Vote now for best high school mascot in America, Round 2: Lincoln Railsplitters vs. Punahou Buff 'n Blue
The bracket is live for SBLive Sports' NCAA Tournament-style contest to determine the best high school mascot in America, and Round 2 is underway.
Vote below for the No. 4-seeded Lincoln Railsplitters (Illinois) or the No. 12-seeded Punahou Buff 'n Blue (Hawaii) to advance to the Sweet 16. The Railsplitters beat the Roscoe Plowboys (Texas) and the Buff 'n Blue topped the Jordan Beetdiggers (Utah) in Round 1.
The Railsplitters earned a 4 seed by getting 1,842 votes in our fall contests (including the championship round), while Punahou earned a 12 seed with 32 votes.
Follow along: National Mascot Tournament 2023 Bracket
Voting for this matchup will conclude Thursday, May 11, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.
Editor's note: In the event of a tie, the team with the better seed will prevail based on the results of our fall mascot contest.
4. Lincoln Railsplitters (Illinois)
Not as popular as the nickname “Honest Abe,” but Abraham Lincoln started being called “the Railsplitter” in 1860 to boost his image as a backwoodsman candidate. After all, he had split rails in his youth. Enough said.
12. Punahou Buff 'n Blue (Hawaii)
Punahou doesn’t have a physical mascot, but its teams are named for the buff-colored sand and blue-colored sea of Waikiki Beach.
