Combo lifts Houston to win

HOUSTON — Houston head coach Norm Bouchard will be the first to admit that he would just assume run the ball.

But sometimes a coach has to make an exception — like when he finds a combo with the big play ability of quarterback Jordan Webb and Bryan Mason.

The Houston duo hooked up 11 times for 203 yards, and Mason grabbed five Webb touchdown passes in the first half to lead the Hawks to a 48-13 win over the Barrow Whalers at Houston High School on Saturday.

“If I come out of the run, you know they’re pretty good,” Bouchard joked after the game.

Mason was virtually unstoppable in the Barrow secondary, and Webb found him nine times in the first two quarters as the Hawks built a 34-0 lead.

Webb sent high spirals down the sidelines that Mason would routinely jump and grab. And the junior signal caller quickly and precisely placed passes across the middle that a streaking Mason would snag on the slant and run for dozens of yards after the catch.

“They work well together,” Bouchard said.

To Webb, it’s all about the chemistry the pair have developed through a friendship that dates back to their days at Houston Middle School.

“We’ve been friends since the seventh grade,” Webb said. “Chemistry is important.”

Mason caught a jump ball against 1-on-1 coverage in the corner of the end zone to give the Hawks the early lead in the first quarter.

In the second — again against 1-on-1 coverage — Mason used a late burst to give himself separation from a Barrow cornerback to haul in a 27-yard touchdown pass.

Just more than one minute later — once again, facing single coverage — Mason used a late adjustment on a Webb pass to make a leaping catch and fell into the end zone with a 16-yard score.

Bouchard admitted he was a little perplexed that Barrow consistently used a single cornerback to cover Houston’s top receiver.

“I was surprised they didn’t shift someone over the top,” Bouchard said.

Mason caught a Webb pass on a quick slant midway through the second quarter, and sprinted 14 yards for his fourth score.

Late in the half, Mason caught another ball over the middle and ran 26 yards for the touchdown.

While Webb and Mason were keeping the scoreboard operators busy for the Hawks, the Houston defense stifled any sort of offensive attack, holding the Whalers to just 10 total yards in the first half.

The Whalers finished with a mind-boggling -33 yards rushing in the game.

Houston gained much of its rushing yardage in the final two quarters. Junior fullback Israel Morales carried the ball only four times in the contest, but finished with 129 yards.

Running like a bull, Morales rumbled for touchdown runs of 15 and 51 yards in the fourth quarter.

He also had a 46-yard run in the third.

Seniors Coco Fredericks and Brandon Parks combined for 77 yards rushing in the win.

With the victory, Houston improved to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in Greatland Conference play. The Whalers fell to 1-2 overall.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Houston 48, Barrow 13

Saturday, Houston High School

First quarter

Houston — Mason 2 pass from Webb (Contreras kick) 3:39.

Second quarter

Houston — Mason 27 pass from Webb (Contreras kick) 10:54.

Houston — Mason 16 pass from Webb (Contreras kick) 9:27.

Houston — Mason 14 pass from Webb (kick failed) 5:07.

Houston — Mason 26 pass from Webb (Contreras kick) 1:51.

Third quarter

Barrow — Sanders 12 pass from Gerke (Edwards kick) 00:24.

Fourth quarter

Houston — Morales 15 run (Contreras kick) 5:36.

Barrow — Martin 70 pass from Fishel (kick failed) 3:35.

Houston — Morales 51 run (Contreras kick) 2:18.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Barrow: Edwards 11-14. Gerke 10-(-41), George 6-10, Vigo 2-(-3), Romine 1-(-3); Houston: Fredericks 13-47, Parks 10-30, Morales 4-129, Webb 4-(-11), Sumner 1-(-6), Ranum 1-5.

PASSING — Barrow: Gerke 14-20-1—120, Fishel 1-1-0—70; Houston: Webb 16-33-1—246.

RECEIVING — Barrow: Fishel 4-16, Martin 3-112, Romaine 3-37, Edwards 3-20, Sanders 1-14, George 1-1; Houston: Mason 11-203, Sumner 2-27, Stinson 2-10, Contreras 1-6.