OREGON, Ohio — One of the top high school football recruits in northwest Ohio is now off the market.
Mason Heintschel, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback at Clay, committed to the University of Pittsburgh on March 24.
"Just felt like home as soon as I stepped on campus," Heintschel said. "I knew for a fact that this is the place where I wanted to be."
It didn't take long for a decision from the soon-to-be senior. The Panthers offered him a scholarship on Feb. 9 before taking a visit to campus on March 8.
"The big thing was building a relationship with quarterbacks coach [Kade] Bell," Heintschel said. "When I went on my visit I was able to pick up on a lot of conversations regarding their offense. Made my decision a no-brainer."
Heintschel finished with over 3,000 passing yards and 33 touchdowns in 2023 to earn All-Ohio honorable mention. The junior also won Northern Lakes League Offensive Player of the Year in the Cardinal Division.
"I like to be able to extend plays and do things a little more off-script, which can make your coach crazy," Heintschel said. "Big thing about my game is I really love to do that stuff."
In September, the Toledo Rockets were the first program to show him interest. Other offers included Kent State, Coastal Carolina, Akron, Bowling Green, Liberty and Ohio.
"One of those things where they're [Pitt] close enough for friends and family to watch," Heintschel said. "It felt like the right place for me."
With a college commitment now in place, the focus shifts toward his high school team. The Eagles finished 4-7 last season following a 1st round playoff loss to Olmsted Falls.
"We want to win a league title, which is something that was a big goal last year but unable to accomplish it," Heintschel said. "All the accolades don't mean much to me anymore because I've already set myself up to play at the next level."
Heintschel does plan to enroll early at Pitt next year, which could affect his senior season on the basketball court where he finished on second-team All-NLL.