LONG BEACH — A thrilling overtime showdown determined which team would advance in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs, as Paraclete triumphed over Long Beach Wilson with a score of 54-48.
With the game tied at 48, Wilson, having fought back from a 14-point deficit in the second half, received the ball first in overtime. The Bruins began their drive with a six-yard run, but after three incomplete passes, they turned the ball over on downs at the Paraclete 19-yard line.
Paraclete”s first play in overtime resulted in a four-yard loss, but senior quarterback Joseph Mesa quickly rebounded, throwing a 29-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Savaughn Gentle, sealing the road victory.
“They never gave up in this game,” said Wilson”s first-year coach Raudric Curtis. “It could have gone either way at the end. We had a couple of mistakes that cost us that big moment, but we were right in the fight, and that”s what I want them to remember.”
Led by Mesa, who completed 28 of 38 passes for 446 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception, the Angelus League co-champions improved to 9-2. This included a remarkable 47-yard Hail Mary touchdown to Gentle as time expired in the first half, putting Paraclete ahead 41-27.
Paraclete will host Oaks Christian in the quarterfinals on November 14. “We have a balanced offense,” said first-year coach Erick Jackson. “We have a running back that ran for over 1,200 yards. He”s a dog. Kyle Fulton is the truth, but my quarterback can slang it, and Adrian Jones is just flat out special.”
For Wilson, senior running back Kori Scott shone with 174 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His 54-yard run tied the game at 48 with just 1:53 left in regulation. Senior quarterback Mack Cooper completed 11 of 20 passes for 170 yards, contributing two touchdowns and one interception.
“We had to come prove something,” Scott stated. “Even though we might not have won, we proved ourselves. People looked down on us. You can”t do that with a team like us.”
Despite the loss, Wilson, which won the outright Moore League championship for the first time since 1991, finished the season with a record of 9-2 after moving up to Division 4.
“I think it was an amazing season,” Scott added. “We proved a lot of people wrong and we made history. Something a lot of people can”t do.”
In a back-and-forth game, Wilson tied the score at 41 with a two-point conversion catch by junior receiver Brooklyn Vega on his birthday. Paraclete responded with a touchdown pass from Mesa to Adrian Jones, extending their lead to 48-41.
Wilson answered with Scott”s touchdown run, but after two penalties, they chose a PAT to tie the game instead of attempting a two-point conversion.
The first half alone saw a combined 68 points and 554 yards of offense, with Paraclete scoring touchdowns on their first six possessions. Gentle also intercepted a Wilson pass in the end zone early in the third quarter to maintain momentum.
Paraclete started the game strong with a 48-yard kick return and quickly capitalized on a short field with a three-play scoring drive. Wilson, showcasing their resilience, continued to respond throughout the contest.
“We are a family program,” Curtis emphasized. “We are Wilson. It is the age of Wilson, and though Paraclete got us today, this program is here to stay for a long time.”
