Mazama wins first 4A State Championship

The Mazama Vikings defeated Marist Catholic 27-21 to win their first ever 4A State Championship on Saturday.

Challenging season in the 4-a state title game.

Newswatch 12 sports cameron derby was there to bear witness to it all.

The number one mazama vikings.

The number two marist catholic spartans.

Only one could win this.

After the pre-game jitters and traditions died, a first half that looked like a 15-round bout, filled with punches and momentum swings.

Each team showing the fight a state champion shows, and entering the half deadlocked at 21 points a piece.

Vic lease: "we told the boys this over and over, "hey, they are going to get theirs.

But we are going to get ours too."

So what does a coach tell his team at halftime when its tied, and a state title is on the line?

Vic lease: "you know, lay it all out on the field, you have two quarters left.

It is an even ball game.

W are starting from scratch.

You got two quarters.

Leave it out there.

Play your butts off."

In the third, the game turned defensive.

Both teams coming up with key 4th down tops that kept themselves alive.

The mazama faitful still holding on.

No points scored until 7 minutes left in the 4th.

And zeke heaton hit a hole and one thought "just run as hard as i can!"

Mazama took the lead by one score and the game went one score and the lead by mazama took hard as i can!"

Mazama took the lead by one score and the game went defensive again.

Mazama found itself up by 6 points, with 2:24 left needing just one stop.

"it was a death grip.

One hundred percent it was a death grip.

I did that for my brothers.

I love each and every one of them.

(cole key) i mean, we have been through thick and thin together.

This meant everything to everyone in this program.

First time in school history."

For the first time in school history..

The mazama vikings are state champions.

"i started crying.

I started crying because i knew coach lease would we would strategize and we would win the game.

I just love him.

I love them.

I love everyone on the team."

"it feels great.

It is like amazing.

We worked hard for it all year.

Despite like we just had faith that we were going to have it" "i mean, it is a dream come true.

We dreamed about it since we were little kids.

Then this season, we put our heads down.

We worked.

We grinded.

Adversity.

We didn't know if we were going to have a season or not.

Then, we came out here all season and made it happen."

"those emotions with these young men tonight, they are a special group.

You know you just love coaching them.

You know, you want to get to practice.

You want that bell to ring so you can get on the practice field so you can be with those guys.

That is what is about and now its over.