Bee’s Best prep football: No. 24 Lincoln looks to build off historic 2021 season
The Sacramento Bee will unveil our Top 25 football rankings from No. 25 to No. 1, a team a day, right up to the Aug. 19 kickoff.
No. 24 Lincoln
City: Lincoln
School opened: 1907
League: Foothill Valley League
Division: lll
Enrollment: 2,131
2021 record: 8-3
Coach: Allen Burg
Outlook: Allen Burg knows how special his 2021 team was.
The Lincoln High School football coach, in his first season as the leader of the program, led the Zebras to an 8-3 record and an appearance in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division lll semifinals. It was a senior group that played together since the start of elementary school.
This team will have a different look. Lincoln returns five total starters from last year. The lone offensive starter the Zebras return is star running back Ryan Henning, who verbally committed to play football at Air Force earlier this month. Henning rushed for 878 yards with 11 total touchdowns in 2021.
As Burg says, there was a heavy emphasis put on the weight room this offseason. He says this is the strongest team he’s had.
“They have worked their butt off,” Burg said. “Last year was our best team since the 2009 team that went undefeated. Probably the best team Lincoln has had. They were all seniors. We have to try and replace all of those guys from last season.”
Along with Henning, Lincoln returns defensive linemen Sean Cotten and Keyvin Mendoza, linebackers Dylan Fear, Peyton Raper and Issac Gomez.
The incoming junior class at Lincoln isn’t very big because Twelve Bridges High School opened in the same town last year. The opening of the new school has caused a split and declining enrollment at Lincoln.
Another player who will contribute for the Zebras is Jace Odiway. He missed last season due to a torn ACL. The 6-foot-3, 270 pound senior had surgery seven months ago, but according to Burg he looks “really good” already.
Lincoln also got a transfer from Sutter High School in senior Hayden Dotson, who will also make an impact right away. Michael Dallas will slide into the starting middle linebacker role this season after backing up The Sacramento Bee’s defensive player of the year last season in Jordan Wagner.
“We coached him so hard,” Burg said about Dallas. “We knew he was going to be good. We are very confident in him and what he’s doing. … Dotson has also looked really good this summer.”
Lincoln will open up the season Aug. 19 against River City on the road. The Zebras also have nonconference games against Yuba City, Casa Roble, Roseville and Woodcreek. Lincoln won’t play rival Whitney this season due to a scheduling conflict.