Pigskin Preview: “Roller Coaster” West Columbus hopes to ride back up the standings
CERRO GORDO, N.C. (WWAY) — No football program in the area has been up and down in recent years the way West Columbus has.
The Vikings did not have a winning season from 2006-21. They followed that up with nine wins in 2022 and 12 wins in 2023. However, that dropped down to just three victories last season.
They will only have two returning starters back from a year ago, both on offense.
The need to fill 20 starting roles and an entire defensive lineup may not be ideal, but Head Coach LaMonte Williamson feels giving young players an opportunity to hit the field on Friday nights will benefit the program.
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
“It’s kind of hard to replace,” Williamson said. “We get freshmen to come in, but we still have our juniors and sophomores. They’ve been going through the system. Hopefully they can fill in some spots that we lost a year or two years ago. Right now, we’re just trying to get them coached up. Trying to get them learned so they can be ready to play football.”
At their peak in 2023, the Vikings had 18 seniors on their roster. Now they only have three.
All of them were part of some of the best seasons in program history, but now their focus is on the task at hand.
“Everybody showing up and giving their all,” senior wide receiver Demond Williams said. “That’s in the past. We aren’t worried about that. It takes a lot. We got some juniors and stuff to step up, too. It’s not only just us.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
That trio of upper classmen has to act as a leader for the rising Vikings while focusing on starting the season 1-0 and staying that way each and every week.
“It’s a little hard, but after a couple times with them, they start to listen to you and they start to follow you,” senior running back Jahan Lesane-Powell said. “We’re going in week one. If we win that game, we can win a lot more. It gives us a big confidence boost. I think it’s very important.”
(Photo: Colton Emswiler/WWAY)
The schedule did not do them any favors.
West Columbus and Topsail are the only area schools with four home games this season while everyone else has five.
The Vikings also have to go more than a month without a game in Cerro Gordo along with a separate 28-day gap between home contests.
