Put five more seconds on the clock and the Vermilion Catholic Eagles may have upset the Central Catholic Eagles this past Friday.

The Eagles marched down to CC’s 13 and were facing first and 10 with 19 seconds left in the game, trailing 30-24.

VC quarterback Garth Mitchell fired twice to two receivers in the end zone but over threw each one as time ran out on the Eagles. The Eagles marched 60 yards in 16 plays to put themselves in good position to win the game.

Despite the outcome, VC head coach Brad Topham was impressed with his troops who never quit.

‘We had chances to take control of the game and we did not,” Topham said. “We did not convert a couple of fourth down conversions and did not make plays. It was a good football game. It was no one’s fault. It is football. Someone makes a play and someone does not. It is just football.”

The VC Eagles fall to 0-6 while Central Catholic improves to 1-4 overall and 1-4 in district.

VC was paced by the running of senior Tyler Vincent, who finished with 34 carries for 139 yards. Vincent had five catches for 31 yards. He finished with two rushing touchdowns and a punt return for a score.

VC gave up big offensive plays that resulted in scores.

The team from Abbeville went ahead 24-22 after a 30-yard field goal by Garth Mitchell at the 9:12 mark in the fourth frame.

Vermilion Catholic held CC on its next possession and got the ball back in decent field position after a 20 yard punt. But despite marching down the CC 27 yard line, VC could not convert on a fourth down.

Central Catholic bounced back on its next possession and marched 76 yards in only four plays to take the lead for good on a 39-yard TD run by Dane Daigle.

VC’s final drive ate up the remaining 3:41 remaining on the clock.

After the final play of the game, Topham tried to convince the referees that there was still a second left on the clock after the missed reception

“I thought there was a second left,” he said.

VC outrushed CC 208 yards to 127 yards. CC, however, had more success in the air. Central Catholic threw for 184 yards, including touchdown passes of 38 and 28 yards.

In the first period, VC took a 7-6 lead on Vincent’s five yard run and Mitchell’s kick.

CC came back and took a 14-7 lead and it remained that way at half time.

Vincent was on his way to having a big game with 69 yards on 19 totes at halftime.

Other rushers for VC were: Mark LaPorte (7-31), Tyler Harrington (8-26) and Mitchell (4-10).