The hopes and dreams of Bay Area football fans came to an end Sunday when the 49ers lost 20-17 in an overtime showdown against the New York Giants.

The 49ers surpassed all expectations, finishing 13-3 during the regular season and defeated the powerhouse New Orleans Saints in the divisional round playoff thanks to late game heroics from quarterback Alex Smith and tight-end Vernon Davis. But many fans expected the 49ers to defeat the Giants with ease. Before the contest, senior Ryan Alva declared, “The Giants have no chance.”

The 49ers took an early lead after a seventy-yard touchdown pass by Smith, but it was undone by a series of disastrous turnovers by wide receiver Kyle Williams. His second fumble came at the absolute worst time for the team, during a punt return in overtime. The Giants recovered the ball and quickly won the game with a field goal.

The loss resulted in a furious reaction from fans. A torrent of fury was directed at Williams over the social networking website Twitter, including death threats that led to a number of police investigations. Campo students displayed far less vitriol, but still expressed disappointment over Williams’s costly mistakes. “I was fuming over Kyle Williams all day,” said Alva. “I am drained. It’s hard for words to express.”

Although the team came close to advancing to the Superbowl, head coach Jim Harbaugh can build on the success of the 49ers’ season. “Next year we’ll get a better receiving core and hopefully Alex Smith will improve,” said senior Will Howard.