2023 Booster Club Report – Week 3 – Post-Mansfield;…

2023 Booster Club Report – Week 3 – Post-Mansfield; Preview of the Elkhart Game

Massillon (3-0) eclipsed the 50-points mark for the second straight week in a 51-10 victory over Mansfield (1-2).  This week the Tigers host Elkhart, Indiana (1-2), the second of four out-of-state opponents the Tigers will face this year.

Link to the Mansfield Game Story

Link to the Mansfield Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (3-0): Defeated Akron Jennings, 24-20.  Play at Warren on Wednesday, September 6, at 6:00 pm.
• 8th Grade (3-0): Defeated Maple Heights, 38-14.  Plays home vs. Warren on Wednesday, September 6, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (4-0): Defeated Youngstown Ursuline, 34-14, and Mansfield JV, 35-12.  Plays home to University Thursday, September 7, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (2-1): Defeated Canton Canton McKinley, 27-13.  Plays home vs. Avon on Saturday, September 9, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Mansfield game

“Win No. 935,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore.  “Mansfield was a good team.  They had a lot of good players.  We’re happy we won.  Happy with a lot of things.  I thought the offensive line played well.  The defense gave up three points and played a lot of good football.  But not happy with the turnovers.  We still have things to work on.  But we need to keep the pedal to the metal.”

Guest players were senior inside linebacker Cody Fair and junior offensive lineman Michael Looney.  “At halftime we got a little lazy,” said Fair.  “The quarterback ran over us.”  “We need to expand on the little things,” added Looney.  “We threw the ball really well and the pass protection was good.”

Statistics leaders

• Jalen Slaughter: 6 of 9 passing for 84 yards, 2 interceptions and 2 touchdowns
• Da’one Owens: 2 of 5 passing for 39 yards, 1 interceptions and 1 touchdown; 5 carries for 130 yards (26.0) and 2 touchdowns
• Peytton Mitchell: 17 carries for 112 yards (6.6) and 1 touchdown
• Braylin Toles: 3 receptions for 23 yards
• Ja’Meir Gamble, Emy Louis and Jadyce Thigpen: 1 touchdown receiving each
• Cody Fair: 5.5 tackle points (4-3); 2.5 tackles-for-loss
• Isaiah McElroy: 2 tackles-for-loss

Elkhart Scouting Report

As an independent school Massillon often begins with a nearly clean slate when filling out a schedule.  By chance early in the year both the Tigers and Elkhart both had open dates in Week 4.  So, Massillon offered the game to the Elkhart and they accepted.  One game only.

Elkhart, a suburb of South Bend, participates in Division 6A, the largest in Indiana, which is comparable to Division 1 in Ohio.  Over the past five years the Lions have compiled a record of 38-18 and appeared in the state playoffs each year.  Three times they advanced to the regional finals.  Their best record in this time period was 9-1 in 2020.  Last season they finished with a 7-3 record, losing 14-9 to Warsaw in Round 1.  So far this year Elkhart is 1-2, having defeated Hammond Morton (1-2) 38-28 last week, while losing 16-6 to Concord (2-1)  and 35-29 Northridge (2-1).

The strength of the Elkhart team is found on the offensive and defensive lines, which each boasts good size.  The offense averages 6′-3, 270 lbs. and is led by junior Ethan Mann (6′-6″, 260).  He has good feet and a has good punch off the ball.  He also protects well in the pass game.  The 4-front defensive line averages 6′-4″, 254 lbs.  “The defensive line is the biggest we will see all year,” said Moore.  All of these players are good and bring physical play to the game.  But Mariyon Dye, a 6′-5″, 275 lbs. junior stands above the rest.  He is a 3-star recruit who is being looked at by Tennessee, Cincinnati and Minnesota.  Dye is very athletic, uses hands well and is a good pass rusher.  “They’ve got some good looking guys,” said Moore.

Elkhart operates normally out of the spread with a 3-receiver set; one back next to the quarterback and a fullback on the edge of the line.  Receiving the snap is junior Quinn Rost (6′-0″, 190).  Moore calls him a “savy player”, one that can audible his team into a favorable play.  He can also pass and scramble effectively.  The running back is junior Conner Dow (5′-9″, 185 lbs.).  He has decent speed and is a downhill, tough runner.  The best skill player may be junior wide receiver Zach Anderson (5′-10″, 175 lbs.).  He can get downfield quickly on deep routes and also runs some jet sweeps.

The defense aligns in a 4-3.  The best skill player on that side of the ball is cornerback Darreon Newson (6′-1″, 185), a senior.  He covers well and has the ability to shed blocks.

The punt game is a different animal in that they use a unique alignment of players.  They line up with three players on either side of the center, but spaced a good way from the center, while the punter is around 10 yards from the line, protected by three blockers.  From there they will either punt or fake the punt, which they have done three times in three games.  Moore said the defense will need to be coached up to handle either option.

Moore believes that with the personnel they have the Lions should be better than 1-2 at this point in the season.  they are not a bad team.  But they have given up some big plays, particularly against Northridge.

Season Statistics Leaders

Through three games

• Jalen Slaughter: 14 of 24 passing for 262 yards and 4 touchdowns
• Da’one Owens: 12 of 23 passing for 223 yards and 4 touchdowns; 18 carries for 371 yards (20.6) and 4 touchdowns
• Peytton Mitchell: 36 carries for 263 yards (7.3) and 1 touchdown
• Kyler Wiggins: 6 receptions for 116 yards (19.3) and 2 touchdowns
• Ja’Meir Gamble: 5 receptions for 68 yards (13.6) and 1 touchdown
• Dorian Pringle: 24 points; 13.0 tackle points; 6.5 tackles-for-loss; 2 sacks
• Cody Fair: 12.0 (6-12)  tackle points; 4.0 tackles-for-loss

Go Tigers!

2023: Massillon 51, Mansfield 10

Massillon Cruises to 3-0 with a Dominating Win Over Mansfield

Game Statistics

The Mansfield Tygers rolled into Paul Brown Tiger Stadium fresh off a 24-14 victory over defending Division 3 champion Canfield.  But they were no match for a Massillon team that appears headed for another deep run in the state playoffs.  The Tigers led at the half 35-10 and never looked back enroute to a running clock finish of 51-10.

Mansfield’s football capability appeared to be somewhere between Valdosta and Canton GlenOak, the Tigers’ previous two opponents, in that they had many skilled athletes within a very potent offense.  They were led by 6’-4” quarterback Duke Reese, who finished the night passing for 136 yards, while rushing for another 54, tops on the team.  On the receiving end was the very dangerous Amarr Davis, who has incredible speed and can catch the ball in traffic.  Also used as a runner in spots, he caught six passes for game-high 109 yards.

Massillon countered with a constant blitz from the linebackers, rather than sitting back in coverage and permitting Reese to target Davis unopposed.  As a result, Reese spent most of the night running away from would-be tacklers in the backfield.  Forty-one times he dropped back to pass.   And on nearly every occasion he was forced to scramble out of the pocket to either keep the ball or attempt to throw while on the run.  Twice he was caught for a sack.  Reese did manage to get off 28 passes, while completing only eleven, with very few originating from the pocket.

Defensively, once again the Tigers held the running backs in check, this time limiting them to a negative 19 yards in 13 carries.  The Massillon front-7, and particularly the constantly-rotating front-3, just played in the Tyger backfield.

On the other side of the ball the Tygers just didn’t match up, surrendering 320 yards rushing on 37 attempts for an average of 9.0 yards per carry.  Junior Peytton Mitchell rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Da’one Owens got loose for two good runs, of 72 and 23 yards, both for scores.  He finished with 130 yards.

Massillon continues to alternate quarterbacks.  Jalen Slaughter connected on 6 of 9 for 84 yards and two touchdowns, while Owens completed 2 of 5 for 34 yards and one score.  Slaughter also had a nice called-run for 17 yards.  On the receiving end, Braylin Toles caught three for 23 yards and Ja’Meir Gamble grabbed two for 39 and a TD.

The Tigers jumped on Mansfield early, like they did in the previous week against GlenOak.  After holding their foe to a 3-and-out on their first try, Massillon drove 65 yards in four plays for their initial score, a nifty 32-yard pass from Slaughter to Emy Lewis Jr.  Vinny Keller’s PAT was good, the first of seven he connected with on the night.  Owens came in next and he needed just one play to skirt through the center of the line following a fake jet sweep and traverse the necessary 72 yards.

Slaughter’s turn, following a Mansfield fumble.  Four plays covering 15 yards, with Dorian Pringle doing the honors from the three.

One quarter.  21 points.  Game over.  Well, not quite.  On Massillon’s next possession Owens telegraphed a 10-yard sideline pass that was picked by Ja’ontay O’Bryant at the 28 and returned for a touchdown.  Fortunately, the Tigers came right back with an 8-play, 54-yard drive, ending when Owens hit Gamble on a 31-yard strike.  After that the Tigers simply extended the lead, taking a 35-10 advantaga into the locker room, aided by Owens’ 23-yard jaunt for a score.

The Tigers put two more on the board in the second half.  The first was a 1-yard run by Mitchell and the second off a 28-yard pass from Slaughter to Jadyce Thigpen, after the ball deflected off the hands of Ricardo Wells at the goal line.  The safety came when Mansfield snapped the ball over the punter’s head and after the kicker retrieving the ball in the end zone conceded the safety rather than punt.

In spite of the lopsided score, it wasn’t perfect game for Massillon.  Two areas need to be improved upon.  The first is in the passing game, where the two quarterbacks combined for three interceptions.  The first was a pick-6, the second was a long pass thrown up for grabs and the third appeared to be off-target.  The other area is with the pass rush.  The blitzers seemed to always pinch in rather than contain to the edges.  That allowed the QB to constantly escape the rush from either side.

Next week the Tigers (3-0) will entertain Elkhart, Indiana (1-2).  Mansfield (1-2) will play league rival West Holmes (2-1) in a match that may determine the eventual Cardinal Conference champion.

2023: Massillon 56, Canton GlenOak 7

Massillon Makes Short Work of Canton GlenOak

Game Statistics

Every car owner knows that periodically they must check under the hood to see if everything is running okay.  A football team can apply that same reasoning, as they search for inherent defects in their play schemes.  That was the case on Friday for Massillon in the game against local rival Canton GlenOak.  And if the 56-7 shellacking of the Golden Eagles is any indication, the Tiger engine is purring along just fine.

For GlenOak, however, it was a different story.  But not necessarily a bad one.  Surely, they were playing a team that was a good bit above their level.  But it was an opportunity to have their weaknesses exposed as they prepare for a slate that is more suitable to their liking, one against their Federal League brethren.

As was the case in last week’s game against Valdosta, Massillon went immediately to the air the first time they touched the ball.  It might have been that the Tigers are breaking in some running backs that have limited varsity experience and they wanted the ball more in the hands of their two very talented quarterbacks along with their speedy receiving corps.  Or it might have been that mismatches were evident in the Eagle secondary and the coaches deemed that was the area to exploit.  Regardless of the reasoning, positive results were found immediately.

On the first play from scrimmage quarterback Da’one Owens completed a 23-yard pass to fullback (yes, fullback!!!) Deangelo Zimmerman, giving the Tigers a first down at the GlenOak 33.  Then Owens completed the drive with a perfectly thrown pass to Jacques Carter for the touchdown.  It was the first of five first-quarter TDs enroute to a 49-0 halftime lead.

With the Tigers quarterbacks alternating possessions throughout the first unit’s time on the field, it was now Jalen Slaughter’s turn to enter the fray.  A 40-yard pass to Carter on his first play advanced the ball to the Eagle 4 yard line, from where Micheal Wright Jr. powered it in for the score.

After that, the points continued to rain down.  A 30-yard pass from Owens to Kyler Wiggins, who continues to make spectacular catches in coverage.  A 3-yard run by Dorian Pringle.  A 30-yard pass from Owens to Wiggins.  A 71-yard pass from Slaughter to Carter.  And a 36-yard pass from Slaughter to Zimmerman to end the half.  As is the norm, the first unit saw one possession in the second half, with Mylen Lenix carrying the ball in from the 15.

Meanwhile, the Tigers punted just once, while GlenOak managed just four first downs.  The Massillon defense controlled the action and was stifling against both the run and the pass, except for on one Eagle drive that ended near the goal line when they fumbled the ball into the end zone for a touchback.

The two quarterbacks ended up a combined 9 of 15 passing for 278 yards and 5 touchdowns.  On the ground the Tigers gained 183 yards, led by Peytton Mitchel, who carried 12 times for 127 yards.  In spite of averaging 7.6 yards per carry, the running game was sluggish at times on account of GlenOak blitzing on nearly every down after falling behind in an attempt to halt the passing barrage.  The blitz also clogged up the running lanes.  But it had minimal effect on the passing game, as no sacks were recorded and the quarterbacks easily eluded the rush to complete passes.  Overall, Massillon gained 467 yards (11.7 ave.), their second straight 400+ yard game.

GlenOak got on the board on the second to last play in the game when Avante Burt scored from the one on fourth down against the Massillon backups.  The Eagle rushing attack was stymied for most of the night until Adrion Burt moved to the quarterback position.  He ended up rushing for 54 yards, while teammate Jamar Johnson had 81.  But the two quarterbacks completed only 5 of 18 passes for 77 yards.

Massillon will host Mansfield (1-1) next week, while GlenOak is home to Austintown Fitch, a future Tiger opponent.  The game will surely give fans a chance to compare scores.

Go Tigers!

2023 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Valdosta;…

2023 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Valdosta; Preview of the GlenOak Game

Massillon (1-0) overcame a 14-0 deficit last Friday and defeated Valdosta, Georgia (0-1), 28-17.  This week the Tigers face Canton GlenOak (1-0) in the 19th renewal of this local rivalry.  Massillon defeated the Eagles last year 35-7 and leads the overall series, 14-4.

At halftime of the Valdosta game, the 2023 inductees for the Tiger Football Hall of Fame and the Massillon Wall of Champions  were introduced.  They include:

• Arvine “Tink” Ulrich – First Booster Club President, Hall of Fame
• Gary Vogt – Past Booster Club President and current Club Historian, Hall of Fame
• Larry Larsuel – Football player, Hall of Fame
• Devin Smith – Football player, Hall of Fame
• Ron Ertle – Football player, Hall of Fame
• Rick Spielman – Football player, former general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Wall of Champions

Link to the Valdosta Game Story

Link to the Valdosta Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron Ellet, 20-0.  This week they defeated GlenOak, 20-6.
• 8th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron Ellet, 12-8.  Plays home to GlenOak on Wednesday, August 23, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (1-0): Defeated Lakewood St. Edward, 34-0.  Plays at GlenOak on Thursday, August 24, at 6:00 pm.  Against St. Eds the freshmen rolled up over 250 yards of offense in the first half, leading 21-0.  The Eagles never penetrated beyond the Massillon 45 yard line throughout the game.
• Junior Varsity (0-1): Lost to Lakewood St. Edward, 21-7, in an evenly played game.  Plays home vs. GlenOak on Saturday, August 26, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Valdosta game

“It was an historic game,” said Head Coach Nate Moore.  “Win 933.  Historic win.  Fifty years in the making.  So proud of our kids.”  Moore was also appreciated the support of the Massillon crowd.  “You guys were phenomenal,” he said.  “It gave us an advantage.  Our guys could feel the energy.”

Valdosta struck early with a long run, followed by a touchdown a few plays later, off a formation that hadn’t been shown during the pre-season.  But the defense immediately made the proper adjustments and held the Wildcats to a mere 40 yards on the ground the rest of the night.  “The defense did a great job adjusting to the unbalanced looks,” said Moore.  “We want to close the gaps and build a wall.  We had lots of guys running to the ball.

Offensively, Moore said the Tigers’ first drive was looking good until they were flagged with a chop block at the Valdosta 33 that set them back.  Eventually, they were forced to punt.  But in the long run Massillon just made more plays.  More than Valdosta.  “Our kids played with great effort,” he said.  “Against good teams you need to make the plays.”  Meanwhile, after the Wildcats’ first two scores on back-to-back possessions they appeared to wane on defense and the players just started running after the ball rather than playing good assignment football.

Moore also singled out the specialty teams.  Good kicks and coverage in kickoffs.

Statistically, Daone Owens’ 241 yards rushing in a single game ranks 10th all-time among all players.  The mark also the most ever gained by a Massillon quarterback in a single game.  His 18.5 yards per carry ranks second all-time among all players.

The guest players were offensive lineman Sam Snodgrass and safety Ryan Page.  “We were very proud of playing in that game,” said Snodgrass.  “We started out slow (negative 13 yards rushing in the first half).  We didn’t plan on that happening.  I challenged our offensive line.”  The Tigers ended up rushing for 361 yards the rest of the way.

“We plan on starting out strong the rest of the year,” added Page.  It was such an historic game and an honor to play in it.”  Both Page and Snodgrass agreed that near the end of the second quarter Valdosta appeared gassed and the game started to turn in the Tigers’ favor.

Statistics leaders:

• Da’one Owens: 5 of 10 passing for 59 yards, 0 interceptions and 0 touchdowns; 13 carries for 241 yards (18.5) and 2 touchdowns
• Jalen Slaughter: 4 of 9 passing for 25 yards, 0 interceptions and 0 touchdowns
• Dorian Pringle: 13 carries for 65 yards (5.0); 2 touchdowns; 5.0 tackle points; 1 sack
• Kyler Wiggins: 4 receptions for 56 yards, 0 touchdowns
• Ja’Meir Gamble: 3 receptions for 29 yards, 0 touchdowns
• Ryan Page: 4.0 tackle points
• Zach Liebler: 4.0 tackle points
• Vito McConnell: 1 pass interception returned for 16 yards
• Team offense: 43 carries for 348 yards (8.1)

Canton GlenOak Scouting Report

GlenOak features two outstanding athletes in the Burt brothers.  Senior Avantae Burt (5′-9″, 170) starts at wide receiver, but will also play some running back.  Junior Adrion Burt (6′-1″, 190) starts at outside linebacker and backs up at quarterback, from where he will mostly run the ball.  Last year Avantae was the starting running back and he carried the ball 17 times for 21 yards.  Adrion started at quarterback and completed 3 of 7 passes for 31 yards and was sacked four times.  Shortly after he was replaced and moved to another position.

This year’s starting quarterback is senior Cole Anderson (6′-0″, 165), who is the better thrower of the two.  The starting running back is Jamar Johnson (5′-11″, 200).  He is physical and has good speed.  Avantae Burt is the best wide receiver and GlenOak is most effective when the ball is in his hands.  Also, keep an eye on speedy wide receiver Katour Ashcraft (6′-2″, 180).  The offensive line is on the smaller side and averages 6′-0″, 238.

Scheme-wise, some of the things they do resemble the Tigers.  Yet, they do add a few wrinkles, using the tight end more and utilizing some pistol formations.

Defensively, the 3-man front lacks size, averaging 6′-1″, 224.  The best player in this group is nose tackle, 2-way player Magueyal (5′-10″, 240), who comes off the ball well.  Cornerback Brailon Wilcox (5′-9″, 160) leads the secondary.  He has good speed and can close the gap on coverage.

2023 Massillon Tiger Captains

Go Tigers!

2023: Massillon 28, Valdosta, Georgia, 17

Tigers Stiffen, Mount a Comeback in Classic Game

Game Statistics

It was billed as a classic game, involving two of the winningest programs in the country, and it absolutely lived up to its billing.  Stifling defenses.  Big plays.  Outstanding individual performances.  A large, noisy crowd.  All coupled with the electricity of a season-opening game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  In the end it was Massillon that overcame an early 2-touchdown deficit to overtake Valdosta, Georgia, 28-17.

Both teams were loaded with athletic speedsters and ultimately it was their big plays that factored the most in the outcome for each team.  On Valdosta’s first play from scrimmage running back Shakevious Wright skirted the right end and wasn’t stopped until he was run down by Kyler Wiggins at the Massillon ten.  Just prior to the play the Wildcats had shifted their tight end and fullback from the left edge to the right edge and the Tigers didn’t adjust.  For it was all about the numbers in their offense in that Valdosta was trying to place more blockers than defenders at the point of attack.  Three plays later the Wildcats were in the endzone when quarterback Todd Robinson hit Eli Lewis on a 16-yard pass.

Following a Massillon punt, Valdosta struck again, this time on a 63-yard pass from Robinson to Prince Jean.  Off an outlet pass, coupled by some good blocking near the line of scrimmage, the potential Tiger tacklers just couldn’t get into position to make the play.  Once the speedy Jean got going there was catching him.  Suddenly, the Tigers were down 14-0 and it wasn’t looking good.  Especially with Massillon having gained just 13 yards through the first quarter of play.

Throughout the early part of the game the Tigers were swapping quarterbacks within each possession, between Jalen Slaughter and Daone Owens.  Slaughter appeared to be the main QB, as he seemed to be favored for passing, while Owens was used in play situations.  But, with the running game totally stymied and the Wildcats utilizing close man-to-man coverage in the secondary, the offense just wasn’t getting untracked.

So, in the middle of the second quarter, on the Tigers’ fourth possession of the night, Coach Nate Moore went to Plan B.  The Tigers lined up with three wide receivers, a wing-back on each side of the five linemen and Owens alone in the backfield.  From there, he became the running back and was able to effectively use his running skills, while the line blocked like on traditional running plays.  On Owens’ first attempt he alluded a few tacklers at the line of scrimmage and then it was a foot race to the endzone, eventually being caught at the Valdosta five.  Four plays later the Tigers chalked up their first touchdown of the night on a 1-yard run by Dorian Pringle.  Vinny Keller then kicked his first of four extra points.

Two series later Valdosta had driven the ball to the Massillon 37, but Vito McConnell came up with a big interception to squash the attempt.  The Tigers then drove to the Wildcat 13, but ran out of time.  So, at the half it was 14-7.

Massillon stayed with Owens to start the second half and on the first play he once again got into the Valdosta secondary and sped 69 yards for the tying score.  The Tigers tacked on the go-ahead points when Pringle capped off a 55-yard drive with a 21-yard run.  Valdosta responded with a 49-yard pass from Robinson to Jamill Williams, advancing the ball to the Massillon 8.  But they failed to move any further and settled for a 29-yard field goal.

Two series later the Tigers put up the clinching points when Owens broke free on a 65-yard touchdown run, making the final score 28-17.  Owens finished the night rushing 13 times for 241 yards.  The total yards places him 9^th in the Massillon record book and his 18.5 yards per carry is 2^nd.

Overall, in spite of gaining just 13 yards in the first quarter, Tigers rolled up 432 yards of offense.  The ground game accounted for 348 yards and the two quarterbacks combined completed 9 of 19 passes for 84 yards.  Meanwhile, Valdosta rushed for 110 yards, 80 of which came on their first play.  In the air, Robinson hit 12 of 24 for 211 yards and two touchdowns.

For a first game of the season, with limited preparation time, it was a very well-played game between two outstanding teams stocked with many experienced players.  Four intangibles, however, made the difference.  First, Massillon was able to find the answer to breaking the Wildcat defense with the use of Owens in the empty backfield formation.  Second, the Tigers were able to make the necessary adjustments to shut down the Valdosta offense.  Following their two touchdowns and aside from the one long pass, the Wildcats gained just 78 yards.  Third, Valdosta was flagged for 14 penalties, accounting for 124 yards.  And fourth, the Wildcat quarterback, who is a great runner, began cramping up in the middle of the second quarter and was relegated the rest of the night to handing off the ball and throwing passes, while eliminating the option plays.  Nevertheless, they did account for 321 yards of total offense.

Next week Massillon will face Canton GlenOak.

How to Video Stream the Massillon vs. Valdosta Game

How to Video Stream the Massillon vs. Valdosta Game

At the top of any website page on this site click “Tickets and Streaming.”

Click “Streaming (OHSAA/Boxcast).”

Click “Football.”

Select the Massillon-Valdosta game.

Click “Purchase Ticket ($9.99).”

Complete your order.

Some Big Games On Tap for the Week 1…

Some Big Games On Tap for the Week 1 Slate

Valdosta, GA at Massillon – The Nation’s No. 1 winningest team, Valdosta, vs. No. 4 at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  It doesn’t get any better than this.  Last year the Wildcats finished 8-3, losing in the first round of the playoffs.  However, they did beat their local rival, Lowndes, 13-6.  Massillon posted a 12-2 record and a spot in the Division 2 state semifinals.  Big wins came against Lakewood St. Edward, 31-28, Austintown Fitch, 49-28 and Canton McKinley, 23-13.  Both Massillon and Valdosta are loaded with returning talent.

Lakewood St. Edward vs. Center Grove, IN – Last year the Eagles finished 15-1 and captured the
Division 1 state championship with a 28-14 victory over Springfield.  Their lone loss was 31-28 to Massillon in the regular season.  But they defeated Division 2 champion Toledo Central, 23-20, Cincinnati Elder, 17-14, and Cincinnati Moeller, 6-0.  Center Grove recorded a 12-2 mark and finished in their 5-round playoffs as the best team in Indiana.  Both teams are early favorites to repeat as state champions.

Ben Davis, IN at Cincinnati Moeller – Always strong Ben Davis is coming off an uncharacteristic 6-4 season, with a 35-34 loss to state champ Center Grove.  The Crusaders, having rebounded from several substandard years, finished 13-2, with two victories over Cincinnati St. Xavier, 20-17 and 28-7, a 42-14 win over Elder and a 38-20 victory over Lakota West.  The regular season loss was 6-0 to Lakewood St. Edward.  Their season came to an end in the Division 1 state semifinals with a 28-24 loss to Springfield.

Lakota West at Cincinnati St. Xavier – Lakota West, the top team in the Greater Miami Conference, was unbeaten through thirteen games last year, including wins over Cincinnati St. Xavier, 16-13, and Cincinnati Elder, 30-10.  But the run ended in the regional finals where they lost 38-20 to Moeller.  St. Xavier lost 28-7 to Moeller in Round 2 of the playoffs.  Last year Lakota West prevailed in this game 16-13.

Pickerington North at Cincinnati Elder – It’s the Ohio Capital Conference versus the Greater Catholic League in this intriguing matchup.  North finished 8-4 last year, defeating Upper Arlington in the regular season, 18-13, but losing 28-20 to Pickerington Central in the playoffs.  Elder finished 10-4, with wins over Pickerington Central, 17-7, and St. Xavier, 42-10.  In the playoffs, they lost 30-10 to Lakota West.

Hudson at Medina Highland – This is a battle of D2 teams from opposing divisions of the Suburban League.  Both finished the regular season last year undefeated.  In the playoffs Hudson defeated a good Walsh Jesuit team, 34-7, and a rising Painsville Riverside, 16-14, but ended up losing 41-7 to Akron Hoban in the regional finals.  Meanwhile, Highand lost 42-6 in Round 2 to eventual state champ Toledo Central.

Cincinnati Colerain at Cincinnati LaSalle – Neither of these teams has been playing up to par of late, but a win for one of them may provide a kick start to better times.  Last year Colerain finished 4-7 and LaSalle ended up 2-9, with LaSalle winning the season opener against these two teams, 17-13.  The big money this time around is on Colerain.

Mansfield at Akron St. Vincent – The Tygers last year recorded a 10-3 record with a 42-7 shellacking of North Canton Hoover coupled with a 33-0 loss to Massillon, both in the regular season.  In the Division 3 playoffs they lost 17-16 in Round 3 to Cleveland Holy Name.  The Irish finished 8-4, posting a 21-14 win over Austintown Fitch before losing 47-7 to Akron Hoban in the 3^rd round of the Division 2 playoffs.

Cleveland St. Ignatius vs. Springfield – Last year’s game was rained out, but the Wildcats may wish this one will be rained out as well.  Ignatius is very young this year, with a new coach, and is just not the same team they were a few years ago.  But they can still be competitive.  In 2022 they finished 7-4 with a 24-21 win over St. Xavier and a 28-7 loss to St. Edward in Round 3 of the playoffs.  Meanwhile, Springfield, at 14-2, with two wins over Centerville and a win over Huber Heights Wayne, advanced to state finals for the second consecutive year, before losing to St. Eds 28-14.

Steubenville at Youngstown Ursuline – Steubenville finished 12-3 in 2022, with a 32-20 loss to Cincinnati Wyoming in the Division 4 state semifinals.  Ursuline was 10-3, losing 33-25 in Round 3 of the Division 3 playoffs to eventual state champ Canfield.