MasonBuzz.com

Mason’s Kayla MacDowell attempts a layup during Saturday’s Division I district final game against Fairborn at Harrison High School.

Kevin Kelly reports:

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: basketball, comets, firebirds, girls basketball, jenna gunn, kayla mcdowell, kettering fairmont, mason, mason high school, nutter center, rob matula, sports

Kevin Goheen reports:

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: boys soccer, comets, firebirds, gmc, jack clark, joshua greenfield, lakota west, mason, mason high school, michael marino, paul reedy, soccer, st. xavier

Adam Kiefaber reports:

Mason (4-3 overall, 2-2 GMC) will host Lakota East (5-2, 3-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.  The Comets are ranked No. 10 in the Cincinnati Enquirer Coaches poll.  Lakota is ranked No. 7.

The Thunderhawks are coming off a 28-7 loss against Sycamore, while Mason enters the game after defeating Fairfield 55-13 last week.

Lakota East: The Thunderhawks fell from No. 6 in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s region 4 computer rankings to No. 11 this week after losing 28-7 to Sycamore last Friday. In order to qualify for the postseason, Lakota East will have to finish among the top eight teams when the final computer report is released Oct. 28. Helping the team try to qualify for its first-ever postseason appearance is senior running back Will Mahone, who has rushed for 649 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games this season. His junior teammate, quarterback Eric Eichler, has thrown for six touchdowns and ran for seven more this fall.

Mason: The Comets’ two losses in GMC play occurred against Lakota West and Colerain, two teams that are currently undefeated this fall. Meanwhile, in Mason’s four wins this season, senior running back Darryl Johnson is averaging 189 rushing yards per game. In the three losses, Johnson is averaging around 96 yards per game. Mason’s other standouts include senior offensive lineman Elijah Nkansah (verbal commitment to Toledo), senior defensive back Corey Quallen (offers from Cincinnati, multiple MAC schools), senior defensive back Randy Anderson (interest from Miami) and senior linebacker Andrew Hauser (interest from Miami).

Bottom line: The two schools have one common opponent this season. Lakota East defeated Hamilton, 56-0, while Mason defeated that same Hamilton team 35-14. If Lakota East wants to get back in the playoff picture, it will have to win this Friday. There doesn’t appear to be a clear favorite in this game.

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: comets, firebirds, football, lakota east, mason, mason high school, sports

Kevin Goheen reports:

Posted in: Fall sports, Sports |

Tags: Tags: andrew hauser, brian castner, comets, darryl johnson, firebirds, football, lakota west, larry cox, mason, mason high school, rodney hutchinson, sports

Adam Kiefaber reports:

Trailing 3-0, the Lakota West Firebirds stormed back with a five-run sixth inning en route to a 6-3 win against Mason Wednesday at Mason Middle School.

The Firebirds – No. 1 in The Enquirer’s coaches’ poll – scored five runs in the inning on four hits and on one momentous error.

“We played great through six innings, but we didn’t finish,” Mason head coach Liann Muff said. “When you don’t finish against a good team, that is what happens.”

The Firebirds got on the board when a ground ball hit by sophomore outfielder Kat Burbrink scored two runs after Mason second baseman Taylor Stewart threw the ball past her first baseman.

A few batters later, Lakota West sophomore pitcher Ashley Sharp broke a 3-3 tie by driving in two runs on a double to right-center field.

“It shows a lot about the girls…a little adversity set in and they responded,” Lakota West head coach Keith Castner said. “That is a credit to the girls concentrating and believing in themselves.”

Sharp, who walked five batters and hit three others, came through when it matter.

“Being only a sophomore, she has just done a great job for us this year as a pitcher and as a hitter,” Castner said of Sharp, who improved her record to 10-2 on the year. “When she hits the ball she hits it hard and she just comes through.”

It appeared for most of the game, that Mason sophomore pitcher Sarah Browning was going to be the one to lead her team to victory.

After allowing the first batter to reach on a double to begin the game, Browning retired 13 straight hitters. Through five innings, she had only given up two hits, struck out four batters and walked none.

She also got run support, with the Comets scoring a run in the fourth inning off a double by junior rightfielder Macy Hubbard and two more in the fifth by a way of a two-run home run over the centerfield fence by senior catcher Margo Hutchison.

“We have yet to play our best game by any stretch,” Muff said. “Until we can string together an entire game, this up and down is going to continue to happen. We just have to get mentally tougher and put together seven innings.”

Meanwhile, the Firebirds added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when sophomore Madison Bridges collided with Hutchison at home plate. The collision jarred the ball out of Hutchison’s glove and forced the senior catcher to leave the game. The severity of her injury was unknown at the end of the contest.

Despite the loss, Mason – No. 4 in The Enquirer’s poll – came close to being the first team from the Greater Miami Conference to defeat the Firebirds.

“We are so solid,” Sharp said of her teammates, who are now 8-0 in the GMC. “We get along so well, which is great because some teams have a lot of drama. Everyone here just likes each other.”

W-Sharp (10-2, 4 K’s). Browning (3-4). Leaders: M-Hubbard 2B, RBI; Hutchison HR, 2 RBIs. L – Hedric 2 2Bs; Sharp 2-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, Burbrink RBI, Bridges 2 runs. Lakota West 11-3, 8-0 GMC. Mason 6-6, 5-3 GMC.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: comets, firebirds, gmc, lady comets, lakota west, liann muff, mason, mason high school, softball, sports

Adam Kiefaber reports:

The Mason Comets completed a four-game sweep against Lakota high school baseball teams with a 4-2 victory at Mason Middle School Monday.

Overall, the Mason batters struggled to make contact against Lakota East senior ace Michael Conrad, but got a big hit when it mattered.

In the bottom of the third inning, Conrad, a University of Cincinnati signee,  loaded the bases with a wild pitch on a strikeout, hit a batter and allowed another batter to reach on a fielder’s choice.

Then, with one out, Mason junior third baseman Drew Johnson got the Comets’ first hit of the game when he pulled a Conrad fastball down the third baseline for a 2-RBI single.

“Conrad was blowing some serious cheese. I just got a pitch in the zone and I was to get a soft grounder down the third baseline. It really got the team going and pumped up,” Johnson said. “Andrew McDonald then shut it down.”

After laboring through the first two innings, walking two and hitting two other batters, McDonald settled down, striking out seven batters and allowing two hits in six innings.

One of those hits was a solo home run by senior center fielder Alex Corna, which cleared the 345-foot marker in right-center field.

Mason shortstop Marcus Otte celebrates during a 6-2 win against Lakota East. Photo by Tony Tribble.

“It was an outstanding performance for him (McDonald). To do that against a ballclub like that, the defending state champions regardless of where they are now, is impressive,” Mason head coach Ken Gray said. “He just threw a heck of ballgame today.”

The Comets added a pair of insurance runs. One more in the third on an errant throw to the pitcher and another run on an error on a ground ball to the second baseman in the fourth.

Meanwhile, in a losing effort, Conrad also pitched well for the Thunderhawks, finishing the game by striking out 10 batters and allowing only two hits in five innings of work.

“When you strike out 10 and give up two hits that should be good enough for the win,” Lakota East head coach Ray Hamilton said. “He was good enough last Monday, when gave up four hits and struck out 12. When do that, you should win. Right now, we are not.”

The defending state champs are not winning and also lost Conrad’s last outing by the score of 4-2 against Hamilton March 26. Overall, the Thunderhawks are 2-4 overall and 1-3 in the Greater Miami Conference.

“This is the GMC. I don’t care who you play for, you have to have good at-bats,” Hamilton said. “There is real good pitching in this league and that will never change. Mason is a really good team, so hopefully we can learn from this, get better from this and not make the same mistakes we made today.”

The Comets, on the other hand, behind a deep pitching staff are off to 6-2 start and improve to 4-0 in the GMC.

“It has been a blast so far. We have a great team and we think that we can make a run at the GMC and maybe advance further later on in the season,” Johnson said.

BOX: W–McDonald (2-0, 7 K’s); Conrad (0-1, 10 K’s). Leaders M-Johnson 2 RBI. LE-Corna HR. M 6-2, 4-0 GMC. LE 2-4, 1-3 GMC.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: alex corna, baseball, firebirds, ken gray, lakota east, lakota west, marcus otte, mason, mason high school, sports, thunderhawks, varsity

Adam Kiefaber reports:

The Mason Comets defeated Lakota West 4-3 Wednesday. It was the third straight day that the Comets defeated a Lakota baseball team and the second time this week that they defeated the Firebirds.

Mason improves to 3-0 overall and 3-0 in the Greater Miami Conference, while Lakota West falls to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the GMC.

BOX: W–Martin (1-0); L–Schuerman (0-1). Leader: M–McVey 2B; Quallen 3B; Thompson 2B, 2 RBI; L–M. Anderson 2-4; Farmer 2B; Wagner 2B; Schuerman 2-4. Records: M 3-0, L 0-2.

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: baseball, comets, firebirds, gmc, greater miami conference, lakota east, lakota west, mason, mason high school, sports, varsity

Adam Kiefaber reports:

The Mason Comets out-hit, out-pitched and committed less errors than the Lakota West Firebirds in the season opener for both clubs Monday in the inaugural Reds Future High School Showcase at Prasco Park Legacy Field in Mason.

Mason junior Andrew McDonald earned his first win of the season when the Comets defeated Lakota West March 26. The Enquirer/Adam Kiefaber.

The Comets winning pitcher, junior Andrew McDonald, gave up a run and loaded the bases in the second inning. After that, the 6-foot-5 right-handed junior settled down, striking out seven batters in five innings of work.

McDonald also gave up four hits, four walks and two runs, one of which was earned.

“Personally, I know that it wasn’t my best performance, but I am pleased with it because we walked away with a win,” McDonald said. “That is all that counts.

“It feels great to get a win against a rival like West.”

Meanwhile, Lakota West starting pitcher senior Zak Farmer lasted four innings and gave up seven runs. Only three of the runs, however, were earned. On defense, Lakota West committed six errors.

Offensively, the Comets were led their No. 7 and No. 8 hitters, junior first baseman Corey Quallen and senior designated hitter Josh Orlando. Both batters combined for four hits, two triples and three runs batted in.

“Anytime you get a win first time out of the gate, against a team like West, you have to take it,” Mason head coach Ken Gray said. “It is obvious that they didn’t play their best game and they are a lot better ballclub than what they showed.

“It was just one of those days where they had a bad day at the yard and we were able to take advantage of it.”

Mason 9, Lakota West 2

W-McDonald (1-0); Farmer (0-1). Leaders M- Galloway 2-2. 2 RBI, Highfill 2 RBI, Otte 3 runs, Quallen 3B, 2B, Orlando 3B 2 RBI. LW-Ma. Anderson 2-3, 2B. Mason (1-0, 1-0 in the GMC), Lakota West (0-1, 0-1 in the GMC).

Posted in: Sports, Spring sports |

Tags: Tags: andrew mcdonald, baseball, comets, corey quallen, firebirds, josh orlando, ken gray, lakota west, mason, mason high school, prasco park, reds futures high school showcase

Mason's Briana Glover (14) and Kayla McDowell (15) cry on the bench after losing to Fairmont in the 4th period. Mason High School battled Fairmont High School in a Division I regional final basketball game at Wright State University on Saturday, March 10, 2012 in Dayton, Ohio. The Enquirer/ Joseph Fuqua II

Mark Schmetzer reports:

Mason couldn’t have picked a worse time to struggle with its shooting.

The Comets went the entire second quarter and most of the third without sinking a field goal, giving Kettering Fairmont a chance to build a lead the Firebirds held on to for a 49-40 win in the Division I girls regional championship game at Wright State.

• Photos: Comets fall to Firebirds in regional championship

Senior Bri Glover scored 16 points to lead Mason (18-7), which was ranked third in the Enquirer’s Division I coaches poll and was making its first appearance in the regional finals since winning the 2000 state championship.

The Comets scored 22 points on field goals while shooting 27 percent (10-of-37) from the field. They were 18-of-22 on free throws, led by Glover’s 11-of-12. The Firebirds shot 45.7 percent (16-of-35).

Mason Briana Glover (14) drives to the basket against Fairmont Makayla Waterman (24) in the 4th period. The Enquirer/ Joseph Fuqua II

Mason coach Rob Matula pointed out that the Firebirds exploited Mason’s lack of an outside shooting game.

“They do a good job defensively of cutting off the lanes and contesting shots,” Matula said. “That’s what they do well. If you look at our stats, we don’t shoot many (3-pointers), and we don’t have many 3-point shooters, and when a defense is successful in making us shoot from the outside, we’re going to struggle.”

Sophomores Makayla Waterman (17 points) and Kathryn Westbeld (13) led Fairmont (23-3), the No.10 team in the Associated Press state poll.

The Firebirds will make their third consecutive trip to state. They lost last season in the championship game and in the semifinals in 2010.

The Comets went 3-of-18 from the field in the first half, including 0-for-8 in the second quarter, when they managed just two free throws by junior Kayla McDowell while falling behind, 20-14, by halftime.

“We talked about being more aggressive on our drives,” Matula said. “We wanted to spread it and curl under, but we couldn’t get the angles. We needed to score over the top of them.”

The slump reached 17:20, allowing Fairmont to open up a 13-point lead, 31-18, before McDowell connected on a wide-open layup with 1:13 left in the third quarter.

The Comets got no closer than six.

Mason rode an eight-game winning streak into the regional championship game.

“If somebody had told me we’d get to the regional finals, I would’ve said, ‘I’ll take it,’” Matula said. “Give them credit. They’ve got the experience from having been here before. We’re still taking baby steps to get there.”

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: basketball, briana glover, championship, comets, dayton, division i girls regional championship, fairmont, firebirds, girls basketball, jenna gunn, kayla mcdowell, kettering fairmont, lady comets, mason, mason high school, rob matula, wright state university

Adam Kiefaber reports:

Briana Glover

The Mason Comets (14-6 overall, 10-4 in the Greater Miami Conference) defeated a Lakota West (12-8 overall, 7-7 in the GMC) team, who had won six of its last seven games, by the score of 46-27 Saturday afternoon.

Mason senior Briana Glover, who will continue her career at Xavier University, led all players in scoring with 20 points and in rebounds with 10.

Meanwhile, off the bench, senior Ali Zieverink scored 13 points in only nine minutes of playing time for the Firebirds.

The game officially ends the regular season for both teams.

For Lakota West, the postseason will begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it will face Loveland (4-16 overall, 3-13 in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference) at Harrison High School. Mason, on the other hand, will begin its postseason Saturday at 3 p.m. at Lakota East High School where it will play the winner of a Wednesday night matchup between Mt. Notre Dame (5-15 overall, 2-8 in the Girls Greater Cincinnati League) and Anderson (14-6 overall, 11-5 in the FAVC).

Mason 46, Lakota West 27

Lakota West (12-8, 7-7 in the GMC) – Cannatelli 3 0 7, Mills 1 0 2, Zieverink 6 1 13, Sh. Reeves 2 0 5. Totals: 121 27.

Mason (14-6 overall, 10-4 in the GMC) – Glover 7 5 20, McDowell 2 4 8, Neal 1 4 6, Garner 0 1 1, Herren 1 1 3, Gunn 2 2 6, Ammons 1 0 2. Totals: 14 17 46.

Halftime: Mason 23-8. 3-pointers: L 2 (Cannatelli, Sh. Reeves); M 1 (Glover).

Posted in: Sports, Winter Sports |

Tags: Tags: ali zieverink, basketball, briana glover, comets, firebirds, girls basketball, gmc, lady comets, lakota firebirds, lakota west, mason, mason high school, varsity basketball