Mixed Results for Bears in Big Sports Weekend at Home

Jay Barrett/KMXT

The play off outlook for the Kodiak High School Bears football team took a hit Saturday at Baranov Park at the hands of the Homer Mariners. In the first game of the second half of the season, Kodiak now goes to 0-and-2 in the Northern Lights Conference, after falling to the Mariners 28-to-6.

This upcoming Saturday, the Bears are on the road against the defending state champion Kenai Kardinals, and then play the homecoming game against Houston in week seven, before wrapping up the regular season on the road in Soldotna against the Skyview Panthers.

Like the Homer contest, the last three games are in the conference, which will determine the Bears’ playoff fate. Only first, second and third places are guaranteed a spot in the play-offs, as the champion of the new Southeast Conference will get the spot of the fourth place team with the worst record in either the Northern Lights or Great Land conference. The Bears have been to the play-offs for five consecutive years, including three appearances in the state championship game. Kodiak is 0-and-2 in the NLC and are 2-and-3 overall on the season.

In other Kodiak High School sports, Jaymie Bethea continues to burn up the cross country course, clocking a time of 19-minutes 25-seconds Friday on the 5-kilometer track at Fort Abercrombie in a meet with Port Lions, Anchorage Christian and Grace Christian. Grace won the meet by eight points, however, 30 to 38 over the Bears. Port Lions was third with 83-points to ACS’ 87.

On the boys’ side, Nathan Deer ran a 16-48 as Kodiak won handily, putting five runners in the top 10 and winning with 16 points to Grace’s 36 and ACS’ 83.

In swimming and diving, Kodiak split with the Kardinals here at home. The girls won 139-to-46 Friday and 131-to-55 Saturday. The Kodiak boys were edged on Friday by two-points, 80-to-78, and beat again on Saturday, 83-to-75.

In volleyball, also at home, the Bears dropped three to the Palmer Moose.