LINCOLN -- Reed Mendoza became only the second head football coach in school history to win a playoff game with the Wolves knocking off Atkins, 37-14, on Friday.
The game story played out similar to Lincoln's first playoff win in 2013 by a 27-13 margin over perennial playoff power Nashville. Few except the Wolves, their coaches and loyal fans anticipated a Lincoln win.
Skeptics looked at variables such as Lincoln not making the playoffs last season and starting anew with Mendoza taking over the program following an 0-10 season as Dover head coach in 2019, but those factors didn't outweigh an intense desire from both Mendoza and the student-athletes competing on the field to make a playoff run.
"We do not put too much stock in the outside noise," Mendoza said. "Throughout the week we emphasized to the boys the days of Lincoln just making the playoffs are over. We're not just satisfied with that."
Observers from a distance didn't get an intimate insight into what Lincoln's football program is capable of, yet, Mendoza and the Wolves knew their potential. This has been their goal all along even if nobody outside of Lincoln cared to listen. That didn't matter. What mattered was they showed up on the field and executed.
Atkins found out the quality of opponent they were facing right off the bat.
Lincoln took the opening kickoff and drove 69 yards in 11 plays dominating at the line of scrimmage. The Wolves ran the ball 10 times culminated by Levi Wright's quarterback keeper 3-yard touchdown run. He ran in a 2-point conversion giving Lincoln early momentum with an 8-0 lead with 6:49 left in the first quarter.
Wright recovered his own onside kick and Lincoln's second possession turned out equally well for the Wolves and their playoff hungry fans. Matthew Sheridan, who had 34 yards rushing on the first series, ripped off a 14-yard gain and Daytin Davis lined up in the backfield, taking a handoff, and racing 32 yards for a touchdown. Wright again ran in the 2-point conversion and bam just like that Lincoln led 16-0 before Atkins ever touched the football.
"All week we prepared for a couple of different defensive looks we expected," Mendoza said. "They gave us one look we prepared for and our boys were confident. We were 100 percent on our assignments the first two drives. We didn't miss any assignments. You do your homework and you execute on the field and you're going to be successful."
Early in the second quarter, Wright kicked a beauty with his 47-yard punt downed by the coverage team at the Atkins' 5-yard-line. However, Atkins scored on freak play with Kreed Stubbs breaking a tackle and going 95 yards for a touchdown on a pass from Zach Berkemeyer.
Mendoza and the Wolves refused to let that get them down.
"We tell the guys there's going to be missed tackles, but if we have 11 guys relentlessly pursuing the ball most of the time that's not going to turn into a touchdown," Mendoza said. "It might turn into a first down, but if we play hard and get to the ball it won't turn into a touchdown."
Lincoln batted down a pass and Atkins' 2-point conversion attempt failed leaving the Wolves with a 16-6 advantage at the 10:54 mark of the second.
The Wolves didn't answer on their next series turning the ball over on downs, but the Lincoln defense played top-notch. Atkins went back to the same play but this time Stubbs was nailed by Weston Massey and limited to an 11-yard gain on third-and-13. Atkins punted and Lincoln set up shop at the Red Devil 45.
This time the Wolves started out through the air with Wright completing passes to Rafael Regalado and Kyler Calvin, the second of which went for 41 yards. Wright lowered his shoulder and powered past two attempted tackles to get into the end zone on second-and-goal from the two. He then caught a 2-point conversion pass on a trick play after handing off to Tyler Brewer and the Wolves led 24-6.
The margin stood at halftime and Lincoln's defense shut out Atkins in the third. The Red Devils threatened once, but senior linebacker Audie Ramsey stopped a run for 3 yards, then intercepted a pass to end the drive.
Lincoln launched a 4-play, 58-yard drive late in the third and scored on the first play of the fourth with Sheridan running the ball in from 3 yards out. A key play on the drive was Wright's 34-yard pass to Calvin. A 2-point conversion failed, but the Wolves stretched their lead to 30-6 with 11:54 to play.
Lincoln's onside kick was recovered by Atkins, but the Wolves' defense forced a three-and-out after giving up one first down. Brodey Bowen and Wright broke up passes.
On offense the Wolves forged another 58-yard march to paydirt using a combination of runs and passes. Wright capped the foray with an 18-yard touchdown scramble. Massey booted the P.A.T. and the Wolves were in front, 37-6, with 7:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Penalties on the ensuing kickoff postured Atkins for a 49-yard drive. Wyatt Coffman scored for the Red Devils on an 8-yard run. Michael Dunagan caught a pass from Berkemeyer for a 2-point conversion. Lincoln played a host of reserves letting a lot of kids see playoff action in the fourth and went on to post a 37-14 win.
The victory advances Lincoln to a second-round playoff game at McGehee this week.
"McGehee is a good football team. They will be the most athletic team we've seen this year," Mendoza said. "I don't think they've seen anybody like us. We have a game plan and we feel confident we can execute it."
Kickoff is 7 p.m. at McGehee, a 300-mile, 4.5 hour drive from Lincoln and the Wolves are ready for one more round. As Dick Vitale would say, "It's playoff time, baby." No one need tell the Wolves that twice.
Lincoln 37, Atkins 14
Lincoln^16^8^0^13--^37
Atkins^0^6^0^8--^14
First Quarter
Lincoln-- Levi Wright 2-yard run (Levi Wright run), 6:49
Lincoln-- Daytin Davis 32-yard run (Levi Wright run), 5:05
Second Quarter
Atkins -- Kreed Stubbs 95-yard pass from Zach Berkemeyer (pass failed), 10:54
Lincoln-- Levi Wright 2-yard run (Levi Wright pass from Tyler Brewer), 3:09
Fourth Quarter
Lincoln -- Matthew Sheridan 2-yard run (pass failed), 11:54
Lincoln-- Levi Wright 18-yard run (Weston Massey kick), 7:56
Atkins -- Wyatt Coffman 8-yard run (Michael Dunagan pass from Zach Berkemeyer), 5:54
TEAM STATISTICS
Lincoln^Atkins
Total plays^69^53
First downs^25^13
Total offense^411^287
Rushes-yards^50-268^21-131
Passing yards^170^156
Rush average^5.3^6.2
Comp-Att-Yds^TD^Int^11-21-143-0-0^12-27-156-1-1
Punts-Avg.^4-41.5^5-32.0
Fumbles lost^0^0
Turnovers^0^1
Penalties-Yds^11-122^2-15
Third-down conversion^2-12^3-11
Fourth-down conversion^2-4^1-4
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING -- Lincoln, Matthew Sheridan 20-122, Levi Wright 15-79, Daytin Davis 10-64, Weston Massey 3-9, Tristan Gilbreath 2-(-6), . Totals 49-236. Atkins, Donovan Nooner 10-84, Landon Phillips 7-25, Wyatt Coffman 3-22, Kreed Stubbs 1-0. Totals 21-131.
PASSING -- Lincoln, Levi Wright 11-20-143-0-0, Drew Moore 0-1-0-0-0. Atkins, Zach Berkemeyer 12-27-156-1-1.
RECEIVING -- Lincoln, Kyler Calvin 2-73, Tyler Brewer 3-38, Daytin Davis 3-27, Weston Massey 1-7, Rafael Regalado 1-0, Matthew Sheridan 1-(-2). Totals 11-143. Atkins, Kreed Stubbs 3-117, Michael Dunagan 4-32, Beau Cody 1-6, Donovan Nooner 2-1, Wyatt Coffman 1-(-1). Totals 12-156.