TROJAN SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON **ERIC CHILDS**

Senior Linebacker Eric Childs

When it comes to consistency on the Lincoln Trojan football team, you do not need to look any further than Senior Linebacker/Running Back Eric Childs. I have followed this young man since his days at Swift Creek Middle School, and not much has changed. He makes plays, makes the tackle, sticks his nose in the middle of the opposing teams business. Maybe teams overlook him because of his stature, but at the end of the night you will find out that the one immeasurable that he does have is a huge heart. A fearless competitor, the leader on the defense, there is a reason why EC has been called "My Favorite Linebacker" for years and years.

Senior Linebacker - Eric Childs

This past summer, Childs made his rounds at several camps. At Duke he opened the coaches eyes when he posted a 4.5 forty yards dash and for a moment the possibility of a low center of gravity RB came to mind. His 5'9" and 190 pounds frame really is the only thing stopping this kid from being a big time D-1 prospect. EC also traveled to the Citadel, and Wofford College. He was able to leave a big impression on the coaches there with his hard work and attention to detail. He has been in contact with the coaches there on a regular basis and hopes to secure a scholarship offer from them soon. Citadel Special Teams Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Aashon Larkin has been in regular contact with Childs since leaving the camp. Childs receives letters every week from the Citadel and would like to continue playing football and attend college somewhere. Wofford College has been in contact as well. He receives mail from them and several other schools, but right now these two schools are in his top preferences for next year. Academically, EC is already qualified. He maintains a 3.5 gpa, and scored an 1180 on his SAT & a 19 on the ACT.

What Eric Childs lacks in stature he has doubles that in heart. His biggest game this season was against Florida High. He scored the touchdown to tie the game up at 21, and sealed the game when he made a HUGE tackle for loss on 4th and short for FL High to end the game with time running out. My all time favorite highlight for EC, however came last season against Rickards. As Rickards punted the ball away to us, Reggie Davis to the ball on the right side of the field, as he raced to the middle he saw that he had to bounce it outside. With defenders giving chase EC wiped out the last guy that had a chance at Davis. EC hit the kid so hard, his feet pointed skyward as he flew about 5 yards out of bounds. ERIC CHILDS IS A FOOTBALL PLAYER (PERIOD). Where ever he ends up, that school will be lucky to have him.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES (LINCOLN vs FL HIGH) - RECAP

Ronald Butler and Raphael Andrades hooked up regularly to pull
out a victory against Florida High Friday night at Lincoln Trojan Field.



Lincoln came into this game with every reason to play well. They had just lost their National Ranking after losing last week. They were playing for the first time in their brand new green Nike uniforms. They had just lost a Lincoln icon (Jimmy Everett), who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) in 2009, and had just passed away the night before. And they were playing on their own home High School field for the first time since 2002 which is surrounded by the Jimmy Everett Track. With motivation coming at them from every possible direction, the team still managed to come out flat. Passionless. Unfocused. Florida High on the other hand came in undefeated (2-0) and came to play as though they wanted to stay that way. After the ball exchanged hands a couple of times Florida High forced the first turnover of the game when Leitaras Stokes forced a fumble that was recovered by the Seminoles. With great field position FL High would punch it in to take an early 7-0 lead. A couple of exchanges later Florida High would punt the ball away to Lincoln, as the ball was being returned there was another fumble by Lincoln. The ball bounced perfectly in to hands of Austin Logan who returned the fumble for the second score of the game and a 14-0 lead. To say that the Lincoln crowd was stunned would be a terrible understatement. Lincoln finally answered the bell when Ronald Butler hooked up with Raphael Andrades on a short 5 yard pass. Andrades made one move, and raced the rest of the way for a 66 yard score to make it 14-7 with a little over a minute left in the half. The Seminoles would not go away easy. After a good return put them in great field position, FL High would connect on a strike from about 30 yards out to go into the lockerroom up 21-7.

The second half would prove to be more of what most people, except for Florida High, expected. Interestingly enough, according to the players the lockerroom at halftime was not full of yelling and screaming by Head Coach Yusuf Shakir. They said that he hardly said anything at all. The Senior leaders like Ronald Butler and Eric Childs spoke to the team, and they came out with a renewed sense of purpose. Lincoln then took the opening two drives down field for scores set up by the passing game tying up the score 21-21. The Seminoles would struggle on offense going 3 and out on several occassions in the second half, while Lincoln would convert on crucial third and sometimes fourth downs to keep drives alive. Lincoln even committed a Cardinal sin... on fourth down they lined up and made a field goal, however, a running into the kicker penalty would shorten the distance on the fourth down. The Trojans took points off of the board to go for it on fourth down, they converted and later punched it in. Later in the fourth, Lincoln running back DJ Abnar would almost seal the deal with his second score of the night, but the extra point was blocked leaving the door open for the Seminoles. Finally, trying to stay alive on 4th and 1 the Seminoles handed the ball off to their running back, but Eric Childs would get penetration and stop him dead in his tracks for a two yard loss to close the door on the Seminoles. Lincoln won the second half 20-0 and was led by Abnar finished who with 18 carries for 143 yards and 2 TDs, Butler 17-of-25 for 278 and 1 TD, Andrades 7 catches 194 yards and 1 TD, while FL High got 73 yards on 20 carries from Ke'Sean Lewis.

Valdosta Lincoln Recap

The game was billed as a big battle between two storied programs until the referees came in and stole the show. "Pass Interference" was the name of this movie. Reggie Davis streaking down the side line with tons of contact by the defender? Offensive Pass Intereference against Lincoln. A pass that may have been caught but as Taj Williams begins his leap he gets pushed out of bounds and away from making a play while the ball is in the air? No Pass Interference. A pass thrown into the end zone while their receiver is at the 12 yard line and as the Lincoln defender watches the ball sail out of reach he bumps the receiver in the back? You guessed it, Pass Interference! One other thing that was glaringly wrong was the ball spotting by one particular official on punts kicked out of bounds. The first occurence the head official had to make a 9 yard correction on this guy's call, but he can't watch everything. Later in the game a punt by Valdosta from deep in their territory bounces at the 42 yard line. The ball takes a backwards bounce towards the 46 yard line. That official marks the ball dead at the Lincoln 35 yard line. I'm not saying that Lincoln should of had the ball at the 46, but anywhere between 42 and 46 is clearly acceptable based on any judgment, but the 35?  I do not want to sound bitter about the officiating, but to put it mildly I would have to call it ATROCIOUS!

Now on to the game itself. This game was a defensive battle. Valdosta DE Michael Wakefield looked like a very underrated player. The kid is a beast. He must of had 5 sacks.... in the first half alone! Lincoln would also shut down Valdosta most of the first half. Big hits by James Hearns, and tackles in the trenches made by Eric Childs showed off the Line Backing corps. The Trojan front four were not taking it easy on the Wildcats either. Sacks, tackles for loss, no gain, one yard gain was definately on their menu for the evening. It was well into the first quarter (3:27 left), when Lincoln gave Valdosta a fraction of a second too long to complete a pass to a receiver about 15 yards down field who would then break a tackle pick up some blocks and set up the first score of the game. In the second half, the battle continued and Valdosta (penalty-aided) added a field goal to make it 10-0. With time running down, Lincoln would put up it's only points of the night when Ronald Butler hit Myron Mebane and he dove hitting the pylon for the score. The final onside kick was recovered by Valdosta who needed to run off the final :23 seconds to seal the victory. Valdosta is a solid team and deserves it's share of the credit. Lincoln made a few mistakes and just maybe a Home and Home series is better suited for this type of rivalry.

Lincoln Handles the Pressure




Andrades goes up for a pass that resulted in a
touchdown that was called back due to a holding
penalty. Andrades would score on the very next play.

 The Lincoln Trojans rode into Escambia County to face the Number #2 ranked team in Class 6A. The Pensacola Tigers were riding a 19 game regular season winning streak. The Trojans came is as defending State Champions and ranked as high as number #15 in the nation yet ranked number #6 in 7A. The stage was set, the pressure was on, but which team would prevail? The first quarter started as a defensive battle... lots of big hits, sacks, tackles for loss, even a few fumbles and Special Teams wasn't pretty either. As the "D" set the tone, it was Lincoln to strike blood first, when Eric Childs scampered in from 5 yards out to make the score 6-0 after the conversion failed. On the next drive Lincoln struck pay dirt again when Ronald Butler hit Raphael Andrades on a pass near the sideline and he raced the rest of the way for a 42 yd score... But wait! Flag on the field, a holding penalty against Lincoln would negate the score. On the very next play Andrades & Butler would hook up again for a 52 yd touchdown making it 13-0 Lincoln. Pensacola responded with key plays by Jalen Spencer. First a 38 yard run for a first down, and then on a 17 yard TD pass to Brock Jones. The teams went in to the locker room with the game still close 13-7.

In the second half it was all defense until late in the fourth when Lincoln was able to connect on some short passes and some short runs to set up the PSBlive play of the game, a 14 yard spectacular play from Butler to Andrades for the final score of the game.

Leaders: Passing - Butler 9-16-0-117 2 TD, Rushing - Abnar 24-78, Receiving - Andrades 4-80 2TD

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