MASON, Ohio — Mason senior linebacker Kai Woolfolk smiles when he thinks about the electric atmosphere at home games this season.
"I just can't wait to run out of the tunnel with my guys," said Woolfolk, a captain who had 80 tackles last season. "I love just being out here on the field with my guys. I can't believe it's already my senior year but I'm ready to get after it."
The same can be said for the Comets (10-3 record in 2022), a Division I regional semifinalist last season. Mason opens this season against visiting Gahanna Lincoln Aug. 18.
Mason has to replace some important positions including a quarterback and running back. But, the energy at practice is palpable for the Comets after a memorable journey last season.
"It's pretty darn special," Mason coach Brian Castner said. "I keep it close to my heart. The product that we put on this field - the community should be proud every Friday night."
Castner, who enters his 14th season as the Mason head coach and 29th year of coaching high school football, emphasizes life lessons that go beyond the results of a Friday night game.
That included a three-day team camp in early June at Ohio University. The Comets' players and coaching staff learned about each other with time for reflection beyond the game.
"Some of the things that we learned about each other at that OU camp is pretty special because there is a lot of hard talks and our staff puts a lot of time into it," Castner said. "So it's not really the on-field stuff; it's off-the-field stuff."
The annual team camp makes a significant impact on the players including new friendships that are formed based on those conversations in that camp. With limited phone access, the team builds bonds that carry into preseason practice.
"Some of these guys I never would've talked to if I didn't play football," senior defensive end/tight end Liam McManes said. Now, they're my best friends. I'm going to try to talk to them 10 or 20 years down the road. They're my brothers and I love them forever."
Senior left tackle Vaughn Johnson said the team camp certainly made an impact on everyone in the program.
"I feel like we have a lot of good team chemistry going right now," Johnson said. "A lot of that helped from the OU camp we went to. And a lot is showing up every morning getting after it."
