<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0bN6CT_0wEqzDrl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0bN6CT_0wEqzDrl00" width="1024" height="683" ><figcaption>Teammates celebrate with Aleki Toleafoa after his special teams TD. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report</figcaption></figure>In the span of eight seconds on Saturday, the West High football team flipped Saturday’s playoff game on its head.The Eagles recovered a fumble and onside kick on back-to-back kickoffs to open the second half, turning those turnovers into touchdowns to key a 34-14 road win at East in the Division I state semifinals.West nursed a 6-0 lead going into the third quarter when disaster struck for the T-birds on special teams – twice. The Eagles forced a fumble on the first kickoff and it was recovered by Aleki Toleafoa for a 10-yard scoop and score. Two seconds later, the Eagles executed an onside kick that was recovered by Dylan Sanders at midfield. Nine plays later West punched it in as the lead swelled to 20-0.The victory catapulted the defending state champion Eagles back to the First National Bowl for the ninth time under coach Tim Davis, who came to ‘The Nest’ in 2009.West (8-2) will play top-ranked Dimond (10-0) for the state title on Friday in the Valley as Davis tries to become the first Alaska coach with five championships.The Eagles got back to the big game after beating East for the first time in two meetings this year behind a balanced offense that racked up 186 yards rushing and 148 passing.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1VXWJG_0wEqzDrl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1VXWJG_0wEqzDrl00" width="1024" height="683" ><figcaption>West’s Zephaniah Sailele follows his blocker Elikena Pontitini. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report</figcaption></figure>Running back Zephaniah Sailele rushed for 117 yards and three TDs and quarterback Jethro DeCastro completed 12-of-20 passes to four different receivers and mixed in a 64-yard TD.The offense, by in large, was held in check during the first half by an East defense that forced a fumble, punt and turnover on downs. It wasn’t until the fourth drive that the Eagles punched it in by Sailele for a 6-0 lead late in the second quarter.The second-half kickoff changed everything.It didn’t help that there was a miscommunication between the two East return men – one thought it was a punt and didn’t need to field the ball while the other player picked it up late, got hit and fumbled. Toleafoa was in the right place at the right time and picked up the ball and rumbled into the end zone for a 13-0 lead.On the next kickoff, West executed an onside kick after the ball took a fortuitous bounce off the turf, going over the East players and right into the hands of Sanders.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1VtfLG_0wEqzDrl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1VtfLG_0wEqzDrl00" width="1024" height="683" ><figcaption>West’s Ariel Sanchez makes an over-the-shoulder grab. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report</figcaption></figure>From there, Sailele produced 23 of the 48 yards on the drive, including a gnarly six-yard run on 4th-and-6 when he carried an East tackler three yards for a first down. He eventually scored from eight yards out to make it 20-0.If the T-birds were shell shocked, they didn’t show it and answered with an 83-yard scoring drive that took 13 plays and two quarterbacks. Adonis Mamea and Brandon Young alternated snaps under center on the drive, which was capped by Mamea’s 16-yard TD pass to Young to get the T-birds on the board.West looked to Sailele for a response as the back went into beast mode with nine carries on 10 plays for all 55 yards on the drive that ended with his 4-yard TD and a 27-8 cushion.Mamea, the team’s fourth QB this season, settled into the position over the last month and looked as comfortable as he has all year. The run-first playmaker racked up 114 yards and a TD on the ground, including a 1-yard dive for East’s final points.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2LjCy9_0wEqzDrl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2LjCy9_0wEqzDrl00" width="1024" height="683" ><figcaption>East’s Adonis Mamea absorbs a hit. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report</figcaption></figure>DeCastro responded with his lone TD pass, a 64-yard bomb to Ariel Sanchez – the same connection that delivered the game-winning points in West’s 20-13 quarterfinal win over Juneau.Other offensive standouts for the Eagles included backup running back Lars Robinson, who rushed for 59 yards, and receiver Maverick Kirsch, who had six catches for 31 yards.Young finished his career with a standout game. Not only did he haul in a 16-yard TD catch, but he finished with 27 yards receiving, 17 yards rushing and pinned West at its own 1-yard after a 47-yard punt.West 0 6 14 14 – 34East 0 0 8 6 – 14FIRST QUARTERNo ScoringSECOND QUARTERWest– Sailele 7 run (kick missed) 2:46THIRD QUARTERWest– Toleafoa 10 fumble return (Sandberg kick) 11:54West – Sailele 8 run (Sandberg kick) 9:02East – Young 16 pass from Mamea (Lotu-Muaava run) 2:10FOURTH QUARTERWest– Sailele 4 run (Sandberg kick) 11:39East – Mamea 1 run (pass failed) 8:10West – Sanchez 64 pass from DeCastro (Sandberg kick) 7:22<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1Tja2E_0wEqzDrl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1Tja2E_0wEqzDrl00" width="1024" height="683" ><figcaption>The East High band in action. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report</figcaption></figure><h2>Story made possible by:</h2>Family of SponsorsAdvanced Diagnostics, INC | Alaska Airlines | Alaska Oil and Gas Association | Alliance for Support of American Legion Baseball in Alaska | Joe Alston | Arctic Slope Regional Corporation | Aspen Endodontics | Glen Bailey | Kathie Bethard | Black-Smith, Bethard &amp; Carlson, LLC. | BOSCO's | Don Clary &amp; Judy Besh | Zareena and Allen Clendaniel | Continental Auto Group | Joey Caterinichio &amp; Ja Dorris | The Conway Family | Donley Family | Jim &amp; Michelle Hajdukovich | Foley &amp; Pearson | JL Properties | Mark and Jamie Johnson | Kristopher Knauss | Loren Kroon | Dr. Justin Libby, DDS | Jason &amp; Shannon Metrokin | Amy and Jason Miller | Multisport Training of Alaska/Lisa Keller | Rick Mystrom | Kathleen Navarre | Seth Wickersham &amp; Alison Overholt | Dave and DeAnne Rand | R&amp;M Consultants, Inc. | Dave &amp; DeAnne Rand | RE/MAX Dynamic Properties Kevin Taylor | Replacement Glass | Residential Mortgage | RSA Engineering- Sarah &amp; A.J. Schirack | Tony and Carla Slaton Barker | Sportclips Haircuts | Alice &amp; Gunnar Knapp | Peter Pounds | Pete Robinson | Dan Rufner | Harlow Robinson | Pete Robinson | Moria Smith | Skinny Raven | Taylored Restoration | In memory of Drs. John &amp; Elizabeth Tower | Team Heat | Todd Whited | UAA Seawolves | Don Winchester </div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Special teams spark West to 34-14 playoff win over East in state semifinals

In the span of eight seconds on Saturday, the West High football team flipped Saturday’s playoff game on its head. The Eagles recovered a fumble and onside kick on back-to-back kickoffs to open the second half, turning those turnovers into touchdowns to key a 34-14 road win at East in the Division I state semifinals.