On Aug. 29, 2025, Lincoln High School celebrated the opening of its new turf field with a ribbon-cutting before their home opener against Long Beach Poly. The ribbon was cut by Lincoln alumnus and Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Terrell Davis.
Davis reflected on the challenging journey faced by the 2024 Lincoln football team, which did not play any home games and practiced at four different sites because the previous field had deteriorated to the point where concrete was visible beneath rips in the turf. Despite these challenges, the team finished with a record of 12-2, winning both the San Diego Section Open Division title and the Division 1-AA state championship.
“I am floored by their success but not shocked,” said Davis. “That’s what a lot of us had to go through. I played on a raggedy, dirt field that was all beat up. My message to them is you take what is a perceived disadvantage and turn that into your advantage. (…) Look at my journey. This is where I grew up. This is my neighborhood. This is where I was manufactured, right on this soil.”
The home game marked Lincoln’s first on campus since 2023 and ended with a 36-20 victory over Poly.
Outside linebacker Prince Tavizon commented on returning to play at home: “Playing at home is just different than playing anywhere else (…) From the crowd, from the announcer, from everything. It’s an honor to play where all the greatest players, like Marcus Allen, came from. It’s just a legendary field.”
The game experienced delays as Long Beach Poly’s offensive players arrived late due to transportation issues; their bus suffered a flat tire during travel from Mission Viejo.
By halftime, Lincoln led Poly decisively and continued strong performances for its return home.
Lincoln High School has seen 25 alumni play in either the National Football League or American Football League according to profootballreference.com.
Assistant coach Jason Carter acknowledged last year’s team for enduring difficult circumstances: “That was a special group of kids (…) I don’t think they got acknowledged at all for what they did.”
Other game notes included opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Junior Curtis and local traditions shared among players prior to recent games.
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