GRANITE BAY, CA — Two steps forward, one step back. That cliche could summarize the first half of Point Loma High School’s (PLHS) football season as the bruised team, also beset by on-field errors and penalties, looks ahead to a much-needed week off after compiling a 3-2 record against several quality teams. Take the most recent Oct. 2 game, a long-distance affair, matching the Pointers with tough Granite Bay, near Sacramento, which is ranked fourth in their section of the state. The Pointers found themselves on the short end of a 16-0 halftime score before settling down to outscore their opponents 12-6 in the second half — a battle that ended as a 22-12 loss for the locals. “This was a great effort, the kids played hard,” said (PLHS) head coach Mike Hastings. “But we’ve got a lot of work to do during our bye week. We played a quality opponent and went toe-to-toe with them.” The Dog’s defense, generally a strength to date, allowed the Grizzlies to complete a 20-yard pass on fourth down to sustain a first-quarter drive that ended on the Pointers’ five-yard line with a 22-yard Granite Bay field goal for a 3-0 advantage. When Point Loma’s offense stalled in its struggle to find consistency, a break occurred when Davis Callejon’s punt ricocheted off the foot of a Grizzly special-teamer downfield and was covered by Pointer Mike Montesano for a big gain. Montesano, who missed his junior year following shoulder surgery, has been a bright spot at his defensive-line position. “Our punt, special teams and coverage units did well,” Hastings said. Now into the second quarter, the Pointers, plagued by delay of game and early movement penalties on the offensive line, also fell short on a fourth-down sweep that gave the Grizzlies the ball and some momentum. Following an encroachment penalty on the visitors, Granite Bay’s Travis Nicholas swept to the right, then broke back to the middle on a 38-yard touchdown dash with 7:35 to go before intermission. Still, in that time, the hosts, following an interception runback to the Pointer 18, had time to attempt a field goal (blocked by the Dogs’ Eric Bueno) and get the ball back. This time, with 1:33 left before the break, Granite Bay struck again. With quarterback Brendan Keeney unloading a 42-yard scoring pass to Ian Rhodes, the Grizzlies trotted to their locker room with a comfortable 16-0 lead. The Pointers, meanwhile, spent their break trying to sort out problems and mount a comeback. There was immediate cause for Pointer players and fans to feel hope after halftime as Tommy Bell ran the second half kickoff back some 75 yards to the Grizzly three-yard line. But when three plays failed to reach the endzone and a fourth-down sweep by Bell himself fell inches short, Granite Bay players and fans were celebrating again. The Pointers finally struck on their next drive, as quarterback Sean McKaveny and Callejon hooked up on a 33-yard touchdown pass. A two-point conversion attempt was short, but the Pointers were within sight at 16-6. Curtis Dietz jumped alertly on a Granite Bay fumble, but the Pointer offense stalled again and Callejon’s punt turned it back to the Grizzlies at their own 48. The Grizzlies proceeded to drive as the final quarter began, with receiver Michael Borgesi left alone in the right corner of the endzone for an 8-yard touchdown pass. After a two-point conversion attempt failed, the hosts took a 22-6 lead. The next Pointer possession proved their best, as Stephan Jackson took a handoff around the right end and, with blocking help, turned it into a race for the endzone, covering 58 yards before he was caught and brought down. Several plays later, a pass from McKaveny allowed 6’6″ Jordan Sparkman to use all of his height, leaping among three Granite Bay defenders for a spectacular 36-yard touchdown catch. With 6:38 left in the game after a failed two-point conversion attempt, scoring ended for the evening. “Our bye week comes at a good time for us,” said Hastings as he watched his players gather their equipment from a swift-moving baggage carousel inside Lindbergh Field’s Terminal 1 on Saturday. The Pointers hope to regain the services of such key players as quarterback Keegan Fitzgerald (broken hand bone) and two-way player Zach Gemmill (concussion). One key player is out for the season (Will McDonough) and another (Leslie Rogers) may not return. The Dogs’ next game is set for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16. Not only will it be the team’s league opener, but it will also be another of the community’s nighttime celebrations of homecoming, played for the last several years under rented generator lighting at the PLHS’ cozy Pete Ross Stadium. Adding further intrigue, the opponent will be Mission Bay, with its heralded quarterback Dillon Baxter, who has already committed to USC. “We’re looking forward to Western League play,” Hastings said. “Playing good teams prepares us for the best teams in our league like Mission Bay and Serra,” he added. With rest, healing and further practice, the Pointers again figure to be in the hunt for the league title.