For the first time this season, Mazama will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will square off against the Marshfield Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Mazama has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the game with three straight defeats, while Marshfield will come in with five straight victories.
On Friday, Mazama had to suffer through a 49-14 loss at the hands of Yreka. The loss was a bit of a surprise, as the Vikings came into the matchup with a sizable advantage in MaxPreps' football rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 83rd in Oregon, while the Miners are ranked 641st in California).
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Brody Mahon, who rushed for 141 yards.
While Marshfield didn't have the best season last year (they finished 2-7), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They breezed past Junction City to the tune of 41-14 last Friday. With the Pirates ahead 27-0 at the half, the contest was all but over already.
Mazama better keep an eye on Enoch Niblett. He was instrumental in Marshfield's win, throwing for 250 yards and four touchdowns while completing 78.9% of his passes, and also punching in a pair of TDs on the ground. Those 250 passing yards gave Niblett a new career-high. Marshfield also got a significant boost from Jaden Tice, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 83 yards.
Marshfield's defense made their presence known, laying out Kaden Shafer three times. JT Steward refused to say out of the backfield, picking up 1.5 sacks all by himself.
Mazama's loss dropped their record down to 1-3. As for Marshfield, their win bumped their record up to 4-0.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Mazama has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 175.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Marshfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 224.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Mazama was able to grind out a solid victory over Marshfield in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, winning 27-20. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vikings since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
