3 months ago
SLIDESHOW: See images from the Fighting Zebras' comeback season
LINCOLN, CA - It's one of the biggest turnarounds in the area's prep football scene in the past several years.
Last season, the Lincoln High Fighting Zebras could only muster one victory. Now, just one year later, the Zebras under head coach Ken Lowe are charging into the Sac-Joaquin Division IV playoffs as the No. 1 seed with a perfect 10-0 record.
"This year, we finally put it all together -- and the kids have really worked for it," Lowe said.
Before the season, not many local football pundits would have pegged Lincoln as the Pioneer Valley League champions, who clinching home field advantage for the first two rounds of playoffs.
"That is just a milestone that we haven't been able to accomplish in a long time here at Lincoln High School," Lowe said.
Lowe says that his 2008 squad had some talented players on its roster, but that injuries and a new offensive game strategy played a role in their inability to win.
"My coaching style hasn't changed...the kids just went above and beyond to unite and work hard during the offseason," Lowe said.
The irony isn't lost on Lowe, who said he experienced the lowest point in his coaching career followed by his greatest achievements ever -- all in back-to-back seasons.
No one saw it coming.
News10's Brandon Atchison followed the 2009 Fighting Zebras this season and brings you inside this quintessential "Cinderella" story -- right here in the Sacramento Valley.
by Brandon Atchison, batchison@news10.net
News10/KXTV
