Lincoln coach Shawn O’Connor shares a light moment with a few players after the victory over Clinton. (Lauren Marsh)
Lincoln’s Kareem Folkes had 155 yards rushing and a touchdown. (Lauren Marsh)
From August through November, Lincoln has heard about the players it lost rather than the players it returned. The 2011 season has been mostly about proving itself compared to the star-studded 2010 group.
With a chance to equal what that team did, an opportunity to get back to Yankee Stadium, the Railsplitters were up to the task, and showed it in front of many of their former teammates Saturday afternoon.
With key contributors such as Wayne Williams, DeJuan Heath and Selwyn Nicholas on the sidelines, No. 1 Lincoln manhandled seventh-seeded Clinton, 30-14, getting back to the PSAL City Championship division final.
“Everyone said we’re not as good as them, we played cupcakes, we’re overrated,” quarterback Jessel Jones said. “But here we are, going back to Yankee Stadium. We love proving people wrong. It drives us.”
He’s as much as a reason as any as undefeated Lincoln (12-0) will play for the title Dec. 6 against No. 5 Erasmus Hall. He ran for two touchdowns, threw for another and accumulated 167 total yards, 107 on the ground. With star running back Kareem Folkes slowed somewhat by a turned ankle in the second half, Jones took command by calling his own number.
“He was the unsung hero for us,” said Folkes, who ran for 155 yards on 33 carries and a touchdown. “Nobody knew who he was at the beginning of the season. But he opened the game up for us.”
Typical of Lincoln’s undefeated season, the Railsplitters put forth a complete effort and got off to fast start. They led 22-0 after Jones threw a 9-yard scoring strike to Tarik Pusey with 5:02 left in the first half. Clinton didn’t pick up its initial first down until its next drive and though it got within 30-14 late in the fourth quarter after Jeremiah Obeng-Agyapong’s 43-yard touchdown, never truly threatened.
Lincoln sacked Clinton (8-4) quarterback Ryan Camilo seven times, limiting the normally elusive signal-caller to a season-low 18 yards rushing. A high ankle sprain suffered by bruising fullback/linebacker Ashton McKenzie early on played a part in the Brooklyn school’s dominance, but so did its front seven’s size and speed.
“They pursued well and they were very fast,” Camilo said.
Two-way linemen Robert Kitching and Armani Gordon created canyon-size holes for Folkes and Jones. Tevin Fraser and Rasheed Anderson harassed Camilo all afternoon and when given the opportunity Jones found open receivers.
“They went to the championship last year and they’re going back,” Clinton coach Howard Langley said. “They got everything.”
The win was more typical of Lincoln’s first 10 games than No. 11 when Jefferson nearly rallied from a 24-6 halftime deficit before falling, 30-28, last weekend. That game tested the Railsplitters mettle, actually having a game decided in the final minutes.
“I definitely prefer this,” Jones said, smiling. “It’s much better than being in a close game.”
The narrow victory did have a bonus, Jones and Folkes said. Lincoln was getting too confident, the seniors said, and the scare dropped them down a peg.
“We know we can’t sleep on teams,” Folkes said.
Lincoln coach Shawn O’Connor said: “It snapped them back to reality. They came out today very focused.’
There won’t be any overconfident in nine days at Yankee Stadium. It’s been 18 years since the Coney Island school, known for winning basketball championships, has won a city title in football. Even last year’s team, the one everyone likes to remind the current Railsplitters about, failed to win it all. This group has an opportunity to make history now.
“If we win it,” Jones said with a wide grin, “we can say we’re better.”