'Bubba' enjoying the spotlight

Ryan "Bubba" Larson has learned quickly that quarterbacking Juneau-Douglas has its perks and burdens.

Though he never played a lick of high school football until this season, Larson digs the fact that all eyes will be on his No. 7 jersey when Juneau takes on the Palmer Moose on Saturday in the large-schools state championship game.

"I've never played in a game this big," Larson said by phone. "Being in this situation feels good."

But gearing up for the First National Bowl at Anchorage Football Stadium turned into a whirlwind week for the 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior.

Not only is Larson dealing with family issues, which has forced him to move his belongings into another home, but he faces the pressure of leading Juneau to its second state title in three years. He became the face of Juneau virtually overnight after helping the Crimson Bears (10-0) stun South in last week's state semifinal.

"He's ready for the pressure," Juneau offensive coordinator Rich Sjoroos said.

Larson's only taste of the spotlight was at Sullivan Arena when the small forward helped Juneau's boys basketball team to the state tournament his junior and sophomore years. The Crimson Bears suffered first-round losses both times.

"I haven't had so much luck with basketball," he said. "But I've found that football is more exciting. Playing quarterback, you get to touch the football all the time."

Sjoroos said Larson blossomed late in the season after the senior was benched against Palmer in Week 4. Though Juneau won 28-7, Larson threw only one pass -- an incompletion -- and had trouble timing the center's snaps.

"It was his first real-pressure situation," Sjoroos said. "We let him sit in the second half and watch. But that's where he gained confidence."

He found his groove three weeks later when he passed for 173 yards and four touchdowns against West Valley. He took the momentum from that 68-14 victory into the playoffs.

"Earlier in the year, I wasn't comfortable," he said. "As the season progressed, I've felt more comfortable with throws and running the offense."

Larson passed for 139 yards and threw a touchdown in Juneau's 33-0 first-round win at home against Colony.

Then he played even better against South in last week's semifinal, tossing two touchdown passes in Juneau's convincing 31-14 victory.

"He needed good things to happen," Sjoroos said.

Larson moved temporarily into a teammate's house about three weeks ago, he said, while his parents work out their problems. Playing football keeps his mind focused.

"It's kind of tough," Larson said. "But as a high school kid playing sports, sometimes you have to just not think about it.

"Sports gets my mind off this situation."

Lincoln Maka, a junior running back and defensive back, gave up his room and his bed so his quarterback could sleep soundly. Larson said Maka's mom cooks plenty of good food and the accommodations are nearly perfect.

"(Maka) sleeps on the couch," Larson said. "I asked him, 'You sure you want to give up your bed?'

"It's a nice couch."

But Larson said Maka wanted the most comfortable living situation for his quarterback, who ranks eighth in the state with 872 passing yards.

He's also thrown 12 touchdowns and has completed 40 percent (49 of 120) of his passes with just four interceptions, the fewest among the state's top 10 quarterbacks.

"He makes good decisions and he won't take sacks," said, Sjoroos, explaining Larson's low interception ratio.

In the summer, Sjoroos scrambled to fill Juneau's void at quarterback after Chris Hinkley graduated in the spring.

A legend in the state capitol, Hinkley set the state's single-season record for passing yards and led the Crimson Bears to their first state title in 2005 with a win over Palmer.

Knowing big shoes needed to be filled, Larson and junior Sandon Fisher competed for the starting job. Considering Fisher led the junior varsity team last season, he held an edge over Larson, who hadn't played since junior high.

Even Alex Fagerstrom had a shot at the position, Sjoroos said. The senior played quarterback as a freshman, helping the JV to a 7-1 record.

But Sjoroos needed Fagerstrom's sure hands -- he led the team with 22 catches -- as a receiver.

"We went back and forth," Sjoroos said. "But we felt Bubba had more potential."

The decision turned out well. Larson has thrown eight touchdown passes to Fagerstrom this season.

Larson has also enjoyed watching senior Silver Maake pile up 1,221 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns.

"I've got great guys around me," Larson said about a team that scores 34.5 points a game.

And playing in the center of it all, a quarterback named Bubba will try to lead Juneau to its first undefeated season.

ASAA RULES AGAINST LEVALE

An appeal of Juneau lineman Faifo Levale's one-game suspension was denied Thursday in a 5-1 vote by the Alaska School Activities Association.

Levale, an all-state lineman and first-team all-Railbelt Conference center, was ejected from last week's state semifinal game when two officials saw the 280-pound senior punch a South player twice.

ASAA executive director Gary Matthews said his organization's bylaws prohibit official's calls from being overruled -- so Levale won't play Saturday.

A lawyer representing Levale tried to appeal the suspension before a half-dozen ASAA board members on Thursday.

Matthews said it was the first time a one-game suspension had been appealed since 1997 when Juneau appealed a player's ejection from a football game against Chugiak.

"It would be monumental to have hearings for every ejection," Matthews said.

In the 2006-07 school year, there were 83 ejections from high school sporting events, ASAA said.

Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.

FIRST NATIONAL BOWL

PALMER MOOSE (6-4) VS. JUNEAU-DOUGLAS CRIMSON BEARS (10-0)

WHAT: Large-schools state championship

WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.

WHERE: Anchorage Football Stadium

WEATHER FORECAST: Cloudy, chance of snow,

highs in the 30s, light winds

COST: Adults $10, Students (grades 7-12) $5

RADIO: AM-700, Anchorage; FM-99.7, Wasilla; AM-800, Juneau

ASBN PREGAME: Noon, FM-99.7, AM-800; 12:45 p.m., AM-700