The Hazen Highlanders on Friday rallied for 27 points in the fourth quarter, but fell just short as new league rivals Kent-Meridian hung on for a 39-34 win at Renton Memorial Stadium.

Hazen quarterback Jullian Santos threw for five touchdowns in the loss.

The Royals reportedly got an early jump, picking up two first-quarter touchdowns on 17-yard and 69-yard pass plays that gave KM an early 14-0 lead.

But the Highlanders responded before the quarter was out as Santos picked up his first passing TD  of the day, an 8-yard strike to Corbin Walker. With the extra point, the teams finished the first with KM up 14-7.

In the second quarter, Kent-Meridian struck twice more, first on a 1-yard run and then on a 21-yard passing play and the teams headed to the half with the Royals up 27-7.

After the intermission, the teams battled through a scoreless third quarter, but Hazen struck first in the fourth as Santos again hit walker, this time for a 42-yard touchdown catch-and-run to bring it to 27-14.

But KM responded again, this time on a 77-yard running play, taking the lead to 33-14.

But Hazen never gave up, as Santos connected with Walker twice more for a 13-yard touchdown and then again less than two minutes later for a 30-yard touchdown strike to bring the game to 33-28 with 2:28 left.

With 1:47 left on the clock, however, Kent-Meridian broke off a 50-yard touchdown run to go up 39-28.

Santos lobbed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Joe Tryon with 40 seconds left, but it proved too little too late as KM hung on to win 39-34.

Hazen is now 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the North Puget Sound League. They travel to Mount Rainier in Burien on Friday.