Northern Game Day: Senior Leadership

The Montana State University-Northern Lights are an extremely young football team. And in a rebuilding year, having only four seniors on the entire roster makes the Lights even younger and more inexperienced.

Yet, those four seniors are also a big reason why the Lights have marched forward through one of the most difficult seasons in the program's history. It's the leadership of those four seniors that has helped the lights pick themselves up time and time again throughout a season of difficult losses and challenging moments of adversity.

Those four seniors, captain and cornerback Malcolm Manuel, starting offensive lineman Matt McKeen, wide receiver Logan Mayernik and defensive tackle Jefferson Aumua, will play their final game of their Northern careers on Saturday when the Lights take on Rocky Mountain College inside Blue Pony Stadium.

Of course, those seniors, and the Lights are hoping to end this season on a high note, and nothing would do that more than to beat RMC Saturday. But, the impact that this tiny MSU-N senior class will have had, and has had on the program will be felt for many years to come – regardless of what happens against the Battlin' Bears this Saturday.

"I've definitely tried to play every play this season like it's my last, and give this team everything I have," said McKeen, who has been at Northern for five years. "I have tried to be a good example and a good leader to the younger guys. And I feel like this young crew we have, they have as much potential as I've ever seen in football. A lot of these guys, if they stick with it, are going to be amazing football players. But even with this unsuccessful season, I've had a blast, and so have the younger guys."

Like McKeen, Manuel has also taken upon himself to help Northern build for the future. And as much as he's wanted to win every game, the star cornerback has also done his part to make sure the Lights are better off in the future.

"That's the main reason a lot of us older guys stuck it through," Manuel said. "It's really important to be leaders this season because a lot of these younger guys look up to us, and if we can get through what we have gone through this season, than the younger guys know they can do the same thing. I know they think they have a bright future here, and I feel like they do. This team was very young and inexperienced this season, but when I look back on this season in a couple of years, and see where this team is then, it will be a good feeling knowing I helped them get there."

Indeed, Northern's four seniors have certainly led the way. Manuel has had a strong senior campaign, with 35 tackles, two interceptions, two tackles for loss and a blocked kick that he returned for a safety against UM-Western back in September. McKeen has been a veteran anchor on a young offensive line that has had injury problems throughout the season, while Mayernik, a native of Centerville, who has been with the Lights for four years, has caught three passes in what has been a season that's he's had to deal with injuries as well. Aumua has also been in on running-stopping and goal line situations for the Lights this season defense.

But, it isn't just what the four seniors, along with graduate assistant Dylan Murphy, who would have been a senior as well this season if he could have played on the offensive line, have done on the field, it's as much what they've done behind the scenes that will matter most when the season comes to an end.

"We've had really good senior leadership on this team," said Northern head coach Aaron Christensen. "And with a young team, that's very important."

All four seniors are indeed talented football players, but it has been their leadership, their maturity, and how they've handled the adversity of such a daunting season, that all four of them are most proud of, and it's why they'll look back on their careers, and even this season, with a lot of fondess.

And, it's why all four them are excited to play one last football game in a Lights' uniform on Saturday afternoon.

"It's a big game for all of us," Manuel said. "Not just for the seniors but for all of us. Because we're rebuilding, getting this last win would be big, especially for the guys coming back next year. So for us, myself, Matt, Logan and Jeff, we've been playing this sport for a long time and we're going to just go leave it out there on the field. We've been talking about that the last couple weeks, as seniors, we're going to just go give it everything we have and leave it all out there on Saturday.

"I've been playing this sport for a long time," added McKeen. "This is my 15th year of competitive football and my fifth year here. It's been a rough season, but even during the rough times, I've tried to have the best attitude possible and have just tried to enjoy every minute of it. In the blink of an eye, five years went by super fast. And I've had a lot of fun and a lot of memories I'll cherish for the rest of my life with all these great guys."

Northern's senior class will be honored before Saturday's game against Rocky Mountain College. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. at Blue Pony Stadium.