LINCOLN DISTRICT CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN





Derrington Abnar receives the Rivalry MVP Award for his game versus Ocala Forest

 

Myles Gaines makes a spectacular
grab against a Forest defender

Every now and then, there is a weekend in the season that is considered "Upset Weekend". This weekend had that feel. An undefeated team lost to a two-loss team on Thursday night, some top teams lost to the underdogs or came very close to losing around the state. So when on the first possession of the game, Ocala Forest drove the football down field on four plays and scored on the Lincoln Trojans, I understood the sentiments of the Homecoming crowd on hand on this slightly chilled night. I didn't take long at all for Ocala to move the ball on the Trojan "D". A keeper by Sophomore QB Jake Roddenberry, followed by another run, a long toss down the sideline, and then a quick run up the middle by Roddenberry gave Forest a 7-0 lead. The Trojans would quickly respond with a drive of their own, capped off by a 29 yard touchdown pass from Ronald Butler to Raphael Andrades. In the 2nd quarter Derrington Abnar would rip off a 79 yard TD run, and  the Trojans would add a pair of field goals to pull ahead 20-7 by half. In the second half, Lincoln would come out with renewed focus. Lincoln would put up 21 unanswered points, including a spectacular touchdown grab by Myles Gaines. Ocala was held to little or no gains until the latter part of the third when Forest would score on Lincoln's second team defense. Ocala added another score in the fourth to make the final 41-21. Abnar rushed for 159 yards on 13 carries and 2 TDs, Butler was 18 for 28, 281 yards and 2 TDs, while Andrades had 4 receptions, 94 yards, and a TD. With his performance Abnar earned game MVP honors. Mark Herndon had 143 yards and a TD for Ocala.