Galileo, Fox come up big when it counts, knocks off Lincoln

Ronzel Fox's legs were cramping. The Galileo (San Francisco) senior running back and linebacker ran tentatively in the second half. The game had to be stopped twice while trainers stretched out his calves.

But with the game on the line, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound third year starter found a reserve and made the two most important plays of a wildly entertaining 34-33 Academic Athletic Association win over Lincoln (San Francisco) and likely San Francisco Section title-game preview

"It was time to perform," Fox said. "I had to seize the moment."

With the score knotted at 27, Fox busted through a small hole in the middle, broke one tackle and sprinted the final 35 yards untouched en route to a 38-yard touchdown run with 5 minutes, 35 seconds remaining.

"I told my lineman before the play I needed just a small hole and I could do the rest," Fox said. "I just felt suddenly energized."

He'd need more five minutes later after Lincoln drove 60 yards in eight plays, capped with a 2-yard touchdown run by Davion Telfor, who keyed the drive with a 40-yard run.

Lincoln coach Phil Ferrigno didn't hesitate to go for the win, especially considering his team had rushed for 398 yards, 233 and three touchdowns coming from 6-1, 215-pound Telfor on 33 carries and 168 more on 20 tries from 5-11, 185-pound Tyree Marzetta.

But Brandynn Nesby, playing only his second game as starting quarterback, went the wrong direction on the 2-point conversion, ran into Marzetta who took the ball but was stuck hard by Fox. Just before Marzetta hit the ground three yards from the goal line, he fumbled the ball forward into the end zone and the ball was pounced on by a Lincoln lineman.

You can't fumble forward, the referees waved off the conversion with 25.6 seconds left and Galileo (7-1, 3-0 AAA) pulled out the sensational win against the defending SFS champions who dropped to 2-4 and 2-1.

On his big tackle, Fox said: "I wasn't going to let him get in. Everyone battled too hard."

Galileo took a 20-13 halftime lead on three touchdown passes from Kyle Nelson (11 of 20, 198 yards) to three different receivers – Todd Holland (22 yards), Rodney Morgan (17 yards) and Alvin Li (22 yards).

Nelson earlier threw only his second interception of the season – he has 21 TD passes – that was returned 92 yards for a touchdown by Chris Knoblock. "Last year that would affected me," Nelson said. "It would have lingered. But today it was just ‘let's go.' "

A 12-yard TD run by Fox gave Galileo a 27-13 lead but Lincoln stormed back on long TD rushing drives capped by short TD runs by Telfor and Marzetta to tie things at 27 with 3:13 left in the third.

"We showed we can fight back," Telfor said. "It hurts to lose but we'll be back. If we see them again it will be a different story."

Galileo coach Mark Huynh said he was most pleased how his team responded when the game was on the line. "There was yelling on the sideline when things went bad," he said. "We just figured out what to do and responded well."

Likewise, Lincoln coach Ferrigno liked his team spirit and spunk and ability to come back.

"The thing we need to fix are fixable," he said. "We played well and I was proud how we came back. The game lived up to all its billing. Of course we wish we'd won, but overall I'm pleased with our effort."

When pushed, Huynh said he'd like to see Lincoln again. If both teams win out in the regular season, then the only way that would be possible is it was for the section championship on Thanksgiving.

"I'd like to see them again just because it makes for a great football game," Huynh said. "It might be hard to top that one."

Galileo 34, Lincoln 33

Lincoln (2-4) 13    0   14   6 — 33
Galileo (6-1)   7   13    7   7 — 34


First quarter
G — Todd Holland 22 pass from Kyle Nelson (Yanek Hakobyan kick), 10:10