Mason excels again

The junior tailback repeated as the offensive player of the week.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- If a football coach had to list the most desirable traits he wanted in a player, leadership would rank high. So would honesty, tenacity and quick-thinking.
But, maybe the one feature most in demand would be consistency -- the ability to deliver when counted upon.
Meet Marcus Mason, Youngstown State's model of consistency.
For the second straight game, Mason, a junior tailback, was picked the Hill, Barth and King offensive player of the week.
Mason, a transfer from the University of Illinois, ran 21 times for 129 yards against Western Illinois last Saturday.
He scored a 25-yard touchdown that gave the Penguins (6-1, 3-0 Gateway Conference) a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Then, with just 51 seconds to play, Mason ripped off a 28-yard touchdown run that cemented a 23-21 YSU win.
Mason (5-foot-9, 197-pounds) has three straight 100-yard rushing games since being moved into the YSU starting lineup.
Two Saturdays ago, in another HB & amp;K player-of-the-week performance, Mason ran for 152 yards on 18 carries and scored twice in a win over Indiana State.
Perry wins two awards
Jason Perry (5-8, 160), a junior cornerback from Warrensville Heights, received two awards for his play in the win over Western Illinois.
Perry returned three punts for 72 yards including a 36-yard effort and he added six tackles (four solo), and broke up a pass.
Perry earned the Hill, Barth & amp; King special teams player of the game award and the Haines Family player of the game recognition.
Cornerback Codera Jackson grabbed the Hill, Barth & amp; King defensive player of the game. Jackson (5-10, 173, junior) is from Rochester, N.Y.
Jackson had four solo tackles and assisted on two more.
In the fourth quarter, he returned an interception 9 yards to the Western Illinois 31. Three plays later, Mason scored the winning touchdown.
Ex-SVC players cited
Two Penguins who competed in the Steel Valley Conference during their high school careers were singled out in the win over the Leathernecks.
Ryan Jewell (6-4, 290), a junior center from Warren Harding, received the Jim Zdelar offensive lineman award and the Jermaine Hopkins defensive lineman of the game went to Brandon Brown (6-1, 252), a senior defensive end from Ursuline.
Behind the blocking of Jewell, the Penguins out-rushed the Leathernecks, 119-48.
Brown had five tackles including four solos, with two tackles for loss and a quarterback sack.
sullivan@vindy.com