The Barrington High School football team pushed Division I North Kingstown to the limit during a non-league game Friday night, Oct. 13.

A last-second pass by the home team Skippers was ruled a touchdown, giving them a 20-19 victory over the Eagles. 

Players and fans from Barrington had started celebrating what appeared to be an interception by Eagles’ safety Mitchell Ivatts, but a referee ruled otherwise, signaling a Skippers’ touchdown. 

Barrington High School Coach Sandy Gorham said he was proud of his team’s performance despite the final score.

“I thought we played great. I thought we played inspired,” Gorham said. 

The Division II Eagles took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter and held a 13-7 edge going into halftime. The score would have been 14-7, but the referees said an extra point kick by Barrington’s Ben Aree was not good. Gorham said the extra point appeared the split the uprights right down the middle — he had asked the referee to explain the call during the game. 

“He said he couldn’t see it because it went so high,” Gorham said.

The referee crew was one member short; during extra points and field goals only one referee stood under the center of the uprights. Usually there is a referee under each upright to call the kicks. 

Barrington led 19-14 with time running down. The Eagles offense, facing a fourth down and short, lined up to punt. It appeared the Skippers jumped off-sides, but a referee on the far side of the field called the infraction against the Eagles.

“The lesson learned is don’t leave the game in the hands of an official. That’s the lesson to be learned. We should have closed that game out,” Gorham said. 

The Eagles will look to bounce back when they host Portsmouth on Friday, Oct. 20. Barrington enters the game with a 4-0 record in Division II, while the Patriots are 2-2. 

Gorham said Portsmouth has been playing well during its recent games. “They’ve improved a lot,” Gorham said. 

The Eagles’ Coach said Portsmouth likes to pass the ball a lot and also boasts a talented running back. 

“They have a really good runner. Number 4. He makes people miss, likes to cut back. He’s a really good runner,” Gorham said.