Tigers Top Orientals In 8th Win
By Jim Allerdice
Repository Staff Write
MASSILLON – Capitalizing on four pass interceptions and a fumble, the Massillon Tigers defeated a rangy Youngstown East team 39-12 before 9,000 fans Saturday in their last 1941 appearance in Tiger stadium.
The big East team proved to be no breather for the Tigers, scoring more points and making more first downs than any Massillon opponent to date. Coach Bud Houghton kept his first team in the game until late in the final period to insure the eighth victory of the season.
The Youngstown team could get nowhere playing straight football but in the second quarter resorted to a passing attack which netted them 131 yards and both their touchdowns. Dunlevy heaved most of East’s 25 passes with Lou Gabriel doing some effective receiving.
The Tiger line again proved its worth by stopping the Oriental ball carriers cold while their own backs were able to pick up 319 yards. Blunt provided the most spectacular run of the day when he streaked wide around his own left end 64 yards for the third touchdown early in the second quarter.
Adams Scores Opener.
Bob Graber, a junior, played one of his best games, intercepting two passes to set the stage for touchdowns and scoring another himself. Chuck Holt, another junior back, was the first quarter hero, covering a fumble on the second play of the game to provide the break for the first Tiger touchdown. He also intercepted one of Dunlevy’s passes a few minutes later and twisted 29 yards for the second score.
As had been their custom the Tigers wasted no time in scoring. Holt recovered Wayland’s fumble on the East 24 and six plays brought the ball to the two from where Dick Adams took it through right tackle for six points. His kick for the extra point was no good.
Holt’s touchdown came shortly afterward when be intercepted a pass on the East 29 and went over. Adams converted.
Blunt Runs 64 Yards.
Massillon scored again early in the second quarter when Graber intercepted an Oriental pass on his own 36. On the next play Blunt swept end for his 64 yard run and Massillon’s 19th point. Holt made the extra point.
A moment later Graber intercepted another pass. Holt carried to the East 19 and a pass, Graber to Cardinal, took it to the one, where Cardinal hurdled the line for the score. Holt’s kick was no good.
The first Youngstown touchdown came as a result of a drive from their own 35. A pass, Dunlevy to Gabriel, was good for 24 yards and another pass to Gabriel in the march.
The Orientals showed their respect for the Tiger line by not trying to buck their way the remaining four yards. Instead they tried four passes, all of which were grounded, and Massillon took the ball.
East got it back a moment later, however, by covering Blunt’s fumble on the 12-yard line. This time the visitors were not denied. Dunlevy threw a perfect strike to Vicarel, who fell over the goal after catching the ball. Wayland was thrown back trying to carry the ball over for the extra point.
Neither team threatened seriously until the last half-minute of the fourth quarter, when Adams intercepted an East pass on the 39-yard line. The ball was moved up to the 30 where Adams threw over the secondary to Junior White, who caught it in the end zone. The game ended as soon as the Tigers completed their try for the extra point, Adams kicking it over.
The Tigers had the edge in statistics, making 12 first downs to East’s nine and gaining the net total of 343 yards to East’s 148. East made 131 of its net yards on forward passes, while the Tigers made 48.
The locals attempted nine passes and completed two while East tried 25 and worked 10 of them.
Robinson Gets In
The game marked the appearance of Herman Robinson, veteran left end, for the first time this season. He played the last couple of minutes but still favored the injured knee that has kept him on the bench all season.
Enough for the East-Massillon game. The fans have forgotten it already anyway. They are thinking of the tilt at Canton Saturday and so are the Tigers.
They will work out behind closed doors this week with all spectators barred from the field. The Massillon boys emerged from the East game without suffering any injuries, and John Hill, right guard, a contact man on practically every play will be O.K. for the McKinley game. He has been kept out of the last two games because of an injured leg, but it is strong as ever now.
The coaches broke up the squad into groups Sunday and each took a hike as a limbering up process. Serious workout for Saturday’s encounter will begin tonight.
It will be the 46th meeting between the teams since 1894. Canton has won 22 games, Massillon 20, and three have resulted in tie scores. The Tigers have won the last six encounters, a streak that started in 1935 after three years of domination by McKinley.
As the teams go into their final week of practice, the game looks like a tossup, despite the better showing made by the Tigers against two of four common opponents.
Both Tied Mansfield
Both teams tied Mansfield, Canton playing a scoreless tie, Massillon battling to a 6-6 score. The Tigers defeated Steubenville 58-0, Canton won 58-8. The Tigers defeated Warren 21-0, Canton lost to Warren 13-7, with breaks and blocking punts playing an important part in both games. The Tigers defeated Alliance 46-6, when the latter virtually quit in the second half, while Canton edged Alliance 18-13.
The game looks like a tossup despite the latter two scores, because scores frequently have meant so little in past Massillon-Canton game performances.
The Tigers looked like winners by half a dozen touchdowns two years ago, but they were glad to settle for a 20-6 triumph. Last year they trailed up to the last two minutes of the half when a well executed pass put them ahead 7-6. They eventually won 34-6, by routing the Bulldogs the last quarter.
Last year’s 34 points were the most made by either team since Canton whipped Massillon 45-0 back in 1907. In all the years of rivalry, the victor has on but six occasions scored more than 21 points.
Each team has had five opponents cross its goal this season. Six touchdowns have passed over the Tiger payoff stripe, while Bulldog opponents have scored 10 touchdowns on them.
Five of the six touchdowns chalked up against Massillon were scored on passes. Only once was the ball run across, that coming on the return of a kickoff in the Marblehead, Mass., game. Canton has scored 268 points for the season to its opponents’ 66 points, while the Tigers have scored 282 points to their opponents’ 32.
Following is a record of Massillon-Canton rivalry since 1894 and the scores this year:
Year Massillon Canton
1894 6 16
1894 8 12
1895 0 6
1899 3 19
1899 4 9
1903 0 5
1903 0 8
1904 0 18
1905 5 12
1906 0 24
1906 0 28
1907 0 0
1907 0 45
1908 0 17
1908 12 6
1909 11 6
1909 8 2
1912 0 19
1913 13 13
1914 3 0
1915 6 7
1916 16 9
1917 7 6
1919 21 0
1920 0 14
1921 13 12
1922 24 0
1923 9 0
1924 6 0
1925 3 6
1926 0 0
1927 0 13
1928 0 7
1929 31 6
1930 14 6
1931 20 6
1932 0 19
1933 0 21
1934 6 21
1935 6 0
1936 21 0
1937 19 6
1938 12 0
1939 20 6
1940 34 6
Massillon won 20
Three ties
Canton won 22
Canton Record
McKinley 62, Timken 0
McKinley 26, Akron South 0
McKinley 26, Champaign, Ill. 6
McKinley 7, Warren 13
McKinley 59, John Adams 0
McKinley 18, Alliance 13
McKinley 58, Steubenville 6
McKinley 0, Mansfield 0
McKinley 12, Oak Park 28
Massillon Record
Massillon 6, Weirton, W.Va. 0
Massillon 28, Marblehead, Mass. 6
Massillon 39, Cathedral Latin 0
Massillon 46, Alliance 6
Massillon 58, Steubenville 0
Massillon 6, Mansfield 6
Massillon 21, Warren 6
Massillon 39, Toledo Waite 7
Massillon 39, Youngstown East 13
