STATS

There was a time not too long ago when the Tigers and Eagles enjoyed some very competitive games. In 2015, Nate Moore’s first year as head coach, it was GlenOak that won the day, with a 37-21 victory. The next two games were also along that manner, with Massillon winning 24-21 and 24-10. But since then, it has been completely one-sided in the Tigers’ favor. In fact, the average score over the past eight years has been a whopping 47-6, when including Friday’s 54-7 margin. But this game may finally mark the end of the series after 16 contests due to the persistent disparity between the two programs. GlenOak will almost certainly move in another direction and Massillon’s constant challenge to find opponents will only get worse.

Massillon scored a touchdown on each of its first four drives. The first involved the Tigers methodically moving the ball down the field 81 yards in 13 plays, with Savior Owens finishing it off with a 5-yard run. Mateo Herrera added the PAT. The second drive covered 57 yards in 6 plays, with Owens scoring once again, this time from the 3 yard line. The third was a 4-play, 47-yard drive. The TD run was by a hard-charging Brayton Feister from 14-yards out, which followed runs of 20 yards and 12 yards. And the fourth drive needed just two plays, with the latter being an 86-yard run by Gary Yeager, who weaved his way through the entire GlenOak secondary and didn’t stop until he had covered nearly the entire field for a touchdown. Unfortunately, the fifth possession ended with a pass interception in the end zone.

In between and after the Tigers were up 21-0, the Eagles finally showed some life, moving the ball 78 yards in 10 plays for a score. Within the drive were two big plays. The first was a 37-yard bomb from Jamel Hall to Caybren Saunders that moved the ball to the Massillon 17. The second was a 20-yard rainbow using the same combination for the score. Joey Kelly added the extra point.

The start of the second half spelled disaster for the Eagles. First, they failed to cover Mateo Herrera’s kickoff inside the ten yard line by treating it as an uncaught punt. The Tigers raced to recover the ball. Although the drive stalled, Herrera was able to convert a 25-yard field goal. Then, on the next kickoff, the return player was hit so hard by Sabastian Harper that the ball popped straight up into the air and was recovered by Massillon. That led to 1-yard run by Owens, his third of the night, and the game was essentially over at that point.

After GlenOak failed on a fourth down attempt on their own 21 yard line, the Tigers covered the necessary distance in just two plays, with Owens scoring from the six. Then, early in the fourth quarter, Herrera converted a career-long 45-yard field goal, ending the night for the starters. The final score came with the fourth quarter coming to a close, when quarterback Manny Patterson kept on a fake handoff and strolled 12 yards untouched into the end zone, making the final score 54-7.

As a team, the Tigers outgained the Eagles in yardage, 425 (343-82) to 111 (15-96). Backup sophomore running back Yeager electrified the crowd and ended up with 154 yards in just 8 attempts, along with his 86-yard touchdown. Owens toted the ball 16 times for 107 yards and four TDs. Quarterback Rasmus Haines completed 6 of 10 passes for 60 yards, with three going to tight end Da’Shaun Williams for 36 yards. Brayton Feister led the defense with eight total tackles and two tackles-for-loss. Anthony Hoover and Braylon Gamble had six tackles apiece.

Next week Massillon hosts NFL Academy Europe-Africa, a team the Tigers played in Oregon two years ago. GlenOak plays Cleveland Heights on a neutral field.

(Photos by Marlene Kanipe)