2023: Massillon 7, Akron Hoban 2

STATE CHAMPS!!!  Massillon Runs the Table to Take Home the Crown

Game Statistics

Division 2 Bracket

Say goodbye to the proverbial monkey, for it’s been lifted from the backs of the Massillon community, never to be seen again.  That, after the Tigers defeated Akron Hoban 7-2 to capture their first state title in the playoff era. The OHSAA trophy now takes its honored place next to the 24 other state title trophies that Massillon won prior to the playoffs, a mark often ridiculed by outside parties, who discount the poll championships.

The home side filling up as the game approached.

A crowd of 13,329 mostly Massillon fans packed Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium to witness history in the making.  They came early to get the choice seats.  They wore their orange and black.  They were loud.  And they supported the Tigers without a break from the pre-game warmup to the game’s end.  And they didn’t leave until their victorious team had left the field.  But it didn’t end there.  Several thousand headed to a noisy, horn-honking downtown Massillon to welcome the team back and then celebrated the achievement with them at Duncan Plaza well into the night.

It was a defensive struggle unlike that seen by Massillon fans in many years, with just a single touchdown on the scoreboard by the end.  Both teams were billed as having outstanding defenses and they didn’t disappoint, forcing eleven punts between them and holding opposing offenses to less than four yards per carry on the ground and 7 of 21 in the air. But in the end, it came down to which team made the fewest mistakes.  Although Hoban held the advantage in the statistics, they also held the edge in crucial errors and that ultimately cost them the game.  Not to take anything away from the magnificent performance turned by the Tiger defense, which kept the Knights out of the end zone the entire night with a “bend but don’t break” attitude and allowed only two drives to enter the red zone, one at the beginning and one at the end.  They were also turnover-free, with just four penalties for 25 yards.

Midway through the second quarter the Knights were forced to punt from their own 29.  The punter couldn’t cleanly catch the ball and it fell forward onto the carpet.  He immediately ran forward and picked up the ball, while again attempting to punt.  Only, Chase Bond now had time to close and block the kick, with the ball quickly pounced on Malachi Card.  Massillon took over in good field position, but couldn’t advance against the stingy Knight defense.  Only, problems continued for Hoban when, on 4^th and 10 from the Massillon 28, a defender grabbed Da’One Owen’s facemask while he was stepping into the pocket to throw and didn’t let go until the upended Owens was on the ground.  The penalty: fifteen yards and first down, with the ball now resting at the Knight 14.  In comes the jumbo package, with Mylen Lenix and Mike Wright Jr. in the backfield.  Lenix got the first carry and he picked up three yards.  Wright was next and he advanced it to the six.  But Lenix’s second carry was golden; right up the middle for a touchdown, behind some great blocking by every member of the offensive line.  Vinny Keller’s PAT was good and the Tigers had a lead they would never relinquish.

But that wasn’t the only crucial mistake made by Hoban.  On their first possession of the game they went on a 10-play, 58-yard drive deep into Massillon territory.  But it came to an end when quarterback Tylar Boykin fumbled the snap and Pringle was right there to pounce on it to halt the threat.

The most crucial mistake came right at the end of the game after Massillon was stopped on downs.  The Tigers were facing a 4^th and 3 from their own 40 when the coaches elected to run a fake punt.  Unfortunately, Shon Robinson’s run came up just short and Hoban took over at the Massillon 42 with 7:33 remaining in the game.  The smart play would have been to punt, but a successful fake would have resulted in more time being taken off the clock, given that the Knights were out of time outs.

Nine plays later Hoban was sitting pretty at the Tiger ten with a 3^rd and 1.  Only, the next snap sailed past the quarterback’s right ear and a Hoban player was fortunate enough to fall on the ball at the 17, with Wright also on the play.  Now it was fourth down and a pass was called for.  Boykin dropped back to the 25 and looked over the middle for an open receiver.  But all were covered.  So he looked to his right and found a secondary receiver, who was running an outside curl rout toward right side of the end zone.  Pringle, who was on a blitz, recognized the threat at the same time and reversed direction 180-degrees to provide coverage.  As he closed the gap the receiver was racing across the front of the end zone toward the boundary.  Boykin rolled to his right and while on the run lofted a pass some 35 yards in his direction.  But it was coming in just a tad low and the receiver did not have time adjust his route to the ball flight.  So he went low for for the catch.  Meanwhile, Pringle was now in position to make a play, jerked his right elbow away at the same time the ball arrived, opportunely preventing the completion.  The ball then bounced off the receiver’s chest and fell harmlessly to the ground.  That was it.  The game was over and the Tigers had won.  There was 1:22 left on the clock, Massillon had the ball and the Knights were out of timeouts.  Two knees later the game was over.

In between all that action the defenses dominated.  After Hoban was stopped on their initial possession, Massillon drove 59 yards in nine plays, but ran out of downs at the Knight 22, with Owen’s long 4^th down pass to Braylyn Toles was just off his fingertips in the end zone.  During the drive Owens carried the ball five times for 54 yards, with runs of 11, 29 and 14 yards.  It was what Tigers fans were expecting.  But after that, Hoban adjusted and Owens rushed for just 28 yards the rest of the way.

After an exchange of punts, two by Hoban and one by Massillon, the Tigers got their touchdown.

Later in the second quarter a Knight punt was downed inside the one yard line and Massillon could not push it out, surrendering a safety.  Interestingly, on the first try from scrimmage, Owens found daylight on the right side of the line, aided by a great seal block against the inside linebacker by Mike Wright Jr.  Owens was in the clear and might have taken the ball to the house, except the whistle blew just after he crossed the line of scrimmage and the play was called back for motion on the ever so slightly leaning running back.  In hindsight, the safety might have been advantageous to the Tigers, since a punt from the end zone would have given Hoban great field position with which to tie the score.  As it was, the Knights returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 48 and were subsequently intercepted by Vito McConnell at the Tiger 43 to quell any threat.

The second half was a mirror of the first as the teams took turns trading punts, up until Massillon’s fake punt and Hoban’s missed touchdown opportunity.  With two plays left and the Knights out of timeouts, Owens twice took a knee to secure the victory and the state title.

The subsequent celebration by both the players on the field and the fans in the stands was one of the greatest experiences for the Massillon community in a long time.  For it’s been 53 years since the last state title and only a small minority of present-day fans were around then.  But this one will be cherished for a long time, while an energized Tiger team will gear itself in the off-season to prepare for another deep playoff run.

A shout-out should go to both punters.  Massillon’s Tyler Hachenbracht punted five times for an average of 36.2 yards and a long of 42.  Hoban’s 1^st Team Inland District 1^st Ryan Burns punted six times for an average of 38.8 yards and long of 49 yards, with the big one stopping at the one and setting up the safety.

On defense, Pringle, while playing injured, led Massillon with seven solo tackles and seven assists, with three tackles-for-loss.  Cody Fair had four solos, six assists and one TFL.  Adonis Marshall had six and three, while Ryan Page had three and six.

It was a great day to be a Tiger!!!

Twenty-Four Massillon Seniors Will Suit Up for the Last…

Twenty-Four Massillon Seniors Will Suit Up for the Last Time

It’s the end of November and the Tigers are exactly where they want to be.  That is, playing for a state championship.  It was a goal set by the team a year ago, given the high number of starters returning this year.  And it was bolstered by a great senior class, one that fashioned a 12-2 record and a regional championship in 2022, and one that will be greatly missed when their senior season comes to an end.

Pre-season talk centered around a playoff region that was ripe for the picking.  And it played itself out exactly as expected.  What wasn’t necessarily expected, however, was heading into the title game undefeated at 15-0 and setting a Massillon record for total wins in a season.  That’s because there were three formidable teams standing in the way: Valdosta, Lakewood St. Edward and St. John’s.  And, of course, Canton McKinley is waiting at the end.

Valdosta was and still is the winningest team in the country, with Massillon currently in the third position.  The game itself received national media attention with the Tigers playing against a team that was very athletic and having a dynamic offense and an aggressive defense.  But a win for the Tigers would surely set the tone for the season.  After falling behind early 14-0, Massillon regrouped and came away with a 28-17 victory.  The win also instilled confidence in the players that they would be at least competitive against the other two powers.

St. Edward came to Tigertown in Week 5 still stinging from a 31-28 upset loss from the previous season.  Especially, since that was their only loss that year and they rolled by season’s end to a second consecutive Division 1 state championship.  There is no way that Massillon was supposed to win the rematch.  The Eagles were unbeaten and ran an offense that was bolstered by a 300 lb. line, perhaps the largest in the country.  But the Tigers not only won the game, they dominated the statistics, in spite of winning just 15-12.  Nevertheless, it propelled the Massillon program into the national spotlight and locals began to realize just how good this team was.

By the time St. John’s came to town, they weren’t looking as dangerous anymore, given the Tigers’ success up to that point in the season.  Although the Cadets did play a good game, featuring some of the best athletes seen this year, they couldn’t overcome a 21-7 halftime deficit and eventually fell 28-7.  On the ground, St. John’s rushed for 131 yards at 6.9 yards per attempt, the most yards given up by the Massillon defense this year.  But they just couldn’t extend their drives to the end zone, most of which ended with either a punt or a stop on downs.

And, of course, the Tigers handled the Bulldogs easily, winning 35-0.  In the playoffs, they won the first five games without being challenged, with a scoring margin of 42-6.  But now comes the most significant match of the season, against Akron Hoban, for the Division 2 state title.  Without a doubt, this Massillon team couldn’t have gotten this far without having a great senior class.  Below are these players:

2023 Booster Club Report – Week PO5 – Post-Cincinnati…

2023 Booster Club Report – Week PO5 – Post-Cincinnati Anderson; Preview of the Akron Hoban Game

Massillon (15-0) defeated Cincinnati Anderson (13-2) in the playoff state semifinals, 55-7.  This is first time that the Tigers have won 15 games in a single season.  Massillon next travels to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton to face Akron Hoban (13-1) for a Thursday, 7:00 pm kickoff in the state finals.  The Knights come in at No. 1 in Region 5, while the Tigers are No. 1 in Division 2, Region 7.  Massillon trails in the series with Hoban, 3-2.

Link to the Anderson Game Story

Link to the Anderson Game Statistics

Review of the Anderson Game

It was win No. 947, which keeps Massillon in the No. 3 position nationally for all-time wins, just one game behind Louisville Make, KY, and five games behind Valdosta, GA.

Massillon defeated Cincinnati Anderson, playing perhaps its best game of the season.  The offense rolled up 393 yards, with 258 on the ground and 136 in the air, while never in position to punt the ball.  In fact, they were able to either convert a first down or score a touchdown 93% of the time.  The defense held Anderson’s 40+ point offense to just seven points, holding the Raptor run game to a mere eight yards.  Anderson did complete 33 of 50 passes, but for less than eight yards per catch.  The special teams also played a great game, returning a kickoff for a touchdown and dropped their own kickoffs in great position right along the sidelines to quell any potential returns.

“What a great victory it was,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore.  “It was the biggest offensive challenge of the year.  To hold a big offense to seven points.  It was great.  We played really well in all three phases of the game.  A shout out to the defense.  The defense played great.  They brought great pressure.  Our scout team gave us a phenominal look.  And they were faster than Anderson.  The offensive line played great.  The backs ran hard.”

Moore also said that the game plan going in was to blitz and let the man-to-man defense handle the screens.  But that didn’t work out so well on Anderson’s first drive.  So the Tigers adjusted by taking off the blitz and assigning one linebacker to the quarterback and another to the screen, while blocking off any short crossing pattern.  Following that adjustment, the game went much better.

The guest player was inside linebacker Cody Fair.  “Last week it was a pretty tough team to prepare for,” he said.  “But we adjusted well.” Fair also felt that Massillon used their constant physical play to tire out the Anderson players.  He also added that Anderson running an up-tempo offense didn’t help matters (they ran 70 plays).  Regarding the upcoming game against Akron Hoban, Fair believes that the Tigers need to be close to perfect.  But they are excited to get after them this week.

Statistics leaders:

• Da’One Owens: 8 of 13 passing for 135 yards and 1 touchdown; 5 carries for 75 yards and 1 touchdown
• Ja’Meir Gamble: 10 carries for 52 yards
• Peytton Mitchell: 9 carries for 41 yards and 1 touchdown
• Mylen Lenix: 6 carries for 33 yards and 1 touchdown
• Jacques Carter: 4 receptions for 46 yards
• Braylyn Toles: 3 receptions for 58 yards
• Emy Lewis: 1 reception for 31 yards and 1 touchdown; 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown
• Mike Wright:  5.0 tackle points; 2.0 sacks; 2.5 TFLs; 4 carry for 18 yards and 2 touchdowns
• Shon Robinson: 8.0 tackle points
• Chase Bond: 5.0 tackle points; 3.0 sacks; 4.0 TFLs; 1 pass interception returned 51 yards for a touchdown

Akron Hoban Scouting Report

Hoban enters the contest with a record of 13-1.  The Knights have outscored their opponents by an average margin of 33-8.  In contrast, Massillon has outscored its opponents by an average margin of 41-8.  The two teams have played one common opponent: Lakewood St. Edward.  The Tigers defeated the Eagles 15-13, outgaining the Eagles in total yards 299-212.  Hoban lost 14-7 and failed to score an offensive touchdown.  It is without a doubt a game matching the two best defenses in Division 2.  Scores to-date:

• Frederick Douglass, KY (5-4): 45-6 W
• Erie Cathedral Prep, PA (6-3): 44-12 W
• Trinity Episcopal School, VA (6-3): 34-6 W
• Akron East (8-3): 39-0 W
• Cleveland St. Ignatius (3-9): 35-0 W
• Walsh Jesuit (12-2): 57-7 W
• Cleveland Glenville (12-3): 28-16 W
• St. Francis, NY (4-5): 28-13 W
• Lakewood St. Edward (14-1): 7-14 L
• Akron Ellet (39-7) (PO): 39-7 W
• Barberton (7-5) (PO): 41-7 W
• Painsville Riverside (10-3) (PO): 21-0 W
• Walsh Jesuit (12-2) (PO): 30-6 W
• Avon (14-1) (PO): 17-14 W

The Hoban offense is similar to Massillon’s in that they use many of the same plays:  They line up in the  spread with some empty backfield, some 2-fullback sets, some heavy sets and a few jet sweeps.  They run primarily gap scheme and power with some play-action mixed in.  Moore believes that their offensive line is very good and they have several good running backs.  The quarterback can run, some off of set plays.  But the passing game is a definite weakness with both the quarterback and wide receivers.  Nevertheless, it is a pretty solid group overall.

The strength of the defense is the front-7 which, according to Moore, is really good.  They line up in an even front with stand-up ends.  Two or three linebackers, one of which has an offer to Ohio State.  Another linebacker has an offer to West Virginia.  The secondary is normally in cover-1 with man-to-man on the receivers and occasionally in cover-3.   Often, it will resemble a 4-2 dime look.  Look for a lit of  blitzing.  Moore said that the Hoban defense is really good across the board.

The keys to the game: run the ball and stop the run.

Go Tigers

2023: Massillon 55, Cincinnati Anderson 7

Massillon Rolls Over Anderson, Heads to State Finals

Game Statistics

If you watched the movie “Friday Night Lights” you might recall the mantra preached to the Permian players by the head coach: support each other, give it everything you have and play perfect with clear hearts.  It wasn’t a perfect game for nationally ranked Massillon on Friday at a fabulous Historic Crew Stadium, but it close to it as the Tigers literally took a very good Cincinnati Anderson team apart in the Division 2 state semifinals, 55-7.  And the damage was done early, with the game proceeding into a running-clock situation midway into the third quarter.

The offense never punted, although it was stopped three times inside Anderson territory.  The defense as usual was relentless.  Aside from an opening Raptor score, they kept an opponent that was averaging over 40 points per game out of the red zone the remainder of the night.  The front seven also accounted for eight quarterback sacks and thirteen tackles-for-loss.  In addition, Vinny Keller was marvelous on special teams, dropping each of his kickoffs on a dime and connecting on all seven PAT tries.

With the win, Massillon advances to next Thursday’s state final matchup at Canton’s Tom Benson Stadium to face local nemesis Akron Hoban, with which they have some recent history.  The once-beaten Knights, in their semifinal matchup against previously unbeaten Avon, overcame a 14-3 deficit to win 17-14.  The Tigers remain undefeated at 15-0, while Anderson closes the season at 13-2.

The game started out with a bang when quarterback Da’One Owens, following Massillon’s opening game kickoff return, took the snap in an empty backfield and headed through the middle of the line.  Somehow, he emerged on the other side, broke free and then outraced the Anderson secondary 68 yards for a score.  The Raptors immediately responded with a beautiful passing drive for which the Tigers seemed to have no answer.  It ended when quarterback Justice Burnam, 1^st Team All-Southwest District, connected with Trace Jallick on a screen pass for a 19-yard touchdown, tying the score at seven apiece.  Not to be outdone, Emy Louis Jr. took the ensuing kickoff and raced 91-yards down the right sidelines for a score.

At that point it looked like it was going to turn into a typical Anderson game: high-scoring with a total lack of defense.  Only, the Tigers regrouped and shut out the Raptors the rest of the way.  It appeared that the Tiger secondary had figured out the wide receiver passing routes and thereafter kept the Raptors from mounting any serious drive.  Anderson, however, did hurt themselves in a couple of ways.  The first was through several dropped passes.  The second was by a coach that was determined to do what he has done throughout the season; i.e., go for it on fourth down, regardless of position on the field.  They failed six times, three of which were in their own territory.  You just can’t do that against top-level competition.  For they will make you pay.  And the Tigers did just that.

Anderson mounted a short drive to the Massillon 44, but Burnam was intercepted by a diving Vito McConnell at the 45.  The Tigers then drove to the Raptor 30, but were stopped on downs, hindered by twenty yards in penalties.  Anderson took over at their own 20 and did pick up a first down, but following a sack by Chase Bond were forced to punt.  From there Massillon engineering a methodical 14-play drive that covered 67 yards and ended when Mike Wright Jr. powered it in from the five, making the score 21-7.

The Raptors subsequently advanced to the Tiger 44 and faced a 4^th and 2, but Wright and Maverick Clark combined on fourth down for the stop with a 2-yard loss.  Two plays later Massillon was in the end zone.  This time it was a 31-yard bomb to a wide-open Emy Lewis Jr., set up  by a 23-yard burst by Ja’Meir Gamble.

The Tigers might have taken that 28-7 lead into the locker room, but Anderson elected to go for it on 4^th and 4 from their own 31.  Burnham went back to pass and, failing to find an open receiver, was promptly sacked by Bond and Brandon Carman at the 29.  A 19-yard pass to Jacques Carter and 10-yard run by Mylen Lenix, during which he reversed field while running out of several would-be tackles and dove into the end zone.  Suddenly, Massillon was up 35-7 and the game was essentially over at that point.

In the third quarter Wright scored from five yards out, capping a 4-play, 57-yard drive to send the game into running-clock.  During the play the 285 lb. Wright showed that he is truly an accomplished running back.  He took the handoff from Owens and headed up the middle.  But it was clogged so he cut to the outside and cleared the edge of the fray with a tremendous burst of speed, and crossing the goal lie untouched to the delight of the large Massillon crowd.

With the score at 42-7 the varsity yielded the field in favor of the backups.  But it didn’t take long for them to add points.  Following a 39-yard run by quarterback Jalen Slaughter off a fake handoff, the Tigers drove it in with Peytton Mitchell scoring from the one.

Massillon would have been content at that point to end the onslaught.  Only, Bond tipped a Burnam pass, intercepted it, and then strolled 49 yards for an uncontested touchdown.  It appeared to come to the surprise of even himself, who was surely in unknown territory at the moment he crossed the goal line.  Final score, 55-7.

Several players shared the ball as the Tigers rolled up 262 yards on the ground.  The various ball carriers included Owns (75 yards), Gamble (52 yards), Mitchell (41 yards), Slaughter (39 yards), Lenix (33 yards) and Wright (18 yards), all-in-all accounting for five touchdowns.  Owens was also 8 of 13 passing for 135 yards and a score.  On the receiving end were Carter (4-46), Toles (3-58) and Louis (1-31).

Defensively, Shon Robinson, playing in place of the injured Dorian Pringle, was once again the leading tackler, recording 8.0 tackle points.  Bond had 5.0 tackle points with three sacks and Wright had 5.0 with 2.0 sacks.

Anderson’s Burham completed 33 of 50 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown.  Southwest District Offensive Player of the Year running back Brodey Berg was held to 9 yards on 5 carries.  Joey Emrick recorded 7.5 tackle points and Leo Muehlenkamp had 6.5.  Trace Jalick caught 9 passes for 103 yards and Berg caught 9 for 35.

Twelve Massillon Players Receive All-District Honors

Twelve Massillon Players Receive All-District Honors

The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association (OPSWA) has released its 2023 Northeast Inland District All-Star Team for Division 2.  Twelve Massillon players are included, with special recognition going to Da’One Owens, who was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and Dorian Pringle, who repeats as Co-Defensive Player of the Year.  Massillon, the Region 7 champion and the No.11 nationally rated team in USA Today, remains undefeated with a 14-0 record and will participate in the state playoff semifinal game this Friday Against Cincinnati Anderson, the winner of Region 8.

(l-r) Da’One Owens (1st), Dorian Pringle (1st), Chase Bond (1st), Nolan Davenport (1st), Cody Fair (1st) and Mike Wright Jr. (1st)

(l-r) Jacques Carter (2nd), Ja’Meir Gamble (2nd), Tyler Hackenbracht (2nd), Brady Jones (2nd), Adonis Marshall (HM) and Braylyn Toles (HM)

First Team

• Da’One Owens – Senior quarterback. 3-year starter.  Completed 94 of 158 passes (59%) for 1,414 yards and 17 touchdowns.  Rushed 118 times for a team high 1,145 yards (9.7) and 14 touchdowns.  Only Massillon quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards.  Leads the team in scoring with 86 points.  Passed for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns against Grove City Central Crossing.  Rushed for 241 yards and scored 2 touchdowns against Valdosta, GA.  Holds several Division 1 offers.
• Dorian Pringle – Senior linebacker.  2-year starter.  Leads the team with 41 unassisted tackles and has recorded 50.5 tackle points.  Recorded 8.0 sacks for a team high 73 yards and team high 21.5 tackles-for-loss for a team high 114 yards.  Also, carried the ball 50 times for 246 yards (4.9) and 14 touchdowns.  Forced two fumbles, broke up two passes and blocked a kick.  Even holds for extra points.  Holds several Division 1 offers.
• Chase Bond – Senior defensive lineman.  2-year starter.  Recorded 14.0 tackle points, 4.5 sacks for a loss of 33 yards and 7.0 tackles-for-loss for a loss of 39 yards.  Committed to North Carolina State.
• Nolan Davenport  – Junior offensive tackle.  2-year starter.  Played tight end in 2022.  Used principally as a blocker.  Instrumental in helping his team rush for 249 yards per game (6.7 ave.) and 47 rushing touchdowns, while surrendering just 8 quarterback sacks.  Holds several Division 1 offers.
• Cody Fair – Senior inside linebacker.  2-year starter.  Leads the team with 51.5 tackle points.  Recorded 4.0 sacks for a loss of 25 yards and 15.0 tackles-for-loss for a loss of 52 yards.  Holds several offers and will play at the next level.
• Mike Wright Jr. – Junior defensive lineman.  3-year starter.  Recorded 22.5 tackle points, 8.5 sacks for a loss of 68 yards and 13.0 tackles-for-loss for a loss of 87 yards.  Broke up three passes and caused two fumbles.  Sacked the Canton McKinley quarterback three times.  On offense, The 285 lb. running back carried the ball 24 times for 95 yards (4.0 ave.) and 6 touchdowns.

Second Team

• Jacques Carter – Senior wide receiver.  Caught 35 passes for a team high 738 yards (21.1 ave.) and 7 touchdowns.  Caught 8 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown against Middletown, DE.  Ran 50 yards for a touchdown against Green.
• Ja’Meir Gamble – Junior running back.  Rushed 128 times for 893 yards (7.0 ave.) and 5 touchdowns.  Rushed for 233 yards against Austintown Fitch.
• Tyler Hackenbracht – Junior defensive back.  Recorded 25 tackle points, broke up 9 passes and intercepted 3 passes, which were returned for 45 yards.  Returned 8 punts for 97 yards and 7 kickoffs for 179 yards, with a long of 64 yards.
• Brady Jones – Senior center.  2-year starter.  Instrumental in helping his team rush for 249 yards per game (6.7 ave.) and 47 rushing touchdowns, while surrendering just 8 quarterback sacks.

Honorable Mention

• Adonis Marshall – Junior defensive back.  Recorded 28.5 tackle points, 2 tackles-for-loss, 11 pass breakups, 3 pass interceptions and a recovered fumble, which he returned for 18 yards.
• Braylyn Toles – Junior wide receiver.  2-year starter.  Caught a team high 42 passes for 556 yards (13.2 ave.) and 8 touchdowns.  Caught 8 passes for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns against Grove City Central Crossing.

2023 Booster Club Report – Week PO4 – Post-Green…

2023 Booster Club Report – Week PO4 – Post-Green Game; Preview of the Cincinnati Anderson Game

Massillon (14-0) defeated Green (10-4), 31-6.  This week the Tigers travel to Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus to face Cincinnati Anderson (13-1) for a Friday, 7:00 pm kickoff in the playoff state semifinals.  The Tigers are No. 1 in Division 2, Region 7, while the Raptors come in at No. 1 in Region 8.  Massillon and Anderson have never played each other.

Link to the Green Game Story

Link to the Green Game Statistics

Review of the Green Game

It was win No. 946, which keeps Massillon in the No. 3 position nationally for all-time wins.

Massillon defeated Green (10-4) to capture its 16^th regional playoff title in the 52-year history of OHSAA state tournament.  The mark is the second most among all large Ohio schools, with only Cincinnati Moeller having more, with 19.  The Tigers entered the season as a heavy favorite to win the region and they didn’t disappoint, with the players hoisting the award with great enthusiasm following the game.  Massillon scored its final touchdown with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, sending the game into a running-clock situation. After that, the backups were inserted on both sides of the ball. Up until that time, however, they had rushed 45 times for 325 yards (7.2 ave).  The first-team defense held the Bulldogs to negative 12 yards on the ground on 12 attempts and 5 of 24 passing for 57 yards.  On special teams Chase Bond blocked a punt and Shon Robinson carried the ball 50 yards on a fake punt.

“A great win it was,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club Meeting.  “I thought our guys played really well.  We were dominant in all three phases.  All of our backs ran hard.  The defense was lights out.  I’m proud of our guys.”

The guest players were linebacker Dorian Pringle and safety Ryan Page.  “Our defense played very well,” said Pringle.  “You know its good when our JV team gets in the game in a regional finals.”  Page added, “We started out fast and did really good.”  He also briefly addressed the upcoming game against Anderson, saying that the Tigers need to understand their different formations and manage their high-tempo offense.

Statistics leaders:

• Da’One Owens: 2 of 4 passing for 20 yards; 11 carries for 107 yards and 1 touchdown
• Ja’Meir Gamble: 16 carries for 97 yards and 1 touchdown
• Mylen Lenix: 9 carries for 54 yards and 1 touchdown
• Jacques Carter: 2 receptions for 20 yards’ 1 carry for 50 yards and 1 touchdown
• Mike Wright:  0.5 TFLs; 1 rushing touchdown
• Chase Bond, Malachi Card, Deangelo Zimmerman: 1 quarterback sack each

Anderson Scouting Report

Anderson plays in the 10-team Eastern Cincinnati Conference.  The Raptors have a record of 13-1 with an 8-1 mark in conference play.  Their big win of the year came in Week 6 when they defeated Cincinnati Winton Woods (8-4), 20-13.  They have outscored their opponents by an average of 42-17.  Scores to-date:

• South Oldham, KY (6-4): 44-14 W
• Loveland (5-6): 48-14 W
• Lebanon (7-4): 44-14 W
• Milford (11-1): 35-56 L
• Cincinnati Walnut Hills (0-10): 51-0 W
• Cincinnati Winton Woods (8-4): 20-13 W
• Little Miami (1-9): 46-20 W
• West Clermont (4-7): 50-5 W
• Cincinnati Turpin (3-8): 31-7 W
• Kings (6-6): 41-21 W
• Cincinnati Turpin (PO) (6-6): 43-7 W
• Kings (PO) (6-6): 41-3 W
• Harrison (PO) (9-4): 50-36 W
• Cincinnati Withrow (PO) (12-2): 49-28 W

Tale of the Tape

The single trait that stand out in regards to the Anderson offense is the high tempo.  They average just 14 seconds between plays.  And in one game this year they ran over a hundred plays.  They will utilize multiple formations, including empty, 10, 11 and 12, with some unbalanced line.  The line is smallish, averaging 6′-1″, 223 lbs..  It utilizes large splits in order to keep rushers as far away from the quarterback as possible.  While the run-pass ratio is around 50/50, they use the pass to generate the big plays, which involves many screens and crossing routes, with occasional deep throws.  So it stands to reason that the best players are the quarterback and wide receivers.

The best offensive players are as follows:

• Junior quarterback Justice Burnam  6′-0″, 175).  Completed 312 of 436 (72%) passes for 3,921 yards and 40 TDs with 7 interceptions.  Rushed 179 times for 597 yards (3.3 ave.) and 7 TDs.  He is both a throwing and running threat and is good at scrambling while keeping his eyes downfield.  Has a good arm and accuracy.
• Senior running back/ wide receiver Brodey Berg (6′-2″, 210).  Rushed 255 times for 1,510 yards (5.9 ave.) and 32 TDs; 63 receptions for 89 yards (14.3 ave.) and 10 TDs.  He has good speed and follows blocks well.
• Junior wide receiver Trace Jallick (6′-2″, 185).  111 receptions for 1,161 yards (10.5 ave.) and 11 TDs.  Best receiver.  Miami, OH, offer.  Runs routes well.
• Senior wide receiver MIke Smith (5′-10″, 180).  81 receptions for 923 yards (11.4) and 7 TDs.  Very shifty.
• Junior tight end Caden Piening (6′-5″, 235).  29 receptions for 549 yards (18.9) and 5 TDs.  Kentucky offer.  Tag screen target.  Big frame.
• Senior wide receiver TJ Nelson (6′-0″, 190).  Most dynamic player.  Bowling Green commit.  Has been injured, but may play.
• Junior left tackle Cam Mathis (6′-2″, 230).  Best offensive lineman.  Physical player.

The defense aligns in an odd front with cover-2, although the corners appear to play a bit back from the receivers.  They have a couple of good defensive linemen and a couple of good defensive backs.  They do not pressure the quarterback much and will drop eight players into coverage at times.

The best defensive players are as follows:

• Senior lineman Jack Sammarco (6′-5″, 240).  West Virginia commit.  Also plays wide receiver.
• Junior lineman Alex Stanyard (6′-5″, 225).
• Senior cornerback Joey Emerick (6′-0″, 180).  74.0 (52-44) tackle points.  1.0 sacks and 7.5 TFLs.
• Junior middle linebacker Tommy Husker (5′-10″, 170).  53.5 (34-39) tackle points.  5.5 sacks and 12.0 TFLs.  Best blitzer.
• Sophomore will linebacker Reid Baker (5′-11″, 170).  47.5 (25-45) tackle points.  4.0 sacks and 12.5 TFLs.
• Junior sam linebacker Owen Bergman (6′-2″, 190).  45.0 (29-32) tackle points.  1.0 sacks and 4.5 TFLs.
• Senior safety Patter McHugh (6′-2″, 195).  High motor.  Reads keys well.  Tackles well.  Best cover guy.
• Safety TJ Nelson, if he plays.

The last time Massillon played a team having both an outstanding record and a high scoring average was in 2021.  Big Walnut came into the playoff game with a 12-0 record, having outscored their opponents by an average of 42-13.  They left on the wrong end of a 38-0 score, while facing a Massillon team that was all business that night.

Notes

Several players have been nominated by the coaches in Region 7 for participation in next summer’s Ohio All-Star Game, including Zach LIebler, Adonis Marshall, Cody Fair, Malachi Card, Evan Sirgo, Sam Snodgrass, Kyler Wiggins and Da’One Owens.  Dan Studer also received a nomination for Assistant Coach of the Year.

The Booster Club is sponsoring a bus to the Anderson game.  A link for tickets is displayed on the front page of this website.

Sideliners and former Tiger players are invited to attend practice on Thanksgiving morning to support the team.  The practice will be held from 9:30 am to 10:45 am in the stadium.  Enter through the player gate.

Coach Moore announced “Black Wednesday” for November 29 from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.  During that time discarded black Massillon game jerseys will go on sale at the Ticket Office, 50% off.

Go Tigers

2023: Massillon 31, Green 6

Massillon Wins Regional Championship, Continues to Roll

Game Statistics

Massillon (14-0) defeated Green (10-4) to capture its 16^th regional playoff title in the 52-year history of OHSAA state tournament.  The mark is the second most among all large Ohio schools, with only Cincinnati Moeller having more, with 19.  The Tigers entered the season as a heavy favorite to win the region and they didn’t disappoint, with the players hoisting the award with great enthusiasm following the game.  Next up is a state semi-final match against Cincinnati Anderson (13-1), their only loss being 56-35 to Milford (11-1).  The game will be played at Crew Stadium in Columbus.

Small craft advisories were up on Friday night at Hoover Stadium with a strong wind howling out of the north end zone continually throughout the game, wreaking havoc on the passing and kicking games of both teams.  But in the end, the Tigers simply had a bigger boat, plowing their way through the white-capped waves, as opposed to the small-masted dinghy of the Bulldogs, which were quickly left behind, stranded at sea, bucking the strong blow.

Placing the passing game in the drawer, Massillon reverted to a throwback, run-only offense, utilizing two massive fullbacks with just two wide receivers.  The playbook was reduced to quarterback Da’One Owens and running backs Ja’Meir Gamble and Mylen Lenix sharing the load, with an occasional jet sweep tossed in.  In fact, only four passes were thrown the entire night.  The attack was devastating to Green and the Tigers never once punted the ball.

Massillon scored its final touchdown with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, sending the game into a running-clock situation.  After that, the backups were inserted on both sides of the ball.  Up until that time, however, they had rushed 45 times for 325 yards (7.2 ave).  That, in spite of Green stacking the line to stop the run by changing from an odd-front to an even-front and using three linebackers.  The Tigers ended up converting 7 of 12 third down conversions and 2 of 2 on fourth down using the “jumbo” package of Lenix and Mike Wright Jr.  Owens left the game with 107 yards rushing.  Gamble had 97 and Lenix added 54.

Meanwhile, the first-team defense held the Bulldogs to negative 12 yards on the ground on 12 attempts and 5 of 24 passing for 57 yards.  The quarterback was under pressure the entire night, forcing many errant passes, compounding the difficulties posed by the wind.  And he was sacked twice, once by Chase Bond and once by Malachi Card.  Tyler Hackenbracht also picked off a pass off a Zach Liebler deflection.

But again, the Tigers missed some opportunities and took just a 14-0 lead into the locker room.  There was a fumble into the end zone that was recovered by Green.  There was a kickoff that was knocked down by the wind that a Bulldog receiver elected to field on the bounce.  Only it hopped straight into the air.  Several Massillon players had their hands on it, but it eventually was covered by Green.  Then there was the fumble at midfield after forcing a wind-hampered punt by Green.  Even the backups lost a good chance.  After blocking a punt and taking over at the Green 11, they gave the ball back three plays later on a fumbled handoff.

The one thing Massillon wanted most was a fast start.  And they got that by scoring on each of its first two possessions.  After receiving the opening kickoff, the Tigers engineered a 7-play 75-yard march, with Da’One Owens lighting  it up on the first play with a 43-yard run, right through the middle of the Green line.  After a Bulldog punt, Massillon took over at its own  21.  Ten plays later the Tigers were in the end zone.  During the drive, Gamble carried the ball five times for 50 yards, picking up three first downs.  At no time during the two series did the Tigers attempt a pass.

On the third possession Massillon fumbled at midfield and on the fourth try they fumbled into the end zone.

Nevertheless, they found themselves in the third quarter and posted 17 points, starting with a 35-yard field goal by Vinny Keller.  Next came a jet sweep by Jacques Carter, who is one of the fastest players on the team.  On second and seven from the 50, Carter took the handoff from Owens, turned the corner near the right sideline and then swiftly sped through several would-be tacklers.  Once clear, there was no stopping him until he reached the end zone.

The final score came on the next series when the Tigers drove 40 yards in six plays, with Gamble toting the pigskin on each play, with the exception of the final 3-yard run, which belonged to Owens.  At that point the starters were through for the night, owning a 31-0 lead.

Green scored in the fourth quarter against the Tiger backups when quarterback Samino Manson found favored receiver Zachary Bagilo wide open far down the middle of the field owing to a missed coverage for a 66-yard score.

Now it is off to Columbus as Massillon, the Number 1 rated team in Ohio, continues its quest for a state title.

Go Tigers.

Tigers Vie for Yet Another Regional Championship

Tigers Vie for Yet Another Regional Championship

This Friday Massillon will face Green in the Division 2, Region 7 championship game.  With a win, the Tigers will advance to the state semifinal game to play the winner of Region 8, which involves Cincinnati Anderson and Cincinnati Withrow.  Massillon will also reverse the outcome of the 2021 regional final game, in which they lost to Green, 26-25.

The Ohio high school football playoffs began in 1972 and this is the 52^nd year of its long history.  During that time Massillon has captured fifteen regional championships, the second-most in the state among Division 1 and 2 schools.  Cleveland St. Ignatius also has fifteen, while Cincinnati Moeller has the most titles, with eighteen.

During the first six years of the playoffs only one team from each region participated.  Massillon, assigned to Division 1 at the time, qualified for the state tournament twice, in 1972 and 1979.  The Tigers continued to compete in Division 1 through 2012 and won eight regional championships by defeating a bracket opponent, while losing four other times.

In 2012 the divisions were restructured, resulting in Massillon moving down to Division 2.  From then through 2020, the Tigers have taken home the crown in five of six appearances, making their overall record in that game, 13-5.  Massillon has also competed in the regional finals game in each of the last six years, this year marking the seventh straight.

Four times they faced Canton McKinley in a rematch, winning three of four.  In 1980 they won 14-6, in 1994 they lost 27-20, and they won 21-3 in 2005 and 10-7 in 2009.  With two of the wins, 1980 and 2005, they reversed losses that occurred during the regular season.

In 1980, under head coach Mike Currence, Massillon dropped the regular season game to McKinley 16-7, spoiling a potential unbeaten season.  The Bulldogs completely dominated, leading in total yards, 313-96.  This being the year the OHSAA increased the number of regional qualifiers from one to two, Massillon was fortunate enough to grab the second spot, setting up a rematch the following week at Faucett Stadium.  McKinley still led in total yards, but it was the Tigers that owned the scoreboard, taking advantage of a strong defense and three Bulldog turnovers.  Massillon parlayed that win into a trip to the state finals, against Cincinnati Moeller.

With Tom Stacy at the helm in 2005, an undefeated McKinley eleven negated a potential Massillon 10-win season with a 38-8 one-sided performance.  The Bulldogs led 14-0 at the half and then just piled on the points the second half, while holding the Tigers to just 127 total yards.  Three weeks later, following wins over North Canton and Findlay, Massillon would meet McKinley again, at the Akron Rubber Bowl.  This time, it was the other team’s turn to shine.  A 100-yard effort by Brian Gamble and a 10 of 12 passing performance by Bobby Huth, coupled with some stingy defense, made the difference in a 21-3 win.  After a 21-17 upset of Lakewood St. Edward the following week, the Tigers faced Cincinnati St. Xavier for the state title.

The biggest win while in Division 2 came in 2019 under current head coach Nate Moore, when they defeated defending state champion Akron Hoban, 17-14.  All of the points were scored in the first half, with a 31-yard Alex Bauer field goal with seven seconds left making the difference in the score. The Knights mounted a final drive late in the fourth quarter, but they came up short when linebacker Ben Krichbaum sacked the quarterback on a fourth down play with two minutes remaining in the game.  Massillon then ran out the clock to secure the victory.  Current OSU running back Deamonte Trayanum was held to 18 carries for 79 yards and no touchdowns.

Here are the scores for Massillon’s past regional finals games:

• 1972 – Uncontested
• 1979 – Uncontested
• 1980 – Canton McKinley – Won 14-6
• 1982 – Sandusky – Won 29-7
• 1989 – Akron Garfield – Won 43-7
• 1990 – Sandusky – Lost 27-7
• 1991 – Toledo St. John’s – Won 42-21
• 1993 – Walsh Jesuit – Lost 30-20
• 1994 – Canton McKinley – Lost 27-20
• 2001 – North Canton – Won 27-7
• 2002 – Pickerington – Won 14-0
• 2005 – Canton McKinley – Won21-3
• 2009 – Canton McKinley – Won 10-7
• 2017 – New Albany – Won 24-6
• 2018 – Wadsworth – Won 41-17
• 2019 – Akron Hoban – Won 17-14
• 2020 – Massillon Perry – Won 43—13
• 2021 – Green – Lost 26-25
• 2022 – Uniontown Lake – Won 24-6