AOTW: Lokeni Wong contributes on both sides of the ball, helping bring Soldotna second state football title

PALMER, Alaska (KTUU) - Following losses to the Lathrop Malamutes in both his freshman and sophomore years, Soldotna’s Lokeni Wong helped the Stars avenge their First National Bowl woes Saturday in the Division II state title game on the Colony High School field.

Playing in the final game of his high school career, Wong stepped into the starting lineup and stepped up when it mattered most, helping to lead the Stars to a 49-28 win over Lathrop and secure the team’s second state football title in as many years.

“I’ve been with these guys since Pop Warner, like sixth grade,” Wong said. “With the chemistry we’ve had, we knew we could get it done.”

Soldotna, a team known for its use of the wishbone offense, turned to Wong after injuries to another player.

“We lost one of our starting halfbacks pretty early on with a twisted knee and Lokeni Wong came in and played really well,” Stars head coach Galen Brantley Jr. said.

Wong did more than just fill a spot on the field: the senior two-way player was an “X factor” on both sides of the ball, punching in two touchdowns on offense and breaking up multiple passes as a defender.

“We’ve been running these plays on scout team all weekend,” Wong said. “We know the routes and it helped out a lot.”

Saturday’s championship matchup put a bow on Wong’s time with the Stars. A time where he witnessed the team fall to Lathrop twice in the title game during his first two years with the program.

Now, he leaves the field as a back-to-back champ.

“That was tough being on this island, watching us lose those two games, tears everywhere,” he said. “It feels good ending with a bang.”

Though he is not sure where yet, Wong said he intends to pursue future endeavors at the college level.

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