Massillon’s Unbeaten Streak Halted by Texas Team
Massillon’s 7-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt when visiting Cornerstone Christian, from San Antonio, Texas, left town with a 35-21 victory. Although the Warriors finished with a slim edge in total yards, they used their speed advantage to simply make more big plays than the Tigers.
Massillon running backs Savior Owens and Gary Yeager were stifled throughout most of the game. That put quarterback Rasmus Haines in the spotlight. In spite of facing a fierce rush on nearly every attempt, he managed to throw for 250 yards and two touchdowns. But it was the penalties that were the real culprit. Time and again, good gains were brought back on account of holding.
On the other side of the ball, the Tiger defense seemed out of sync. Perhaps it was not playing a game the week before on account of the Farrell, PA, forfeit. Or it might have been that several key starters were not available, resulting in some backups in the game and some regulars playing out of position. Regardless, most evident was that the tackling was certainly not up to par. But much credit must also go to speedy Cornerstone running back Jaylen McKane. He accounted for most of his team’s 208 rushing yards, in addition to scoring three touchdowns, two of the breakaway, long-run variety.
Massillon must now regroup and get comfortable with personnel changes, while they prepare for the home stretch against Warren Harding and Canton McKinley.
The Tigers received the opening kickoff and drove to the Warrior 16. But they were stopped on downs and missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt.
On Cornerstone’s first try they went right to the air, throwing a 15-yard pass to the right sideline. Only, the Massillon cornerback missed on the tackle, allowing the receiver to take the ball to the endzone on a 72-yard score.
On the Tigers’ third possession they drove 53 yards for a score, when Owens, who was doing most of the work up to that point, raced 12 yards around the left side of the line for a touchdown. Mateo Herrera’s PAT tied the score at seven apiece. That’s the way the first half ended, but not before the Warriors had driven to the Massillon 12, only to be thwarted by multiple penalties.
Massillon received the second half kickoff, but disaster struck when Haines’ attempt at a center screen went awry and was intercepted. The end result was a 14-yard TD run by McKane.
Not to be outdone, the Tigers came right back. It began when Deontay Malone returned the kickoff to the Massillon 49. Owens did score from the 24 yardline several plays later, but the TD was called back due to a holding penalty. However, on fourth down from the 24, Haines lofted a perfect rainbow into the endzone to a double-covered Gio Jackson Jr. for a touchdown, tying the score once again.
In the fourth quarter McKane first got off a long run to the Massillon 11 and then scored his second TD on a fourth down run from the three.
Only, the Tigers once again came back. Haines, after being flushed from the pocket at his own 27, scrambled to his right and found Malone slightly open near the middle of the field. Haines then fired a desperation pass to a leaping Malone. Malone then shed two potential tacklers before racing to the endzone to finish off a 73-yard touchdown pass for the tying points.
But not to be outdone, Cornerstone threw another sideline pass, the cornerback whiffed once again and the Warriors had a 50-yard TD to go up 28-21 with just over five minutes remaining in the game.
The Tigers did manage to move to the Cornerstone 47, but multiple holding penalties killed the drive.
The Warriors then finished it off with a meaningless touchdown when McKane scored his third TD on a 53-yard run.
Statistics (Mass-Corn)
First Downs: 17-14
Rushing: 108-209
Passng: 250-191
Total: 358-400
Photos by Marlene Kanipe
Senior Night. Brayton Feister (18) and Brydon Feister (8)
National Anthem.
Rasmus Haines (13) hands the ball to Savior Owens (1)
Worth Hirning (62), Savior Owens (1), Marcus Garner (60)
Savior (1) Owens scores.
Deontay Malone (6), Aamir Jones (81)
Micah Walker (78), Landon Barnhart (72), Davionne Floyd (52), Rasmus Haines (13)
James Gatsios (61), Savior Owens (1), Marcus Garner (60)
Deontay Malone (1) catching a pass and then scoring.
Braylon Gamble (5), Da’Shun Williams (84), Anthony Hoover (25), Geovonni Vinson (24)
Anthony Hoover (25) making the tackle. Joe Karder (94), De’vaughn Williams (23), Braylon Gamble (5)
