WOBURN – Every once in a while, teams suffer losses that leave them thinking the result could have been different if not for missed opportunities.For Swampscott, this was one of those defeats.With just 17 seconds left in a back-and-forth contest, Winchester’s Matt Mangano barreled over the goal line for the tying score, completing a 12-point fourth quarter comeback by the Sachems. The extra point by David Thoman gave Winchester a 30-29 victory, handing Swampscott (0-1) the tough loss at Woburn High School on Saturday.””Give credit to (Winchester),” Swampscott coach Steve Dembowski said after the game. “They had two scores in the fourth quarter and they made the plays.”Early in the fourth, Swampscott appeared to have the game locked up when Jon Poth recovered a Winchester fumble at midfield and took the ball to the Sachems’ 1-yard line. Kyle Shonio gave the Big Blue a 29-17 cushion on the next play with his rushing touchdown.However, Winchester roared back with an 8-play, 83-yard drive engineered by Mangano. He found receiver Nick Weber twice, the latter being a 21-yard score to bring Winchester within 29-23.After a Swampscott punt, Mangano marched his troops down the field once more. On fourth-and-10 from the Winchester 33, Mangano scrambled 11 yards for a critical first down. Later in the drive, he completed another fourth down, finding Owen Davis for an 18-yard gain to the Swampscott 8. Three plays later, Mangano called his own number for the tying score.Dembowski acknowledged that his young players might have let some opportunities slip away from them late in the game.”We have some new players who aren’t used to being in close games,” he said. “A few times we had them on fourth downs, but (Winchester) was able to get (the first downs).”Swampscott’s toughest task was containing Mangano, who rushed for 98 yards and threw for 194 more while leading three long drives in the second half.”His elusiveness really hurt us,” Dembowski said of the Winchester quarterback. “But we knew he was going to be like that.”Winchester asserted its strength early on the opening drive.The Sachems threw only once on the 12-play march, preferring to pound the ball into the heart of the Swampscott defense. Finally, Jeff Graham found the end zone for a 6-0 lead.Swampscott reached the end zone for the first time in the second quarter. Following a Trevor Wheeler interception, the Big Blue started at its own 3. Cameron found Steve Moran for gains of 46 and 38 yards, with the latter finding pay dirt for a 7-6 Swampscott edge.Each side managed a field goal to close the half, with Swampscott leading 10-9 at the break.The teams came out strong in the third, scoring touchdowns on their first drives. Cameron’s 14-yard scramble gave Swampscott a 17-9 lead before Graham’s 2-yard rush and conversion tied the score on the ensuing possession.Swampscott scored first in the fourth as well, as Cameron hooked up with Poth for an 11-yard touchdown.Despite the loss, Dembowski said that the game offered a good test for his players, and the experience would help the Big Blue down the road.”We competed and there was no quit in our team,” Dembowski said. “We protected and threw the ball well; we just didn’t run the ball well against the pressure.”With 40 points being scored in the second half, Dembowski acknowledged that Winchester’s ability to make the big plays was the difference in the game.”It was just a battle of who was going to make the last stop,” he said. “It was a hell of a game.”