Lincoln Christian senior quarterback Carter Ricke has been around Lincoln football for forever.
From first grade on, Ricke wore the red and gold, watching his dad lead the program and his older brother quarterback the Bulldogs to a state title.
And when he got his turn to lead the program, he delivered in a big way.
Ricke helped lead the Bulldogs to the program's third straight state title and 42 straight wins in December, and officially capped his high school career off last week.
Not only did Ricke sign to play at the next level with Emporia State, but the senior was named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State team as one of two quarterbacks on the east side.
"To be named all-state is a huge honor for me and my journey as a football player," said Ricke. "To see myself on that wall in the war room is something really cool and only so many people get to say that. It's something I thought of my whole life and have been chasing to achieve."
The 3A-3 MVP was the leader of the Bulldogs in 2025 and came through in the clutch in the state finals win vs. Sulphur, completing 18-of-23 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown.
Ricke completed 74% of passes for 2,798 yards and 41 touchdowns in his senior season.
Ricke also was a threat as a runner, totaling 547 yards and seven scores on the ground — averaging 10.9 yards per attempt.
"Carter grew tremendously throughout his high school career, but the jump he made from his junior year to senior year at QB really helped propel him and our team in a positive direction," said his father and head coach Jerry Ricke.
"His mechanics, pocket presence, and overall leadership were the things I saw the most improvement in over the last year."
Ricke sits near the top of many passing categories in school history after his two years at quarterback.
The senior totaled 5,972 yards (4th all-time) and 86 touchdowns (3rd), while finishing a clear best all time in career completion percentage at 75%. His 17.1 yards per completion is also the second-best in Lincoln history.
"Carter really understood what we were trying to do in terms of the entire offense," said the head coach. "He was like having another coach on the field. He was very good at reading defenses, something I think he really learned from playing DB his sophomore season."
"All of this led to Carter making quicker, more decisive decisions, which led to his ability to lead our offense."
Ricke, who was also named as the team MVP, ran for 831 yards and 10 touchdowns in his career, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt.
The senior leaves a legacy that is better than any other quarterback in school history — two gold balls and a 24-0 record.
But what is more important to him is the impact he made with teammates.
"I think being undefeated is really cool and to win two gold balls as a starter is even more special," said the quarterback.
"But the legacy I want to be remembered as is a great teammate and a hard worker. I believe I have done that through my time as a Bulldog. The gold balls and undefeated seasons are just outputs of the hard work I put in over the years."
An unquestioned leader of a program that is as good as any in Oklahoma, Ricke prided himself on leading with his voice and his work ethic, as well as leading by example with his faith.
"As a leader over the years, I have grown in so much ways," said Ricke. "I think the area I have grown most in is with my work ethic and my voice as a player. It really comes down to simple things like being a good leader in the weight room and pushing people. Or if the defense is in the huddle, just going out there and encouraging them to do whatever it is. I've grown the most with God though, he has shown me what a good leader is and does."
Ricke's journey also included something incredibly special, as his older brother Chase came back to coach quarterbacks in Carter's final season as a Bulldog.
The chance to play for his dad and brother was not lost on the senior, as he recognized the uniqueness and significance of that opportunity.
"To play for my dad and brother was something really cool," said the quarterback Ricke. "There is not a lot of people that can say they did that and were so successful. They pushed me to be so much better in so many ways and the created me to be a better man on and off the field."
The dad and head coach felt similarly, as he watched his youngest son blossom into one of the best quarterbacks in the state, and will get the chance to see him play at the next level beginning next fall.
"I have really enjoyed watching him come through our system, all the way from 1st grade through 12th grade," said his dad. "The fact that he gets to continue this for 4 or 5 more years is just icing on the cake."
"The thing I'm most proud of as a dad is the man that he has grown into. He has matured into a great young man and follower of Christ, something I hope he continues in his next journey."
As Ricke moves on to try and help the Bulldogs play for a state championship in baseball this spring before heading to Emporia State after graduation, he can't help but reminisce on his journey as a Lincoln football player.
The moments under the bright lights are memorable for sure, but the memories with his teammates mean the most to the star quarterback.
"The times I will remember most are the times with my friends and just being together as a team," said the senior. "The impact I hope to have left was working hard and being a good person to the people around me."
"Being in the locker room and those early morning lifts are some of my favorite memories because I'm just with my guys. They stuck it out with me and we couldn't have won it if we weren't a team."
Photos by Lee Talley
