USC baseball signee leads Boiling Springs into 5A football title game
South Carolina baseball signee Mason Streater has aspirations of winning titles in Columbia. He gets his first shot this weekend.
The future Gamecocks infielder will lead Boiling Springs High into the Class 5A state title game as the team’s starting quarterback when the Bulldogs face Dutch Fork at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday.
Streater has helped Boiling Springs to a 13-1 record and its first state title appearance.
“It’ll be neat,” Streater said of playing in USC’s football stadium. “I’m looking forward to Saturday, and hopefully when I get down there and play baseball there, we’ll win a couple titles then, too.”
Streater has passed for 2,949 yards and 22 touchdowns, while rushing for 446 yards and seven scores through 14 games.
The Bulldogs are winners of eight in a row entering the championship game, and knocked off Spartanburg in double overtime last Friday to clinch their first state title game berth.
“Throughout the season, our coaches have stayed on us about being different and changing the culture around here. It’s really nice to be able to do that,” Streater said. “We’ve got a good team and we’ve got the community around us, so we’re very excited and looking forward to Saturday.”
Streater grew up a South Carolina fan and has a strong relationship with USC assistant Sammy Esposito, which led him to commit to the Gamecocks prior to his sophomore year.
“As soon as I got that offer, me and my family talked about it for about a week and I called Espo and told him that’s where I want to go to school,” Streater recalled.
He’s attended South Carolina games and is friends with players currently on the team. Streater added he sees similarities between USC’s baseball team and the Boiling Springs football team.
“Like it is here with my football team, when I get up there they always make me feel like family,” he said. “They’ve got great facilities and a great field and everything. It just feels like home for me.”
Streater is eager to get his baseball career at South Carolina started, but has some business to take care of on the football field first.
“I think Columbia is a great place to be, and I’m really excited to get down there and play ball with my boys,” he said.
This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 5:02 PM with the headline "USC baseball signee leads Boiling Springs into 5A football title game."