Railer football play by Jenness,
Durbin featured in IHSA’s Friday Night 5
[September 25, 2026]
Lincoln, Ill. -- Every cloud has a silver lining, so the phrase
goes. And while the LCHS football program suffered a 56-6 loss to
perennial state powerhouse Rochester last Friday, the program did
get a “silver lining” of some social media recognition by the
Illinois High School Association.
The IHSA puts together a weekly feature called Friday Night 5,
showing the Top 5 Illinois high school football highlights that have
been submitted from across Illinois. The play from the Lincoln game
against Rochester that resulted in the Railers’ touchdown was chosen
as No. 2 for Week 5 of the season.
“The crowd on that play was probably the coolest part,” said Railer
head coach Aaron Fricke. “We had some kids I think that followed all
the way down the sideline and we got a flag for it, but I was like,
‘That's the best flag.’ I'll take it every single time; that was
very exciting.”
The play took place in the second quarter of the contest. With the
Railers on defense, Rochester threw a short pass out in the flat.
Lincoln defender Griffin Jenness made a big tackle on the receiver
who caught the ball, jarring the ball loose. Railer teammate Seth
Durbin snatched it from midair and returned the ball 50 yards to the
end zone for Lincoln’s lone touchdown in the game.
“Griffin made an outstanding stick and read the play,” Fricke said.
“And Seth…talk about being in the right place at the right time.”
The play developed after Jenness recognized the path of the receiver
and quickly weighed his options before delivering the big hit.
“I remembered every time I missed a tackle and I put everything I
had into it,” Jenness said. “The guy cut in so my responsibility is
to come into the flat and take him. The idea is that if you're fast
enough, you can either jump it or you can make the tackle, and I was
there to make the tackle.”
Once the 6-foot-1 junior Janness made the tackle on the Rochester
receiver, senior teammate Durbin was in the right place at the right
time to snare the loose ball from midair.
“I can't take credit for it fully,” Durbin said. “It was great hit;
he hasn't hit anything like the whole game and then he goes and does
that for us. My eyes got wide open right as soon as I saw the ball
perfectly in my hands.”
[to top of second column] |
Fricke said that being featured in the video was
well-deserved by both players. He added that a key play such as this
one might spark more good things from Railers such as Jenness, who
is listed on the roster as a 6-foot-1 wide receiver as well as
defensive back.
“He's talented and he's very smart, and we've been trying to tell
him, ‘You're capable of this,’” Fricke said of Jenness. “So when
they finally get that moment where the lightbulb goes off like, ‘I
can do this,’ I think he's going to do some really good things for
the rest of the season.”
Durbin, a 5-foot-10 defensive back/wide receiver for the Railers,
has been a workhorse in all facets of the game for Lincoln this
season. The interception return against Rochester is believed to be
the first defensive touchdown of his high school career.
“I know he scored in a lot of different ways over
the years,” Fricke said of Durbin. “I wish I had a red shirt that I
could use on him because he just makes plays everywhere--offense,
defense, special teams. He's probably one of the best weapons that
we've got, so I’m very proud of him.”
The Friday Night 5 is compiled by each week by Tre’Sean Hall,
director of social media for the IHSA. Click here to view the fully
Week 5 video of Top 5 plays and honorable mention selections.
The Railers look to snap their four-game losing skid Friday as
Lincoln travels to Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State
University to take on University High School in a 7 PM game.
Railer
football play by Jenness, Durbin featured in IHSA’s Friday Night 5 -
video
[Loyd Kirby] |
