After a perfect run through the regular season nd a conference title, the Lincoln football team now also has an All-State player.
Junior defensive back Blake Roberts was named first-team All-State by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I’m always going to remember this forever.”
Roberts said he was suprised to learn he was named All-State.
“I was really just trying to earn All-Conference this year,” he said. “I was named All-State and I was just really happy.”
Roberts did reach the goal of an All-Kaysinger selection, one of seven Cardinals honored. The Sportswriters and Sportscasters also named Roberts first-team All-District along with fellow Cardinals defensive players Derek Stephens and Tyler Kroenke. He was also selected second-team All-State by the Missouri Football Coaches Association.
Roberts came away with nine interceptions.
“I just read the quarterback,” he said. “It helped a lot that the D-end and the linebackers all pressuring the quarterback so he was just throwing the ball up. I just happened to be there.”
Lincoln’s defense registered five shutouts and held opponants to six points in three other games.
“I think we did amazing,” Roberts said. “We just did a really good job. I’m looking forward to next year.”
The Cardinals held Appleton City to six points in the first round of the district tournament and shut out Windsor in the second round before falling to Skyline in the district final.
“This year I felt like we should have gone farther than we did,” Roberts said.
Roberts didn’t play much his freshman year but became part of the defensive secondary last year as a sophomore. He was also seeing limited action on offense as a wide receiver.
Roberts said he likes offense more than defense but Lincoln’s offense has been geared toward the running attack of Heath Renno. With the Cardinals not needing to rely on the pass, often in 2015 because they were leading, that meant limited targets for Roberts as a reciever.
“We’re a running team and if we don’t have to pass the ball we won’t,” he said. “That’s honestly great with me. We have great running backs and a great line to help it. We’re all young and we did great this year.”