FOOTBALL: Links Use 2nd Quarter Momentum To Cool Off Rockets
LINCOLN–(KLMS Oct. 1)–The Lincoln High football team found a way to capitalize on their 80-year rival Lincoln Northeast on Friday night at Seacrest Field, through a mix of passing and running the ball.
The Links capitalized on the edges by some quick pass plays, but a big 53-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jareece Lott-Buzby to Javon Leuty in the second quarter turned the tide for Lincoln High to earn a 24-6 victory over the Rockets, in a game heard on ESPN Lincoln.
Leuty’s touchdown reception game with 10:16 left in the first half to give the Links a 7-6 advantage. Defensively, Lincoln High forced Northeast to settle for 3-and-outs and eventually drove down to the Rockets’ 9-yard line, where Lott-Buzby threw a quick scoring toss to Beni Ngoyi with 7:06 remaining before the break to extend the lead to 14-6.
Ronan Parks then nailed a 34-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half that increased Lincoln High’s lead over Northeast to 17-6.
The Links (3-3) marched down field on the opening drive of the third quarter, only to stall in Northeast’s red zone, when a 20-yard field goal from Parks was blocked. On their first possession of the half, the Rockets tried to grind out a drive that later stalled on fourth down at the Lincoln High 8-yard line. From there, the Links had full control of the clock and momentum heading into the fourth quarter.
Lincoln High utilized Lott-Buzby on a series of quarterback keeper plays midway through the fourth quarter, which helped advance the football deep into Northeast territory. Lott-Buzby capped off the drive with a 9-yard scoring run with 5:12 to play to seal the win for the Links.
Northeast (2-4) had their only touchdown of the game come off their second overall drive, when running back Laurent Gozo sprinted out on a 40-yard run to the Lincoln High 1-yard line. Gozo carried into the end zone on the next play and the point after attempt was blocked for a 6-0 Rocket lead with 4:07 in the first quarter.
