Lincoln stumbles against tough Taylorville squad

[September 23, 2017]  By Benjamin Yount

TAYLORVILLE – For about five minutes in Lincoln's Friday night match up against Taylorville, the two squads looked evenly matched.

Taylorville connected for a 38 yard touchdown pass on their first drive of the night.

Then, Lincoln answered.

Senior Titus Cannon lead the Railsplitters on a 60-plus yard drive that ended with a two yard run for a touchdown.

“Our line did their job well. They got me holes,” Cannon explained. “I could see the holes, and got through.”

Lincoln missed the PAT. But after each team had the ball once, the Railers trailed by just a point.

Then the bottom fell out, and Taylorville took over.

The Tornadoes punished Lincoln for the next three quarters. Eventually winning 56-6.

“Our guys are seeing the cream of the crop of the Apollo Conference,” head coach Matt Silkowski said after the loss. “I hope out kids see the work they have to do in the off season. To do what it takes to be successful here in the Apollo.”

Taylorville scored three touchdowns in the first quarter Friday night. Then added two more in the second, one in the third, and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

The heat didn't help. The temperature at kickoff was hovering at or above 90 degrees.

 

Sophomore Peyton Anderson scampers on a carry Friday night in Lincoln's 56-6 loss to Taylorville. 

“It was hot,” Cannon said. “You practice in it all week. But that doesn't prepare you for game time. You play both ways, give it your all. It's different.”

Cannon rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown. Lincoln quarterback Dreyden Pozsgai passed for 60 yards, and sophomore wide receiver Isaac Dewberry had 40 yards in receptions.

The only solace for Lincoln after Friday night's loss, is that the schedule gets easier from here.

Lincoln plays Charleston, Urbana, Mahomet-Seymour, and Freeburg to close out the season.

Charleston and Urbana still don't have a victory on the season.

“The records of the teams on the schedule aren't as good as what we saw (Friday) night,” Silkowski said. “But they're still very good teams. And we have to play better. If we're going to compete in those games and give us a chance to win them, we have to play better.”

Lincoln falls to 1-4 on the season. Taylorville improves to 4-1.

Lincoln High School's next game is against Charleston at home next Friday. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

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