Cleveland Haunted by Defeat : City 3-A playoffs: Officials wipe out touchdown and two-point conversion in 21-14 loss.

Sure, Cleveland High made a remarkable turnaround this season.

The Cavaliers rebounded from a 1993 campaign in which they won only one game and advanced to the playoffs this year for the first time since 1988.

But for now the players are haunted by the missed opportunities in a 21-14 loss to Manual Arts in a City Section 3-A Division quarterfinal at Gardena High on Wednesday night.

Cleveland’s last gasp ended when Russell Burwell was tackled at the Manual Arts’ 20-yard line on a fourth-down play. Burwell (50 yards in 10 carries) was six yards short of a first down after gaining 13 yards with one minute to play.

Some of the missed chances were the result of rulings by officials. Twice, in fact, penalties took points off the scoreboard for Cleveland (6-6).

Quarterback Johnny Lopez threw an 18-yard pass to Alex Kalinowski in the second quarter for an apparent touchdown. However, an official threw a late flag on Lopez for crossing the line of scrimmage before throwing the pass and the score was nullified.

The drive eventually stalled at the Manual Arts 13-yard line when Lopez was sacked on a fourth-and-goal play.

In the third quarter, Cleveland tied the score, 14-14, on Burwell’s 28-yard touchdown run. Damon Williams was ruled by one official to have scored on a two-point conversion run, but the officials conferred and overturned the call, ruling that Williams was stopped just short of the goal line.

“I know it sounds like sour grapes, but I’m angry right now,” Cleveland Coach Joe Santellano said. “These guys (refs) are paid to see things that they just didn’t see. It’s frustrating and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

Manual Arts (8-4) drove 61 yards in nine plays for the winning score, a 15-yard pass from John Hildred to Lavar Mahony on the final play of the third quarter.

Cleveland attempted two rallies in the final minutes. One drive ended when Lopez, who completed 12 of 19 passes for 120 yards, threw an interception in the end zone with less than five minutes to play.

Cleveland then forced a Manual Arts punt and took over on the Toilers’ 44. The Cavaliers drove to the 23, but two incomplete passes and a quarterback sack stalled the drive.