Tigers Score 19-6 Win Over Big Red
EIGHTH TRIUMPH OVER OHIO RIVAL
Keller And Pedrotty Romp To Touchdowns As Improved Orange And Black Aggregation Chalks Up Third Victory of 1944 Campaign
By FRED J. BECKER
The Tiger is on the prowl again.
And once again he’s that victory-hungry Tiger, stalking his prey on a chalk-lined gridiron and striking with a deadly attack reminiscent of that Tiger of other years.
A Tiger imbued with a new-born fighting spirit roamed up and down the gridiron at Tiger stadium Friday evening and another near capacity audience of almost 16,000 watched him batter his way to a 19-6 conquest of the Big Red of Steubenville Wells high school.
Third Triumph For Tigers
In subduing a big, husky aggregation from the banks of the Ohio river, the orange and black of Washington high school last night recorded its third victory in 4, 1944 engagements, its lone reverse coming 2 weeks ago at the hands of a powerful, smooth working outfit from Cleveland Cathedral Latin. It was Steubenville’s second trimming in 4 engagements, East Liverpool inflicting a 20-7 defeat on the Stubbers 2 weeks ago.
In conquering the Big Red Friday night, Coach Elwood Kammer’s boys ran Washington high’s string of victories over the eastern Ohio school to 8 in a row with Steubenville having but 2 triumphs to show for 10 duels with the Tigers, those victories coming way back in 1930 and 1931.
Heat Bothers Players
It was a warm balmy night out at the stadium last night, much too warm for this time of the year and the heat and heavy atmosphere made the going rather tough for the boys on the gridiron but despite this handicap the Tigers looked different last night – they looked more like the team that ran roughshod over Akron West in the season’s opener for a 60-7 triumph.
There was something in the general atmosphere around the stadium last night, which was different but familiar. It was that old air of confidence. One felt it just as soon as the Tigers trotted out on the field. They were the same boys who trotted out 2 weeks ago against Cathedral Latin and a week ago against Canton Lincoln but somehow they were different. Once again they seemed to have that old Tiger spirit – that spirit to win and before the evening was over they proved it by upsetting a husky foe, powerful but not too well versed in gridiron strategy.
Three times the Tiger took off his gloves and struck with deadly efficiency to score touchdowns. On 2 other occasions he lost points, once when a rugged Steubenville line gave an heroic exhibition of stonewall qualities and stopped the Tiger on the 2 yard line and once when a penalty robbed the orange and black of a touchdown after a thrilling
49-yard canter by little Bert Webb.
Although only in Massillon territory twice during the contest the Stubbers made one of those forays count for their lone touchdown, that coming late in the fourth quarter when Preston Robinson intercepted a pass tossed by Tiger Don McGuire and raced 45 yards in a clear field for the visitors’ only score. The tally was registered against the second team and was almost a pure gift but it kept the Big Red from being shutout, something which has not occurred this season.
That the Tigers were on the prowl is indicated clearly by the statistics which showed 15 first downs for Coach Kammer’s gladiators to 6 for Steubenville.
As expected both teams resorted frequently to the aerial game in their efforts to advance the ball but neither was very successful. The Tigers tried 10 passes, completing 3 for 61 yards and having two intercepted, one interception giving the Stubbers their lone touchdown. Steubenville tried 10 aerial heaves with big Joe Gilliam doing the pitching and completed but 2 for 26 yards with the Tigers intercepting 3.
Big Advantage In Ground Gained
In yards gained the orange and black held a wide margin over the invading Big Red. The Massillonians had a net gain of 269 yards as compared to only 70 for Steubenville.
The Tigers had a gross yardage of 273 with a loss of only 4 yards. Steubenville had a gross of 87 with a loss of 17.
Fumbles again were prevalent, the Tigers dropping the leather 5 times and recovering on 3 occasions. The Big Red fumbled 3 times and recovered twice.
Defensively the Tigers played a bang up game with their performance being an improvement over what they showed a week ago against Canton Lincoln. The forward wall was much too tough for the invaders on defense and effectively halted most of Steubenville’s attempts to gain ground either through the line or around the wings. About three-fourths of the Big Red’s offensive burden was carried by big Joe Gilliam who did all of the visitors passing and most of their line plunging and end running. Joe took quite a pounding but without him Steubenville wouldn’t have had much of an offense.
Every man on the Tiger line did a good job last night, both on offense and defense, with Dick Ielsch, Jim Gibson, Bob Heltzel and Bill Gable getting into a lot of plays. Glenn Keller and Junie Pedrotty did a fine job of backing up the line while Webb, Wilmer Luke and Vic Turkall took care of busting up Steubenville’s aerial attack in fine style.
Offensively the Tigers showed a much improved running and line smashing attack with Keller and Pedrotty carrying the mail with dispatch and effectiveness, Keller scored 2 of the Tigers touchdowns while Pedrotty tallied the third. Keller raced around the Big Red’s ends and through the line for consistent gains and Pedrotty, a stocky, energetic young man, put on tap his finest performance of the season with many brilliant slashes through the line until forced to the bench in the third period with an injured ankle.
That the Tigers had something on the ball last night is shown by the yardage they picked up in scoring their touchdowns. The first Massillon set of counters came early in the first period, the Tigers moving the ball 47 yards in 9 plays for a touchdown.
The second tally came early in the second period on an unbroken march of 85 yards with only 8 plays being required to travel nearly the entire length of the field. The third touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a march of 54 yards in 11 plays.
The Tigers won the toss and received but on the first play Pedrotty fumbled on the visitors 44 and Steubenville covered. But Junie made up for his slip a minute later when he pulled one of Gilliam’s passes out of the air on the Big Red’s 47.
First Touchdown March
Immediately the Tiger machine swung into action and started off on a touchdown march. Webb ran wide around left end and was run out of bounds after a 12 yard gain. Turkall crashed off right tackle for 7 more. Steubenville, however, was offside and the Tigers took the 5 yard penalty which made it first down and 5 to go. Webb was stopped without a gain at left end. Keller then breezed around left end for 4 and Pedrotty rammed the line for a first down on Steubenville’s 22. Keller again sprinted around left end for 9. Turkall tried the same place but picked up only half a yard before being forced out. But on the next play Vic, on a reverse to the left, rammed his way to the 4 yard line and Keller, running wide around left end scampered over the goal line for the first Massillon touchdown. Turkall’s attempted placement was wide.
A short time later Gilliam in another attempt to heave a long one to Jim Robinson saw Turkall pull the ball down on the Massillon 28 but the Tiger attack was stalled and Vic punted to Pete Polovina who was downed on his 41. Once again Gilliam took to the air and once again the Tigers were on the job, this time Webb pulling down a Steubenville pass on Massillon’s 15.
This time the Tiger machine did not stall and set off on a drive that was to cover 85 yards and pick up another touchdown. Keller hammering around his left end picked up 10 and a first down. Then Pedrotty crashed through a hole at left tackle with battering ram force and raced 20 yards before being floored.
Webb fumbled on the next play but recovered with a loss of 6. An attempted Webb to Zeller pass failed to click but on the next play Webb tossed a beautiful shot to Wilmer Luke who reached up to smother the leather in his big hands and race to the Big Red’s 34 before being nailed. It was an overall gain of 26 yards. Keller picked up 7 yards in a dash around right end and once again Pedrotty found that hole at left tackle and rammed through for 15 from a “T” formation play to put the ball on Steubenville’s 12 as the first quarter ended.
On the first play in the second period Pedrotty on a spinner went through right tackle and scored standing up to raise the Tiger total to 12. Turkall again failed in his placement kick.
Tigers Lose 2 Touchdowns
Now the Tigers were destined to run into a bit of bad luck and a stiffened Steubenville defense and it cost them 2 touchdowns. Again an intercepted pass set the Tigers in motion, Webb pulling in another Gilliam pass on the Massillon 40 and running it back to midfield. A steady Tiger march carried the ball to Steubenville’s 16 where Pedrotty was forced from the game with an injured ankle. Don Sedjo took over the fullback duties and in 3 smashes carried the ball to the 3 but here the Big Red braced and Webb and Sedjo were unable to advance into pay territory, the Stubbers taking the ball on their 2 yard line.
Harold Gibbs got off a swell punt from behind his goal line down to his 43. Don McGuire, in for Turkall who was relieved because of an ailing shoulder, tried a pass which was intercepted by Jim Robinson. Again Gibbs punted, this time McGuire taking the ball on his 30 and returning to the 38 where the Tiger launched their third touchdown march.
Keller smashed through the line for a first down to Steubenville’s 49. On the next play Webb, running from punt formation, raced through right tackle and out into the clear. Reversing his field the little Tiger merchant dashed toward the left side and breezed past6 the Big Red secondary and on across the goal without a hand being laid on him but the officials, darn’em detected a Tiger back in motion and called the ball back inflicting a 5 yard penalty on Massillon and nullifying Webb’s brilliant sprint, the most thrilling dash of the game.
However, the Tigers were not stopped and proceeded to make the touchdown the hard way. Sedjo hit the line for 6 and Webb, again running from punt formation, picked up 8 yards. Keller made it a first down on the Steubenville 39. Webb picked up 3. A Tiger pass failed but Keller smashed through right tackle for another first down to the 29. McGuire tossed again and this time Luke made a good catch for a 17 yard gain to the visitors’ 12. McGuire was stopped without a gain at right end. Turkall, coming back into the game, ripped off 7 on a reverse, going to the 5. Sedjo smashed to the 3 and then Keller against swept around left end and across for the third Tiger touchdown. This time Turkall made good on his kick from placement.
A short time later Kammer pulled out all his regulars with the exception of Sedjo and Gene Krisher at center and shoved his second stringers into the fray. McGuire, attempting a pass, tossed a perfect strike – but instead of hitting a Tiger receiver the ball landed in Preston Robinson’s outstretched hands on the Tiger 45. With a clear field ahead of him Robinson galloped unmolested for Steubenville’s only touchdown, Gilliams’ attempted placement failed.
Kammer then yanked his second team and put in the third string of all sophomores and they registered a first down before the game ended.
Like Old Times
Massillon – 19 Pos. Steubenville – 6
Zeller LE Gibbs
Ielsch LT Carducci
Heltzel LG Porter
Krisher C Lawrence
Gable RG Domanico
Gibson RT Barsuk
Luke RE J. Robinson
Keller QB Roe
Turkall LH Gilliam
Webb RH Polovani
Pedrotty FB Wagner
Score by quarters:
Massillon 6 6 0 7 19
Steubenville 0 0 0 6 6
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Keller 2; Pedrotty.
Steubenville – P. Robinson.
Point after touchdown:
Massillon – Turkall (placement).
Statistics
Mass. Steub.
Total first downs 15 6
Yards gained by rushing 212 61
Yards lost by rushing 4 17
Net yards gained by rushing 208 44
Forward passes attempted 10 10
Forward passes completed 3 2
Yards gained by passing 61 26
Total net yardage,
rushing and passing 269 70
Passes had intercepted 2 3
Number of punts 2 3
Average distance of punts 38 33
Number of kickoffs 4 2
Average distance, kickoff 37 35
Number of fumbles 5 3
Times ball lost on fumbles 2 2
Number of penalties against 2 6
Yards lost by penalties 10 50
