Tigers Still In Quest Of First Victory Look Ragged in Defeatat Hands of Akron South
By LUTHER EMERY
Another effort to win its first football game of the season will be made by Washington high school Friday evening when it meets Junior Home of Tiffin on Massillon Field in a game expected to attract the largest crowd of the year because of the enthusiasm of members of the Junior O.U.A.M. over the coming event.
The Washington high team should feel humiliated over its 7-6 defeat at the hands of Akron South, Saturday and perhaps now that certain members of the team have been forced from their exalted positions down to the end of the table by younger stars, a better team spirit will result.
Fumbles End Advances
The Tigers had several good chances to score Saturday, fumbles recovered by the Cavaliers thrice ending drives within the 16-yard zone. Washington high’s only score came on a break of the game, however, when Knowlton intercepted a pass in the first period on his 25-yard line and scampered 75 yards for a touchdown. Foster’s attempted placekick was wide of the uprights and by that point the local team lost, for with only a minute or so of the game remaining a determined South drive ended with Kotch plunging across on the fourth down from the one-yard line while Anderson’s perfect dropkick gave the Cavaliers a 7-6 victory. But even had the score been reversed with Massillon in possession of the seven, the game would have been no great credit to the orange and black, considering the experience and weight advantages the local school possessed.
South had an entirely green team on the field and one that was considerably outweighed by the Massillon eleven. Yet the Cavaliers battled the Tigers on practically even terms making the same number of first downs, six and playing a portion of the game in Massillon territory.
As has been the case in previous games this season it was not the veterans who stood out on the Washington high team Saturday. Rather it was the newcomers to the squad who sparkled. Knowlton, a member of the reserves last fall and Kester, a sophomore, were the only boys who could gain any ground. Schimke was outstanding on the line. Willis Monroe, third string tackle sub didn’t do a bad job filling in at the right tackle gap and was hard to pass. The Cavaliers gained most of their ground through the left side of the line where Mudd and Price, both veterans, reign.
Backfield Veterans Stopped
South’s forward wall held the Massillon offensive, one that should be a power this year, to six first downs. Williams and Clendening who in their sophomore and junior years tore large holes in the lines of their opponents’ seldom gained any yards. Both are mere shadows of what they were a year or two ago in gridiron performance.
In Tiffin Junior Home the Massillon team will face a much stiffer opponent than Akron South. Last year Tiffin was selected as having one of the outstanding football teams in the state, some sports writers even placing the eleven in No. 1 position. While the team did go through its season without a defeat the No. 1 ranking was too exalted a position for the Juniors since their schedule was not as difficult as some of the other undefeated teams in the state.
However, the Juniors have practically a veteran team on the field this year and another defeat for Washington high seems inevitable unless the Tigers realize they can’t loaf and win football games. Friday evening’s encounter promises to be the most colorful of the season, for at least two Junior Order bands and a drum corps will be in the stands in addition to the Washington high band.
Members of the order from surrounding cities will attend the game since it is the only one played by the school in this section of the state. The game also will be the semi-final on the home schedule of the Tigers. Only the encounter with Dover will be played on Massillon Field after Friday.
Line up and summary of Akron South game:
Massillon Pos Akron South
Brunker LE H. Neidert
Price LT Mollen
Mudd LG Ridge
Hoyman C Wonn
Schimke RG Black
W. Monore RT Schnur
Getz RE Kapper
Knowlton QB Anderson
Foster LH C. Neidert
Kester RH Rackich
Singer FB Kotch
Score by periods:
Massillon 6 0 0 0 6
Akron South 0 0 0 7 7
Substitutions:
Massillon – Williams for Singer; Clendening for Knowlton; Singer for Midd; Toles for Schimke; Mudd for Toles; Heisler for Brunker.
Akron – Seckich for Schnur; Kauger for Rackich; Kalgren for Wonn; Reckner for C. Neidert.
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Knowlton.
Akron South – Kotch.
Point after touchdown:
Akron South – Anderson (placekick).
Referee – Rang (Akron).
Umpire – McPherson (W. & J.)
Head Linesman – Gross (Marietta).
