Division I Alaska high school football will kick off with clash between reigning champion and top contender

For the first time in program history, the Colony High football team is going from being the hunters to the hunted.

After capturing their first state championship last fall, the Knights know they have a target on their collective backs heading into the 2023 season.

“It’s actually a pretty good position to be in,” Colony head coach Robbie Nash said. “The main focus for our coaching staff is to have these kids just focus on one game at a time.”

One of the top teams that will be gunning for Colony this year will be West High School. The Eagles are seeking their first state title since the 2015 season.

“West should have a heck of a team this year,” Nash said.

The Knights and Eagles will face each other Friday night to officially kick off the 2023 season in what will certainly feel like a playoff atmosphere, considering they’re projected to be two of the top teams at the Division I level.

“We know everybody will be coming for us,” Nash said. “We’re just going to be focused on each week because each team is different and we have to be able to adapt to what each time has to offer.”

Their Week 1 matchup will take place at the Nest on Hillcrest at West with a kickoff time of 7 p.m.

It’s a game that both teams have had circled on their calendar since the schedule dropped — not just because it’s the first of the year, but because they both relish the challenge that comes with facing top competition.

“I can’t say enough about Coach Nash and his army of Knights coming into town,” West head coach Tim Davis said. “They’re a tough group and are returning just about everybody. They’re going to be very talented. They’re going to be very disciplined. They’re a well-coached team, and they’re fast. It’s going to be a great test on Friday night.”

The two teams played each other last year in a 38-17 victory for the Knights that sparked their five-game winning streak on their way to a state title.

Colony is running it back almost completely intact

Last year’s title-winning squad for the Knights was most composed of sophomores and juniors, so the vast majority of the varsity roster are returners with championship experience.

“On offense and defense, I only lost one (starter),” Nash said. “These kids are bringing a lot more maturity and leadership to practice compared to a year ago.”

Leading the charge for the Knights for the second year in a row, both under center at quarterback and in the secondary at safety, will be Nash’s son and 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year Jack Nash.

“We’re the defending state champs, so it’s going to be a little bit different year,” Jack Nash said. " We have a lot to lose this year compared to last year, so we’re going to be on a lot of people’s radar for sure.”

As a junior, he made the conversion from pass catcher to a full-time pass thrower and was the catalyst for the team’s success on both sides of the ball. Nash racked up 34 total touchdowns on offense and led the state with 12 interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns.

He feels much more confident as a quarterback heading into his senior season now that he was able to get a year of experience under his belt at the position.

“I’m going to try to stay in the pocket a little bit more this year,” he said. “My throwing has got a little bit better, so I’m going to try to throw a little bit more but also run when I have to.”

His father has seen him make the most growth as a passer, particularly from the pocket, which was a big area of focus for him during the offseason.

“You’ll see him a little more comfortable in the pocket,” Robbie Nash said. “We’d like to see him not run as much and take as many hits.”

In addition to his son, Nash and the Knights have their entire starting offensive line returning this year.

“We really have to capitalize on that,” Robbie Nash said. “We have some returning juniors and sophomores that have varsity play underneath their belts. Even though they’re young, they’ve got some experience underneath them.”

[Alaska Division II high school football powerhouses prepare to embark on new season with the same high expectations]

Eagles are ready to soar together

When asked about the strength of this year’s West squad, Davis didn’t list a position group or name a specific player. He cited the team’s tremendous leadership from returning, younger and brand-new players to the program as well as their “genuine care for each other.”

“The level of effort and focus and hard work is pretty high right now,” Davis said. “(I’m) very, very proud about the work ethic that I’ve seen. Talented, sure, yeah but the work ethic and the care for each other is something special right now.”

Aaron Hampton is one of the Eagles’ senior leaders and a standout two-way player as a tight end and defensive end. He echoed similar sentiments about where the true strength of this year’s team lies.

“We’ve all just built a brotherhood and I feel like that brotherhood and that relationship can really take us all the way this year,” he said.

Not to be undersold, the talent on West’s roster is among the best in the state as well. It features a nice mix of experienced returners, promising young talent and some new blood via transfers from rival schools.

“We’ve had a few key transfers,” Hampton said. “The JV players from last have really stepped up this year.”

The most notable of their transfers is senior quarterback Azariah Atonio, who came over from crosstown rival Bettye Davis East and has already established himself as a core leader on the team.

“He’s a talented young guy but again, he’s another dude who is a super leader, super positive, brings his teammates up, high effort, (and) high coachability,” Davis said.

A must-see individual matchup on Friday will be between Jack Nash and Hampton, who each play both ways and are close friends off the field.

“I got nothing but respect for Aaron and I love playing against him,” Jack Nash said. “I know that we love each other off the field, but on the field, we’re both each other’s enemy.”