Lincoln Has No Clue, Falls to Point Loma

In the unexpected wreckage of a 14-0 nonleague loss to Point Loma High Saturday afternoon, Lincoln football coach Vic Player could barely manage to scratch his head, let alone smile.

In 20 years, Player said, he had never seen anything quite like it. As he looked out on the field, it seemed he could still picture the remains of one of the county’s proudest football programs strewn all over.

At one end of the stadium, three Lincoln High quarterbacks walked off, their heads down. Between them, they had completed three passes. Lincoln’s offense, almost always potent (34-point average last season), had managed only four first downs, one in the second half.

There had been seven turnovers, five in the second half during a span of nine offensive plays. There had been fumbled snaps and blown coverages. There had been poor punts and plenty of penalties.

So Player, who normally smiles a lot and whose coaching record of 96-26-2 has placed Lincoln consistently among the county’s elite, scratched his head and spoke softly.

“This isn’t a young team,” he said. “I don’t understand it. This is the worst game I’ve ever seen a Lincoln team play. I’m extremely concerned.”

As usual, each new season bring surprises. And one this year may be that Lincoln High, after years of domination, is just one of the guys.

Hornet quarterback David Drake completed 2 of his first 3 passes for 21 yards, then missed on his last nine attempts, unless you count the two he threw to Point Loma’s Marcel Brown. After Drake, Bobby Smith entered, fumbled a snap on his first series and threw an interception on his second. Ronnie Jones completed an eight-yard pass to Dwayne McAfee in the final minute to give Lincoln 29 passing yards for the game. That was it.

“I thought I had a quarterback, but I guess I don’t,” Player said.

Lincoln does have a runner in halfback Orlonzo Edwards, who rushed 13 times for 111 yards. Edwards broke free on a 48-yard run on the second play of the game, giving Lincoln a first-and-goal at the three. But Charles Brown fumbled on the next play, and Point Loma recovered.

Point Loma, meanwhile, appeared to be a mere shadow of last season’s 3-A championship team. But the Pointers (1-1) do have Brown back--he made all-county safety as a junior last season--and his interceptions led to both Point Loma touchdowns.