Massillon Drops Season Opener to Glenville – Game Story and Feature Photos

August 23, 2025August 23, 2025
by Don Engelhardt

Massillon Drops Season Opener to Glenville – Game Story and Feature Photos

The Tigers have played in many classic games throughout their long history and came out victorious in most of them. But against Cleveland Glenville in Friday’s season opener they were just a tad short, losing in overtime by the score of 33-27.

It was a game of contrasting halves, with Glenville exerting its brute force behind a massive offensive line that averaged 308 lbs. and several skilled athletes that possessed uncanny speed. It was characteristic of what Massillon faced last year against Bergen Catholic and Dematha. Twice the Tarblooders used a pounding ground control offense along with a long bomb TD to take a 19-7 lead into the locker room. They also held the advantage in total yardage, 223-77. Meanwhile, the Tigers spent most of the half shuffling personnel on the defensive line trying to find the right combination to neutralize the attack.

But the second half was a complete reversal and nearly all Massillon, as the Glenville players began to tire from the heat and the long evening. For the Tigers, in order to bolster the defensive line, they resorted to using two of their best offensive linemen in 285 lb. Marcus Garner and 270 lb. Kevin Elliott. Running back Savior Owens was also utilized several times in the wildcat position, akin to what his older brother Da’One did during the 2023 championship run. He ended the night as the game’s leading rusher with 25 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. As such, the Tigers were also able outscore the Tarblooders and draw fairly even in yardage by game’s end, trailing just 311-365. In addition, they held the opponent in the second half to just 42 yards on the ground, while themselves picking up 134 of the total night’s 145 yards rushing.

But the overtime period went to the Tarblooders. The Tigers had the ball first. Two Owens carries netted just four yards and a Manny Patterson pass into the end zone fell incomplete. Subsequently, a 34-yard field goal attempt was blocked. In Glenville’s turn they picked up a first down at the nine and then on second down quarterback Arvell Nelson rifled a slant pass to Joseph Saffold for the winning score.

Massillon opened the game with three successive runs and a punt. Glenville then went to work, moving the ball 68 yards in 16 plays, with the drive culminating in a 4-yard run by Chris Newell. Five times they converted on third down.

The Tigers immediately responded with a 6-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to tie the score. The tally was setup by a 48-yard pass from Patterson to Gio Jackson that advanced the ball to the Tarblooder 30 and the TD came when Patterson again connected with a double-covered Jackson on a 12-yard fade pass.

But Glenville took the lead right back on a 55-yard bomb from Nelson to Pauly Sadler. Richard Harris, who runs a 4.5 40-yard dash had the coverage, but he wasn’t fast enough to keep up with the speedy Sadler. The kick was wide right, making the score 13-7.

A Tiger fumble at their own 43 set up a third Glenville score. It took five plays to do the damage, with Nelson passing to Londen Hearn for a 14-yard score. Again, the PAT was missed right. And the half came to an end shortly thereafter, with Glenville on top 19-7.

Following the halftime show by the Tiger Swing Band, the fans were introduced to this year’s hall of fame inductees. For the Wall of Champions it was Cy Rigler, a 30-year National League baseball umpire in the early 1900s. For the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame it was former Tiger players Don Snavely, Ben Mast, Antonio James and Gareon Conley, plus Booster Club contributor Don and Mary Lou Campbell (current Club president).

The Tarblooders started the second half and ran off twelve plays only to punt from the Massillon 38. But now the offense was ready to go, beginning with a 7-play, 80-yard drive. Owens kicked it off with a run through the middle of the line for 43 yards and it ended when Patterson completed a pass to Deontay Malone for a 25-yard score. Patterson was flushed out of the pocket on the play and rolled toward the right sideline. It was then that he saw Malone ten yards downfield heading in the opposite direction, with his coverage man shading toward Patterson. Football experts always advise against a throw of this type, but Malone was wide open and the attempt was difficult to pass up. The aerial was just a bit high, but Malone was able to jump to pull it in and scored easily. Mateo Herrera’s PAT made the score 19-14.

After holding Glenville to a 3-and-out the Tigers were on the march again. But it was a short march of just 14 yards owing to a 6-yard Glenville punt. Only two plays were need as Anthony McMullan Jr. carried for four yards and then Owens took it in from the ten. Ahead now by one at 20-19, Massillon opted to go for two points on the conversion attempt, but fell short on the end run.

However, the lead did not last long. Just two plays later, backup quarterback Chase Youngblood, who had replaced the leg-cramping Nelson, tossed a screen pass to Romell Phillips and behind several blockers found a lane down the left sideline for a score. A successful 2-point conversion put Glenville back on top 27-20.

Now it was Massillon’s turn. It took just four plays to cover 63 yards: a 21-yard Owens pass to George Rivera, a 7-yard pass from Patterson to Malone, a 10-Owens run and a 20-yard pass from Patterson to a leaping Malone in the back the end zone. The PAT tied the score at 27 apiece with 8:37 left in the fourth quarter. And that was how regulation play ended.

The Tigers did have a chance to win it at the end after using 15 plays to move the ball 70 yards to the Glenville 11. But a 28-yard field goal attempt was blocked and the ball returned to the Massillon 30. From there, the Tarblooders attempted a field goal of their own, but it was wide left. All of that was followed by the overtime period.

Patterson finished the game with 8 of 11 passing for 140 yards and 3 touchdowns. Six receptions went to Malone for 9 yards and 2 touchdowns. Linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams recorded 17 tackles (9 solos and 8 assists) and 1.5 tackles for loss.

For Glenville, Nelson completed 8 of 13 passes for 125 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Massillon will be back in action next week when they host Canton GlenOak. Glenville travels to Olentangy Liberty, the defending Division I state champion.