Alaska High School Football Elite 12 Rankings: West Anchorage, Kenai Central Make Major Statements

The top two teams in the High School on SI Alaska Elite 12 Football State Rankings proved to be road warriors last weekend as No. 1 Soldotna and No. 2 South Anchorage picked up wins away from home to open the 2026 season.

The two defending state champions looked solid on defense, with No. 1 Soldotna rolling to a 49-14 rout of Wasilla while No. 2 South Anchorage won a hard-fought tussle at Juneau-Douglas on Sunday after the game was pushed back a day when the Wolverines' original flight to Juneau was canceled.

Soldotna is the reigning champion in Alaska's Division II ranks, while South Anchorage is trying to become the first repeat champion in Division I since Dimond won back-to-back titles in 2000-01.

There were two big surprises below the two frontrunners, with No. 4 West Anchorage defeating No. 3 Bartlett and unranked Kenai Central toppling No. 8 Homer, the two-time defending Division III champions. It wasn't so much the fact that the two higher-ranked teams lost, but rather the margins by which they were beaten.

Bartlett entered its game against West Anchorage fresh off an appearance in last year's Division I title game, but the Golden Bears were walloped by the Eagles, 67-0. Homer, meanwhile, entered its contest at Kenai having won three of the past four Division III titles, only to leave town on the short end of a 52-6 blowout.

While Soldotna resembled the program that has won 14 state titles in the past 18 seasons, the results in Alaska's top and bottom tiers, including South Anchorage's relatively close result at Juneau-Douglas, indicate it could be a season of change on the Last Frontier.

Alaska high school football Elite 12 rankings. — High School On SI

1. Soldotna

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: Soldotna 49, Wasilla 14

It looks like the same old Soldotna one game into the 2026 season, and that's bad news for the state's other Division II programs, which have rarely found a way to pry the state championship trophy from the Stars' grasp. The Stars will play host to West Valley on Friday in their home opener.

2. South Anchorage

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: South Anchorage 16, Juneau-Douglas 6

South Anchorage made the best of a difficult situation, waiting an extra day to make its flight to Juneau before leaving town with a hard-fought 16-6 win over the Crimson Bears. Next up is a visit to Bartlett to face the reeling Golden Bears.

3. West Anchorage

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: West Anchorage 67, Bartlett 0

West Anchorage looked like a contender for the Division I crown in a thorough dismantling of Bartlett, and the Eagles will hit the road Friday to face a Dimond squad that lost to Service.

4. Lathrop

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Lathrop 49, North Pole 0

Lathrop was going up against one of the top quarterbacks in Alaska last weekend in North Pole's Ean Checque, but it was the Malemutes who had all the offense. Meanwhile, their defense held the Alaska preseason all-state selection and the rest of the Patriots' offense scoreless in a season-opening rout. A visit to Eagle River is on the docket this weekend.

5. Bartlett

Record: 0-1

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: West Anchorage 67, Bartlett 0

If we take last week's blowout loss at face value, it would appear the Golden Bears will have a hard time repeating their run to last year's Division I championship game. It won't get any easier in Week 2 when they host the team that beat them in that title game: No. 2 South Anchorage.

6. Palmer

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: Palmer 49, Eagle River 8

It was a solid performance for Palmer in last week's season opener, and the Moose will hit the road for a game at North Pole on Friday. The Patriots will be looking to take out their frustrations on the visitors following their 49-0 loss to Lathrop.

7. Service

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: Service 14, Bettye Davis East Anchorage 8

Service did just enough to eke past Bettye Davis East Anchorage last weekend, but the Cougars will need to turn it up a notch Friday when they face No. 9 Colony, which is likely to be a tougher foe.

8. Kenai Central

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: Not ranked

Last Week: Kenai Central 52, Homer 6

Kenai Central wasn't messing around last weekend in a 52-6 blowout of the two-time defending champions from Homer. The Kardinals will host Redington on Friday, a solid squad that, nevertheless, will be hard-pressed to beat Kenai on the road.

9. Colony

Record: 1-0

Previous Rank: 10

Last Week: Colony 31, Dimond 7

Colony cruised to a relatively easy 31-7 win over Dimond last weekend, and the Knights get their first chance to make a statement and climb the rankings Friday at No. 7 Service.

10. Juneau-Douglas

Record: 0-1

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: South Anchorage 16, Juneau-Douglas 6

Juneau-Douglas fought the defending Division I champions after waiting an extra day to play, but in the end, the Crimson Bears just aren't in the same class as the Wolverines right now. They get a chance Saturday at No. 11 Bettye Davis East Anchorage to affirm their spot in the Top 10, but it figures to be a challenge on the road.

11. Bettye Davis East Anchorage

Record: 0-1

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Service 14, BDEA 8

If BDEA could have found just a little more offense, the Thunderbirds could have pulled the upset over Service in their season opener. They get another shot against a higher-ranked opponent Saturday when they host No. 10 Juneau-Douglas.

12. Barrow

Record: 0-1

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: Idle

Barrow had the week off, but the Whalers will get their 2026 campaign started Saturday when they host Homer. Prior to last week, it had the feel of a daunting opener as usual, but after Homer's 52-6 loss at Kenai Central, suddenly the Mariners look vulnerable. This is probably the toughest trip on the schedule in Alaska's Division III for a team that is suddenly desperate to prove itself, and it might be the most intriguing game on the entire schedule.

Week 2 could provide a clearer picture of whether Alaska's 2026 season will follow the familiar script or produce a new cast of contenders. Soldotna and South Anchorage remain the teams to beat, but West Anchorage, Colony, Kenai Central and Lathrop all have a chance to continue building their resumes this weekend. With several ranked teams facing one another, the latest results could shake up the Elite 12 rankings and give us a better idea of who is serious about making a run at a title this fall.

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