MASON, TX — The Mason Punchers have been one of the most stable programs in our area for years.
They haven’t lost a district game since 2010 and have brought home two state titles in that time.
The program is facing some big changes this fall, however, with a new head coach, a new offense, and a largely new team.
First-year coach Wade Griffin said he reassures people any time he’s asked about all of the new faces that will be on the field this season.
“I tell them, ‘It’s still Mason, man. We still have really talented players,’” Griffin said. “We’re just young. When we grow up, we’re going to be really good. It’s just how long it’s going to take us to jell and mesh and for some of the young offensive linemen to figure out the pace of the game.”
Griffin arrived at Mason from Weimar, where his team lost to the Punchers 56-28 last season in the second round of the playoffs.
He inherits a team with only two returning starters on each side of the ball. The Punchers will also be moving away from their longtime Wing T offense to the power spread.
“We’ll be in the gun 95% of the time,” Griffin said. “Now that doesn’t mean we won’t have two backs and a tight end and all that stuff, but we’ll be a gun team.”
The two players in the running to claim the starting quarterback spot are junior Slade Buehl (6-1, 185), who played at running back and linebacker last year, and sophomore Ryder Balmos (6-3, 180), a move-in from Salado.
Another move-in, senior Colton Bonnett from Johnson City, will be at running back with returner Clancy Osbourn.
Griffin said the Punchers have a talented group of wide receivers, including Trevor Loeffler and two players — Kington Garza and Jaxson Reichenau — who were a part of relays that qualified for the state track meet.
“We have seven players that can all play (at receiver), so we have a lot of depth,” Griffin said. “Everybody’s saying we’re probably not going to be as good, but I’m telling you we have the chance to be as good as we’ve ever been if we can just grow up fast.”
Griffin said the area the Punchers probably have to grow up the most is on the offensive line, where they don’t have much experience.
Junior Patricio Olvera leads the way after starting some games last year. Other projected starters include juniors Cass Dutton and Derric Burch and sophomore twins Jackson and Hudson Contrucci.
Defensively, Mason brings back one of the best linebackers in the area in Osbourn, who has been named the district Defensive MVP in back-to-back years.
Griffin said linebacker is Mason’s strength, even with the loss of Fisher Bradley, another one of the area’s top defenders who transferred to Jefferson in East Texas.
Mason went 11-2 last year and lost in the third round of the playoffs to Marlin, 40-37.
Despite a difficult nondistrict schedule that begins against Wall (the No. 3-ranked team in Class 3A Division II, Griffin said he likes his team’s chances of making another run at a district title.
“It’s the only way to prepare yourself to play the best teams in December. You have to play good teams to get where you want to get, and we’re not going to back down from it,” Griffin said. “People just need to understand that we’re young, and there will be days where we don’t look as good. But once we figure it out and play these good teams, I think by the time we get to district we’ll be in great shape.”
Mason Punchers
2025 schedule
Aug. 29 at Wall
Sept. 5 Brady
Sept. 12 at Coleman
Sept. 19 Junction
Sept. 26 Christoval
Oct. 3 OPEN
Oct. 10 at Thorndale*
Oct. 17 Harper*
Oct. 24 at Holland*
Oct. 31 at Johnson City*
Nov. 7 San Saba*
*District 14-2A Division I game
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