Chugiak’s 1984 football championship team will reunite for Homecoming game at Huffer Stadium

The 1984 Chugiak High School state football championship team will gather for a 35th reunion this weekend and will be honored during a special ceremony Friday night before the school’s Homecoming game against Juneau. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Tom Huffer Sr. Stadium.

Most team members and coaches are expected to attend the reunion, according to Huffer Sr., who coached the Mustangs for 19 seasons.

Huffer’s 1984 team defeated Lathrop 8-5 in the Anchorage Invitational, which served as the unofficial state championship game for Alaska high school teams at that time. The state title was the first of three for the Mustangs, who also won the championship in 1988 under Huffer Sr. and in 1996 under Bruce Shearer.

Team members of the 1984 squad included players Eric Magnuson, Ron Heidemann, Jim Kulaszewicz, Robert Steed, Tom Huffer Jr., Jeff Wanamaker, Mike Homan, Mark Lemery, Sean Barber, Eddie Blahous, Ken Jinks, Dave Wilkings, Andy Ruffing, Jim Triplett, Ken Ziegler, Marty Shaevitz, Vince Valencia, Ernie Stoltenberg, Wes Ripper, Rod Smith, Mike McClung and Ron Schierholt and managers Bryan Baker and Craig Sanborn.

The current version of the Chugiak football team enters the game 5-0 and ranked No. 4 in the Alaska Football Coaches Association statewide Division I football poll. The team features two Huffers — John-Paul Huffer, one of Huffer Sr.'s sons, is an assistant coach on Ryan Landers’ staff, and Tyler Huffer, a grandson, is a senior running back and linebacker.