Rochester ends Lincoln’s season with 59-14 defeat, knocks Railers out of playoffs

 

[October 28, 2023]  Rochester –Rochester showed why it earned the No. 1 seeding in the IHSA Class 4A playoff pairings as the Rockets ended Lincoln’s season and bounced the Railers out of the playoffs with a 59-14 victory.

The loss ended Lincoln’s season at 5-5 after the Railers qualified for the IHSA playoffs for the first time since 1984.

While disappointed that the Railer season comes to an end with the loss, Lincoln head coach Matt Silkowski said the No. 16-seeded Railers knew they faced long odds against the eight-time state champion Rockets.

“The message before we came out was to play with your best effort, give them [Rochester] our best shot and have no regrets at the end of the night. And whatever happens, happens.”

Rochester wasted no time in setting the tone early, as Rockets’ quarterback Parker Gillespie ran for a 51-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

Like a prize fighter knocked to the deck early in a match, Lincoln responded two possessions later when Ki’on Carson hit Gabe Smith on a 54-yard halfback pass. Angel Haro followed with the extra point to tie the game 7-7, and it felt like Lincoln might make a game of it.

However, the undefeated Rockets showed why the earned the No. 1 seed, as Rochester scored 42 unanswered points before halftime to take a 49-7 lead.

“The moment didn’t last, but it was a lot of fun,” Silkowski said. “I’m glad we got to have that moment of being that close in a playoff game against a team that more than likely will be playing in Normal.”

Head Coach Matt Silkowski

The Rochester lead was never threatened in the second half. Lincoln added another score on a 3-yard touchdown by Kani Carson to make it 49-14 late in the third quarter.

The Rockets got a 27-yard field goal from Alyssa Day and another touchdown in the fourth quarter for the final 59-14 margin of victory.

Rochester moves to 10-0 on the season. The Rockets will face Coal City in the next round of the playoffs, as it knocked off Normal U-High 44-0.

Note: unofficial statistics for the game were not available. However, Lincoln did set a team record for the most points scored in a season with 278, eclipsing the old mark of 274 set in 1924.

[Loyd Kirby]

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