Kolb Brothers Back to Lead Experienced Vikings

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Heading into its second full season in the 1B ranks, Mossyrock is fully into the 8-man football realm. Now, the feeling-out period is over, and the Vikings feel they’re due to take the next step.

“These kids, they want to be better,” head coach Eric Ollikainen said. “They’re tired of .500 and (they) want something more for themselves. The upperclassmen are really setting the tone this year.”

And Mossyrock could well have the group to do it. Eight returning key players would be a good amount for an 11-man team, but in the 1B ranks, the Vikings are set to have experience lining up at just about every spot on the field.

The attack will begin with Mossyrock’s returning all-league brothers. Keegan Kolb racked up over 1,700 all-purpose yards to lead the Vikings both in receiving and rushing, and comes back for his senior season as arguably the most dangerous big-play threat in the league.

“He’s just explosive,” Ollikainen said. “He’s not a huge kid, but he’s pretty powerful, and now he’s got another year in the weight room. He’s a pretty powerful kid, and pretty shifty. He’s tough to bring down.”
His brother Easton, meanwhile, was already playing above his freshman status by the end of last fall, and comes back ready to take the next step.

“He continues to progress in the huddle and his leadership on the team, he’s sort of taking over,” Ollikainen said. “The kids believe in him. And he’s got the arm to back it up too.”

But beyond those two, the Vikings think they have a full arsenal of weapons to add. 

Sage Greisen and Marshall Brockway are set to play off each other — and the Kolbs — at tailback, giving Mossyrock another dimension with a downhill game, and Zack Munoz will give opposing defenses yet another outside threat to worry about.

“It’s nice to have other weapons too,” Ollikainen said. “Keegan got hot last year, and that’s good, that’s what we wanted. But I think we’re going to have more kids getting hot this year.”

Throw in experience on the line as well, and the Vikings could well have the group needed to truly step into the state picture.

They’ll certainly find out in a hurry, with another loaded non-league slate. Back-to-back trips north to start the season — included a visit to state runners-up Quilcene — will be a tough ask, and the Vikings once again get to face Naselle and Winlock in back-to-back weeks late in the season, with a whole lot on the line.
“It looks pretty good on paper, though we looked good on paper last year,” Ollikainen said. “It doesn’t count until we play the games.”