2 games into an uncertain season, East and South deliver game-of-the-year drama

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South's Kellen Curtis reaches for a tackle of East's Georgia Mageo. East beat South, 20-13, in high school football in Anchorage on September 18, 2020. (Marc Lester / ADN)

The promise of a postseason doesn’t currently exist in Alaska football. Thankfully, East and South turned in a Friday night classic, a game full of all the emotion, action and drama worthy of a high-stakes game.

Two games into a season disrupted by a pandemic, it felt like the state final we may not get. Thunderbirds senior wideout Jordan Holland corralled his second touchdown catch of the game with 78 seconds remaining at South High, and East hung on for a scintillating 20-13 victory over the Division I defending state champion Wolverines.

It was a game between the last two Division I champs, including an East team that was ranked No. 1 entering last season’s playoffs, only to be defeated in the first round.

“We made our share of mental mistakes, but we managed to come out on top,” said Holland, who finished with six receptions and 133 receiving yards. "This was a big game for us because of the fluke of losing our first playoff game last season.

“South won state, and it just feels great to beat the state champions.”

Holland’s 10-yard reception from senior quarterback Ja’Sem Atonio came on fourth-and-goal. The game-winning play came less than five game minutes after South tied the score on its own successful fourth-and-goal attempt.

The heart and soul of the Wolverines defense, senior linebacker Loke Iese, played meaningful quarterback minutes for the first time in more than two years. He ran the offense for most of the second half after fellow senior star Jackson Harmon left the game with an injury.

Harmon spent the rest of the game with an ice pack taped to his left hamstring. Teary-eyed at times, the abundantly talented 6-foot-3, 190-pounder never left the sideline.

Iese stepped in admirably.

“The injury, it took a minute to sink in,” he said. "That man is the leader of our team and seeing him go down was a heartbreaker.

“But as a team, we knew we had to regroup and fight until the end.”

Iese completed 11 of 16 passes for 78 yards. He found Maddux Soland in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard scoring strike with 6:33 left to play. East blocked the point-after attempt to salvage a 13-13 tie before embarking on the game’s pivotal possession.

The Thunderbirds (2-0) started the drive at their own 8-yard line. Atonio turned in a highlight with a 7-yard, fourth-down run and kept the chains moving. East also counted on the hard running of backs Georgia Mageo and Oakland Ala.

Mageo finished with 21 carries, 136 rushing yards and a second-quarter touchdown.

“Mageo’s style is straight on,” Holland said. “He’s just straight on into every guy and doesn’t care. It’s a blessing to block for him downfield and see what our offensive line does.”

East gained 376 total offensive yards to South’s 245.

The Wolverines fell to 1-1, had their four-game winning streak dating back to last season snapped and lost to East for the fifth time in a row.

Atonio maneuvered out of trouble and to his left on his team’s biggest offensive play. Holland shed defenders in the end zone and found a window.

“I listened to my coach, found the spacing and got the ball thanks to my QB,” Holland said.

Atonio threw for 197 yards. He also converted on fourth down in the first quarter when he connected with Holland for a 21-yard touchdown. Junior cornerback Deuce Zimmerman picked off three South passes to pace the defense.

The tumult of the times made the game more meaningful for everyone.

Because the pandemic delayed the start of the season, Anchorage high school officials created a five-game regular-season slate of games for each of its eight varsity teams. The unbalanced schedule and numerous other factors could make it difficult to name champions.

The Alaska School Activities Association website includes a disheartening but understandable disclaimer stating that playoff “dates, locations and formats may change due to the impact of (the pandemic).” In other words, all bets are off.

“We’re very fortunate to come out here and do what we do,” Iese said. "At the end of the day, I just have to give East respect.

“The lessons we take from these grind-it-out games, these dogfights, will carry on in our lives. In that way, we all succeeded.”

Matt Nevala co-hosts “The Sports Guys” radio show, Saturdays at 11 a.m. on KHAR AM 590 and FM 96.7 (@cbssports590). Find him on social media at @MNevala9.

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