T-birds capture Alaska state football title with 13-7 win over West

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East’s Casimir Levao collapses to the turf after the game ends. East beat West, 13-7, in the large school state championship football game at Anchorage Football Stadium on Friday, October 21, 2016. (Marc Lester / Alaska Dispatch News)

In fitting fashion, East clinched its first state title in 13 years on defense.

With East up six points and West driving in the final 70 seconds, East senior Joshua Malnoske intercepted West quarterback Qyntyn Pilcher inside the 15-yard line to dash any hopes of a last-minute comeback.

East quarterback Carson Washburn came onto the field with the offense for the first time since breaking his collarbone in the final game of the regular season and took a knee twice in victory formation on the snowy Anchorage Football Stadium turf in front of an estimated crowd of 2,500.

East 13, West 7.

"I went up and I was fortunate to be where the ball was at when he threw it and I was lucky enough to get a pick," Malnoske said. "It's definitely the best feeling right now. It's unexplainable."

[East's injured quarterback Washburn finishes what he started]

Malnoske was also the T-birds' workhorse on offense, rushing for 146 yards and a first-quarter score. His 30-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter allowed East (9-2) to tie the game at 7-7 with a Carson Reed extra point.

Allen Ala, the Cook Inlet Conference defensive player of the year, complemented Malnoske on offense with eight carries for 70 yards.

The Thunderbirds took the lead in the second quarter on 27-yard pass from Sam Logoleo to tight end Pavii Tanuvasa. The 6-foot-1, 280-pound senior reached out and snatched the ball with one hand, and carried a couple of Eagles into the end zone for the go-ahead score.

"I just put my arm out and the ball stuck in my glove," Tanuvasa said.

Those two scores were enough. East kept West out of the end zone for the final three quarters and forced four interceptions in the second half.

"Turnovers — they're gonna lose you a game," West coach Tim Davis said. "They won us a game last week, lost us a game this week — simple as that."

The swarming T-bird defense allowed 21 total points through three state playoff games.

"Our defense, our corners, our DBs, we did our job tonight," said Logoleo, who played at defensive back and quarterback.

Tanuvasa joined Malnoske as the only players to score on offense and grab interceptions on defense.

With 3:35 remaining, Tunuvasa — normally a defensive end — went into coverage wide right. He read Pilcher perfectly and intercepted a screen pass at the 48-yard line.

He ran the ball all the way to the end zone, but the touchdown was negated by a blocking-in-the-back penalty.

West struggled with consistency, but a couple of big plays by West — and missed field goals by East — kept the game close.

In the first quarter, a 78-yard pass from Pilcher to Blake Despain put the Eagles deep in East territory.

Two plays later, Pilcher hit Turek Taylor for a 5-yard touchdown and an early West lead.

But East's stingy defense kept West (7-4) at bay for most of the rest of the game. Still, the Eagles had a chance late to potentially tie or take a lead.

Pilcher found Darrell Moss for 41 yards up the right side on West's final drive, three plays before Malnoske's interception.

Pilcher's passes to Despain in the first quarter and Moss in the second quarter accounted for 119 of his 166 passing yards.

When East got the ball back for the final time, the Thunderbirds knew they wanted Washburn taking the final snaps. After Washburn's final kneel down, East players rushed the snowy field to celebrate with their quarterback.

"Carson was my quarterback since freshman year," Logoleo said. "I didn't want him to stay on the sideline and not do anything. I wanted to get our offense out in victory formation so Carson Washburn could get out there with his brothers."

West 7  0  0  0 — 7

East 7  6  0  0 — 13

First Quarter

West — Taylor 5 pass from Pilcher (Harjehausen kick), 7:40.

East — Malnoske 30 run (Reed kick), 5:36.

Second Quarter

East — Tanuvasa 27 pass from Logoleo (kick failed), 1:05.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — West: Tovio 23-98, Martin 5-16. East: Malnoske 22-146, Ala 8-70, Logoleo 11-41, Afuvai 6-18, Schlemmer 1(-2), Team 1-(-14).

PASSING — West: Pilcher 13-28-4–166. East: Logoleo 2-3-0–47.

RECEIVING — West: Martin 5-36, Blake Despain 2-77, Taylor 2-8, Mendoza 2-7, Tovio 2-1, Moss 1-37. East: Tunuvasa 1-27, Malnoske 1-20.