Lincoln's playoff hopes on the line against Mahomet-Seymour

[October 13, 2017]  By Benjamin Yount

LINCOLN – Both Lincoln and Mahomet-Seymour need to win Friday night if they want to make the playoffs.

Mahomet-Seymour comes into Friday night with four wins, and a season ending game against a one-win Macomb team, so the Bulldogs control their playoff destiny.

The Railsplitters have to win Friday night and next week against Freeburg to be a 'bubble team.'

But the fact that Lincoln, which won just one game between 2013 and 2016, is talking about the possibility of making the playoffs is not lost on head coach Matt Silkowski.

“It's an exciting time around here. It's week eight of the season, and we're still playing for something,” Silkowski said after the team's final practice Thursday. “It's important for us to take care of business tonight at Mahomet.”

The Railers will face a team that Silkowski said is big, disciplined, and better than their 4-3 record suggests.

“They are a really good team. They do a lot of things well,” Silkwoksi explained. “So our kids will have their hands full.”

Lincoln has actually scored more points than Mahomet-Seymour this season.

The Railsplitters average 18 points a game, the Bulldogs average about 15. But Lincoln gives up far more points, nearly 31 points per game compared to Mahomet-Seymour's 23.

Lincoln senior running back Titus Cannon said the game plan for the Railers won't change this week. He says if Lincoln can establish the run early, the team has a chance.

And Cannon said with a playoff appearance hanging around, a chance is all this team needs.

 

Lincoln gets in a few more runs in their last walk through before traveling to Mahomet-Seymour for Friday night's game. 

“Everyone is looking forward to this game,” Cannon said. “We have a reason to play this year.”

Silkowski won one game last year, a one point victory over Springfield Lanphier High School.

He's already won three this year, the most wins since 2010 when Lincoln won three games as well.

He understands how far this program has traveled.

“I have film from our very first practice last year,” Coach Silky said. “Everyone once and a while I will throw it on. I'll watch that stuff and say 'Wow, look how far we've come.'.”

Silkowski gives a lot of the credit to his assistant coaches, and said he hopes that this year's success will carry over to next season.

A playoff birth certainly would bring a lot of attention to Lincoln football, inside the Apollo Conference and inside the hallways at Lincoln High School.

But first, the Railers must win.

Lincoln travels to Mahomet-Seymour High School Friday night, kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

[by Ben Yount]