Mageo Brothers Lay It On the Line

Maybe it’s true that you can never go home again. But you can always pick up where you left off with your brother, no matter how long it’s been.

Jacob and Jason Mageo have proved as much this season at Cal State Northridge. Although they trod separate paths, the brothers from Oceanside finally found their way to Northridge, where this season they are teammates for the first time in five years.

Playing shoulder to shoulder, Jason, a 6-foot, 249-pound senior defensive end, and Jacob, a 5-10, 270-pound senior nose tackle, are integral members of the defensive front. They are similar in size, style and appearance, save for Jason’s shaved head.

Both have several tattoos, including the family’s Samoan surname (pronounced Mung-YO) imprinted across their left biceps.

“How do I keep them straight?” Matador interim Coach Jeff Kearin said. “Jacob was here first. And Jacob comes before Jason in the alphabet. They’re both a substantial force on the defensive line.”

Northridge (3-3, 2-2 in conference play), hoping to improve on an encouraging defensive performance last week against Cal State Sacramento, plays at Montana State (3-3, 1-2) today in a crucial Big Sky Conference game.

The Mageos, born 13 months apart, learned to stick together at an early age. They had been teammates long before starting side by side for two seasons as two-way linemen at Oceanside High.

“We’re used to being teammates,” Jacob said. “We thought about one day playing together [in college], but we didn’t know how it would ever happen. But it just happened.”

The brothers parted ways when Jason graduated in 1995. They had discussed attending the same college, but their goals differed and they couldn’t afford to be choosy.

“I had no idea where I wanted to go,” Jason said. “But I knew I wanted to play with the big schools in California.”

Jason enrolled at Palomar College in north San Diego County, playing two seasons and serving as defensive captain before transferring to Oregon State in 1997.

Jacob played for Oceanside’s San Diego Section championship team the season after Jason graduated, then headed for Southern Utah, where he played in every game as a freshman.

For a brief time, the brothers were nearing a reunion at Southern Utah. Jason considered transferring there before opting for Oregon State. Soon after, Jacob transferred to Palomar, where Jason had just left.

In 1998, Jacob transferred to Northridge, where he immediately made an impact, playing in seven games. Meanwhile, Jason, after playing one season at Oregon State, was a redshirt in 1998 and grew unhappy.

“He was kind of homesick,” Jacob said. “So, that was a good excuse for him to get out of there.”

Said Jason: “I asked Jacob to see if their team had any room or needed someone at the rush position. He talked to [former coach Ron] Ponciano and we worked everything out.

“I thought Southern Utah was our last chance. I had no idea this would ever happen. But after a while I decided, no matter what, I was going to go play with my brother.”

The chemistry hasn’t changed.

“Playing together for so long in high school, you kind of pick up on what each other’s strengths and weaknesses are and we kind of play off that,” Jacob said. “There are a lot of times where we really don’t have to say anything to each other. We just look at each other.”

CS Northridge vs. Montana State

When: 12:05 p.m.

Where: Reno H. Sales Stadium, Bozeman, Mont.

What: Big Sky Conference game

Fast fact: The Matadors are winless in three meetings against the Bobcats.