Mason faces big test in Colerain

By Mark Chalifoux • mchalifoux@communitypress.com • September 21, 2008

MASON - The Mason Comets have been improving, but face their toughest test of the season when they visit nationally ranked Colerain Friday, Sept. 26.

Mason head coach David Sedmak said he's seen the Cardinals play a few times and that Colerain has a "typical Colerain team.

"They are big, strong and fast," he said.

Sedmak said it's not hard to motivate the team to play Colerain and that, in some respects, the team was "too cranked up" last year, which caused some problems for the Comets in the 35-14 loss.

"We had some cases of guys missing assignments and when you play the triple option if guys miss assignments it can really hurt you," he said.

Colerain is ranked No. 9 in the USA Today top 25 poll as the Cardinals won their first four games against top-notch competition.

Sedmak said it would be important for his players to not let Colerain's reputation play too much of a role in the game.

"You can't let the uniform of name of the school or what guys look like intimidate you," he said.

"They have 11 players and we have 11 players. We played four good teams this year and played three of them pretty tough.

"The kids just need to believe in each other."

Sedmak said Mason doesn't have one or two playmakers that stand out, but that the Comets have a lot of good pieces that need to come together for Mason to succeed.

"We have a lot of pretty good players and if they play well and do what they are supposed to we can be successful," he said.

"We've done a lot of things pretty well. We need to do better but we're a much better team than we were last year as this time and we're close to being a good team but we can't get over the hump."

A win over Colerain would be a major way to get over the hump, but the Cardinals boast a strong defense and two of the top rushers in the conference in Trayion Durham and Tyler Williams.

Sedmak said his team needed to get more consistent and that there are no shortcuts to arrive there.

"There's no magic wand," he said.

"I've been using this phrase a lot lately, but you have to put one foot in front of the other and you have to keep going and be focused and do your job."