In an era of point-aminute offenses in high school football, Tallahassee Lincoln proves defense remains a good way to win games.
The Trojans (4-0) delivered another installment of that Friday night against Ware County in Memorial Stadium, blanking the Gators 10-0 to spoil Homecoming.
Miss Charlacia Jones was crowned Homecoming Queen at halftime with Miss Addison Hewett and Miss India Brinson chosen first and second runnersup, respectively.
The loss, the second straight and third in four games against ranked foes, dropped Ware County to 2-3 and out of the Top 10 after 68 consecutive appearances. The Gators open Region 1AAAA play this week at home against thirdranked Benedictine (2-2).
It’s the first time the Gators have been under .500 since a 1-2 start in 2019 in head coach Jason Strickland’s first season. It’s the first time Ware County has reached the midway point of the season below .500 since 2017 when Ware County began 1-4 under Franklin Stephens.
It’s also the first time the Gators have been shut out since falling 35-0 to Warner Robins in the second round of the 2018 playoffs — a streak of 64 games. Ware County had scored in 124 of its last 125 games since the start of the 2014 campaign.
Lincoln, ranked sixth in Florida Class 5A, won its fourth straight game to open the season, the last two by shutouts. The Trojans allowed only a touchdown each to their first two opponents.
Lincoln limited the Gators to just 90 total yards. The Trojans recorded 14 negative plays and allowed Ware County only seven first downs, all coming in the second half.
In the Gators’ defense, they were shorthanded along the line with center Landon Smallwood out after suffering a knee injury earlier in the week. Two players who were starters elsewhere on the line rotated at the key spot.
“That may be the best front we’ll see (this season),” said Strickland. “You worry about protection calls and everyone being on the same page when you have to shuffle people around, but they played their guts out against maybe the best defense we’ve seen this year.”
The Gators defense was nearly equal to that of their visitors despite allowing 229 yards. Lincoln was forced to punt nine times — two more than Ware — and had the same number of first downs. The Trojans hurt themselves with 14 penalties for 105 yards.
“It was the first time in several weeks we had all our defensive starters out there,” Strickland said. “When we get them all on the grass together, it’s a pretty salty bunch. They just played so many snaps tonight.”
The difference was quarterback Christian Sims, whose ability to extend plays and scramble from the pocket was the offensive key for Lincoln. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior ran 13 times for 60 yards and the game’s only touchdown on a 17-yard scramble with just 26.9 seconds left in the first half.
Sims also had runs of 19, 11 and 20 yards after eluding the Gators rush. He was sacked three times for 15 yards in losses.
“The thing we were really so concerned about with their (Trojans) offense was him going and making pays off schedule,” Strickland said of Sims. “He’s probably the most dynamic guy at quarterback we’ve seen this year. It makes you nauseous watching him running around and making play.”
Kicker Thomas Arnold added Lincoln’s other points on a PAT and a 46yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to seal the issue.
It wasn’t, however, as if the Gators weren’t without chances. They took possession near midfield or in Trojans’ territory four times. Two ended with interceptions and another on a fumble.
The Gators’ best chance for points came in the third quarter when they were stopped by the second interception of quarterback Luke Hooks on second down at the Lincoln 13. Later in the quarter, Hooks was sacked and fumbled in Lincoln territory.
The senior quarterback left the game late in the fourth quarter after being knocked down against a blitz on a fourth-and-10 incomplete pass from the Trojans’ 30.
After punting on its first three possessions, the Gators threatened late in the first quarter, taking over at the Lincoln 33 after forcing a punt. However, on a third-and-8 play at the 31, cornerback Caden Erving jumped an out route to intercept the pass intended for MiKhi Patterson.
Lincoln’s best drive of the game culminated in Sims’ touchdown. Taking over at their 32 with 1:52 left in the first half following a 48-yard punt from William Bates, the Trojans covered the distance in eight plays.
Sims got the drive going with a 19-yard scramble followed by three pass completions for 14 yards. Facing a third-and-7 at the 35, Ware County was hit with a questionable pass interference penalty on a pass near the goal line that appeared uncatchable.
“We didn’t think that was interference,” Strickland said. “That call definitely helped them.”
Sims converted the infraction into points when he eluded the initial rush on a third-and-6 play and outran those in the secondary to the left pylon for the score.
“He was trying to throw and when he took off, our cornerback was caught in ‘no man’s land.’ He (corner back) had a guy in the end zone he was trying to play underneath and then he has the quarterback running at him.
“Our defensive plan was to pressure him (Sims) into the boundary, and for the most part we made that work, but he got free a couple of times and it hurt.”
The Gators began their best possession of the night at their 27 midway through the third quarter and moved to a first down at the Lincoln 13 with the help of a couple Trojans’ penalties and their longest yardage play of the night. That came on a 26-yard pass from Hooks to Jasper Bolds against a blitz that led to a first down at the 25.
A pass interference penalty on third down gave the Gators a first down at the 13. However, two plays later, middle linebacker Kaleb Hunter stayed home against a middle screen attempt intercepting a pass intended for running back Jamir Boyd to kill the threat.
Arnold made it a two score game with his field goal with 9:26 left in the game.
“I’m proud of the effort,” Strickland said. “I know they’re tired of hearing talk about coming up short at the end of the football game.”
Ware County quarterback Luke Hooks (12) was under constant pressure all night and eventually suffered a shoulder injury during fourth quarter action.
Photo By BO CARTER
