By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
WEST LINCOLN SCHEDULE
(all games at 7:30 p.m.)
August
18—Draughn (E)
September
1—Cherryville
8—at Fred T. Foard
15—at E. Burke
22—N. LINCOLN
29—MAIDEN
October
6—at NEWTON-CONOVER
13—LINCOLNTON
20—at BANDYS
27—at E. LINCOLN
November
3—LAKE NORMAN CHARTER
Conference: South Fork 2A.
Head coach: Tom Sain (37-45, 7 years).
Last season’s records: 5-7 overall; 2-5 Southern District 7 Athletic 2A, tied for fifth place.
Last season’s results: at Draughn, L 14-27; N. Lincoln, W 39-14; at Cherryville, W 21-0; Fred T. Foard, W 24-0; at LINCOLNTON, L 9-46, BUNKER HILL, W 49-12; NEWTON-CONOVER, W 24-21; at W. CALDWELL, L 13-35; MAIDEN, L 22-59; at BANDYS, L 14-21; at E. LINCOLN, L 9-35; at Monroe, L 7-55.
SCHOOL FOOTBALL HISTORY
Last season in state playoffs: 2016, 2AA.
Last state playoff victory: None.
All-time state playoff bids: 7.
Conference titles since 1980, last: None.
BY THE NUMBERS
OVERALL
Returning starters: 12.
Returning lettermen: 30.
OFFENSE
Returning starters: 5.
Leading returning rusher: Brendon Ikard (113-569, 1 TD).
Leading returning passer: Seth Willis (1-2-0 3, no TDs).
Leading returning receiver: Trey Bryan (4-129, 1 TD).
Other players to watch: Tyler Cunningham (Sr., RB); Brady Sain (Jr., OL); Brooke Steele (Jr., OL); Nathan Beam (Soph., TE) Colby Varner (Sr., WR).
DEFENSE
Returning starters: 7.
Players to watch: Dalton Burris (Sr., DL); Hunter Leatherman (Sr., DL); Nathan Hull (Jr., DB); Seth Willis (Jr., LB); Nakahton Phansook (Jr., LB); Preston Thomas (Sr., LB); Tyler Cunningham (Sr.,DB).
OUTLOOK
The Rebels don’t have as many offensive weapons as they did a year ago and will have to develop on offense in a new league that has a bottom line need for every team in it – if you can’t score, and a lot, it’s going to be difficult to contend for the title.
Junior Seth Willis is expected to start at QB – he was a backup last year to starter Dallas Bridges, who graduated – and RB Brendon Ikard also returns to the backfield and for a more focused role.
With seven starters back on defense, the Rebels
The conference coaches have predicted West Lincoln in a sixth-place tie with North Lincoln.
“We’ve got to hit our stride early,” Sain told The Gaston Gazette. “We can’t get behind. We’ve got to be fundamentally sound and not make mistakes. And we need a little more big play threat(s) on offense.”
The Rebels averaged 290 yards of total offense in a five-win season that netted them their seventh all-time postseason bid, but will probably need more production from their passing game (four TDs last year) to make a move up in the standings.
All of West Lincoln’s state playoff bids have been earned in the last 12 seasons and the Rebels haven’t yet won a state playoff game (school opened in 1962).