Cook County’s football team has been winning steadily enough these past two seasons that their current record almost feels like a continuation rather than a surprise. The Vikings finished last fall without a single regular season loss, and they have opened this year the same way, stacking victories with the kind of confidence that comes from a group that has grown up inside the same system.
Coaches Steven Anderson and Mike Theismann believe it is not a streak built on luck. It is a streak built on years of slow work, steady habits, and a program that has grown into itself.
“This is our fifth year together since Steven was head coach, and that’s when I first moved up here and became assistant coach,” Theismann said. “I think continuity with the program in terms of our expectations are a big one.”
The continuity shows in the way the Vikings play, but it also shows in the way the coaches talk about their players. Many of this year’s seniors entered the program as eighth graders, learning the system early, growing into it, and carrying it forward.
Anderson said that long runway has shaped everything about the way this group approaches the game.
“It’s been really helpful for them to learn our system,” he said. “Kids are behind it in terms of understanding plays or the dynamics of football.”
The undefeated start is the visible part of that growth. What may be the less visible part is the years of weight-room work, the multi-sport seasons, the summer practices, the film sessions, and the steady expectations that have been in place since the coaches began building the program.
That program asks the same things of every player, every year, and the players have responded by becoming the kind of team that can handle the pressure of a perfect record without losing their footing.
Quarterback Graham Oberholtzer, a senior, has been one of the clearest examples of that development. Anderson said his play in the first three games has been sharp and composed, the kind of quarterbacking that keeps a team steady even when the stakes rise.
“Graham has been pretty outstanding, astounding in terms of all of his play in the first three games,” Anderson said.
The returning core of seniors MaCoy Fairbanks, Talon DeBoer, Devan Rude, and junior Rolan King has stepped into bigger roles with confidence. They are the players who have lived inside the system long enough to understand not just the plays but the expectations behind them.
“Those young men are just kind of really becoming excellent football players, more so than they even were in years past,” Anderson said.
The undefeated start has not erased the memory of last year’s state tournament, where the Vikings did not perform the way they hoped. That experience has shaped the way the players approached the off-season and the way they have carried themselves this fall.
Theismann said the disappointment has only motivated them more.
“I think that made guys hungry for the offseason once football was over last year and how dedicated they were in their winter sports, spring sports, summer weightlifting,” he said. “Showing up summer practice.”
With only twenty-four players, the coaches manage contact carefully, relying on conditioning to keep the team sharp. They know how quickly depth can disappear in nine-man football, and they know how important it is to keep the roster healthy.
“Developing depth is really tough,” Theismann said. “Our practices aren’t always tons of full contact. It’s more staying in shape, staying healthy, spent in the weight room, studying film, developing our younger guys.”
The undefeated start has also raised expectations among the younger players, who see the seniors as examples of what can happen when they buy into the system. The pipeline behind the varsity team is larger than it has been in years.
Twenty-three junior-high players are out this fall, the largest group either coach has seen since arriving. Their first year, they did not have enough kids to field a junior-high team at all.
In addition, “we have a really big sophomore class,” said Theismann. “Multiple guys in that sophomore class who are starters or contributors. Those are really encouraging things. Not only right now, but for the future.”
The undefeated record has not changed the way the coaches talk about the season. They still focus on the basics: staying healthy, staying focused, and keeping perspective. They know how quickly confidence can turn into complacency, especially when the early schedule includes two of the toughest opponents. Cook County handled both well, but the coaches are careful not to let the players look too far ahead.
“Keeping them focused to not look past any games can be a challenge at times,” Theismann said. “Reminding them of what did you do to get here and what do you need to keep doing if you want this to keep going.”
The captains have helped keep the team grounded. Oberholtzer, Fairbanks, DeBoer, Rude, and King lead a roster that has learned how to balance high expectations with team camaraderie. Anderson said their leadership has evolved in ways that matter.
“They’re definitely a demanding group, but they’ve been pushed to add more team camaraderie a little bit in practice while still maintaining a high level of excellence,” he said.
The undefeated start has also energized the community. Cook County’s football tradition runs deep, shaped by the state championships of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Crowds have been strong again this fall. The players feel that support, and the coaches appreciate it.
“There’s pretty good crowds that show up for varsity football games,” Theismann said. “I’d say that people are excited about how the season is going.”
Homecoming arrives later in October, and the program will use the occasion to raise a little money by selling old helmets and jerseys. Small fundraisers help offset the cost of gear and travel, and the coaches said donations are always welcome, especially for food sponsorships on long trips.
“We’re always looking for food to be sponsored for our away games,” Anderson said. “Another great avenue to help is always to contact the club to make donations.”
The undefeated start has not changed the heart of the program. When asked what keeps them coaching, both men went straight to the long view. They talked about the players they have known since seventh and eighth grade, the boys who have grown into young men inside the system, the ones who have learned how to lead and how to be accountable.
“I think of some of these seniors when they were eighth graders,” Theismann said. “Not only the growth physically that they go through, but the maturity, the social skills, the understanding of the game, the embracing leadership and being held accountable.”
Anderson sees the same thing.
“Being able to say that they’re turning into quality young men that I would be proud of as alumni of our program is always something that I love to think about,” he said.
The season is moving quickly now, with three regular-season games left before playoffs. The coaches believe this group has the ability to make another run, if health holds and focus stays sharp. The players will choose their own path, Anderson said, and the coaches will be there to guide them.
“It’s really exciting to be able to see what they can accomplish,” he added.
The team has given the community something to rally around, but the coaches said the most important support is the simplest. Show up. Cheer. Talk to the Vikings when you see them around town. Let them know the community is behind them.
“Supporting our team by just being present or talking to them about football when they see them out in public is a great thing to do,” Anderson said.
Cook County is currently 4-0, with two away games next on their schedule. The Vikings will play Littlefork-Big Falls at home on October 21 for their homecoming celebration. They hope to see you at the field.
