Lincoln 'Must Wins' Begin Tonight

[September 08, 2017]  By Benjamin Yount

LINCOLN – Week three is usually a bit too early to talk about 'must win' games. But this is an unusual football season for the Lincoln Railsplitters.

Lincoln welcomes the 0-2 Mattoon Green Wave to Handlin Field Friday night. The match-up is Lincoln's next best shot at a win in the first half of the season.

And everyone knows it.

“We know this is a team that we can compete against,” senior Isaiah Bowers said after Thursday's practice. “We're focused on the little things.”

Lincoln has played well in its first two games. The Railers beat Macomb 7-6 in week one, and were down by just a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter last week against a Mt. Zion team that's now ranked 10th in the state.

But senior running back Titus Cannon said there's a difference between playing well and playing as well as this team knows it can play.

“We have big expectation,” Cannon explained. “We have big expectation every week.

It's not just an expectation to win, though. There is a need to win this week.

Lincoln plays two of the other top teams in the Apollo Conference over the next two weeks. The Railsplitters travel to Effingham next week, then head to Taylorville the week after. Both of those teams have been ranked at one point this season.

Lincoln Head Coach Matt Silkowski knows that if Lincoln is going to have a winning record, and even a chance to make the playoffs this year, the Railers need to beat Mattoon Friday night.

The coach said he's waiting for his team to have a break out game.

“We haven't reached 'that point' yet,” Silkowski explained Thursday. “It seems that it's a block here that busted a play. Then there's another busted assignment. It just seems we're one assignment short each time.”

Silkowski preached fundamentals to his team this week, including a lot of time spent on special teams and the kicking game.

But the coach also had to get his new starting quarterback as many reps as possible.

“Dreyden (Pozsgai) has had a good week. We have to get him some confidence,” coach Silky explained.

Pozsgai took over the starting role last week.

“This might be a good week for him to get comfortable,” the coach added.

Mattoon is 0-2 for a reason. They've given up 48 points in each of their first two games. The Green Wave scored just nine points last week against Mascoutah.

“We're definitely looking for the run game,' Bowers said. “We're looking to play our game.”

“Our biggest thing this year is to keep it balanced,” Cannon said. “We don't lean too heavily on one player. They never know who's going to get the ball.”

Lincoln High School hosts Mattoon High School at Handlin Field, Friday night at 7 p.m.