Senior may give Tigers’ secondary fits
By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Mansfield Senior has a 6-5 end in Duane Hill, defending state high hurdles champion. So the Massillon Tigers’ secondary could be going from the proverbial frying pan into the fire Friday night.
While the Washington high team last Saturday night was running up the largest number of points Coach Bob Seaman has seen since coming here two years ago in beating Cleveland Benedictine, 34-19 at Tiger stadium, Gary Barnes, the Bennies’ 6-3 end, was giving the Orange and Black’s pass defense a working over.
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A CROWD OF 12,751 saw Barnes catch 8 passes, set up 3 touchdowns and put the ball in scoring position for another drive, which failed. His efforts on the catching end of quarterback Frank Petruziello’s offerings helped the Bennies to complete 13 of 22 passes for 170 yards.
“We had good coverage but didn’t get the ball,” said Seaman. “However, I think the defense did a fine job overall again.” Benedictine could net only 98 yards rushing.
In all fairness to the Tigers’ pass defenders, it must be pointed out that the tallest stands only 5-10. On most occasions they were right with Barnes, but he out-reached them.
The Tigers were at a decided disadvantage here with Bert Dampier, 6-2 senior, not dressed due to an ankle injury.
The WHS offense showed great improvement over the opening week, but still must function as well during the second half as the first. The Tigers scored only once after the intermission – when Co-Captain Larry Shumar, a cornerback, intercepted a pass on the 15 in the last stanza and returned to pay dirt with 6:25 remaining.
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QUARTERBACK Marc Malinowski hit tight end Tom Robinson in the right corner of the end zone for the final two points giving the Tigertowners a pair more of points than their previous highest total under Seaman – 34 against Canton Lincoln in the 1966 opener.
The WHS backfield, operating from the straight T and I with much improved blocking a good part of the game, netted 286 yards, but only 88 the second half. Tailback Jim Smith carried 22 times for 117 yards, wingback Mark McDew, 10 times for 63 yards and fullback Darnell Streeter, 11 times for 89 yards.
Malinowski scored two touchdowns on a keeper off the belly series with a big assist from Smith in the faking department. Streeter scored twice and one of those tallies was as unusual as they come.
The Tigers tried an option right from their own 44 after Smith had gotten off a sparkling 33-yard run through the left side of the Bennies’ line. Malinowski accidently tossed to Streeter when the ball should have gone to Smith. Streeter picked the ball off the ground and went all the way with 14 seconds left in the second period.
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STREETER’S other score came with 3:04 left in the second quarter. The Tigers moved 58 yards in 13 tries following a punt with McDew, Mike Autrey, Smith, Malinowski and Streeter taking turns running.
Streeter scored on a pitch left on third down from the two. An “M & M Special” clicked for the conversion as Malinowski hit McDew in the right side of the end zone.
The fact that the Orange and Black were able to mix up their running game on this drive and at other times during the game aided the cause tremendously.
“We had more backs in running position with a straight backfield,” Seaman said. “We were able to have a more balanced attack.”
Malinowski’s brace of six-pointers came in the first and second cantos. The Tigers mounted a 46-yard, eight-play drive in the opening period after an 18-yard punt runback by McDew. A 16-yard pass to McDew and 11-yard off tackle jaunt by Smith aided the march.
With first down on the five, Malinowski faked to Smith going through the center and scampered around the left side almost unmolested for the score with 5:12 remaining. Malinowski’s pass to split end Mike James failed to connect.
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McDEW TOOK off with a punt for 49 yards to the Benedictine 33 shortly after the start of the second quarter. Six plays later it was touchdown again with Malinowski scoring on the same play to the opposite side on third down from the two. The clock showed 9:18 left.
Malinowski was snowed trying to pass for two more points.
The drive featured a 10-yard run off the left side by Streeter and a 14-yarder through the same side by McDew aided again by fine \ blocking.
“We got a better job by our offensive line this week,” Seaman explained. “We controlled the line at least during the first half.”
Starting linemen were James, Robinson, Ernie McGeorge, Rick Lasse, Co-Captain George Whitfield, Gary Harig and Kim Cocklin. But there were reserves who also helped.
On two of the occasions when Barnes put the ball in scoring position for Benedictine, the Tiger offense got the defense in trouble again. In the third quarter Malinowski and Cocklin failed to click on a fourth down snap and Malinowski was hauled down on the Massillon 32.
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TEN PLAYS LATER the Bennies had their second score as junior halfback Woody Vogel went off tackle on second down from the two with 2:33 remaining. The conversion run failed.
An 11-yard pass-run play to Barnes and a 12-yard pass to Barnes on the one were key plays.
The Orange and Black had just stopped a 73-yard Benedictine drive started by a Massillon fumble on the Bennies’ 14 late in the fourth quarter. The Tigers fumbled back to Auggie Bossu’s boys on the Massillon 12.
Petruziello hit Barnes on the one on the next play which also resulted in a face-mask penalty and fullback Mike Easler went over through the center from the half yard line after the step-off with 40 seconds left. A fumble cost the Bennies a conversion.
After Massillon’s first TD, Easler got off a 30-yard kick runback to start a 70-yard, 12 play drive for a score. The big play was Barnes’ catch on a steal on what looked like an interception. The 37-yard play put the ball on the Tigers’ 11. Halfback Denny Kaczmarek eventually scored from the one off right tackle with 11:43 remaining in the second period.
Wayne Bacik kicked the converion.
Kaczmarck gained 49 yards in 13 tries and halfback Woody Vogel 36 in nine.
“They controlled the ball on us in the first half,” said Bossu, “but we did a good job in the second half and bounced back well. Barnes helped keep us in the game.”
Seaman agreed.
Massillon is now 1-1 while Benedictine has yet to win in two outings.
MASSILLON – 34
Ends – Robinson, James, Stoner, Shumar, Midgley, Conley.
Tackles – Laase, McGeorge, Dorman, Doll.
Guards – Whitfield, Harig, Couto, Indorf, Mulnick.
Center – Cocklin.
Quarterbacks – Malinowski, Herring, Fromholtz.
Halfbacks – Smith, McDew, McLin, Hodgson, Gamble, K. Autrey.
Sheaters.
Fullbacks – M. Autrey, Streeter.
BENEDICTINE – 19
Ends – Barnes, Brooks, Pomeroy.
Tackles – Marchmon, Fink, Bacik.
Guards – Jeannings, Belin, Oriti.
Center – Dalay,
Quarterbacks – Petruziello, Kestner.
Halfbacks – Kaczmarek, Vogel, Howland, Kacvinsky, Novak,
Randy Solly, Rick Solly.
Fullbacks – Easler, Johnson.
Benedictine 0 7 6 6 – 19
Massillon 6 20 0 8 – 34
Touchdowns:
Benedictine – Kaczmarek (one-yard run); Vogel (two-yard run); Easler (half-yard run).
Massillon – Malinowski 2 (five and three yard runs); Streeter (two and 56 yard runs); Shumar (15-yard pass interception return).
Extra points:
Benedictine – Bacik (kick).
Massillon – McDew (pass from Malinowski); Robinson (pass from Malinowski).
INDIVIDUAL RUSHING
Massillon
Player Att. Net. Ave.
Malinowski 10 9 0.9
Smith 22 117 4.7
McDew 10 63 6.3
Streeter 11 89 8.1
Benedictine
Player Att. Net Ave.
Kaczmarek 13 49 3.8
Vogel 9 36 4
OFFICIALS
Referee – Octavio Sirgo.
Umpire – Tony Pianowski.
Head Linesman – Jerry Katherman.
Field Judge – Henley Freeman.
Back Judge – Milo Lukity.
THE GRIDSTICK
Mass. Opp.
First downs – rushing 19 7
First downs – passing 1 7
First downs – penalties 2 1
Total first downs 22 15
Yards gained rushing 330 124
Yards lost rushing 44 26
Net yards gained rushing 286 98
Net yards gained passing 32 170
Total yards gained 318 268
Passes completed 4-10 13-22
Passes intercepted by 2 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 31 0
Times kicked off 6 4
Kickoff average (yards) 43.9 37.3
Kickoff returns (yards) 55 81
Punt average (yards) 4-32 5-32
Punt return (yards) 65 13
Had punts blocked 4 0
Fumbles, lost 2-2 1-0
Penalties, yards 4-40 6-30
Touchdowns rushing 4 3
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Touchdowns by interception 1 0
Total number of plays 70 70
