The host Homer football team, the defending Division III state champions, began the season with a 38-12 victory over Barrow on Saturday.
The game was nonconference. The two teams will play their Mid Alaska Conference game Sept. 30 in Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow.
“I’m very happy with how we played today,” Homer head coach Justin Zank said. “I’m optimistic for the season. Barrow’s a tough team and a very tough first week matchup.
“We can definitely do a lot of things better, (we had) a lot of missed cues, a lot of mistakes — it’s to be expected in week one at the first game, but I’m happy with how we played.”
Junior Preston Stanislaw had a successful debut in taking over for 2023 graduate Carter Tennison, the Division III Offensive Player of the Year.
Stanislaw completed 15 of 22 passes for 233 yards and five touchdowns without throwing an interception. He also rushed 18 times for 70 yards.
The quarterback helped the Mariners take a 30-6 lead after the first quarter.
After Homer led 2-0 on a safety by Nathan Overson, Stanislaw threw touchdown passes of 56 and 10 yards to Chris Martishev, with Payton Yates adding a conversion, to push the lead to 16-0.
Stanislaw then had a 19-yard scoring strike to Jonah Martin and ran in the conversion for a 24-0 lead.
Barrow’s Dwight Unutoa scored for the first time for the Whalers with a 9-yard pass from teammate Ethan Goodwin, giving the Whalers six points.
Martin then snared a 22-yard pass from Stanislaw for a 30-6 lead.
In the third quarter, Martin caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Stanislaw and Yates had the conversion for a 38-6 lead.
A steady rainfall commencing halfway through the fourth quarter didn’t dampen either team’s spirits. Homer continued to play assertively, and Barrow scored another touchdown in the final minute of the game with a 7-yard pass from Unutoa to Goodwin.
Martin finished with six catches for 75 yards, while Martishev had four catches for 87 yards and Makary Reutov had three catches for 53 yards.
Homer plays Redington on Saturday, Aug. 19, at Homer High School, with the junior varsity game at 10 a.m. and the varsity game at 1 p.m.
For more information, visit kpbsd.org/schools/homer-high/athletics/.
Saturday
Mariners 38, Whalers 12
Barrow 6 0 0 6 —12
Homer 30 0 8 0 —38
First quarter
Hom — Overson safety.
Hom — Martishev 56 pass from Stanislaw (conversion failed).
Hom — Martishev 10 pass from Stanislaw (Yates 3 run).
Hom — Martin 19 pass from Stanislaw (Stanislaw 3 rush).
Bar — No. 2 9 pass from No. 4 (conversion failed).
Hom — Martin 22 pass from Stanislaw (conversion failed).
Third quarter
Hom — Martin 12 pass from Stanislaw (Yates 3 run).
Fourth quarter
Bar — No. 2 7 pass from No. 4.
Bar Hom
First downs 11 17
Rushes-yards 37-218 36-115
Passing yards 16 233
Comp-att-int 2-2-0 15-23-0
Fumbles 2-1 1-0
Penalties 8-46 17-128
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing — Homer: Stanislaw 18-70, Burns 5-19, Yates 7-17, Tappan 4-9, Jackson 2-0.
Passing — Homer: Stanislaw 15-22-0—233.
Receiving — Homer: Martishev 4-87, Martin 6-75, Reutov 3-53, Burns 1-22, Yates 1-(-4).
A Homer High Mariner blocks the Barrow Whalers’ Norm Lilomaiava at the home opener varsity football game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Homer’s Chris Martishev catches a 58-yard pass from quarterback Preston Stanislaw, scoring a touchdown and bringing the Mariners’ score up to eight points in the first quarter of the home opener varsity game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Chris Martishev’s teammates congratulate him after he caught a 58-yard pass from quarterback Preston Stanislaw, scoring a touchdown and bringing the Mariners’ score up to eight points in the first quarter of the home opener varsity game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
The Homer High cheerleaders keep the crowd’s energy up during the home opener varsity football game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Barrow’s Dwight Unutoa prepares to pass the ball downfield to Ethan Goodwin, who will carry it to the Whalers’ first touchdown of the game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Barrow’s Ethan Goodwin catches a pass from Dwight Unutoa, taking the Whalers’ first touchdown of the game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Homer’s Preston Stanislaw defends the ball from Barrow in the third quarter before passing it to Jonah Martin, who scores a touchdown and brings the Mariners’ score up to 36 points during the home opener varsity game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Barrow’s Angelo Reyes carries the ball but is tackled by Homer in the fourth quarter of the home opener game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Barrow’s Gabriel Ortilla faces off against incoming Mariners in the fourth quarter of the home opener game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
Barrow’s Ethan Goodwin catches a pass from teammate Dwight Unutoa and scores a touchdown fifteen seconds before the end of the final quarter, bringing the Whalers’ score to 12 points at the home opener varsity game on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2023 in Homer, Alaska. (Delcenia Cosman/Homer News)
