Safety In Last Two Minutes Gives Local Crew 2-Point Victory
Defying J. Pluvius and his storm clouds, gridiron gladiators of Washington high school annexed football honors Saturday afternoon when they triumphed over South high of Youngstown 2 to 0, administering the first setback of the season to the Mahoning county gridders on the rain soaked Central Steel Field.
A safety during the last two minutes of play, the result of a desperate comeback by Massillon’s forwards which had been outplayed by the visiting aggregation, gave the orange and black its two point margin and its fourth scholastic victory of the season.
Playing in mud and water several inches deep, which made it impossible to play anything but straight football, the two contending eleven’s battled strenuously to gain a decision. After the first play it was difficult to distinguish the rival players so thoroughly soaked had they become with mud and water.
The poor field also made it impossible to judge the relative strength of the two teams and neither combination had a decided edge over the other until Coach Snavely’s lads made their determined stand toward the end of the fourth quarter and beat down the sturdy Youngstown defense.
Two blocked punts gave the youthful Tigers their chance to win. After keeping play in South’s territory during the greater portion of the fourth quarter, but lacking the punch to shove the ball over for a touchdown, the local gridders near the end of the game broke through South’s line and blocked a punt by Captain Brown of the visitors, the ball rolling back to the one yard line where South covered.
Then South attempted to punt again, Brown standing behind his own goal line to make the kick. As the ball was passed left tackle Taylor, of Massillon, crashed through the opposing line and blocked the kick before it crossed the line. Captain Brown pounced on the ball behind his own goal line and the orange and black had registered a safety, which was to be the deciding play of the contest.
The battle soon developed into a punting duel as neither team was able to do much on offense. In this respect Massillon had a decided edge as Greenfelder outkicked his opponent and the local team always gained ground in the exchange of punts.
Fumbles also were prominent and came near giving South a touchdown in the first quarter.
Captain Archbold of Massillon hit through center but the ball bounded out of his arms into the hands of a South player who scampered towards Massillon’s goal line. He had cleared the entire team with the exception of quarterback Hess, who brought him to earth on Massillon’s 35-yard line by a pretty tackle.
This Hess lad, by the way, was Massillon’s big offensive star. His return of punts on the heavy field was brilliant and whenever he was able to get under way returned the kicks from 2 to 20 yards. In the fourth quarter he grabbed a South punt in midfield and raced to Youngstown’s eight yard line before being downed. But here South stiffened and Massillon could not drive its way through for a touchdown.
Just as the second quarter ended Hess ripped his way through left tackle for 20 yards being downed on South’s 18-yard line. Had the field been dry he probably would have gotten away but the mud made dodging and sidestepping impossible. Massillon made numerous attempts in the fourth quarter to score from place kick but Greenfelder’s efforts to hoist the water soaked ball over the bars was futile.
South showed an excellent team. It used a shift play that would have been good for gains on a dry gridiron. Its defense appeared superior to that of Massillon and on several occasions, the Youngstown forwards broke though and stopped the local backs before they could get started. Offensively the two teams appeared equal, Massillon having a shade better of the argument because of Hess’ brilliant running in a broken field.
The work of Taylor and Oberlin, Massillon’s sturdy tackles, stood out prominently on defense and any drives directed at their positions were nipped in the bud.
Massillon – 2 Pos. Youngstown South – 0
Herman LE Rankins
Taylor LT Dawson
Clay LG Pettiford
Angstadt C B. Johnson
Harrison RG Williams
Oberlin RT Beeds
Howells RE Jones
Hess QB H. Jacobs
Stuhldreher LHB Brown (c)
Greenfelder RHG Borts
Archbold (c) FB Smith
Score by quarters
Massillon 0 0 0 2 2
Substitutions – Massillon: Jamison for Herman, Tilton for Clay,
Adams for Tilton, Clay for Adams, Graber for Clay, Fasnacht for
Howells.
South: Splain for Jones, H. Johnson for Borts.
Safety – Massillon.
Referee – Blythe of Mount Union.
Umpire – Bast of Massillon.
Headlinesman – Chaney, Massillon.
Timer – Ligget
Time of quarters — 12½ minutes.
