HOOTENS: ‘Summer Pride’ Workouts Started In July

“We’re calling it the ‘State Line Standoff’ and we’ve got a beautiful trophy we’re going to be playing for,” said Lincoln coach Don Harrison said. “Whoever wins gets to keep the trophy for a year then bring it back the next year.”

The Wolves finished 3-7 the past two seasons and are bolstered by a large number of sophomores.

Lincoln has been working out its athletes in group settings since early July. “Summer Pride” workout practices began Monday, July 9. This summer marked the second year Lincoln athletes underwent an all-sports combined mandatory week long two-hour workout session beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until 10 a.m. from Monday, July 21 through Friday, July 27. Athletic director Deon Birkes, who has coached almost every sport offered by Lincoln High School, supervised the training dubbed “Alpha Week,” an initiative he started in the summer of 2017.

In Class 5A Hootens projects Farmington as the fifth best team among the 5A West.

Both Farmington coach Mike Adams (197-138-2) and Prairie Grove coach Danny Abshier (190-1012) are within reach of the 200-career victory milestone. The season-opener between the rivals Aug. 31 at Prairie Grove’s Tiger Den Stadium will help one of those coaches get a step closer.

The 2018 season opens on Thursday, August 30 with all three schools seeing their first junior high action.