MASSILLON HIGH
DEFEATED
CANTON
Fast Enders
Downed by the Score of 11 to 6.
IN
LINE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Massillon Scored Twice on High Class Football,
Canton Once by Good Fortune
Locals Out-classed Home Team in Every Department
of Game.
In fifty minutes of fast and brilliant play the Massillon
high school football
team trampled in the dust the championship aspirations of the
team representing the Canton school, and for the third consecutive time
asserted Massillon’s superiority over the east enders, who have grown
supercilious in the conceit that they hold by divine right an athletic precedence
over the local school. The game,
bitterly contested every inch of the way, places Massillon in a position to claim the
championship of this section of the state.
Canton, which has been defeated twice by Massillon, defeated Rayen, of Youngstown, which in turn defeated Akron.
In order to decide the issue conclusively Rayen
must take up Massillon’s
gauntlet. Although Akron
tied Massillon, a defeat of Rayen
would put Akron out of the race and leave Massillon undisputed
title to the championship.
“Poor Massillon!” remarked a Canton paper in large headlines
Saturday morning, and in the article which followed the local school was given
about as much chance of existing against Coach Hazlett’s
much touted protégés as a fried snowball in June. It didn’t take Canton long to realize that it
was really a football game when Massillon led off with one of Coach Fugate’s
smashing, crashing series of silent signals which carried the ball for first
downs; the first crack out of the box.
During the rest of the contest Massillon
out-weighed and out-played its opponents in every department of the game. In brief, Massillon’s
two touchdowns were made on straight football, the first by Sonnhalter,
who carried the ball over after bucking it fourteen wards in four straight
downs; and the second by Wells after a run of twenty-five yards; while Canton scored on luck by having Gauchatt
fall on the ball after Lothamer had blocked one of Blackburn’s punts.
Blackburn kicked the second goal after
Clay had caught the put out. Kahler kicked Canton’s
only goal.
Massillon might easily have
blanked Canton
by a larger score had not the feelings of Umpire McFarren
been so susceptible to injury. Massillon
high never had a bunch of kickers and this season it has stood all decisions on
plays good and bad, without a kick, but there is a limit to human endurance and
this was reached when McFarren, losing all self
control, flew into a rage and displayed a despicable degree of petit
officiousness by putting Leahy, Massillon’s center, out of the game for alleged
slugging; not in the game, but in an argument; not of a Canton player, but of McFarren himself.
While settling a decision on a play Leahy stepped up to McFarren and tapping him on the shoulder, started to
explain his part of it. McFarren turned in a rage, “Out of the game for yours,” he
shouted, “you can’t slug me.” Massillon had no recourse
and Leahy was forced to leave. Without a
sub-center McConnell was sent in to do the best he could. Massillon
has no charge to make against any other decision, good or bad.
The fact that the game was practically all Massillon
from start to finish does not detract from the fact that Canton put up a game and plucky fight against
greater weight and skill. McCoy was Canton’s particular
star. He fought like a tiger from the
time the whistle blew until he was carried from the field completely played
out. In him lay Canton’s
one hope and when he was smothered Massillon
had nothing to fear. He ran with
remarkable speed and skill, but was no match for Massillon’s defense. Carrying the ball most of the time he
received a lion’s share of Massillon’s
terrific tackles. Kaylor
replaced him at quarter, and was in turn replaced at full by Blanchard. Kaylor played a
good game both at full and quarter, and Howells and Lash on the end blocked the
Massillon
interference in a manner which was not at all agreeable to the visitors.
Canton’s interference
although a stiff proposition at times, had little show against Massillon’s terrific plunges and bucks. All that the linemen could not clear away the
backfield smashed a hole through. Canton’s ends were tough
problems on regular plays, but were easily drawn in on tricks. Massillon’s
offense consisted chiefly of tricks and plays from shifted formations so that Canton was up in the air
most of the time in a vain effort to follow the ball. Canton
had some chance against straight football, when it was tried, but there was
little hope against Coach Fugate’s foolers. The forward pass was worked several times
successfully by Massillon.
Massillon’s
defense was practically impregnable. It
is true Canton
made her downs several times but not within striking distance of the goal. When ever Canton
came anywhere near Massillon’s sacred goal the Massillon team would take
a mighty brace and throw it for three consecutive losses. This great fighting spirit has pulled Massillon out of several
bad holes this season. Erb at left tackle, with the trusty Heyman
at guard, held the hefty Lefkovitz and the Canton’s right wing in
good order. Wagner and Clay on the other
wing, held Canton’s
left with ease. Atwater at quarter ran the team to victory on
a well mixed up assortment of tricks and shifts which kept the opponents in the
air. Ellis played a great defensive game
at right end and Miller on left and gained several times around the opposite
end on Massillon’s
trick double pass. Leahy played his
usual brilliant game at center both on offense and defense until forced to
leave. McConnell played a hard game in
his strange position at center.
Massillon’s three hundred
rooters greatly outnumbered the Canton
section and in the fine points of the rooting game drowned them completely
out. Massillon
will play Oberlin
Academy on the high
school grounds next Saturday.
The line-up and summary:
Massillon
– 11 Pos. Canton – 6
Miller le Howells
Erb lt Lothamer
Heyman lg Rippeth, Austin
Leahy, McConnell c Bonar
Clay rg Lefkovitz
Ellis re Sweet, Lash
Atwater qb McCoy,
Kahler
Wells lh Price
Blackburn rh Steiner
Sonnhalter fb Kachler and Blanchard
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Sonnhalter; Wells.
Canton – Gauchatt.
Goals from touchdowns:
Massillon
– Blackburn.
Canton – Kahler.
Punt out:
Massillon – Blackburn; Clay.
Referee and umpire, alternating – Wittmann
and McFarren.
Head Linesman – Speck.
Linesman – Fugate, of Massillon.
Timer – Vogt, of Massillon.
Time of halves – 25 minutes.