Cougars escape, edge Moose

ANCHORAGE — The Palmer Moose entered the 2011 playoffs with a 4-4 mark, arguably the most deceptive record in Alaska.

Palmer suffered a pair of losses on the final play of the game this season and a third came on a failed 2-point conversion attempt during the final minutes of a 1-point loss to Soldotna.

On Saturday, Palmer was five minutes away from shocking the top team in the state. But unfortunately for the Moose, Palmer fell just short once again.

Service used a late Amu Aukusitino touchdown run and an interception during the final two minutes of regulation to sneak away with a 34-32 win over Palmer in the large schools quarterfinals at Dimond Alumni Field.

Aukusitino factored into all five Service touchdowns to help the 2010 state runner-up return to the state semifinals for the fourth time in five years.

It marked the second straight year Service ended Palmer’s season. The Cougars beat Palmer 31-21 in the quarterfinals last year at Dimond High.

Palmer senior quarterback Jackson Buresh rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns to help the Moose, the Railbelt Conference’s No. 4 seed, come within reach of knocking off Cook Inlet Conference champion Service.

Buresh scored on a 2-yard run midway through the first to help Palmer tie the game at 7. Early in the third quarter, Buresh kept the ball on an option play and rumbled down the field 82 yards for another score.

Buresh also threw a touchdown pass that gave the Moose the lead in the third quarter. With just more than five minutes left, Buresh and senior Steven Lee connected on a 43-yard scoring play.

Seniors Ian Ahrens and Doug Chadwick also ran for scores in the loss. Ahrens, who finished with 63 yards, capped the first half with a 2-yard scoring run. Two minutes earlier, Chadwick took a reverse 22 yards for a score.

Those Palmer scoring runs cut Service’s advantage to just a point, 21-20, at the intermission.

Less than a minute after Lee’s touchdown catch gave the Moose the 32-27 lead, Aukusitino ran for his second touchdown of the day. The Service standout, who amassed more than 2,000 yards of total offense during the regular season, scored on a 34-yard run with 4:49 to play. Aukusitino finished with a team-high 105 yards on the ground and added 201 yards through the air.

More than half of Aukusitino’s passing yards came on Alan Busey catches. The state’s leading receiver snagged four balls for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Busey caught an early 18-yard touchdown pass less than two minutes into play to give Service the 7-0 lead. The pair connected on a 6-2 yard scoring play late in the first quarter.

Busey also intercepted a Palmer pass as the Moose drove into Service territory with less than two minutes to play.

Service 34, Palmer 32

Saturday, Dimond Alumni Field

First Quarter

Service — Busey 18 pass from Aukusitino (Bomar kick), 10:28.

Palmer — Buresh 2 run (Wisner kick), 5:29.

Service — Busey 62 pass from Aukusitino (Bomar kick), 4:44.

Second Quarter

Service — Williamson 15 pass from Aukusitino (Bomar kick), 8:26.

Palmer — Chadwick 22 run (Wisner kick), 3:25.

Palmer — Ahrens 2 run (kick failed), 1:27.

Third Quarter

Palmer — Buresh 82 run (pass failed), 10:32.

Service — Aukusitino 1 run (kick failed), 7:23.

Palmer — Lee 43 pass from Buresh (run failed), 5:37.

Fourth Quarter

Service — Aukusitino 34 run (Bomar kick), 4:49.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Palmer: Buresh 11-110, Ahrens 29-63, Straight 3-34, Chadwick 1-22, Merritt 5-16, Nisbett 1-8, King 1-0. Service: Aukusitino 14-105, Murakami 15-82, Ilalio 3-7, Pili 1-6.

PASSING — Palmer: Buresh 7-21-1—149. Service: Aukusitino 13-24-2—201, Murakami 0-1-0—0.

RECEIVING — Palmer: Lee 4-81, Chadwick 2-69, Nisbett 1-(-1). Service: Busey 4-127, Butler 4-33, Ilalio 3-28, Williamson 1-15, Murakami 1-(-2) .