Cougars' signal caller Viliamu Aukusitino runs one in for a score in the first half. Aukusitino finished the with two TD runs on the night, and also took back an interception 99-yards for another score. Scott Nishi | SL

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Leilehua SB Allen Racette finished up a game-high 9 grabs for 165 yards, which included a 78-yard gallop to paydirt. Scott Nishi | SL

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Service (Alaska)'s Erich Pili rumbles for extra yardage against Leilehua. Scott Nishi | SL

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Leilehua WR Jeremiah Andrade had a key reception for a 19-yard touchdown and was electrifying as a kick returner for the Mules. Scott Nishi | SL

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Thu, Aug 11, 2011 @ Leilehua [ 6:00 pm ]

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Service (AK)

34

Leilehua

34

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Service (AK) (0-0-1)	14	13	0	7	34
Leilehua (10-2-1)	0	21	0	13	34

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Kenan Sadanaga 351 yd 4 TD

Viliamu Aukusitino 218 yd 1 TD

Cole DeCorte 55 yd 1 TD

Viliamu Aukusitino 90 yd 2 TD

Allen Racette 165 yd 1 TD

Alan Busey 76 yd

WAHIAWA - Less than an hour after rallying his team from a 13-point deficit Thursday night, Kenan Sadanaga could be found throwing more passes on the turf at Hugh Yoshida Stadium.

"I've got plenty left," said the Leilehua quarterback. "I could play another game right now."

Sadanaga's eagerness came perhaps - at least, in part - due to the end result of the high school football season-opener that was televised live statewide on OC16: a 34-all tie between visiting Robert Service (Alaska) and the host Mules.

Despite a 13-point Service lead late in the game, Leilehua fought its way back with two scores in the final 63 seconds to escape with a tie in the non-league contest played before a crowd of about 1,000.

"What people saw tonight was young men stepping up to the plate," said Mules' interim head coach Mark Kurisu, who noted he was without 18 players due to academic probation. "We had a lot of our young men step into starting roles, played out of position and they made plays."

Sadanaga found Larry Paas for a 5-yard touchdown pass to cut the Cougars' lead to 34-27 with 1:03 to play. Leilehua got the ball back after Keannu Kamakaiwi recovered the ensuing onside kick and Sadanaga marched his team down the field, with the aide of back-to-back fourth-down encroachment penalties against Service to extend the drive, which ended with a 9-yard TD pass from Sadanaga to Cole DeCorte with just two seconds left on the clock.

On the scoring play, the lefty signal-caller rolled to his left and unleashed a high-arching pass that fell into the hands of a crossing DeCorte in the back left corner of the end zone. The Mules had the opportunity to take their first lead of the game on a potential two-point conversion, but Kurisu said the decision to kick the extra point was a no-brainer.

"No doubt, we were going for the tie. We knew exactly what we wanted to do and we knew what was at stake - which was nothing - no sense trying to go for a two-point play," Kurisu said. "We worked that hard, go for the tie. That's what we would have done in a regular-season game."

Service coach Jason Caldarera gave credit to the Mules for coming back from a 14-0 first quarter deficit.

"Hats off to them, we played a very well-coached team," Caldarera said. "Leilehua's known for the pace of their game and being able to score in quick strikes and just unfortunately we couldn't hold onto the lead, it was a tough way to end it for us, but it was a tie and I guess we'll take it."

Service opened the scoring with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard touchdown by Viliamu Aukusitino. The Cougars jumped out to a 14-0 on a 63-yard TD pass from Aukusitino to Daniel Murakami on the final play of the first quarter.

On the scoring play - a wide receiver screen pass to the left - Murakami caught the pass near the line of scrimmage, but cut across the field and used a line of blockers to go untouched down the right sideline.

The host Mules answered back on their ensuing drive with a 19-yard scoring strike from Sadanaga to Jeremiah Andrade. Sadanaga's pass was well defended by Service's Tyrik Williams, who batted the ball, but Andrade still managed to haul it in. Timothy Momiyama's PAT cut the Cougars' lead to 14-7, 45 seconds into the second quarter. Andrade, a senior wide receiver, was escorted to the locker room before halftime and did not return to the game.

Service again went ahead by two scores after Matthew Ilalio's 1-yard plunge on third-and-goal on the Cougars' next offensive possession, but the Mules stayed within striking distance with a 2-yard TD run by DeCorte to make it 21-15 midway through the second.

The Cougars, who hail from Anchorage, used a 11-play, 80-yard drive to go up, 27-15, after Aukusitino's 7-yard TD run. Leilehua came back with a quick score on a 78-yard TD pass from Sadanaga to Allen Racette on the very next play to cut into the Service lead, 27-21, at the half.

Both offenses struggled early in the second half and neither team scored until Aukusitino - who doubled as a defensive back - picked off a Sadanaga pass near the Cougars' goal line and returned it 99 yards for a score. Ihro Raguindin added the PAT to put Service ahead, 34-21, with 9:19 left in the game.

"I was very impressed with their guys," said Kurisu of the Cougars. "Service has a lot of talent, a lot of speed, a lot of big guys out there and they have a tremendous program up there and that's a credit to their coaching staff."

Sadanaga completed 30 of 48 passes for 351 yards with four touchdowns against two interceptions. Racette finished with nine grabs for 165 yards and a score.

Aukusitino threw for 218 yards on 10-of-16 passing and carried 13 times for 90 yards with two TDs.