By Ron Rop
Local Sports Journal

There was no wiping the smile off the face of Wayne Mast on Tuesday night.

From left, Ben Mast, Wayne Mast, John Leonard and Sam Mast. Wayne Mast’s three grandsons, one for Orchard View and two from Western Michigan Christian, battled on the soccer field Tuesday night.. Photo by Ron Rop

Mast was in all his glory watching three of his grandsons compete on the soccer field at Orchard View High School.

Mast was cheering for grandson John Leonard, a senior forward for the Orchard View soccer team.

And, he was cheering for Sam Mast, a junior, and Ben Mast, a freshman, on the Western Michigan Christian team.

In other words, he was cheering for the team in red and white as well the team in green and white.

On this night, the Mast brothers and their teammates came out with a 3-1 victory over Leonard and the Cardinals.

Wayne Mast could have cared less who won or lost.

“It was a good game,” said Grandpa Mast. “I won one and I lost one.”

Leonard had several scoring chances from his forward position, and on one occasion, had a physical battle with his cousin, Sam in the corner of the field. He also saw Ben Mast drawn an assist on the Warriors’ first goal of the game.

Wayne claimed he was going to sit in the middle of the field. He didn’t want to show any favoritism whatsoever. Instead he sat high above the field at OV and proudly watched his grandsons battle it out on the pitch.

“This is the first time the boys have been on the field together,” Wayne Mast said. “It was pretty special.”