Quarterback Sean McKaveney and wide receiver Thomas Mize hooked up on a beautifully thrown 35-yard touchdown pass Thursday — a fitting combination for the two close friends. Running back Thomas Bell also dove two yards into the end zone for six points. The scoring plays, however, came in the fourth quarter of an otherwise-nightmarish evening for Point Loma High School’s (PLHS) football team, whose drive for a CIF Division III title was ended for the fourth consecutive year by Cathedral Catholic High School. This year’s heartbreak was as much about how it happened, because it wasn’t pretty. The hosts raced to a 51-0 halftime lead against the stunned Pointers in a resounding 51-14 drubbing at the Del Mar Heights campus. “Tonight didn’t go well for us,” said PLHS head coach Mike Hastings. “And gosh, dang it, we wish it would have been a different outcome.” From the beginning, Cathedral Catholic took control. On the game’s opening drive, the Dons’ Szongaia Brown managed to get behind a Pointer defender, and Cathedral quarterback Garrett Bogart hit him in stride for a 61-yard touchdown pass. The first two plays on the Pointers’ opening drive resulted in fumbles as the Dons recovered the second turnover and converted it into a 27-yard field goal. Following the kickoff, McKaveney threw a pass into the right flat, which was intercepted by Cathedral’s Patrick Downing and returned 20 yards for a score. With 7:24 left in the first quarter, the Dogs were down 17-0. The Dons, however, were just getting warmed up. Before the quarter ended, the Dons tacked on two more scores on a 44-yard pass from Bogart to Chance Early, followed by a second 20-yard interception return by Downing. After 12 minutes of football, the Pointers were staring up from a 31-0 hole. Despite the morale bruising, Hastings encouraged his players, working on the sidelines to correct mistakes and make adjustments. Before the teams took their halftime break, however, Cathedral had put up three more touchdowns on a 45-yard pass from Bogart to Early and two runs of 60 and 10 yards by Jonny Martin. The game was essentially over by the halfway mark. Following a scoreless third period, the Pointers reached deep in the final frame. McKaveney’s passes to Mize and Johnny Castaneda for nice gains ultimately led to the pair of Pointer scores. Despite the gloomy final score, the Dogs demonstrated defensive mastery at the line of scrimmage overall. While Cathedral’s Martin had 12 carries for 102 yards, the rest of the Dons combined for 19 carries — totaling only three yards. “When we look at the big picture, it’s amazing how these kids came together, believed in each other and played the game the right way,” Hastings said. “We only had 13 seniors, and a lot of kids had to fill a role they weren’t part of last year.” The Pointers ended their season with nine wins, four losses and a 4-1 record in the Western League.