Tigers Will Play First Night Game With Conneaut, Friday
HIGH SCHOOL SQUAD TO MAKE THIRD BID FOR FIRST VICTORY
By KEN HARTWICK
FOOTBALL fans of Massillon and various other sections of Stark and maybe a few surrounding counties will see their first night game here Friday evening, when the Tigers of Washington high school make their third bid for victory with Conneaut high school gridders furnishing the opposition.
Unless all pass jurisdictions do not mean a thing, the game should attract one of the biggest crowds in the history of the local athletic field. More local fans will travel to the field than ever before if for no other reason than just to see how a football game looks when it is played under the stars. Football enthusiasts from other sections of the country will come here for the same reason and, if they choose to cheer either of the two teams, it is almost certain that they will pick the local squad.
Out for the First Triumph
Under those conditions the only thing which will be needed to make the evening a great success is for the Tigers to crash through for a victory – their first of the season.
Predicting a victory for the Tigers under the present circumstances which include a complete lack of knowledge of what kind of a team Conneaut has would be rather foolish. Before making predictions it is always best to know just what kind of opposition a team is going to have and that is something which is not known here except for the fact that Conneaut started off its season week-end before last with a 6-0 defeat by Cleveland Marshall.
Tigers Hard at Work
It can be safely said that regardless of how tough the visitors are they are going to have to work plenty hard to throw the Tigers for their third straight loss. Losing three games in a row isn’t a thing which is relished by any athletic team of the local high school or in fact, any school, and the football playing Tigers are going to do their best to prevent such a thing which would just about ruin all their hopes for any kind of season.
That it will be a different team than the one which took a 6-0 defeat from Akron East more than a week ago which will face Conneaut is certain. Of course the players will be the same but, if what the Tigers have shown in practice since that time and in the Lorain game Saturday is any indication, their playing will be better.
The Tigers, those who saw the Lorain game claim, were just about as good again Saturday as they were against East more than a week ago. That backfield hesitation which just about squashed all chances for victory against the Akron squad was conspicuous by its absence when the orange and black gridders went up against Lorain, it is said. The line was stronger and the other play was better also, the spectators reported. If that is the case the Tigers should get going in earnest Friday evening.
One Change Planned
With probably only one change it is possible that the Tiger lineup will be the same as it was against East, the change being one made in the Lorain game – Getz playing left end instead of Worthington. Worthington has been a sick boy for several days and, although he was out for school yesterday, it is possible that he will not be able to play Friday. Getz, who was one of the Tigers backfield men last year, played a nice game at the end position.
Johnny Kester, classy punter probably will start at quarterback. Singer, half, started in that position at Lorain and looked fair during the half he was in. Kester went in the second half and played a much better game than he did against East, calling the signals like he used to last year.
Night Practice
Just how playing under lights will affect the Tigers is uncertain. In scrimmages they held two consecutive nights against two other local squads the boys played real good ball.
TIGERS PLAY NEAT FOOTBALL
IMPROVED BACKFIELD LEADS WAY TO FIRST VICTORY OF SEASON
By KEN HARTWICK
NEW page in the football history of Massillon was written at Massillon field, Friday evening, and as it was made the orange and black clad Tigers of the school marked up their first victory of the season in an impressive manner, defeating a tough lot of gridders from Conneaut high by a 26-0 score.
To the persons who in years to come will read of this bit of football history the principal point of interest will be the fact that the game was the first night affair played in this city. To the fans who attended the game the largest item was the Tigers’ imposing victory.
Maybe it was because they wanted to make a good showing in their first night game – or maybe it was because they have settled down to the important business of winning football games. Whatever the reason, the fact remains that the same team which played more or less like a sandlot squad two weeks ago snapped out of it last night to pull off a series of neat plays which completely overcame the Conneaut gridders, seven of whom are veterans of last season.
Breaks Aid Local Gridders
Taking advantage of the breaks given them and manufacturing a few for themselves the Tigers marked up four touchdowns, the first coming not more than three or four minutes after the game started and the last being chalked up near the middle of the final quarter.
To a backfield including three veterans of the 1929 squad and one recruit starting his first game for his new alma mater belongs the lion’s share of the glory. It was that backfield which gave the local school its first 1930 victory. The line unfortunately, did not show up as well as the backfield although it did look considerably better than it did in the first game two weeks ago.
Fumbles Hurt
Conneaut it must be admitted certainly got its share of the tough breaks. These breaks started on the very first play when Jerry Mosher, fullback and captain of the squad, fumbled as he was returning the first kick. The most disastrous of the others was a fumble early in the second half which completely broke up a determined rally which had netted 40 yards on three plays.
It looked like the Tigers were going to score earlier than they did when Worthington recovered Mosher’s fumble on Conneaut’s 38-yard line on the first play. Three tries at the line, however, didn’t give the Tigers the necessary yardage and Kester punted, the ball being downed on Conneaut’s six-yard marker. Lyons immediately returned the punt, Kester taking it on the center stripe and carrying it to his opponent’s 25-yard line.
Clendening went through a nice hole made for him for eight yards and Conneaut took a five yard penalty for off-sides to put the ball on Conneaut’s 12-yard line. Foster went through for two yards. Clendening made one and Foster made five more, putting the ball four yards away from the goal and only two from a first down.
First Score of Season
In the next play Kester took the ball and handed it to Clendening who circled left end and scored Massillon’s first touchdown of the game and season. Clendening’s kick was good and the score was: Massillon, 7; Conneaut, 0.
Conneaut started a determined march up the field on the next play, Lyons, clever halfback, returning the ball from Conneaut’s 30-yard stripe to Massillon’s 40-yard line in two successive smashes at the line. A disastrous fumble on the next play by Grice was recovered by Getz and the brief spurt was at an end.
For a few minutes after that the action was near midfield, the big features being a clever right end run by Foster which netted 15 yards and Worthington’s crashing through to throw the Conneaut runners for nice losses.
However, only a few minutes elapsed after the start of the second session before Massillon scored again. The successful try for the touchdown started when Foster returned a Conneaut punt to his own 33-yard line. Three successive line drives by Clendening brought a first down, the ball being on Conneaut’s 21-yard stripe. Clendening circled right end for five yards, putting the pigskin 16 yards from the goal line.
The Massillon line pulled what was probably its best bit of football in the game on the next play when it made a hole big enough for a locomotive to go through to permit Kester to go over for the touchdown. The kick was blocked and the score was: Massillon, 13; Conneaut, 0.
Pass Intercepted
Another Conneaut fumble gave the Tigers the ball on their opponent’s 41-yard stripe but an attempt for a third touchdown was spoiled when Mosher took Clendening’s pass and was downed on his own 35-yard line. Conneaut started a passing attack as the half neared its end but only one of them was good, it netting seven yards. The half ended with Massillon maintaining its 13-0 lead.
The Conneaut coach must have done something to his players between halves because they certainly came back for a few minutes. Jerry Mosher probably the best man on the team, started to carry the ball and on three successive tries made 40 yards, lugging the leather from his own 25-yard line to Massillon’s 35-yard stripe. His first play brought 17 yards and a first down, the second 14 yards and another first down and the third only a foot less than the required yardage for another first down.
Conneaut’s hard luck appeared on the next play when Mosher fumbled and a Massillon man recovered on the Tiger’s 26-yard line. That break seemed to take the heart out of the visitors because when they got the ball again they didn’t do a thing, losing four yards on two tries.
Williams Scores
A poor punt which sent the ball only 25 yards to Conneaut’s 45-yard line put the Tigers in place for their third touchdown. On the first play Kester ran back a little, sighted his man and passed to Clendening for a 20-yard gain. On three successive smashes at the line Williams got 13 yards and another first down. Williams again carried for two yards as the quarter ended.
With but 10 yards separating them from the goal the Tigers played determined ball to get the touchdown. Clendening crashed the line for four yards and Williams put the ball only six inches the wrong side of a first down. Williams went through for first down, placing the ball less than a foot from the goal. On the deciding play the Massillon line crashed over the Conneaut players and Williams piled on top of them over the line for six points. The kick was no good, the score being: Massillon, 19; Conneaut, 0.
Only a few minutes of play remained but it was long enough for another score. Massillon took a Conneaut punt on the opponent’s 47-yard line. A five-yard gain by Williams and a 15-yard penalty for Conneaut because of rough playing put the ball on Conneaut’s 25-yard line.
Kester went around right end for two yards. Williams made six through and Clendening lost two before the goal gaining play came. A successful pass from Kester to Worthington back of the goal brought the marker. Williams went through Conneaut’s line for the extra points.
From then on the game was not so interesting, Conneaut’s last minute try for a touchdown against a team made up of substitutes which was ruined on two successive penalties for the visitors, furnishing the only thrill of the last few moments. Fighting still as the last minute was being ticked off a Conneaut man recovered a Massillon fumble and started down what looked like a clear field but was downed by a Tiger substitute as the gun went off.
Backfield Shines
Picking out a star from those backfield men is difficult. All of them played well, Kester punting his best of the season, Clendening making nice gains on end runs, Williams crashing the line for first downs when they were needed, and Foster playing a very nice game in every respect. The backfield looked more like the one of last season than at any other time this year.
The line was better than usual but showed that there is still room for improvement. Worthington was probably the outstanding player of the line. He made several nice tackles.
Jerry Mosher and Lyons, fullback and half, were the outstanding stars of the visiting team. Mosher only got going on one or two occasions but when he did there wasn’t any stopping him. Lyons played a fast game, circling end a number of times for nice gains.
The first downs of the game were even, both teams getting eight. Massillon’s came when they did the most good while Conneaut got practically all of theirs in territory where they didn’t do much good.
Night football, without a doubt, was given the approval of all fans who attended the game. The bright lights made the field as light as day, the complete absence of shadows even making the game somewhat easier to follow than a regular day affair.
The Tigers added to the brightness of the occasion with their new uniforms with orange jerseys trimmed with black and carrying white numbers. The game took on a festive air as the drum corps of Massillon Post N. 221, American Legion paraded before the game and during the half, putting on some of its prize-winning drills during the recess period.
The crowd was disappointing to say the least. About 1,500 persons, very few if any more than the number present at the Akron East game two weeks ago, were present.
The summary:
Massillon Pos. Conneaut
Getz LE Watson
Willison LT D. Mosher
Mudd LG Malaney
Schott C Dickey
Worthington RG Johnstrone
Price RT Maney
Hess RE Hissimaki
Kester QB Higgins
Foster LH Grice
Clendening RH Lyons
Williams FB J. Mosher
Score by periods:
Massillon 7 6 0 13 26
Substitutions:
Conneaut – Burr for Watson; Brady for D. Mosher; Ritari for Burr; Cobuzzi for J. Mosher; J. Mosher for Cobuzzi; D. Mosher for Brady.
Massillon – Suttle for Getz; Hoyman for Schott; Singer for Foster; Snodgrass for Mudd; Porter for Kester; Getz for Suttle; Hoyman for Schott; Roderick for Getz; Schott for Hoyman; Snodgrass for Roderick.
Touchdowns:
Massillon – Clendening; Kester; Williams; Worthington.
Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Clendening; Williams.
Referee – Welther, Akron.
Umpire – Wagner, Mt. Union.
Head Linesman – Kelley, Salem.
