The scoreboard reads 1:00 and the crowd is ecstatic. The phrase “I believe that we just won” resonates in the stadium as the players fight out the last seconds of the season. Cheers from enthusiastic fans get louder and louder. Soon, a Lincoln defender clears the ball past the opposition and the Flock’s screaming doubles in stature.

The clock now reads 0:10. Players gather and race around the stadium before they are greeted by their own fans hurdling the bleachers to storm them on the field. It was this type of excitement that will make head coach Pablo Dipascuale smile when he looks back on his 2015 boys soccer season.

   On Nov. 14, boys soccer became the first team in Lincoln history to win a 6A state title. The cardinals won 2-0 comfortably, never letting West Salem gain an edge on them.

The first goal was scored by junior Carson Graham who, in the third minute of the game, curved his corner kick into the goal in fantastic fashion. He said he didn’t plan for it but was still excited to see his team go one goal up so quickly.

Senior Ben Hardy delivered the second blow with a header that redirected the ball into goal in the second half, putting his team up by two.

After the clock ran out, players rushed towards the fans and jumped into the bleachers to hug their friends and Lincoln supporters who then stormed the field in celebration.

“We initially had ‘winning state’ as a goal and the feeling of reaching a goal you thought was unattainable is an amazing feeling.”