Mason community sends its baseball team to OHSAA state tournament with police escort

MASON – Mason High School is located in the 45040 area code, something you see Comets fans wearing with pride on T-shirts, sweatshirts and signs.

Coach Curt Bly's baseball team has proudly displayed the Mason zip on a lot of their gear. Over the years, the largest public school district in Ohio has brought home state titles in tennis, cross country, soccer, swimming and diving, golf, track and field and girls basketball, but baseball has eluded the Comets.

Thursday morning surrounded by balloons, signs and a tunnel of well-wishers slapping high-fives as they left the baseball stadium, the Comets set out on their latest mission to change history.

Bly took them to the state semifinals at Huntington Park in Columbus in 2018, but lost. Before that, former coach Ken Gray got the 1987 Comets in the state championship game, but they had to settle for runner-up.

At a brief pep rally before boarding the charter bus to Akron, Bly, players Aidan Stewart and Brenden Garula, principal Bobby Dodd and Mason superintendent Jonathan Cooper all addressed the sea of green sitting around home plate.

Cooper spoke of "Mason Momentum" and the Comets certainly have that on their side. They're trying to be the first team to win a Greater Miami Conference title, a district title, a regional title and a state title.  Principal Dodd referenced Alabama coach Nick Saban in "trusting the process".

Bly's wife Melissa grew up in Mason and he's been part of the area for 24 years. The program has been blessed by the Mason Home Run Club which has allowed them top facilities and added comforts like charter bus trips.

"I think everyone's excited," Bly said. "There's the anticipation of what can happen this weekend. Anytime you get an opportunity you have to make the most of it and that's what we intend to do."

Plenty of banners have been hung for Mason baseball, but the hope is the next one carries an Ohio Division I state designation. That would be the next step in the process.

Athletic Director Scott Stemple has been involved in the Mason process for 15 years. A former coach, he knows the difficulty in even reaching the state level of any competition.

"We tell them winning is important but it's not the most important thing," Stemple said. "We want them to show good character, put in hard work, be dedicated to what they do. When they reach these pedestals like this, it's exciting. We just hope to have a great experience. If they bring back a championship, that's even more awesome."

Cooper in addition to his words of wisdom as superintendent, was busy taking photos and video of the event as well as waving the bus onto Mason-Montgomery Road as it departed Comet-land for Canal Park.

"The community is wonderful," Cooper said. "They come out and support our kids, they cheer them on. It's just a blessing to be here in Comet Country. These kids have worked really hard through all of the different leagues and levels. To be at this point in their careers, it's so exciting to watch them. It's just a joy to see these boys be successful at what they love most."

Ohio Division I Player of the Year Garula, who will next pitch for the University of Cincinnati, saw the Comets win the 2018 regional title on his future college field. But, they were shut out in the Columbus semifinal.

"We're not done," Garula said after defeating Moeller for the 2022 regional trophy. "They (2018 Comets) took us to the state semis. I'm looking to take us all the way."

In his remarks to the crowd, he said the Comets have been working since October and they're not close to being satisfied.

The first step to satisfaction was boarding the bus which was escorted to Interstate 71 by the Mason Police Department. To get to Akron, you pass Grove City near Columbus. Mason hopes to pass Grove City on the field at 1 p.m. Friday to get to Saturday's title game.  Such is the process.

That's the next step in having the first state baseball banner in the 45040.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mason 'Momentum' sends Comets baseball team off to state tournament