Mazama Football Preview


Vic Lease is still in town, which means Mazama will be just fine. From the time the Viking football program started in 1979 until Lease’s hire in 2013, Mazama had a grand total of five 7+ win seasons. In the 6 seasons Lease has been the Vikings head coach, they’ve already had 5 7+ win seasons. 46-14 in 6 seasons, 5 league championships, 5 playoff appearances, and 2 semi finals appearances. No, the Vikings don’t bring back any 2018 all-state players, but good coaching can take you a long way in high school football. 

Offensively, the players lost by the Vikings include first team all-state running back Chris Zakour, and two honorable mention Offensive Lineman in Zach Coon and Christian Kasper. On the defensive side of things, first team all-state LB Jake Healy, second team all-state DL Zach Coon, DB Zach Gibson and honorable mention DL Christian Kasper all leave a Viking defense that held teams to under 14 points on five different occasions last season. While Mazama did lose some key players, returning is a large junior class that are now seniors, including QB Nate Beck.

Mazama lost one game in 2018 to in-state opponents: Marshfield, on the road, in the state quarterfinals. A late strip sack on Beck clinched the game late for the Pirates, ending the Vikings 2018 season.

We predict the Vikings will either go 8-0 or 7-1 in 2019. A very tough week six contest @ Marist Catholic will be very telling on if Mazama is capable of a return to the final four. An easier league schedule will provide games to build confidence, and solidify positions for big contests.

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