1926 - First official varsity football victory, a 12-0 defeat of city opponent North; Stanley Woodard scored the initial Lincoln touchdown. Team finishes 1-3 in the city, 1-6 overall under the direction of Fred “Red” Lingenfelter.
1929 - Captain Charles Fisher is Lincoln’s first all-city first team selection, at halfback; Fisher scores four touchdowns and scores 30 points in a 54-0 victory over Colfax. Both were early Lincoln school records. Fisher also leads the city in scoring and is named Honorable Mention All-State by the Des Moines Sunday Register. The school district acquires land that would become Lincoln and Hutchens Stadium from Annie Elder for $2,700 dollars on January 28, but would not host a football game for several years.
1933 - At 4-4, the Railsplitters have the best record in school history, but are winless in city series contests; victories are over Newton, Perry, Winterset, and Knoxville.
1937 - The Railsplitters win their first conference or league title of any kind in their initial season in the South Central Conference with a record of 1-0-2 and a co-championship with Indianola. Lincoln defeats Pella, 18-0, tying Winterset (0-0), and Indianola (6-6), but fails to score a point in three city series losses to Roosevelt (33-0), North (20-0), and East (18-0).
Oct.1, 1938 - For the first time in school history the Railsplitters host a game at Lincoln Field, tying South Central opponent Pella, 0-0. Prior to the game on their home field, the Railsplitters play “home” games at Drake Stadium, East Field, or Western League Stadium, located at 6th and Holcomb, now the present day North High School location.
1939 - Lincoln defeats Roosevelt (7-6) for the first time in school history and its first city series victory since 1926 –a span of 38 games – and finish the season 5-1-2 overall, and 3-0-1 in South Central competition.
1940 - Dick Thomas, junior, is Lincoln’s first all-state performer being placed on the 5th team at tackle for the 2-4-2 Railsplitters.
1942 - After 17 years the Railsplitters win their first ever city crown in football, co-champions with Roosevelt. They are also the first (and presently only) Lincoln squad to finish the season undefeated at 7-0-2. The Railsplitters tie the Roughriders, 6-6, and trip up North and East by identical 7-6 scores. The defeat of East is the first in school history.. Coach Russell Ruff, in his only season as head mentor, is named Iowa High School Football Coach of the Year, the first ever in Iowa history. Three Railsplitters are named to the all-city first team: Bill Flaherty (center), Bill O’Keefe (guard), and Dick Reynolds (halfback) who wins the city scoring title with 49 points. Flaherty (2nd team) and O’Keefe (5th team) are named all-state.
1943 - Bob Allsup sets a Lincoln record which still stands, when he races 88-yards with a punt against Albia in an otherwise uneventful season for the 1-7 Railsplitters who are decimated by roster exodus due to WWII. Allsup scores six of the Maroon and Gold 10 touchdowns.
1946 - In the first night game played at Lincoln Field, 3,200 witness the Railsplitters whip Indianola, 25-14, in a season opening contest. Lincoln goes undefeated in the South Central Conference (4-0-1) in Coach Emil Klumpar’s only season as head coach, but fails to win a city contest.
1947 - Lincoln defeats Tech (12-0) for its first city victory since 1942 and finishes 4-3-1 overall. The Railsplitters win their 50th game in school history, with a 14-6 defeat of Indianola in a season-finale contest.
1948 - Lincoln (6-1-1) has its best season since 1942 finishing second in the city series (3-1) and the schools’ first outright title of any kind when they win the South Central (4-0-1) championship. The three city victories are most in school history, and the Railsplitters defeat East (7-6) in front of 11,000 fans at Drake Stadium for only its second victory over the Scarlets, but drop a hard-fought (31-20) decision to Roosevelt. Francis Riggle, tackle, is first team all-city and 5th team all-state. Dean Trent sets a Lincoln record of 11 touchdowns in a season and 18 in his three-year career.
1950 - Charles Formaro sets a record that still stands to this day when he races 100-yards with an interception on the final play of a 21-0 victory over Nevada. The diminutive back scores all three of touchdowns for the Railsplitters against the Cubs.
1951 - The Railsplitters shine again (5-2-1) finishing second in the city series and the South Central Conference. Lincoln finishes 2-1-1 in the city, losing to East, 14-0 and tying North, 6-6. An 18-7 victory over Roosevelt highlights a season that sees Lincoln finish 4-1 in South Central. Bill Lapham (center), Terry Shuck (guard) and Chuck Fomaro (quarterback) are named first team all-city; Lapham (1st team) and Shuck (6th) are named all-state. Lapham is Lincoln’s initial first team selection. The North contest, played at Lincoln Field, had 5,800 in attendance, the biggest number to witness a game at Lincoln Stadium up to that point. Formaro sets a school record with 12 touchdowns on the season and finishes his career with 21 six-pointers, also a school record.
1952 - Lincoln (and Tech) finish their last season in the South Central Conference as both schools cannot play enough opponents in the 11-team conference to satisfy scheduling. The Railsplitters finish its 16-year run in the South Central with a 42-19-10 record, a conference co-championship (1937) and one outright title (1948).
1953 - The Railsplitters finish 5-3 on the season, its best record for the next nine season, and are 2-2 in the city series. Bruce Gardner ends his seven-season career at Lincoln with an overall record of 28-23-5, a 19-8-2 record in the South Central Iowa Conference and a city series record of 10-15-3.
1962 - Lincoln shares the city co-championship for the first time since 1942 – 21 years- as they tie with Roosevelt with a 2-1-0 record, defeating East (14-0), Roosevelt (24-0), and North (26-0) before being tripped up by Tech (19-6) in the season finale. The Railsplitters finish the season 6-1-1 and ranked eighth in the state. Senior Jim Duede and juniors Chuck Roland and Bill McCutchen are named first team all-city with Roland being named second-team all-state quarterback in both the Des Moines Register and Iowa Daily Press Association all-state squads. Roland ranks in the Top 10 in the state completing 61 of 120 passes for 810 yards and 5 touchdowns, and in total offense with 1,065 yards on 173 plays as well as picking off six passes - a school record. McCutchen catches 22 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns.
1963 - The Railsplitters 100th school victory is a 13-6 opening game defeat of Marshalltown. The Railsplitters, who finish the season ranked third in the state polls, are city co-champions for the second consecutive year, tied with East this season. The Scarlets defeated Lincoln 20-19 in the second week of the season, from that point the Railsplitters go 6-0 and outscore their opponents 178-0 with six shutouts. Chuck Roland is named consensus (Des Moines Register & Iowa Newspaper Association) first team all-city at quarterback, as well as All-American and is regarded as the best player in the state. Roland throws for a then school record eight touchdowns, amasses 1,000 yards of total offense and sets the school record for interceptions in a career, defensively, with 11. Bill McCutchen is placed on the fifth team all-state at halfback, and finishes his career as the top receiver in school history. Tackle Ken McNally joins Roland and McCutchen on the first team all-city squad.
1965 - The Railsplitters shock No. 6 East in week two and move to a 3-2-1 record behind the running and passing of Jim Ogden and receiving of Tom Umphress, both all-state performers. Consecutive losses to North (20-6) and Tech (14-13) knock the Railsplitters from the top of the city lead as they finish third. Ogden combines for 1,055 yards of total offense – including 325 yards against Dowling – and Umphress sets season and career receiving records for the Railsplitters.
Sept. 9, 1966 - Lincoln Field is renamed Hutchens Stadium for the opening game of the 1966 season, as the Railsplitters upset over state-ranked Marshalltown, 26-6. Steve Young, a transfer from Roosevelt, completes 8 of 15 passes for 118 yards, throwing a touchdown pass and running for another.
1967 - Lincoln unleashes a passing attack behind the throwing of second-team all-state Doug Parsons, who completes 62 of 112 passing for 1,076 yards and 11 touchdowns. Parsons sets single season records of passing yards, touchdowns thrown and total offense yardage (1,288) as the Railsplitters tie East, 7-7 and upset No. 6 Roosevelt 27-19. A late season, 20-19 loss to North costs the Railsplitters the city title. Mike Winfrey is on the receiving end of 45 Parsons’ passes for 725 yards and seven touchdowns – all single-season records at the time.
1971 - Phil Hayman finishes his illustrious career with 3,417 yards rushing, 46 touchdowns and 300 career points. The Blue Chip All-American is the first player in Iowa High School history to rush for 1,000 in three consecutive years. He also becomes the first (and so far only) Railsplitter to be named first team all-conference three times. In 1971 Phil rushes for 1,306 yards on 181 carries, scores 18 touchdowns and scores 120 points and is named second-team all-state.
1974 - The Railsplitters begin the season ranked No. 10 in class 4A, but quickly fall out after a 7-6 loss to Marshalltown in the season opener, and finish 5-4 on the season. Rick Parsons scores twice as the Railsplitters win their 150th contest in school history over Roosevelt, 26-20. Parsons finishes his career as the schools’ all-time leader with 1,738 yards passing and 15 touchdown passes.
1975 - Over 10,000 fans crowd into Hutchens Stadium to watch the undefeated and tenth-ranked Railsplitters battle No.1-ranked Dowling for Metro supremacy; the Maroons came out on top, 34-0. Two weeks later, a 21-8 loss to Valley halt Lincoln’s playoff bid to finish 6-2 overall, and 5-2 in the conference. Chuck Agan is named Elite All-State (all classes) at center by the Des Moines Register. Cecil Rhoads is named Metro Conference Coach of the Year.
1976 - The Railsplitters begin the season ranked 10th in Class 4A on the strength of 11 returning starters and upset No.7 Marshalltown 7-6 in the season opener; a string of four wins find them at No.7 when they face fifth-ranked Dowling but fall 24-6. A 33-28 victory over Ankeny in the final week of the season qualifies Lincoln for the state playoffs as they end the regular season ranked eighth. The Railsplitters fall to top-ranked Sioux City Heelan 36-20 in the first round after being tied 14-14 at halftime. Bob Umdenstock is named Elite All-State at defensive back by the Des Moines Register, and becomes one of just three players to be named First Team All-Metro at two positions as he is named at running back as well as defensive back.
1977 - Lincoln starts the season 0-3, losing by a combined nine points, but recover to hammer East, 30-14, on homecoming. Tim Houge sets a school record (which still stands) when he carries the ball 41 times for 146 yards against the Scarlets. The following week, the Railsplitters shut out Dowling, the first team to do so in Metro competition, and the first city school to beat the Maroons since 1965. Jack Rush, a three-year starter at offensive guard, is named second-team all-state by both the Des Moines Register and the Iowa Daily Press Association.
1985 - The Railsplitters win the programs 200th game with a 30-12 rain and mud soaked contest over North-Tech. A school record six players are named First Team All-Metro, led by Elite All-State Defensive End Mark Pippett. Jeff Ogden sets school records with pass attempts in a game (40), season (177) and career (299), completions in a game (21), season (75), yards in a game (279) and season (1,144) and named honorable mention all-state. An early season upset of No.2 Valley, 26-7, jumps the Railsplitters into the Top Ten, at No.6; a late season loss against Roosevelt, 10-8, in a driving rainstorm, and to No. 9 Dowling, 26-24, knock the Railsplitters out of conference title and playoff contention and finish 7-2. Cecil Rhoads is named Metro Conference Coach of the Year and announces his retirement prior to the season finale against Newton, a 21-17 victory over the Cardinals. Rhoads finishes his Lincoln career at 55-52, with a Metro co-championship (1978), one playoff appearance (1976) and two Metro Coach of the Year honors (1975 & 1985) and finishes with a Metro record of 47-36, the third best record in the conference behind Dowling and Valley, and the best of the city schools in that time frame.
1988 - Lincoln finishes the season at 5-4 and misses out on the playoffs with three late season losses from the hands of fifth-ranked Dowling (38-31), East (21-7), and No. 1-ranked Newton (47-22). Tim Miller is named district coach of the year. Jamey DeAngelo finishes his fine career as the schools all-time leading passer. John Kline is selected to the Elite All-State squad by the Des Moines Register, and first-team 4A by the Iowa Newspaper Association at offensive tackle. DeAngelo is placed on the Class 4A, second-team all-state squad as a defensive back by the Des Moines Register.
1989 - The Railsplitters once again finish 5-4, falling to Valley (32-15), and Newton (34-8) to once again knock them out of playoff contention. They do upset No.7 East, 27-20, in Week Seven behind the strong play of linebacker Joe Bianchi and two-way performer Mike Patterson. Jon Graham is picked to the Elite All-State team by the Des Moines Register as a Punter after averaging; Patterson is selected to the 4A first team by the Des Moines Register and Bianchi is tabbed to the 4A second team by the Des Moines Register.
1990 - Lincoln goes 6-3, its best record since 1985 and once again just miss the playoffs in a week nine loss to Valley. The three-losses come to the hands of ranked-teams Newton (49-21), Dowling (49-0) and Valley. Dion Manuel is named second-team linebacker on the Des Moines Register’s all-state list. Junior Chad Ross is named to the third-team as an offensive lineman.
1991 - The Railsplitters join the Central Iowa Metro Conference (CIML) a combination of the Des Moines Metro and Central Iowa Conferences as well as Mason City, Fort Dodge and Marshalltown from the Big Eight conference.
1996 - Lincoln wins its 250th game in school history win an exciting 33-32 victory over city rival East as Adam Judge rushes for 200 yards and four touchdowns in the win.