The Barrington High School sideline erupted with cheers. 

Just seconds earlier, the BHS football team lined up for what appeared to be the final play of Friday night’s game against Central High School. The Victory Field scoreboard showed Barrington leading the Knights 10-6 with :04 remaining in the game. 

Central’s quarterback took the shotgun snap, looked downfield for a receiver, and then tried to scramble to his right. He slipped and fell to the ground. The scoreboard clock showed no time remaining, and the Eagles began to celebrate in front of the homecoming game crowd. 

The party was short-lived, however.

Moments later, the lead referee began signaling that there was more time remaining in the game. The referees gathered and then set the ball onto the turf. Gifted a second chance, Central’s QB tossed the ball to a receiver in the front of the end zone. Then it was the Knights’ turn to celebrate.

Questions about the game clock only continued as the referees then found additional time to allow the Knights to line up for an ensuing kick-off, and even more time appeared as the refs allowed the Eagles to run one final play from scrimmage. 

The Eagles were unable to score, and the game then ended… for real, with Central leading 13-10. 

The Eagles fell to 2-5 overall, while the Knights improved to 1-5. 

Early lead

Barrington took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter when Tyler Gavolopoulos booted a 27-yard field goal with 2:10 remaining in the quarter. 

The BHS defense preserved that lead as Owen DiOrio and Jackson Lenz combined for one stop, Ryan Wilmarth hauled down a Central running back for another stop, and Griffin Ingram flattened a Knights ball-carrier on a reverse. 

Mid-way through the second quarter Barrington’s offense struck again. On a first down and 10 from their own 38 yard line, the Eagles scored through the air. Ingram dropped back and fired a dart to Jibrill Ortiz streaking down the field. Ortiz caught the ball and sprinted to the end zone for a 62-yard TD. 

Central narrowed the Eagles’ lead in the third quarter. The Knights scored with 8:13 remaining, but the extra point hit the upright. 

The two teams then battled for field position until late in the fourth quarter when Central took over near mid-field. Rocco DaFonseca sacked the Central QB on first down, and DiOrio and Tucker Paup combined for another stop on second down. With 43 seconds remaining, Central lined up, facing a third down and 25. The Knights ran a swing pass into the flat, and the receiver broke away for big gain. BHS’s Cole Fluet sprinted down the field to force the receiver out of bounds at the 22 yard line. On the next play, Miles Dolan came through with a key tackle for the Eagles, but that stop also signaled the start of the game clock issues. 

Next game

Barrington is scheduled to play at St. Raphael’s on Friday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. The game will be played at Max Read Field.