Author: Don Engelhardt

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A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part…

A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part 2 – The 1991 Season

This is the second of a 10-part series looking back at all of the Massillon teams of the 1990s.

 Head Coach: Lee Owens (4th Year)
Overall Record: 10-3
Regular Season Record: 8-2
Playoff Results: Division I, Region 2; advanced to the state semifinals; lost to Cleveland St. Ignatius, 14-13
Key Players: Nick Mossides (QB), Travis McGuire (RB), Falando Ashcraft (RB), Jason Stafford (WR), Eric Wright (LB), Brandon Turley (LB), Troy Burick (DB), Jason Woullard (LB), Steve Miller (OL)
All-Ohio: Travis McGuire (1st), Eric Wright (1st), Jason Woullard (2nd), Steve Miller (HM), Falando Ashcraft (HM)

The backfield tandem of Travis McGuire (Ohio State) and Falando Ashcraft (US Army) led the Tigers in the playoffs to the Division I state semifinals.  There, they lost to eventual champion Cleveland St. Ignatius, 14-13, with a missed extra point spelling the difference.  McGuire rushed for 1,976 yards that year, setting a new Massillon single-season record.  He also scored 20 touchdowns.  Ashcraft added 1,353 yards rushing and 21 TDs.  Eric Wright and Brandon Turley recorded 103 and 98 total tackles, respectively.

 KEY GAMES

Travis McGuire 302 Rushing Yards and 5 TDs.

 Canton McKinley – The Tigers handed the Bulldogs their worst rivalry loss in 31 years, winning 42-13.  It was back in 1960 that Massillon defeated McKinley, 42-0.  It was also the second highest number of points ever scored against the Bulldogs in this rivalry game, ranking just behind the 48 points tallied in 1953.  Massillon was ahead just 21-13 at the half, but pulled away in the final two quarters with three McGuire touchdown runs, of 6, 1 and 79 yards, for a total of five rushing TDs for the day.  He also set a new Tiger record with 303 yards rushing (8.4 yards per att.).  With Ashcraft sitting out most of the game on account of an injury, McGuire told Coach Owens that he would carry the load.  And that he did.  “Just give me the ball,” he said.  What made the win even more special is that the Tigers had not defeated a quality team up to that point, with losses to Cincinnati Moeller and Akron St. Vincent.

 Toledo St. John’s – The Titans opened up a 21-7 lead one play into the third quarter and it appeared that the Tigers were in trouble in this regional finals playoff game.  But they were able to right the ship after that and outscored St.  John’s 35-0 the rest of the way behind a crushing ground attack.  Massillon ended up gaining 438 yards (7.7 yards per att.) on the ground, with McGuire putting up 229 and Ashcraft contributing 165.  Each scored three touchdowns.  The defense once again played superbly against the rush, holding St. John’s to just 59 yards in the 42-21 victory.

Cleveland St. Ignatius – It was a defensive battle throughout as these two state powers went toe-to-toe for all of four quarters.  Massillon led 7-0 at the half, with quarterback Nick Mossides hooking up with Marc Stafford on a 53-yard touchdown pass.  In the third quarter the Wildcats tied the score, setting up a dynamic fourth quarter finish.  With under two minutes remaining, Mossides again went long again, this time to Jason Woullard, for a 42-yard score.  But the extra point was missed just wide of the college-width narrower goal post.  Subsequently, a mis-hit on the ensuing kickoff gave Ignatius good field position.  The Wildcats were then able to consume the remainder of time on the clock for one final drive that culminated in a 2-yard touchdown run.  The PAT was good, thereby giving Ignatius a 14-13 win.  The Wildcats would defeat Centerville the following week to win the state titlte.  For the Tigers, however, the road to the finals had suddenly come to an end.  Massillon led in total yards, 293-182, with McGuire rushing for 118 yards.  But for the first time that season, neither McGuire nor Ashcraft were able to find the end zone.

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2024 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Cleveland…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Cleveland Glenville; Preview of the Canton GlenOak Game

Massillon (0-1) lost in overtime to Cleveland Glenville (1-0), 33-27.  This week Massillon hosts Canton GlenOak (0-1).

Link to the Glenville Game Story

Link to the Glenville Game Statistics

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (0-0): The game against Akron Firestone was canceled.  Plays home (MJHS) against Canton GlenOak on Tuesday, August 26, at 6:00 pm.
  • 8th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron East, 34-14.  Plays at Canton GlenOak on Wednesday, August 27, at 6:00 pm.
  • Freshmen (0-1): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 48-0.  Plays at Canton GlenOak on Thursday, August 28, at 6:00 pm.
  • Junior Varsity (0-1): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 28-7.  Plays at Canton GlenOak on Saturday, August 30, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Cleveland Glenville Game

In a much anticipated game throughout the state, Massillon hosted Cleveland Glenville in the season opener.  The Tarblooders jumped out to a first half lead of 19-7, before Massillon regrouped and mounted an energetic comeback, tying the score at 27.  Subsequently, a game-winning field goal attempt by the Tigers at the end of regulation was blocked.  In overtime, Massillon failed to score when a second field goal attempt was blocked.  Glenville then hooked up on a slant pass for the win.  Savior Owens led all rushers with 25 carries for 131 yards.  Quarterback Manny Patterson completed 8 of 11 passes for 130 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Ja’Dyn Williams recorded 17 total tackles.

“We have a damn good football team,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore at the first Booster Club gathering of the season.  “We knew they were a really good football team.  Our kids made big plays in the second half.  Our final drive – 15 plays.  We had to have it.”  He noted that the conditioning program that Massillon uses made a huge difference in the second half.  He added that the Tigers are trying to figure out the puzzle.  But assured the attendees that in spite of the loss the team will finish strong.

Moore was also appreciated of the crowd noise toward the end when the game was on the line.  “Our fans were amazing last Friday,” he said.  “The energy from the crowd raised our level of play.”

“We had a good practice today,” Moore added.  “It was a great start to this week.  The kids got after after it.  We are looking forward to Week 2 (against GlenOak).”

The guest players were Ja’Dyn William, Richard Harris and Dayvionne Floyd.

  • Williams – The team started out little slow, reflecting back on a substandard practice the previous Monday.  He said that Monday practices seem to impact the level of play in the games.  This week the practice was very good.
  • Harris – We are now playing with a chip on our shoulders.
  • Floyd – Today this team showed that they can play.

GlenOak Scouting Report

Aside from Canton McKinley, GlenOak is the only Federal League team willing to play Massillon.  The Tigers own a 16-4 historical record against the Golden Eagles in a series that began in 1982.  Massillon won that first encounter 42-14 under head coach Mike Currence.  GlenOak turned the tables in 1986 with a 9-7 win with former Massillon Coach Bob Commings at the helm.  Following a long pause, the series resumed in 2010 and the two teams have been facing each other ever since, except for the 2020 Covid year.  The first six games were split between the two teams, but the Tigers have taken the next eight.  Moore’s record against the Eagles stands at 8-1, with the lone loss occurring in his first year.

GlenOak  is coached by Scott Garcia, who is entering his 17th year as head coach of the Golden Eagles.  His record there is 91-84.  Last season the Eagles played primarily an underclass team and finished with a 1-9 record.  This year Garcia hopes to turn the corner with a squad composed of 28 lettermen and 17 returning starters, 10 on offense and 9 on  defense.  He also plans to incorporate a no-huddle offense using the spread formation to increase the pace of the game.  But in spite of all that, GlenOak is still picked by several publications to finished in the bottom of the Federal League.

GlenOak features senior running back Javi’ion McClendon (6′-1″, 200), who last year rushed for 586 yards and four touchdowns.  He also returned two kickoffs for scores.  On defense they return senior Matt Rekstis (5′-11″, 205).  Last season he recorded 73 tackles and is considered the leader on the field.

According to Moore the offense utilizes 11-personnel (one running back and a tight end), with some 3-tight end sets and some normal spread.  Their No. 1 play is the counter, within which they run RPO.  They will also some Wildcat.  He cites McClendon as being their player, who has good size and speed.  None of the remaining players jump off the page.

On defense, look for an odd front, 3-4 alignment, with occasional even front.  The linebacker corps is the most experienced group.  The best player on defense is senior linebacker Dom Wagner (5′-9″, 205).  He also likes senior defensive lineman Donel Hampton (5′-11″, 280), who comes off the bench.

Overall, they do not possess great size and speed and this may be a detriment on Friday.

 

 

 

 

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Massillon Drops Season Opener to Glenville – Game Story…

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.

Savior Owens

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 Wilton (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.

Sabastian Harper (3)

LaCardis Murray (79), Isaac Maxheimer (87), Richard Harris Jr. (23)

Logan Allman (13)

 

Ty’Jah Card

Tra’Yon Williams (27)

Gio Jackson (21)

Savior Owens (1), Marcus Garner (60)

Deontay Malone (6), Jayden Williams (9)

Sebastian Harper (3), Anthony McMullenJr. (24), Bishop Cupp (20), Landon Hose (22), Andrew Holland (36)

Part of the crowd that made life difficult for Glenville with their tremendous noise as the Tigers were coming back in the second half.

Hall Fame Recognition Night – Mary Lou Wilton family

Hall Fame Recognition Night – Ben Mast family

Hall Fame Recognition Night – Gareon Conley family

Brooklyn Watson

Savior Owens (1)

Jadyce Thigpen (44), Owens (1), George Rivera (29)

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Massillon Tigers – Kickoff Rally Photos

Massillon Tigers – Kickoff Rally Photos

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

Cheerleaders
Mayor Jamie Slutz with grandson
Tiger roar
Tiger roar
Tiger roar
Tiger Swing Band
2025 Massillon Tigers and Tiger Swing Band
Superintendent Paul Salvino with Austin Pryor (12) and Will Hymes (34)
Tiger fans
Booster Club President Mary Lou Wilton
Obie Tiger mascot
Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore and Savior Owens (1)
Savior Owens (1) signing the raffle ball. Also shown is Van Hawkins (4)
Braylon Gamble (5), Jayden Williams (9) and Savior Owens (1)
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Game Preview: Massillon vs. Cleveland Glenville

Game Preview: Massillon vs. Cleveland Glenville

Once again Massillon will open the season with a quality opponent.  Head Coach Nate Moore believes that in doing so the Tigers accomplish two goals: (1) energize the team during the preseason, and (2) expose any weaknesses, so they can get those corrected earlier rather than later.  In past seasons the Tigers have faced such teams Mentor, Akron St. Vincent, Lakewood St. Edward, Pickerington Central, Cincinnati Moeller and Valdosta, Georgia.  This time it is Cleveland Glenville, in the first of a 2-game series, both at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  The e match came about after Moore called Glenville head coach Tedd Ginn and Ginn said “yes.”

Ginn is beginning his 27th year with the Tarblooders.  He also runs a charter school called the Ginn Academy, which enrolls students from all over the Cleveland area, mostly from the inner-city.  And he does a fine job of molding these students into fine young men.  Since the Academy does not offer sports, the players opt to participate in those activities at neighboring Cleveland Glenville High School.  In fact, most of the Glenville football players attend school at the Academy.

Owing to a wealth of talent, Ginn’s achieved immediate success when the arrangement began in 1998.  The Glenville enrollment was initially quite large at that time and thus the Tarblooders competed in Division I.  There they remained until 2013 when the enrollment began to drop and were reassigned to Division II.  In 2017 they moved to Division III and dropped again in 2021 to Division IV.  It should be noted that the players from the Academy are not counted in the OHSAA’s competitive advantage calculation.  The division is based totally on the enrollment of Glenville itself.

Over the past 26 years Ginn has produced an overall record of 266 wins and 61 losses.  Forced to compete in Cleveland’s Senate Athletic League, their record over that time against league competition is 196 wins and zero losses.  Outside of the league they attempt to schedule some of the best teams in the state, where the record is more balanced, at 70-61.  The following is the win-loss data for each of the divisions:

  • Ginn spent fifteen years in Division I, recording a 35-29 record against non-league foes. But most of those foes are a “who’s who” of Ohio high school football, including such teams as Mentor (4-9 record), Lakewood St. Edward (1-8) and Cleveland St. Ignatius (2-5).  Surprisingly, six games were played against Olentangy Liberty (3-3).  Glenville’s best year occurred in 2009 when, with future Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, they defeated St. Ignatius 30-13 in the regionals and Massillon 31-17 in the state semifinals, before losing to Hilliard Davidson 16-15 in the finals.
  • Four years were spent in Division II, with a non-league record 10-11.  In 2013 they advanced to the state finals, before losing 41-23 to Loveland the following week.
  • While in Division III the program slipped a bit, as shown by a 1-10 record in non-league games.
  • Having now spent four years in Division IV, they boast of a 24-11 record against non-league foes, with two losses to Akron Hoban.  However, most of the wins have come against severely substandard DIV playoff opponents.  Nevertheless, two state titles were claimed, including in 2022 with a 26-6 victory over Wyoming and in 2023 with a 38-3 win over Kettering Alter.

Last season Glenville played a lot of freshmen and sophomores and hopes to reap the benefits of that this year, especially since they have a varsity roster of 91 players, along with several outstanding athletes from the senior class, including the following:

  • Arvel Nelson – Senior quarterback (6’-3”, 170).
  • Cincere Johnson – Senior running back/linebacker (6’-2”, 225) – 4-star recruit; Ohio State commit; 2024 Division IV 1st Team All-Ohio; 2024 Division IV Defensive Player of the Year; last season had 205 tackles, 41 tackles-for-loss and 8.5 quarterback sacks.
  • J. Newell Jr. – Senior running back/defensive back (5’-10”, 186); 3-star recruit; Buffalo commit; 2024 Division IV 3rd Team All-Ohio; 1,136 yards rushing with 18 touchdowns.
  • Romell Phillips – Senior running back/linebacker (5’-9”, 163); 750 yards rushing.
  • Pauly Sadler – Senior wide receiver/defensive back (5’-11”, 180).
  • Aaron Scales – Senior wide receiver/defensive back (5’-9”, 170); 2024 Division IV 2nd Team All-Ohio.
  • Marquis Whipple – Senior offensive lineman (6’-3”, 305); 3-star recruit; holds several mid-major offers; 2024 Division IV 1st Team All-Ohio.
  • Jamir Perez – Senior offensive lineman/defensive lineman (6’-4”, 321); 3-star recruit; Ohio State commit.

Moore calls Glenville a “great Week 1 opponent; a great team with both speed and size.”

The Tarblooder offense operates mostly out of a 21-personnel formation; i.e., two running backs and a tight end.  The game plan, then, is to run the ball using a zone blocking scheme, behind a massive line (6’-2”, 308 lbs. ave.) that includes Ohio State recruits Whipple and Perez.  But they will take occasional shots down to the field with the long ball.  Nelson, the quarterback, does a good job in the run game.  As does several running backs.  The best back according to Moore is Newell, but he will play more defense than offense.  So, look for Phillips to carry the load.  The receiving corps is good and includes Joseph Saffold, a transfer from Lakewood St. Edward.  In last year’s victory over St. Eds they ran a lot of plays to the left side of the line, with the quarterback serving as the ball carrier and Whipple and Perez plowing the road ahead.

The defense uses almost exclusively an odd-stack, 3-3 alignment.  The defensive line has good size (6’-2”, 265 lbs. ave.) and plays very aggressively, which can be risky at times.    Perez is aligned in the middle.  The linebackers are all good-sized players.  They are led by Johnson, who plays on the edge of the group.   So far in scrimmages, the linebackers haven’t shown a lot of blitzes.  The 5-man secondary aligns in a cover-1 with the other four players matched up man-to-man on the receivers.  The best players in this group are Newell and Scales.

Go Tigers!

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A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part…

A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part 1 – The 1990 Season

This is the first of a 10-part series looking back at all of the Massillon teams of the 1990s.

 Head Coach: Lee Owens (3rd Year)

Overall Record: 8-4

Regular Season Record: 7-3

Playoff Results: Division I, Region 2; advanced to the regional finals; lost to Sandusky, 27-7

Key Players: Barry Shertzer (QB), Falondo Ashcraft (RB), Travis McGuire (RB), Steve Brown (TE), Duane Scott (OL), Eric Wright (LB), Dan Hackenbracht (DB), Chad Buckland (DB), Brent Bach (OL)

All-Ohio: Duane Scott (2nd)

The Tigers were coming off of a very successful 1989 campaign in which they recorded a win over Canton McKinley followed by playoff regional championship.  The 1990 season promised more of the same beginning with wins over Stow (8-2) and Covington Catholic (9-1), along with a 1-point loss to Cincinnati Moeller.  But a 14-7 setback to Austintown Fitch (8-2) showed that there were kinks in the armor.  And those kinks were ever so present in one-sided losses to McKinley and Sandusky at the end of the season.  On the plus side, Massillon would return several promising junior players for the next season.

 

KEY GAMES

Covington Catholic, KY –  In Week 2 of the season the Tigers traveled to Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium to participate in the multi-game Buddy LaRosa Classic.  The event was billed as Cincinnati vs. the rest of the country; Massillon was part of the “country” and was matched with Covington Catholic, which is located just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati.  Covington scored early in the first quarter when they returned a pass interception 35 yards for a touchdown.  But after that it was all Massillon, as they outscored the Colonels 39-7 the rest of the way, eventually winning 39-14.  Falando Ashcraft came up big in Owens “run-and-boot” offense, rushing 28 times for 190 yards and a touchdown run of 35 yards.  Quarterback Barry Shertzer also tallied twice from his quarterback position.

Cincinnati Moeller – The Tigers had lost four straight games to the Crusaders coming into this one, but saw ahead of them a great opportunity to finally turn the table.  And they nearly pulled it off.  After the first quarter it was tied at seven.  After the second it was tied at 14.   And after the third the Tigers led 21-17, expanding the lead to 23-17 during the fourth.  But in the closing seconds of the game, with Moeller facing a fourth down near midfield, they threw a pass toward the front of the Massillon bench.  Upon seeing the ball skip to the receiver, the coaches removed their headsets and began to celebrate.  However, it was short lived when the referee ran to the spot and ruled it a catch.  Dramatically, on the next and final play of the game, Moeller launched a 39-yard pass into the end zone to Carlos Collins for a game-tying touchdown.  The Crusaders then walked off with a 24-23 victory following the successful PAT.  It would take a few more years before the locals finally conquered Moeller.

North Central, Indianapolis, IN – It is not unusual for the Tigers to play opponents from out of state. But the invite to North Central surprisingly turned into a 5-game series.  In this opener, Massillon came out on top in a close, competitive battle, 21-15.

Canton McKinley – Massillon was never in this one and lost to the Bulldogs, 20-7.  The Tigers did manage to tie the score at seven apiece in the third quarter, but McKinley had the last say, closing the season with a 5-4 record.

Massillon Jackson – In the first round of the playoffs the Tigers were paired with Jackson, which entered the fray with a 9-1 record.  The Polar Bears came out hot both running and throwing the ball and grabbed a 15-0 lead after one quarter behind a 54-yard run and a 21-yard pass.  Nevertheless, Massillon scored the next three touchdowns to win 21-15.  But the win was not without controversy.  Jackson had the ball inside the Tiger 30 near the end of the game and ahead 15-13.  On a pass play the Tigers’ Mark Murphy shot through the line unblocked and sacked the quarterback, who apparently lost the ball and then rolled over it.  At that point everyone thought the play was dead, including a celebratory Murphy as he sprinted to the sidelines waving his arms.  All except Jeff Perry.  And the referees.  So, Perry quickly scooped the ball up and raced 72 yards for the winning score.  Many today still wonder if the QB might have been down before the fumble.  But the game film proves otherwise.  Ashcraft led Massillon with 23 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown.

Sandusky – The University of Akron’s Rubber Bowl was host to Massillon’s second round playoff game against unbeaten Sandusky.  Although the Tigers led 7-0 after the first quarter, the Blue Streaks controlled the rest of the game and won 27-7.  The following week Sandusky would lose to eventual state champion Warren Harding, 27-14.

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Scrimmage Report – Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Scrimmage Report – Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Two of the better teams in Ohio hooked up at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium on this hot Thursday summer day in a final scrimmage before the regular season gets underway next week.  Massillon is always in the mix of the Division II state title chase, whereas Cincinnati Moeller has been tabbed this year as the team to take the crown in Division I.  As expected, it was a physical encounter on a field that was loaded with outstanding athletes on both sides of the ball.  The first units faced each other in game-like conditions for one half of football plus a  second-half possession, with the Tigers coming out on top, 21-14.

Moeller is currently rated 71st in the country by hsratings.com (formerly calpreps.com) and is led by all-everything quarterback Matt Ponatoski, who is ranked No. 18 in America.  In their first two possessions the Crusaders certainly resembled the team that they are expected to become, while taking an early 14-0 lead on drives of 65 and 74 yards.  Ponatoski was hot in the two possessions, completing 5 of 6 passes for 96 yards, including a 12-yard scoring toss.  And the running game was on track as well, covering 48 yards in just eight plays.

But after that the Tigers themselves started looking like the team they will eventually become.  First, the defense began to find itself, after spending those first two series searching for the right defensive linemen.  Eventually, they settled on a group of players that included, at least for this scrimmage, Logan Allman, who began play at middle linebacker.  Massillon then held Moeller in their subsequent four possessions to just 8 carries for 22 yards on the ground.

Mandwel Patterson

Meanwhile, the offense, which struggled to move the ball in its first two possessions, righted the ship behind quarterback Mandwel Patterson.  If Ponatoski was hot, then Mandwel Patterson was even hotter.  He ended up completing 9 of 13 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown, while showing tremendous athleticism when the need arose to escape the pocket and throw on the run.

After Moeller took the 14-0 lead, Massillon drove 65 yards in four plays, with the big one a 69-yard pass to Gio Jackson.  Jackson was well covered, but Patterson delivered the ball right into his outstretched hands.  Jackson secured the ball around the 30 and was just a step better than the defender from there to the end zone.

Following an exchange of punts and a stop of the Crusaders at the 20, the Tigers were on the march again.  This time it took nine plays to cover 80 yards, with Savior Owens powering up the middle of line to score from the four.  During the drive Patterson completed a 34-yard pass to Jackson, with the remaining plays of the short run/pass variety.  The score was now tied at 14 apiece, with the half coming to an end two minutes later.

Massillon opened the second half needing just two plays to score.  After Owens picked up six yards, he next burst through the right side of the line and used his speed to outrace the Moeller secondary and finish a 59-yard scoring run.

Moeller did come right back by moving the ball to the Tiger four.  However, a crucial sack, the sixth of the afternoon, forced them into a field goal attempt, with the kick being missed wide right.   So, the final score for the first units was 21-14 in favor of Massillon.

The Tigers continue to show great potential in the run game, particularly in this one by Savior Owens, with the line starters appearing to be settled as well.  The passing game also showed its wares behind Patterson, along with a host of athletic receivers.  The defense struggled early, particularly against perimeter runs, but improved when the personnel issues were sorted out.  But there were some coverage issues in the secondary that will need to be worked on.  Nevertheless, it was a good outing against what will be a great team down the road.

Final statistics for the first units:

  • Massillon vs. Moeller
  • First downs: 10-9
  • Rushing attempts: 16-20
  • Rushing yards: 91-70
  • Yards per carry: 5.7-3.5
  • Pass completions: 9-8
  • Pass attempts: 13-14
  • Pass yards: 174-155
  • yards per catch: 19.3-19.4
  • Total plays: 29-34
  • Total yards: 265-225
  • Yards per play: 9.1-6.6
  • Penalties: 6-2
  • Penalty yards: 45-10
  • Punts: 2-2
  • Sacks by: 6-2

Following the first unit play the backups finished the remainder of the four quarter event.  Each team scored one touchdown.  For Massillon, quarterback Rasmus Haines hit Joe Pierce in double coverage on a long catch-and-run touchdown pass as time expired.

Tigers will open the 2025 season with a home match with Cleveland Glenville.  The Crusaders will host Cincinnati Princeton.

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

History

Gareon Conley Inducted into Massillon Tiger Football Hall of…

Gareon Conley, a 2013 WHS graduate, was recently inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.  During his football career he enjoyed time at all three levels: high school, college and professional.

At Massillon, Conley played three years under Head Coach Jason Hall.  As a junior, he started at cornerback and recorded 25 tackle points and intercepted four passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown.  During his senior year he also played wide receiver, where he was a deep-ball specialist, leading the team with 50 pass receptions for 1,096 yards (21.9 ave.) and scored 16 touchdowns, all Top 10s in the record book.  He also played special teams, returning kickoffs (22.2 ave.).  The squad that year finished with a record of 11-2, while advancing in the state playoffs to the regional finals.  Significant wins were:

  • Steubenville (9-3) 24-7
  • Austintown Fitch (9-2) 34-14
  • Akron St. Vincent (13-2) 44-23
  • Canton McKinley (8-3) 37-29 and 28-19

Following the season, the 6′-2″, 175 lb. Conley was named 1st team All-Ohio at wide receiver.

Gareon Conley Ohio State Buckeyes
Gareon Conley – Ohio State Buckeyes

The 4-star athlete then left for Ohio State, after first committing to the University of Michigan.  Following a redshirt year, Conley became a 3-year starter at cornerback and was a member of OSU’s 2014 national championship team.  As a senior, he was team captain and was named 2nd Team All-Big Ten Conference.  He ended his career by playing in 41 games, where he is credited with 66 solo tackles, 25 assists, 91 total tackles and 6 pass interceptions.

Conley opted to forgo a fifth year at Ohio State and entered the draft early, where he was picked 24th overall in the first round by the Oakland Raiders in the 2017 event.  However, he was hampered by injuries throughout his time in Oakland and was eventually traded in 2019 to the Houston Texans.  The following year he became a free agent.  He finished his career with a 2023 season playing for the DC Defenders of the United Football League.

“It’s a shame that Conley’s NFL career didn’t pan out the way that Ohio State football fans thought it would.  He was still a great Buckeye and his contributions to Ohio State won’t be forgotten.  He was part of some of the best secondaries that the Buckeyes have ever had.”…Scarlet and Game, 2024.

 

Congratulations to Gareon Conley.

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Scrimmage Preview: Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Scrimmage Preview: Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Massillon will entertain Cincinnati Moeller this Thursday at 2:00 pm for the second of two scrimmages as they continue preparation for the 2025 football season. The Crusaders come in fresh off a Division I state finals appearance in last year’s playoffs, in which they lost to Olentangy Liberty, 28-14.

Moeller, under Head Coach Gerry Faust, burst onto the Ohio high school football scene in 1975 with a 14-12 victory over Lakewood St. Edward in the state finals and enjoyed great success for several years thereafter (Eds at the time was led by Mike Currence, who incidentally left the following year for Massillon). The Crusaders went on to capture the state title six more times through 1985, up to when Cleveland St. Ignatius took over the limelight. However, Moeller did win two more titles since then, in 2012 and 2013.

But two years later the program slipped drastically, recording just one winning record in a span of six years, with a win-loss mark of just 22-36. Fortunately, they found two coaches that could right the ship in Mark Elder (2020-22) and Bert Bathiany, the current coach. Under this pair Moeller has resurged and won four consecutive regional championships through last season. Locally, Bathiany started his tenure there with a 49-31 road victory over Massillon.

The Crusaders are led by all-everything quarterback Matt Ponatoski. Last season he led his team to a 14-2 record, while losing in the state finals to Liberty. In that game he completed 16 of 30 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 34 yards. But for the season, he completed 281 of 405 passes (69%) for 4,217 yards (15.0 yds. ave.) and 57 touchdowns. He also rushed for another nine TDs. Following the season he was named both Ohio’s Division I Player of Year and Gatorade Ohio Player of the Year.

He was also a standout shortstop in baseball, batting .462, while helping his team to a 25-4 record and a spot in the regional finals. Ponatoski was named 1st Team All-Ohio and once again honored by Gatorade as the POY.

Coming into his senior year, the 6’-2”, 190 lb. Ponatoski is rated as the No. 18 quarterback in America (also the No. 16 shortstop in America). He also committed to Kentucky over Oregon, Alabama, Arkansas and Cincinnati to further his career, with opportunities to participate in both football and baseball. Of course, Moeller this year is the pre-season pick to win the Division I state title.

Also for the Crusaders, keep an eye on the following players, all of whom were named 1st Team All Greater Catholic League (GCL) last season:

• Senior running back Tyler Josleyn (5’-9”, 185)
• Senior tight end Cooper McCutchan (6’-4”, 230), a North Carolina recruit
• Senior linebacker Conner Cuozzo (6’-1”, 220)
• Senior defensive lineman Christian Harris (6’-1”, 270)
• Senior defensive back Ricky Thomas (6’-1”, 185)

Coach Bethiany was named GCL Coach of the Year.

Massillon and Moeller have met each other in scrimmage action the past two years in very competitive matches, with both played in Cincinnati. In 2023 the Tigers, during their championship run, came out on top 21-7. And last year they bested the Crusaders in a close one, 10-7. This should be another interesting matchup and maybe a pretty good show as well.

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Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Avon

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Avon

Scrimmage No. 1 is in the books.  Over the past several years Massillon and Avon have met in the first scrimmage to gauge the progress of the teams following just a few days of contact practice.  While the Eagles have the distinction of being the defending Division II champions, with the Tigers having captured the crown the previous year, both are shells of themselves at this point.  But it certainly won’t stay that way as each is expected to challenge for the state title this year.

Throughout the contest the two teams had success with what they do best.  For Massillon this year it is the ground game, behind two stellar running backs in junior returnee Savior Owens and senior newcomer Anthony McMullen Jr.  Owens runs like his older brother Da’One and McMullen appears to emulate the skills of Dorian Pringle, both of whom were major contributors on the 2023 championship team.

The passing game, however, is a far cry at this point from what will be needed against formidable opponents, while Coach Nate Moore searches for his starting quarterback from the group of senior Eli Moore, junior Mandwel Patterson and sophomore Rasmus Haines.  But it wasn’t necessarily a good venue for the competition in that Avon blitzed on nearly every play, while the Tigers never game plan for a scrimmage.  With the blitz the QBs just didn’t have a lot of time to set up and throw.  On a positive note, each QB showed that they can run effectively with the ball.

But all of that should be tempered with the facts that Massillon didn’t run any RPOs, didn’t throw any deep balls, ran a basic defense and substituted liberally.  It was more about finding the right player fits and evaluating the individual play execution than finding the right score.

Meanwhile, Avon, of course, throws the ball.  And they do it fairly well.  In fact, it’s the bread and butter of their offense.  But the orange and black held their own for the most part.

The first session of the scrimmage involved 10-play series, with no extra plays inside the red zone.  In essence, run ten plays and then get off the field.  Each team had two tries.

Avon went first and advanced the ball from their own 35 to the Massillon 20, aided by at least thirty yards in penalties.  It appeared that the Tigers were just a bit overanxious to get to it early on;. it was much better as the event went on.  From there the Eagles converted 37-yard field goal.

The Massillon offense then took its turn, with Patterson at quarterback, but gained just three yards and punted.  On the start-over they advanced to the Avon 47 before running out of plays.  Quarterbacking was shared by Haines and Moore.

Avon scored on their second try on a 22-yard run, only it was against the Tiger backups.  With a few plays remaining, they moved to the Massillon 33 and missed on a 50-yard field goal attempt.

Patterson started at QB on the second series and was replaced by Haines midway through the drive.  The run game really kicked into gear in this one, displaying good speed and physicality.  With a pass or two sprinkled in, the Tigers moved the ball from their own 35 to the Avon 20, before Haines rifled a pass to Deontay Malone at the seven.  Malone snagged the ball and then scored after first eluding a potential tackler with a nifty fake.

In the second session, each team started at the opponent’s 25 and had just five plays to see what they could do.  Two series apiece.

Avon in series one scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass to a well-covered receiver, who simply made a great catch.  With a play remaining, a 15-yard pass was intercepted by a diving Braylon Gamble.

Massillon in series one, with Patterson at QB, went immediately to the air.  Only, the pass was just over the hands Gio Jackson, who had beaten his cover guy and was sprinting across the middle of the end zone.  Subsequently, a 22-yard field goal attempt was wide.

Avon scored in series two on a 3-yard run against several Massillon defensive backups.  With a play remaining, they missed on a 42-yard field goal attempt.

Moore was in at quarterback for series two.  He did complete a 25-yard touchdown pass while sprinting to the sideline, but the referee blew the whistle to stop the play while the ball was in the air, since he judged that the QB had timed out.  And, although the Tigers then moved the ball inside the ten, a 15-yard penalty took away the favorable field position.  At the end, a 32-yard field goal was missed.

The best takeaway from the scrimmage was the speed and power of the Tiger run game.  But as far as a starting quarterback goes, we will need to wait for the coach to make the call.  None really stood out on this day.  Defensively, the talent is certainly there.  And don’t expect the Tigers to use a “basic defense” once the regular season begins.  Special teams will need some work.  Short snaps were inconsistent, which affected the kickers greatly.  Punt snaps were a bit slow.  And punts were variable.  Kickoffs were OK.

The JV teams ran three 10-play series each, but neither scored, although they each moved the ball fairly well at times.

Massillon will take the field next against Cincinnati Moeller in a home scrimmage scheduled for next Thursday at 2:00 pm.