Massillon Downs Lakewood St. Edward in Battle of Defending State Champions

September 21, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Massillon Downs Lakewood St. Edward in Battle of Defending State Champions

Game Statistics

In one of best matchups of the season, the top two teams in the state of Ohio (per national rating service Calpreps.com) battled it out for 48 minutes at Lakewood’s First Federal Stadium, with Massillon coming out on top, 31-21. It was the third straight victory by the Tigers over the Eagles, with the wins coming in consecutive years.

The intensity in the game displayed by both players and fans rivaled that of a good Massillon-McKinley game, given its playoff atmosphere and overflow crowd. The Tigers displayed a crushing defensive front-7 that brought the Eagle run offense to its knees, forcing them to go to the air, especially after they had lost the lead at the end of the first half. By the time the game ended Massillon had held its St. Edward and their huge offensive line to a mere 51 yards on the ground, against 251 yards through the air. But it is a rare day when the Tigers lose a game to a one-dimensional passing team.

The Tigers had struggled to run the ball consistently in their previous four games. So, the key for this one was to establish the run and mix in the pass to consistently move the sticks. Although they did sputter at times with both, there was enough of each to get the job done. Ja’Meir Gamble had his best outing of the year, rushing 22 times for 144 yards (6.6 ave.) and two touchdowns, including a burst up the middle for a 47-yard jaunt to the end zone. Late in the game, part-time running back Mylen Lenix added a 39-yard touchdown run that sealed the victory. Quarterback Jalen Slaughter added just enough, completing 14 of 22 passes for 106 yards and a score, that one going to Braylyn Toles. Five passes were caught by Deonte Malone.

Defensively, junior linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams had a marvelous day, recording 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss. On one play he literally in one motion knocked the blocking running back to the ground and then proceeded to sack the QB seven yards past the attempted block. Cornerback Daylan Pringle added another nine tackles. Michael Wright Jr. was a beast on the field disrupting the Eagle runs up the middle and three times he was in the backfield helping to stop the runner for a loss. Kicker Mateo Herrera converted a 26-yard field.

For St. Edward, quarterback Thomas Csanyi, who was also the starter in last year’s game, had perhaps his best outing of the season. He completed 19 of 30 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Twice he hit deep, with a touchdown throw of 69 yards and another of 39 yards that advanced his team to the red zone. Running back Tyrese Buchanan, who played in place of the injured Elijah Kimble, carried the ball 20 times for 49 yards (2.5 ave.).

Both teams were quickly stopped on their initial possessions. The Eagles, on their second try, used seven plays to advance the ball from their own 30 to the Tiger 10, aided by Csanyi’s 39-yard bomb to Zach Hackleman. But, after being stopped on downs, they attempted a 42-yard field goal, only to have it blocked by Malone.

Massillon then went on an 11-play 59-yard drive that was halted at the St. Ed 9 yard line. But it wasn’t for naught, as Herrera gave his team a 3-0 advantage with a 26-yard field goal. Late in the drive, sophomore Savior Owens plowed 11 yards up the middle from the wildcat position, reminiscent of his older brother’ Da’One’s modus operandi during last year’s state championship run.

Following a punt by the Eagles, the Tigers came right back and this time scored a touchdown on a 15-yard run by Gamble. It took 8 plays to methodically advance the ball 43 yards to paydirt.

Then it was the Eagles’s turn. First was an 8-play, 50-yard drive, with a 14-yard pass to Bradley Eaton. Then it was a 69-yard pass to Hackleman for a second score, that one coming on the first play of the series, to put St. Edward up 14-10 with 2:58 left in the half.

But Massillon wasn’t yet done. A 15-yard run by Gamble, a 12-yard carry by Slaughter and an 18-yard 3^rd down pass to Deontay Malone set up a final 7-yard pass to Toles for a score, as the Tigers regained the lead at 17-14.

Massillon received the second half kickoff and made the most of it, driving 80 yards in just four plays. After Slaughter connected with Malone on a 25 yard pass, Gamble on the next play broke through the line and outraced the secondary to the end zone for a 47-yard touchdown. It put the Tigers up 24-14 and suddenly the Eagles had their backs against the wall. So, for the rest of the game, they focused on the pass.

Two series later St. Edward’s Csanyi completed a 4-yarder to Joe Saffold to close the margin to 24-21 and that’s as close as they got for the rest of the game, as Massillon then focused on defense. On St. Ed’s next drive they were stopped on downs at the Massillon 35. They next punted from the Tiger 41. On the third try they were stopped on downs at the Massillon 40.

But Massillon had the ball at the Eagle 39 and a minute and a half remaining. And the Eagles were out of timeouts. So, it might have been time to take a knee. But Lenix found a gap on the right side of the line and quickly burst through it. After that, it was clear sailing to the end zone. But on the downside, it gave St. Eds time to potentially score and then attempt an onside kick. But as it turned out, with Massillon now aligned in a prevent defense, they managed to move the ball just to the Tiger 31, where they were stopped on downs.

This game has turned into quite a rivalry and looks to continue into the future. It has certainly proved competitive from year-to-year. Massillon now owns a 6-4 lead in the series.

Next week the Tigers (4-1) return home to face another outstanding opponent in DeMatha from Maryland. The Eagles (3-2) also have another tall task as they host Cleveland Glenville.

Go Tigers!