Railer Seniors Ready As They Can Be For Final Home Game

[October 15, 2016]  By Benjamin Yount

LINCOLN – The Class of 2017 is still all smiles.

Lincoln's football seniors haven't lost the glow from their first varsity win in four years last week.

Certainly the team's elder statesmen aren't emotional yet about their last few games.

Those tears will come.

Friday night's game against Southeast is Senior Night for the Railsplitters.

“The legacy of this senior class is that we never gave-up,” senior defensive end Austin Dennison said after Thursday's practice. “We never hung our heads to cry. We got back up.”

Lincoln's seniors haven't had it easy.

They won just a single game playing freshman and junior varsity. Their varsity win didn't come to their second to last home game.

But the lack of wins never dampened the team's spirit.

“After every game we (all get together) and we sit there and reminisce,” senior linebacker Alex Linares said. “We've been thinking about this game for a while.”

Senior quarterback Andrew Yount said getting one win makes dealing with the end of the season, and the end of his high school football career, a little easier.

“It's been a tough four years, that's why senior night is going to be an especially emotional night,” Yount added.

“After that last win we started to realize that we only have to games left. Then we're done,” senior Zach Montcalm added it's strange to realize this may the last time some of the guys ever play football.

Senior Scotty Lessen said senior classes before them told the guys that four years would be over in a flash. Lessen said he now knows they were right.

“It seems like it's been a long time coming,” Lessen said. “Every team before said it would go by quickly. It has.”

Lincoln still has two games to play. Friday night against Southeast then a final game against Chatham Glenwood the following week.

Coach Matt Silkowski said he's not looking past either game. Or over looking either opponent.

“Southeast is a very good two-win football team,” Silkowski said Southeast's record doesn't show the team's explosiveness. “They have a lot of athletes. They're fast. They're physical.”

Silkowski said the Railers can compete, but need another game where the offense controls the line of scrimmage and the pace of the game.

That may be a bit tougher, running back Isiah Bowers will miss the rest of the season with an injured hand.

“We lose Isaiah, that's a tough loss for us on both sides of the ball. But it's 'next man up',” Silkowski said.

After Southeast, Lincoln will end the season on the road against Chatham Glenwood. The Titans needs to win their final two games to make the playoffs.

Silkowski said he's not looking to rest his starters or play up-and-coming players in that final game.

“The mentality is that we go out and compete. We play 48 minutes every week. That's got to be the mindset around here,” Silkowski added.

This is Lincoln's final year in the Central State Eight. The Railers are moving to the Apollo Conference for 2017.

But before that, Lincoln hosts Springfield Southeast High School at Handlin Field Friday night. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

[Benjamin Yount]