Service football upends Palmer playing for assistant coach who died of cancer

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Larry Cutsforth, of Palmer High, reaches for Xavier Harris, of Service High, as Harris gains some ground in football action at Service High in Anchorage, Alaska on Saturday August 19, 2017. Service defeated Palmer 26-6. (Bob Hallinen / Alaska Dispatch News)

After Service wide receiver Xavier Harris snagged a screen pass, juked a Palmer defender and dashed 18 yards for the Cougars' first touchdown of the season, the senior took a knee in the back of the end zone and pointed to the sky.

The score was for Will "Yogi" Foma'i, the former Service assistant coach who died of lung cancer in April, Harris said. Foma'i spent more than 10 years on the Cougars sideline coaching the offensive line.

"While I was going in I knew that not only was I going in to score for my team, I was going in for my coach who passed away," Harris said. "That one was for him."

Harris caught two of quarterback Jason Villanueva-Kaeo's three TD passes Saturday to lead a balanced Cougars offense in a 27-6 win over Palmer at Service.

On his second touchdown, Harris caught another screen pass and raced up the left sideline, following his blockers for a 79-yard score that put the Cougars up 14-6 after Sergio Cuellar's extra point. Service carried the lead into halftime.

[Chugiak tops South 20-7 in wacky win on rain-soaked field]

Villanueva-Kaeo said Service's dink-and-dunk passes helped open up the field for the running game and longer passes later in the game.

He finished with 229 passing yards. Three Cougars — Harris (59 yards), Jacob Wade (53 yards, 1 TD) and Ben Faulkner (50 yards) — finished with 50 or more yards rushing.

"Their defense was going back right away, so it opened up those short passes for us so we could get those quick ones and march down the field," Villanueva-Kaeo said.

Last season, Villanueva-Kaeo and Harris split time at quarterback. Now, the job is all Villanueva-Kaeo's, and Harris is his top target. Harris finished with 127 receiving yards on five catches.

Service (1-1) never trailed Saturday — a far cry from last week's 38-0 loss to the Colony Knights, who on Friday night knocked off top-ranked Bartlett.

"That first game really whupped us into shape," Harris said. "Our coaches didn't take it lightly and we didn't either so we knew we had to prove ourselves."

Service held Palmer (0-2) scoreless in the second half and added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter. On fourth-and-20 from the Palmer 30-yard line, Villanueva-Kaeo floated a pass to wide receiver Zjhandon Jackson on a post route for the final score of the game.

Palmer's lone touchdown came on a 2-yard run by Larry Cutsforth in the second quarter. Cutsforth led the Moose with 70 yards on 15 carries, and Levi Farris added 50 yards on four rushes.

The Moose are still looking for their first win of the season — and the 149th win for coach Rod Christiansen. Two wins will tie Christiansen with former Eielson and North Pole coach Buck Nystrom for the most in Alaska history.

Both teams will face tough opponents next weekend.

Palmer, which last year lost to powerhouse Soldotna in the medium-school state championship, on Friday will face Colony, which will likely be the top-ranked Division I team in next week's football polls.

Service travels to California to take on Division 5AA Capital Christian of Sacramento.

Villanueva-Kaeo said Service and Capital Christian will share a pregame meal.

"I think it's going to be a great eye-opener for us," he said. "I just think as a team we want to win, so we can say we beat a 5A private school, but ultimately it's a learning and bonding experience as a team, not only for players, but coaches as well."

Palmer     0  6  0  0 — 6

Service     7  7  0  13 — 27

First Quarter

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

Second Quarter

Palmer — Cutsforth 2 run (kick failed), 7:07.

Service — Harris 79 pass from Villanueva-Kaeo (Cuellar kick), 5:41.

Fourth Quarter

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

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

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Palmer: Cutsforth 15-70, Farris 4-50, Glynn 6-20, Daniels 1-2, team 1-1, Oviok 6-(-7), Guggenmos 3-(-11). Service: Harris 10-59, Wade 16-53, Faulkner 6-50, Jackson 4-6, Helgeson 2-1, Villanueva-Kaeo 1-(-5).

PASSING – Palmer: Guggenmos 3-10-0–33. Service: Villanueva-Kaeo 13-17-0–229.

RECEIVING – Palmer: Daniels 1-23, Farris 1-8, Hale 1-2. Service: Harris 5-127, Jackson 3-44, Hogan 2-42, Daniels 2-13, Wade 1-3.

Football scores
Saturday
Service 27, Palmer 6
East 36, West Valley 11
West 45, Lathrop 32
Homer 26, Barrow 14
Eielson 56, Seward 0
Monroe 7, Nikiski 6
Juneau 32, Ketchikan 8
Houston def. Voznesenka, forfeit
Friday
Colony 33, Bartlett 27
Soldotna 64, Dimond 6
Chugiak 20, South 7
Wasilla 30, Eagle River 0
North Pole 8, Kenai 6
Thunder Mountain 14, Kodiak 7
Redington 45, Valdez 0