Lathrop, after back-to-back Division II high school football state titles, starts 2023 as the top team in the High School Football America Alaska Top 5, powered by NFL Play Football. The Malemutes will test that ranking right out of the box when they face No. 2 Soldotna in a rematch of last year’s state title game.
Lathrop beat the Stars for the DII title 21-18 using two junior quarterbacks, Solomon Wade and Jenner Webb, on on every other series. Both are back for head coach Luke Balash, who took over the program in 2016.
After a run of eight straight state titles, Lathrop snapped the Stars title streak in 2021 with a 39-28 victory. Now, it’s Lathrop on a championship streak.
Division I champ Colony enters the year ranked No. 3. The Knights will be looking to senior quarterback Jack Nash, last year’s Gatorade Alaska Football Player of the Year.
Rounding out the Top 5 are Juneau-Douglas/Thunder Mountain at No. 4 and Bettye Davis East at No. 5.
Related: Final ’22 Alaska Top 5
High School Football America Alaska Top 5
| Ranking/Team | Record | Last Year Ranking |
| No. 1 Lathrop | (10-0) | 1 |
| No. 2 Soldotna | (9-1) | 4 |
| No. 3 Colony | (9-2) | 2 |
| No. 4 Juneau-Douglas/Thunder Mountain | (10-1) | 3 |
| No. 5 Bettye Davis East | (4-6) | NR |
Editor’s Note: The High School Football America national, regional and state rankings are developed using our proprietary algorithm.
