The Lincoln Log

Mustangs tackle Eagles to their bitter defeat in Bell Game

The crowd roared as running back David Henderson opened the much anticipated Bell Game between Abraham Lincoln High School and George Washington High School with an astounding 92-yard return on the opening kick-off, giving Lincoln High School an early 7-0 lead.

Washington High School’s varsity football team fought on, and quickly tied with Lincoln midway through the second quarter.

Tension built within the Lincoln spectators as the second quarter ended and Washington High took the lead from them, 20-14.

Immediately after halftime, the Mustangs turned the game around.

With 9:46 left in the third quarter, [Michael] Paolucci intercepted a pass on the third play, setting up Henderson’s third touchdown, a 3-yard run.

The crowd sat on the very edge of their seats wondering whether or not the three-peat would become reality. Would Washington take the bell away from us?

With 9:29 left on the game clock, Henderson swifty darts across the field for the touchdown that would later become the winning touchdown.

Though Washington High perservered with intense game, it was evident from that moment on; the bell was going to stay at Lincoln High School.

With the solid 28-26 victory and the impressive skills of Lincoln’s varsity football team, Lincoln has solidified a share of the Academic Athletic Association’s crown. The AAA title is now Lincoln’s, and it is intended to stay that way.

The varsity team is currently undefeated at 5-0, and have been tackling down their opponents with ease.

Recently, the varsity team continued their winning streak by easily beating out rival Lowell High School with a 49-28 victory.

Senior running back Bismark Navarro from Lowell High School, arguably one of the best players in San Francisco, stood no chance against the light-footed Henderson, who finished the game with 287 yards and three scores on seventeen rushes.

This hard working team practices two hours after school on weekdays, and have a worked out weekly schedule.

On Mondays, the team watches films of their previous games and try to learn from their mistakes, later practicing for two hours. On Tuesdays, the team members with early schedules lift weights until about 3:40 p.m. and then the entire team practices until 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays are their dinner days, so they start practice right after school and end at 5:00 p.m. to go off to bond and eat as a team.

According to senior Brian Yung, a varsity team member, “If the game is on a Friday, then Thursday is ‘half pads,’ which is just shoulder pads and helmets. We walk through our plays and formations [for the n].”

They also practice on Saturdays, which is basically “stretch out day, where they run a bit, stretch, and then go home.”

Lincoln’s varsity football team is currently 5-0 this season, and are at the top of the San Francisco section play-offs.

It’s clearly not just luck that’s driving this mustang team – their hard work and dedication has brought them to first place, and that is where they belong.