MASSILLON BEATS WOOSTER IN HARD BATTLE

ORANGE AND BLACK ATTACK IN SECOND HALF WINS TUSSLE

After being held in check during the first half, Massillon’s scholastic football machine Friday afternoon swept aside barriers which had halted its progress during the first two quarters and handed Wooster high a decisive 19 to 0 lacing, scoring three touchdowns in the final 24 minutes of strife. The battle was staged on the Pearl street gridiron and was the first appearance of the orange and black on a local field in three weeks.

By sweeping Wooster out of its path, Coach Stewart’s lads continued their march forward toward the scholastic championship of Ohio, the Wayne county eleven being brushed aside as were Dayton Steele, Cambridge, Barberton, and Youngstown South. Five straight victories are now credited to the local team which after being held in check for two quarters by Wooster, rallied and came through with flying colors.

It was the battering ram tactics of “Dutch” Hill, Massillon’s brilliant fullback, that eventually brought victory to the youthful Tigers. Wooster stopped Hill almost dead in his tracks in the first half. But that did nothing more than to spur on that individual to greater efforts in the second half and by the time Hill had tired of ripping up the Wooster line the Wayne county lads were glad there were not more like him on the Massillon team.

Hill, a tower of strength in himself, was ably supported by the balance of his teammates but it was largely his individual ability that gave Massillon its first touchdown in the third quarter. It was Hill who battered his way through the Wooster line carrying the ball from mid-field across the Wooster goal line by a series of terrific rushes into the visiting eleven.

Then bull like rushes of Hill broke the morale of the Wooster eleven which had fought gamely up until the start of the third quarter when Hill commenced to bowl over the visitors like a bowling ball knocks over pins on a bowling alley. After Hill had given them a taste of his individual prowess the visitors lost heart and from then on until the end of the game were not able to stem the attack of the orange and black.

Wooster trotted a heavy team upon the field. An aggregation that was able to give a good account of itself and does not need to be ashamed of its exhibition. In Fritz, dusky pivot man, the Wayne county school has an exceptionally capable player. It was Fritz who did most of Wooster’s gaining.

With Coach Stewart unable to be present and a number of regulars out of the game because of injuries the orange and black presented a patched up lineup at the start of the encounter. The team also lacked its usual fighting spirit. As a result Wooster made matters very interesting for the youthful Tigers.

But at the start of the second quarter, regulars began to replace substitutes and from then on the story changes. It was a different team. The old fighting spirit was back and from that time on Wooster was doomed to defeat but it did not know it until Hill had convinced them of it by smashing his way through the visitors for Massillon’s first
touchdown.

Massillon started with Hax and Borza in the backfield to help Hill and Boerner regulars. On the line were substitute guards Miller and Shaidnagle. Edwards and Salberg were at their regular tackle positions but Potts was at center for Roth while Rohr took Potts’ place at end and Rohr was destined to become one of the stars of the encounter by his brilliant defensive work. Jamison was on the other end.

When the half ended Kallaker and Pflug returned to their regular positions in the line while Thomas went into the backfield. Weirich replaced Jamison at end. With the line strengthened Wooster was held in check and the team began to open up holes for Hill to plow through.

Wooster outplayed Massillon in the first half making three first downs to two for the range and black. But in the last two quarters Massillon charged through for 11 first downs as compared to one for the visitors.

Neither team was able to come within scoring distance in the first half. The Wooster line continually broke through and stopped the Massillon backs before they could get under way. The local team did not seem to have much interference for the men carrying the ball. With neither team being able to gain much ground the battle developed into a punting duel in which Hill gave Massillon a slight advantage by his ability to out kick the Wooster punter.

Wooster received to start the second half and was held, punting to Thomas who was downed on Wooster’s 45-yard line. Hill tore up the Wooster line for a first down on two plunges. He made six on another dive into the visitors and then double passed to Thomas who skirted Wooster’s right end for 15 yards bringing the ball to the 33-yard line. Then Hill commenced another onslaught on the visitors, carrying the ball three times for a first down. Thomas made three on a tackle buck and with the ball on the eight-yard line Hill took it across in two plunges for Massillon’s first set of counters.

The second touchdown came quickly. Wooster received and after being held punted to Thomas who was downed on Massillon’s 35-yard line. Hill punted to Russell who fumbled and Rohr, racing down the field to make a tackle scooped up the ball and continued on across Wooster’s goal line for Massillon’s second touchdown.

At the start of the fourth quarter Wooster lost the ball on downs on its 40-yard line. Once more Hill set himself in motion and began to tear up the visitors by spirited plunges. The big fullback tore round Wooster’s left end for a 20-yard gain. Then Boerner carried the ball twice making a first down. Hill got back into action again and carried the ball from the 10-yard line to the two-yard mark in two plunges. Thomas made it first down on the half yard line. On the next play Thomas fumbled, but covered on the two-yard line. Hill then gathered the ball in his arms, took a nose-dive and went across for the third touchdown Pflug kicked goal.

Although he lost another touchdown for Massillon by a fumble on the one-yard line, Joe Define who replaced Thomas in the backfield is the fourth quarter exhibited some brilliant football. The Navarre lad, fast as a streak ripped his way through the Wooster eleven for substantial gains every time he carried the ball.

Massillon got the ball near the close of the quarter on Wooster’s 40-yard line and then Define began streaking through the visiting eleven. He ripped off a 15-yard gain on his first play, carrying the ball to the 25-yard line. On the next play he gained nine more and was on his way for a touchdown on his next dash when he fumbled Wooster covering on the one-yard line.

Hill and Define were the offensive stars for Massillon. Boerner also made several good gains on plunges through the Wooster line. On defense the work of Rohr, Edwards, and Potts stood out prominently, these three lads stopping Wooster’s attempts to gain time after time.

Wooster worked five forward passes out of nine attempts. Massillon tried but two, none of which were completed. Massillon made 18 first downs to four for Wooster.

Still Winning

Massillon – 19 Position Wooster – 0
Rohr LE W. Russell
Edwards LT Long
Miller LG Crow
Potts C Critchfield
Shaidnagle RG Mewrey
Salberg RT Dunn
Jamison RE Joliff
Hax Q Fritz
Boerner LH King
Borsa RH Layman
Hill F E. Russell

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 12 7 – 19

Substitutes: Massillon – Thomas for Borsa, Kallaker for Miller,
Weirich for Jamison, Pflug for Shaidnagle, Miller for Pflug,
Define for Thomas.
Wooster – Rach for Dunn.

Touchdowns: Hill 2, Rohr.
Goal after touchdown: Pflug.

Referee: Bietser, Mt. Union.
Umpire: Bast, Massillon
Headlinesman: McSweeney, Wooster
Time of quarters: 12 minutes.