By Evan MacDonald
In the end, there were no surprises. Goliath had David’s number on Saturday afternoon in Coney Island, as undefeated Abraham Lincoln rolled to a 38-14 win over Sheepshead Bay yesterday in the first round of the PSAL playoffs.
With the drama virtually settled after the opening period, the emotions on each side of the stands were polar opposites. For Lincoln, it was the celebration of impending victory. For Sheepshead, it was the painful wait for the inevitable, the toll of the final bell.
“This is going to be an easy, easy smack-down,” said one thirty-something Lincoln man wearing a wool cap and hooded sweatshirt.
Sheepshead fans sat glumly dejected on the other side of the stands, but they had a different view of how the events on the field were unfolding.
“Call the game both ways, ref,” yelled one fan dressed in a bright-orange jersey and black hooded sweatshirt.
Meanwhile, some of the younger fans began to divert their attention to more exciting matters once the game was out of reach.
“I looked down, and when I looked, I saw 20 dollars,” one delighted and curly-haired boy whispered to his friend.
The conversation caught the attention of a JV player in front of them who turned around and asked what the boy had whispered.
“We found a—“ the boy started, before realizing that he didn’t want to disclose his treasure. “No, we’re not telling you.”
A few hundred fans were on hand to witness the game. Some of the older spectators who filled the back row were disappointed that a school with about 2,500 students couldn’t fill the seats for a playoff game.
“It’s a shame. There’s no school spirit today,” said one middle-aged man wearing a Lincoln sweatshirt. “Where are the kids? Probably at home scratching their heads.”
Things got testy in the final period with Lincoln holding a comfortable lead. The JV team from Sheepshead Bay exchanged words with the Lincoln JV squad as they walked by.
But the police officers on site to supervise the game quickly stepped in and had the Sheepshead contingent head back to its own side of the stands. The tension was dissipated before it had a chance to escalate.
Eventually the final gun sounded and the players shook hands on the field. Fans from each side slowly filed out. No more words were exchanged.
But spirits on the two sides of the stands were quite different. One middle-aged Sheepshead fan wearing a Sharks jersey sighed as she rose. She picked up her seat cushion and dusted it off for the last time this season.
But Lincoln fans will see another day. The Railsplitters moved on to the PSAL quarterfinals next Saturday against defending champion Clinton. Lincoln fans started singing the chorus to “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” and waved a taunting goodbye.
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