Johnie Logue
Sports Reporter
Lincoln's Connor Lynde signed on Tuesday of last week to play baseball for State Fair Community College in Sedalia.
It has been an exciting, victorious and frustrating at times, four-year high school experience for this athletic and gifted young man.
COVID robbed him of his freshman year of baseball and he was injured playing basketball and missed 99 percent of his junior year of baseball.
He was also injured early in his junior year and missed seven basketball games where the team was 2-5 without him and 16-2 with him. He was All-State in both football and basketball his senior season. He was named the BCE Lincoln Athlete of the Year three years in a row. He was the catalyst of their 28-1 basketball team this past season. He was thrust into the quarterback position because of injuries to their starting QB.
At this stage, he is probably a better outfielder than a pitcher because of his speed. He can fly around the bases, catch a routine ball and can race the gap with a good arm. He says he is 100 percent healthy now.
I took the opportunity to interview him at his signing.
JL- Why State Fair?
Connor-It was a good fit. Drury talked to me, but I visited State Fair and I liked their program. Financially, it was the better move. Drury said they would keep track of me and I could maybe transfer later on. State Fair wants me to pitch. Drury wanted me for the outfield.
JL-Who has encouraged you the most?
Connor- Jackson Beaman and my Dad (Will Lynde).Jackson has helped me in so many ways. My dad, according to my mother, played catch with me when I was one-year old.
JL-What memories will you take with you after graduation?
Connor-There is no other school like Lincoln. I have known these teachers and classmates my entire life.
The Sacred Heart district basketball game last year will stay with me. (He was injured in the final minutes, going out of bounds, five feet from this reporter).. We got revenge this year winning our district here in our best game of the year.
The Salisbury game was my worst game of the season. (Salisbury went on to win the state championship.)
The Valle Catholic game and the Monroe City game are sore spots. Catching the touchdown pass from Jackson late in the Valle Catholic state championship game as a freshman is one of my best memories.
Monroe City, sectional game, because of the wind. We couldn't throw the ball.
Beating Smithton in my sophomore year to win districts in basketball because Lincoln hadn't won a district in 13 years. Coach Tyler Burke was so happy.
I have had some great coaches here. Coach LaFavor, Coach Burke, Coach Drehle and my dad all have prepared me for college sports.
JL-Thanks, Connor.
