Lincoln As Tough As You Can Be In 57-0 Loss

[September 17, 2016]  By Benjamin Yount, pictures by Sherri Sparrow

ROCHESTER -- It's unfair to hang Lincoln's 57-0 loss to Rochester High School on the Railsplitter defense.

Lincoln played as tough as you'd expect again the second best team in Class 4A.

“I am really happy and proud of these guys. For the first time this season we played with some emotion, some enthusiasm, some effort,” coach Matt Silkowski said after Friday's rainy loss. “I am really, so proud of these guys.”

The Railer defense allowed Rochester to score on their first drive of the game. But then, stiffened.
Lincoln held tough on the goal line, and took over on downs on Rochester's second drive.
Senior linebacker Alex Linares said the entire Railsplitter defense took on a single focus.

“I felt like we were able to stop their run game and the screens they were tossing, pretty well,” Linares said after the game. “We were able to lock them down a lot better than most people think.”

One of Lincoln's lock down defenders is Austin Sparrow. Only a sophomore, Sparrow was one of Lincoln's leading tacklers Friday night. And he delivered crushing blows to a pair of Rochester receivers.

“To a point I think I can compete with varsity players,” Sparrow said. “Rochester has some great players, but I went out there to play like they're no older than me.”

Coach Silkowski said Sparrow is one of Lincoln's rising stars.

“Sparrow is the one who gets the most credit, cause his name is being broadcast over the loud speakers,” Silkowski said. “But he's not our only sophomore playing well.”

So if the defense played its best game all season, and it did, how did Lincoln lose 57-0?

The Railsplitter offense couldn't move the ball.
Senior center Jacob Berglin sat out with a strained hamstring. His replacement snapped the ball high, low, far, and wide.

“I think there were three 'pop fly's' and four or five 'ground balls',” senior quarterback Andrew Yount said of the wild snaps Friday night.

“We're going through some growing pains at center,” coach Silkowski said. “But we feel good about (Berglin) in that spot.”

Rochester is Lincoln's second straight state ranked opponent. Last week the Railers took-on Sacred Heart Griffin, who is ranked 1st in Class 6A.
Rochester is ranked 2nd in Class 4A.
Next week, Lincoln gets a team a little more their speed.

The Railsplitters face 0-3 Decatur MacArthur next week.