Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

AKRONITES OUTCLASSED, BUT POOR OFFICIATING KEEPS FINAL SCORE LOW

The red and black eleven of Akron West was fortunate in three ways Saturday afternoon.

First, it was able to score seven points against Massillon high’s crack eleven; second, the officials were from Akron and did not feel inclined to give the orange and black what it was justly entitled to; and third, it was not beaten by a score of 30 to 0, which would have been the score had officials conducted the contest properly.

But, as it was, Massillon won by a 16 to 7 count, having been robbed of at least two touchdowns by poor officiating. At the start of the game Massillon carried the ball to within one foot of Akron’s goal line. Here Akron held stubbornly for three downs but on the fourth McLaughlin plowed through and placed the leather over the goal line. Referee Crisp, of Akron University, claimed he had been downed before reaching the line.

Again in the second quarter Massillon rushed Akron West off its feet and as the quarter was ending Thomas dashed through right tackle for eight yards and made what seemed to be a perfectly legal touchdown. But again Referee Crisp interposed and said that four yards from the goal Thomas in evading an Akron tackler, had stopped the forward progress of the ball and therefore was down. Massillon only scored two points in the first two quarters, the count coming on a safety in the first period. Stults punted Loeffler missing the ball. It bounded over Massillon’s goal line and Harrold downed Loeffler behind the goal.

Coach Snavely’s gridders scored their first touchdown in the third quarter. Ertle blocked an Akron punt and covered on the 15 yard line. Massillon carried the ball to within two feet of the line and Thomas was sent through. He fumbled but Harrold covered and scored a touchdown. Goal was kicked.

Massillon’s last touchdown came immediately after the fourth quarter opened, Thomas going through outside of left tackle for 23 yards and the score.

Akron West depended upon shift plays and forward passes for its gains and in the fourth quarter a long forward from Loeffler to McConnell placed the ball on Massillon’s seven yard line. Massillon claimed that McConnell in receiving the pass stepped out of bounds but the referee overruled the claim. On the next play Noble shot a forward to McConnell, who received it back of Massillon’s goal for a touchdown, the second score against the orange and black this year.

The game was played on the field at Wooster avenue stadium. It was in very poor shape, being half covered with mud and water.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN LARGER

M. H. S. – 16. Pos. A. W. H. S. – 7.

Harrold c Smith

Chaney lt Knowlton

Ertle lg Clark

Zepp c Wentz

Oberlin rg Greshan

Archbold rt Blum

Bischoff re McConnell

McLaughlin qb Loeffler

Thomas lhb Martin

Wittmann fb Amans

Stults rhb Noble
Score by quarters:
Massillon 2 0 7 7 – 16
Akron West 0 0 0 7 – 7

Touchdowns – Harrold, Thomas, McConnell.
Goals – McLaughlin 2, Loeffler 1.
Safety – Massillon.

Referee – Crisp, Akron.
Umpire – Kline, Michigan University.
Headlinesman – Bahr.

Time of quarters – 12-10-12-10.

Substitutions – Massillon: Johnson for Chaney, Stoner for Oberlin; Underwood for Stoner, Converse for Wittmann, H. Archbold for Converse.

esmith