When the 2015 edition of the Point Loma Pointers football team jogged off Bennie Edens Field at halftime of its season-opening game last Saturday, the team seemed to have the visiting El Camino Warriors under control, leading by a 21-7 margin.
But when the second half of the game got under way, the teams seemed to reverse roles, as the Wildcats reeled off 21 unanswered points to escape with the 28-21 victory.
The Wildcats, bitten early by the miscue bug, gave the Pointers three short fields, the first on a Wildcat punt that soared high into the air only to be carried back by the prevailing westerly winds of Pete Ross Stadium for minus one yard.
The Dogs then drove 32 yards for the game’s opening score, with highly touted running back Jaylen Griffin, who scored all three Pointer touchdowns, sweeping left from six yards out.
On the next Wildcat possession, a hit by Pointer junior Tshombre Carter caused a fumble picked up by senior Brian Kerl and returned to the visitors’ 19-yard line.
This time, the Pointers struck immediately, with Griffin again going to the left on the first play for the 14-0 lead.
On the first play of the second quarter, the Wildcats turned the ball over when another hard Pointer hit jarred the ball from Wildcat quarterback Beau Gallegos’ grip.
This time, however, Pointer quarterback Brenden Torrence was picked off for the first of two times by Wildcat John Armentrout, who totaled 81 yards returning his pair of picks.
Moments later, a Gallegos-to-Armentrout pass of 39 yards put El Camino on the scoreboard.
But with only 1:53 left before intermission, Pointer sophomore Mathew Fa’aalele snared a Gallegos pass, returning it to the Wildcat four-yard-line, with Griffin scoring his team’s final points of the day on the next play.
In what proved to be a preview of the second half, Gallegos moved his team downfield in 1:44 before junior Anthony Pelayo intercepted a desperation pass with nine seconds left.
Following a Pointer fumble on the second play of the second half, the Wildcats seemed a different team, driving for a second score that brought them within seven at 21-14.
Then, on the next Dog possession, Armentrout reeled in his second interception, returning the ball inside the Pointers’ 20. Four plays later, the Wildcats tied the game with both scores coming after Dog turnovers.
A long drive by El Camino, one of few by either team, gave them their first lead with 8:08 left in the game.
Following a 45-yard pass play from Torrence to Griffin, the Pointers appeared ready to tie the game when, from the El Camino 15-yard line, an errant pitchout was recovered by the Wildcats with 5:55 left to play.
The Pointers came up empty on two possessions in the final minutes to suffer the tough loss.
The Dogs return home to take on Lincoln’s Hornets Saturday, Sept. 12 in a 3 p.m. kickoff. The Hornets drubbed hapless Serra 60-0 in their opener as the Pointers await a scheduled Friday, Sept. 18 visit to the Tierrasanta school. EXTRA POINTS: -It was a tough day overall for the Pointers, as the Wildcats made the most of their trek from Oceanside. The visitors also won the freshman (29-6) and junior varsity (41-0) games.
-Pointer kicker Jaime Medina, a senior who attended several major kicking camps over the summer, displayed his talents, booting kickoffs high into the air before landing them in the end zone. He did, however, miss a 55-yard field goal attempt, long even by professional standards.
-Numbers on the old scoreboard at Pete Ross Stadium have become more difficult to read. A new scoreboard has been on the wish list of school administrators.
-The Pointers unveiled new-look maroon home jerseys that have the team’s EMAP (Every Man A Pointer) motto running vertically on the sides of jerseys and also stitched into white game pants. Jersey numbers also have a dot pattern that progresses from light (above) to dark below.