TIGERS PLAY GOOD AND POOR FOOTBALL IN DEFEATING AKRON WEST 33 TO O
COWBOYS OUTCLASS MASSILLON ELEVEN IN THIRD QUARTER
By LUTHER EMERY
A first half assault that produced four touchdowns and then withered under a rejuvenated Akron West team, gave the Washington high Tigers their seventh straight victory of the season Saturday and brought an end to the visiting Cowboys fine record of 20 undefeated games.
In chalking up the 33-0 triumph the Tigers played some of their best and at the same time some of the poorest football of the season.
Unable to Get First Down in Third Quarter
Where the local gridders smashed through the visiting eleven’s defense for four touchdowns in the first and second periods they were stopped without a first down and completely outplayed in the third quarter and showed but on burst of offense in the final frame that produced their fifth and last touchdown.
Even though their two star backs, Van Adams and Mose Allen sat on the bench, the Cowboys showed more offense against the Tigers Saturday than any team has this season. Twice sustained drives carried them up the field to within the 20-yard line. They made nine first downs, four of them in the third quarter.
Coach Belchly, of West high came to Massillon, fully expecting to lose the game. He did not give himself a chance and for that reason did not start Adams and Allen, believing it would be wiser to save them for West’s important Akron city series battle with South high this coming week.
Might Have Score With Aces
As it developed, Belchly had the situation sized up correctly. With Adams and Allen in the game, West could not have stopped the Tigers’ smashing offense the first half. The two ace ball carriers might have added a scoring punch to the Cowboys’ offense in the third period, when they drove to the 20-yard line, but it was evident that West was not strong enough to win and Belchly wasn’t going to take any chances on either being injured. He did put Adams into the game in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter but Allen remained on the wood plank throughout.
It was Henry Krier, who carried the burden of the Tiger attack in the first two periods. He scored three touchdowns before indigestion forced him from the game, early in the second period. He got back into the mix-up in the third period but was unable to do little the last two frames.
The first time the Tigers got their hands on the ball they drove for a touchdown. Lohr returned a punt nine yards to the West 41-yard line and Dutton pegged a pass to Shertzer for a first down on the 24. West was penalized five yards and Krier fought his way through right tackle for 19 yards and a touchdown. McCants went over for the next extra point on a power play.
Wolfe Covers Fumble
Don Wolfe covered Poulos’ fumble on the 22-yard line to place the Tigers in position for their second touchdown. McCants on the first play smashed through to the 12 and Krier in two attempts went the remaining distance. This time he placekicked the extra point and the score was 14-0 at the end of the quarter.
The third touchdown ended in a beautiful 59-yard run by Krier. Parks’ punt was grounded on the Massillon 25-yard line and McCants and Krier alternated in carrying the pigskin to the Massillon 41-yard line. Krier was ordered through his right tackle. He cut over to the sideline where he appeared bottled up by three West players. He sidestepped one, cut back toward midfield, outran the remainder of the secondary and had Shertzer trailing at his heels ready to spill any Wet tackler who might catch up to him. McCants carried the ball over for the extra point.
Morningstar, Wolfe and Molinski blocked Parks’ punt on the fourth down on the 14-yard line to gain position for the fourth touchdown of the half. Shertzer made nine yards around right end on a mousetrap and McCants plunged the remaining distance. An attempted pass for the extra point was wide of Shertzer the receiver.
West Reveals Punch
st came back with its first offense of the game and carried and passed the ball from its own 34 to the Massillon 18-yard line where Lohr intercepted Bertolini’s pass and ran back to his own 40 before being tackled. Though time would not permit West to show again in the half, the Cowboys launched another offensive in the third period that threatened to cross the Tiger goal line for the firs time this season. With Bertolini a second stringer, who has been warming the bench most of the season, carrying the ball, the Cowboys marched from their own 10-yard line to the Tigers’ 20 before losing the pigskin on downs. The Tigers only had the ball three times in the third period and were unable to make headway at anytime.
The Massillon offense began to click again in the fourth period and four plays carried the ball from the 10-yard line across the visitors’ goal. Lohr was downed with a punt and a
15-yard penalty set the local team back to its 10-yard line, McCants made it all and 10 yards to spare and Krier raced for another first down on the West 42-yard line. McCants again tore through for a first down on the 27 and with the visitors secondary sucked in, Byelene hurled a pass to Lohr for the final touchdown of the game. Krier’s kick was wide of the goal posts.
The local team made another bid to score and carried the ball from its own 15-yard line to the five-yard line, where a five-yard penalty and two consecutive fumbles lost the ball on the five-yard line.
In defeating West the Tigers made 20 first downs to the visitors’ nine and completed four of 12 passes for a total of 63 yards. Two were intercepted. West completed six of 10 passes for a total of 70 yards. Two were intercepted.
Massillon lost 55 yards through penalties to West’s 10 yards.
With West out of the way the Tigers prepare this week for another Akron team. East high, an old rival which will be met on Massillon field Saturday afternoon.
Lineup and summary:
Massillon Pos. Akron West
Shertzer LE Boughner
Wolfe LT Mathews
Molinski LG Selby
Morningstar C Abney
Snavely RG Ziruolo
Buggs RT Hoff
Lohr RE Parks
Dutton QB Johnson
Krier LH Poulos
Lange RH Bruniage
McCants FB Bertolini
Score by periods:
Massillon 14 13 0 6 33
Substitutions:
Massillon – Byelene, lh, qb; McDew, le; Herring, lh.
West – Miller, rg; Petro, c; Mikaloshek, rg; Adams, lh.
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Krier 3; McCants; Lohr.
Points after touchdown:
Massillon – McCants 2 (carried); Krier (placekick).
Referee – Shafer (Akron).
Umpire – Gross (New Philadelphia).
Head Linesman – Michales (Ohio State).
