Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Justin Hunter
When Mason Powe transferred to Meek High School, he sought playing time and purpose.
After two years at a large 6A school where he struggled to get off the JV bench, Mason and his family decided to move to their lake house. They found a school and community in Arley that gave Mason a chance to lead, and he hasn’t looked back.
Now a senior, Mason plays defensive end and tight end for the Tigers, where he’s helped anchor a football program on the rise. This past fall, he made 71 tackles, eight sacks, and ten tackles for loss, earning all-region and Eagle Elite honors. But numbers only tell part of the story.
“Beating Addison in the first round of the playoffs is probably my favorite memory,” Mason says. “It showed how close we were as a team and how far we’d come.”
That kind of growth didn’t happen overnight. Mason credits his father for instilling the work ethic that has carried him this far. Starting the summer before his sophomore year, the two would wake up at 4:35 each morning to hit the gym. His dad taught him how to eat right, train hard, and push past limits. That same discipline is what Mason now brings to every practice, walk-through, and early morning film session.
“It’s stressful sometimes, keeping up with school, working out, staying in shape, but you learn how to handle it,” he says. “It’s about responsibility and attitude.”
His leadership hasn’t gone unnoticed. At Meek, Mason has become a cornerstone of the team culture, guided by coaches who emphasize character just as much as performance.
“I’ve had the best coaching,” he says. “Coach Evans always pushes us to be better people before better players.”
Though football is his primary focus, Mason also plays third base for the baseball team and has seen the program turn a corner under first-year coach Chris Lane.
“We’ve already won more games than the last two seasons combined,” he says. “It feels like we’re building something that’s going to last.”
After graduation, Mason plans to play football in college—he’s received multiple offers and expects to announce a commitment soon. His long-term goal is to become a football coach.
“I wasn’t the biggest or the most athletic, but I worked hard,” Mason says. “That’s what I’d tell my younger self…just keep going. Work will take you further than talent ever will.” WL
