San Diego high school football witnessed an intense matchup Friday night as Lincoln High School faced off against Newbury Park in the CIF State Division 1-AA SoCal regional bowl game. With a trip to the CIF State championship game on the line, the atmosphere was electric from the moment the teams stepped onto the field.
In an attempt to gain an early psychological edge, Lincoln took an unusual approach by running over to Newbury Park’s sideline before the kickoff. This moment quickly turned into a heated exchange that nearly escalated into a fight. Newbury Park’s coach, Joe Smigiel, was captured on camera passionately communicating with Lincoln players and coaches while officials scrambled to separate the two teams. According to the broadcast team, the pre-game antics resulted in three penalty flags being issued to Lincoln even before the game officially started.
Heading into the matchup, Newbury Park boasted an impressive 14-0 record after clinching the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship with a close 31-28 victory over Murrieta Valley. Meanwhile, Lincoln entered the game with a solid 10-2 record after securing the CIF San Diego Section Open Division title.
The stakes were high, as the winner would earn a spot in the CIF State Division 1-AA final against the victor of the NorCal regional game between Folsom and Pittsburg. As both teams aimed to advance to the next step, the Friday night clash promised to be a pivotal game in their respective seasons.
As the clock ticked down to kickoff, excitement filled the air, and fans eagerly anticipated what would unfold on the field.
