Johnie Logue
Sports Reporter
Every four years it would seem that Lincoln High School has an exceptional class of athletic freshmen. There are exceptions but 14-year old kids normally cannot compete on the same level as 17-18-year old young men. However, Class 1 schools, more or less, have to play their freshmen in order to put their best teams on the field.
Lincoln has an odd case this season as they only have one junior for varsity football and basketball in Xavier Smith.
When asked what he needed, Cardinals coach Brad Drehle simply replied, "Juniors."
However, they have an exceptional class of freshmen in Riley Sanders, Dawson Parrott, Ben Eckhoff and Anthony Srader to name just a few. Sanders could even be their starting quarterback if senior Connor Lynde is unable to start the season per doctor's orders due to recovering from surgery over the summer. Kyle Eckhoff will probably play some behind the center, but he is also their best receiver. He has been injured the last two seasons against
Windsor and has sat out most of their games. A healthy Lynde and a healthy Eckhoff could produce a season to be remembered for their success on the football field.
Lynde played on their second back-to-back runner-up state championship team in his freshman year and caught a late touchdown pass in the 30-27 loss.
Getting back to Sanders, he tore things up at the Branson camp a week ago with his passing attack. If he doesn't happen to start at some point throughout the upcoming season, he is the heir apparent to the starting job.
Parrott grew a foot or so over the summer and the speedster will play somewhere if not just on special teams.
Ben Eckhoff will probably find a place on the line off the bench. Srader, called "Bug" by his friends, could win a spot in the secondary.
Get used to these names. Barring injury, they will occupy the local sports pages over the next four years.
Next season, they will be thrown into the fire, as they say, but this time around will be a learning experience and much of the pressure will be on the senior class.
Lincoln feels their line will be strong and that means running back Ross Johnson could have a big year.
The beautiful new field deserves a top quality team and Coach Drehle and the Lincoln boys are ready for the challenge.
