The Nativity offense huddles up during the first quarter of Friday's game against Pine Grove. (Photo by Mike Carnahan)

PINE GROVE — As the scoreboard clock hit zero, Nativity’s Colt Mason turned to the Green Wave’s fans and let out a yell. That was followed by a bearhug from his dad, head coach Pat.

Yes, the season is young. But there are plenty of reasons for Nativity to be excited so far in 2025.

Colt Mason scored twice, while the Green Wave defense came up with a big stop late in the game to preserve a 12-6 win over Pine Grove in a Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division contest Friday at Cardinal Stadium.

Colt Mason, who finished the game with 87 yards rushing, scored from 7 yards out in the second quarter and went over from a yard out in the third.

But it was Nativity’s defense that turned in the biggest play of the game.

With the Cardinals driving for the potential game-tying touchdown, the Green Wave defense stuffed Pine Grove quarterback Wyatt Snyder for no gain on a fourth-and-1 play from their own 14-yard line with 1:01 left in the contest.

Nativity (2-0, 1-0 Blue) opened the season with a 43-0 rout at Holy Redeemer last Saturday. Friday was much tougher sledding for the revamped Green Wave. Nativity faced plenty of adversity on both sides of the ball but was still able to find a way to come out with a victory.

“This was maybe one of the most important games we’ve played since I’ve been here, just because we know what’s down the line,” Pat Mason said. “It was a big win for us. We shot ourselves in the foot. We should have been up 18-0 at the half. But we have a really resilient group of kids. They are the no-namers. That why I call them the no-name guys. They just go out there and fight. They didn’t quit. I think as a coach, that’s what you look for. You look for kids to respond to your coaching, and I think they are responding to me right now.”

Friday was a marked improvement for the Cardinals (0-2, 0-1), who lost to Northern Lebanon 35-8 in their season opener last Friday. Pine Grove outgained Nativity 201-129 in total offense, with 149 of those yards coming in the second half as the Cardinals went with an on-and-off no-huddle offense.

The no-huddle was especially effective on Pine Grove’s first offensive possession of the third quarter, an 11-play, 65-yard play drive that was finished off by a 17-yard touchdown run by Zach Kurtz.

But the Cardinals also turned the ball over three times and couldn’t get the push they needed late in the game.

“We were a different team tonight,” Pine Grove coach Dave Shiffer said, comparing Friday’s performance to the season opener. “But you can’t lose the turnover battle. We had self-inflected wounds. When you are playing a team that’s evenly matched and comparable to what we have, when you make self-inflected wounds, in the end it hurts.

“Ultimately when it comes down to fourth-and-1 and call a quarterback sneak, we have to be able to get it.”

Logan Troup finished the night with 99 yards rushing on 27 carries for Pine Grove, while Kurtz added 82 yards on nine attempts.

Nativity had two early chances to cash in on turnovers in the first quarter but failed to do so.

A Pine Grove fumble on a Nativity punt was recovered by the Green Wave’s Bentley Werez after Nativity’s first offensive possession. A run by Mason would have put the ball on the Pine Grove 15, but a holding penalty wiped out most of the gain and the drive eventually stalled.

Cooper Felty stepped in front of a Cardinals pass at the 26 on Pine Grove’s next possession and appeared headed for a touchdown but the Cardinals’ Wyatt Dixon, the intended receiver, ran Felty down at the 12.

A run by Mason and another by Connor Felty put the ball at the 1. But a high snap from the center resulted in a 15-yard loss on the next play and that drive also eventually stalled.

Nativity got the board with 6:22 left in the first half as Mason went around right end from seven yards out to cap off a 13-play march. A defender had Mason by the ankle for the final two yards, but Mason kept going and drove across the goal line.

Two costly Pine Grove penalties, an offsides and personal foul, gave Nativity first downs and kept the drive alive.

The Green Wave went up by two scores on their first possession of the second half.

Using effective fakes to Connor Felty, Mason found plenty of running room on the left side and ran for 50 yards during the 67-yard drive. Mason’s longest run of the drive went for 29 yards on a second-and-8 play from the Cardinals’ 31. Two plays later, Mason went over to make it 12-0.

Pine Grove went no-huddle on its first possession of the second half and drove right down the field on a sustained march that covered 65 yards on 11 plays.

On a third-and-5 play from the Nativity 17, Kurtz appeared to be stuffed for no gain. But he found his way out of the pile and went around the left side to score.

“We had momentum,” Shiffer said on why Pine Grove went to the no-huddle in the second half. “We were grinding the ball and moving the ball. We just kept going. Our kids had confidence in it.”

The Cardinals’ potential game-tying drive started at its own 16 with 6:19 left in the game. A pass interference penalty on Nativity on a fourth-and-11 play from the Cardinals’ 45 kept the march alive.

But Nativity’s defense became stout when it needed to most on the 14^th play of the drive, stopping Snyder for no gain on fourth-and-1.

“The no-huddle gave up some problems,” Pat Mason said. “Our defensive staff is top notch. Jeff (Polinsky) and Jay (Jason Albon) do a great job with the defense. They were not panicking.

“I really think at the end of the day, from my perspective, I didn’t want it to be that close, but I wanted to see how they would handle it. They handled it. They passed with flying colors. They won a game when another team was driving to win it. I am really proud of them right now.”

Game Summary

Nativity 12, Pine Grove 6

Nat (2-0, 1-0)         0          6          6          0  —    12

PG (0-2, 0-1)          0          0          6          0  —    0

Nat — Mason 7 run (pass failed)

Nat — Mason 1 run (run failed)

PG — Kurtz 17 run (kick blocked)

Team Statistics

Nat-PG

First Downs —- 13      10

Rushes-Yards — 40-117      52-201

Passes —- 1-7-0      0-3-1

Passing Yards —- 12      0

Total Yards —- 129      201

Fumbles/Lost —- 1-0      2-2

Penalties — 3-35      4-22

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: Nativity — Mason 21-87, Con. Felty 10-34, Werez 2-10, Coo. Felty 4-8, Team 3-(-22). Pine Grove — Troup 27-99, Kurtz 9-82, Snyder 13-19, Schneck-Haines 2-7, Renninger 1-(-6).
PASSING: Nativity — Mason 1-7-0, 12. Pine Grove — Snyder 0-3-1, 0.
RECEIVING: Nativity — Werez 1-12. Pine Grove — None.
INTERCEPTIONS: Nativity — Coo. Felty.