Still, folks may be talking about this one as the best game of the year even when they're packing up the football gear come December.

Leigh scored with 53.1 seconds left to play to pull out a thrilling 29-24 win over the Falcons on the first varsity football game ever played on the new Saratoga turf field.

Senior quarterback Kiel Trudeau tossed to senior back Jon Brown for 47 yards, then for 17 yards and finally for eight yards and the touchdown that put the Longhorns on top for good.

"I was pleased with how we played," said Saratoga coach Kurt Heinrich. "But we sort of lost focus on defense."

"Still, our guys competed their butts off," he added.

Trudeau, who hooked up on 16 of 30 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns in the win, led the Longhorns down the field on their first possession of the day, but Saratoga offered an indication of things to come on the day with a brilliant goalline stand.

Leigh faced a first and goal at the 6-yard line, but Greg Mow and T.J. Florence dropped Billy Flick at the five on first down. After one pass fell incomplete, Phil Spencer batted down a third down attempt.

Trudeau tried to run for the end zone on fourth down, but Kyle Stoffers and Mark Denari met him at the 1-yard line to halt the threat.

Then it was Leigh's turn to shine on defense. Mike Edwards shot through the line to drop Spencer in the end zone for a safety, and Leigh had a 2-0 lead with 8:25 left in the first period.

The Longhorns made it 9-0 when they took the ensuing kick off and moved down the field. A 15-yard toss from Trudeau to Andy Holloway set up a 27-yard scoring aerial from Trudeau to Matt Hoffman. Daniel Franke kicked the extra point, and Leigh had a solid lead that would stand up through the quarter.

But Saratoga finally answered back early in the second. Spencer had a couple of runs for 22 yards and grabbed a Brandon Kinsting pass for six more.

Senior fullback Peter Rutti, who would later play a key role in this game, raced for 14 yards to the 18, but a play later a penalty sent the Falcons back to the 29. A six-yard run by Kinsting and two Rutti runs for 14 left Saratoga facing a fourth and one at the 9-yard line.

Kinsting, sneaking for the first down, found a lane behind center Scott Francis and raced the nine yards for the touchdown. David Orasin kicked the extra point that cut the lead to 9-7.

"Brandon was making his first real start, and he did a great job of running the offense," said Heinrich. "He battled us back from a 9-point deficit. At home, we hoped that would be enough to hold on, but we didn't."

That's how things remained until midway through the third quarter when Rutti went to work. The fullback, who finished the day with 19 carries for 282 yards and a couple of touchdowns, took off up the middle for 83 yards and a score. Orasin's kick made it 14-9.

Leigh, though, answered right back. Brandon Feria returned the kick off 22 yards to the Saratoga 45 and Trudeau tossed 27 yards to Holloway. Brown then carried four times for 23 yards, the fourth carry a 4-yard touchdown run over the left side behind Justin Krueger and Eric Lutz. Franke's kick put Leigh on top 16-14.

Saratoga fumbled the football a few plays after the kick off, and Sean O'Hare pounced on the ball for Leigh at the 24-yard line. Trudeau cashed in on the turnover with an 8-yard TD toss to Brown, and Franke's kick gave Leigh a 23-14 lead with 1:13 left in the third quarter.

Things looked bleak for the Falcons when they fumbled again and Edwards recovered for Leigh at the Saratoga 31. But on the third play of the fourth quarter, Denari sacked Trudeau, forcing a fumble that Brent Walter recovered.

It was Rutti cashing in on a turnover this time around. The Saratoga back shot up the middle for a 66-yard touchdown run, and Orasin's kick cut the lead to 23-21.

A huge quarterback sack by Ryan Hall forced Leigh to punt the ball away, and Saratoga went to a no-huddle offense. Rutti carried twice for 14 yards and Kinsting once for 12 before Rutti took off up the middle for 51 yards. Flick made a touchdown-saving tackle at the 8-yard line.

Edwards and Devon Morgan came through with key defensive plays to stop the Falcons, and they had to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Orasin that just cut inside the right upright. But that gave Saratoga a 24-23 lead with 3:59 left in the game.

That set the stage for Leigh's late scoring drive.

Rutti had the big day for the Saratoga offense with his 19 carries for 282 yards and two TDs. Kinsting added 44 yards on 11 carries, and he completed 5 of 9 passes for 56 yards.

Spencer added 26 yards on eight tries and also caught a pass for six yards. Tyler Williams had three catches for 48 yards and Orasin caught one pass for two yards.

Saratoga actually outgained Leigh 403-363 in the game. The Falcons were working behind an offensive front of Francis at center, guards Adam Sato and Augie Lagemann and tackles Chris Chavez and Danny Kowitz.

Denari and Florence were the defensive leaders for Saratoga with nine tackles apiece. Denari had two tackles for losses, including the sack that forced a fumble, and Florence had two stops in the backfield.

Stoffers supported with six tackles for Saratoga, Jeff Lyu and Sato had four apiece, and Mow, Scott Newberry and Hall had three each.

Jeff Roberts, Spencer, Michael Block, Walter, Matt Wright, Chris Toscano, Au. Lagemann and Williams were also in on tackles for the Falcons.

Saratoga will be back at home, still looking for its first win on its new home turf, when the Falcons host Pioneer on Sept. 17, 3:15 p.m. The Mustangs are 2-0 in the young season, opening with a lopsided 37-13 win over Gunderson before edging Menlo-Atherton 14-13 last weekend.

"They look good," said Heinrich of the Mustangs. "Pioneer is a pretty efficient football team."