Comets rebound from setbacks with two convincing conference wins

Sololiya Ebba | The Chronicle

The boys are back.

On Friday, September 12, the Mason High School (MHS) football team secured a hard-fought 24-14 victory over the Oak Hills Highlanders, lifting their record to 2-2. For the Comets, the win marked another step forward in rewriting a disappointing start to the season. After dropping their home opener to the Springboro Panthers on August 22nd and suffering a tough 35-13 loss to the Lakota West Firebirds on August 29th, the team found themselves facing an early 0-2 hole and pressure to prove their competitiveness in the Greater Miami Conference (GMC).

That pressure sparked a breakthrough in week three, when Mason defeated conference rival Lakota East in a 40-35 shootout that reignited their momentum. Senior quarterback De’Angelo Birch played a key role in the Comets’ victory, scoring four touchdowns and rushing for 214 yards. This energy carried itself past the Thunderhawk victory and into week four, bringing in positive results for Mason. For head coach Brian Castner, the turnaround is proof of the team’s resilience, but also a reminder that there is still work to be done.

“There are a lot of things we can get better at, and a lot of sloppiness,” Castner said. “But winning two in a row, winning one on the road, doing something that we know we can do, it’s a great week to go 2-2. I feel like this team is going to keep fighting, but we have to get a lot better.”

Castner believes that success this season will rely on the relationships built among the players. With nearly 90 players on their roster, finding unity has been just as important as making plays.

“[Our] chemistry is still growing,” Castner said. “We have still got a long way to go, and we have to figure out how to love each other a little bit more.”

This message of unity has resonated with the upperclassman leaders, especially senior wide receiver Taurien Wiggins. After struggling to find rhythm in the first two weeks, Wiggins has stepped up with big plays over the past two games, including a fourth-quarter touchdown against Oak Hills. For him, Mason’s
comeback has been about proving their toughness.

“I think [our comeback] speaks to our resilience as a team, and how eager we were to bounce back,” Wiggins said. “Now that we are picking up momentum, it’s all about our confidence, and now we are ready to roll.”

Confidence is grounded in trust. Wiggins said that the team’s ability to come together in difficult moments has been the true glue that holds them together.

“Being able to stick together, play as one group and still be strong over the past couple of weeks is important,” Wiggins said.

While Wiggin’s performance against the Highlanders made a huge difference for the Comets, he made a point to credit his teammates, shouting out the offensive line in particular.

“My performance is based on them,” Wiggins said. “I am very confident every game [knowing that] even if I don’t perform, my offense is going to show up.”

Editors Note: Mason Sports Radio Director Daniel Pennetti contributed to this article.