Crimson Bears get preview of playoff challenge ahead with 44-8 loss to W. Anchorage in regular season finale

Mark Sabbatini
Oct 4
4 min read

Updated: Oct 6

JDHS scores on opening drive to take 8-0 lead, but Eagles dominate afterward to capture top seed in conference entering postseason

Senior wide receiver Noah Ault runs for a 13-yard touchdown on the opening drive of Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé’s game at West Anchorage High School on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025. (Screenshot from livestream by Juneau Football)

By Mark Sabbatini

Juneau Independent

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé got a potent preview of what it will take to play championship-level football with a 44-8 road loss in its regular season finale Saturday to West Anchorage High School, which will enter the playoffs as the top-ranked team as a result.

The Crimson Bears showed some bite on their opening possession, deploying a four-receiver set instead of their more typical tight formations, and embarked on a 59-yard touchdown drive. Highlight plays included a 19-yard run by junior running back Jaxin Jim, a nine-yard pass by sophomore quarterback Krew Ridle to senior wide receiver Noah Ault, and a 13-yard scoring run by Ault around the left side to give JDHS the first score. A two-point conversion by Ridle made the score 8-0.

"We’ve got to do something to try and negate their size and strength and speed," Head Coach Rich Sjoroos said, explaining his gameplan in an interview Sunday. "They're the top team in our league and being on the road it's just a tough environment. And it was their senior day, so there's a lot of emotion and enthusiasm that they're going through. So we were trying to give them some looks that maybe they weren't fully prepared for."

But West Anchorage started fast and never let up, largely on the arm of senior quarterback Baylor Wasson until he was replaced in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. The Eagles gambled frequently and mostly successfully, including converting a fourth-and-1 on its first drive on the Juneau 10-yard line that was followed on the next play by Wasson’s first touchdown pass.

Juneau punted on its next four possessions and then saw a drive just before halftime stall at the West Anchorage 25-yard time as time ran out in the second quarter.

"We just couldn't really find some things that were working — and they have another one of those teams that has 30 seniors," Sjoroos said. "I mean, it's just a really good football team. So you try and find some wrinkles and things that keep you competitive, but that game just kind of got away from us."

West Anchorage led 14-8 after the first quarter, 34-8 at halftime and 44-8 after three quarters. Sjoroos said there are still some lessons and positive takeaways from such a game.

"That was the best defensive front — probably them and Bartlett are the two best defensive fronts in our conference — and I thought in stretches we still blocked it up well and had some nice gains on the ground," he said. "I thought our quarterbacks did a nice job of decision-making and not throwing the ball into harm's way. We did have one turnover. Usually in a game that's lopsided you could point and say you had four or five turnovers that kind of led to your demise. That wasn't the case. That was more just West having a really good quarterback and really good receivers."

"I thought we kept their run game in check. They had one of the top rushers in the state and I just thought we kept their ground game under control. We just, unfortunately, weren't able to do the same in the pass. We weren't able to get a good pass rush and that's more of a credit to their offensive line. That was probably the best O line we've seen all year."

Ridle sustained an injury in the first quarter and was replaced by senior Daniel Campbell. Ethan Van Kirk, a junior running back who was the Cook Inlet Conference’s rushing leader at the midpoint of the season, also was out with an injury for his second straight game. Sjoroos said Van Kirk is out for the year with a shoulder joint injury, but Ridle will be available for the playoffs.

"He took a hard hit and as a precaution we kept him out of the rest of that game, but he'll be fine to go this week," Sjoroos said.

The Eagles (7-1) will enter the playoffs as the top seed in the eight-team conference. JDHS (3-5) will begin the playoffs as the fifth seed with a road game against South Anchorage High School (6-2). The Crimson Bears were defeated at home Sept. 12 by South Anchorage 29-28 on a last-minute two-point conversion after staying in front of an exchange of touchdowns throughout the game.

BOX SCORE (provided by Alaska Sports Report) Juneau-Douglas 8 0 0 0 - 8

West Anchorage 14 2110 0 - 45

FIRST QUARTER

Juneau – Ault 13 run (Ridle run)

West – Kirsch 11 pass from Wasson (Sandberg kick)

West – Sanders 33 pass from Wasson (Sandberg kick)

SECOND QUARTER

West – Maga 1 run (Sandberg kick)

West – Evans 52 pass from Wasson (Sandberg kick)

West – Wasson 4 run (Sandberg kick)

THIRD QUARTER

West – Kirsch 21 pass from Wasson (Sandberg kick)