Bettye Davis East High running back Iosepa Nicholas-Silvira pushes away a Bartlett defender as he runs the ball on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. East won 14-8. (Loren Holmes for the ADN)
For the fourth straight year, the annual “Boot” game between the Bettye Davis East Anchorage football team and host Bartlett went down to the wire.
On Friday, as in each of the prior three matchups, East found a way to ultimately prevail in the end, this time winning by a single score in a hard-fought 14-8 triumph.
“I feel like I need an (electrocardiogram),” East head coach Jeff Trotter said with a chuckle. “I’m too old for this and we keep somehow doing this every year. I wish we’d make it easy, but I’m happy for the win. The kids are happy. We’ve been so close the last few weeks, it’s good to see them come out on top.”
The stress-inducing result marked his team’s first win of the season after losing three of their first four games by seven or fewer points. It also keeps the “Boot” trophy, which honors late all-state defensive lineman Aanooali‘iatoa “Aanoo” Alo with the Thunderbirds.
“It’s always big,” Trotter said. “Aanoo is such a big part of the east-side community so winning this is special for East. It’s special for Bartlett when they win it, and the game is played with integrity just like when he played.”
Bettye Davis East High football coach Jeff Trotter talks with his quarterback Travis Motoa (7) during a game against Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN) Bettye Davis East High running back Noah Tuga runs the ball during a game against Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN)
That sentiment was reflected throughout the game. Even after making plays at the expense of the other team, opposing players were helping each other up off the turf and were even congratulatory at times.
“That’s the cool thing about the east side that maybe some other parts don’t have,” Trotter said. “They grew up together, they played together on the same teams a lot of the time, so the brotherhood stays, whether it’s during the game or after.”
After being shut out for the first 42 minutes and 14 seconds of the game, the Golden Bears mounted a furious rally later in the fourth quarter.
Trailing 14-0, Bartlett turned a timely diving interception from junior Lion Moa into a swift 10-play scoring drive that was capped off by a 1-yard touchdown and a successful two-point conversion from senior Colt Jardine. That score made it a six-point game with 5 minutes and 46 seconds left to play.
The Bettye Davis East High football team played Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN) Bettye Davis East High running back Iosepa Nicholas-Silvira runs the ball during a game against Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN)
East managed to drain about four minutes off the clock, but after forcing a turnover on downs with around a minute and a half left to play, Bartlett had a chance to drive for either a tying or winning score.
After picking up 29 yards on four plays in which they managed to preserve time by getting out of bounds, a high snap spelled disaster for the Golden Bears. Even though Jardine was able to recover the ball, it was deep in Bartlett’s own territory, and he was tackled in bounds — which meant the clock continued to run.
Time ran out on the Golden Bears, sealing the win for East.
“It feels amazing just to honor Aanoo,” East senior Sunuosamoa Fatialofa said. “All those other games are just in the past. It was just mistakes but for this one, I loved how everybody put their effort, their strength and their speed in this game.”
Bettye Davis East High fans celebrate during a game against Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN) Bettye Davis East High quarterback Travis Motoa yells to his team during a game against Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN)
The standout running back was a workhorse for the Thunderbirds’ offense for most of the game, scoring their first points on a 1-yard dive in the second quarter and finishing with 163 rushing yards on 24 carries.
“I was the second-string running back, and I showed them what I can do with my rugby skills,” Fatialofa said.
On defense, he made the second-to-last tackle of the game that kept the clock running and essentially ended the game.
“I was actually lucky because I kind of got lost for a little bit, and then he came back to me, and I just had him by his legs and kept him in my arms,” Fatialofa said.
What ended up being the game-winning touchdown came one play after the East defense forced a fumble and recovered it at the Bartlett 5-yard line. East senior quarterback Travis Motoa rolled to his right and connected with junior wide receiver Niko Standifer, who was uncovered in the back of the end zone.
“It felt so good,” Standifer said. “It wasn’t even the right route, I’m not going to lie, but I got open. I was given the opportunity, and I took it.”
Bartlett’s Colt Jardine runs the ball during a home game against Bettye Davis East High on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN) Bettye Davis East High football players celebrate after winning a game against Bartlett on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Bartlett High in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes for the ADN)
He dedicated the score to his late grandma, taking a knee in the end zone and pointing up to the sky.
“I had to get that one for her,” Standifer said.
Trotter expects the team to continue to develop, buoyed with confidence from the win.
“Our defense has been there and the offense is slowly trying to catch up and get out of their own way sometimes,” Trotter said. “If we can finally put it together, we’re still young and make mistakes, but bouncing back from it makes a difference.”
