When he was in elementary school, Nyion Mason asked his mother, Soweto Mason-Nicholas, if it was scary to be tall. He'd always wondered if tall people were scared they might fall if they bent to pick something up off the ground, she recalled.
Now a few years later, and almost 6 feet tall, Nyion's height seems more like an advantage. This was especially true last Friday, as his team, the Dinwiddie Generals beat the Matoaca Warriors in their regular-season finale — which was also senior night.
The go-ahead touchdown was a moment Nyion will forever remember.
Dinwiddie pulled off a thrilling comeback against Matoaca, overcoming a 14-0 deficit to win 45-39. Dinwiddie showed resilience that Coach Billy Mills called "unbelievable."
Quarterback Harry Dalton led the charge with 306 total yards and four touchdowns, two passing — including a 33-yard TD pass to Caleb Bowles — and two rushing.
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Dalton also had a pick6, but his supporting cast picked him up. Mickiel Johnson had a 28-yard touchdown run. Generals' special teams returned a blocked punt for a crucial touchdown. Finally, the defense made a play when they needed it most.
"Every day in practice is just as hard as this game," Dalton said last Friday. "We're prepared for it. Like the last play the DB made … "
Nyion, a wide receiver and defensive back sealed the game with a clutch interception in the end zone as time expired. Nyion's junior season has been impressive, totaling four interceptions, seven pass breakups and 21 tackles. Against Matoaca he tallied five tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups, and hauled in a pass for a two-point conversion.
What made the difference for Nyion on Friday, was that he didn't carry his mistakes with him throughout the game. Dinwiddie head coach Billy Mills said despite the rocky start that saw Matoaca jump out to a two-score lead, he was really proud of him.
"(In) the position he plays you know, you're kind of vulnerable out there… and people see when you make mistakes," Mills said of Nyion playing defensive back.
Mills added that he's noticed Nyion's confidence improve over time. And that's in part due to all the work he puts in and out of practice, he said.
Devin Boisseau (DB), a wide receiver and defensive back coach for the Generals, has worked with Nyion for the past three years and holds similar testimony of Nyion's work ethic.
DB, who has known him long before he moved to Dinwiddie, said that "He's a humble kid, he's very raw. (Even if)he doesn't know a lot about football, he just shows up with (a) positive attitude and he's always willing to receive information." That positive attitude and work ethic helped earn the 16-year-old a starting role this season.
DB said that at the season's start, he expected Nyion to be a backup, and that he would have another year to develop. But injuries in the Generals' secondary meant they had to pivot to plan B.
"He got an opportunity to play and he just made good on that opportunity," DB said.
Opportunity and confidence were key in Nyion's growth on the field.
"There was a lot of days that I was up here in between our workouts in the summer and he would come in by himself and work, trying to get better....He's gotten better and better every week, (and) more confident.," head coach Mills said.
And that confidence, Nyion, said, he gets it from his mother, Soweto.
Soweto, a mother of three — of which Nyion is the second — described her son as a loving and caring child. Memories of early Halloweens with Nyion dressed as a football player, his passion, and dedication are the reasons why she fights to make sure his dreams come true.
"He knows when he comes to me, I'm gonna make sure he can get (what he needs), even if I gotta call Dominion Virginia power and say, Hey, I need an extension on my power bill to take that $200 to get Nyion what he needs for football," Soweto said.
And she does so because she knows how serious he is about football, she said.
Soweto, a single mother who works two jobs to provide for her children says her son often tells her he'll take care of her, when he makes it in the NFL.
"On a Monday, he'll come from practice, (with) his good little spirit, I know he'd be tired, but he's still (jokingly picks on) with me and says, Mom, I'm gonna take you out the hood," she said.
Family has a big place in Nyion's heart, and he is close to his older brother Kanye, and his little sister Cherish.
The Dinwiddie High School junior dreams of making it into the NFL. He works hard to make sure it happens, and is already thinking about college. Among some of his favorites is William & Mary, where he attended a football camp last summer. One of his dream schools is Ohio State.
The road to recruiting, however, isn't always straightforward, and Nyion is determined to put himself out there. He's planning to attend even more camps this summer, including Rivals, a crucial event for prominent high school football prospects.
Outside of football, he is studious and focused. He loves subjects like history, his favorite, and math, for which he often helps out with tutoring after school.
With the regular season now over, Nyion and the Generals prepare to play their first-round playoff game Friday night against the Powhatan Indians.
Julia Mouketo (804) 649-6254 [email protected] @juliamouketo on X
