Chugiak defeated Kenai Central 29-7 on Saturday in nonconference action at Ed Hollier Field in Kenai.

With 3:01 left in the third quarter, Kardinals running back Delen Byrd took a hit while running up the middle and was on the turf for about 15 minutes being attended to by medical professionals before being taken off the field on a stretcher.

There was no immediate update on Byrd’s condition following the game, but as Byrd was being wheeled off the field, a fan yelled, “We love you Delen,” and Byrd raised his arm as the crowd cheered.

Kenai Central coach Jake Brand, whose team is now 1-3, said it was a tough game and his players played hard. The Mustangs are a Division II school, while Kenai is Division III.

The game was closer than the final score indicated, with Kenai having the ball with a chance to tie midway through the fourth quarter.

Chugiak had 303 yards of total offense, while the Kardinals had 219 in a game where both defenses limited big plays and forced the offense to execute.

There were no plays over 40 yards in the game, while Chugiak had three plays over 20 yards and the Kardinals had one.

Both defenses also forced three turnovers. Zach Armstrong had an interception for Kenai, while Tyler Van Sky and Isaac Potton recovered fumbles. The Chugiak defense had three interceptions, including from Cooper Scherffius and Landen Fell.

“I just give a big shoutout to the whole defense,” Chugiak head coach Roger Spackman said after moving to 2-2. “They’ve been playing great for us all year.”

In the first half, Chugiak took a 15-0 lead on a 35-yard touchdown pass from Sam Young to Cooper Scherffius, and a 5-yard run by Luke Poland.

Chugiak finished with 11 penalties for 86 yards, while Kenai had seven for 53.

“In the first half, we had penalty after penalty that was just killing us,” Spackman said. “We had some silly ones in the second half where we just got a little emotional.”

Kenai responded to the Byrd injury by scoring the Kards’ lone touchdown of the day. The injury was the third play in a 10-yard, 52-yard march.

The drive was capped by a clutch 8-yard pass from Tony Perez to Aasen Campanella on fourth down. That put Kenai within 15-7 with 11:56 left in the game.

“I think Kenai used that as motivation, which they should,” Spackman said. “Their teammate went down.

“But our guys hung in there, thank goodness, and they were able to bounce back and get more points on the board.”

After scoring, Kenai was able to force Chugiak to go three-and-out. Kenai took over on its 20, but gained 17 yards before punting.

The Mustangs put together a seven-play, 55-yard drive to take a 22-7 lead with 3:24 left.

On the next drive, Scherffius returned a Perez interception 23 yards to the Kenai 12, and it took the Mustangs one play to score from there.

The Kardinals are 0-1 in the Mid Alaska Conference and now close their regular season with four conference games. That begins when Kenai hosts Houston on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m.

Saturday

Mustangs 29, Kardinals 7

Chu 8 7 0 14 —29

Ken 0 0 0 7 —7

1st Quarter

Chu — Scherffius 35 pass from Young (Warren-Dowl run), 2:56.

2nd Quarter

Chu — Poland 5 run (Bobo kick), 8:18.

4th Quarter

Ken — Campanella 8 pass from Perez (Langham kick), 11:56.

Chu — No. 21 3 run (Bobo kick), 3:24.

Chu — No. 21 12 run (Bobo kick), 2:07.

Chu Ken

First downs 12 10

Rushing yards 47-254 36-153

Passing yards 49 66

Comp-att-int 2-4-1 10-18-3

Return yards 109 43

Punts 3-46.7 5-30.8

Fumbles 4-2 1-0

Penalties 11-86 7-53

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing — Chugiak: High 9-53, Young 14-9, Poland 13-128, No. 31 1-0, Worland 1-9, No. 21 9-55. Kenai: Byrd 10-32, Hayes 17-105, Perez 2-(-3), Taylor 5-2, Campanella 2-7.

Passing — Chugiak: Young 2-4-1—49. Kenai: Perez 10-18-3—66.

Receiving — Chugiak: Scherffius 2-49. Kenai: Hayes 2-7, James 2-18, Campanella 3-24, Johansen 3-17.

Missed field goal — Bobo 42 wide left.

Kenai Central’s Tyler Van Sky recovers a fumble in front of Chugiak’s Sam Young (5) on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Central’s Lochlyn Roney (75) and Makai Johansen converge on Chugiak’s Sam Young on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)