SF Chronicle Article
By Mitch Stephens
There’s no substitute for composure, especially at quarterback.
Bellarmine senior Troy Martig has it, as he displayed Friday night in his team’s 36-28 win over Serra at San Jose City College.
Martig overcame an interception in the end zone right before halftime and then every Serra challenge — there were many — as No. 2 Bellarmine (4-0, 1-0 West Catholic Athletic League) edged the No. 4 Padres (2-2, 0-1).
The 6-foot, 180-pound Martig finished with 286 total yards and three touchdowns. Four turnovers also hurt Serra, which had 499 yards total offense. Bellarmine gained 418 yards.
With his team up 10-7, Martig scrambled 50 yards up the middle but was tackled at the 1 with 22 seconds left in the half. He attempted to throw for the final yard, but Serra cornerback Jovon Johnson jumped a slant route and made the interception.
When Kelepi Lataimua (19 carries, 183 yards) scored his second touchdown on the second play of the second half, this one on a 52-yard jaunt, Serra led 14-10.
But that was no problem for Martig.
As he’s done for most of his career, Martig responded, with touchdown runs of 51 and 12 yards, Combined with a second TD run by Antonio Garcia, Bellarmine looked in complete command, up 30-14 early in the fourth quarter.
But Serra junior quarterback Leki Nunn (316 total yards) completed a fourth-down, 7-yard scoring toss to Brandon Monroe to close to 30-20 with 8:33 to go. Martig responded again, this time with a 52-yard scoring strike to Central Coast Section sprint champ Kyle Macauley.
Serra once again fought back behind Nunn, who completed an 18-yard TD pass to Nikolao Vaefaga and added a two-point conversion run to make it 36-28.
But Martig (21 carries, 156 yards) helped put the game away with a first-down run.
By Mitch Stephens
There’s no substitute for composure, especially at quarterback.
Bellarmine senior Troy Martig has it, as he displayed Friday night in his team’s 36-28 win over Serra at San Jose City College.
Martig overcame an interception in the end zone right before halftime and then every Serra challenge — there were many — as No. 2 Bellarmine (4-0, 1-0 West Catholic Athletic League) edged the No. 4 Padres (2-2, 0-1).
The 6-foot, 180-pound Martig finished with 286 total yards and three touchdowns. Four turnovers also hurt Serra, which had 499 yards total offense. Bellarmine gained 418 yards.
With his team up 10-7, Martig scrambled 50 yards up the middle but was tackled at the 1 with 22 seconds left in the half. He attempted to throw for the final yard, but Serra cornerback Jovon Johnson jumped a slant route and made the interception.
When Kelepi Lataimua (19 carries, 183 yards) scored his second touchdown on the second play of the second half, this one on a 52-yard jaunt, Serra led 14-10.
But that was no problem for Martig.
As he’s done for most of his career, Martig responded, with touchdown runs of 51 and 12 yards, Combined with a second TD run by Antonio Garcia, Bellarmine looked in complete command, up 30-14 early in the fourth quarter.
But Serra junior quarterback Leki Nunn (316 total yards) completed a fourth-down, 7-yard scoring toss to Brandon Monroe to close to 30-20 with 8:33 to go. Martig responded again, this time with a 52-yard scoring strike to Central Coast Section sprint champ Kyle Macauley.
Serra once again fought back behind Nunn, who completed an 18-yard TD pass to Nikolao Vaefaga and added a two-point conversion run to make it 36-28.
But Martig (21 carries, 156 yards) helped put the game away with a first-down run.
