Tigers rip 'dogs,
head for playoffs
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Independent Sports
Editor
When
the final gun sounded, it seemed as if Steve Studer was shot out of it.
Within
seconds of the finish of Saturday's 42‑13 Massillon victory over
McKinley, Studer, the Tigers' strength coach had sprinted across the field and
seized the victory bell that goes to the winner.
He
and a pack of cheerleaders wheeled the bell across the Fawcett Stadium grass,
to the Massillon side. It took the cheerleaders about 30 seconds to paint the
bell orange and black.
"Let's
haul that baby home," exclaimed Jeff Thornberry, president of the Tiger
Sideliners amid general approval of a celebrating Massillon mob.
Thornberry
had been in charge of the "Beat McKinley" parade Friday night. He
said it drew a record number of entries. He heaved a sigh of relief after the
parade was over. It had taken a lot of work.
Beating
McKinley and making the state playoffs pumped a big second wind into him.
"I'll
have another parade," he said.
The
Tigers rained down a parade of points on the Bulldogs.
It
was the biggest point spread in the classic battle in 31 years, dating to
Massillon's 42‑0 victory in 1960.
Even
Paul Brown's six Massillon teams that beat McKinley never did so by as many as
the 29 points that separated the Tigers and Bulldogs Saturday.
Saturday's
game was a page out of the Chuck Mather playbook. Mather, who attended
Saturday's game, was head coach of the Tigers when they beat McKinley 33‑0
in 1950, 40‑0 in 1951, 41‑8 in 1952 and 48‑7 in 1953.
The
effort of Massillon's offensive line and running back Travis McGuire was second
to none.
McGuire
scored five touchdowns and rushed for a school record 302 yards. Tiger
statistician Richie Cunningham turned in the figure at 299 yards at the end of
the game, then went home to review the videotape. He found three more yards and
adjusted the figure. It is 302 that will go into the official record books,
surpassing the previous record of 263 by Homer Floyd in 1954 ‑ against
McKinley.
Tiger
head coach Lee Owens improved his record against McKinley to 3‑1.
"Not
as good as 4‑0," he said.
But
not too shabby, either.
McKinley's
Thom McDaniels now is 5‑5 against Massillon.
Massillon
linebacker Eric Wright, in his third year as a starter, is 2‑0 against
McKinley at Fawcett Stadium. Afterward, he demonstrated a quality that has
made him a team captain the last two years. He did not pat himself on the back
for another smashing game. Asked to identify the turning point of the game, he
credited a teammate.
"The
two interceptions by that man right there," he said, pointing to junior
defensive back Eric Woods, back in Massillon, in the Tiger locker room.
Season holders get first
shot at tickets
Akron
Ellet will be the Massillon Tigers' opponent in the first round of the Ohio
high school football playoffs.
Ellet, 9‑1,
will take on Massillon, 8‑2, at 7 p.m. Saturday in Fawcett Stadium, where
the Tigers mauled McKinley 42‑13 two days ago.
Game
manager Dan Brooks of Canton City Schools said Sunday that the only tickets
sold early in the week will be reserved seats.
"Last
year, when Massillon played Jackson (in a Division I playoff tilt at Fawcett),
we gave both schools 11,000 tickets," Brooks said. "I can't imagine
that Ellet will need that many."
All
tickets will be $5, Brooks said, adding there will be no discount for students.
Tickets
will go on sale Tuesday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium for season ticket holders
who display their green card only. Hours will be 7:30 a.m. through 9 p.m.
Woods
helped render McKinley's passing game almost harmless.
“We
were a little surprised by how little they passed," he said. "We
thought they would pass most of the time."
Instead,
McKinley's junior quarterback Joe Pukansky completed just six of 13 passes for
40 yards.
"Give
credit to our line" for putting some heat on Pukansky, Woods said.
Woods'
first interception stopped McKinley's first possession of the third quarter
and led to a Tiger touchdown that broke open a 21‑13 game. Woods made the
pickoff after teammate Jason Woullard tipped a Pukansky pass headed for tight
end Paul Popko.
McKinley
had looked like a serious threat to the Tigers early in the game, scoring on
its first possession.
"We
were too aggressive on their first series," Woullard said. "We were
over‑running the tackles."
The
Bulldogs gained 80 yards on their first possession. They picked up just 87 more
yards the rest‑of the game.
"We
played our base coverages most of the game," Woullard said. "We
just played it well."
Woullard
played a full game at "Rob" defensive end after missing most of the
previous week's contest with a bruised shoulder.
"Beating
McKinley beats a little pain any time," he said.
Massillon's
offensive line gave the Bulldogs a beating.
"I
think everyone on the line had his best game today," said Ryan Orr, a card‑carrying
member of "The Wrecking Crew," as the line calls itself. "We
stayed low and did a good job executing."
Orr
hopes the Tigers can blow a few more teams out of the water.
"It's
just one game at a time, and everybody pulling together, trying for a four‑game
winning streak," he said.
Four
more wins would make the Tigers state champions.
The
Tiger Booster Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Washington High gym,
and not in the school auditorium where the meetings usually are held.
Studer boys give line
a lift, get kick out of
pounding of McKinley
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Independent Sports Editor
Nobody
enjoyed Saturday's 42‑13 Massillon victory over McKinley more than Joe
Studer.
"It
was as great a win as any I've ever been a part of as a coach," said
Studer, who gave up the head coaching job at Triway High after the 1990 season
to become offensive line coach of the Massillon Tigers.
Triway
was 8‑2 in Studer's last year there, but trading in status as a
successful boss for a job as an assistant made sense to him. He was a senior on
the 1974 Massillon team and he bleeds Tiger orange.
Now
he knows what it's like to beat McKinley as a Tiger player, and as a Tiger
coach. What's more fun?
"That's
a tough one," Studer said. "My senior year McKinley was 9‑0
and we beat them on a last‑second pass from Greg Wood to Eddie Bell. That
was the McKinley team with Jap Jeter and Jonathon Moore. That's a good
memory."
Outstanding
play by the Massillon offensive line will be a memory that will last for many
who saw the 1991 win over McKinley.
"It
was a nice game for the line," Studer allowed. "We came off the ball
well and we were able to move their line. My hat is off to the young men.
“Of
course, there's always room for improvement."
In
what areas?
“There
was one play for minus yardage against McKinley," Studer said.
Another
good game by the line would come in handy Saturday when the Tigers face Akron
Ellet in the first round of the playoffs Saturday.
Ellet
has one of the best defensive fronts the Tigers will have seen.
"Their
tackles are real big so we have to make sure we play low and come off the ball
low and gets under their pads," Studer said.
How
does Ellet's defensive front wall stack up to the best the Tigers have seen?
"In
terms of overall scheme, talent and quickness, Moeller was the best,"
Studer said. "For flat‑out physical size, Walsh was No. 1. Of
course, Akron St V was real strong, too."
Studer
took a quick look at the Massillon unit that calls itself "The Wrecking
Crew."
Center
Scott Chariton (5‑10 215, Sr.) ‑ "His biggest asset is
balance. He keeps a low center of gravity."
Strong
guard Ryan Orr (S‑10, 250, Sr.) ‑ "A great down blocker, and
very consistent ... a lot of hip strength.”
Strong
tackles Brandon Jackson (6‑4, 300, Jr.) and Mark Miller (6‑0,
245, Jr.) ‑ "Both of them have come a long way since having to step
in for Chris (Dottavio). It left us with a big hole when Chris got hurt and
these guys have done the job."
Quick
guard Matt Williams (6‑1, 215, Sr.) and quick tackle Steve Miller (6‑0,
215, Sr.) ‑"Both have overcome the fact they aren't the size of
someone you'd visualize as an offensive lineman. Both have come a long way.
They have quick feet and they're technicians with good football sense."
Tight
end Greg Paul (6‑3, 215, Sr.) ‑ "When Travis (McGuire) has run
the counter Greg has been at the point of attack putting a good block on a guy
who's usually bigger than him."
Senior
Dan Sciury (6‑2, 250, Sr.), an all‑county performer on defense,
started on the offensive line last year. Sciury still plays some on offense.
He was in there against McKinley when the Tigers used an unusual three‑tackle
set.
"Dan
means so much to our defense that we've used him sparingly on offense,"
Studer said. "He's a great student of the game."
Two
other seniors have been part of the line's success, behind the scenes.
"Seth
Aegerter has backed up at tight end and he's on the kickoff return team,"
Studer said. "Jason Crites backs up at guard and he's also on the kickoff
return team. Both of them have put in a lot of hard work."
Studer
has received more than a little help from assistant coach Tim Daniels and
strength coach Steve Studer.
The
Studers, who are brothers, and Daniels all were offensive line starters in college.
Steve and Joe hogged the starting center position at Bowling Green for six
straight years during the 1970s. Daniels was a big tackle for the Tennessee
Volunteers in the early 1980s.
"The
strength program has been real important in what we've done on the line,"
Joe Studer said. "Steve put these guys through a lot of hard work in the
off‑season."
"The
training techniques I used at Triway I got from Steve," Joe Studer said.
"When I came back to Massillon to coach Steve and I were pretty much on
the same page right from the start.
"One
thing we've done this year that has helped has been maintain and even build our
strength as this season has progressed. A lot of times, a football player will
lose strength during the season."
Studer
said the key to his unit's progress this year has been quite simple: hard
work.
"The
way these guys apply themselves as a group is impressive," he said.
"They've been so consistent in their effort. They also have a lot of
football sense. You don't have to tell them a lot of things twice.
MASSILLON 42
McKINLEY 13
MA Mc
First downs
rushing 22 6
First downs
passing 0 2
First downs by
penalty 0 0
Total first downs 22 8
Yards gained
rushing 408 140
Yards lost
rushing 4 13
Net yards rushing 404 127
Net yards
passing 3 40
Total yards gained 407 167
Passes
attempted 3 13
Passes
completed 1 6
Passes int. by 2 0
Times kicked
off 7 3
Kickoff
average 41.3 48.0
Kickoff return
yards 78 132
Punts 1 4
Punting
average 32.0 26.0
Punt return
yards 16 5
Fumbles 1 1
Fumbles lost 1 1
Penalties 3 5
Yards
penalized 11 40
Number of
plays 63 43
Time of
possession 23:17 24:43
MASSILLON 14
7 14 7 42
McKINLEY 7
6 0 0 13
SCORING
SUMMARY
M ‑ Eric
Wright 18 run (Jason Brown kick)
Mc ‑ Don
Martin 1 run (Jack Vincenzio kick)
M ‑ Travis
McGuire 14 run (Brown kick)
M ‑ McGuire
11 run (Brown kick)
Mc ‑ Ron Burr
3 pass from Joe Pukansky (kick failed)
M ‑ McGuire 6
run (Brown kick)
M ‑ McGuire 1
run (Brown kick)
W ‑ McGuire
79 run (Brown kick)
INDIVIDUAL
STATISTICS
RUSHING
(Massillon) McGuire
36‑302, Wright 6‑46, Mike Danzy 5‑18, Dan Seimetz 3‑10,
Falando Ashcraft 3‑7, Nick Moasides 1‑6, Eugene Copeland 3‑5,
Marc Stafford 1‑3;
(McKinley) Pukansky
6‑45, Martin 7‑35, Che Bryant 6‑27, Bruce Richards 9‑24,
Tremaine McElroy 1‑1.
PASSING
(Massillon)
Mossides 1‑3‑0, 3;
(McKinley) Pukansky
6‑13‑2, 40.
RECEIVING
(Massillon) Paul 1‑3.
(McKinley) Burr 3‑17,
Martin 2‑10, Richards 1‑23.