TIGERS SHOW POWER IN DEFEATING EAST 58 TO 0
Stream-lined Massillon Team Surprises Most Optimistic Fans With Speed and Well-timed Blocking
By LUTHER EMERY
The Tigers are not extinct!
Coach Paul Brown emerged from the jungles of pessimism Friday evening with another troupe of fine performers who pounced on Cleveland East in the flag bedecked Massillon arena for a 58-0 triumph before 8,000 fans in the opening football game of the season here.
It cheered those dubious fans who bewailed the loss of nine members of the 1935 state championship team and revealed that Trainer Brown and his able assistants, C.C. Widdoes and Hugh McGranahan have given Massillon another great football team.
Tigers Superb in Every Department
Performing on a stage that presented as pretty a setting as you will find on any high school gridiron, the Tigers supreme Friday evening so much so that little can be said about the Cleveland East team.
The Massillon gridders made 28 first downs to none for East and the most yards the visitors made in any one series was nine.
Just as he said Coach Brown presented a troupe of fast and spectacular performers. They ran, they passed and showed their spunk when their opponents had the ball.
They scored a touchdown the first four plays of the ball game, crossed their opponents goal line twice in each of the first, second and third periods and ended the game by shoving the ball over three times in the closing frame.
Played Clean Game
They played a clean game, were penalized but once for holding, though they were set back on two other occasions for failing to pause a second after completing their shift.
They were in condition, for not a player was injured and for that matter only once during the ball game was time taken out for injuries and that was for a slight bump an East lineman received on the leg. He continued in the game.
Not holding any weight advantage, the Tigers won through speed and fine blocking. To the fan, the ball carrying of Byelene, Glass and Herring and the passing of Byelene to Charley Anderson and Gillom was outstanding, but to many other persons it was the blocking of Red Snyder, Charley Anderson and Guards, Jim Miller and Warren Wyatt and the other backs, who actually won the game. When the ball carriers made runs, the blockers were in front of the carrier, cutting down would-be tacklers and all the man with the ball had to do was run.
Defensively there was little to be desired. Gus Peters and Junior Anderson, the tackles refused to be moved. Gillom and Charley Anderson cleared the ends and Don Snavely, directing defensive play from behind the line, was under most of the tackles.
Score In Four Plays
Following the preliminary pageentry which was as fine as you will se at most big college games, the Tigers in their flashy uniforms received at the south end of the field. Anderson took the ball and started up the alley, running from his five-yard line to the 35-yard stripe before being downed. Herring got around right end for four yards and Byelene, running hard, carried the ball into Cleveland territory for a first down on the 41-yard line.
Herring wormed around the left side for 38 yards to the three-yard line and Byelene went over on the next play. Glass’ kick was wide of the goal posts and the score was 6-0 in the Tigers favor.
Glass kicked off to Marcus who brought the pigskin back to his 25-yard line. When two plays only gained three yards, Valarian quick kicked to the Massillon 20-yard line, Herring only returning eight yards before being downed. Herring on the first play went to his
42-yard line. Glass made three and Byelene ran all the way to the Cleveland 20, only to have the ball called back and the Tigers penalized 15 yards for failing to stop a second on their shift. Byelene punted to Nativio who tried to catch the ball on his own 40. He fumbled, however and Snavely got on top of it to give the Tigers a first down on the East 40. On the first play Byelene, running behind perfect interference, came around the left end for touchdown. Glass placekicked the extra point and the score was 13-0.
Launch Third Touchdown Drive
Glass kicked off to Nativio who was tackled on his 29-yard line. Failing to gain more than three yards, Valarian punted to Herring who returned from his 20 to his 35-yard line. East held the Tigers this time and Glass punted to the Cleveland 25-yard line. After Valarian had made a yard, Nativio gained eight around the Tigers’ left end, the longest gain made by East during the ball game. The visitors could not make their yardage, however and Valarian punted over Herring’s head to the goal line, Herring returning to his nine-yard line. On a double reverse the Tiger halfback ran (unreadable…) down on the 27. Byelene made seven more as the period closed.
Glass made five and East was penalized 15 yards for piling up. Herring lost a yard at right end and Byelene’s pass to Anderson was too far for him to reach. Herring made nine yards at center and then ran 32 yards to the four-yard line. In two attempts he went over for a touchdown. Glass’ kick was wide of the uprights and the score was 19-0.
Glass kicked to Valarian who returned the ball well to his 32-yard line. When a pass and two line plays failed. Valarian punted to Herring on the Tiger 45. He returned seven yards. Byelene made six at left end and then tossed a pass to Odell Gillom for a touchdown. It was a gain of 42 yards. An attempted pass for the extra point failed and the score was 25-0.
Coach Brown sent in a string of seven substitutes. Jim Miller kicked off to East’s 20. East began ramming the Tiger line, but Roy Herman stopped the visitors by intercepting a pass on the East 35-yard line. The Tigers worked the ball to the nine-yard line but lost it on downs. East punted back to the 39-yard line and Byelene passed to Edwards for a first down on the 15-yard line. Three plays netted five yards and the half ended with the Tigers in possession of the ball on the 10-yard line.
Third Period
The Tiger first string eleven started the second half. Snyder took the kickoff and brought it back to the Massillon 42. A pass to Anderson advanced the ball to the 39-yard line and Byelene and Glass carried to a first down on the 25. A five yard penalty and another three-yard loss by Byelene while trying to pass kept the Tigers from gaining their ground. Glass punted over the goal line. Failing to gain, Valarian punted to Herring who returned to the 33-yard line. Glass plunged for a first down on the East 33 and a pass, Byelene to Anderson gained another first on the 20. Glass made five at center and Herring raced to a first down on the six-yard line. Glass plunged over but the ball was called back and Massillon penalized 15 yards for holding. Herring failed to gain so Byelene passed to Anderson for a touchdown and Glass kicked goal, bringing the score to 32-0.
Oberst kicked to Glass who brought the ball back to his 37. Herring went around left end to the East 42. Glass plunged for eight yards. Byelene passed 34 yards to Gillom for a touchdown and tossed another to Gillom for the extra point. The quarter ended with the score 39-0.
A drive that began in the third stalled at the one-yard line. Valarian immediately punted to Herring who ran the ball back to the 17-yard line. He went over for a touchdown on the next play. Glass kicked the extra point.
Valarian kicked to Snyder who brought the ball back to the 40-yard line. Glass gained nine on a spinner and then raced through the alley for a first down on the East 37-yard line. Byelene tossed to Anderson for a touchdown. Glass’ kick hit the goal post and the score was 52-0.
The Tigers kicked off, held and took the ball on the East 48. Byelene passed over Gillom’s head. Glass plunged for a first down on the 34-yard line. Herring made seven at right end and Byelene put the ball on the 12-yard line. Glass made eight but the Tigers were penalized five yards. Glass made seven at center. A pass over the goal line was grounded, so Glass hit the center of the line for a touchdown. His kick was wide of the posts, leaving the score at 58-0. An entire new Massillon team took the field and in the closing minutes of play, Philip Pizzino, fullback broke through for two first downs.
The Tigers completed eight passes for 197 yards and one point after touchdown. Nine passes were grounded. East completed one pass for no gain, had three grounded and one intercepted.
Massillon was penalized 60 yards and East 25 yards.
A Good Start
Massillon Pos. Cleveland East
Gillom LE Nehis
J. Anderson LT Sakenes
Wyatt LG Simmons
Snavely C Waller
Miller RG Karloneck
Peters RT Sutphin
C. Anderson RE Strauss
Byelene QB Nativio
Herring LH Valarian
Snyder RH Oberat
Glass FB Marcus
Score by periods:
Massillon 13 12 14 19 58
Substitutions:
Massillon – Shrake, qb; Edwards, re; Herman, rh; Pizzino, fb; Swoger, rt; Lee, c; Greenfelder, lg; Howard, rg; Wursbacker, le; Dixon, lh.
East – Hocevar, c; Gurak, e; Milhellic, g; Raspardia, g; Brandford, c; Artele, lh; Rorchert, fb; Robicci, t; Slants, qb.
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Byelene 2; Herring 2; Gillom 2; C. Anderson 2; Glass.
Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Glass 3 (placekicks); Gillom 1 (pass).
Referee – Rupp.
Umpire – Brubaker.
Head Linesman – Roudabush.
TIGERS IMPRESSIVE IN OPEN
By FRED J. BECKER
Sports Editor
Massillon’s football bugs – 8,000 strong – trekked to Massillon field Friday night to get their first peek at Coach Paul Brown’s 1936 edition of the Washington high school Tigers.
These 8,000 bugs marveled at the splendid condition of the gridiron with its beautiful carpet of green. They expressed satisfaction at the improvement in the lighting system which made it easier to watch night encounters. They praised the athletic board for covering a section of the stands on the west side of the field.
Apparently they were satisfied with everything. And then the Tigers went into action and the convincing fashion in which they manhandled Cleveland East 58 to 0 sent those 8,000 bugs homeward about 10:15 completely daffy about the aggregation which began defense of the scholastic state championship, won by an undefeated team in 1935.
Massillon’s Tigers of 1936 are going places again this fall, if their playing last night is any indication of what they will do the remainder of the season. Of course, it is a bit early to wax too enthusiastic about the team but those orange and black clad lads certainly turned loose a thrilling brand of football last night.
They showed the result of expert coaching. Their defense was of that old stonewall type and their offense was the smoothest working and most highly polished a local high school football team has ever shown in its opening encounter.
The thing that impressed this writer most was the great blocking and interference given the ball toters. A smashing interference that formed quickly and cut down would-be tacklers with deadly precision and accuracy made it easy for such lightning like runners as Bob Glass, Edgar Herring and Mike Byelene to scamper for long gains. That same interference also gave Byelene plenty of protection when he began rifling passes into the hands of waiting receivers.
The type of interference the Tigers turned loose last night is rarely seen on a high school football team. Before the season opened Coach Brown said that speed and precision would be the highlights in the 1936 attack. The Tigers had plenty of both last night.
If the Tigers continue to improve and there is no reason why they should not, they are going to be mighty hard to stop. But the team of 1936 faces this one serious obstacle – lack of seasoned and capable reserves. The Tigers of last night will go a long ways if they escape serious injuries to the star cogs in the machine. Should any of the regulars, especially in the backfield, be put on the hospital list a different picture may be painted.
It was an ideal night for a football opener. Stars studded the sky and the air had enough snap in it to pep up players and fans.
The stands filled early and shortly after 7:30 the drum and bugle corps of Massillon Post, No. 221, American Legion, marched on the field to make its first public appearance of the year. The legion outfit gave a splendid exhibition of drilling and playing, giving local boosters a glimpse of the tactics they will use in Cleveland next week while competing for the national drum corps title.
Between halves Washington high’s rapidly improving band marched and played and acquitted itself with great credit. It is a musical organization that will bring a lot of praise to Massillon.
With their first victory tucked in their belts, the Tigers next week will prepare for a Saturday afternoon invasion of Mansfield. Next Saturday night Massillon will see its first college football game played here when Western Reserve, coached by Bill Edwards, former local grid hero, meets Bowling Green on Massillon Field.
All in all, it looks like another big football year for Massillon
