Tigers Score In Fourth Quarter To Trim Mansfield
CARY SHINES IN 47-YARD MARCH
Glenn Keller Dashes Over For Touchdown Inflicting First Defeat On Tygers; Goal Line Stands Feature Thrilling Battle
By FRED J. BECKER
There are no longer any Ohio scholastic football championship dreams in Mansfield.
The mighty Richland county Tyger was knocked off its lofty perch among the state’s undefeated teams Friday night by the mightier Tiger from Washington high school, Massillon, by a 6-0 count before a tense, shouting mob of nearly 10,000 in the Mansfield stadium.
The battle between these gridiron Goliaths was everything it was expected to be – hard fought from start to finish, nerve-tingling, spectacular and replete with brilliant individual performances – a game that had the spectators on the edge of their seats every minute and one which might have flared into a wild conflagration at any moment but, fortunately, did not.
Players, Fans Keyed to High Pitch
That ball game last night had plenty of explosive qualities but the fuse was never touched off. Keyed to a high pitch by days of preparation for this all-important contest, players on both teams went into action with a do-or-die spirit and the result was one of the hardest fought and most tensely waged battles seen on any gridiron in a long time.
The spirit which imbued the players of both aggregations also manifested itself among the spectators and many a heart throbbed harder and faster than it has for a long time and many a nervous system was on the verge of complete collapse. Players and spectators alike were rather limp and weak when the tumult of battle ended.
Big Assignment For Tigers
Coach Elwood Kammer’s once-defeated Tigers invaded Mansfield last night to tangle with a vicious, hard hitting, clever Mansfield Tyger that had chalked up 5 straight victories and had become Ohio’s No. 3 schoolboy aggregation. It was the second important game away from home for the Tigers, in as many Friday nights, their first invasion being a week ago when they traveled to Alliance and knocked off the Aviators 27-0.
Trotting out upon the gridiron last night was the greatest high school team Mansfield has fielded in many a year – a team that possessed individual stars galore, a team that had weight, speed, deception – in fact everything, a first class football outfit should have. It had proved its prowess by running rough shod over 5 opponents. In Mansfield it was hailed as a potential champion but standing in its path to that coveted honor was an old and respected opponent – the Tigers of Massillon – and the hurdle proved too big for the Richland county boys. So today their dream of a state title was shattered and they were back in the also ran class – a mighty good team but still not good enough to be a champion.
Mansfield’s hopes for a state crown were blasted by what is probably the greatest fighting team in Washington high school’s history – an aggregation of just about the most courageous and plucky lads any coach would ever want – a team that does not know the meaning of the word defeat. And in addition to all these lion-hearted qualities the Tigers have something else – they are getting better every time they take the field.
Four weeks ago this Tiger team ran into a great Cathedral Latin outfit from Cleveland and lost 6-0 after a torrid scrap. The Tigers looked rather bad in spots in that encounter but their fighting spirit was always in evidence. The following week they bounced back from that loss to trim Canton Lincoln 12 to 0. They showed improvement over their play against Latin.
The next week they took on Steubenville and forged a 19-6 conquest. Again they showed improvement. A week ago they trimmed Alliance 27-0 and again their performance was better than the week before.
But last night these sturdy, fighting Tigers were better than at any time this season and they were rewarded with their greatest victory of the campaign – a 6-0 victory over a hitherto unbeaten Mansfield Tyger. And those Massillon kids just had to be better than at any other time this season. Had they not they probably would have been on the losing end for an aroused Mansfield team, seeing an opportunity to knock over the Massillonians for the first time in 9 years shot everything in its arsenal in a desperate but futile try for victory.
Tigers Catch Fire
In a ding-dong battle that saw each team in a brilliant goal line stand in the first half – Massillon early in the first period and Mansfield just before the gun sounded the end of second quarter – the old rivals fought up and down the gridiron without any decisive results but late in the third period the Tigers caught fire and began a brilliant and steady march toward the Mansfield goal – a march that was to reach its climax early in the fourth period when the orange and black smashed through the Mansfield defense to score the game’s only points.
That touchdown decided the issue in Massillon’s favor but there were many hectic moments between that time and the end of the game as a desperate and still hard fighting Mansfield team fought its heart out in a last ditch but futile effort to cross the orange and black goal line.
A great Mansfield team went down to its first defeat, conquered by a greater Massillon team. That Tiger outfit really played football last night – every minute of the way. No greater performance could be seen anywhere than that given by the Tiger line. It really came through when the chips were down and every boy on that forward wall deservers a hero’s status today. It took a mighty fine line to stop Mansfield’s brilliant backs and its clever and deceptive ball handling and the Tiger forwards were that kind of a line last night.
True the Tiger line did not stop all of Mansfield’s offensive thrusts. No line is good enough to stop a guy like Mike Zivkoff, Mansfield’s speed demon, all the time but when Mike blasted his way by the Tigers first line of defense there was the secondary and it arose to the occasion every time it was called upon and brought the elusive Zivkoff to earth before he could get into the open where he would have been mighty hard to catch. This Tiger secondary also did a swell job of stopping Mansfield’s aerial attack, so swell in fact that the Tygers completed but one lone forward pass during the entire game.
Offensively the Tigers found it a mighty difficult task to gain ground consistently against the rugged Mansfield defense which successfully blocked all Massillon’s offensive efforts until that third and fourth quarter march which found the Tigers putting everything they had into a drive that was to pay off in a well-deserved victory.
But there was one lad in the Massillon lineup last night who sparked the Tigers to their great victory. Mansfield has its Zivkoff – and he’s a mighty sweet performer – but we’ll put our money on a dark haired, slightly built youngster by the name of Paul (Chick) Cary, a Tiger sophomore.
Cary Sparks Victory March
All season there has been talk about the potential brilliance wrapped up in this little, quiet spoken chap. However, it never flared into the open until last night but it came at a time when the Tigers needed it most and it paid off in a handsome dividend. It was Cary, who sparked the Tigers in their touchdown march. He’s a lot of football player, is this lad. If you don’t believe it just ask Mansfield. He was in the Tygers hair aplenty and his great offensive performance stood out head and shoulders over the best Mansfield could offer.
Fast and a hard runner, Cary time after time blasted his way right through the center of the Mansfield line for sizeable gains when carrying along 3 or 4 Tyger tacklers for several yards before being brought down. Cary went into the game in the first quarter replacing Vic Turkall when Vic’s bad ankle was wrenched again and he was forced to leave the game. And from then on he was poison to the Tygers.
Ably supporting little Chick were Co-Captain Glenn Keller who scored Massillon’s winning touchdown but who was knocked out in doing so and forced to leave the game, Bert Webb, another great little competitor if there ever was one who performed in great style in a defensive role and Junie Pedrotty, Keller sustained a severe bump on the back of the head as he lunged across the Mansfield goal and had to be assisted from the field. He was O.K. however, when the game was over.
On the line Co-Captain Bill Gable, Bob Heltzel, Fred Bonk, Jim Gibson, Dick Ielsch and Wilmer Luke distinguished themselves by their great playing. Gene Krisher, with his left arm in a cast because of a broken bone sustained in the Alliance game, played most of the contest but his injury reduced his effectiveness.
An injury forced Ielsch out of the contest late in the game and his place was taken by Bernie Green and here was another lad who distinguished himself in the short time he was in the battle. We’ll wager Mr. Green will be heard from again before the season is over.
If statistics decided ball games then Mansfield would have won last night’s game but its’ points they pay off on and the Tigers had the points. Mansfield can have the edge on statistics if that’s any consolation to the Tygers.
Mansfield Lead In Statistics
The first half in particular saw the Richland county lads pile up a great margin on the orange and black in first downs and yardage. The battle, however, took on a more even aspect in the second half as the Massillonians more than held their own with their western Ohio foes.
Mansfield chalked up a total of 9 first downs to 5 for Massillon. The Tygers had a gross yardage of 211 with a loss of 23 for a net of 188 yards. The Tigers had a gross of 150 with a loss of 14 for a net of 136.
The Mansfield outfit tried 12 forward passes and completed but one for 5 yards. They were supposed to be exceptionally strong in this department but their ace passer, Ollie Cline, a slim Negro lad, was not hitting any bulls eyes last night. Massillon tried 9 passes and completed 5 for a total of 33 yards.
It was a game marked by numerous penalties as officials sought to keep the battle under control. Criticism of the officials was heard from both the Massillon and Mansfield camps and the penalties they inflicted halted marches by both teams on numerous occasions. Mansfield hired only 3 officials and the game again indicated that such a contest as the one last night needs 4 officials if it is to be properly handled. We believe they tried to do a good job and some of the lapses of which they were accused might have been averted had another official been on the field.
A total of 18 penalties were called by the officials, 5 against Massillon for a total of 70 yards and 10 against Mansfield for a 90 yard total.
Massillon fumbled 3 times and recovered twice. Mansfield had 5 bobbles and recovered 3 of them.
The Tigers’ march which brought victory to the orange and black started late in the third quarter and saw the Massillonians rushing the ball 47 yards without a break and across the Mansfield goal.
Bill Dent, Mansrfield back, punted to Bert Webb who took the leather and raced it back 18 yards to Mansfield’s 42. On the first play following the punt Massillon was penalized 5 back to the 47 for being offside.
Tigers In High Gear
Then the Tiger machine moved into high gear with Cary at the throttle. Cary smashed through the center of the line for 10 and came back on the next play for 4 more. Pedrotty slashed off right tackle and a first down on Mansfield’s 27.
Webb hit the line for 4 and Cary picked up another 4 but the officials ruled a Massillon back in motion and the Tigers were set back 5 yards. With second down and 11 to go Cary tossed a pass to Pedrotty for 6 yards. Webb skirted left end for 3 and then Cary lugged the leather right through the Mansfield team and down to the 13 yard line for a first down. He came right back with another smash good for 8 yards to put the ball on Mansfield’s 6 as the quarter ended.
It was second down coming up with 2 to go. Cary picked up one of these yards at right tackle and then Glenn Keller tucked the leather under his arm and running wide at left end behind good interference raced the remaining distance for the touchdown, going over in the corner of the field. He was hurt on this play and Alex Giloff replaced him. Cary’s attempted placekick was blocked by Dominic Musille and covered by Ivan Wallington, Mansfield left end.
Then began the most hectic period of the game as Mansfield turned loose everything in its bag of tricks in a final desperate effort to at least tie the score. Only the stout hearted playing of the orange and black prevented the Tygers from achieving their goal.
Late in the game Zivkoff ripped off a brilliant 19 yard gain that took the ball to the Massillon 22 from where the Tygers drove to the Massillon 6. But here Jim Hahn, hard hitting Mansfield fullback, fumbled on a smash into the line and Bob Heltzel pounced on the leather on Massillon’s 14 yard line and the Tyger scoring threat was erased.
Right at the outset of the game Mansfield opened up with a devastating running attack, spearheaded by the fleet Zivkoff, that drove the Tigers right back to the shadow of their goal line. But the Tigers had what it takes and repelled the threat. It was no new experience for Kammer’s lads. They have faced similar situations before.
This courageous Tiger stand was really the turning point of the game. Mansfield put everything it had in thus offensive thrust and when it was smashed by the Massillonians it proved to the Tygers that they were up against something they had never faced before this season.
The Tygers took a punt by Vic Turkall on their own 42 and marched it right down the field with Zivkoff, Cline and Musille steadily slashing their way through the Tigers’ defense. Finally Zivkoff made it a first down for Mansfield on the Massillon 4. Here it was the Tigers dug in and repelled the next 4 Tyger attempts to cover the coveted 4 yards.
Tygers Halted On 4
Musille rammed through for 2 but Cline’s attempted pass to Johns failed. Zivkoff tried left end but was promptly tossed for a yard loss by Luke. Then Cline’s attempted short pass over the line fizzled and the Tigers took the ball on their own 4.
But the Tigers were to face a similar experience late in the second period. With 2 minutes to go before halftime Hahn fumbled and Cary and Gibson covered on the Mansfield 45. With fourth down coming up and still 6 yards to go, Cary dropped back and shot a beautiful pass to Webb who raced to the Mansfield 15 before being over-hauled. It was a gain of 25 yards and put Massillon in scoring position for the first time in the game.
Pedrotty picked up 3 yards at right tackle but with the clock fast running out, the Tigers took to the aerial game in an effort to score but failed. Cary attempted a pass to Luke which failed, then he tried another to Pedrotty. It also failed. On fourth down Cary tossed another to Luke who was in the end zone. The ball hit Luke in the stomach and fell to the ground. The Tiger end claimed his arms were pinned to his sided by a Mansfield player but the officials said they saw no interference and the scoring chance ended.
Now For Warren
Massillon, 6 Pos. Mansfield, 0
Zeller LE Wallington
Ielsch LT Hartig
Heltzel LG Majoy
Bonk C McBride
Gable RG Hemperly
Gibson RT Marth
Luke RE Johns
Keller QB Cline
Turkall LH Zivkoff
Webb RH Adams
Pedrotty FB Musille
Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 6 0
Touchdowns: Massillon – Keller.
Substitutions: Massillon – Krisher, le; Cary, lh; Green, lt; Giloff, qb; Cicchinelli, le.
Mansfield – Myers, lh; Dent, qb; Hahn, fb; Adams, lh; Kinch, rt; Wentz, c.
Referee – Kreiger.
Umpire – Compton.
Head Linesman – McAfee.
Statistics
Mass. Mans.
Total first downs 5 9
Yards gained by rushing 117 206
Yards lost by rushing 14 23
Net yards gained by rushing 103 183
Forward passes attempted 9 12
Forward passes completed 3 1
Yards gained by passing 33 5
Total net yardage
Rushing and passing 136 211
Passes had intercepted 0 0
Number of punts 6 4
Average distance of punts 40 31
Number of kickoffs 2 1
Average distance , kickoffs 19 53
Number of fumbles 3 5
Times ball lost on fumbles 1 2
Number of penalties against 8 10
Yards lost by penalties 70 90
