Lincoln showcases speed at summer practice

With the 2025 prep football season fast approaching, teams are already hard at work in the summer heat in preparation for the fall. It may be only June, but Aug. 22 will be here soon enough and the summer months are where the foundation for every great season is set. On Wednesday, Lincoln made the trip up the hill to visit longtime rival Placer for a 7 on 7 session. Both teams made a splash with big plays, and found areas that needed some work. Overall Lincoln coach Allen Berg was pleased with what he saw from his team and feels that the pieces are in place to make a run for the Pioneer Valley League crown. "I like what I have seen so far with just the practices, their effort, their attitude, their cohesiveness. It's coming along," says Berg. "They're working hard and I would say they're all coming together." The Fighting Zebras had their speed on full display, with receivers Julian Defoe and Jaxon Bowlin beating defenders deep and with their ability to gain yards after the catch. While there may have been some miscues with drops, Berg says that is to be expected in June but believes that the speed is just a glimpse of what Lincoln is capable of. "We have worked on speed development very, very hard this year and it's paid off. We are much faster than we were last year as a team and individuals are faster than we've been in a while," said Berg. "The speed is definitely going to show up. Last year we didn't have, we didn't have any of that but this year we have some kids who could run away from anybody." The summer session is especially crucial for sophomore Mason Volzer, who is fighting for the starting quarterback position. Berg says that Volzer is a tremendous athlete and can play multiple positions and says that he will be a contributing factor no matter where he lines up on Friday nights. "He's an incredible athlete and he's going to play everywhere this year. I think that's the upside with him," said Berg of Volzer. "If he isn't the starting quarterback, then he's going to play receiver, running back, he'll play defense, all of it." Lincoln is coming off of a strong season, finishing 7-4 in a strong PVL. The Zebras return starters in key positions this year and Berg says that they have high expectations for this season. Said Berg, "We're feeling that expectations are rising every single day just because of what they're putting out on the field. They're kicking butt in the weight room, the speed work is paying off and the cohesiveness is strong as they go through their understanding of the playbook. If it all comes together, I don't see any reason why we couldn't compete for the league this year."