TIVERTON — Visiting Lincoln staged a stunning second-half rally to defeat host Tiverton High School, 38-28, in a Division III football quarterfinal contest played Friday night, Nov. 11.

The Lions, the third seed from the III-A ranks after going 4-3 during the regular season, trailed the Tigers 22-6 at intermission before striking for 16 points in each of the third and fourth quarters to keep their season alive for another week.

Lincoln travels to Providence Friday, Nov. 18, to face III-A top seed and unbeaten co-op Sanchez/Wheeler/PCD in the semifinals at Conley Stadium. The Cavaliers won their first-ever playoff game, 15-0 over North Providence, in their quarter last week. The Cavs (8-0) edged the Lions, 14-13, in their regular season meeting on October 29.

For Tiverton, the second seed in III-B, the loss ended a six-game winning streak and the Tigers' league campaign comes to a close with a 6-2 record. Tiverton's only other previous D-III defeat was a 20-19 setback to unbeaten league champion Burrillville (7-0) in its regular season opener back in mid-September.

Tiverton, 7-2 overall, returns to the field one last time when the Tigers host Rogers in their annual Thanksgiving Day contest Thursday morning, Nov. 24, at 10:15 a.m.

Things looked great for the Tigers early last Friday evening. Tiverton struck for a pair of first quarter touchdowns, canceling out one for the Lions and added another in the second period to build the sizable 16-point spread at the break.

Tigers' quarterback Stephen Gacioch came up big for the locals throughout, as he offered up another great performance by contributing to each of the Tiverton scores while running for three touchdowns and passing for the other.

Gacioch, who rushed for over 180 yards on two dozen carries, got the locals on the board in the opening period with a pair of TD runs. He ripped off a 31-yard run on Tiverton's second offensive play of the game to give the Tigers the quick lead. He then added TDs runs of 27 and three yards and the conversion carries to help Tiverton to its half-time lead.

Gacioch was matched early and for the duration by his backfield counterpart, Lions' runner Cameron Hill, who ran 38 yards for Lincoln's opening score in the first period. Lincoln's senior tailback finished his stellar evening with over 250 yards rushing on a similar two-dozen carries.

Out of the break, Hill found and created gaps in the Tiverton defense. He took care of most of the work on Lincoln's first touchdown of the third quarter, racing 81 yards. As he would do three more times, running back Omar Merhi converted the two-point try to cut the Lions' deficit to 22-14.

A bit later, Hill once again broke off a run from distance, this time a 34-yarder, to bring Lincoln to within two. Merhi's second conversion leveled the score at 22 by the end of the period.

By contrast, while Lincoln seemingly capitalized on just about every possession in the second half, Tiverton's drives, a few of which reached deep into Lions' territory, came up empty. The most disappointing had an apparent Gacioch TD run erased due to a holding penalty. Lincoln's defense eventually fended off the march.

In the fourth, the Lions' momentum continued. Hill was once again integral on Lincoln's next scoring drive, finishing it off with a two-yard rush as the Lions took the lead, 30-22. Merhi tacked on the two then later punctuated Lincoln's rally with a short two-yard burst of his own. His final two-point conversion run put the Lions on top 38-22.

Tiverton's attempt at a response of its own raised some hope when Gacioch connected with Jackson Martins on a five-yard completion for touch with just over three minutes remaining. But the Tigers' attempt at two failed and an on-sides kick attempt didn't go their way, leaving the 10-point margin as the difference in the contest.