenai – Wade James 2-6, William Wilson 16-119, Reagan Graves 5-1, Owen Whicker 1 6, James Sparks 2-22. Redington – Wayde Bowman 5-24, Mason Brouillet 4-6, Wyatt Pinard 1-5, Trevor Lawrence 6-49, Jeremiah Bailey 3-12, Jaden Spaulding 14-170.
Passing: Kenai – Bridger Beck 0-8—0, Wade James 0-1—0, Roc Riggle 1-7—8, Redington – Joseph Spiegel 1-1—11, Wayde Bowman 13-21.
Receiving: Kenai – Elliot Haakenson 1 – 8. Redington – Trevor Bowman 4-51, Dallas Matson 1-11, PomaiKai Vargas-Gutierres 1-5, Jaden Spaulding 1-4, Bryce Murdock 1-11, Logan Seymore 6-119.
Kenai Central’s Wade James rushes the ball against Redington on Friday, Oct. 8, 2021, at Redington High School. (Photo by Tim Rockey/Frontiersman)
