2026 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-NFL Academy; Preview of the Canisius Game
Massillon (3-0) defeated NFL Academy (2-1), 21-16. This week Massillon plays at home against Canisius, Buffalo, NY (1-0).
Link to the NFL Academy Game Story
Link to the NFL Academy Game Statistics
Other scores:
- 7th Grade (2-0): The game against South Range was canceled. Plays at Medina Highland on Tuesday, September 8 at 6:00 pm.
- 8th Grade (1-1): The game against Milkovich (Maple Heights) was canceled. Plays at Louisville on Wednesday, September 9 at 6:00 pm.
- Freshmen (1-2): Lost to Akron Hoban, 15-28. Plays at Austintown Fitch on Thursday, September 10, at 5:30 pm.
- Junior Varsity (2-1): Defeated Akron Hoban, 18-12. Plays at home against Detroit Catholic Central on Saturday, September 12, at 1:00 pm.
Review of the NFL Academy Game
In one of the most physical games ever played at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon defeated NFL Academy, 21-16, behind three touchdowns from running back Savior Owens and a defense that made enough plays to preserve the victory. Owens rushed 19 times for 115 yards and scored on runs of 2 and 24 yards, as well as a spectacular 26-yard touchdown in which he fought through several defenders. vQuarterback Rasmus Haines completed 10 of 16 passes for 112 yards, including a 40-yard strike to Geo Jackson Jr. that set up Owens’ second touchdown. The Tigers led 14-10 at halftime and extended the margin to 21-10 late in the third quarter after an 80-yard, 12-play drive. NFL Academy, a highly regarded program based in England and coached by NFL-selected American coaches, proved to be Massillon’s toughest opponent of the season to date, with quarterback Viktor Lachambre rushing for 75 yards and completing 13 of 24 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. The Academy scored on the final play of the game to make the final margin five points, but Massillon had controlled much of the night, finishing with a 341-194 advantage in total yardage and a 229-112 edge on the ground. Brayton Feister led the Tiger defense with 1½ sacks, two tackles for loss, five solo tackles and seven assists, while the deafening home crowd certainly aided in the victory.
“I’m proud of our guys,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore. “It was a big week with a lot of distractions. Lots of media coverage. I’m proud of how they handled it. We went out and played a great ball game against a great opponent. They lived up to their billing. It was physical. Their skill was good. The quarterback (Rice commit) was fantastic.”
The game plan was to open up the offense at the beginning and tail off in the second half with more runs. Moore thought that it worked out as he had hoped. On defense, he stated that that their running back couldn’t get anything going, due to the really good work by the defensive line. Moore also noted that Massillon’s superior conditioning was a big factor.
The guest players were senior defensive back Braylon Gamble, senior offensive tackle Marcus Garner and senior running back Savior Owens.
Gamble – We were tired of hearing about them. We just wanted to prove that we’re the best in the state.
Garner – The prep was very physical. They slowed down early, after the Tigers’ 80-yard drive.
Owens – The NFL team was really good. We put on an 8-minute drive to score. It was huge. The offensive line did amazing. NFL’s slogan, “Bow down to the kings” was quickly rejected. We turned that around. Conditioning was a factor. Now we need to put it behind us and focus on this week’s game.
Preview of the Canisius Game
Scores to date:
- Health Sciences / Buffalo Academy of Science (co-op): 41-14 W
Moore said that Canisius is a”well put together team. It is a talented group.” They have good size on both lines, with the offense averaging 6′-3″, 284 lbs. and the defense averaging 6′-2″, 258 lbs.
The key player for the Knights’ offense is senior running back Elijah Kimble (5′-11″, 195), a 4-star player who is committed to Syracuse. He is ranked as the No. 27 running back in the country. And he also plays cornerback and safety on defense. Canisius plays two quarterbacks: senior Nathaniel Lindstrom (6′-3″, 190) and sophomore Zaeden Zayatz (6′-0″, 160). They prefer to run the ball, mostly between the tackles, while utilizing a tight end or two. The passing game involves some RPO. Sophomore Mekhi Chaka (5′-10″, 170) is the primary receiver.
The defense lines up mostly using an even front, with a two linebacker look, similar to NFL Academy. The secondary is mostly in man-to-man. The best player on defense is junior linebacker Quentin Littleton (6′-0″, 200). He is physical and has good speed. Although, all of the linebackers are pretty active.
Canisius has a decent kicker, but not a great punter.
Go Tigers!
