Zebras' seniors shine in rout of Rio Linda

Senior Night is always a special occasion for any high school student-athlete. But it is to be especially cherished this season. In the midst of an ongoing battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, 15 Lincoln High School senior football players were fortunate enough to soak in what they thought they might never experience. Recognized with family members spread out every 5 yards on the field, Lincoln's seniors relished in the moment. "It was pretty emotional just watching this group of kids," Lincoln coach Chris Bean said on Saturday afternoon. "They've all grown up and, in many ways, become my adopted sons, whether they wanted to be or not." One non-adopted son of Bean's had an efficient performance for the Fighting Zebras. Senior kicker Preston Bean, who also is a starting defensive back, was a perfect 6-of-6 on point-after attempts as Lincoln cruised to a 48-0 win over Rio Linda. "Preston, I couldn't be prouder of him, especially with everything he's gone through," Chris Bean said. "What a blessing and a gift to A – get three games in so far, and B – to have them all at home and to have Senior Night when so many things have been changed and canceled." Lincoln's seniors made the most of their night. JT Willis spread three touchdown passes to TJ Wright, Tyler Giles and Kyle Remigio while Ethan Rappa added a 17-yard run to give Lincoln a 28-0 halftime lead. Fellow seniors Kayle Avecilla and Logan Faddis joined sophomore Ryan Henning with second-half rushing scores. "I had a goal of getting certain guys a touchdown," Chris Bean said. "That was probably the most stressful part." Lincoln's remaining seniors included linemen Simeon Ruiz, Ryan Knafla, AJ Eskridge and Nathan Pellegrino; linebacker Zack Faria; running back Brennen Burlew and defensive back Tyler Adams. Lincoln moves to 3-0 for the first time since 2009. The 137 points through the first three games are the most scored by a Fighting Zebras varsity team since 2013. "For the first time in seven years, we have this perfect storm of coaching and players," Bean said. "For the first time in seven years, we understand who we are as coaches and as a program, and it's showing with our record."