By Chris Parker

2019 Fall Preview: Lincoln Football

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By Chris Parker

Few area football teams have had a stronger run than the Lincoln football team over the past four seasons. The Cardinals are 48-5 over the past four years. The ascension culminated with an appearance in the Class 1 State Championship game last year. Lincoln fell 44-0 to Hayti in that game.

It is a loss that has driven Lincoln all off-season.

“I think it gave them a lot of motivation. They realized the shock and awe of playing at Farout (Field), playing a team they had never seen and seeing crowds that big. I feel like we went through a mode where we were excited to be there. Now (just getting there) is no longer their goal. Their goal now is to win it,” Lincoln Head Coach Kyle LaFavor said.

Lincoln is poised for another big year with six total all-state selections returning.

That group starts on offense led by senior quarterback Jackson Beaman. Beaman, a Wichita State baseball commit, only played six games at quarterback last year due to an arm injury sustained in the spring. He still threw for 692 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for another 586 yards and 12 touchdowns. That performance was enough for a Class 1 Third-Team All-State selection as an athlete.

“He (Beaman) is a huge advantage. I think he is the best quarterback in 1A by far. Not only can he throw the football and is athletic, but he has the size. He is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and runs a 4.8-4.9 (40-yard dash). He has that to match the arm talent, and he is smart. We allow him to make check downs and audibles,” LaFavor said.

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His return at quarterback displaced Bo Kroenke who threw for 1,534 yards and 20 touchdowns in his time at quarterback last year. Kroenke will play slot receiver this year, which is just fine with him according to his coach.

“Kroenke is an absolute dog. He doesn’t like to play quarterback because he doesn’t get to hit people,” LaFavor said.

Nate Hesse will be the top receiver in the passing game after a Class 1 Second-Team All-State selection last year. He hauled in 49 receptions for 922 yards and 15 touchdowns last year.

An even bigger senior season could be in store for a confident Hesse.

“(Growth of) confidence was a big thing for him. He has always been a good player, but now you see him go up and want the ball. That is big out of him. There is confidence and ability to go and make plays. Before it was ‘I don’t want to let people down’ and now it is ‘I am good enough to be a standout out here’,” LaFavor said.

The Cardinals will have to replace the production of the graduated Gage Kahler in the backfield. Kahler had 1,068 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Senior Parker Engles and junior Levi Betts will split time in the backfield. Engles had 45 carries for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Betts saw 12 carries for 43 yards.

Seniors Hayden Beaman and Tanner Bays along with junior Gabe Mehrens give Lincoln three returning starters on the offensive line. Beaman earned Class 1 Second-Team All-State honors at the position last year.

“Having those three guys to anchor (the offensive line) is big. You have confidence in those guys and know when you have to have it you can run behind them,” LaFavor said.

Filling out the offensive line with two more players will be one of the biggest keys to success for Lincoln.

“The offensive line is the biggest thing,” LaFavor said. “If we can get an offensive line together then we can be dangerous again.”

Defensively, things start with Tanner Bays. Bays was a Class 1 First-Team All-State selection as a defensive end last year. He had 93 total tackles and seven sacks last year.

“What makes him (Bays) dominant is that he is a freak of nature. He is 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, squats 500 pounds and runs a 4.7 (second 40-yard dash). He is just a man,” LaFavor said. “We had a strongman competition in our town (this summer) and he beat us all including myself. He is just really athletic, strong and has a high motor. He is a next level athlete.”

Hayden Beaman and Mehrens along with Emidio Linares will fill out the defensive line.

Four starters return at linebacker for the Cardinals with Engles, Betts, Jackson Beaman and Hesse all set to hold down the second level of the defense.

“The linebacker is crucial at all levels but definitely at the high school level. They know their jobs and assignments, so we get to take away a lot of the time we spent last year installing new schemes. This year it is just getting after it,” LaFavor said.

The leader of that quartet is Engles who was a Class 1 Second-Team All-State selection last year. He earned that honor thanks to pulling down 188 total tackles.

“If I had to pick one guy that was considered our team captain; that is Parker Engles. Half the time he calls our defense. He watches as much film as the coaches do. He knows what defense we want to be in for whatever formation they show offensively,” LaFavor said. “Having a guy like that back to command your defense is incredible.”

The secondary will be anchored by Kroenke who was a Class 1 First-Team All-State selection as a safety last season. He pulled down 80 tackles with two interceptions last year.

“He (Kroenke) is a complete game-changer. Any time you need a big play it is usually going to be him that makes it. It has almost happened enough now where you expect it,” LaFavor said. “Cerebral is the perfect word to use (to describe Kroenke). If it is any type of competition that kid does not like to lose and he will do what it takes not to. He is cerebral in every sense of that word.”

He will have help at cornerback from Joe Bittner, who earned all-district honors there as a junior after recording four interceptions.

“He (Bittner) really grew into his own last year. He did not allow a single receiving touchdown on him last year and led our team with five interceptions,” LaFavor said. “He is a lockdown corner. We are going into the season knowing he is there and there isn’t much of a position battle for his spot. It is locked up.”

Six returning all-state selections have the Lincoln Cardinals thinking state championship or bust this season.

“We want to win the state championship,” LaFavor said. “We feel that if we don’t win it this year we did not accomplish our goals. Even if we just return to the state championship it won’t have the same feel it did last year because that is not what our expectation is. Our expectation is to win it this year and again prove everybody wrong. Their goal is a state championship and that is what our expectations are.”

Lincoln opens the season on Aug. 30 at home against North Callaway.