Next up is a Division I, Region 4 playoff game next Friday night as the No. 1 seed facing West Clermont.
“It’s just a great feeling,” sophomore quarterback Mitch Bolden said, when asked about what it’s meant to be a part of a successful turnaround under his father. “We worked so hard, changed the program around in two years, just being on top, we’re just so excited. It’s a great feeling. Work hard and championships.”
Mitch Bolden scored two touchdowns Friday, including the first one after Mason missed a 43-yard field goal that would have given the Comets the first lead. Bolden swung the momentum with a 37-yard keeper to set up his eventual 2-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 advantage with 5:51 left in the second quarter.
The second-year starter also capped off the scoring to seal the win on a 10-yard touchdown run with 7:40 left after Silas Walters intercepted Michael Molnar at the Mason 22-yard line. West had extended its lead to 14-0 just 64 seconds earlier on Cameron Goode’s 1-yard run.
“My last school I didn’t really get a chance to do nothing,” said Goode, who transferred from Northwest High School. “GMC championship, I show up. There’s no words. There’s a lot of competition here, and so we push each other in practice every day. You work hard and it pays off.”
Goode, who entered the game with 98 total yards rushing for the season, finished the night with 137 yards on 15 carries. Mitch Bolden had 81 yards rushing to go along with his two scores.
“Cameron’s just been buying his time, and we’re so good at running back we’ve kind of been playing the hot hand,” coach Tom Bolden said. “Josh has been hot hand at times, and it was Cam today. He was running like a man possessed, and I’m proud of him.”
Not surprisingly, though, it was the defense that set the tone for the game, as the Firebirds collected their third shutout of the season.
The teams traded punts on their first few drives, but Mason’s Ryan Caplinger recovered a muffed punt to put the Comets at the West 23-yard line early in the second quarter, and the Firebirds came up with the stop to hold them to a field goal attempt, which Michael Tymitz missed from 43 yards out.
West’s Champ Gillespie then recovered a fumbled punt attempt at the end of period to help the special teams unit redeem itself, but the offense couldn’t find the redzone again until the fourth quarter. Kam Vargas had a sack on fourth down to force a turnover with 1:08 left in the third quarter, and Goode got his touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Aiden Miller led the defense with 11 tackles and one sack that came right before Vargas' big play. Mason finished with 138 total yards with Nolan McCormick leading with 89 yards rushing.
“Defense did what they’ve been doing all year,” Tom Bolden said. “Pitching the shutout, they fly around and get after people. It’s a brand of football I love to see and these guys are playing it perfectly.”
West wasn’t able to play last week because of COVID-19 cases at Oak Hills, which was winless through four games. Friday was a chance to not only clinch the GMC title outright but also to gain some confidence for the playoffs. Princeton finished with a 5-1 record and could have forced a three-way share of the conference championship along with Mason and West with a different result for the Firebirds.
“It’s a big confidence booster,” Mitch Bolden said. “We just keep rolling. Just keep the train rolling, and we should be great, hopefully go deep.”
About the Author