LINCOLN — If one word could aptly describe Lincoln’s 12 football players and handful of coaches, it would likely be family.
“Honestly, we’re a family,” said senior linebacker and fullback Andrew Brown. “We have each others' backs no matter what. We’ve pushed each other, and it’s just what keeps us going.”
Fellow senior Teegan Riddle shared a similar sentiment.
“I’ve been together with this team since eighth grade,” said Riddle, a linebacker and running back. “Coach coached us in eighth grade and has coached us ever since. So, dedication and staying together as a family.”
Riddle and Brown are the only seniors on Lincoln’s roster this season. And they’ve played together under the tutelage of current Lincoln head coach Shane Brown since the pair was in junior high.
“I knew they were hard workers and had a lot of hope for them when they were younger, and it’s come to fruition,” said coach Brown. “I mean, these guys have stuck it out. ... These guys are a close-knit group. They’re family more than they are just friends. And they’ve known that, and we’ve built that.”
With a win over Hot Springs last Friday, Lincoln moved to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the 6-Man West, positioning itself to make a playoff push. That push continues this Friday against West Yellowstone (4-2 overall, 3-1 conference). The Lynx are ranked ninth in MTN Sports' 6-Man power rankings.
“It’s honestly amazing to see where we have come from,” said Riddle. “We didn’t have a team our freshman year. Now we’re looking to have a first-round playoffs, host it here in Lincoln, hopefully. But, yeah, it’s extremely exciting to see where we’ve come from.”
Lincoln, which lost at Custer-Hysham-Melstone in the first round of the 6-Man state playoffs last year, has not hosted a home playoff game since moving to the 6-Man ranks. The Lynx last won a playoff game in 2013.
The 6-Man West advances three teams to the state playoffs, which begin Nov. 1, but only the conference's top seed will host a first-round game. Noxon, West Yellowstone and Hot Springs join Lincoln in having only one league loss so far this season.
Coach Brown said he was grateful for having gotten to coach his two seniors.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Brown. “I explained to them a couple weeks ago, they had exceeded my expectations, and they have nothing more to prove to me, honestly. Of course, we want to get to the playoffs and do as well as we can just like any other team, but they know they have nothing left to prove to me. They’ve proved everything they need to.”
