Hamburg’s Pierce Mason is Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week

By Mike Drago Last updated Sep 15, 2022

Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week

Pierce Mason spent most of the offseason thinking he wasn’t going to return to football for his senior season. A couple weeks before the start of practice, after urging from his Hamburg teammates, coaches and family, he had a change of heart.

“I talked it over with my parents,” said Mason. “They said: ‘It’s your senior year, why wouldn’t you (play)?’ It’s been a blast.”

To say the least.

Mason has blasted through Eastern York last week for four touchdowns and 292 rushing yards, which matched the program record.

“I just kept my shoulder down, kept running into open field,” said Mason after being named the Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week. “I couldn’t do it without those big guys up front.”

Mason gives credit to his offensive line for a fast start that has seen him score a league-leading 11 touchdowns and average 13.6 yards per carry, second-highest in the league (among backs with 15 or more carries).

Those guady numbers aren’t a fluke: Mason averaged 10.3 yards per carries as a junior and was second on the team with nine TDs. Only four other Berks players averaged more per carry, one of them named Nick Singleton.

“Pierce is fast, but he runs angry,” said first-year Hamburg coach Matt Hoffert. “If you’re in his way he’s gonna run you over.

“He’s not gonna always take the roundabout way to get that extra yard, he’s gonna run through you and get whatever he gets. He’s definitely a tough downhill runner.”

Hoffert learned quickly how important Mason could be to the team; he made him one of the Hawks’ four captains.

“Pierce is a guy we can definitely count on,” Hoffert said. “From Day 1, seeing him run around, and being in the weight room, I saw he was going to be a leader real quick.”

Mason scored on touchdown runs of 51, 45, 12 and 37 yards against Eastern York. He would have tied the program record for touchdowns in a game and come close to the Berks rushing record had an early 85-yard TD run not been nullified — by a defensive penalty.

“That was tough,” he said, “(but) 292, that’s sweet; that’s the most I’ve ever done. (Tying the record) gives me motivation next time I go back out there.”

The Hawks (3-0) needed every one of Mason’s yards to shake off the Golden Knights (1-2), who led twice in the first half before the Hawks pulled away for a 54-34 victory.

“The most special part about (his big night) is that he was the first guy to talk about his line,” Hoffert said. “He says it’s not possible without them. That means more to me, seeing them coming together as a team, and those guys knowing they need each other to be successful. That’s great to me.”

Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.

Also considered for Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week:

Josiah Jordan, RB, Berks Catholic
Ethan Kryman, RB, Daniel Boone
Joey Schlaffer, TE, Exeter
David Ramsey, RB, Fleetwood
Jacob Lafferty, QB, Kutztown
Jackson Schools, PK, Gov. Mifflin
Ruben Rodriguez, WR, Reading High
Dominic Giuffre, RB, Schuylkill Valley
Evan Myers, QB, Twin Valley
Cam Jones, RB, Wilson
Charlie McIntyre, RB, Wyomissing

Players selected earlier this season:

Week 1: Gio Cavanna, RB, Muhlenberg
Week 2: Cam Jones, RB, Wilson

Players selected last season:

Week 1: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
Week 2: DeShawn Wilson, WR, Reading High
Week 3: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
Week 4: Logan Klitsch, QB, Conrad Weiser
Week 5: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
Week 6: Diohnny Ruiz, RB, Hamburg
Week 7: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
Week 8: Cameron Jones, KR, Wilson
Week 9: Trey Freeman, WR, Twin Valley
Week 10: Jadyn Jones, RB, Wilson
Week 11: Logan Klitsch, QB, Conrad Weiser
Week 12: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
Week 13: Eric Nangle, RB, Exeter
Week 14: Colin Payne, Exeter