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With 17.7 seconds remaining, Lahainaluna quarterback Sefo Leka Rosenthal took the snap, dropped back to pass, scrambled away from a Maui High defender and took a hit as he crossed into the end zone for a 12-yard score.
The touchdown gave the Lunas a one-point lead, and after Rosenthal carried the ball in again on the two-point conversion, Lahainaluna had won Saturday night's Maui Interscholastic League Division I football game 15-12 at Sue D. Cooley Stadium.
The come-from-behind victory snapped a two-game losing streak for Lahainaluna and improved the Lunas' record to 2-4 overall. The win also avenged a loss earlier this season when the Lunas fell 14-12 to Maui High the first time the two teams met this season.
Maui High took the lead at 3:10 in the first quarter Saturday when Devin Myrick caught a 16-yard pass from Reno Vaka. The kick failed, and the Sabers held a 6-0 advantage.
In the second quarter, the Sabers found the end zone again on a 1-yard run by Vaka. The two-point conversion failed, and Maui High took a two-score lead into halftime.
The Lunas responded in the third quarter when running back Kyle Thomas scored on a 2-yard run. Chance Schommer kicked the extra point, cutting the Sabers' lead to five.
In the fourth quarter, the Lunas forced a Maui High punt and took over at their own 43-yard line with 1:34 left.
Rosenthal quickly completed a 9-yard pass to Thomas, and a pass interference penalty on third-and-1 put the Lunas at the Maui High 34 with a fresh set of downs.
Lahainaluna nearly lost the ball, but Rosenthal recovered his own fumble. He completed two more short passes to keep the ball moving downfield, and a penalty against Maui High for too many players on the field gave the Lunas the ball at the 12-yard line with 17.7 seconds remaining, setting up Rosenthal's game-winning touchdown.
According to ScoringLive.com, Rosenthal finished 7 of 16 for 135 yards with one interception. He also carried the ball eight times for 22 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
Thomas rushed 16 times for 73 yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 24 yards. Kaiokukahi Maximino caught two passes for 65 yards, including a key grab on the Lunas' fisrt scoring drive, while Josiah Baybayan had two receptions for 41 yards.
Maui High quarterback Reno Vaka was 16 of 24 for 189 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Vaka also carried 11 times for 23 yards and a touchdown. Maui High running back Micah Barut rushed 12 times for 85 yards.
Maui High's Noah Lafontise had four receptions for 79 yards, while Daravon White had five receptions for 59 yards. Devin Myrick caught four passes for 29 yards and a touchdown, and Tevin Myrick had two receptions for 22 yards.
Lahainaluna will face Baldwin, which has not lost an MIL football game this season, on Oct. 16 at Lahainaluna.
Maui High will look to avoid a three-game losing streak when the Sabers play Baldwin on Oct. 23 after a bye this week.