The Lincoln football team has, for the most part, dominated Metro league play. They were undefeated, 3-0, in league play going into the game against West Seattle.

It was Friday, September 30th. The Lynx took the field in front of a crowd of hundreds of West Seattle students in flannel  and cowboy hats for Wild West night. Lincoln hadn’t faced much adversity up to this point, as no one in their division hasproven to be much of a match in the past two years. After the first drive, it looked like it would be more of the same. The Lynx cruised down the field and scored a touchdown with a pass from senior Billy Versaw to senior Jonah Hulvershorn. The drive took no more than five minutes, and the Lincoln offense was flying. “It may be a long night for West Seattle!” Lincoln broadcaster Jack Seifert announced.

The next two drives knocked the wind out of Lincoln. The tides turned as West Seattle’s offense moved at will, and the defense of the Wildcats stood strong. This was one of the first times this year that Lincoln has looked the weaker team. The student section of West Seattle was loud and rowdy, and the Lynx were going to have to answer fast if they were going to at all. With 3 minutes left in the second quarter, Versaw, who just threw an interception on the previous drive, huddled the offense around the 27-yard line. Billy has many weapons on offense, but most notable is fellow senior Marshall Longtin. They were quiet on the night so far, but everyone who has seen Lincoln play this season knows the danger of the Billy-Marshall connection. The offense worked their way to the 50-yard line, with about a minute and 22 seconds left before halftime. Versaw dropped back, looked right, looked left, reared back and threw a dart right into Marshall’s hands at the 10-yard

line. Marshall caught it, stepped out of one tackle, and waltzed into the end zone. Classic. The West Seattle student section fell silent. The Lynx took the lead and never gave it back. When the Lynx needed it most, the senior connection stepped up. Friends off the field, partners in crime on the gridiron, the Versaw-Longtin ride winds down for the last few times in their high school careers. This play was the epitome of their connection, and there are sure to be more signature moments in the closing weeks. If the Lynx are looking to compete come playoff time, all the seniors will need to continue to play their heart out, and carry the team to the heights they know they can reach.