Lincoln Railers defeat Mount Zion 62-40
Hullinger leads with 27 points

[February 15, 2021]  The Lincoln Railers hosted the Mount Zion Braves on Saturday afternoon at Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium. After a late night in Effingham, the Railers had just enough rest to get the 62-40 victory over the Braves.

The first quarter saw the Railers jump out to a 5-0 lead on buckets by Dylan Singleton and Elijah Pollice. Ethan Hamrick put Mount Zion on the board with his three at the 3:55 mark and as evident by the score, the buckets were not falling fast or furiously in the first quarter.

A couple more baskets by Singleton stretched the lead to 9-5. Hamrick pulled the Braves closer with a floater in the lane before Hullinger ended the first quarter on a three. Lincoln led 12-7 after the first eight minutes of play.

The second quarter was a little slow to start as well. Singleton’s bucket off the glass and his “and one” put Lincoln back in the scoring column with 6:19 showing on the clock.

Hullinger scored the next two baskets for Lincoln in the lane and the Railers lead grew to 19-7.

Hamrick would end the scoring drought for Mount Zion with a three at the 2:50 mark. With the rest of the second quarter scoring in the hands of either Hamrick, Hullinger or Singleton, the Railers held the 24-12 advantage at the half.

The third quarter was about building that lead and putting away these Braves. With the Railers up 25-16, Hullinger went on a 9-0 run in a matter of just over a minute. Corner threes were his specialty and he hit three in a row to guide Lincoln to a 34-16 lead.

The Railers defense kept pressuring the Braves and a steal by Brody Whiteman contributed to a Singleton bucket. At the 3:20 mark Hullinger spotted the open lane and quickly made the drive and the easy bucket for two. Seconds later Pollice stole the ball from the Braves and he tossed it ahead to Singleton, who eyed an open Hullinger. Hullinger was hot on this cold afternoon and he decided to pull up for the short jumper and hit nothing but net. Lincoln’s lead was up to 40-16.

After a three by Adam Grunder the Lincoln lead had grown to 49-21. By the end of the third quarter, Lincoln was in control 49-25.

The fourth quarter was more of the same. Hullinger, Singleton and Pollice allowed Lincoln to go ahead 56-27 as the five-minute mark was approaching. While Hamrick tried his best in the fourth quarter for his Braves, it was no match for Lincoln's arsenal.

A drive by Pollice put the Railers up 58-34. Singleton made the score 60-40 on his drive with 1:35 left to play.

Finally, it was Jaylen Conway sprinting ahead of the pack after a Lincoln steal and the 5' 10 junior laid it in for the final basket of the afternoon.

Lincoln walked away with the 62-40 victory.

Landon Hullinger led Lincoln with 27 points. Dylan Singleton scored 21 points for the Railers.

Ethan Hamrick led Mount Zion with 24 points.

Lincoln improves to 4-1 on the season.

The Railers will host Normal West Monday night. The JV game will start at 6 p.m. The Varsity will start at 7:30 p.m.

Varsity scoring

Lincoln 62

Hullinger 27

Singleton 21

Pollice 7

Grunder 3

Conway 2

Whiteman 2

Mount Zion 40

Hamrick 24

High 7

Ditommaso 3

Adams 2

Gilman 2

Cuddy 2

Junior varsity

In the JV game Saturday afternoon Lincoln picked up a 41-25 win.

The Railers were quick to jump out to an 11-2 lead, getting baskets from Aidan Gowin, Darren Stevens and Payton Cook. The Lincoln lead was 11-6 at the close of the first quarter. The Braves came back strong in the second quarter, but Lincoln’s scoring trio of Gowin, Stevens and Cook kept Lincoln on top 18-15 at the half.

Cook’s nice moves in the lane to start the third quarter scoring put Lincoln on top 22-15.

After Jake Bivin connected for a three the Railers lead was up to 10.

Tyler Sasse padded the lead even more with his field goal.

A three by Stevens made the score 30-19 and this JV team was clicking for Coach Gregg Alexander.

Just as the third quarter was nearing the end, Gowin drove the lane and drew four defenders in, he quickly tossed the ball to Cook underneath the basket and it was Cook’s kiss off the glass for two that allowed Lincoln a nice 32-22 lead after three.

The Lincoln JV continued their impressive showing in the fourth quarter. Trey Schilling hit a three early to put Lincoln in the lead 35-22.

Stevens drove the lane for the layup and the 37-22 lead.

Then it was Cook pulling down the offensive rebound and putting it back up for two points.

Finally with just less than a minute to play, Cadge Kingsley scored a basket and the final score was settled at 41-25.

A solid team effort by the Railers JV squad.

Payton Cook led the Railers with 14 points. Darren Stevens added 10 points for Lincoln.

JV scoring

Lincoln 41

Cook 14

Stevens 10

Gowin 7

Bivin 3

Schilling 3

Kingsley 2

Sasse 2

Mount Zion 25

Driscoll 8

Cuddy 6

Baumann 3

McAtee 3

Grohne 2

Clark 2

McNeill 1

[Teena Lowery]