The
Balboa (San Francisco) football team entered famed Kezar Stadium on Thanksgiving amidst a cloud of blue and orange fireworks. They left the 97th Turkey Day Game waving flags, chanting songs, squirting water bottles and largely embraced. A 21-0 San Francisco Section championship win over
Lincoln (San Francisco) was a long time coming, worthy of a long time celebrating.
Their last title was in 1984, a long and arduous 37-year drought after largely dominating the section's football scene with the likes of names as Wilson Faumuina, Roberto Jourdan, Al Burleson and the late Calvin Jones, who passed away just last month.
They won nine titles rather swiftly, but getting No. 10 took nearly four decades. And getting it over the two-time defending section and state champion Mustangs — a constant thorn in Balboa's side the last few years — made it all the sweeter.
"It hasn't hit me yet," Balboa coach Fred Velasquez said in the middle of the award's ceremony. "It hasn't hit our alumni or kids either. But it will soon and it's gonna be great."
Coach Fred Velasquez holds on to Balboa's elusive first San Francisco Section title trophy since 1984.
Photo by Ernie Abrea
The Buccaneers (8-4) hit Lincoln (8-4) with stifling defense that allowed less than 200 yards, a surprisingly effective passing game and trick play off a punt return that vaulted them into next week's CIF regional playoff action.
Midway through the second quarter of a scoreless game,
Orlindale Scott-Carraway fielded a punt near midfield and headed right. He flipped the ball back to
Davondre Black, who sprinted left and traveled 53 yards for a touchdown.
Velasquez just added the gadget play in Wednesday's practice.
"I knew it would work," Black said. "But I'm not gonna lie. …. I was shocked when I got to the end zone."
So were the Mustangs, who defeated Balboa 7-0 earlier in the year and twice more in 2019, including 10-0 in the Turkey Day Game. Lincoln won two other tight 2018 matchups in Velasquez' first season. The Bucs were winless in 2017.
"We were right there," Velasquez said of previous games with the Mustangs. "We as a staff got more focused. We watched a ton of film of them. … We talked about special teams and knew we would break one off either a kickoff or punt.
"That swung the momentum to us and we grabbed the reins from there."
In the third quarter, quarterback
Ben Norori (7 of 15, 129 yards, six carries, 51 yards) got hot. He completed a pair of third-down passes, then on fourth-and-12, he hit Scott-Carraway for a 29-yard score, giving Balboa a 14-0 lead with 4:40 left in the quarter. Norori didn't play quarterback the first meeting with Lincoln.
Ben Norori, Balboa
Photo by Ernie Abreau
"That one score lead made us feel so much better and gave us confidence," Norori said.
Antonio Artola cemented this one rushing for an 8-yard touchdown with 2:39 remaining after he set up the score with a 19-yard run. "It feels amazing," Artola said. "I remember that loss two years ago and it took a toll. It sat with us down deep, so that's why it feels so great today. It's unreal."
Lincoln coach Phil Ferrigno was upbeat despite the defeat. Besides 26 carries for 122 yards from junior
Ricky Underwood, the Mustangs got very little going. Eight penalties and three turnovers didn't help.
But this was the 12th Turkey Day appearance for the Mustangs since Ferrigno arrived 19 years ago. They've won eight. Lincoln's defense was stout and got interceptions from
Jamelle Newman and
Joshua Mah. But it wasn't nearly enough.
"They made a great play on special teams and we couldn't get our wheels going," Ferrigno said. "But c'mon. Playing football on Thanksgiving? Doesn't get any better. … I'm proud of my team and our program. Proud to see Fred and his program. They play real hard. That's all you can ask."
Velasquez said alumni had given his team inspirational talks all season. This week he shut that down.
"The kids were aware the last time we won (a title)," he said. "I think they won it today for themselves first, then the school, then the alumni."
Velasquez paused for a moment and got emotional.
"It's starting to hit me now and it feels good," he said. "It feels really good."
Antonio Artola, Balboa
Photo by Ernie Abrea
