Railers Look For Elusive Win Against Lanphier

[October 07, 2016]  By Benjamin Yount

LINCOLN – Lincoln High School may never win a Central State Eight football game again.
The Railers are six games into their fourth straight winless season. This week is game seven. Lincoln closes the season with games against Southeast and Chatham Glenwood.

But before those two, Lincoln will host 1-5 Lanphier High School Friday night.

“This is a winnable game,” senior quarterback Andrew Yount said. “We just need to execute.”
Lincoln coach Matt Silkowski told his team after Thursday's final practice they will have opportunities to win. But he said the Railsplitters will have to seize them.

“This is a good opportunity for our players,” Silkowski said. “It's a rivalry game for us...Lanphier is a team that's a better match.”

Lincoln has zero wins. Lanphier has just one. The Lions beat Springfield High School 15-14 last week after a blocked field goal.

Silkowski said that Springfield High team was not the same team that shellacked Lincoln 52-0 to start the season.

And Silkowski added his team isn't the same either.

“We're looking for a couple of different guys to carry the ball who maybe haven't carried the ball before,” Silkowski said those players have earned a shot to stand out on offense.

But the coach knows Lincoln's success depends entirely on the offensive line.

“I don't know that it puts any more pressure on us,” senior center Jacob Berglin said after Thursday walk through. “We've always known that it starts and ends with us. We just haven't always followed through.”

Lincoln will try a few new wrinkles to help the offensive line keep Lanphier at bay.

Silkowski says in addition to some new ball carriers, Lincoln fans will see some new blockers in new spots.

Senior Trent Whitham will be tasked with blocking out of the backfield.

“We know we're going to see pressure,” Whitham said. “But we're trying to use as many guys as we can to block. Instead of having guys out in the middle of nowhere.”

Silkowski told his team they can win, but only if they can win the turnover battle, cut down on their own penalties, and play four quarters of football.
If the Railers win, it will be the first football victory since October of 2012.

This is Lincoln's last year in the Central State Eight. Many say the Lanphier game could be Lincoln's last shot at a victory.

Lincoln High School hosts Springfield's Lanphier High School at 7 p.m. at Handlin Field.