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Lincoln needs Woonsocket to beat Rogers to host Division II playoff game
A 28-point second quarter helped the Lincoln High football team power past Coventry on Friday night.
LINCOLN – The winning recipe that enabled the Lincoln High football team to get off to a terrific start in league play was back in full force on Friday night following a two-game absence.
The LHS defense frustrated the Coventry offense to no end while the Lions’ offense was anchored by a potent ground attack that on this particular evening was headlined by junior Tyler Dusty, who rushed for 260 yards and two touchdowns on just 19 carries.
When the final horn sounded at Ferguson Field, the Lions had plenty of reasons to feel good about themselves after dispatching Coventry, 48-14.
The blowout win snapped Lincoln’s two-game losing streak, which came after a 4-0 start in league play. For head coach Sean Cavanaugh, the days leading up to the
Coventry were spent reminding his players about what made them successful in the season’s early portion and to not get bogged down just because of back-to-back losses against East Greenwich (4621 on Oct. 18) and Rogers (27-14 on Oct. 25).
“We wanted to respond to the adversity and it was about what we do well and let’s focus on that,” said Cavanaugh. “We had to eliminate some of the distractions and get back to the basics of playing football. They had to play together and trust each other.”
Now, the D-II playoffs become the focus for the Lions (5-2, Division II-A). Whether they open the postseason at home depends on whether Woonsocket beats Rogers on Saturday afternoon.
A win by the Vikings at Barry Field means that Lincoln will be on the road for the quarterfinals.
The game completely turned in the Lions’ favor during the second quarter after the opening 15 minutes ended with the two teams tied at 7-7. Lincoln found the end zone on all four of its offensive possessions in the quarter and was aided by two Coventry turnovers.
Up 28-7, Lincoln got a chance to extend its lead after junior Lyric Logan notched a fumble recovery with 47 seconds left before halftime. It took the Lions only one play to flip the field as Dusty broke free for a 47-yard gain down to the Coventry 10-yard line. After losing five yards on first down and forced to burn yet another timeout, Lincoln on second down put the ball in the hands of senior quarterback Randall Hien, who rolled right and made eye contact with John Jaramillo as the junior rolled across the middle.
The cutback by Jaramillo resulted in a 15-yard touchdown that resulted in Lincoln taking a commanding 35-7 lead into halftime.
After Coventry turned the ball over on downs at 8:01 of the third quarter, Lincoln marched 58 yards before Hien ran a toss sweep from one yard out to make it 41-7 heading into the fourth quarter. Hien passed for 113 yards and two scores. Jaramillo was his primary target with six receptions for 94 yards, while junior Nick Toro caught a 10yard touchdown pass and also hauled in a two-point try.
Jaramillo ran for 71 yards on eight carries while senior Andrew King rushed for 51 yards on 10 carries. Defensively, Lincoln senior Aiden Murtha recorded an interception in the second quarter that helped set up Jaramillo’s seven-yard rushing score that made it 21-7.
“It was about tonight, but it definitely makes tomorrow a little easier,” said Cavanaugh when asked about getting returning to the winner’s circle.
For Coventry, which dropped its fifth straight to drop to 1-6 in league play, junior quarterback Will Turner passed for two scores with both going to sophomore Alexander Santilli.
“It was tough to stop the run. They’ve got a lot of playmakers and that’s why they’re a playoff football team,” said Coventry head coach Stanley Dunbar, a former St. Raphael star. “Defensively, they did a good job of bringing the pressure, but missing tackles and turnovers, that was the difference in the game.”
Coventry 7— 0 – 0 –7 --- 14
Lincoln 7 – 28 – 6 – 7 --- 48
L – Tyler Dusty 2- yard run ( Erick Solorzano kick)
C – Alexander Santilli 26- yard pass from Will Turner ( Kamron O’Brien kick) L – Nick Toro 10- yard pass from Randall Hien (kick failed)
L – John Jaramillo 7- yard run (Toro from Hien)
L – Dusty 15- yard run ( Solorzano kick)
L – Jaramillo 15- yard pass from Hien ( Solorzano kick)
L – Hien 1- yard run (pass failed)
L – Andrew King 4- yard run ( Solorzano kick)
C– Santilli 20- yard pass from Turner (O’Brien kick).