MASSILLON
HIGH
WON THE DAY
A Tigerish
Game Was
Won in
Whirlwind Fashion.
SCORE: MASSILLON 12, CANTON 6
The Black and Gold
Trimmed a Tough Proposition
in the Last
Five Minutes of Play
The Enthusiasm was
Unbounded
In the hardest and fastest gridiron battle ever waged in the
history of the local school, Massillon
high for the first time in twelve years sent its old time rival, Canton
high, down to defeat Saturday afternoon by the score of 12 to 6. After thirty-eight minutes of play in wihich the two teams, fighting like tigers, see-sawed back
and forth across the field, both teams broke loose in a fit of desperation and
three touchdowns were raced over the line in whirlwind fashion. With but eight minutes left to play, L. Wise
secured the ball on what appeared to be a fumble and chased behind the two
posts for Canton’s first and only touchdown.
In the last five minutes of play Massillon
came to its own. After a fumble by Canton
the ball, chased by half a dozen players of both sides, bounded behind the goal
posts where Davis, of Massillon,
fell on it.
It was Massillon’s
turn now and the enthusiasm was unbounded.
Blackburn kicked a faultless goal but the game
was not yet won. A few minutes later
another of Heyman’s long spiral punts was fumbled on the
ten yard line. Blackburn
secured the ball and trotted over for the second and decisive touchdown. If enthusiasm was wild before it was frantic
now. Massillon’s
small but loyal bunch of rooters jumped and fell and rolled from the grandstand
onto the field in an ecstasy of joy.
Every voice was shouted hoarse.
The players embraced one another and wept upon Blackburn’s
neck. A perfect goal gave a new lease of
life to the unquenchable outburst.
There was yet one minute and thirteen seconds to play and
the desperate wearers of the black and red determined to make this count for at
least a tie. But it could not be. Massillon
considered the game over and won, and by frantic efforts Canton
carried the ball on crashing line bucks to within twenty-three inches of Massillon’s
goal.
Here Massillon
held like a stone wall and on the third down and goal to gain, with five more
seconds to play, Canton took time
out to regain its wind. Behind the goal posts was a howling mob; Massillon
rooters yelling like mad to hold, hold, hold and Canton
supporters crying frantically for a touchdown.
Things happened fast in the next few seconds. The ball was put into play, and the giant
McGregor, wheeling into action, bore down upon Massillon’s
left side. The compact was crushing, but
Erb and Heyman held. The next moment Massillon’s
backfield crashed into the breach, and as the whistle blew for time the pigskin
settled back two feet from Massillon’s
inviolate goal. The trick was turned and
Massillon had come to her own.
Canton lays its
defeat to a weakened line-up, but although Massillon
was strengthened by the addition of Sonnhalter and Heyman, recently of the second team, they were weakened as
much or more than Canton by the
lack of a left end. Kelly, who was
relied upon, had his toe injured in practice, and Richards failed to show up at
the last minute. Moody held the position
down well, considering the fact that he had been playing guard all season. The real cause, however, lies deeper. Both
teams played hard, both desperately at times, but in Massillon’s
defensive playing was a Carlysle daring recklessness
which knew no fear and nailed the man at any cost. On offensive was displayed careful plugging
tactics, and a readiness to profit by the least incident which was Johnny on
the spot from start to finish. It was this which gave Massillon
the ball on the fumbles and which put over the touchdowns before any one could
impede. Behind it all lay Heyman’s great punting.
Fifty yards was often covered through his great booting, and the speed
of Massillon’s line in getting down
the field and nailing the man held the ball most of the time in Canton’s
territory. More than this a difficult
spiral curve made it almost impossible to catch one of the punts. Invariable
fumbling on the part of Canton’s
backfield gave Massillon its two
decisive touchdowns.
Every one of Massillon’s
players covered himself with glory.
There was not a waver, not a moment of indecision. There could not have been, and still have
allowed the score to remain as it did.
Every player was in the game heart and soul, to do or die, from start to
finish. Both guards, Heyman
and Blackburn, played their positions well, but eclipsed
their record here by their perfect kicking and other exploits. Davis,
at center, held his man, beside making one of the two
touchdowns. Clay and Erb,
the two massive tackles, were towers of strength on each wing and allowed no
gain except such as could be shoved over their prostrate bodies. Atwater,
at quarter, not only ran the team to victory, but defended the goal perfectly
and ran back punts in first class shape.
Hammersmith and Snavely played their usual
hard and fast game at the halves, blocking the line and nailing end runs. Sonnhalter, at
full, was the backbone of the team not only gaining often on offensive, but
blocking a thousand holes in the line through which the ball might otherwise
have been shoved for decided gains.
Coach Hall was jubilant over the result of the game and feels that Massillon’s
real form has at last arrived.
The teams lined up as follows:
Canton – 6 Pos. Massillon – 12.
Blythe le Moody
Gauchat, L. Wise lt Erb
Blanchard lg Heyman
Wise, Lash c Davis
Carper rg Blackburn
Lothamer rt Clay
Zeiter re Wells
Kahler qb Atwater
Steiner, Smalley lh Hammersmith
Harris rh Snavely
McGregor fb Sonnhalter
Score end of first half:
Canton
– 0
Massillon – 0.
Touchdowns:
Canton
– L. Wise.
Massillon – Davis; Blackburn.
Goals from touchdowns:
Canton
– Blythe 1.
Massillon
– Blackburn 2.
Failed goal from field:
Canton
– McGregor 2;
Blythe.
Referee and Umpire – Hazlett
of Canton.