Big Play Massillon Upends Canada’s Football North

September 26, 2026
by Don Engelhardt

Big Play Massillon Upends Canada’s Football North

It was another hard-fought game for the Tigers. That, after coming off a big win over Lakewood St. Edward the previous week. This time it was against a very athletically talented Football North team, one that came into this one averaging 41 points a game had handily defeated Massillon last year. But the Tigers had more in the tank this time around and pulled away with a convincing 31-8 victory, aided several big running and passing plays.

Throughout the game, each team’s running backs had little success on the ground, aside from a few big gainers by Savior Owens. Massillon was just that good defensively with their front-7, particularly brothers Brayton and Brydon Feister. Meanwhile, North stacked the box and pulled the safeties up to help their cause. In the air, Tiger quarterback Rasmus Haines had enough completions to move the chains. In contrast, North quarterback Brandon Bailey was very accurate early, but struggled in the second half when Massillon tightened up the coverage. However, Baily was a very good scrambler and ended up accounting for most of his team’s rushing yards.

The biggest difference, then, was the Tigers’ ability to finish drives. In fact, after failing to advance on their first two, they scored on each of the next five.

Massillon took the opening kickoff and immediately lined up in an empty backfield set. But they failed to gain a yard after two incomplete passes and a run for no gain. North responded and moved right down the field, advancing from their 25 to the Massillon 14. But a Deontay Malone sack off a corner blitz on fourth down ended the threat.

After an exchange of punts, the Tigers finally found the end zone when Haines escaped a strong pass rush by sprinting to his right and found Da’Shun Williams wide open at the back of the end zone for a 16-yard score. Mateo Herrera’s kick made it 7-0, midway through the second quarter. The play that set it up was a 46-yard bomb from Haines to Gio Jackson Jr. that moved the ball to the North 13.

North again moved effectively down the field. Then, on fourth down from the Tiger 45, they attempted an innovative play involving consecutive backward passes to a pair of running backs. Only, the second back could not find an open receiver and had to eat the ball.

Two minutes before halftime, Massillon scored again on a 43-yard run by Owens. In this one, he broke through a pile of defenders, juked out a lone defensive back and sprinted to the end zone. Score 14-0.

North opened the third quarter with a bang. On the first play, Bailey connected on a 42-yard pass to the Tiger 32. He then used his legs to will his team into the end zone for a score, which came at the end of an 11-yard scramble. Interestingly, North went for two and converted it with pass from Bailey. Score: 14-8.

Only, the threat didn’t last long. On third and nine from the 21, Owens took a swing pass in the backfield from Haines. He appeared to be initially bottled up by four defenders, but he retreated backwards to avoid the collision, headed right, turned the corner, and was gone on a 79-yard touchdown pass. Score 21-8.

Following a North punt, Massillon drove to the opponent 14 and was good a Herrera 27-yard field goal, after just missing connection on a 3^rd down TD pass. Score 24-8.

If there was ever a chance for North to get back in the game, it was squashed when on the first play Bailey fumbled the ball away at end of a quarterback draw. A 28-yard pass to Jackson Jr., a 17-yard run by Owens and a 7-yard TD run by Owens was all it took to put the game away. Final score: 31-8.

Massillon (6-0) is off next week since Farrell, PA, elected to forfeit the game. The Tigers will return to action the following week against Cornerstone Christian, TX. North (3-2), heads to Beacon Hill, VA, next week. Later they will travel to both St. Edward and Cleveland St. Ignatius.

Photos by Marlene Kanipe