Marcus Mariota passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to rally No. 2 Saint Louis by No. 4 Punahou, 35-17, in Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I football Friday night at Aloha Stadium.

The Crusaders (5-1 overall, 3-0 ILH) overcame a 17-14 half-time deficit with Mariota's two TD passes and his TD run in the second half. He was 11 of 16 and was intercepted once by the Buffanblu (3-1, 1-1).

"These guys just have the will," Saints' coach Darnell Arceneaux said. "It's about the desire they have for one another. They're here to compete through tough times. Win or lose, I was very proud of their effort."

Saint Louis took a 14-3 lead after the first quarter when its sandwiched a 42-yard field goal by Kaimi Fairbairn with a 40-yard TD run by running back Derek Nakasato and a 34-yard interception return for a TD by Leland Gomez.

But the Buffanblu took advantage of a 12-yard punt by Saint Louis to take over at the Punahou 49. After six consecutive runs by Steven Lakalaka totaling 31 yards, Kyle Tuumalo scored on a 20-yard run to pull Punahou to 14-10.

An interception by Chase Tamashiro off Mariota gave Punahou the ball at the Saint Louis 49. The Buffanblu marched down field and scored on a one-yard alley-oop fade from Dean Matsuo to 6-foot-7 DeForest Buckner over the 5-10 Saints' DB Jesse Correa to take a 17-14 lead into the break.

But Saint Louis opened the second half wasting little time. On the fourth play from scrimmage, Mariota hit tight end Dallas Tuumalo on a 54-yard TD pass over the middle to give the Crusaders a 21-17 lead.

"We went with a little play-action," Mariota said. "We kind of thought he could sneak into the middle. He was open and I got'em the ball. He finished the rest."

The Crusaders scored on their next series on a 14-yard TD pass from Mariota to Kaeo Aliviado to increase their lead to 28-17.

Mariota put the finishing touch with a one-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. On the play, he lined up in shotgun, then moved up to center as if calling an audible, but instead took the snap from under center and pushed in for the score to make it 35-17.

The Crusaders' defense blanked the Buffanblu in the second half. Saint Louis sacked Matsuo four times, twice by defensive end Juda Parker. Matsuo was limited to 73 yards passing. Lakalaka, though a work horse for Punahou, had 88 yards, but was kept out of the end zone.

"Their staff did a good job of making some adjustments," Punahou coach Kale Ane said. "They played very, very well and their big guys came through."

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