So how big is this Senior Night contest at Fairfield Stadium? Well, the winner is guaranteed a first-round home game next weekend.
WEEK 10 FOOTBALL COVERAGE
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» Badin keeping focus on McNick with playoffs close by
» Waynesville on the rise as Madison eyes 10-0 season
» MVC Gray title, D-VII playoffs in New Miami’s sights
» Madison, Fenwick maintain spots in AP state poll
» Five local matchups to keep an eye on Friday night
“We really want to play at home in that first game,” Fairfield coach Jason Krause said. “Seeding is so important in our region. And I just think 8-2 sounds a lot better than 7-3. When you talk about what kind of season you had, the kids have a lot of pride. They want to win as much as they can. And you don’t want to limp into the playoffs. You want to ride into the playoffs with good things happening.”
His Indians got thumped 55-27 at Colerain last weekend. That game included another showcase performance by FHS junior running back JuTahn McClain, who had 275 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries.
“We had talked all week about our guys having to make plays in a game of that stature because that’s what Colerain would do,” Krause said. “JuTahn did that. That’s what I expected out of him, and he produced.
“Overall, there were some good things and bad things from that game. I think our offense played well most of the night. We played pretty well up front offensively. Defensively, I think we played well at times.
“I really like the mental makeup of this group. You always hear about the ‘bird flu.’ You lose a tough one to Colerain, and the next week sometimes you don’t perform as well. But I think this group is mentally ready to move on. There were a lot of positive comments made by our kids right after the game Friday night.”
A matchup with Mason is no laughing matter for the Indians. The Comets have had their number the last three seasons, winning two of those games by shutout.
Mason coach Brian Castner doesn’t think the recent history will have any impact on Friday’s contest.
“You can talk about it a little bit, but as far as Friday night at 7 o’clock, it’s going to be a 0-0 team against a 0-0 team,” he said. “They’re going to be hungry for us and it’s Senior Night for them, so we’re going to get their best.”
The Comets have gone to more of a spread look on offense this year, but they still like to run the ball the majority of the time.
“They probably have the most formations we’ve seen by an opponent this year,” Krause said.
Senior Logan Dalton (164 carries, 929 yards, six TDs) and sophomore Nolan McCormick (110 carries, 658 yards, six TDs) are the leading rushers. Junior quarterback Collin Brown has completed 57-of-120 passes for 604 yards and four scores.
Mason’s 4-2-5 defense is a balanced crew that’s allowing 236.6 yards and 16.6 points per game. Senior end Casey Miller has committed to Indiana State, and senior safety Dominick Nigro ranks second in the GMC with four interceptions.
“We’ve had a good year,” said Castner, whose squad lost to La Salle and Colerain. “I’m very happy with the seniors and the captains that have led this team. I can’t say enough good things about them. We’re as close as I’ve ever had a team here.”
Said Krause, “They’re in the mold that Mason has been — big, strong, physical kids that play hard. They always play a senior-laden bunch, and their kids are winners. They know how to win. I think that goes a long way when you talk about high school kids.”
Castner said the Comets know what’s coming when McClain gets the ball in his hands.
“JuTahn is probably the best player in the area,” the Mason coach said. “We’ve got to make sure that we’re good at the point of attack. We can’t miss tackles at the line of scrimmage and let him get another 10, 15, 20 yards or more.”
Friday’s game
What: Mason (7-2, 6-1 GMC) at Fairfield (7-2, 6-1 GMC), 7 p.m.
Where: Fairfield Stadium, State Route 4 and Stadium Drive, Fairfield
Series: Mason leads 7-2 and has won the last three meetings, including 15-0 in 2017
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