Soldotna football stays perfect by defeating Wasilla

Soldotna's Matthew Schilling knocks the ball away from Wasilla's Jimmy Lackey during a 63-21 win over the Warriors Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Field in Wasilla, Alaska. (Bruce Eggleston/matsusports.net)

The visiting Soldotna football team defeated Wasilla 63-21 on Friday in Railbelt Conference action.

The Stars, at 4-o in the league and 6-0 overall, are atop the conference with North Pole, which is 4-0 and 5-1. West Valley is 3-1 and 5-1, Eagle River is 2-2 and 3-3, Palmer, Chugiak and Lathrop are 1-3 and 2-4, and Wasilla is 0-4 and 1-5.

Soldotna hosts Eagle River on Friday, Sept. 27, at 5 p.m.

Against Wasilla, Soldotna head coach Galen Brantley Jr. said strong play by the defensive line and linebackers in the run game helped overcome some uncharacteristic mistakes in other areas.

The defensive line is Elijah Lee, Luke Miller and Theo Huff on the edge, the Koda Lepule and Kenai Lepule inside.

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

“I felt like we were really good defensively in the box,” Brantley Jr. said. “We stuffed the running game. There wasn’t any daylight for them.”

He said the Warriors did have some success throwing the ball, and also took advantage of a fumbled Soldotna snap to score.

Other than that, Soldotna’s top offense was stopped only on two drives — one due to penalties, and one on a desperation heave to end the first half.

In the first quarter, Wyatt Faircloth scored for SoHi on a 2-yard run, and Lokeni Wong scored on a 9-yard run.

In the second quarter, Andon Wolverton got started on a four-touchdown day with a 1-yard run.

“That’s probably his best game,” Brantley Jr. said of Wolverton. “He kind of went off.”

Also in the second quarter, Matthew Schilling scored on a 2-yard pass from Owen Buckbee, and Miller scored on a 15-yard strike from Buckbee.

In the third quarter, Wolverton scored on runs of 7, 28 and 69 yards.

Brantley Jr. also was happy that Chase Hall got the junior varsity offense in the end zone with a 9-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The head coach said the kicking game was another highlight, with Luke Hillyer making 7 of 8 extra points, and Lane Hillyer adding an extra point.

“The whole kickoff unit did a great job, and it starts with getting the kick in the right spot,” Brantley Jr. said.

More in Sports

Morgan Aldridge leads riders down a hill at the start of Week 3 of the Soldotna Cycle Series on Thursday, July 18, 2019, at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Sterling’s Aldridge wins duathlon at Lavaman Triathlon

Sterling’s Morgan Aldridge, 43, won the individual duathlon at Lavaman Triathlon 2025… Continue reading

tease
Friday: Homer baseball picks up 1st win of season

The Homer baseball team defeated Petersburg 11-3 on Friday at the Ketchikan… Continue reading

tease
Thursday: Homer baseball drops opener

The Homer baseball team opened its season Thursday with an 11-10 loss… Continue reading

tease
Peninsula Piranhas sweep South Central Area Championships

The Peninsula Piranhas swept the South Central Area Championship Meet on Friday… Continue reading

Soldotna's Adarra Hagelund grabs a rebound in front of Kenai's Denali Bernard and Emma Beck, and SoHi's Tanner Inman, at Soldotna High School on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna graduate Hagelund uncorks top high jump in Alaska history

Soldotna High School graduate Adarra Hagelund leapt to the top of the… Continue reading

Trevin Moore of Soldotna and Connor Schnatterie of Clarkston (Washington) battle for the ball at Justin Maile Field at Soldotna High School on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna boys soccer notches victory over Clarkston

The Soldotna boys soccer team opened its season with a 5-1 victory… Continue reading

Levi Strong of Kenai Central and Stephen Alfred of Clarkston (Washington) battle for the ball Monday, April 7, 2025, at Ed Hollier Field at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai boys soccer defeats team from Clarkston, Washington

The host Kenai Central boys soccer team opened its season with a… Continue reading

tease
tease
Saturday: Soldotna baseball fall to Juneau, Sitka

The Soldotna baseball team finished up play at the first Sitka American… Continue reading

Most Read