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by their opponents. Lincoln hopes experience will offset problems of the past when players moved into starting roles as seniors, who didn't get to play much as a junior or sopho- more. With more players filling important positions, who have experience as under- classmen, getting to play positions they are familiar with as seniors, the Wolves may be able to buck the trend. NEW COACHES New additions to the coaching stafff are: Erwin Starts, who will teach Civics/ Economics at the high school and coach defensive backs and wide receivers. Reed Mendoza will teach eighth grade Social Studies and takes over as offensive line coach. Mendoza is the new junior high head football coach. OFFENSIVE WEAPON Coming into week three last year, one of the Wolves' biggest weapons, wide receiver Braden Umberson (then a junior) had seven pass receptions for limited yardage and no touchdowns. Umberson started all 11 games of his sophomore season at free safety, including Lincoln's playoff contest at Dardanelle. He had an interception off a deflection versus Cedarville in nonconference play. As a junior he moved into the starting lineup on offense as a wide receiver. As Umber- son became more involved, the Wolves' offense picked up. Umberson (four receptions, 74 yards) was instrumental in Lincoln's offensive production against Mansfield. He hauled in a 25-yard touch- down pass that tied the game at 7-7 with an extra-point kick. On the scoring catch, he made a move at the Mansfield 10 to get away from two would-be tacklers, who crashed into each other as Umberson eluded them on his way into the end zone. The coaches weren't surprised, they came into the season expecting Umberson to contribute. Umberson didn't disappoint. He would catch 45 passes for 702 yards, averaging 15.6-yards-per-catch with six touchdowns, producing 70 yards worth of pass receptions-per-contest. BIG PLAYS Umberson book-ended his junior season with touchdown plays. In week 10 against conference champion, Prairie Grove, Umberson caught a shovel pass inside the tackles and scored to break the ice for the Wolves. Prairie Grove answered with two touchdowns in less than six minutes to up their lead to 33-6. Yet, Lincoln would not go away. The Wolves drove 58 yards in four plays bolstered by a 53-yard pass reception by Umberson. Lincoln got the ball back with Umberson's interception two plays later. The Wolves covered 60 yards in six plays with Umberson contributing another catch for 32 yards to set up a score. Time ran out on Lincoln's season and Prairie Grove won, 33-20. Coaches praised the Wolves' execution in the fourth quarter and said had the Wolves played with that type of intensity and focus throughout the season, they would have been in the playoffs. The goal is to get back into the post season this year. NEW QUARTERBACK Caleb Lloyd attempted only one pass last season on an ill-fated attempted trick play against Prairie Grove. The Tigers broke down the halfback pass with a big rush. Lloyd, a two-year starter at tailback, figures to surpass that number early in the season as he moves to quarterback for 2017. Junior Sterling Morphis is his backup and also plays receiver. Lloyd, then playing tailback, was the Wolves' leading rusher in 2016. He carried the football 154 times for 566 yards, aver- aging 3.7 yards-per-rush with four touch- downs. Jacob Anderson was also a factor in Lincoln's ground game with 66 rushes for 248 yards and a 3.8-yards-per-carry average with one touchdown. Speedy sophomore Abraham Calvillo carried the football 45 times for 247 yards last year in junior high. He averaged 5.5-yards-per- rush and scored 4 touchdowns and broke a long run of 58 yards. SPREAD OFFENSE Offensively, Lincoln likes to spread defenses out and frequently lines up as a four wide receiver set with twin slot receivers. The Wolves operate from a four wide-receiver unit featuring two slots at any given time. An underclass- men who could see varsity action is freshman Daytin Davis, a model student in the classroom who started at wide receiver on the junior high offense as a seventh-grader in 2015. Davis missed the 2016 junior high season finale at Prairie Grove due to injury. Davis averaged 18-yards-per- catch last year. He is an offensive threat, and can be another possession receiver when Lincoln needs a play. In 2016, Davis caught 31 passes for 558 yards and seven touchdowns in nine junior high games. His longest reception went for 82 yards. Lincoln likes to throw to their tight ends and junior Cam Brown has poten- tial to have a big year, like the graduated Dalton Lee did in 2016. A pair of seniors, Lyndon Miller and Yue Phen Lee, will figure in the Wolves' plans. OFFENSIVE LINE Coach's son Trea Harrison has been a 3-year starter on the offensive line. He plays tackle for 2017 with junior Kong Lee (5-7, 170) starting at center. Bradley Drain and Dolan Harris give the Wolves a pair of players in the 200-pound range at guard. Senior Zach Duncan (6-2, 275) is another 3-year starter at tackle. Defensively, the Wolves worked on their tackling in a session with the University of Arkansas men's Razorback Rugby Club demonstrating proper form tackling in May. In early July Lincoln hosted a Summer Pride football camp to practice fundamentals, learn plays, and prepare for the season. In mid July, the team labored in the heat to remove the grass playing surface in preparation for the installation of arti- ficial turf. According to the Lincoln Wolf- pack Football Facebook page, the sod was sold for $30 a pallet as a new era begins. NWA EVENT HUB nwadg.com/eventhub Northwest Arkansas' calendar of events! Wednesday, aug. 23, 2017 enterprise-Leader | 13 2017 LINCOLN FOOTBALL SCHEDULES Lincoln Varsity Date Opponent Time Sept. 1 at Westville, Okla. 7 p.m. Sept. 8 Keys, Okla. 7 p.m. Sept. 15 Mansfield 7 p.m. Sept. 22 at Gravette * 7 p.m. Sept. 29 Pea Ridge *7 p.m. Oct. 6 at Berryville *7 p.m. Oct. 13 Huntsville * 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at Shiloh Christian * 7 p.m. Oct. 27 Gentry * 7 p.m. Nov. 3 at Prairie Grove * 7 p.m. * — 4A-1 Conference game 2017 Lincoln 7th Grade/Junior High Date Opponent Time Aug. 31 Westville, Okla. 5:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at Stilwell, Okla. 5:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at Harrison, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 21 Gravette * 5:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Pea Ridge * 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 Berryville * 5:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Huntsville * 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19 Shiloh Christian * 5:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Gentry * 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2 Prairie Grove * 5:30 p.m. * — 4A-1 Conference game 2017 Lincoln JV/8th Grade Date Opponent Time Sept. 16 at Mansfield 10 a.m. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 TURF: A Preview Of Lincoln's Varsity Football Team 2017 LINCOLN VARSITY ROSTER PLAYER Sterling Morphis Cameron Brown Dawson Calico Cordelle Whetselle Jacob Anderson Marcus Sturgill Abraham Calvillo Tanner Barnum Christian Sellers Hunter Phelan Caleb Lloyd Yue Phen Lee Braden Umberson Andrew Chavana Blake Arnold Andrew Valle Lyndon Miller Danny Valle Nathan Khilling Jackson Wood Kevin Williams Bradley Drain Trae Harrison Kong Lee Dylan King Chris Henderson Zach Duncan Paul Frogg Chance Blankenship Austin Raines Dolan Harris Head coach: Don Harrison Assistants: Justin Bounds, Beau Collins, Austin Lewis, Reed Mendoza, Perry Philpot, Erwin Starts