Cougars use big plays to grab win over Palmer

ANCHORAGE — Service’s biggest offensive plays against Palmer Saturday came with the most yards to make up.

Facing 2nd-and-25 at the 20, Service quarterback Jason Villanueva-Kaeo dumped a screen to Xavier Harris, who broke to the left sideline and sprinted 80 yards for a score. Late in the game, facing 4th-and-21, Villanueva-Kaeo found Zjhandon Jackson in the end zone for a 30-yard scoring pass.

The plays are part of some growing pains the Moose are facing early in the 2017 season.

“We are young. There’s a lot of learning,” Palmer head coach Rod Christiansen said after his team’s 27-6 nonconference loss to the Cougars in Anchorage.

Service improved to 1-1 overall after scoring 20 unanswered points in the game. Palmer dropped to 0-2.

Christiansen said he saw some good things on both sides of the ball. But overall, he’s looking for improvement.

“We’ve got to fix some things, maybe move some people to different places,” Christiansen said. “Find out who can do the job really well for us.”

Nearly a third of Service’s 384 total yards came on the Villanueva-Kaeo touchdown passes to Harris and Jackson. The Harris score came two snaps after Palmer senior Larry Cutsforth scored to cut Service’s lead to 7-6. The Jackson touchdown, with 2:43 to play, iced the game at 27-6.

“Defensively, I thought we were making some great plays, and then we give up (the big play),” Christiansen said.

Harris, who also hauled in an 18-yard scoring pass early in the game, led Service with five catches for 127 yards and 60 yards rushing.

On offense, Palmer finished with 135 yards on the ground, but had five carries of 10 yards or more.

“We ran the ball well, it’s just a consistency problem,” Christiansen said.

Cutsforth led Palmer with 66 yards on the ground. Fullback Levi Farris chipped in 55 on only five carries.

Palmer will face another Division I opponent on the road in Week 3, meeting rival Colony Friday at 7 p.m. at CHS.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Service 27, Palmer 6

Saturday, Service High School

First quarter:

Service — Harris 18 pass from Villanueva-Kaeo (Cueller kick) 0:29.

Second quarter:

Palmer — Cutsforth 3 run (kick failed) 7:07.

Service — Harris 80 pass from Villanueva-Kaeo (Cueller kick) 5:41.

Third quarter:

No scoring

Fourth quarter:

Service — Wade 2 run (kick blocked) 11:26.

Service — Jackson 30 pass from Villanueva-Kaeo (Cueller kick) 2:43.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS:

RUSHING — Palmer Cutsforth 13-66, Glynn 7-25, Farris 5-55, Oviok 5-0, Guggenmos 3-(-11); Service: Wade 16-44, Harris 9-60, Faulkner 8-47, Jackson 4-7.

PASSING — Palmer: Guggenmos 3-11-0—33; Service: Villanueva-Kaeo 13-17-0—226.

RECEIVING — Palmer: Daniels 1-23, Farris 1-8, Hale 1-2; Service: Harris 5-127, Jackson 3-42, Hogan 2-42, Guevarra 2-13, Wade 1-2.