Point Loma Beats Mira Mesa Again and Again

He had been waiting a year for another opportunity and he finally got it. Then, quick as you can say, “Throw the yellow flag,” it was taken away.

But by the time Point Loma kicker Bob Simoneau had a chance to think about it, his teammate, quarterback Danny White, was crashing through a stubborn defensive line from the one-yard line to give visiting Point Loma (4-3, 2-0) a 27-23 Eastern League victory Friday night over eighth-ranked Mira Mesa (5-2, 1-1).

So all is fine for Simoneau.

You see, Simoneau had kicked what appeared to be the winning field goal with 1:15 remaining, but Mira Mesa was penalized for roughing the kicker. Point Loma Coach Bennie Edens elected to erase the points and take a first and goal inside the one. White scored six seconds later. Point Loma’s two-point conversion attempt failed.

This takes us back to last year’s Point Loma-Helix game, when Simoneau also had a chance to kick a game-winning field goal. The kick was blocked. Once again Friday, his chance to be the hero slipped away.

“I had been waiting for an opportunity like that,” Simoneau said. “But we ended up scoring anyway. I figure as long as the team wins we’ll be all right.”

Things started out strangely for second-ranked Point Loma. In fact, the game’s beginning was awfully strange. In the first four minutes of the first quarter, three touchdowns were scored in a span of 42 seconds.

First, Mira Mesa quarterback J.J. Rowlett threw a shuffle pass to running back Don Elder, who found a lot of space through the right side of the Point Loma line and scurried 69 yards down the sideline before being driven out at the one. Running back Wayne Pittman (11 carries, 98 yards) scored two plays later.

Then, White (15-22, 234 yards) gave everybody an example of Point Loma’s inimitable passing attack, throwing a line drive to J.J. Stokes on the Pointers first play from scrimmage. Eighty yards. Touchdown.

On the next play, it was Pittman’s turn. He went 56 yards for a touchdown and Mira Mesa led, 12-7.

Mira Mesa increased its lead to 23-13 by halftime, but Eden’s defense steadied in the second half.

“We knew that with our kind of offense we can come back like that,” White said. “We really wanted Mira Mesa. They’ve said stuff about our program. They say that Coach Edens recruits.”

Does he?

“I live in Point Loma,” White said.

Point Loma pulled to 23-21 with 2:07 remaining in the third quarter, following a three play, 49-yard drive. Point Loma running back Marlin Manasa, who rushed 22 times for 112 yards, was headed for the end zone but fumbled on the two. Guard Memo Alcoser pounced on it for the touchdown.

The winning drive covered 82 yards in 16 plays. It almost stalled with 4:02 remaining, but White hooked up with tight end Pedro Torices over the middle for 19 yards on fourth and eight from the Mira Mesa 28. Four plays later White scored the game-winner.