Improved Tigers Hand Canton Lincoln 12-0 Shellacking
SECOND WIN FOR LOCAL GRIDDERS Overflow Crowd Of 17,500 Watches Washington High Gladiators Tally 2 Touchdowns In Hard Fought, Spectacular Clash
By FRED J. BECKER
Back again on the 1944 Football Victory train are those Tigers of Washington high school. Knocked off a week ago by the Cleveland Cathedral Latin Lions Coach Elwood Kammer’s gridiron gladiators Friday night climbed aboard the Football Victory express at Fawcett stadium, Canton, by mauling the Canton Lincoln Lions 12 to 0 before an overflow crowd of 17,500.
A lion – Cleveland variety – smeared the Massillon Tiger 6-0 a week ago. Last night another lion – Canton variety – waged a desperate battle in an unsuccessful effort to duplicate the feat of the Clevelanders. The Lincoln Lions, a powerful opponent, caught the Massillon Tiger on the rebound and the orange and black made the Cantonians their victims as they proved that a Massillon Tiger can take a lacing one week and come back stronger than ever the next.
Hard Fought, Spectacular Duel
In a hard fought and spectacular contest in which no quarter was asked and none given, the Tigers last night proved superior to the Cantonians for the second straight year. In 1943 the Massillonians edged the Lincoln Lions 15-0. The largest crowd to see a scholastic gridiron duel in Canton this season jammed Fawcett stadium to overflowing and was treated to a highly interesting battle as the Tigers proved to both Massillon and Canton fans alike that they have it when the chips are down and that they profited immensely from the bitter experience of defeat.
For Lincoln it was the first defeat in 3 games, the Lions having conquered Lima South and Akron Buchtel in previous duels. For Massillon it was the second triumph in 3 encounters, the Tigers lacing Akron West in their inaugural and then losing to Cathedral Latin last week.
Two Paying Forays
Three times the Tigers struck across the Canton goal line and into the heart of the Lincoln Lions stronghold.
Twice these forays paid off in points. The other time the touchdown was lost because of a 15-yard penalty inflicted on Coach Kammer’s lads for clipping.
On at least 3 occasions the Lincoln Lions struck deep into Tiger territory but on at least 2 of these attempts the Massillonians had what it takes to repel their adversaries when their goal line was threatened. On the other the Lions wiped out their own chances of scoring by failure to complete a forward pass, the Canton receiver dropping the pigskin right on the Massillon goal line.
A much-improved Tiger machine checked the victory march of Coach Junie Ferrall’s Lions last night – a Tiger machine that really functioned on defense with a hard charging line that smashed its way through the Canton forwards and, except for Lincoln flurries late in the third period and again early in the fourth quarter, overwhelmed the Canton adversary so thoroughly Lincoln found it virtually impossible to get its offensive attack rolling.
The most outstanding thing in Massillon’s play last night was its improved defense. A week ago the Tigers were torn apart by Cathedral Latin’s powerful smashes. Last night the Tigers smothered the best offensive attempts of a formidable Canton team, which in many respects was the equal, it not superior, of the Cleveland outfit.
Don’t think for a minute that the Tigers did not conquer a hard fighting and worthy foe last night. The Lions, yearning for victory and for the first time in 2 years seeing a chance to accomplish that goal, were in there fighting every inch of the way but pitted against an aroused Tiger they found themselves lacking the punch to drive across points and wound up on the losing end after a hectic encounter that was not in the bag for the Tigers until the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.
Tiger Aerial Game Off
Offensively the Tigers also showed improvement. Their running attack, which bogged down against Cathedral Latin, was again functioning with the elusive Bert Webb and the hard driving Vic Turkall carrying the brunt of the Massillon ground gaining drives. One phase of the Massillon offense, however, was not up to its early season standard. That was the forward passing department. The Tigers had plenty of opportunities to register gains in an aerial assault but most of the time the passers and receivers had difficulty establishing contact.
Shining in a defensive role was the entire Tiger forward wall which gave a vastly improved performance over that of a week ago. Standing out prominently was the improved play of big Jim Gibson at tackle and the steady and brilliant performance of Center Fred Bonk who had a hand in stopping almost every smash the Lions aimed at the line. Jack Zeller, sophomore end, who replaced the injured Bob Clark also did a good job, along with Co-Captain Bill Gable, Dick Ielsch and Bob Heltzel, Wilmer Luke, Webb, Turkall, Co-Captain Glenn Keller, Junie Pedrotty and Don Sedjo did a fine job in the secondary and Gene Krisher, another sophomore, rushed in for a defense role when the Lions became troublesome in the third and fourth periods, had a lot to do in checking the Cantonians and keeping them away from pay dirt.
Both Tiger touchdowns were scored by Vic Turkall. The first came in the second period, the Tigers marching 38 yards on 5 plays after recovering a Canton fumble and the second coming early in the third period when the Tigers took the kickoff and marched 66 yards down the field in 8 plays.
The Tigers held a 9-5 edge on the Lions in first downs, the Cantonians failing to make the necessary yardage at any time in the first half so stout was the Massillon defense. The Lions made their best offensive showing in the last 2 periods when the Tiger defense bogged down for a bit but each time the orange and black had what it takes when it was necessary to dig in and throw back their opponents to keep them away from scoring territory.
The Tigers had a net gain of 163 yards as compared to 93 for the Lions and completed 5 of 13 aerial attempts for 36 yards, having 2 intercepted. Lincoln tried 11 passes, completing 2 for 8 yards and having 1 intercepted.
Both teams had difficulty holding on to the ball, the Tigers fumbling 3 times and recovering only one while the Lions fumbled 4 times and recovered but once. The Tigers drew a total of 50 yards in penalties while Lincoln’s penalties added up to 40 yards.
Right at the outset of the game the Tigers defense had a chance to prove its mettle and did so with flying colors, turning back the Lions after a pass interception had given them the ball on the Massillon 7. It was Lincoln’s best opportunity of the game to score but an aroused Tiger rose up in all its might and smashed 4 straight attempts by Lincoln to carry the ball across the Massillon goal.
Keller Overhauls Permar
The Tigers kicked off to Lincoln and the Lions were held. Jack Permar punting to Massillon’s 38. Webb dashed wide at left end for 8 yards and Pedrotty rammed the line for a first down. Turkall failed to gain in an attempted end sweep. On a flanker play with Webb running out wide, Turkall passed to the little Negro halfback who sprinted down the field for 8 yards. On the next flanker play Turkall attempted a pass to Webb but the midget Massillonian fell in turning to receive the ball and the pigskin nestled into Jack Permar’s arms and the Lincoln halfback, with an almost clear field ahead, set out under full sail for the Tigers goal line from his 40-yard line.
It looked like a Lincoln touchdown for a few seconds as Permar shot by the entire Massillon team but racing across the field to cut him down – and we mean racing – was Glenn Keller and the Tiger co-captain caught up with Permar near the sidelines, lunged at him and pulled him down from behind on the Tiger 7 yard line. Permar had stepped off 53 yards before being overhauled by Keller and the Canton fans were in a state of wild enthusiasm.
Here it was, they said to themselves. Here was that Lincoln touchdown coming up – but they counted their points too soon – because the Tigers felt entirely different about the whole thing and in the next minute or two proceeded to prove it by smashing the Lions right into the earth as they attempted – and failed to score.
Tigers Halt Lincoln Splurge
Robertson, Lincoln fullback, rammed into the Tiger forward wall and gained exactly nothing. Permar also hit the line and picked up a yard before being set down by Dick Ielsch. Permar then tried his right end only to come smack up against Fred Bonk and down he went again, after gaining a yard. This brought up fourth down with the ball on Massillon’s 5. Here the Lions tried some masterminding. Coach Ferrall sending in Bob Horner, a big, fleet-footed halfback. Horner dropped back far out on the blank. Permar took the ball from center and attempted a lateral to Horner who dropped the ball and Luke covered on his 11 and it was Massillon’s ball and Lincoln’s bid for a touchdown had fizzled.
Early in the second quarter the Tigers got a break and struck quickly for a touchdown which was wiped out when a clipping penalty on Massillon nullified the score.
Turkall, whose punting throughout the game was splendid, kicked from his 32 yard line. The ball hit the ground and bounded against Ronie Bowers, Lincoln tackle. Before a Canton Lincoln player could get to the ball Bill Gable pounced on it on Canton’s 35 and the Tigers for the first time were deep in Lincoln territory. Turkall’s attempted pass to Luke failed but then Vic tossed a lateral to Webb and the dusky Massillon speedster ran and squirmed his way through the Lions and across the goal line on a brilliant run only to see his efforts go for naught when the officials spied a Tiger clipping on the 35 yard line, calling the ball back and inflicting a 15 yard penalty on Massillon, putting the leather back on 50.
Again the Tigers took to the air. Turkall tossed a long lateral to Chick Cary, playing for the first time since the opening game, out on the flank and Cary heaved a pass to Luke who made a valiant attempt to hold the ball but it slipped out of his grasp and into the waiting hands of Bruce Beatty, Lincoln end, on Canton’s 24.
After making 2 at left end, Permar fumbled when hit hard by Keller and the Massillon
co-captain covered on Lincoln’s 24. Sedjo smashed through right tackle for 6 but Massillon lost another scoring opportunity when again guilty of clipping on the next play and the 15-yard penalty took the ball back to the 30 and 3 attempts to advance the leather failed with the Lions gaining possession on their 48.
But once again, a Canton fumble gave the Tigers another chance and this time they took full advantage of their opportunity and did not stop until they had scored a touchdown, their first of the game.
Webb In 24 Yard Dash
On the third play after regaining the ball, Horner fumbled and Bob Heltzel covered for Massillon on Canton’s 38. On the final play the Tigers brought the old Statue of Liberty play out of moth balls and Webb, taking the ball from Turkall, poised as if to pass, raced wide around his left end and 24 yards down the field before being forced out of bounds on Lincoln’s 14 yard line. It was a nifty piece of stepping by the Tiger halfback.
Turkall then smashed through left tackle for 7 to the Lincoln 7. Webb picked up 2 more through the same spot and then Turkall raced around his right end and down to the 2 before being nailed. On the next play he bowled through right tackle and over for the first points of the game. Turkall’s attempted place kick was blocked by the Lions.
In the closing minutes of the second quarter Lincoln made a belated effort to score and covered a fumble by Turkall on the Canton 43. With the quarter about over Permar attempted a pass to Beatty but the Canton end dropped the ball with a clear field ahead as the gun sounded.
Coming out for the third period the Tigers received and without any wasted motion marched right down the field 66 yards for their second touchdown.
On Lincoln’s first kickoff the Tigers were offside and the ball was brought back with Oberlin kicking off a second time from the 45 yard line. Sedjo took the ball on his 16 and rammed it back to the 34 before being downed. Turkall swept left end for 4 and Sedjo cracked the line twice for a first down to his 45. Turkall breezed through left tackle for 8 and Webb dashed around left end for another first down to Lincoln’s 32. Turkall hit down to Lincon’s 32. Turkall hit right tackle for 4 and then Webb in the game’s most sensational display of open field running, dashed around left end and squirmed and sidestepped his way to the Lincoln 8 before being tackled, a gain of 20 yards on a splendid run.
Turkall took the ball on the next play and for a second it looked as if he was trapped far back of the line of scrimmage, but he ducked successfully out of reach of Bowers, Lincoln tackle, and set sail for the sideline, racing around his right end and across the goal line, shaking off several would-be Canton tacklers in his successful jaunt. Again his attempted place kick was wide when partially blocked by Canton.
Lincoln Bid Is Checked
Trailing by 2 touchdowns the Lions took the kickoff and uncorked their best offensive splurge of the game. Gable kicked to Pellegrino who returned 25 to the Lincoln 43. With Fullback Robertson doing most of the line battering the Lions clipped off 3 first downs and carried the ball to the Tiger 26.
Krisher was rushed into the Massillon secondary, replacing Sedjo in an attempt to bolster the Tiger defense and the Massillon sophomore was the right boy for the job. The Lions hammered their way to the Tiger 17 but here Bonk and Keller nailed Robertson on fourth down and halted the Lincoln march, the Tigers gaining possession of the ball when the Lions failed to make the required yardage.
After an exchange of punts, Webb fumbled early in the fourth quarter and Bill DeGarmo, Lincoln center, covered on the Massillon 42. Once again the Lions made a desperate try for points, making a first down to the Massillon 30. But once again the Tiger defense stiffened and Permar took to the air, hurling a beautiful long pass to…..REST OF ARTICLE MISSING.
More Like it
Massillon – 12 Pos. Canton L. – 0
Zeller LE Beattty
Ielsch LT Wilkins
Gable LG Zettler
Bonk C DeGarmo
Heltzel RG Bowers
Gibson RT Oberlin
Luke RE Bing
Keller QB Kindig
Turkall LH Permar
Webb RH Pellegrino
Pedrotty FB Robertson
Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 6 6 0 12
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Sejdo 2.
Substitutions:
Massillon – Sedjo; Cary; Krisher; McGuire; Edie; Bishop; Weekes; Waltz; Brooks; Green.
Lincoln – Horner; Benevich; Leahy; Gruber; Williams; Williams; Fitzpatrick; Neel.
Referee – Lobach.
Umpire – Rupp.
Head Linesman – Boone.
Field Judge – Welsh.
Statistics
Mass. Lin.
Total first downs 9 5
Yards gained by rushing 154 113
Yards lost by rushing 27 1
Net yards gained by rushing 127 112
Forward passes attempted 13 11
Forward passes completed 5 2
Yards gained by passing 36 8
Total net yardage,
rushing and passing 190 121
Passes had intercepted 2 1
Number of punts 6 6
Average distance of punts 33 32
Number of kickoffs 3 1
Average distance of kickoffs 35 40
Number of fumbles 3 4
Times ball lost on fumbles 2 3
Number of penalties against 6 6
Yards lost by penalties 50 40
