More mature, experienced Lincoln team looks to get back on top of 3A PCL
After reaching the Class 3A state tournament semifinals in 2019, Lincoln took a step back during the shortened 2021 spring season.
That was to be expected with some of the talent that Lincoln lost to graduation, including corners Jaylen Clark and Donovan Clark, who are now at Boise State. Then Julien Simon, who was a senior at Lincoln last year, decided to enroll early at USC instead of playing in the shortened spring season.
It left Lincoln with some talented up-and-coming players who were already getting big-time college offers, but short on proven varsity gameday experience.
That youth showed itself; Lincoln went 4-2 in the spring season, losing 34-7 to Spanaway Lake and 37-27 to Class 2A Steilacoom, which had reached the state championship game in 2019. A 22-21 win over Lakes late in the season showed some of the team’s growth. The loss to Spanaway Lake, in particular, served as a wakeup call to Lincoln’s players.
“It just showed everybody that you’ve got to bring your all every game,” said junior quarterback Gabarri Johnson. “I think that game was more based on it, we thought we were just Lincoln and we can go out and just do it. It left a sour taste. Everybody here feels it. We’re all ready and we’re working hard.”
Johnson is considered a four-star prospect by 247sports.com, the No. 5 player in Washington in the 2023 class and a top-10 QB nationally. He completed 96-of-172 passes for 1,515 yards, 18 touchdowns and four interceptions in the spring season. He also rushed for 129 yards and a touchdown.
There’s more star power on this roster, too. Senior tight end Chance Bogan, considered a three-star recruit, is a UW commit. And junior defensive end and receiver Jayden Wayne is considered a four-star recruit, the No. 1 player in Washington in the 2023 class and a top-50 recruit nationally. The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder holds offers from Alabama, UW, Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame and others.
But while Lincoln had a respectable 4-2 record last year, the losses served as a reminder that college offers don’t win high school football games.
“It was a very good reality check the whole spring,” said Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto. “We went 4-2, but to our standard, that’s not good enough. “We didn’t do a good enough job coaching. Spanaway was a great team and Steilacoom is a great team, so hats off to them. But yeah, we have stressed that we have some individual talent, but we have to come together and play together as a team, be unselfish and leaders have to step up and have courageous conversations with players.”
The Abes were also young. Even Johnson, whose talent was obvious in 7-on-7 offseason tournaments, was entering his first season as the starting quarterback at Lincoln last spring. This year, he’s more assertive in the huddle, according to his teammates and coaches.
“He’s still the No. 1 QB in the nation,” Bogan said. “As a person and as a player, he’s improved a lot. Just his leadership mindset, it’s a whole different person. That leadership you really need out of the quarterback position, he has. Every little thing that you truly need from a quarterback, he has. Seeing his growth from last year to this year is crazy.”
That means not necessarily going with the play call that comes in from the sideline. If Johnson needs to call an audible or make a pre-snap adjustment, he’s more confident doing that now.
“He’s more vocal,” Matsumoto said. “He’ll speak up when he needs to. He’ll take charge of the huddle. … He’ll get on guys but also is doing a great job of picking them up after a dropped catch or whatever. He’s taking on more of a leadership role this year.”
In Bogan and Wayne, Lincoln has a unique pair of pass catchers. Not many teams have 6-5 and 6-4 options to throw to.
“It’s just using their abilities,” Johnson said. “They can run past people, they’re bigger than most people. So just throwing it up and let them be a playmaker. That’s kind of what our offense is focusing on. That’s a part of it.”
Matsumoto said that duo is difficult to tackle, and they want to get the ball in their hands and let them make plays. Bogan isn’t short on confidence, either.
“We like to make it well known that we’re just better than you,” he said. “When you come out and see players like me, Jayden, the rest of the guys, it’s an intimidation factor. We use that to our advantage. We know they don’t want to man us up, play us man at all.”
The spring season felt like a building block for a young Lincoln team. They’re excited to see what they can put together in a full fall season this year.
“We’re super excited,” Johnson said. “The short season, it went by so fast. So we’re just ready to get all of our games, go into playoffs, do what we do and hopefully make it as far as we can.”
LINCOLN ABES
Coach: Masaki Matsumoto, seventh year
Spring 2021 record: 4-2, second place in 3A Pierce County League
Offensive coordinator, base scheme: Shalls Jacome, spread
Defensive coordinator, base scheme: Sean Banks, 4-2-5
Top players: WR/DE Jayden Wayne, 6-5, jr; TE Chance Bogan, 6-3, sr; QB Gabarri Johnson, 6-1, jr; OL/DL Tua Tauiliili, 6-3, sr; RB Navarre Dixon, 5-10, soph; DB Ace Falenofoa, 6-1, sr; DL Trey Meredith, 6-2, jr.
Outlook: Lincoln put together a solid campaign in the spring, going 4-2. Losses to Spanaway Lake and Steilacoom showed some of the team’s youth. QB Gabarri Johnson has better control of the offense in year two as a starter, and Jayden Wayne and Chance Bogan are legitimate threats at their spots. Can Lincoln beat Spanaway Lake to get back on top of the league? All eyes will be on their meeting on Sept. 23.
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
