Homecoming 2016 Marks Dimond’s 50th Anniversary

A.J. Dimond High School’s 50th anniversary Homecoming game was at 2 p.m. Sept. 17. The game was between the Dimond Lynx and the Service Cougars.

Even though the game ended with an upsetting loss, it still brought in people from all over Anchorage.

The 50th anniversary game brought in all the proud alumni from many different graduating classes. The alumni even got a class float, which got second place behind the Seniors.

The beginning of the first quarter went slowly for both teams with no touchdowns for any team.

Auston Vreeland plays linebacker for Dimond and he caught a interception which gave the Lynx the chance to score. After a few plays a 35 yard touchdown pass to Jack O’Ryan changed the game speed.

Dimond ended the first quarter on top at 7-0.

With 4:25 minutes left in the second quarter, Tyrell Fereti from the Lynx recovered a fumble. The hype didn’t last long with Kyle Henrickson from the Lynx throwing an interception that was intended for Kota Aniuu from Dimond.

Service Cougars took advantage of the interception with a long drive ending with Xavier Harris from the Cougars punching the ball into the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.

At halftime the score was tied at 7-7.

During halftime, all the class floats went by. Seniors’ class float won the competition between the classes with a Lilo and Stitch theme.

With the floats, Homecoming queen and king were announced. Dylan Tufaga and Alison Shaffer were announced as Dimond’s 2016 Homecoming queen and king.

Dimond got the ball at the start of the third quarter.

Dylan Tufaga from Dimond fumbled the ball, which gave Dominik Norman from Service the chance to run the ball in for a touchdown to make the game 7-14 Service.

Late in the third quarter Dylan Tufaga redeemed himself by running the ball in the end zone to tie the game again at 14-14.

Right after the touchdown to tie the game Xavier Harris from the Cougars broke free for a long run to make the game 14-21 Service.

Leslie Harris from the Cougars caught a pass at the end of the third quarter to make the game 14-28 Service.

Beginning of the fourth quarter Dimond came out to throw a long pass to Tucker Lyons to make the game 21-28 Service.

With 41.6 seconds left on the clock Dimond scored another touchdown to tie the game at 28-28.

Service turned over the ball with 1.6 seconds left on the clock.

Dimond threw a Hail Mary [a long pass down the field] that was caught for a touchdown. The crowd went crazy until they figured out that there was a flag on the play. The flag brought the touchdown back and made the game go into overtime.

In overtime both teams had to get ten yards in four plays to win the game. Xavier Harris for Service ran the ball in for a touchdown and made the game 28-35.

Dimond could not punch the ball in the end zone in four plays.

The end game score was 28-35 with Service Cougars winning over Dimond Lynx.

Nick Winkler, Dimond High School’s head coach, was optimistic before the game.

Winkler said, “We have potential and talent to become a State Championship team, but we need to put all the pieces and parts together to make it happen.

Winkler played college football at Saginaw Valley State University. After college Winkler moved to Alaska and he now teaches at Dimond

Before the Homecoming game T.J. Makihele, a junior at Dimond, was also optimistic.

Makihele said, “I am a hundred percent confident that we will hold the line and keep Kyle Henrickson [Dimond Lynx starting quarterback] off of the ground.”

Makihele plays offensive lineman for Dimond Lynx.