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 Duong, a senior
defensive back and running back for Lincoln High School, has spent
his Friday nights at Handlin Field fighting for a win for most of
his time in high school.
Duong has
started on both sides of the ball in each of Lincoln’s eight games
this year.
But now, Duoung
is looking at the Railsplitters’ ninth game. Friday will be his
final game this year, likely his final game ever.
“I’ve actually
been dreading this game,” Duong admitted after his final practice
Thursday. “Just because this is my last ever, probably.”
Duong is one of
11 seniors who will walk out of the tunnel at Lincoln High School to
thunderous applause, and tears.
Their mothers
will certainly cry Friday before the game.
Lincoln Head
Coach Andy McDonald said the players, even the toughest of the guys,
will cry too. Eventually.
“I don’t know
how much it sinks in until the game is actually over,” McDonald
said. “For many of these guys, this is the last football game
they’ll ever play. That’s kind of a hard pill to swallow…that’s why
it does become very emotional.”
The emotions
would spill out of control if the Railers could end the season with
a win.
Lincoln is 0-8
on the season, their last chance for a victory comes Friday night
against Springfield’s Lanphier High School.
The Lions have
three wins, including victories over Jacksonville (who beat Lincoln
last week) and Springfield High School (which narrowly beat Lincoln
in week three).
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“They’re going
to spread the field out, but the like to run it,” McDonald noted
about the team from the north end of Springfield. “They’ve got the
big running back, a 250 lbs kid, who ran for over 200 yards against
us last year in the second half.”
Stopping the
Lanphier running game, winning a game, just finishing what they
started; senior defensive end Eric Sutton said the seniors in the
class of 2015 have that one, simple goal.
“The one thing
we to each other (as seniors) is just to put it all out on the
line,” Sutton said. “We have nothing to hold back anymore. It’s our
last game. There is nothing to hold back.”
The
Railsplitters play host to the Lanphier Lions at 7 pm at Handlin
Field.
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