MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Mustangs football team saw what had been a dominating season come to a sudden end at the hands of an old nemesis last Friday on Bill Foltmer Field.

The Salesian Pride of Richmond eliminated Middletown from the North Coast Section Championship Division V tournament 21-13.

It was the third time in six years Salesian eliminated Middletown, each time winning on a score in the game’s last four minutes.

It had been a spectacular year for Middletown, from a last minute come-from-behind win at Salesian in their opener, to a North Central I league season in which they defeated league runner-up Saint Helena 21-6 and beat every other one of their seven opponents by at least 32 points.

The only blemish on their record was an administrative error which caused that season-opening win to be forfeited to Salesian, leaving Middletown with a 10-1 record and Salesian at 6-5 prior to last Friday's game.

Things started will for the Mustangs, with Lake County’s rushing leader Austin Benson scoring on a 40-yard run and the team threatening to score again late in the first quarter.

But Middletown lost big lineman Travis Titus to a leg injury that first quarter, the second threat was denied in the red zone, then De-Angelo Hernandez capped a Salesian drive with a 9-yard run to tie the game, and the young Pride seemed to gain maturity and confidence as the game wore on.

Brad Beckwith led Middletown to a strong start in the second half with a 40-yard kickoff return which set up his 2-yard touchdown run, giving Middletown a 13-6 lead. But Salesian soon tied the game on a 1-yard run by Galuega Toailoa.

Middletown briefly appeared to take the lead again in the middle of the final quarter, but Beckwith’s run was called back by a holding penalty, the Mustangs gave up the ball on downs at the 13, and Salesian’s offensive line and senior running back Hernandez took over from there.

Hernandez pounded out a steady drive that ended with a two-yard run, plus a two-point conversion run by Toailoa for a 21-13 lead.

Despite losing the ball on a fumble, Middletown held Salesian to gain another chance, and a desperate last minute effort returned them again inside the 20, but an incomplete pass and quarterback sack ended the game and the season.

Quarterback Josiah Amos completed eight of 18 passes for 122 yards with two interceptions.

After the game, Coach Foltmer said like most teams this season, Salesian’s defense keyed on stopping Benson, which opened up some passing opportunities, but several passes that could have been caught were not.

Salesian plays Valley Christian of Dublin in the championship game at Chabot College in Hayward at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30.

Next year Salesian will return a majority of their starters, as their squad this season was mostly juniors and the sophomore Toailoa.

Middletown will turn primarily to players from its junior varsity, which had a perfect 10-0 this season.