Campbell quarterback Justin Tag'o-Sue lets a pass attempt fly against the Oregon team. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Hawaii players and coaches pose for a picture following the conclusion of the game against Oregon. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Pearl City's Diacorri Briscoe scored on a 5-yard pass play in the dying seconds to win the game. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Thirty seven players on Hawaii's Team Akamai were greeted by brief snow flurries upon taking the field for warm ups prior to the start of the match up with a team of Oregon seniors.

Coached by Aiea's Wendell Say and his staff, this group of select Oahu seniors from different schools had tried to prepare themselves for December in Portland. However kicking off at 1 p.m. at Lewis and Clark's Griswold Field, players from both teams had to deal with a weather forecast of temperatures around 40 degrees and a 100% chance of rain.

Hawaii especially took awhile to adjust to the conditions, and they found themselves down early on 13-0. Loose footballs thanks to cold fingers plagued both sides, and turnovers were frequent.

However paced by some key completions by QB Justin Tago-Su'e and the running of Paul Andrew Rhoden and Isaac Kealoha, Hawaii came back to take a 14-13 lead into halftime.

Team Akamai finally extended their lead to 21-13 by the end of the third quarter on some solid defensive play and a Tago-Su'e pass to Zach Bastatas.

Two Hawaii scores were previously nullified, one on a penalty after a scoop and score by Branson Funakoshi and another on a pass from Tago-Su'e to Keoni Piceno to Diacorri Briscoe where Piceno was ruled over the line of scrimmage. The rain continued varying from light to moderate at times accompanied by wind.

Oregon regained the momentum and a mid-fourth quarter lead at 25-21 on the scrambling ability of QB Grant Schroeder who directed two scoring drives. Hawaii's offense stalled, and Oregon was on their way to a clinching score when a red-zone fumble after a completion short-circuited their drive.

With under three minutes to play from deep in their own territory, Hawaii converted a key fourth and short on a dive by Piceno who came in for Tago-Su'e because of a transient arm injury. He was able to return however, running for a big first down and completing several short throws to move his team downfield.

With the ball inside the Oregon 30 and the clock ticking past 31 seconds, Tago-Su'e found Briscoe inside the five where he made a leaping catch and carried defenders into the end zone for the go-ahead score. The extra point attempt was blocked, and Oregon took the ensuing kick off back near mid field. Two short completions later and with three seconds left, there was time for one more play. With their teammates and Hawaii fans shouting defense, the final Hail Mary fell incomplete in the end zone and the Team Akamai celebration began.

To say it was a memorable contest was an understatement as both teams played an exceptional game under brutal conditions.

One Oregon player commented that it was the most physical game he ever played in. Hawaii's Jon-Michael Sharsh said he couldn't feel his fingers after the second quarter.

Thawing out afterwards, Coach Tokuda praised his players and remarked that he was just glad to be a part of it. Keoni Piceno summed it up: "I don't know how cold it was but it was too cold to play football!"