Full Championship Circle

Full Championship Circle

Announcer says "now, from the jim sigel automotive sports desk, newswatch 12 sports with cameron derby."

A state championship victory means everything to the players that wear the mazama vikings uniform.

It means the world to the city of klamath falls.

It results in the tears of joy for the parents of the boys.

But for mazama head coach vic lease, it completes the circle of a football journey.

One that dates all the way back to 1988.

[take pkg] çááápkgáááÑ çáátopic lineááÑ mazama head coach c lease has a lot on his mind before the 2021 4a state championship kick off.

For lease, its not just this season on the line, its 33 years of regret.

çáávic lineááÑ "this has been a long journey.

You know, all football coaches you know have fond memories of their days back in high school.

You know, a long time ago in my senior year, i lost a state championship by a touchdown."

çáátopic lineááÑ in 1988, lease lost the state championship game philopmath as a senior playing for dallas.

It was a game that was nearly identical to this one.

Locked at 21 point a piece at halftime.

Lease did not want his players to experience the same result as he did 33 years ago.

çáávic lineááÑ "you know, i regret that state championship loss so many years ago.

I have held that with me my entire life.

You know, don't... i felt like refelcting that maybe i didn't do some of the things that i could have done as a high school senior to help us have success.

I didn't want any of these boys, especially the seniors to have any regrets at all.

You know, lay it all out on the field.

You have two quarters left.

You know, it's an even ball game.

We are starting from scratch.

You got two quarters.

Leave it all out here.

Play your butts off.

And they did."

çáátopic lineááÑ in 1988, there was only one touchdown in the 2nd half.

Lease was on the losing side.

This time around, there was only one touchdown in the 2nd half.

And after a cole brosterhous interception with just over 2 minutes to play, lease was on the winning side.

"i knew that once he had his hands on that ball, it was ours.

He is that caliber of athlete."

çáácole lineááÑ "oh i have that... i have seen coach lease emotional like twice in my life and that was in like the past two days honestly.

Last practice and then this big win."

çáánat popááÑ çáázeke lineááÑ "this is like, the second time and it's been like twice in two days and that is about it."

çáátopic lineááÑ 33 years of built emotion, finally spewing from coach lease in honor of the legendary coach that he once played for.

çáávic lineááÑ "and my head coach ron august at dallas high school, he was the greatest mentor football wise i ever had.

I love that man.

He was like a father figure to me.

He has just... he has been on my mind.

He has given me the drive to be the football coach i am today.

He passed away some years ago.

I spoke at his funeral and he has just been on my mind."

Every coach and parent wants something better for their kids.

Instead of remembering a loss, the 2021 vikings