Lincoln wins 18th in row in series
Mosqueda’s TD run in third period, stifling defense beat Bulldogs
SAN JOSE — Lincoln stretched its Big Bone-game winning streak over San Jose to 18 on Thursday. But just as last year’s matchup was tense from start to finish, so, too, was this one.
Esteban Mosqueda scored on a 24-yard run late in the third quarter and contributed to a spirited goalline stand midway through the fourth as Lincoln won the annual Thanksgiving game 7-0 at San Jose City College.
Under second-year coach David Ashkinaz, San Jose has tightened the scores in this long-running series between San Jose’s oldest public high schools.
But the Bulldogs still have not beaten Lincoln since 1997.
“A lot of us growing up, we came to these games as kids,” said lineman Juan De La Cruz, a Lincoln senior. “It was a dream come true to play in these games. It means everything to us, man. CCS, you guys can have it. We’ll take Big Bone any day of the week.”
San Jose (3-7) controlled the ball for much of the first half, driving inside the Lincoln 20 on one possession and inside the 25 on another.
But whereas last year’s game — won by Lincoln 29-28 in overtime — was a good day for the offenses, the defenses dictated play Thursday.
Every time San Jose threatened to score, Lincoln’s defense dug in and made stops.
On the flip side, San Jose took away Lincoln’s ground game, with the exception of Mosqueda’s decisive run.
Lincoln coach Kevin Col- lins, whose team completed a 9-1 season that had already included a Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division championship, said he knew it would not be easy.
“He does a good job,” Collins said, referring to Ashkinaz. “He put his time in preparing for us. We prepared for them, too. They were just two very evenly matched teams.”
Lincoln moved inside the San Jose 20 on its first series, but a couple of dropped passes prevented the Lions from reaching the end zone.
After that, Lincoln had little success until it drove 72 yards for the game’s only points.
A 14-yard pass from Robert Zamora to Aldin Besirevic put Lincoln near midfield and a 17-yard pass from Zamora to Besirevic gave Lincoln a first down at the San Jose 38.
Three plays later, the line opened a hole on the right side, and Mosqueda sped through it on his way to the end zone from 24 yards out.
“It’s the same play we ran against Westmont when we were down,” Collins said. “A little dive. The guard and the tackle did a nice job. Juan De La Cruz and Ray Mendoza did a nice pull block on that, and we were able to get him through the end zone. It was very nice.”
San Jose stopped Lincoln’s fake-punt attempt a few minutes later and took over on the Lincoln 49. The Bulldogs responded to the break with one of their best possessions of the game, giving themselves four shots to score after Charlie Garcia’s 7-yard run gave them a first-and-goal at the 10.
But Lincoln’s defense tightened yet again and celebrated after a fourth-down pass was stopped 5 yards from the goal line.
“The defense came up big all day,” Collins said. “We bend but don’t break.”
Ashkinaz commended his players for how far they have come since he took over the program.
“My first year, during the summer, it was just 25 kids and it’s 100 degrees out there,” he said. “We can’t run a play. We can’t get lined up and run ‘I’ toss. To be here, against a quality team like they are and to be in a big game like this and to give my kids this experience, I am so proud of them.
“I just can’t wait to get back at it. After last year, I think I took two days off and was back at it. But I want my kids to be like that.”