It was one of the biggest wins in school history.
And it happened two weeks after their season ended.
The Abraham Lincoln High School football team has had quite the months of highs, lows and everything in between.
It started after the Railsplitters defeated Northeast on the field Oct. 4. While leaving the field, a couple of Lincoln football players got into a skirmish with fans who attended the game. The Northeast football team was not involved in the incident.
After the game, the School District of Philadelphia decided to end Lincoln’s season because of the incident.
A little over a week later, after the Lincoln football community contacted the district to plead their case, as well as show some different videos of the events, the district decided to give the Railsplitters a second chance.
They gave them a chance, but not a very good one.
Due to the fight after the Northeast game, Lincoln was forced to forfeit the game they had won on the field, and its scheduled game against West Philadelphia. The Railsplittlers found out on Wednesday night, three days before the game, that they would have one more game and if they won, they’d go to the playoffs. Seems easy, right?
Only problem was their game was against Imhoetp Charter, a team that hadn’t lost a Public League game since 2018 when Northeast defeated the Panthers.
Imhotep came into the game 29-0 in its last 29 Public League games. Now, they’re 29-1.
“My reaction was everyone was very emotional, we were so happy to have a second chance,” said quarterback Kareem Moore, who threw for a score and ran for another in Lincoln’s 26-25 win over Imhotep. “We worked really hard all summer, all season to get where we were and it was taken away. We just wanted to control what we can control and we did that. I’m very proud.”
The Railsplittlers were playing without a dozen guys who missed the game for getting involved in the pull apart. They were there for their teammates, and their teammates did whatever they could to make sure those players lived to see another game.
Thanks to the win over Imhotep, the Railsplittlers are alive and headed to the playoffs.
“We got everyone back for next week,” said safety Jamir Duncan, who is bound for Delaware State. “The guys who didn’t play, they were helping the backups, making sure we were in the right spots, communicating. The players that didn’t play kept the energy up.”
The players were excited.
So were the coaches.
Head coach Hakeem Cooper and longtime assistant coach Joe DiGrazio take football seriously. But both former Lincoln football players also take the actions of their team very seriously.
They understood the suspension and accountability, but were happy when they learned the kids who weren’t involved had a chance to finish what they started.
“Gosh, I was the one who had to tell them the season ended and to come back a week later and let them know, good news, we back!” Cooper said. “But we only got today and tomorrow to get ready for Imhotep and we’re going to missing about nine players.
“They just wanted to play. We wanted a chance. It starts from the top, our school, they all had our backs. And the district made a decision. When we told them, they were ready.”
“As coaches, we lost sleep. We had knots in our stomach” DiGrazio said. “I’d see a player in a hallway, and they were defeated. When we had to break the news to them that it was over, our principal and assistant principal were there. Seeing the kids break down and cry and how emotional it is. It was such a dark day and dark time.”
That’s exactly why the win was such a huge accomplishment.
“This was the biggest win in my high school player and coaching career,” DiGrazio said. “So for me, that’s four years playing, 16 coaching, it’s our biggest win, I think it was because when we got reinstated, we were given a death sentence. We had to forfeit two wins, we had 12 guys suspended and the season depended on beating Imhotep. Never in my career have our players more locked in than these guys were. It was an unreal performance.
“Our guys were so locked in and ready, there was nobody that was beating us. These kids were so hungry, it’s like a second chance on life. They took advantage of it, so many kids went both ways and they really left everything they had on the field. I’ve never been more proud. They deserve every good thing that happened to them.”
The players feel the same way.
But as happy as they were to have a second chance at playing the game they love for the school they love to represent, they credit team unity, sticking together and support from coaches and families for making it possible.
“I mean it means a lot that everyone was there for us, but nothing I was surprised at,” Duncan said. “We’re family oriented, everyone rides for each other. We weren’t going out without a fight. Our season was over, we weren’t going out like that, that’s how we felt. Now? I mean it felt great knowing our season isn’t over. Now we got to really step it up and turn it up more. I think we play Central first round of the playoffs. We know we can play with anyone.”
“Everyone went to the school district, everyone that wanted to play came down and fought for our season,” Moore said. “We tried to get an answer from the school district. Everyone kept their hopes up. Nobody gave up. It felt really good getting back.
“And it was everyone. Other guys played great, they stepped up and played very well. The coaches and players motivated them all day to keep the head up. Move on, one play at a time. It made me very proud. I knew what they could do, but that game showed me how tough they are in tight places. Now we know we can do anything.”
