TIGERS TUNEUP FOR CANTON, BEAT NILES
Mike Byelene Stars as Massillon Team Plays Great Practice Game in Trumbull County; Throws 52-yard Pass for Touchdown
By LUTHER EMERY
And now for Canton! With Niles their ninth victim put out of the way, 53-6, the Washington high Tigers today resumed preparations for their grand finale of the season, the annual duel with their perennial rivals, the Bulldogs of McKinley high.
The Bulldogs took one on the nose Saturday from Oak Park, of Illinois, 7-0 and that will do the Tigers no good. Aiken teams in the past have demonstrated that they can come back, more furious than ever and that is what can be expected next Saturday at Lehman field, Canton.
Tigers Pointing for Canton
For two weeks the Tigers have been preparing for the Canton engagement. They virtually ignored the New Philadelphia and Niles games, but took them on one by one while concentrating their attention on the Bulldogs battle.
Jimmy Aiken, too, has been grooming for Massillon ever since his defeat by Steubenville, we are told. Like Coach Brown with Niles, Aiken tried to sidestep Oak Park, but got caught in the back wash. He could afford to take the chance, however, for a victory over the Tigers, as far as public opinion is concerned would be equal to 10 triumphs over distant Oak Park.
And so, Massillon can expect to find the McKinley Bulldogs at their best Saturday.
But to get back to last week’s 53-6 triumph at Niles. Coach Brown couldn’t have found a better practice game for his squad.
Get Pass Defense Drill
The Tigers were opposed with vicious tackling and most of all, a forward and lateral passing attack that gave the local eleven a lesson in pass defense.
Niles scored but that made little difference for the Tiger goal line had already been crossed, but what was more alarming was the manner in which Niles scored and the many passes they completed against the Massillon eleven.
Canton scouts were in the stands and saw what was going on. In defense of the Tiger first team, however, it must be said that Niles scored and made the majority of their 15 first downs while the second team was on the field.
Those 15 first downs were more than any other team has been able to make against the Tigers this season. Practically all of the first downs were the result of passes. Niles completed 14 of them for a gain of 176 yards.
The Tigers on the other hand did some passing themselves. They scored three touchdowns with passes, one a heave of 52 yards and made one extra point on a pass. All told they made 23 first downs, with the second team playing half the game and two regulars, Howard Dutton and Neri Buggs on the sidelines in street clothes, suffering from colds.
Mike Byelene Shines
It was Mike Byelene’s accurate arm and his slashing thrusts around end and off tackle that led the Tigers to victory, Saturday. He tossed passes for three touchdowns and one extra point and scored three touchdowns himself on runs of 57 yards, 10 yards and 22 yards.
His pass to Morningstar for the sixth touchdown of the game electrified the gallery and sent the crowd home wondering where this little fellow gets all the power in that right arm of his.
The ball was on the Tigers’ 44-yard line. Mike faded way back to his own 34 while Morningstar went down fast. With the wind at his back the Tiger quarter fired the ball. Traveling like a peg from the outfield it held its line and appeared too high for Morningstar to teach but Augie kept going, reached up, snared the ball on his 14-yard line and went on over for a touchdown.
Pass Brings First Score
In fact it was one of Byelene’s fine passes that produced the first touchdown of the game. Massillon received the kickoff, but two five-yard penalties, one for being in motion and another for offside, forced Gillom to punt out on the 15-yard line. When three plays failed to gain but three yards, Yanus returned the punt to the Niles’ 47. On the first play Byelene ran 26 yards to the 21-yard line. Gillom made five but the Tigers were penalized 15 for holding. Byelene didn’t let that stop him. He stepped back and shot a pass which Charley Anderson took on the 10 and ran on for a touchdown. Bob Glass plunged the extra point across.
Niles received and Reese and Zuzolo made a first down on the Tigers 33. There they stopped and Massillon got the ball on a punt on their own 45. Glass rammed for 18 yards. Byelene made four, Gillom two and Glass made it first down on the 27. A pass was no good and the Tigers were penalized five yards for being off side. Jake Gillom got loose for 22 yards and a first down on the 10. Byelene went across and Glass plunged the extra point. The period ended with the score 14-0.
Niles immediately cut loose with a passing attack that began on its 20. Reese tossed to Kaye for 15 yards and to Yanus for a first on the Niles 48. Reese hit center for three and a 13-yard pass to Kaye took the ball in to Tiger territory. Reese got away to the Tiger 21-yard line. Zuzolo made a yard but Voss broke through and dropped Kaye for a loss of five. The threat ended when Ed Herring intercepted a pass and that set the Tigers in motion again.
Massillon was penalized five yards for offside but on the next play Herring got away to his own 43. On the first play Byelene cut inside his left tackle then headed toward the right sideline, reversed his field and ran 57 yards for a touchdown. Herring circled end for the extra point.
Pass To Anderson Nets Touchdown
Niles fumbled the kickoff and a Tiger covered on the 30-yard line. The Tigers were offside on the first play and were penalized five. Byelene lost three yards but Herring made 11 on a fake at center. Snyder picked up two and Byelene passed to Anderson for the touchdown. Another pass to Anderson produced the extra point.
Niles received and a pass, Reese to Yanus put the ball in midfield. Two passes were batted down but on third down, Reese tossed a 10-yard pass to Yanus who shot a lateral to Boag, who ran 40 yards for the Niles touchdown. Reese tried to plunge for the extra point but failed. The half ended with the score 28-6.
Massillon kicked off at the start of the third period and Niles, failing to gain, punted to midfield. Gillom hit right tackle for 17. Byelene made 11 at left end putting the ball on the 22-yard line. Byelene went over for the touchdown. Glass tried to kick the extra point but missed.
Niles struck back with another passing attack that advanced the ball from the Niles 18 to the Massillon 28-yard line. There the Tigers braced and took the ball on downs on their own 32. Gillom made seven yards and Glass two. Byelene made it first down on the 49, but the Tigers were penalized five for offside. Byelene passed to Morningstar for a touchdown. The play was good for a gain of 56 yards. Glass placekicked the extra point. The third period ended with the score 41-6.
Fourth Quarter
Massillon kicked to the 25. On the first play a forward pass Reese to Kaye and an intended lateral to Boag, gained a touchdown for Niles but the ball was called back and the touchdown was not allowed, the officials ruling the lateral traveled forward. It was a tough break for Niles. Niles completed two passes, one for 12 yards and one for six before Snyder intercepted Reese’s pass on the Massillon 37. Herring got away for 26 yards. Byelene and Snyder made it first down on the 15.
Byelene passed to Odell Gillom for what would have been a touchdown only that Gillom was out of bounds when he caught the ball. Byelene carried the ball to the one-yard line and Herring went over. Byelene’s pass for point was smothered.
An intercepted pass by Herring on the Niles 45 put the ball in place for the last touchdown. Snyder made four yards and Byelene passed to Herring for a first down on the 15. Snyder, running hard, went over the goal. Byelene’s pass for the extra point was batted down.
The Tigers threatened once again when Updegraff covered a fumble on the Niles 37. A
29-yard pass to Swoger, sub end, brought a first down on the six-yard line, but Niles covered Carter’s fumble and the game ended without any more scoring.
The Tiger band and several hundred Massillon fans followed the team to Niles. The band gave its usual fine performance between halves.
The concrete stadium in which the game was played was built with PWA funds. It has a seating capacity of 4,000. Less than 2,000 people attended the game. The day was cool and though fans drove through rain to Niles, it did not rain in that city prior to or during the game.
Massillon was penalized 50 yards to five yards for Niles.
Now For Canton
Massillon Pos. Niles
Anderson LE Delvaux
Held LT Scarnerchik
McDew LG Sawyer
Voss C Tortello
Woods RG Schink
Moffett RT Zobitz
Morningstar RE Yanus
Byelene QB Reese
Gillom LH Traxler
Molinski RH Zuzolo
Glass FB Kaye
Score by periods:
Massillon 14 14 13 12 53
Niles 0 6 0 0 6
Substitutions:
Massillon – Snyder, fb; Herring , lh; J. Anderson, lt; Snavely, c; Updegraff, lg; Miller, rg; Graybill, lg; Howard, rg; Lee, c; Swoger, re; O. Gillom, le; Carter, lh.
Niles – Gales, fb; Maddow, g; Mooris, c; Seltz, lt; Law, c; Boag, le.
Touchdown:
Massillon – Anderson 2; Byelene 3; Herring; Morningstar; Snyder.
Niles – Boag.
Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Glass (3 carried; kicked 1); Herring (carried);. Anderson (pass).
Officials:
Referee – Wagner.
Umpire – Rang.
Head Linesman – Pierrott.
