South High’s Ethan Yarrington looks upfield during a state Division I semifinal game against Juneau-Douglas on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 at South High. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon)
Despite being reigning Division I state champions, the South Anchorage football team wasn’t gearing up to embark on a title defense heading into this season.
According to head coach John Lewis, the hunt to bring home the hardware brought so many hurdles that he’s nearly surprised the team is in a position to repeat. Lewis and the Wolverines face off with West High at 7 p.m. Friday at Palmer’s Colony High in the DI state championship game.
“Last year’s team won it, that’s great, but we don’t ride off of last year,” he said. “We ride off of this season and the amount of injuries and things we’ve had to go through, and (to) still sit here today and be able to go to the championship is incredible.”
By the end of the regular season and through the playoffs, South has had to rely on star senior Ethan Yarrington to lead the team as the field general on both sides of the ball.
On defense, he’s back to primarily playing off-ball linebacker but could line up on the edge on any given down. Offensively, he’s not the wildcat quarterback anymore; he’s just the quarterback. He’s the one getting the snaps and executing the handoffs or calling his own number with either a keeper or the occasional pass downfield.
“We don’t want Ethan to be sitting here going, OK, well he had (only) 10 carries,” Lewis said. “We’re going to give it to the (work) horse. Ethan is our guy.”
Lewis believes they have the athletes at the other skill positions to complement Yarrington and further elevate their offense.
“Ethan is not a quarterback,” Lewis said. “He’s a running back that can throw the ball on occasion, and the offensive line is finally coming through.”
Yarrington puts in the extra work with the pass catchers after practice to try to fine-tune their chemistry as much as possible.
“Hopefully, we can be 4-of-5,” Lewis said. “That’s all we need. The timing isn’t pretty, but it’s enough to get the job done.”
All that hard work paid off big time in South’s 42-12 blowout win over Juneau-Douglas in the semifinal round. Yarrington completed seven passes for 175 passing yards, including two long bombs to tight end and fellow senior Raden Willis. Willis scored late in the second quarter when he went up over two defenders to reel in a pass down the field before finishing the 52-yard catch-and-run in the end zone.
“He’s a dog out there,” Yarrington said. “Whenever I’m dropping back, I’m looking deep for him, always.”
South High’s Austin Duffus picks off a pass during a state Division I semifinal game against Juneau-Douglas on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026 at South High. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon)
The Wolverines will have their hands full Friday when they take on top-seeded West for the second time this season.
Not only will the Wolverines be looking to repeat as state champion, they’ll also try to avenge one of their two losses of the regular season. In Week 4, South fell 21-14 to West on the road after suffering its first setback the week before to eventual Division II state champion Lathrop.
“West has always been a good team,” Yarrington said. “It’s going to be a battle, but we’re here to play our hardest, and we’re going to prepare our hardest and do everything we can to win as a team.”
In the first meeting between the two teams, South had West on the ropes before a late fumble turned the momentum of the game.
“I like our odds,” Lewis said.
[Second-half surge propels West past Colony in Division I football semifinals]
West High junior defensive end Aizehn Lauano wraps up a ball carrier from Bettye Davis East Anchorage High during a game between the two teams on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 at West High. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon)
As for the Eagles, they’re seeking to complete an undefeated season against in-state competition.
With a win Friday, they would secure the program’s second state title in the last four years and fifth all-time since 1990 when official state championships were held. A win would represent the first state title under second-year head coach Brown Faaaliga.
“The credit goes all to the boys,” he said. “Our boys have been playing hard all season, digging deep. The weather hasn’t been too nice to us, but it’s football weather and I’m super proud of those guys. They got it done, and our coaching staff, I’m super proud of them.”
West is loaded with playmakers on both sides of the ball, spearheaded by one of the stingiest defenses in the state. Their defense produced four shutouts and a point differential of 320-43 against Alaska opponents.
“It feels great, I’ve been wanting this all my life,” senior defensive back Jayciano Cabesas said. “We’re right where we want to be.”
The only blemish on the Eagles’ otherwise sterling record was a 38-16 loss they suffered while playing out of state against Heritage of Littleton, Colorado. Both sides of the ball complement each other, with the defense making key stops and the offense taking advantage of the momentum shifts with big plays and sustained drives.
“Our defense trusts our offense, and our offense trusts our defense,” Cabesas said. “I feel like we just play well knowing that our defense is going to get a stop and our offense is going to get a score.”
Offensively, West has no shortage of playmakers, but similarly to South, its most reliable and explosive player is a star running back.
West Anchorage’s Manny Maga tries to find an opening during the Eagles’ 21-14 victory over South Anchorage on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 at West High. (Photo by Stephanie Burgoon)
Senior Manny Maga is a threat to rip off a chunk gain or take it the distance anytime he touches the ball, and he tends to come through clutch as he did twice last Friday in the Eagles’ semifinal win over Colony.
“Our big-time players, in the moment, have to make big-time plays,” Faaaliga said. “Guys like Manny make those plays.”
Faaaliga’s players don’t lack talent, confidence or belief in one another to get the job done this weekend.
“We’ve just got to keep playing the way we’ve been playing,” Cabesas said. “Just got to keep going and keep pushing through, no matter the hardships.”
