Mueller Charter Leadership Academy and Marshall Middle School have taken turns winning the Mission Valley YMCA’s Middle School Police Athletic League A Division flag football championship over the past five years.
Mueller made it three championships in five title game appearances after edging Marshall, 9-6, amid a light rain last Friday at Feaster Charter School.
“Both teams struggled to move the ball in the rain and the game turned into a defensive battle,” said Mueller coach Ricardo Lopez, whose team previously won league titles in 2015 and 2016.
“It was rainy and getting dark and wasn’t looking good for the Mustangs.”
Marshall, which won league championships in 2017 and 2018, scored first on a 15-yard interception return by Brady Williams.
Mueller scored a two-point safety later in the first half and completed its comeback on a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Izaac Baca to receiver Ben Rivera with just 37 seconds left in the second half to produce the dramatic game-winner.
J.J. Maya caught the one-point conversion pass.
The Mueller defense held on in the final seconds to preserve the win against previously undefeated Marshall.
An injury delayed the conclusion of the game until after sunset and the teams finished the game with faint illumination provided by neighboring businesses.
Lopez said the injury to a teammate seemed to inspire the Mustangs to rally to win the game.
“We were going to reschedule for another day but both coaches wanted to finish the game and win a championship,” Lopez said. “It’s exciting to bring the championship back to Mueller.”
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