For a few seconds Friday night, Mission Hills looked like it might pull off a remarkable finish.

The Grizzlies entered their road game against Granite Hills undefeated, carrying a 3-0 record and the No. 1 spot in the San Diego Union-Tribune media poll.

They left with their first loss — but not before taking the game all the way down to the final seconds.

Granite Hills edged Mission Hills 28-27 in a matchup that came down to one final decision and one final play. 

But elsewhere in the Mission Hills football program, the winning streak is still very much alive.

Mission Hills Comes Within Inches of Staying Unbeaten

Friday's varsity game delivered quite a finish.

Mission Hills quarterback Furian Inferrera connected with Ryan MacKenzie for an 11-yard touchdown with just 13 seconds remaining, pulling the Grizzlies within one at 28-27.

Mission Hills went for two and the win.

Granite Hills stopped Inferrera on the conversion attempt, preserving the 28-27 final and handing Mission Hills its first loss of the season. 

That's a tough way to lose an undefeated record, but it's also a pretty good indication of just how close this game was.

Mission Hills entered the night 3-0 after victories over El Camino, Quartz Hill and Oceanside, having outscored those opponents 120-13.

One point at Granite Hills doesn't erase that start.

The Grizzlies are now 3-1 and return home Friday, Sept. 18, to face Ramona at 7 p.m.

Freshman Grizzlies Just Keep Winning

While varsity suffered its first setback, Mission Hills' freshman team made sure there was still plenty to celebrate.

The freshman Grizzlies defeated Granite Hills 34-18 Thursday at Jack Ashby Field, improving to a perfect 4-0. 

And this group hasn't exactly been sneaking by opponents.

Mission Hills opened with a 45-7 win over El Camino, followed with a 28-6 victory over Quartz Hill, beat Oceanside 34-7 and then added Thursday's 34-18 win over Granite Hills.

That's 141 points scored and 38 allowed through four games.

North Valley Flare contributor Vanessa Bulcao also supplied photos and video from Thursday's game, giving us another look at a younger Mission Hills team that continues to make a case for some attention of its own.

Four games.

Four wins.

The freshman Grizzlies remain perfect.

San Marcos Gets a Week to Reset

San Marcos High did not have a varsity game this week.

The Knights entered the break at 2-1 after beating Poway 28-14 in their home opener last week. They return Friday, Sept. 18, for a 7:15 p.m. road game against San Pasqual. 

The week off comes with San Marcos sitting at No. 8 in the San Diego Section rankings published by MaxPreps as of Sept. 10. 

After three games that included two wins and a six-point loss at Great Oak, the Knights now head into the next stretch of their schedule with a winning record intact.

No Game to Force for St. Joseph

St. Joseph Academy did not have a verified varsity football game during this week's coverage window, so we're not going to manufacture one.

The Crusaders' most recent result remains their 50-26 victory over Cornerstone Christian on Sept. 4. 

We'll pick them back up when their next completed varsity result is available.

One Loss Doesn't Change the Bigger Picture

Mission Hills won't be No. 1 forever. No team is guaranteed that.

But Friday night's one-point loss didn't suddenly make the Grizzlies a different football team.

They were 13 seconds from another dramatic win, and the decision to go for two gave them a chance to end it right there.

Meanwhile, the freshman Grizzlies are quietly building an undefeated season of their own, and San Marcos High returns next week with a 2-1 record.

That's why we keep looking beyond one varsity scoreboard.

Sometimes the best part of the week's football story is happening one level down.

Questions You May Have About San Marcos Football Week 4

What was the Mission Hills varsity score?

Granite Hills defeated Mission Hills 28-27. The Grizzlies are now 3-1. 

How close was Mission Hills to winning?

Mission Hills scored a touchdown with 13 seconds remaining to make it 28-27, then went for a two-point conversion and the lead. Granite Hills stopped the attempt. 

How did the Mission Hills freshman team do?

The freshman Grizzlies defeated Granite Hills 34-18 and improved to 4-0. 

Did San Marcos High play this week?

No. The Knights had a week off and return Sept. 18 at San Pasqual. 

Did St. Joseph Academy play?

No verified St. Joseph varsity game appears in this week's coverage window. Its most recent result is a 50-26 win over Cornerstone Christian on Sept. 4.

Sports scores, records and statistics are compiled from school and team sources, MaxPreps, NFHS Network, CIF San Diego and other available sports reporting sources. North Valley Flare works to verify information before publication.