ONALASKA – Having every starter from one season return for the next is nearly impossible at any level of football.
Onalaska, however, is entering the 2023 season with that near-unprecedented level of continuity. All 22 starters from last year’s team that reached the state quarterfinals last season are back.
Coach Mazen Saade said that while he is excited about everyone returning, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee success.
“Nothing is given in this state or in this league, especially in this league,” Saade said, specifically mentioning Adna, Kalama and Toledo as league foes. “Us just being a year older doesn’t make us a year better.”
Last season, the Loggers went 1-2 against those three teams, topping Kalama 48-30, but losing to Toledo and Adna.
Among the units that need to take the next step, Saade mentioned the offensive line. He used last year’s season-ending 55-0 loss to Okanogan as a measuring stick for the unit.
“They were embarrassed with how last year ended,” Saade said of the OL. “They need to figure out how to come together as a unit this year and figure some things out. There is some want to in there, but we got to take that want to and push it a little further.”
That message, Saade said, also applies to the rest of the team.
“They’re back. They’re one year older. But the question is are we one year as a team better,” Saade said. “Are we one year as a team more physical? Are we one year as a team more advanced mentally? Are we one more year as a team advanced schematically?”
It seems to be resonating, as the energy levels have been high through the first week of camp.
“It’s gonna be an uphill battle, but I think these kids are up to the challenge and they’re excited,” Saade said.
Among the returners are several all-league players from last season, including first-team offensive linemen Rylan McGraw and Jeff Lines.
First-team wide receiver Cooper Lawrence and first-team running back Rodrigo Rodriguez are looking to build on strong offensive seasons, and quarterback Kayden Mozingo is looking to make the leap to all-league status under center after earning that recognition as a linebacker in 2022.
McGraw and Lawrence also earned all-league honors on the defensive side of the ball as a lineman and cornerback, respectively.
While Saade highlighted the offensive line, he also recognized the importance of the defense, saying that they’ll have to be defensively sound in order to compete with their schedule.
Saade also mentioned juniors Blaze Underhill and Nick Rushton have also stood out in camp, and he believes that they can both be contributors on both sides of the ball.
With week 1 closing in, Saade again emphasized his excitement to see if the growth seen in camp can carry over into games.
“Our level of intensity, definitely the bar has been set pretty high,” Saade said. “We just gotta carry that on and keep getting one percent better every day … We’ll see where we shake. Just gotta play some Logger football.”
