Railers Flat In Homecoming Loss
 

[October 03, 2015]  By Benjamin Yount

LINCOLN – Friday night's homecoming game for Lincoln High School was a game defined by seconds.

The Railer offense would flash potential for a few seconds, but would spend the next few minutes losing yards.

Lincoln defenders always seemed a half-second too slow to reach a streaking Rocket ball carrier.

But the seconds that mattered the most were the first 14 seconds for Rochester High School.

The five time, back-to-back, state champs scored 13 points in less than 14 seconds.

Two passes, two touchdowns, no tackles for the Railers.

“We did not come out well, obviously,” Lincoln Coach Seth Bass said dejectedly after his team's 59-0 loss at Handlin Field. “I don't know if it was homecoming distractions or what. But we didn't have our focus.”

If even the best teams in the state lose focus against Rochester, the game can get out of hand quickly.
 

Lincoln on Friday was no exception.

The Rockets were up 33-0 at the end of the first quarter when Lincoln's offense finally started to show some signs of life.

Junior Nathan Podunajec carried the ball well, attacking the edge of the Rocket defense.

“Podunajec gave us a spark there for a while,” Bass said. “But our blocking in space leaves a little bit to be desired.”

Senior quarterback Garrett Aelits said the Rochester defense made it challenging to get momentum.

“We came out and just couldn't get the job done, but we know the next game is a winnable ball game for us,” Aeilts added.

Lincoln will face the Central State Eight's only other win-less team, Decatur MacArthur, next week on the road.

“We're better than them. They're faster than us,” Coach Bass said about the Generals. “So we have to play like we're better, and take the approach that we're better.”

The Railers' approach, the team's mindset is what was different Friday.

For the first time all season, despite the score, the team looked flat and disinterested.

“That's a switch they've gotta flip themselves,” Bass said. “It's the same battle we've faced since game one.”

Aelts said now that Lincoln has run the gauntlet of the conference's best teams, he thinks the team can and will flip that switch.

“We're (going to) take what we've learned, and keep our heads up. And head into these last few games and put some points on the board,” Aeilts said.

Lincoln plays MacArthur next week, then closes the season at home against Jacksonville then away against Lanphier.

[story by Ben Yount; picture(s) by Sherri Sparrow]]

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