BIG FINISH
LATE GAME
HEROICS BY OLIVER,
McDONNELL LEAD TIGERS PAST PUPS
McConnell's
play
saves day for Tigers
108th
MASSILLON-McKINLEY GAME
By MIKE KEATING
Independent Sports Writer
The
With
arch‑rival McKinley threatening to score in the waning seconds,
cornerback Craig McConnell made the game‑saving play.
With
only 11 seconds left and McKinley just 18 yards from a go‑ahead
touchdown, McConnell stepped in front of the intended receiver and picked off
the pass, cementing
"We
tried to put more pressure on their quarterback by bringing people,"
The
Tigers, who defeated the Bulldogs for the third consecutive year and finished
the regular season at 9‑1 with a six‑game winning streak, were in a
nickel defense when McConnell made the interception.
"It
was a slant pattern," McConnell said. "I just followed my man (Reggie
Corner) and played my role in that defense.
"My
role was to follow the man (over the middle). I was fortunate enough to get a
good jump on the ball and make the play."
McConnell's
interception came with six seconds left to play.
McKinley
head coach John Miller, whose team finished regular‑season play at 7‑2,
admitted there were several reads on the pass that McConnell intercepted.
"Whoever
was open, that's who we were going to throw the ball to," Miller said.
Had
the pass fallen incomplete, McKinley was going to try and send the game into
overtime.
"We
were going to kick the field goal," Miller said. "It just didn't work
out."
Miller,
a defensive back during his playing days at the former Canton Lincoln High,
said McConnell made a great read.
"He
broke for the ball real well," Miller said. "Give him credit. It was
a fine play."
"I
just remember watching the quarterback let go of the ball and it sailing over
my head," Princehorn said. "I turned around
and saw McConnell break on the pass.
"He
made a great play. I remember telling him to just go down and not risk getting
hit and losing the ball on a fumble. When he went down, that is when I knew it
was over."
McConnell,
who finished the regular season with three interceptions, said McKinley did not
unveil any different pass patterns than it had shown in any previous games the
Tigers watched on videotape.
"We
knew what to expect; they just did a good job of executing," he said.
"Their receivers ran some good routes and were able to separate from
us."
Except, that is for McKinley's final pass play of the game, much to the
delight of the Tigers and the dismay of the Bulldogs.
MCKINLEY 26
MAS MCK
First downs rushing 7 17
First downs passing 11 9
First downs by penalty 1 5
TOTAL fit first clowns 19 31
Net yards a rushing 156 255
Net yards passing 245 166
TOTAL yards 401 421
Passes attempted 25 28
Passes completed 16 18
Passes intercepted 2 2
Punts 4 2
Punting average 26 30
Fumbles/Lost 1/1 4/3
Penalties 12 8
Yards penalized 147 76
MCKINLEY 12 0 14 0 26
SCORING
MCK
‑ Gilmer 9‑yard run (kick failed)
MAS
‑ Ashcraft 11-yard pass from Zwick (Abdul kick)
MCK
‑
MAS
‑
MAS
‑ Oliver 15‑yard run (Ashcraft pass from Zwick)
MCK
‑ Gilmer 4‑yard run (
MCK
‑ Abdul‑Zahir 7‑yard run (
MAS
‑ Oliver 27‑yard run (Abdul kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
McKinley rushing: Gilmer 22‑170, Huddleston 7‑39, Palumbo
11‑37
McKinley passing: Palumbo 14‑21‑142 2 INT, Huddleston 4‑7‑24.
McKinley receiving: Corner 7‑61, Abdul Zahir
3‑25, Smith 2‑25.
‑
Statistics courtesy of RICHARD CUNNINGHAM
Tigers
sluggish in second half,
But late-game
heroics save day
By JOE SHAHEEN
Independent Sports Editor
The
Massillon Tigers, shut out for the first 22 minutes of the second half, drove
72 yards in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter and scored on a 27‑yard
run by Robert Oliver to pull out a heart‑pounding 29‑26 victory
over arch‑rival Canton McKinley in the ‑108th game between the
storied
McKinley,
however, appeared poised to at least send the game into overtime with a field
goal or even pull out a win with a touchdown after driving deep into
"I
was just watching my receiver and doing what I was taught," said an
ecstatic McConnell, though he admitted he could recall few details of his game‑saving
play.
Justin
Zwick hit Devon
Zwick then completed a short pass to Robert Oliver in the right flat and the
senior running back picked his way for 16 yards to the McKinley 25.
Block paved
the way
After
a 2‑yard loss on first down, Zwick handed off
to Oliver on a draw play that went over right guard and broke open. Oliver spun
off one would‑be tackler, wideout Joe Jovingo laid a textbook block on McKinley cornerback Tyler
Everett near the 20‑yard line, and Oliver read it perfectly to score the
biggest touchdown of his memorable senior season.
"Our
offensive line did a great job and stepped up when we needed them," Zwick said. "Ricky (Johnson) and Robert did a great
job in the backfield along with David Hill blocking and they got us in the end
zone.
"Guys
have been selling themselves for blocks to get more yards all year long and Joe
did that on that play and got us a lot of yards and a big score."
Ironically
Jovingo, who a career high six catches for 156 yards
last week, had not caught a pass all day long. But his block was as big as any
play up to that point.
"I
saw Robert coming around the corner," Jovingo
said afterward. "I looked up and saw Tyler Everett there and just, went
heads up with him. Robert read my block and got into the end zone."
Until
final drive, the Tigers had been outplayed in the second half.
Matt
Campbell's extra point was true, and the Bulldogs had cut the deficit to 22‑19.
McKinley
took over at its 33 and embarked on a 15‑play drive that ate more than
seven minutes off the third quarter game clock. More importantly, the Bulldogs
found the end zone as Yusef Abdul‑Zahir scored on a 7‑yard cutback run at the 1:06
mark.
The
Tigers offense remained dormant and was forced to punt. On the ensuing McKinley
possession, however, junior linebacker Tony Graves recovered a McKinley fumble
to give
The
Bulldogs advanced from their 33 to midfield, but McConnell made a fine open field
tackle on Gilmer that saved a big gainer, and Shawn Crable
and Marquis Johnson sacked Palumbo to force the McKinley punt that led to
"I
expected this kind of outcome, but with a 10‑point lead at the half, I
thought maybe not," said Tiger coach Rick Shepas. "We came in the
second half and made some mistakes offensively. We didn't play very good
defense all day.
"You've
got two football teams with a lot of athletic ability and a lot of heart. We
both represent tradition. Even though we won today, you've got to credit Canton
McKinley for an outstanding job."
McKinley
got on the board first. The Bulldogs took the opening kickoff and marched down
the field, effectively mixing the short pass with a series of Gilmer running plays.
Gilmer
tore off a 19‑yard gain on the firs play from scrimmage, then capped the eight play, 69‑yard drive with a 10‑yard
touchdown run on a pitch play around right end. The Bulldogs senior running
back hurdled a Tiger tackler at the 5‑yard line
and bounced into the end zone at 9:31 of the first period. The conversion kick
was wide left and McKinley was out to a 6‑0 lead.
The
teams exchanged punts, with
On
the second play of the drive, Zwick hit
McKinley
was undaunted, coming back to reclaim the lead on its next possession. A 33
yard kickoff return accompanied by a personal foul against the Tigers gave the
Bulldogs great field position at their own 49.
A
A
Palumbo scramble netted 8 yards on second down. One play later, Tyler Everett
went over right guard for a touchdown. A run for the two‑point conversion
failed but McKinley was up 12‑7 with :28 left on
the first quarter game clock.
A
clipping penalty on the Tigers gave them tough field position on the ensuing
kickoff at their own 8, but Zwick struck quickly ‑
hitting Marquis Williams, who made a juggling catch in traffic, for a 38‑yard
gain to the 46 as the first quarter came to an end.
Oliver
went around left end on the next snap, broke a McKinley tackle at the line and
rumbled for 18 yards to the Bulldogs' 36.
Right down the
middle
On
the very next play, Zwick ‑ off a fine play‑action
fake ‑ threw a perfect strike to
The
Bulldogs fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Markeys
Scott recovered for the Tigers.
Alleman triggered
turnover
McKinley
proceeded to drive to near midfield on seven plays, but
A Zwick scramble netted 6 yards on first down. The Ohio State‑bound
signal caller then rolled left and hit
Running
out of the power‑I
Abdul's
kick made it
The
Bulldogs drove to the
A
31‑yard field goal attempt was wide right and the Tigers enjoyed an eight‑point
lead at the intermission.
The
cushion wouldn't last but