SPORTS
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VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM PREPARES TO REPEAT THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
By: Onalisa Mitchell
Lincoln Mustangs face off against Cappuccino High School‘s Football Team
Photo By: Eduardo Garcia
The fog lays over the south side of the Lincoln High School campus while casting a shadow over the grass of the football field. Former Lincoln varsity football state champs are getting a head start to their upcoming fall season in hopes of claiming the title once more.
Phill Ferrigno, the head coach for the varsity team is dressed in his signature shorts and football t-shirt as he gazes on the field and yells commands to his team.
“He's a man with immense heart and grit,'' says senior Temani Morris when asked about his head coach,” He cares about his players on and off the field which makes us want to win for him.”
Morris describes this team as a passionate group that is willing to do what they need to do in order to win.
“I joined the football team because the love I have for his game is crazy and I thrive off the brotherhoods that are built with my teammates.”
Having such a cohesive team is key in any team sport, but with such pressure on your back, the team could face setbacks that could diverge them from their end goal.
“We didn't have many setbacks last season that could have cost us the undefeated and championship title; most of the time it’s team drama but having played with the same team for a bit now, I developed a trust on the field and I think everyone can say the same,” says Tyree Cross, another varsity Lincoln mustang.
As for next season, Cross talked a bit about wanting to improve discipline and execution as a team.
“I want us to run as a perfectly well-oiled machine, fixing our small mistakes will make the potential back-to-back win that much sweeter.”
The Mustangs became the first San Francisco team to go 12-0 last season. Their most memorable game last season was against Mission High school. The Mustangs crushed the Bears, ending the game with a score of 53-0 during the championship game on November 30th of 2018.
All former junior players have returned to the team and they will play this season with the former sophomores that are now juniors. Having had such a successful senior group, they are looking forward to seeing how the team dynamic will switch as the former juniors and sophomores will step up and fill the leadership roles. The mustangs also claimed the bell from the Bell Game versus Washington High School for the eighth straight win with a score of 50-0.
LINCOLN GIRLS TENNIS TEAM STRIVES TO SWEEP CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Yuqing Qiu
Girls tennis team huddle
Photo By: Ryan Tsai
After suffering a shattering defeat of 6-1 to Lowell High School in November 2018, Lincoln’s Girls Tennis team is coming back strong this year, prepared to fight for their school and snatch the championship.
Since the start of the season in September, Lincoln has come out victorious in every league match. They currently have a 4-match winning streak, with two more matches until Team Playoffs and the All City Tournament.
Members on the team have high hopes for this season. After crushing Balboa High School 7-0 and downing their longtime rival, Washington High School in early September with an impressive score of 6-1.
Jenna Chui, captain of the team, recalls, “A lot of times we’re scared of our opponents, but in my opinion I think a lot of us are just scared of ourselves not doing our best. So our nerves and the opponent team’s intimidation just gets the best out of us.”
She thinks the team has room for improvement, and can improve their skills and mentality.
Chloe Vuong, a three-year veteran and one of the team’s singles players, says, “It’s going well so far, and in my opinion, better than the previous seasons. We haven’t lost any of our league matches as a team.” She adds, “My goal this season is the help my team win the championships, and I’ll do that by putting maximum effort into practices and trying my best to benefit my team.”
Captains Jenna Chui and Samantha Fu
Photo By: Ryan Tsai
Even though the newer members to the team are as enthusiastic, if not more, than the veterans, they lack the experience that the veterans have. Chui tells them, “...Continue to practice and play tennis. Use these last few years to not only work hard for the future but to also have fun playing the game.”
Although tennis is overall a popular and well-understood sport in America, at Lincoln that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Vuong states, “A lot of people make the assumption that tennis is really easy, but in reality, it requires a lot of technique and hand-eye coordination. Every aspect of tennis involves different techniques, including footwork and how you control the racket.”
With two more team league matches in the season before team playoffs, the girls tennis team is doing everything in their ability to fight for Lincoln and regain the lost glory. Chui says, “This season is going pretty well for us. We have a strong team this year and we hope to bring it [championship] home.”
SPORTS ROUNDUP
Boys varsity Football: Head Coach Ferrigno lead the mustangs to a 50-0 victory against the Washington Eagles to claim the bell for the 8th straight year.
Weightlifting: Lincoln alum, Kuinini Manumua participates in her fifth Olympic Qualifier out of six. Five current Lincoln students (Julia Yun, Haley Trinh, Salome Manumua, Leina Hutcherson, Aishling McManomen) went to San Diego on October 12 to a Bronze level Olympic Qualifier which has been combined with a 15-under National Championships.
Winter sports that have just begun tryouts for the 2019-2020 season-
Girls JV Basketball
Girls Varsity Basketball
Boys Frosh/Soph Basketball
Boys Varsity Basketball
Girls Soccer
Boys Soccer
Wrestling
This page was last updated on October 31, 2019