MASON, Ohio −The proverbial halftime adjustments were successfully made at Dwire Field in Mason Friday night as the home Comets scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to survive and advance against Colerain 14-7. After being outgained 111-55 in the first half, Mason found momentum with the two unanswered scores to up their record to 9-2.
The game was much tighter than their previous Greater Miami Conference matchup a little less than two months ago. Mason won that game convincingly, 32-6.
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"It was a gut check for us," Mason coach Brian Castner said. "Our O-line and our D-line, I told them we were going to win in the trenches and that's what happened in the second half. We came to play in the second half and we made sure we won the point of attack."
Colerain quarterback Zae Jennings had 67 yards rushing at halftime and was 3-for-4 passing. His 9-yard scamper in the second quarter was the game's only score until Mason finally cracked the code in the third quarter.
On 4th and 7 from the 34-yard line with 4:20 left in the third, Mason quarterback Larson Brown found wide receiver Colin Billhorn with some separation and completed the touchdown pass. Colson Bunch's extra point tied the game.
The go-ahead score was from running back Shelvon Hibbet's 12-yard run near the "Mason Black Hole" student section. Colerain would have some chances afterward, but Mason's Weston Simmons intercepted a Cardinals' pass with 1:13 remaining, which sent Castner's Comets to the second round.
"It feels great!" Simmons said. "I did it for my boys. It means the world to me. That was my last game here at Dwire Field. It was just a great feeling."
Hibbet led the Mason rushers with 81 yards with Brown going 7-for-19 through the air for 103 yards and the score to Billhorn. Colerain's Jennings also had 81 yards rushing but just 14 in the second half. He was held to 5-for-11 passing for 24 yards and the final pick to Simmons.
The game's start was delayed as three Colerain buses transporting players were in a wreck en route to Mason. The hour delay caused both teams to be sluggish out of the gate. Colerain punted on its first two possessions and Mason fumbled its first opportunity.
"My hat goes off to them," Castner said of Colerain. "To deal with what they're dealing with and still coming out here and playing. They brought it. They were backed into a corner and they showed what kind of fight they have."
Colerain pinned Mason on the 2-yard line late in the first quarter and was able to return a punt to the Comets' 20, but that drive ended in a missed field goal. Midway through the second quarter, Colerain capitalized on good field position when Jennings directed them inside the 10-yard line, eventually scoring from the 9 for the first points of the game.
Outside of a brief visit that ended in a fumble on the Colerain 45, Mason struggled to pass the 50-yard line in the opening two stanzas.
Mason would advance to the Colerain 22-yard line on their opening drive in the third quarter but Greg Williams recovered a fumble as the Cardinals stifled another drive. Finally, in the third on a pivotal fourth down play, Mason's Brown spotted Billhorn down the right sideline for the Comets' first touchdown.
"It was a big-time play!" Brown said. "We needed it for our team motivation. We had a receiver that stepped up. It just felt good out of the hand. He made a good play."
Brown played the game with a cast on his non-throwing hand.
The eventual winning score came early in the fourth quarter after Mason's defense secured favorable field position yet again. Hibbet finished off the drive with a 12-yard dance down the right sideline as the Comets went up 14-7.
The two teams last met in the playoffs in 2020 with Colerain advancing 28-7. Colerain now finishes 4-7 and has had back-to-back losing seasons since a 6-3 mark two years ago. They last won the GMC in 2019 in Shawn Cutright's first year as coach.
Mason is at nine wins for the first time in five years. They play Springboro next Friday. The Panthers defeated Oak Hills 42-10 Friday night. The two teams last played in the 2019 season opener with Springboro winning 31-7. The second-round game will be at Springboro.
"We'll enjoy this tonight," Castner said. "Beating Colerain twice in one year, it's never happened for us. That's a tall task."
Colerain football vs. Mason
COLERAIN 0 7 0 0 7
MASON 0 0 7 7 14
C - Jennings 9-yard run (McAfee kick)
M - Brown 34-yard pass to Billhonr (Bunch kick)
M - Hibbet 12-yard run (Bunch kick)
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