Sophomore running back Jonathan DeWitt had just intercepted a pass by Mt. San Antonio College and returned it 25 yards for the touchdown, cutting the lead to 28-21 in favor of Mt. SAC and pumping up the El Camino sideline. Although the optimism would not last long as the Mounties returned a 72-yard kickoff for a touchdown on the very next play and just like that, all the momentum was gone.

The visiting Warriors (5-5) lost to the Mounties (8-1) by a score of 56-28 in their season finale last Saturday and effectively ended any chance the team had at a postseason birth in a bowl game.

“Our kids played their hearts out today,” coach John Featherstone said. “When you look over there and see 90 players and look over at us and only see 35, we played like a team that had 120.”

While there is still a chance at the postseason, the odds are very slim. It is going to take some campaigning on EC’s behalf to the voters that decide who makes the bowl games.

“We can’t control anything now,” Featherstone said. “There’s no way the bottom tier should be in a bowl game instead of us.”

Both teams came out fired up and ready to play and every time the Mounties would score, the Warriors would answer right back. First with a 23-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Aaron Shockey to freshman wide receiver Devante Jenkins and later with a 1-yard run from freshman running back Martin Booker which tied up the score at 14-14.

“For the first half we put it to them and had a good game,” Shockey said. “But I’m real proud of the guys. We all came together as a team.”

Following the interception by Dewitt, the Warriors only trailed 28-21 with 6:51 left in the third quarter and looked primed for an upset. The mood would not last long though as the ensuing kickoff return gave the Mounties a 35-21 lead.

For many sophomores, this was their final game as EC Warriors. While it may not have been the ideal way to end the season, many players were still proud of the way the team played this season.

Unless the panel of voters can be persuaded, the season will most likely come to and end for the Warriors. Although with optimism already buzzing about new players and a new stadium, the future looks bright for the Warriors.