Preview: Lincoln Trojans vs. Choctawhatchee Indians
Two dominant backs in Jashawn Washington and Cole Tabb are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Lincoln Trojans will be playing at home against the Choctawhatchee Indians at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Lincoln walked away with it. They took their match at home on Friday with ease, bagging a 49-0 victory over Matanzas. Given Lincoln's advantage in MaxPreps' Florida football rankings (they are ranked 35th, while Matanzas is ranked 191st), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Lincoln relied on the efforts of Christian "deuce" Lawrence, who rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown on only 12 carries, and Washington, who gained 155 total yards and three touchdowns. Washington was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 51 yards. The team also got some help courtesy of Christian Sims, who threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Choctawhatchee had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 31.6 points), and they went ahead and made it six on Friday. Everything went their way against Columbia as Choctawhatchee made off with a 37-14 win. The score at the end of the third wound up being the final score as Choctawhatchee just coasted through the last quarter.
It was another big night for Tabb, who rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 7.4 yards per carry. Tabb has been hot recently, having posted 100 or more rushing yards the last three times he's played. Isaiah Johnson was another key contributor, picking up 79 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Lincoln has yet to lose a game at home this season, leaving them with a 9-2 record. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 37.3 points per game. As for Choctawhatchee, their victory bumped their record up to 9-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground as these two are both standouts in the run game. Lincoln has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 211.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Choctawhatchee struggles in that department as they've been averaging 185.2 per game. It's looking like Friday's match might have some serious battles in the trenches. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Lincoln beat Choctawhatchee 31-21 when the teams last played back in October of 2021. Does Lincoln have another victory up their sleeve, or will Choctawhatchee turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
