Ursuline running back Darrell Mason

Video

Footage of Darrell Mason, wearing the #1 jersey, practicing with Ursuline teammates in the summer of 2008.

By Joe Scalzo

The Ursuline linebacker is 100-percent healthy

After being hampered by injuries last year, Darrell Mason hopes to actualize his potential in 2008.

He missed the next week, then was back in the lineup.

A few weeks later, he tore the meniscus in his right knee. He missed three games, then was back in the lineup.

He finished the season with 1,200 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns and was an all-league performer at defensive back, helping the Irish to the Division V state championship game.

Still, it wasn’t the season people were expecting when he entered the season as one of the state’s top junior prospects.

Considering he was playing at 75 percent of his ability, it was still pretty darn good.

“I kept getting questions about Darrell, about how he didn’t seem like himself,” said Reardon. “But he scored 21 touchdowns.

“I think that’s a pretty good year.”

After playing part of the basketball season, Mason said he finally felt 100 percent around February.

He enters this fall healthy, heavier (in a good way) and hoping to lead Ursuline back to the state final as a senior.

“I feel much, much better,” said Mason, who stands 6-1 and weighs 225. “I feel quicker, more explosive. It’s just a much better feeling.”

After three years at defensive back — Mason has played varsity since he was a freshman — he switched to linebacker this season, his likely college position. It gives the Irish more speed on defense and fits his frame, which could easily pack on 15 more pounds of muscle.

“He has big, broad shoulders and long arms, so it [linebacker] fits his body type a little better,” said Reardon. “He’s more of a run-stopper.”

Mason grew up on the East Side and decided to come to Ursuline after visiting the school with his father (the former East High running back of the same name) in eighth grade. He emerged as one of the team’s best players as a sophomore and has garnered attention from Division I scouts. He has offers from Illinois, Ohio University and Akron.

Reardon said he’s one of the team’s hardest workers, both on the field and in the weight room, and is more of a lead-by-example guy.

“He’s the type of kid who has the ability to make a play in practice if we’re having a bad day and get kids motivated that way,” said Reardon. “He’s been a clutch performer for us for several years now.

“He’s a tough, physical kid and he brings the attitude we want to the football field. He has good physical skills and when you throw in that work ethic, you’ve got a real good combination.

He’s also gotten better in the classroom over the past year — like a lot of athletes, he didn’t take his studies seriously enough early in his career — and hopes to become an example for the younger players.

“I’ve told them, ‘Take your classes seriously,’” he said. “As long as you make the grades, you can go anywhere you want to go.”

Last year’s 20-14 defeat to Maria Stein Marion Local in the state final has served as motivation for this year’s team, especially for the senior class, Mason said.

He still isn’t over the loss.

“I can’t really let go of it,” he said. “Every time we play a game, I think about how we could have beat them and what could have been.”

Ursuline (1-0), which is fresh off a 48-6 drubbing of Cleveland East Tech, is one of the early favorites for this year’s Div. V crown.

Mason doesn’t mind the pressure and thinks this year’s team has a good chance of returning to Massillon.

“Everything has looked good so far,” he said. “I think we can be better than we were last year.

“This year, I’m going to take us to state.SDRq

scalzo@vindy.com