Controversial ending mars Mission High's win over Vets

MISSION – Twenty minutes after Mission Veterans Memorial’s 10-7 loss to Mission High, Patriots coach David Gilpin was still trying to figure out how his team ran out of time before getting the chance to try a game-tying 28-yard field goal.

With 10 seconds left, Mission Veterans running back Alexander Sanchez gained two yards to the Eagles’ 11. Since the Patriots had used their timeouts, the clock ran down to 0:00 and appeared to end the game. However, on the play before Sanchez’s run, Patriots receiver Raul Becerril caught a 9-yard pass to the Eagles 13 and appeared to go out of bounds with about 20 seconds left.

The officiating crew, which was working one man short after the referee left injured late in the first half, did not stop the clock after Becerril’s reception, and when Sanchez was tackled, the game looked to be over. However, after a conference, the officials restored 10 seconds to the clock. But once the ball was spotted, the clock was started and ran out before the Patriots could tie the game.

Gilpin, whose Patriots fall to 3-3 and 1-2 in District 32-4A, didn’t rule out appealing the result of the game and said he would decide Saturday after watching tape of the final drive. The final drive started at the Mission Veterans 23 with 1:44 left and might have also included a second instance of the clock not stopping after a Patriots receiver caught a pass and got out of bounds.

"I think, you’ve always heard that the best officiating is one that doesn’t impact the outcome of the game," Gilpin said. "Well, without looking at the film, my first reaction is the officiating impacted the game tonight."

The controversial ending takes away from what had been a game featuring two aggressive defenses and looked to be building up to a dramatic ending.

The Eagles (5-1, 3-0) sacked the Patriots seven times and scored their lone touchdown when Derrick Lerma took a swing pass 79 yards for a score with 9:49 remaining in the second. Meanwhile, the Patriots defense held the Eagles to only four first downs and forced eight punts.

Instead of the defenses, though, what will be remembered is the controversial ending, one that seemed to shock Patriots fans and players. Gilpin too sensed that his team had a chance taken away to upset the Eagles and tying them in the standings.

Eagles coach Mario Peña, who wasn’t exactly absolving the officials because they failed to stop the clock after Becerril’s catch, was relieved to beat the Patriots.

"I give a lot of credit to coach Gilpin and the Patriots," Peña said. "They never gave up and they had an opportunity to win it or tie it in regulation."

For the Patriots, that probably won’t be enough consolation.

Brian Sandalow covers District 32-4A football for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436.