MASON — Here is reaction from Williamston’s 28-0 victory over Mason in a CAAC Red football opener.
Player of the game
KALEB NIELSON, WILLIAMSTON: The senior quarterback bounced back from an interception he threw to end the Hornets’ opening drve to spark the Hornets’ offense in their win. He threw three touchdowns and rushed for a score for Williamston.
Key moment
Williamston was up 7-0 and driving late in the final stages of the second quarter when it lost a fumble after a long gain. Hunter VanSickler followed the play and recovered the fumble to keep the Hornets’ drive alive. That recovery was big for Williamston, which scored a few players later to push its lead to 14-0 over the Bulldogs just ahead of halftime.
What it means
Williamston made a big early statement in the CAAC Red with its win and puts itself in a good early spot in the league race with its victor over reigning champion Mason. The victory adds to the momentum for the Hornets, who matched their 2024 win total by beating Mason for the first time since 2018 and improving to 3-0. Mason drops to 1-2 and has little margin for error if it hopes to capture a league title for a seventh straight season
Quotable
“For our program our seniors right now and our team – (this was) just the complete game. The offense played well, the defense played well, the special teams were great. It just kind of gives us a taste of what this team and what the season could look like. Obviously it’s a long season, but we feel really good about where we’re at right now. We need to be tested and we were tested and came through tonight.” – Williamston coach Steve Kersten
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Four downs from Williamston football’s rout of Mason in CAAC Red opener
Reporting by Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
