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Preview: Mason at La Salle

La Salle LB Brody Ingle (photo by Mitchell Cook/TriStateFootball.com)

Teams are still a work in progress this early in the season. That is the case for Mason and La Salle. There is no better stage to start molding themselves into fine units than in our U.S. Marines Battle of the Gridiron Series Game of the Week. The home team Lancers are coming of an eye-opening loss while the Comets are feeling good about their win to start 2018. There will be no lack for motivation in this knock-down, drag-out melee. The affair promises to leave both schools battered and bruised but one’s squads ego will escape the damage.

MASON COMETS (1-0) at LA SALLE LANCERS (0-1)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m at Lancers Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: Midway through last season Mason dedicated itself to being special on defense. It has paid dividends for a senior-laden group that includes DL Chase Evans, DE Casey Miller, LB/K Charles Sipe, and LB Anthony Molinari. Sipe also handles place kicking duties and had a 32-yard field goal to go along with the Comets only sack against Springboro last week. Sophomore RB Nolan McCormick ran for a team high 116 yards in his varsity debut. Senior RB Logan Dalton will have his share of big nights running the ball as well.

Mason LB Casey Miller (photo by Mitchell Cooke/TriStateFootball.com)

La Salle must get juniors RB Cam Porter, QB MJ Horton and WR/K Jake Siefert involved at the skill positions on offense. They were non-factors in the opener. Look for head coach Pat McLaughlin to get creative with the playbook and find ways to get this trio going. The centerpiece of the Lancers defense is the linebacking corps of seniors Jared Uran, Garrett Bledsoe, Brody Ingle and junior Luke Thiemann. Ingle has committed to Cincinnati and Uran has said yes to Akron.

TEAM TRENDS: No air mail. These two teams combined to throw for 49 yards in their openers (Mason -41; La Salle – 8). Defensively they were a different story in Week 1. The two squads combined to hold their opponents to 4-19 on third down conversions. Mason did allow Springboro to convert three of four fourth down attempts. The Comets are 5-1 in their last six contests. They have given up just six total points in their five victories.

La Salle was shutout for the first time in 25 games last Friday. Nine times in their last 15 games the Lancers have scored 17 points or less (dating back to the 2016 state championship win against Massillon Perry to end 2016).

La Salle RB Cam Porter (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

MASON’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Comets lunch-pail, blue collar defense is the identity of the team, at this point. This unit capable of holding the Lancers offense to a miserable night of three-and-outs. If that happen, it will play right into Mason’s hands. The Comets have proven that they can eat up clock by churning out yards on the ground. The longer the Mason offense is on the field, the better their chances are to come out on top.

LA SALLE’S KEYS TO VICTORY: It all revolves around the run on both sides of the ball. Porter and Horton need to be a much bigger factor in moving the ball on the ground. That will open up the passing game and get moreLancer athletes involved in the action. It is something that did not happen last week versus Colerain. The La Salle defense needs to get Mason in third down and long situations. The Comets have yet to show that they can stretch the field through the air.

Prediction: LA SALLE 17, MASON 7

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