Lincoln beats Cathedral Catholic 39-14, extends winning streak to 20 games: 4 takeaways

Lincoln beat Cathedral Catholic in consecutive matchups for the first time since 1989

MIRA MESA, CALIFORNIA– It took just over a quarter on Friday night for the Lincoln Hornets to take control. Leading 6-0 after one quarter, Lincoln scored three touchdowns in the final five minutes of the second quarter on their way to a 39-14 victory over Western League rival Cathedral Catholic.

• Watch: Akili Smith Jr.'s 99-yard touchdown pass
• Highlights from Friday's game

Below are four takeaways from Friday's game.

Lincoln defense sets the tone

The Lincoln defense had Cathedral Catholic senior quarterback Jack Stevens running for his life throughout the night. The Hornets seemingly pressured Stevens every time he dropped back and looked like they had 13 of 14 players on defense at times with how they brought defenders from every direction.

Cathedral's offense struggled to adjust in the early going, punting on five of their six first half possessions from their own territory. Their lone first half bright spot came when they blocked a Lincoln punt, putting them just outside the red zone.

The Dons were unable to capitalize, missing a 30-yard field goal. Two possessions later, Lincoln would make Cathedral Catholic pay. The Hornets were able to sack and force a fumble from Cathedral Catholic quarterback Jack Stevens. Senior Jamarion Herbert was quick to snatch the ball up at the 34-yard line and sprint into the end zone to double Lincoln's lead to 12-0.

Akili Smith Jr. and Drey Garner are a duo to watch

While Lincoln was in the midst of a 12-game winning streak that culminated in a CIF State title in 2022, Akili Smith Jr. (Vista Murrieta) and Drey Garner (University City) were both spending their sophomore seasons elsewhere.

Now teammates as juniors for the Hornets, Smith and Garner have quickly developed a strong rapport. Coming into Friday's game, Garner had caught 27 passes in seven games, averaging 20 yards per catch while finding the end zone five times. Smith surpassed the 1,500-yard mark through the air in last week's win over Madison and entered the showdown against Cathedral Catholic with 18 touchdown passes and four interceptions.

On their own one-yard line in the final minute of the second quarter on Friday, Smith scrambled to his right, avoiding the backline of the end zone and fired a pass to Garner down the right sideline. Garner reeled it in, broke a tackle, picked up a block and sprinted across the field for a 99-yard touchdown that extended Lincoln's lead to 26-0.

"(Akili) put it on my back shoulder and I just took it from there," Garner said after the game.

Smith has already announced his college commitment to Oregon while Garner remains undecided. Tennessee, Arkansas, Arizona, Oregon State and Texas were the schools he mentioned that are prioritizing him after the victory.

Garner had two catches for 106 yards and a touchdown in the dominant victory.

Lincoln controls the line of scrimmage

In the 10-year history of the San Diego Section Open Division playoffs, Cathedral Catholic has been a mainstay. The Dons have been dominant up front on both sides of the ball, leading to championships in 2016, 2018 and 2021.

Lincoln, mainly known for standout skill players in recent seasons, appear to have made a jump in the trenches. The Hornets controlled the Cathedral Catholic wing-t attack, not allowing the Dons to score until their eighth possession of Friday's game while constantly blowing up plays.

On offense, Lincoln had little trouble being able to move the ball. Junior Aden Jackson led the ground attack that has had four players score multiple rushing touchdowns on the season. Akili Smith Jr. completed six of eight pass attempts  for 181 yards and a touchdown while Jackson carried 12 times for 108 yards and three touchdowns.

The streak lives on

Lincoln's win on Friday night was their 20th straight, dating back to week three of the 2022 season. It is currently the longest active streak in California among 11-man football teams. The Hornets are tied with Helix (2000-01) for the eighth longest winning streak in San Diego Section history.

The 39 points the Hornets scored against Cathedral Catholic marked their highest total against the Dons since their 41-37 victory during the 1996 regular season matchup.

The Hornets had not taken consecutive games from the Dons since shutting them out in back-to-back outings in 1980 and 1989.

-- Bodie De Silva | bodie@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveca