By Chris Parker

Fall 2017 Preview: Lincoln Football

Last year was a long-time coming in Lincoln, as a strong senior class led the Cardinals to the brink of a state championship game appearance. The Cardinals fell 34-28 to Monroe City in the state semifinals to finish 13-1 overall.

“Our 2017 seniors were a great group of football players and great kids in general. They led our school to great success not only in football, but in basketball, baseball, and golf as well,” new Lincoln head coach Adam Curtis said. “Their success created an enthusiasm about sports in our town that we hadn’t had in a long time. It was an honor to coach those guys and watch them grow, because they had played significant varsity minutes since they were freshmen. “

Four all-state and eight all-district players graduated from that team along with head coach Danny Morrison moving to Warsaw to become an assistant principal and defensive coordinator.

Even with all of those losses, do not expect Lincoln to take a step back in 2017.

Starting with the coaching staff, Curtis is new to the head coaching duties but he has been the offensive coordinator for the Cardinals for the last five seasons. He is also an alumnus of Lincoln. Jamie Henderson remains on as defensive coordinator. It is a position he has held since the program’s inception eight years ago.

The next reason to be optimistic about the Cardinals’ prospects in 2017 is a quartet of seniors.

“Our team strengths will be our four seniors that started every game for the last two years and all have received all-conference and all-district recognition,” Curtis said. “Their abilities as leaders will help us as much as their skills on the field.”

It starts with Derek Stephens.

Stephens rushed for 1,400 yards and 27 touchdowns last year as a junior. He already holds the Lincoln record for both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a season, but brings even more to the team than what the numbers show.

“What won’t be seen in Derek’s stats is how much of a leader he is for our team. He has been a starter since his freshman year and has the experience and toughness the younger guys respect,” Curtis said.

Stephens will move back to middle linebacker on defense where he was all-conference as a sophomore. Last year he played outside linebacker.

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Dominic Simmons will join Stephens in the backfield to give the Cardinals a potent rushing attack. Simmons had 900 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground last season despite missing two games due to injury.

Simmons stands at just 5’5”, but he is a state power lifting champion and provides the Cardinals with speed in the backfield. Defensively, Simmons was all-conference at linebacker, but has played every position on defense from nose tackle to corner.

Clayton Kriessler and Caleb Smith are two more all-district players that will be two-way forces for the Cardinals.

They will be tasked with giving Stephens and Simmons running room as they lead the offensive line.

“Clayton and Caleb have played beside each other on our offensive line their sophomore and junior years and we don’t plan to change that for their senior year,” Curtis said. “They have a great relationship and work together very well as you would expect and we will be counting on them to provide Dom and Derek with holes to run through this year.”

On defense, Kriessler will play linebacker where he was all-district last season.

“Last year when the year started we had him playing defensive line and when we needed to move Derek to outside linebacker we decided to try Clayton in the middle and within a couple plays we decided we would never move him,” Curtis said. “He is tough like a middle linebacker needs to be and does a great job of filling gaps. Clayton is also the leader of our defense; his toughness and how much he likes to talk make him a great leader.”

Smith was all-district at defensive end last season and will return there this year. He has led the Cardinals in both sacks and quarterback hurries.

Tanner Bays, Hayden Beaman, Parker Engles and Nathan Jobe will combine with Kriessler and Smith on the offensive line.

Boone Kroenke was one of the key losses for Lincoln at quarterback, and filling his shoes will be Jackson Beaman. Any pressure he may feel in replacing Kroenke can be alleviated a bit with a strong running game.

Gage Kahler, Bo Kroenke and Nate Hesse will lead the receiving corps with Joe Bittner, Sam Doop and Evan Schwedler also contributing in the passing game.

Defensively, Smith will be joined on the line by Bays, Engles, Hayden Beaman and Dustin Roark.

The secondary will be anchored by Kroenke and Landon Bond at corner with Hesse, Bittner and Doop seeing time at safety.

All of this has Lincoln looking not to step back, but step forward one more round into a state title game.

“Our expectations are no different this year at Lincoln than they were last year. We expect to win every game,” Curtis said. “We are aware that those aren’t easy expectations to meet we have a tough schedule with some very good opponents that will make it tough on us, hopefully we will be prepared for the challenges.”

Lincoln opens the season at home against Rich Hill.