New Railers Keep Things Fresh Against Mt. Zion

[September 02, 2017]  By Benjamin Yount

LINCOLN – With 4:32 left in the third quarter on Friday night, Lincoln High School had the ball as was driving.

But the difference at Handlin Field wasn't just that the Railsplitters were down by only a touchdown to the defending Apollo Conference champs, Mt. Zion.

For the first time in years, the stands were full. The Railer marching band was in the stands and playing a tune. And there was a buzz about this 'new' Lincoln team.

Then a first and ten from the 15 yard line turned into a fourth and 40, and Lincoln lost the momentum.

“The fans were awesome,” Coach Matt Silkowski said after Friday night's game. “The band did a great job. You really feel the energy that the band brings. But we gotta keep getting better. You have first and ten from the 15 and we put the ball on the ground, we take a couple of sacks. We're not going to be successful when we do that.”

Lincoln was successful up until that point in the late third quarter.

In fact, Lincoln scored first.

Junior cornerback Noah Funk intercepted a pass in the first quarter and ran almost all the way back for a nearly 70-yard touchdown.

It took two runs from Titus Cannon to put the Railers up 7-0.

Mt. Zion then rattled off three straight touchdowns, including a pick six interception late in the second quarter.

But Lincoln wasn't done.

Sophomore Quarterback Dreyden Pozsgai drove his team down the field in the final minute of the second quarter, he ended the first half with an eight yard touchdown pass to Jayden Pollice to bring Lincoln within seven points, 20-13.

“The shorter route was open because the corner was playing back,” Pozsgai said after the game.

Halftime came and went and Lincoln still hung tight.

The Railer defense was key.

Junior Gage Wilson anchored the defensive front line.

“It wasn't bad taking hits from Mt. Zion,” Wilson said after the game. “I mean last year we were taking hits from Sacred Heart Griffin.”

Junior Austin Sparrow lead the defense with seven tackles, sophomore Thomas Morris had six tackles but also had a sack and a tackle for a loss.

But after that first and 10 in the third quarter became fourth and 40, you saw something leave the Railsplitters.

“Yeah, the scoreboard showed that we lost by 21 point,” Silkowski said. “But it was a lot closer than that. They wore us down.”

Mt. Zion added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win 34-13.

But Silkowski, and the Railer faithful did not walk away from Friday's game angry or disappointed.

“Mt. Zion were conference champs last year,” Silkowski said. “And we have just four seniors. It's all sophomores and just a handful of juniors as first year starters. Our kids know that they're going to take some bumps and bruises. But know we are building toward some much better things.”

Lincoln may get a chance to show how much this building project has progressed. Mattoon comes to Lincoln next week. The Green Wave lost their second straight game of the season Friday night, falling to Mascoutah 48-9.

[by Benjamin Yount; pictures by Sherri Sparrow]