 |
Reek Picnic
Tyreek "Reek" Wanamaker,
a transfer from Olney, is a senior at Lincoln with an interest in sports and
journalism. He'd like to see every Pub school have a writer contributing to
this site, but in lieu of that . . he'll keep an eye on the Railsplitters.
We thank Reek for joining our ever-wacky group. |
JUNE 1
THE FUTURE OF LINCOLN FOOTBALL
With the rumble of the big machines, bulldozers,
wrecking balls, the stripping of the football field and the wrap-up of most of
Lincoln's spring sports, I think now is the appropriate time for a preview of
next year's football team and its up and coming stars. The Railsplitters have
lost a huge chunk of their offense with QB Joey McCausland, Receivers
Omar Black and Dylan Gallagher, and backs Ernesto Garcia
and Chris Williams graduating, along with three of the five starters from
the offensive line. The defense is in even worse condition with 10 of its 11
starters leaving, but there is hope for Railsplitter devotees based on what's
waiting in the stables.
Soph RB Josh McClain could be a perfect replacement for the
speedster Garcia. McClain is a more complete back with the agility and footwork
to elude linebackers and the strength to break tackles by DBs. He was a JV
superstar, picking up three games with over 150 yards. At times during the JV
season (in which I served as one of the team managers) he reminded me of videos
I had seen of University of Oklahoma Running Back Demarco Murray and
Saints star Reggie Bush, finding the smallest creases and making it seem
like he has one or two gears more than the defense.
McClain understands what he has to do to succeed. “I’ve been working hard in
the weight room trying to get bigger, stronger, working on my speed, and I’ve
definitely seen improvement.” He acknowledges that this team will have to rely
heavily on a “green” offensive line and that without them he cannot be
successful.
When asked who would step up and become a leader of his team he quickly
named a new face . . . wideout Rodney Hawkins.
Another player rising from the ranks of the Lincoln JV Class will be a
three-sport lightning bolt, Sincere Merced. His ability to return kicks
is almost supernatural and he is a potential game-changer who can play on both
sides of the ball. He has the offensive abilities of a Dexter McCluster
and he has outstanding defensive recognition skills, and though undersized he
works that much harder on the field. After missing a majority of the JV season
with an injury, he is hungry and ready to make plays. Merced and McClain already
have plans made for after High School with Merced hoping to become a 'Nole and
play under Jimbo Fisher down at Florida State while McClain hopes for a
scholarship from “THE” Ohio State University so Coach Tressle and Coach Fisher,
if you're looking, here could be two of your next stars.
Tackle Damien Chin-Rose also looks to solidify a questionable
O-line along with the senior on the line, Mike Page, and Rodney Hawkins.
He is as aggressive as it gets, a true mauler on the line who can sometimes gets
sloppy with his technique but that problem should be alleviated in the team's
spring practices were he’ll be taught to hand block instead of the “flipper”
technique he learned down in JV.
The chemistry between these guys is outstanding. The ground game should
be able to carry this team for the first year of this new look Railsplitters
team, as newly appointed Coach “Mac” (Ed McGettigan), tries to find and
break in a quarterback to take the place of the legendary McCausland.
McClain and Merced know that the road will be tough and that nobody
believes in this team right now. They know that they’ll be underdogs in every
game and nobody will expect them to win but they say, “ If we do what we have to
do to win, nobody can stop us.”
Maybe if they can win a few games they'll get the fans back on their
side. Especially if one of those wins comes against Judge!
DEC. 3
SEASON RECAP
Gene Kelly's last season as coach of Lincoln High School's
football team had a lot of ups and downs. With upsets and blowouts, the
Railsplitters finished the season with a 7-5 record, leaving a sour taste in
some of the Lincoln faithful's mouths. But coach Kelly says he's proud of his
team for there perseverance and will to finish the season, when some teams would
have given up. The Railsplitters didn't make the playoffs after losing to
Germantown, 30-12 but only lost one game after that (the Turkey Bowl versus
Judge). This team could have easily been at least 9-3 and won their division but
a blown game at home against Central -- a game that ended in a heartbreaking
21-20 score after a Joe McCausland pass was picked at the three yard line
on the final drive of the game -- and missed opportunities led to the conundrum
that was the 2009 season. McCausland had a solid year, throwing for a school
record 1,449 yards and 14 TDs, but when he faltered so did the team. He was
helped out by two receivers that I believe have to be all-pub nominees -- WRs
Omar Black and Dylan Gallagher, who combined for a total of 55
receptions for 1,027 yards and 11 TD. The running game could have been better,
but running back Ernesto Garcia was hampered by an ankle injury and he
was held to only 539 yards but he did score 11 TDs on the ground. Most of the
team's problems this season involved the offensive and defensive fronts; mostly
the interior. A promising offensive line led by tackle Mike Page was also
hampered by injury and inexperience, forcing McCausland to throw off balance and
scramble out of the pocket on most plays and opening few holes for Garcia.
The defensive front was weak against the run and that cost the Railsplitters
big in a league dominated by talented runners. The defense was led by a strong
secondary dominated by CB Shawn Banks, who topped the team with 4
interceptions, and a group of LBs headed up by the multi-talented Omar Black.
The future for this team looks promising with talented prospects coming from
the JV ranks. Freshman QB Lucas Weissinger will have to fight to crack
the starting lineup with all the talent that will be at his position next year.
RB will also be a scrappy position after the departure of Garcia and the arrival
of two JV backs. With the new field, a new coach, and no McCausland, Black or
Gallagher, this will definitely be a time for change for Lincoln High Football.
Only time will tell if change is good or if next year's Lincoln faithful will be
praying for Basketball season.
NOV. 23
THANKSGIVING PREVIEW
Lincoln is deep into preparation for their rival Father Judge, one of the Pub
League's most heated rivalries. It has been 30 years since the Railsplitters
beat Judge and were able to walk down the steps at the gate of the field. The
Railsplitters ended their last regular week game on a high note, demolishing the
Fels Panthers, 41-8. Their offense exploded, scoring 41 points in the first
half. Lincoln WR Omar Black and RB Ernesto Garcia shined
against the Panthers scoring 30 points alone. The game got so lopsided that
coach Kelly decided to give lineman Greg Patterson a try at carrying the
rock, but the play resulted in a fumble recovered by Lincoln. The Railsplitters
defense looked reminiscent of the stifling Steel Curtain Steelers of the '70s or
the Bears of the '80s, holding the Panthers defense scoreless for three and a
half quarters. Frustration mounted on the Panthers sideline as one player
stormed off the field, removing his jersey and equipment (he later returned to
the game.)
This week the Railsplitters face a deceptive Judge team. At 4-6 and on a
six-game losing streak, the Crusaders look like a shell of their former
selves. Surrendering an average of 39 points in those losses, and losing by an
average of 25, the Crusaders are in a serious need for help on both the
defensive and offensive side of the ball. The one bright spot on this team is RB
Curt Wortham, who leads the team with 947 yards and averages 4.7 yards a
carry with 11 TDs. QB Tony Smith heads up the passing game with his two
favorite targets being TE Kevin Leneghan
(17-277) and wideout Matt
Gies (27 receptions).
They are led defensively by CB and Team Captain Kevin Toner, who leads
the defense with 4 interceptions.
If Lincoln's LBs and defensive line can shut down Wortham, they will once
again be able to walk down those steps.
SEPT. 18
NON-LEAGUE
Frankford 35, Lincoln 0
Frankford vs
Lincoln -- a bitter rivalry that thrived in the 60's and 70's but has fizzled
over the years. Lincoln stadium -- a structure that was once packed by High
School football fans but barely made half capacity and was filled with mostly
Frankford fans, a testament to how these two teams have gone in completely
opposite directions. Frankford -- the perennial Pub powerhouse came to Lincoln
with one goal in mind, to win. Lincoln, the heavy underdog, looked outschemed
and outskilled by Frankford's tackle traps and power runs and played sloppy both
on offense and defense.
In the first quarter Lincoln
struggled, barely moving the ball, while Frankford's power run game dominated
early as they scored two quick TDs on the ground. Frankford seemed to be on
their way to a third until Lincoln recovered a second quarter fumble that gave
them the ball in Frankford's territory. Lincoln picked up a big play two plays
later on a 25-yard laser to
Dylan
Gallagher for a
first down. A play later it seemed that Lincoln Senior QB
Joey McCausland would
be sacked for the third time but somehow he slipped a defender and threw a heave
between two DBs to Omar Black, who dropped the must-catch TD. And after
two near incompletions on third and fourth down Lincoln couldn't move the ball,
giving the Pioneers the ball on the 50. Frankford struck gold on the second play
of the drive with a 40-yard pass to Ronnie Mack and ran it in on a 1-yard play
by Tyrell Martin for his only touchdown (finished the game with 180 yards
on 10 carries, DNP the whole second half) to close out the quarter.
Frankford started the second half with a fumbled handoff by Michael
McGroarty, who then pulled off a long run that nearly picked up the first
down on the next play, but were stuffed on 3rd down and were forced to punt.
Lincoln offense showed promise on the next series, moving the ball on a 15-yard,
3rd-down screen to Ernesto Garcia but backed themselves into a 2nd and
long after a 8 yard run. On the next play McCausland hit Omar Black on a great
20-yard pass, splitting Frankford's bump and release one over and picked up the
first with a 4-yard QB draw. On the next play DE Taron Jones picked up
his fourth TFL followed by a #29 drop and another Kwamair Clark tackle
(finished game with 7 tackles with 2 for a loss) Lincoln was forced to punt. A
flag was thrown on the punt for an obvious Frankford block in the back but was
waved off because of confusion on the part of the referees. On the next play
Jeffione
Thomas broke a big run for 21 yards. After big runs by Lewis,
Zaire "Bam"
Anderson
and Kahleel Dickerson, there was an 8-yd run by Anderson to blow this
game out of Lincolns reach with a score of 28-0. Lincoln started the next drive
on their own 45 yard line. Kwamair Clark picked up another sack on first down
and a 1-yd McCausland run ended the quarter.
After a Lincoln punt Frankford started their drive on the 40 yard line and
picked up a first down after two Thomas runs. After putting there 2nd team on
the field Frankford tried two hand-offs to RB/LB Peace McClain, eight and
- 4, a botched handoff by Taron
Mills and a dropped fourth down Frankford gave the ball back to Lincoln who
once again could not move the ball and failed on a fake punt. Frankford broke
three more runs that lead to an opening series first down and a 15 yard run by
Thomas. After Lincoln finally started to play strong D pulling of three great
plays including a TFL and a dropped interception but still gave up the fourth
down touchdown pass by Keone Berry to WR Savoy Martin giving
Frankford a 35-0 lead. Lincoln finally showed life late in the 4th after a 50-yd
McCausland pass to
Omar Black, on the following play Lincoln tried a run up the middle but
Frankford's goal line D shut them down and ended the game.
Lincoln looked like they didn't believe that they could beat the Pioneers
while Frankford's offense looked unstoppable and could possibly be the best
offense in the pub when they
play to their strengths and their opponents' weaknesses. Coach
Capriotti's offensive scheme just completely overwhelmed a Lincoln defensive
line. Lincoln had a lot of blown opportunities in this game, poor blocking and
catching killed their chances to capitalize on Frankford's multiple fumbles.
This could have easily been a blowout by Lincoln or at least a close game;
Frankford's run game only had the success they had because of missed tackles and
blown assignments. Lincoln's one true bright spot had to be QB Joe McCausland,
who made a few plays offensively and showed a bit of promise.
Lincoln plays Central at home this week, a team that went 0-11 last year, a
team that Lincoln beat by 4 points in an 14-18 game. Central a 2-0 team, could
be a sleeper in the Pub this year and this could possibly be a trap game for a
team coming off a huge loss to a rival. Central has a good running game that put
up big numbers against Dobbins and Southern but their passing game hasn't shown
much luster. If Coach Gene Kelly lets McCausland loose against a weak
secondary and if Lincoln can stop the run and move the ball they will win that
game.
Frankford has Inter-Ac power Malvern Prep, who is sitting at 1-1 coming off
a 44-0 win against New Jerseys Hudson Catholic. Frankford has a few problems to
fix, mainly their ball carrying, but I think they'll give Malvern Prep's defense
fits.
My predictions: Lincoln 21-0 and Frankford 48-17.