Huge comeback puts Dimond back in the win column

By Anchorage Daily News

Updated: August 12, 2018 Published: August 12, 2018

Colton Lindquist of Wasilla upends Dimond ballcarrier Gio Young during Saturday’s game at Dimond Alumni Field. (Bob Hallinen / ADN)

The big news of the weekend was West's 18-13 victory over Soldotna that ended the Stars' state-record 59-game winning streak.

But that wasn't the only Alaska football streak that ended.

The Dimond Lynx staged a huge comeback to defeat Wasilla 35-21 and end a seven-game losing streak Saturday afternoon at Dimond Alumni Field.

Dimond trailed 21-0 before seizing control of the game by scoring 35 unanswered points.

Reginald Drummond of Wasilla gains some ground as Jaili Rescober of Dimond gets a hand on him at Dimond High School in Anchorage, AK on Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. Dimond High defeated Wasilla High 35-21 in their opening football game of the season. (Bob Hallinen / ADN)

A touchdown with 95 seconds left in the first half put the Lynx on top 22-21, and they held the Warriors scoreless the rest of the way.

"Coming out of the locker room the coaches told us no matter what happens, we're a family," junior quarterback Riley Whetten said. "We knew if we all stuck in there, we could do it."

Whetten threw two touchdown passes, both to Dylan Tibbets. Gio Young rushed for two touchdowns and R.J. Cavazos ran for one.
The victory came in Bernardo Otero's debut as Dimond's head coach.

"The coming back tells us we have a lot more pride than maybe we had in the past," he said, "and that we're mentally disciplined."