Meet The Wolves Showcases Off-Season Conditioning

Lincoln Begins 2016 Football Season With Community Event

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Harrison Swayne, shown passing against Gravette as a sophomore, will begin his third year as Lincoln’s starting quarterback. Meet the Wolves, a community event showcasing the football and fall sports programs starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Lincoln’s Wolfpack Stadium.
MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Harrison Swayne, shown passing against Gravette as a sophomore, will begin his third year as Lincoln’s starting quarterback. Meet the Wolves, a community event showcasing the football and fall sports programs starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Lincoln’s Wolfpack Stadium.

LINCOLN -- When Lincoln's 2013 glorious state playoff run came to an end at the hands of eventual state champion Booneville, then Lincoln and current Benton head football coach Brad Harris, took note of a physical difference between the two squads.

"They were a lot stronger than us," Harris said after the game.

Harris went on to say he wanted Lincoln to reach that level of physicality through weight training.

Fast forward three years later.

Second-year Lincoln head coach Don Harrison, who led the Wolves into the 2015 playoffs during his first season, has a vision of his own.

This is not the great Sioux medicine man known as Chief Sitting Bull seeing "many soldiers falling into camp" prior to Custer's devastating defeat at the Battle of the Little Bighorn where a split command led to a fractured 7th Cavalry. In a desperate last stand the soldiers fell and the 1876 campaign ended in disaster.

Harrison's vision is more of "many warriors being molded into a cohesive unit during training camp" as Lincoln prepares for the 2016 football season. There will be no 'every man for himself' mindset. Harrison is tapping into a goldmine in the form of Lincoln Strength and Conditioning Coach Stan Karber.

"He works with us," Harrison said. "He works our kids out. When I first came here and met him, I wanted to utilize the vast knowledge he has in strength and conditioning."

Harrison wasted no time involving Karber's hands-on expertise in the football program, establishing Karber as part of the Lincoln football staff. Karber's involvement provides a community resource that may have been overlooked in the past, but is having an impact in the present that will help the Wolves build for the future.

"I felt like last year we utilized him really well," Harrison said. "We're going to continue to use him this year."

Lincoln's work ethic and desire is reflected in senior Harrison Swayne (6-2, 210 pounds). He has started at quarterback since his sophomore season and has bulked up, increasing his strength and speed, making him a greater offensive threat.

"He played at about 180 pounds last year," Harrison said, praising the effort and dedication Swayne has put in during the off-season.

"For him to put on almost 30 pounds, he's put his work in this year," Harrison said. "He's worked out in the weight room and worked with Coach Karber."

The already elusive Swayne should be more capable of breaking tackles and completing passes this season with the improved physicality of his frame. That spells trouble for opponents.

Lincoln fans can get a first-hand look at the off-season results of weight-training when the junior high and senior high football squads scrimmage Friday during Meet the Wolves.

Meet the Wolves begins at 6:30 p.m. Fans are invited to come to Wolfpack Stadium at the high school. Lincoln will introduce all of their fall sports teams, including pee wee, seventh grade, junior high and high school football, cheerleaders, dance teams, volleyball squads, golf teams and coaches.

Sports on 08/17/2016