East versus West: Who will get the final word in Alaska high school football?

While no secret, football squads communicate offensive play calls with methods as simple as whispers. It's a coach talking directly to a player who then runs from the sideline to the huddle to clue in teammates.

Teams also take more intricate routes to get the call in. Doing so often involves holding up signs, sometimes color-coded or featuring a word or photo, or using hand signals that include multiple players gesturing from the sideline to keep opposing defenses guessing.

"Once you know the personality of your players, you pattern things after the scheme you want to implement and the pace you want to play," West High coach Tim Davis said. "The way we signal not only triggers the play we're going to run, but also the pace by which we want it run."

The time for learning dozens upon dozens of plays and formations is over for the Eagles and the East Thunderbirds. This week was about fine-tuning everything for Friday night's First National Bowl Division I championship finale.

Top-ranked East (9-1) and unranked West (6-4) are set to play Alaska's final game of the season at Anchorage Football Stadium.

Kickoff for the 73rd meeting between Anchorage's first two high schools is 7 p.m.. East, which is unbeaten against Alaska opponents, posted a 27-7 win in the teams' Sept. 22 regular-season meeting.

[In 1961, East and West Anchorage high schools met for the first time on the gridiron]

The teams offer contrasting styles in scheme and communication.

West often relies on a pass-infused spread offense and the healthy use of signs and signals from the sideline.

East hangs its hat on being run heavy — 13 players combined for 61 carries in the team's 34-14 semifinal win over Colony last week. Players shuttled back and forth from the sideline to the huddle, relaying information from head coach Jeff Trotter.

"We figured with so many guys rotating in and out, why bother signaling?" Trotter said.

Which isn't to say East doesn't have audible options. They include words and signals delivered from the sideline or at the line of scrimmage.

"From a quarterback's point of view, you see a defense line up a certain way and call out a word to change the play," East senior quarterback Kapono Medeiros said. "It can be hard to get everyone on the same page, but we've worked to make sure we all understand what we're doing."

Alaska's high school season officially begins in late July. But East's and West's players seldom stop studying.

"It's a balance," said T-birds junior quarterback Gavin Oakley, who regularly plays a handful of series per game because Medeiros plays both offense and defense. "We use those first days of practice to get the plays and formations down so everybody knows them.

"When you have your timing down, working well throughout an offense, it can almost outweigh the physical talent on the field."

Trotter said he asks players for input on the terms and buzzwords used to name or change plays and formations. He said doing so makes it easier for everyone to remember.

At West, Davis uses technology like virtual-reality apps and other smartphone-friendly software to quiz the Eagles, no matter the time of year.

"Yes, they are learning on their phones," he said. "Kids all have different learning styles — visual, auditory, and some need to read things over. You have to scaffold things a certain way to build up and prepare the team."

But nobody's perfect.

"It does only take one player to mess up a play," Trotter said.

Between passing, running, catching, blocking, kicking and tackling, football players must always remain on their toes mentally. Even calls and signals from the past can't be forgotten.

"You never know when something unexpected might come up during a game that brings us back to signs we haven't used for two or three weeks," West junior quarterback Bubba Mendoza said. "If Coach pulls them out and sends them into us, there's nothing you can do.

"You just have to remember."

West will be making its sixth straight Division I title-game appearance. It won its last championship in 2015 and has lost the last two title games by a combined 13 points, losing 13-7 to East in 2016 and 40-33 to Bartlett last year.

As game time approaches, Davis said, he'll ask the Eagles to finish what they started.

"Obviously, it's cliche," he said. "But I'll also impress on them that they're about to write a big chapter in the book of their lives, and they're doing so together.

"In this place, at this time, is when the stakes are the highest and emotions are most invested. Enjoy the moment."

Prior to its 2016 championship, East last appeared in the title tilt in 2003 when it beat Juneau-Douglas, 33-15.

Trotter wants these Thunderbirds to leave their mark on history.

"We've talked a lot about legacy and our school," he said. "This team has a chance to now cement itself in East High lore.

"Some people may think that sounds easy because we're a big school with large enrollment. But whether it's school size, demographics or injuries, every program has its own issues to overcome to get to this spot. This team has earned this opportunity."