4th-grade Railer defense blanks Clinton

[October 07, 2013]  CLINTON -- The Lincoln fourth-grade Railers traveled to Clinton to take on the Maroons under the lights of Clinton High School, and the defense again stole the show.

Led by middle linebacker Tony Gandolfi with a game-high seven tackles, the Railers recorded their second straight shutout by downing the Clinton Maroons 21-0.

Other defensive highlights included a quarterback sack by Marco Power and Coleman Atkins collecting his second interception of the season. The Railer defense has now gone 10 consecutive quarters without allowing a single point.

While the defense controlled the night, the offense got the fireworks started on their first two possessions to take a commanding 14-0 lead at halftime. Running back Trent Koehler scored both first-half touchdowns, with runs of 45 yards and 7 yards, while quarterback Griffin Turner hit running back Atkins on a 3-yard screen pass to add the 2-point conversion.

The Clinton defense answered the bell in the second half, forcing the Railers to punt on their first two offensive series, but the Railers would score one more time when Koehler found the end zone for the third time in the game on a 19-yard run late in the fourth quarter, giving him 10 touchdowns on the season.

This time the Railers brought out the kicking team to attempt their first "kicking" point-after-touchdown of the season, and kicker Gavin Gibbens split the uprights to conclude the scoring for the contest.

The Railers (4-3) conclude the season with a bowl game against the Chatham Titans Red team at Chatham Community Park. The Railers came up short against the Titans in a 26-7 defeat earlier this season.

Lincoln stats

Passing:

• Griffin Turner: 1 completion, 3 attempts, 3 yards, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 1 2-point conversion

Rushing:

• Coleman Atkins: 17 rushes, 114 yards, 0 touchdowns

• Trent Koehler: 11 rushes, 87 yards, 3 touchdowns

• Gavin Gibbens: 2 rushes, 9 yards

• Jamison Carter: 1 rush, 5 yards

Receiving:

• Coleman Atkins: 1 reception, 3 yards, 0 touchdowns, 1 2-point conversion

Defense:

• Tony Gandolfi: 7 tackles

• Marco Power: 5 tackles, 1 sack

• Jaden Klopp: 4 tackles

• Coleman Atkins: 3 tackles, 1 interception

• Bryton Fuchs: 3 tackles

• Andrew Cline: 2 tackles

• David Hurley: 2 tackles

• Hayden Gellner: 2 tackles

• Jude Bennett: 2 tackles

• Devon Brady: 1 tackle

• Gavin Gibbens: 1 tackle

• Griffin Turner: 1 tackle

• Drew McCray: 1 tackle

• Trent Koehler: 1 tackle

• Kylen Baker: 1 tackle

• Gabe Work: 1 tackle

• Dahylon Kusnerik: 1 tackle

• Jake Baker: 1 tackle

[Text from file received]