Sports

By Malo Colin 

In the highly anticipated annual Bell Game matchup, Lincoln High School's football team emerged victorious in a resounding win against their rivals, Washington High School, on Saturday, November 4, 2023. The final score, a lopsided 50-6, was a testament to Lincoln's outstanding performance on the field.
In the first quarter, Lincoln came out strong, making a bold statement with a score of 28-0. Their offense, led by senior running back Jamelle Newman, executed several incredible plays that set the tone for the game.
Washington managed to get on the scoreboard in the second quarter with a touchdown, ending the quarter 41-6. Washington, having a 3-4 league record, is ranked 4th in the SFUSD Academic League—this places them right in the middle of the standings. Despite Washington's efforts, Lincoln maintained their lead and continued to apply pressure with their impressive defense.

In the third quarter, Lincoln expanded their lead, tacking on another seven points, while Washington was held scoreless. The game was firmly under Lincoln's control as they showcased their skill and determination.

Lincoln continued to dominate, holding Washington scoreless in the final quarter, and adding two more points to their lead. The final blowout score of 50-6 was a reflection of Lincoln's incredible effort throughout the game.

Several standout players contributed to Lincoln's remarkable victory. Two exceptional defenders showed their persistence during the game, never letting their guard down by overconfidence. Isaiah De La Rosa (senior) and Diego Cristerna (senior) both made a significant impact on the defensive end with five solo tackles each. Their ability to stop Washington’s attacks played a vital role in securing the victory for Lincoln. Together, they formed a formidable defensive duo that stifled Washington’s offense.

However, the exceptional performance from Lincoln’s running back emerged as the driving force behind the victory. Newman had a stellar game, accumulating an impressive 173 rushing yards and scoring four rushing touchdowns. 

Lincoln High School's football team's outstanding game on November 4th showcased their unity, resilience, and undeniable skill. With the conclusion of the Bell, Lincoln’s record became 6-0, then led by another victory against Balboa on November 23rd, further advancing Lincoln’s record to 7-0. With this record, Lincoln’s football team stands at the top of the rankings within SFUSD. It is possible that Lincoln will continue to dominate the league. Their next game is on December 2nd, against Strathmore High School, a team third in the rankings of the East Sequoia league.

By Daisy Vasquez-Aguilar

          Lincoln’s wrestling team’s head coach is Micheal Frias. This year will be his second year taking over Lincoln’s wrestling program as head coach. According to the official wrestling page, Frias has taken over the wrestling program after the previous head coach Vittorio Anastasio was diagnosed with Acute Leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer. This switch of staff created new issues in the previous season. 

           Frias states, “I had to go through the process of being cleared by the Athletic Department. It took longer than expected to start my team later than other schools.” 

Wrestling training usually takes place in mid-October. Last season Lincoln’s team didn’t start until early December. There were about three total meets last season for Lincoln’s team. One was at Pinole Valley High School, where a tournament occurred between many different schools and clubs. 

          Lincoln’s team got second place in the tournament. Many complications were made with other schools, which led to few matches for our school. Despite this, Lincoln had six finalists in All City. According to the head coach and Angel Luna, a returning wrestler, the previous season went well despite complications. Luna states, “We had 12 wrestlers and we had a lot of fun last season overall, it was good and we placed third in All City.” 

The wrestling team grew from the previous years, according to Luna, about seven to eight wrestlers. He believes the team with many new wrestlers was a fun experience. Frias asserted “My wrestlers wrestled their hardest and gave me their all and had fun and that is what is important to me.   

           Last year, two seniors won all city championships for the second time ever. They are not on the team anymore as they have graduated. Frias thinks that this won’t affect their team as it’s always time for the next generation of wrestlers to come. However, they will be missed by teammates and staff. Everyone has their skills and strengths and is ready for this new team. 

           Leading into the current season is easier than before. Frias expresses “The new season has been the first time in years we started on time which is a major gain.” However, he is having trouble with assistant coaches. Many aren’t available and it has been tough on Frias since the wrestling team expanded a lot this season. He says it is harder to have the attention of so many people in a small room and he can’t do as good of a job since there are many people to see and manage. With these difficulties, he is trying to find more assistant coaches to help him manage practices. 

           “So far into practice,  We will have a great year with our returning and new wrestlers.” Frias insists. 

He says that some of these new wrestlers have great talent and ensures they will be as ready as ever for the new season. The first meet for Lincoln’s Wrestling team is scheduled for December 13th here at Lincoln. Frias is excited about the four upcoming games this season... Frias says “ We can’t wait for the new season and show what we are capable of.”