I, as I am certain is true for just about every Alaskan and for many others in our nation as well, am rather distracted right now by the tragic news out of the Tikchik Lakes, just north of Dillingham, where Senator Ted Stevens and several others have been killed in a plane crash. My condolences to all those who now most deeply mourn this loss inflicted upon us all by this crash.
As you can see, the warm weather had disappeared and Barrow had become Barrow once again. It was a 30 - 30 day: wind in the 30's, temperature in the 30's. "This is our home," says Coach Voss, "It's what we have to play in all the time. Nobody else faces it like we do."
Except, of course, for the visiting teams, who may find it even tougher.
"It certainly isn't a disadvantage to us," Voss agrees.
And this could well be the warmest home game of this eight week season. The final home game will be September 22, a date by which one used to know with certainty that snow would cover the tundra and ice would coat the lakes and lagoons. This is no longer certain, but odds are it will be a very chilly game.
But never forget that those who live here at the Top of the World also live in the United States and on this day, Barrow's cheerleading squad stood bravely in the chill wind, gripped the flag and joined in the singing of the national anthem.
Those cheerleaders clearly visible in the picture include Joanne Akootchook, Nicole Hope, Khayla Vigo and Camille Dacanay.
With the wind behind the whalers, quarterback Eddie Benson kicked off to start the game.
The ball was down inside the 20 yard line. South Anchorage tried hard to fight there way toward Whaler territory, but the Whalers opened with a wall-like defense that the Wolverines found hard to penetrate.
Whaler Jacob Harris gets in on the tackle.
Soon, the Whalers have the ball.
Eddie Benson sprints past defenders toward he hopes will be an opening.
Benson looks for a receiver. With the wind at over thirty, it would prove to be not a good passing day, but as a junior, Benson has many games ahead of him and Coach Voss expresses confidence that he will be a strong force to be reckoned with, both this year and next.
Running back Adrian Panigeo sprints toward the goal line and gains several yards, putting his team close to a scoring position.
Fullback Joe Burke takes advantage of his blockers and punches his way over the goal line for the first touchdown of the day. The coaches did not feel that this was the day they wanted to initiate a kicking game, either for extra points or field goals, and chose to go for two. The effort failed, leaving the score at Barrow Whalers 6, South Anchorage Wolverines, 0.
Clancy Itta cheers happily. His oldest granddaughter, Anissa, one of the three children of Clancy's daughter, Natasha, who is married to Nehemiah Houston, son of coach Houston, is not quite so pleased. Anissa's grandmother, Marie Itta, explained that she had been in the car with Anissa with the big, furry, wolverine mascot from South Anchorage suddenly appeared at the window, peeked in at her and frightened her terribly.
The game continues. As Coach Voss looks on from the sidelines, Benson dashes into the wind and looks for a receiver.
Benson finds that in football as in life there is opposition in all things.
Soon, the ball is back in the posession of the Wolverines. As before, they keep encountering a solid wall of Whalers and fail to threaten.
But, once the ball return to the Whalers, they, too, are stopped before they can return to scoring position.
Soon, the Wolverines again had the ball but again were stopped by the Whalers. Trace Hudson made this tackle.