The MFL MarMac football team plans to be “back with a vengeance” this season, proving that last year’s 1-7 record was just a blip in what’s been a recent string of success for the program.

“After 26 years of losing football and then six straight years to the quarterfinals or further, last year, with the circumstances with a young team and not too many returning starters and all the injuries, a lot of things went wrong,” said head coach Dan Anderson. “1-7 didn’t look good, but that’s done. These kids are back with a vengeance and they want to prove that was just a one-year deal. It’s not a trend. We had one bad year because a lot of things went sideways.”

Instead, Anderson argues last year’s challenges built resilience among the young players, many of whom stepped up to play varsity when they otherwise might not have. Now, that’s paying dividends.

“Overall, we’re a young team, but we’re not necessarily an inexperienced team,” he explained, “because last year a lot of those kids had to get thrown in there. They had to grow up really fast.”

Anderson feels the Bulldogs are more confident and focused. They have good attitudes and work hard while still having fun. They motivate one another.

That’s reflected in the sophomore class, who has a handful of starting players on both sides of the ball. Offensively, that includes returning quarterback Easton Lange and fullback Tyce Wikner, whose season was cut short last year due to injury. Anderson praised Lange’s leadership, growth and accurate arm, and noted Wikner’s speed and smarts.

A new student to MFL MarMac, sophomore Daxton Diemel will be the running back.

“He fits in well,” Anderson said. “He has a high motor and can do a lot of things. He’s strong and agile and has a great attitude.”

Senior captain Kashton Decker will be the team’s wing back, and fellow senior captain Blake Schutte will move to tight end, where his good hands and physicality will be an asset.

Wide receiver will see a rotation of junior Taco Thompson, sophomore Mason Hollar and junior Cael Lightfoot, who’s back out for football.

The offensive line is still being pieced together, Anderson said, but he expects to see a combination of seven or eight players, including some with starting experience.

Junior Blake Roe and sophomore Archie Carlson have gotten reps at center, while seniors Cameron Hagensick and Rylan Schroeder will see time at left guard. Right/power guard looks to be sophomore Marcus Stoddard, and junior Tristan Hoopes left tackle. Roe and sophomore Tyler Pecinovsky are up for right tackle.

Expect to see many of the same names on defense. Stoddard will likely be nose guard, while Hagensick, Hoopes, Roe and Pecinovsky will rotate on the defensive line. Outside linebacker could be Diemel, Carlson or junior Noah Troester. Schroeder and Schutte, two tough-nosed, strong leaders, will see time at inside linebacker. Then, watch for Wikner at strong safety, Decker at free safety and Thompson and Hollar as corners.

Senior Ashton Phillips will be the MFL MarMac kicker, and Diemel will likely punt.

At 36 players, the Bulldog roster is down a bit from year’s past, Anderson acknowledged, but that appears to be a state-wide trend. Eight schools announced last week they were canceling their varsity seasons due to low participation and safety concerns.

“We’ve been staying pretty steady, from the mid to upper 30s to low 40s,” Anderson said.

This year’s total includes two eighth graders in Trevor Pecinovsky and Kaden Strong, who will see their playing time mostly at the JV level.

If players can stay healthy, Anderson believes the sky is the limit for MFL MarMac. The Bulldogs will focus on what they can control—their intensity, coaching, attitude. Not on things they can’t, like injuries and weather.

The team’s goal is to return to the playoffs and again battle for a district title. A pair of non-district, Class 2A opponents in week one Crestwood and week three New Hampton will test MFL MarMac prior to the start of Class 1A - District 5 play at Beckman Catholic on Sept. 18.

“We’ll see where we’re at,” Anderson said, “but I think our district is wide open.”

Beckman and Cascade were the top two teams in the district a season ago, but graduated a lot of players. MFL MarMac and Northeast Goose Lake were the only teams who weren’t senior heavy then.

“Those guys believe,” Anderson said, “and we’re going to coach them to be district champions.”