Tigers Defeat Libbey 39-0 In Opening Game
Local Gridders Score 20 Points In Fourth Period Passing Attack
By LUTHER EMERY
A fourth period passing attack that produced three touchdowns gave the Washington high Tigers an impressive start in defense of their state football championship Friday evening as they defeated Toledo Libbey high 39-0 before 12,0000 fans in Tiger stadium
Without the fourth quarter spurt the opener would not have been so impressive, but if Libbey is as good as it usually is the 39 points speak well for the Tigers and for future successes this season.
Nobody knows just how strong the Toledo school is this fall, for it was the opening game for the Cowboys, but we believe they will not lose many games, if any more, by 39 points this season.
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LIBBEY tackled well, turned loose a set of fast backs, and was the victim of three fumbles which the Tigers turned into touchdowns.
The latter summary would tend to indicate Libbey a better team than the score indicates, but the visitors had their weakness too – pass defense, and not until the last period of the game – did the Tigers capitalize on it.
The Massillon gridders showed flashes of power. In fact their performance for the most of the night consisted of flashes. Their blocking was often crisp and sharp, but it was inconsistent, and one poor block can offset two or three good ones.
Coach Chuck Mather felt pretty good about everything except the tackling of his team. Many tackles were missed when opposing ball carriers could have been thrown for losses.
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WHILE the Tiger offense did not mow the opposition down consistently, it was better in a yard gaining capacity than most fans realize.
The locals gained 478 yards from scrimmage to Libbey’s 197. The yardage included 226 yards gained by passing.
In fact it was the fourth period aerial bombardment of Libbey that provided most of the offensive fireworks of the game, including the longest touchdown, a 51-yard peg from Ace Grooms to Wesley Shilling, which the latter took on the 10-yard line and raced over for the touchdown.
While Mather had planned to use Grooms on defense, he showed enough last night on offense to convince most fans it will be hard to keep him out of the backfield.
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ANOTHER PASS, even longer than the 51-yard peg, was dropped by Shilling in the end zone for what would have been a Tiger touchdown.
In his desire to give as many boys as possible a chance to play, Mather used 37 members of the squad in the game. Some of the younger players did not get into the tilt, but they will see action today in a pair of games arranged for them. The sophomores will play at Barnesville and the juniors at Newcomerstown.
The game was not without its accidents. Big Jim Geiser lost a front tooth when he was kicked in the mouth in the third quarter. He was shaken up earlier in the contest when he and John Climo bumped heads, putting both temporarily out of action. Climo got back into the contest before the end of the game.
It was one of those rate nights when the Tigers never punted. They either made their yards or lost the ball on downs when fourth down got around. Not once did anyone boot the ball which leaves unanswered the question who will be the kicker when Co-Capt. Chuck Vliet isn’t in the game. He didn’t play last night because of injuries.
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IT ONLY took the Tigers four minutes and five seconds to score their first touchdown. The opportunity came when Libbey fumbled on the second play of the game and John Tasseff promptly flopped on the leather on the 27-yard line.
The going was hard as the Tigers ground out two first downs, but with the ball on the four, Bob Grier banged through for six points. Grooms’ attempted placekick was wide.
Libbey held the ball most of the remaining time in the period as it marched from its own 13 to the Tiger 14 where the locals held for downs and seized the pigskin.
There began a drive that continued into the second period and went 86 yards for a touchdown, the last two being made by hard running Tom Straughn, the right halfback. Grooms kicked this one and the score was 13-0.
It took seconds to get the next one. Libbey fumbled after the kickoff and Alex Matie was Johnny on the spot on the 26-yard line. Two plays gained three yards and Grooms, carrying for the first time went to the 12 for a first down. Grier picked up the rest of the distance. The extra point was lost when Paul Francisco fumbled the pass from center.
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THE SCORE remained 19-0 throughout the third period in which Libbey staged its second threat, marching the ball to the Tiger eight before being thrown back on downs.
The Tigers began throwing passes. Francisco tossed 26 yards to Bruce Brenner for the first touchdown. It followed a pass, Francisco to Shilling good for 58 yards. Them came Grooms’ 51-yard pitch to Shilling.
The final score came as the last seconds of the game were ticked off. Credit John Mlincek with getting the ball to set the Tigers in motion. He covered a Libbey fumble on the 30. Two plays had gained four yards when Francisco pitched to Bob Johnson for 26 yards and a T.D. Grooms’ attempted point was partially blocked and the game expired before the Tigers could kickoff to Libbey.
Next Friday the local team will entertain Cincinnait Elder here.
A Good Start
MASSILLON
ENDS – Matie, Tasseff, Shilling, Brenner, Corbett, Keen, Clime, Sweasey.
TACKLES – Kraus, Geiser, Strobel, Gibson, Younkers, Chapman, Rubio.
GUARDS – Sapla, Snyder, Tunning, Grunder, Moyer.
CENTERS – Fabian, Roderick, Gable.
QUARTERBACKS – Longshore, Francisco, Dommer.
HALFBACKS – Williams, Traylor, Grier, Straughn, R. Johnson, Milncek, Millar, J. Francisco.
FULLBACKS – Nussbau, Grooms, Stewart.
LIBBEY
ENDS – Domhoff, Manzy, Rowe, Bigelow.
TACKLES – Brown, White, Kelley, Heckhart.
GUARDS – McCarty, Kakela, Willey.
CENTERS – Smith, Hill.
QUARTERBACK – Strahm.
HALFBACKS – Craig, Tucholski, Lochett, Haverman, Berning.
FULLBACKS – Russell, Boyd.
Score by periods:
Massillon 6 13 0 20 39
Touchdowns: Grier 2; Straughn; Brenner; Shilling; Johnson.
Points after touchdown: Grooms 3 (placekicks).
Officials
Referee – McPhee.
Umpire – Rupp.
Head Linesman – Grubbs.
Field Judge – Schaffer.
Statistics
Mass. Libbey
First downs 15 10
Passes attempted 18 11
Passes completed 11 3
Had passes intercepted 1 0
Yards gained passing 226 30
Yards gained rushing 252 167
Total yards gained 478 197
Yards lost 21 12
Net yards gained 457 185
Times punted 0 5
Average punt (yards) — 31
Yards punts returned by 46 —
Times kicked off 5 1
Average kickoff 43 12
Yards kickoffs returned by 0 90
Times fumbled 1 6
Lost ball on fumbles 1 3
Times penalized 4 3
Yards penalized 20 15
