Alameda’s 71st annual Island Bowl was held on Friday, September 11, 2026. This year, the city’s high school rivals clashed in front of a sold-out crowd at Encinal’s newly constructed Jets’ field. The Alameda High School (AHS) Hornets had captured the most recent three titles to establish a series lead over the Encinal High School (EHS) Jets with a 35-33-2 overall record in Island Bowl matchups.
With a swarm on offense and defense, the Hornets (1-1 season record to date) captured this year’s title in a dominant 55-0 victory over the Jets (1-0) despite Encinal’s home-field advantage. The Hornets’ offense displayed versatility, their defense backed it up with a strong performance, and senior Ikaika Patterson had an outstanding game.
“We have a very young squad, so having this win out here is really special for everybody,” declared Alameda High head coach Reuben Amos.
The Hornets had the first possession of the game, set up by a massive kickoff return, with prime field possession in Jets territory. Hornets junior Pierson Burke rushed the team into the red zone with an impressive 20-yard run and shortly after, Pierson carried in the first touchdown of the game, putting the Hornets up 6-0 over the Jets…