High Gridders
Trim Canton, 21-0
SPECTACULAR PLAY GIVES LOCAL TEAM
DECISIVE TRIUMPH
Father
Massillon knew no sorrow Saturday night.
While
bonfires blazed merrily and hundreds of shouting youngsters paraded the
streets, that venerable old gentleman, with his face wreathed in smiles paid
homage to those stalwart sons of his who during the afternoon, had taken unto
themselves large chunks of fame by their stellar performance on the gridiron at
League Park, Meyer’s Lake.
The
orange and black of Washington high school waved triumphant in the breeze,
Saturday night, for Massillon’s crack scholastic combination had dealt its
perennial enemy. McKinley high of
Canton, a sound lacing, inflicting defeat upon its red and black antagonist by
a 21 to 0 count, the battle closing the present campaign for both schools.
Rated
as one of the strongest elevens in Buckeye scholastic circles Coach John
Snavely’s youthful Tigers showed their quality by unfolding a piercing attack
in the last two quarters that netted three touchdowns and three goals and
registered the most decisive victory over Canton that a local team has annexed
in more than a decade. While several
thousand highly strung spectators cheered lustily, the orange and black, in a
most precise and deliberate manner, trampled under foot its red and black foe
and emerged from the annual conflict with the east enders with a record of only
one engagement lost during a string of nine tough battles.
Surely
the reason for hilarious conduct Saturday night was sufficient. The decisive mauling, which the local
gridders administered to the Cantonians left the east enders without even a
whimper, and the orange and black has taken unto itself the undisputed claim of
scholastic champions of Stark county, having disposed of Alliance early in the
season by a 23 to 0 victory.
When
the struggling gladiators left the gridiron at the close of the first half,
with the battle still a scoreless draw and the outcome not at all decided,
Massillon would not have believed that Coach Snavely’s youngsters would be able
to emerge from the duel with a 21 point margin in their favor.
Canton,
with its regular lineup in the fray, was putting up a stiff encounter and
holding the local eleven on better than even terms. Massillon, on the other hand, with Stuhldreher, its crack
halfback, on the sidelines because of an injured arm, was not playing at its
customary gait. Its defensive work was
not up to par and its offense was ragged, failing to make any great headway
against the sturdy defense of the red and black.
The
beginning of the second half-looked still more gloomy, for Hess, another
stellar light of the orange and black backfield, was unable to re-enter the
battle because of a bump on the head, sustained in the second quarter.
But
with its determination and fighting spirit strengthened rather than weakened by
these reverses which had robbed it of two of its stars, the orange and black
settled down to business and before the second quarter had progressed far the
local team commenced a march from its four yard line that was not halted by the
red and black until Russell Oberlin smashed his way through Canton’s left
tackle for Massillon’s first touchdown.
Massillon
received to open the third quarter, and after an exchange of punts Oberlin
started the march that was to score the first touchdown by smashing through
Canton’s right tackle for nine yards.
Archbold made it a first down and Greenfelder skirted the red and
black’s left end for 38 yards, bringing the ball to Canton’s seven-yard
line. He made three more on the next
play and then Oberlin plowed through Canton’s left tackle for the first
touchdown. Greenfelder kicked goal.
The
fourth quarter found Massillon in possession of the ball on its 40-yard
line. A pretty 10-yard pass from
Greenfelder to Howells and a 20-yard sprint by Howells carried the ball to
Canton’s 14-yard line, but the red and black fought stubbornly and held. Greenfelder attempted a place kick from the
16-yard line, which was low. A few
minutes later Oberlin intercepted a Canton forward on the 50-yard line. On a cross buck which caught the Canton
eleven napping Archbold dashed through Canton’s right tackle, and neatly
evading the two tacklers, scampered across the red and black goal line for
Massillon’s second touchdown. Greenfelder
added a point by kicking goal.
But
the youthful Tigers were destined to register another touchdown before the game
passed into history. After Canton had
lost the ball on downs on its 33-yard line, the orange and black commenced
another drive that ended with Oberlin shooting around Canton’s right end for
25-yards and the third touchdown.
Three
first downs, the result of some brilliant plunging by Greenfelder, Archbold and
Oberlin, and a 15-yard penalty brought the ball to Canton’s 25-yard line, from
where Oberlin set his pedal extremities in the direction of the red and black
goal posts. Greenfelder made the score
21 by kicking goal.
The
showing of the orange and black in the last half was a complete reversal of the
form they displayed in the first two quarters.
Unable to give proper interference or to successfully combat the efforts
of the red and black to gain ground, Coach Snavely’s lads found themselves
battling their opponents on their own territory during the first quarter, the
quarter ending with Canton in possession of the ball on Massillon’s 16-yard
line.
In
the second half the battle shifted to Massillon’s side but not enough to give
the orange and black any decided advantage.
A 35-yard run by Greenfelder, which took the ball to Canton’s 27-yard
line, gave Massillon a chance to score, but the red and black fought gamely and
Canton came into possession of the pigskin on its 18-yard line. Then, after an exchange of punts, Hess and
Archbold negotiated two first downs in as many plays, bringing the ball to
Canton’s 11-yard line. Archbold made
two on a line plunge and Hess dashed through Canton’s left tackle for eight,
only to fumble on his one-yard line, Canton covering the misplay. This gave strength to the Cantonians who
stemmed the orange and black tide for the balance of the period, although
Greenfelder barely missed a goal from a placement from the 42-yard line. The drive was low and sailed under the cross
bar.
The
third and fourth quarters found the orange and black machine in perfect working
order and the faults that had marred the first half of the battle were entirely
missing, as Coach Snavely’s lads battled their way to a 21-point victory.
While
all of the local warriors acquitted themselves creditably, the brilliant
performance of Russell Oberlin, who until a week ago had been playing a tackle
position, was an important factor in Massillon’s triumph. The sturdy gridder proved Massillon’s
mainstay on defense by his hard tackling and dogged determination to hurl
himself into every play, while on offense his smashing tactics produced two of
Massillon’s three touchdowns. Canton
found him hard to stop at all times.
Archbold,
orange and black captain, Greendelder and Hess also did notable work in the
backfield, Archbold’s 50-yard dash for a touchdown being the longest of the
game. Greenfelder on several occasions
tore through the Canton defense for gains of from 25 to 35 yards. Massillon’s forwards displayed stonewall
characteristics, especially in the second half, when their attack tore large
gaps in the Canton line.
Renner,
Harmony and McCarel were the bit offensive stars for Canton. The two teams were evenly matched in
weight. Canton having the advantage if
any existed.
Massillon – 21 Pos. Canton – 0
Hermann LE D.
Miller
Taylor LT Witter
Clay LG Lautenhiser
Angstadt C Smith
Harrison RG Heltzel
Tilton RT E.
Miller
Howells RE Duckworth
Hess QB Renner
Greenfelder LHB Harmony
Oberlin RHB Kreuffine
Archbold FB McCarel
Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 7 14 21
Subsitutions: Massillon – Adams for Clay, Graber
for Tilton,
Hollerback
for Hess.
Canton – Jackson for Duckworth, Barthlewmew for McCarel.
Touchdowns – Oberlin 2, Archbold.
Goals after touchdown – Greenfelder 3.
Referee
– Blythe, of Mount Union.
Umpire
– Snyder of Harvard.
Head
linesman – Miller.
Timer – Ligget.
Time of quarters - 12½ m.