2022 Booster Club Report – Week 14 – Post-Uniontown…

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 14 – Post-Uniontown Lake

Massillon (12-1) defeated Uniontown Lake (12-2), 24-6, to run their winning streak to 12 games and advance in the playoffs.  It was all-time win No. 932, which ranks 3rd in the nation.  The Tigers will play next against Akron Hoban (13-1) in the state semi finals, this Friday at 7:00 pm at The University of Akron’s Infocision Stadium.

GAME STORY

PLAYOFF BRACKET

Uniontown Lake

Massillon captured its 15th all-time regional playoff title in a game played at Parma Byers Field. The halftime lead was only 9-0, but could have much greater, save for a stop at the one yard line on their first possession and a fumble at the five near the end of the half.  Nevertheless, Massillon was in control for the entire game and had it salted away midway through the fourth when quarterback Jalen Slaughter connected with Dorian Pringle on a 5-yard touchdown pass.

The playing conditions were miserable for the players, who were forced to battle the sub-freezing cold, a 20 mph wind and an icy playing surface.  “The field was full of ice,” said Head Coach Nate Moore, who thought the game managers could have scraped it one more time before kickoff.  “It was a dangerous playing surface.  And it’s not nice to be tackled on.  The cold was not a big deal, but the wind was.  The wind was affecting the ball differently on each side of the field.”  So, the Tigers were limited to the most part with tag screens to the sidelines.  But in spite of those constraints, the Tigers still managed to roll up 293 yards of offense. But they did it more by tip-toeing to stay upright rather than all-out running.

“I’m really proud of our guys, taking on the Federal League Player of the Year and the Federal League Coach of the Year,” said Moore in jest.  “We couldn’t have started any better,” Moore remarked more seriously, referring to Zach Liebler’s 40-yard kickoff return to midfield to start the game.  Although the Tigers were stopped at the one yard line on their first drive, they tackled Lake in the end zone for a safety on their initial play after taking over the ball.  After the kick from the 20, they then they drove 49 yards in ten plays to go up 7-0, all while consuming the remaining time in the first quarter.  “We just continued to play,” said Moore.  “The defense had an unbelievable game.  Very dominant in a regional final.”

Willtrell Hartson led all rushers with 40 carries for 175 yards a touchdown.  His season total now stands at 1,976 yards, which ties Travis McGuire, who set the record in 1991.  But let’s not forget Pringle in this phase of the game, who time and again entered on 3rd and short to help his team to a first down.

Meanwhile, the defense ruled the night, holding the Blue Streaks to 65 total yards, with zero yards gained on the ground.  Lake’s lone touchdown came late in the game against the second team.  The defense also recorded seven tackles-for-loss, which brings their season total to 106, setting a new Massillon team record.  The previous record was held by the 2005 team, which advanced to the Division 1 state finals.  They are also one quarterback sack shy of tying that record, also set in 2005.

Guest players were Christian Kring, Cody Fair, Ardell Banks and De’Airre Pringle.

Stat leaders:

• Running back Willtrell Hartson: 40 attempts for 175 yards and 1 touchdown
• Running back Dorian Pringle: 13 carries for 46 yards and 1 touchdown; 1 receiving touchdown
• Quarterback Jalen Slaughter: 11 for 17 for 52 yards and 1 touchdown
• Wide receiver Kyler Wiggins: 9 receptions for 46 yards
• Linebacker Dorian Pringle: 4.5 (3-3) tackle points
• Safety Ryan Page: 4.0 (4-0) tackle points
• Linebacker Cody Fair: 4.0 (2-4) tackle points; 1.0 tackles-for-loss
• Special teams player Zach Liebler: kickoff return for 40 yards

Akron Hoban

Hoban finished first in Region 5 with a 9-1 record and is currently 13-1.  Their lone loss was a 41-20 setback in Week 10 to Lake St. Edward, a team that Massillon defeated 31-28 in Week 5.  Their regular season signature win this year came against Walsh Jesuit (8-3), 32-20.  They average 40 points per game and give up 14.  The offense is led by running back running Lamar Sperling, who last week against Hudson rushed 34 times for 256 yards and five touchdowns.

Playoff wins were as follows:

• Willoughby South (4-7): 57-14
• Barberton (7-5): 31-13
• Akron St. Vincent (8-4): 47-7
• Hudson (13-1): 41-7

According to Moore, this is a very good football team with a lot of good players.  Very good up front, with an all-state caliber running back.

On offense, the Knights use several formations, including a lot of bunch sets, where two fullbacks and a wide receiver line up on the edge of the offensive line to create massive interference for the running back on a toss sweeps.  They will also use an alignment whereby Sperling lines up in the pistol with a running back on either side of the quarterback.

Obviously, the offense revolves around 2000-yard rusher Sperling (5-10, 190).  He is a great running back.  As good as Massillon has seen this year.  Very active feet.  Strong and fast.  Will need to gang tackle him.  Will also line up at wide receiver and become the primary target.  So, the Tigers will need to know where he is on every play.  Sperling has committed to Buffalo.

The quarterback is 5-star recruit junior Jacqai Long (6-2, 195), a recent transfer from West Virginia.  He replaces senior Jayvian Crable, who struggled at the position last year.  Long has good arm strength and accuracy.  Athletic and will run some.  He is very effective at what he does (mostly giving the ball to Sperling).

The Knights use four wide receivers.  The best among them is Crable (6-2), 210.  He has very good hands, is big and strong and runs good routes with decent speed.

The offensive line is good as a group, with the best player being senior right guard Drew Holt (6-1, 285).  Right Tackle junior William Satterwhite (6-5, 290) has offers from Kentucky, Michigan State and Pittsburgh.  The line averages 6′-3″, 311 lbs.

The defense aligns in a 4-3 with cover-2.  When two receivers are on one side of the field, they drop a safety down into press coverage against the slot and go to cover-1.  The strength of the defense is the front-7.  Expect a blitz around 30% of the time.

The best player on the defense line is 4-year starter senior Jason Martin (5-11, 295).  He plays like a bigger version of Massillon’s Mike Wright Jr.  Comes off the ball well and is a good at penetrating the line.  The group averages 6′-1″, 253 lbs.

Two linebackers stand out.  The Sam is junior Caleb Jones (5-9, 180), who will play both inside and outside.  He is physical, a great tackler and has quick reactions.  The Mike is junior Rickey Williams (6-1, 220).  He is physical and plays downhill.  A good tackler.

The best defensive back is junior Tysen Campbell (5-11, 170), who has offers from  Michigan and Kentucky.

Massillon is considered the home team for this game.  However, fans will sit on the visitors side.

Massillon

The Tigers with their 12-1 record are bidding for their 25th state title and first since the playoffs were initiated in 1972.  They participated in the playoff state finals in six previous years, losing three times in Division 1 (1980, 1982, 2005) and three times in Division 2 (2018, 2018, 2020).  They average 37 points per game and give up 15.  On offense, they are successful on third down conversions 50% of the time, which is the best all-time performance in at least the last twenty years.  Defensively, Massillon holds opponents to 2.6 yards per rushing attempt, the Tigers’ best all-time mark during the era of the spread offense.

Massillon is led by senior running back Willtrell Hartson, who has gained 1,976 yards (6.3 ave.) and scored 30 rushing touchdowns.  Sophomore quarterback Jalen Slaughter has completed 124 of 222 passes (56%) for 1,843 yards and 23 touchdowns.  Three players have caught at least 30 passes: senior Ardell Banks (33-779-12), sophomore Braylyn Toles (33-441-5) and junior Kyler Wiggins (31-331-2).  The leading tackler is junior Dorian Pringle, who has 63.5 (45-37) tackle points, 18.0 tackles-for-loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks and one fumble recovery.  Other defenders recording excellent tackle numbers include junior Cody Fair (58.5), junior Ryan Page (57.5), and senior De’Airre Pringle (52.0).  Hartson and Banks have several Division 1 offers, while defensive lineman Marcus Moore has accepted an offer from The University of Akron.

2022: Massillon 24, Uniontown Lake 6

Tigers Brave the Weather, Defeat Lake to Win Regional Title

STATS

BRACKET

In a parody of the 1942 film Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart, Woody Allen released a movie in 1972 called, “Play It Again, Sam.”  The Massillon football team must have spent Thursday evening watching the big screen, because they copied that movie script to the letter.  “Play It Again, Sam.”  And that they did.  Using a low-risk “ground-and-pound” offense and a stifling defense, they completely dismantled Uniontown Lake 24-6 to capture their 15th all-time OHSAA regional championship.  Next up is Akron Hoban in a state semifinal match.  The game will be held on Friday at The University of Akron’s Infocision Stadium.  Hoban defeated Hudson 41-7 to advance in Region 5.

The win came in spite of playing on a bitter cold night, with 15-degree wind chill and large portions of snow on the field making the footing a little dicey.  It was also particularly difficult for any offense going against the wind.  Plus, the quarterbacks just couldn’t grip the ball well and had trouble adjusting to the wind.

Lake came into the game with a lone loss, coming to Canton McKinley in Week 7.  The rest of the Federal League fell victum.  To their advantage was a powerful ground game and a physical defense that many expected would permit them to go toe-to-toe with Massillon.  But their offense was bottled up nearly the entire night and only scored after the Tigers inserted their second unit.  Meanwhile, their defense did play hard, better than most previous Massillon opponents, statistics-wise.  But they just couldn’t get off the field when it mattered.  So, Lake bows out at 12-2, having concluded one of their best seasons in many years.

The Tiger offense did what it had done over the past many weeks.  They ran Willtrell Hartson on first down.  Then they ran him on second down.  Finally, faced with a third and short, they brought in 220 lb. Dorian Pringle for the 2-back set and ran either back for the first down. Once in awhile, they sprinkled in a tag screen for added effect.  It’s a throwback to the 1970s and it can be a bit boring for the fans, but it absolutely works.  Sixty-three times they ran the ball, exceeded this year only by the 64 rushes versus Austintown Fitch.  With just 17 passes thrown, the run-pass ratio was 79%, much greater than a traditional spread offense ratio of 60%.  Of course, the effect is to wear down the opponent, which this year Lake had only seen up to 45 rushes against them by any other opponent.

Hartson finished the night with 40 carries, his highest total of the year, equaling that of the Fitch game.  He also had 175 yards, his third highest of the year, to go along with one touchdown.  With those 175 yards, he has now accumulated 1,976 total yards, matching that of Travis McGuire, who set this mark in 1991.  Coincidentally, McGuire is Hartson’s running backs coach.  For sure, McGuire is proud of this achievement.

Pringle rushed 13 times for 46 yards and a touchdown and also caught a touchdown pass.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter was limited mostly to tag screens and completed 11 of 17 for 52 yards.  Enough to keep the defense honest.  On the receiving end was Kyler Wiggins, who caught nine passes for 46 yards.

On defense, the Tigers plainly and simply overmatched the Blue Streaks.  Lake failed to gain a single net yard on the ground.  Whatever minimal yardage was gained, was quickly negated by quarterback sacks.  They tried every kind of running play in their arsenal and nothing seemed to work.  Some success was achieved early off of tag screens because the corners were playing back.  But after they were brought up, those passes weren’t there.  In the second quarter the Blue Streaks managed to drive to the Massillon 13 yards line, and faced a comfortable second and five situation.  But the Tigers quickly snuffed that with three consecutive quarterback sacks.  It was the last time Lake would threaten until after the second unit was inserted.

Massillon received the opening kickoff, which Zach Liebler returned to the Tiger 48, setting his team up in great field position.  From that point, the offense went to work using the play-calling philosophy described above.  It worked well until they were near the goal line when Lake stopped the drive at the one yard line.  So Lake took over.  But the snap was fumbled in the end zone and the miscue resulted in a safety.

Massillon’s second drove went much better, when they drove 49 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown, with Hartson going in from the four on the first play of the second quarter.  And that was all of the scoring for the first half.  The other three Tiger possessions ended in a punt and two fumbles, the second occurring at the Lake five yard line.

In the first possession of the third quarter, the Tigers drove 49 yards in 10 plays and scored when Pringle bulled in from the two.  A third TD was added in the fourth on a 5-yard pass to Pringle, essentially putting the game out of reach for the Blue Streaks.  After an exchange of punts, the backups were inserted.  Up to that point Lake had gained negative 18 yards on the ground and 39 yards in the air, all while failing to score.

Starting field position also played a role in the outcome, with Massillon starting on average at their own 43 and Lake at their own 27.

Pringle once again led the team in tackle points, this time with 4.5.  Ryan Page and Cody Fair each had 4.0.  Maverick  Clark recovered a fumble.

Writer’s note: If there was ever a case to be made for Stark County Player of  the Year, it would be for Pringle.  On defense he plays like Chris Spielman and leads the team in both tackles (63.5) and tackles-for-loss (18.0).  The TFL number ties the all-time season record set by Caiden Woullard.  He also has 5.5 sacks.  And don’t forget his play at the end of the St. Edward game, where he caused and recovered a fumble that led to Massillon’s victory.  Then there is his offensive play: 51 carries for 291 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt.  Finally, he was instrumental in helping his team to a regional title.  The coaches of Stark County really missed on this one.

‘Outmatched and undermanned’: Massillon football too much for Lake in OHSAA regional final

By Josh Weir, The Repository

PARMA — A night such as Friday — with 20 mile-per-hour winds making 27 degrees feel like 14 — meant dealing with the elements as much as the opponent.

Massillon’s high school football team handled both like a champion.

The Tigers defense stonewalled Lake on a stone-cold night and got enough support from its offense to win the Division II, Region 7 final 24-6 at Parma’s Byers Field.

“At this point, it’s just win,” Massillon head coach Nate Moore said about his team’s mindset in dealing with the circumstances of Friday. “We won the ballgame and we live to fight another day.”

The Tigers’ fifth regional championship in the last six years sets up another meeting with old friend Hoban, which beat Hudson 41-7 in the Region 5 final.

Massillon (12-1) will face Hoban (13-1) the day after Thanksgiving at the University of Akron in a 7 p.m. state semifinal.

Massillon outrushed Lake 241-2, with senior Willtrell Hartson running for 175 yards and a touchdown on a workman-like 40 carries. Junior Dorian Pringle produced an outstanding overall game, running for a 2-yard touchdown, catching a 5-yard TD pass from Jalen Slaughter and keying the defensive effort at linebacker.

“We ain’t satisfied,” Hartson said. “We’ve got two more weeks to go.”

Hartson’s 175 yards tie him with Travis McGuire for most single-season rushing yards in Massillon history at 1,976. McGuire, the running backs coach at Massillon today, set the mark in 1991.

Lake’s defense came to play, holding the Tigers to 3.8 yards a carry in a game that turned into a between-the-tackles battle royale thanks to the howling wind.

“It was tough sledding,” Moore said. “You’ve got to give credit to Lake. They were physical and well-coached. We had to grind it out. There wasn’t a whole lot of explosive plays. But we were able to grind out first downs and pick up several fourth downs. Possessing the ball, especially going into the wind, was key.”

Possess the ball they did. Lake ran one play in the first quarter, and it resulted in points for the Tigers.

The Blue Streaks had just stopped Hartson at the 1 on fourth-and-goal (the 16th play of Massillon’s opening drive). Lake fumbled the ensuing quarterback-center exchange in the end zone. Running back Matt Sollberger picked up the loose ball but was dropped for a safety by Massillon linebacker Maverick Clark.

The Tigers then marched 49 yards in 10 plays, ending with Hartson’s 3-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter.

“It was a great start to the game,” Moore said. “We started into the wind, which was tough. But our backs ran hard and our offensive line played really well and we were able to pick up first downs on the ground and possess the ball.”

At that point, Massillon had run 26 plays to Lake’s one and led 9-0.

Lake’s next play was a high snap that led to a 4-yard loss, followed by a snap completely over the head of quarterback Cale Jarvis for an 11-yard loss.

“We lost our center from last week, so we had another guy playing center and that showed on that first drive,” Lake head coach Dan DeGeorge said. “We were just outmatched and undermanned tonight. Massillon is a very good football team.”

In a season partially defined by overcoming injuries, they finally seemed too much for Lake (12-2). At least they were in facing a team the caliber of Massillon.

Lake needed to be at its best to have a shot at knocking off the Tigers in the first ever matchup between the two Stark County programs.

Instead, the Blue Streaks had to battle like wounded animals.

Sollberger reaggravated the ankle injury that knocked him out of last week’s regional semifinal on Friday’s first play, and this was not an ideal night to be without a 1,200-yard running back.

Lake also was without All-Federal League punter Celton Dutton because of a fractured arm, forcing junior Nate Baker to do the punting on top of filling in at running back some, playing wide receiver and starting in the defensive secondary.

The Blue Streaks, who lost three starting defensive linemen to season-ending injuries during the course of the year, watched two more (Riley Fuimaono and Nate Sponseller) be helped off in Friday’s second half.

Squinting as the brutal wind beat against his face, DeGeorge said, “It was a tough night to play. This is one of the worst nights I’ve coached in. But my kids kept fighting.”

When Lake found any kind of spark offensively, Massillon’s defense was there to snuff it out.

The Blue Streaks drove to Massillon’s 13 late in the second quarter. Massillon’s Malachi Card, Michael Wright Jr. and Brandon Carman answered with three straight sacks of Jarvis to force a turnover on downs.

Lake had a fourth-and-1 in Massillon territory on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the 5-foot-11, 220-pound Pringle drilled 6-3, 215-pound Will Butler and jarred the ball loose for another stop.

Lake finished with 64 yards of offense on 36 plays.

“Our coordinators Craig McConnell and Spencer Leno did a phenomenal job prepping for these guys and our kids just go out and play hard and run to the football and defeat blocks,” Moore said. “That’s really what defense is all about. Do your job.”

Kyler Wiggins caught nine passes for 46 yards to give some balance to Massillon, which lost two fumbles and was penalized six times for 65 yards.

Sollberger reentered the game late and scored on an 18-yard run to avoid the shutout for Lake. Butler, the Federal League Player of the Year, had 11 yards on 12 carries. Jarvis was 6-of-12 passing for 62 yards, with Baker catching four of the passes for 43 yards.

Sophomore Charlie Christopher, junior Evan Brady and the senior Butler led a Lake defense that went hit-for-hit with Massillon.

“They’re just tough as nails,” DeGeorge said of his defense. “Half of them are banged up and battling injuries.”

DeGeorge spent a long time on the field afterwards saying good-bye to players who helped Lake win a piece of its first league title since 1998. Before this postseason, the Blue Streaks had won one playoff game since their 2010 state semifinal team.

“I’m just so happy for the kids, that they got to experience this,” DeGeorge said. “It was great for our community. It put us back on the map a little bit, where we need to be more consistently, and that falls on me. This is something we want to enjoy, but we need to be back here more often.”

Massillon now has won 20 straight games against Stark County teams.

It was a Federal League team (Green) that ended the Tigers’ season in a regional final last year.

They seemed pleased with their regional championship trophy Friday, but there was no big celebration.

Massillon has its sights on a different trophy.

“We have bigger goals than this,” Moore said. “We’re happy to be here. It’s an honor to be here. But at the same time, we’re happy to be moving forward because it puts us in position to reach our ultimate goal.”

These Football Records Have With Stood for Many Years

These Football Records Have With Stood for Many Years

Records are made to be broken.  So goes the cliche goes.  And most are as time moves along.  Take the Olympics, for example.  Not a Games goes on without several records, be-it swimming or track or some other event, going by the wayside.  But some records may never change.  Such is the case for Massillon’s 1922 football squad.

It was a team that finished the season 10-0 under the leadership of Head Coach Dave Stewart.  They outscored their opponents 379-28, with six shutouts, a feat unheard of in that era.  And they were recognized at state champions.

But the 1922 team also had a prolific running back by the name of Edwin “Dutch” Hill, who only played one year for Massillon, after transferring from Pennsylvania, where he had exhausted his eligibility.   Playing for the Tigers, his prowess on the gridiron had an immediate impact.  In the course of ten games, Dutch Hill scored 33 rushing touchdowns and returned a fumble for another to total 204 points, a Massillon single-season scoring record that stands today.  The 204 points was also perhaps the highest total in the country that year.

Hill scored at least one touchdown in every game, including four against both Alliance and Warren, and eight against Akron North in a 94-0 victory in which he set a single-game scoring record of 48 points.  Regarding his performance against North, one sports reporter wrote, “The big fullback gained from five to 10 yards with six or eight Akron players hanging onto him, trying desperately to down him. Other times he bowled the entire Akron team over like a ball knocks over pins on a bowling alley and then would dash away for a touchdown leaving a trail of fallen Akron warriors in his wake.”  Dutch also scored three of the four touchdowns in a 24-0 victory over Canton McKinley.

Against Cleveland Shaw, a 7-6 Tiger win, he left the game ill in the first half, jeopardizing a potential undefeated season.  But he returned late in the second half to complete two passes and then run six straight times, scoring a touchdown with 27 seconds left on 4^th and goal from the one.  Bill Edwards’ drop-kick extra point secured the win.

“He was a big star,” said Bud Houghton, former Massillon player and head coach.  “He was just a big burly guy.  Kind of had a swaggering walk.  He normally plowed over everybody.”  “He was a powerhouse,” said classmate Tom McConnaughy.  “He would take the ball and plow through the other team, knocking them right and left.”

You can read the story of Dutch Hill here.

So, his name dots the Tiger football record book and his records have held up now for exactly one hundred years:

• Single Game Rushing Touchdowns – 8
• Single Game Points – 48
• Single Game total Touchdowns – 8
• Single Season Rushing Touchdowns – 33
• Single Season  Points – 204
• Single Season Total Touchdowns – 34

But guess what!  Three of these records are in sight to be broken this year.  That’s because current Massillon running back Willtrell Hartson is closing fast, on the heels of his 211-yard, 3 touchdown performance last week against Big Walnut.  For the season, he has now rushed for 29 touchdowns, tallied 31 total touchdowns and scored 190 points, with each of these marks ranked second in their respective all-time list.  He needs four rushing TDs to tie Hill.  He needs 3 total TDs to tie Hill.  And he needs 14 points (2 TDs) to tie Hill.  With the Tigers  positioned to potentially play two or three more games, these records are certainly reachable by Hartson.

Here are some other records that have held up over the long haul:

Passing – Single Season Average Yards per Completion: In 1959 Joe Sparma averaged 23.6 yards per completion.  That year he completed 28 of 85 passes for 660 yards, with half of his completions going for touchdowns.  His favorite target was Jim Wood, who averaged 31.1 yards per reception, also a No. 1 record.

Receiving – Single Game Touchdowns: In 1934 Wendell Lohr caught five touchdown passes against Barberton in a 90-0 victory.  I guess with only 41 players on the roster there wasn’t much of a second string to replace Lohr.

Total Offense – Single Season Total Offense: In 1949 Irvin “Ace” Crable averaged 11.3 yards every time he touched the ball.  Crable also gained 1,129 yards that year.

Special Teams – Longest Punt: In 1929 Art McConnel unloaded an 81-yard punt against Warren Harding in a 13-9 loss.

Returns – Longest Fumble Return: In 1924, Bill Price returned a fumble 99 yards for a touchdown against Alliance in a 77-0 victory.  It happened so quickly that Price was fifty yards downfield before anyone knew he had the ball.

Defense – Single Game Total Tackles: And who can forget Chuck Vliet’s miracle performance in the 1950 warren game, when he recorded an unbelievable 42 tackles.  You can read the story here.

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 13 – Post-Big…

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 13 – Post-Big Walnut

Massillon (11-1) defeated Big Walnut (10-3), 42-21 to run their winning streak to 11 games and advance in the playoffs.  The Tigers will play next against Uniontown Lake (12-1) in the regional finals, this Friday at 7:00 pm in Parma Byers Field.

GAME STORY

PLAYOFF BRACKET

Big Walnut

It was a full effort in Massillon’s victory over Big Walnut.  Although the Tigers fell behind 9-0 early on account of a kickoff return to open the game and an interception that was turned into a field goal, they ripped off four unanswered in five possessions to take a commanding 28-9 lead midway through the third quarter.  After that, they simply played good enough to match Big Walnut’s two scores, with one coming against the first unit and the second against the backups. The defense once again played a stellar game, recording 12.0 tackles-for-loss, which is an all-time Top 10 mark.

Massillon has made a fine showing in these early playoff rounds, averaging 41 points a game and giving up 9.  The starting defense, however, is giving up just 3 points a game.

Head Coach Nate Moore said that it was a well-played game.  Very physical. More than in last year’s 38-0 win.  And the Tigers used a good run-pass balance.

Stat leaders:

• Running back Willtrell Hartson: 29 carries for 211 yards and three touchdowns.
• Running Dorian Pringle: 6 carries for 37 yards
• Quarterback Jalen Slaughter: 8 of 14 for 130 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• Wide receiver Braylyn Toles: 6 catches for 110 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Wide receiver Ardell Banks: 2 catches for 20 yards and 1 touchdown
• Linebacker Dorian Pringle: 6.5 tackle points (4-5); 2.5 tackles-for-loss
• Safety Ryan Page: 6.0 tackle points (5-2)
• Linebacker Cody Fair: 5.5 tackle points (3-5); 3.0 tackles-for-loss

Uniontown Lake

Lake is the only Federal League team that Massillon has not played.  That will change on Friday.  This game was anticipated since the start of playoffs, but a damper has been placed over it with the apparent loss of Lake’s star running back Matthew Sollberger.  Coming into last Friday’s game, Sollberger had rushed for 1,213 yards and was a key factor in their 12-1 record.  He will be greatly missed by the Blue Streaks.

Lake’s offense averages 31 points per game, with a run-pass ratio consistently hovering around the 75% mark.  They also average 309 yards per game with their spread offense, with 180 on the ground and 129 in the air.  The quarterback is junior Cale Jarvis (5-10, 290), who had been splitting time with senior William Butler (6-3, 215).  But with the loss of Sollinger, Butler is now the starting running back and Jarvis will play full time at QB.  Jarvis this year has completed 65 of 104 passes (63%) for 1,213 yards (18.7 yards per rec.) and 14 touchdowns, with 6 interceptions.  Butler has rushed for 761 yards (5.1 ave.) and scored 18 touchdowns.  In front of those two is a large offensive line that averages 6-3″, 269 lbs.  At least three of the lineman are considered excellent football players, led by senior Stiles Diesz (6-4, 285).  The primary wide receiver target is All-County senior Dylan Snider (5-11, 165).  Entering last week’s game he had caught 26 passes for 729 and 11 touchdowns.

The defense gives up an average of 12 points per game.  They align in a 4-4 with cover-3, similar to the Tigers’ last three opponents.  The best players are senior defensive lineman Riley Fuimaono (6-1-230) and Snider, who plays safety.

Depth could become a factor for the Blue Streaks as they play no less than six players on each side of the ball.

Both Massillon and Lake have played three common opponents, with Massillon winning all three and Lake winning two:

Massillon

• Canton GlenOak: 35-7
• Canton McKinley: 23-13
• Perry: 48-7

Lake

• Canton GlenOak: 27-20
• Canton McKinley: 26-36 L
• Perry: 35-7

In the McKinley game, Lake led in total yards, 338-298, but suffered two crucial turnovers in their own territory that led to Bulldog scores.  In essence, it was a pretty even game.  But McKinley did run the ball 85% of the time.

Go Tigers!

2022: Massillon 42, Big Walnut 21

Tigers Gut It Out Against Big Walnut, Move to Regional Finals

STATS

BRACKET

In typical playoff game action, both Massillon and Big Walnut competed like it was their last game of the season.  Thus,  it was certainly one of the most physical games these teams have been in the entire year.  It also had big-play moments, both on the ground and in the air.  And the scoring pace was typical of two good teams going at it in this late stage.  But in the end, Massillon just had too many weapons.

The biggest weapon of all was Willtrell Hartson, who rushed 29 times for 211 yards and scored three touchdowns.  It was the 12th consecutive game in which he put up at least 100 yards.  With a season total of 1,801 yards, he now needs just 175 to break Travis McGuire’s 1991 season mark of 1,976 yards.

There have been a few games this year when the Tigers started slowly and then finished strong.  This one can be added to that list.  That’s because Nate Severs, the Golden Eagles stellar running back, returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.  When Massillon got the ball back, they went immediately to the air with a deep pass to Ardell Banks, who had characteristically beaten his defender well down the field.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter also had the wind to his back.  But his foot slipped on the throw causing the ball to fall short and into the hands of Big Walnut’s Teddy Dancer.  The Eagles then drove to the Massillon four yard line, where they were stopped, but settled for a 20-yard field goal.  At this point, the Tigers were down 9-0 and all one could think of was last year’s Green game.

It was time to settle down and play football.  And that they did, proving that this is not last year’s team.  After an exchange of punts, the Tigers scored four unanswered touchdowns on their next five possessions to take a commanding 28-9 lead eight minutes into the third quarter.  During that run, Big Walnut received a steady dose of Hartson, who ended up rushing for over 100 yards in each half.  And when Massillon was faced with short yardage, in came 220 lb. Dorian Pringle, who plowed up the middle for several physical, successful runs.  The Eagles even went to five down linemen win a single linebacker to stop the pounding, but it still wasn’t enough to contain the devastating ground attack.

Score No. 1: 6-play, 55-yard drive; 1-yard TD run by Hartson.  The drive was entirely on the ground.

Score No. 2: 5-play, 50-yard drive; 39-yard pass from Slaughter to Braylyn Toles.  On 1st and 10 from the Big Walnut 39, Slaughter dropped back to pass, stepped up into the pocket and delivered a strike to a wide open Toles, who gathered the ball at the 20 and raced untouched into the end zone.  It came off a classic receiver crossing pattern, during which the safety covered the wrong receiver.  Slaughter recognized the miscue and pounced immediately.  Such is the growth of this sophomore quarterback.  Head Coach Nate Moore remarked earlier this year that the Tigers have scored a lot of touchdowns during his time at Massillon using this play.

Score No. 3: 16-play, 99-yard drive; 4-yard TD run by Hartson.  With a 4th and 15 from the Massillon 35, Big Walnut elected to punt and dropped a beauty at the one yard line .  That set up the longest touchdown drive in Tiger history: 99 yards.  It took four minutes and 18 seconds and culminated in Hartson’s run to the left on an outside zone play.  It came on a 4th and 2 situation, with 17 seconds left in the half.  During the drive, Hartson carried the ball ten times for 54 yards and Pringle added three carries for 22 yards.  In addition, Slaughter hit both of his passes: 11 yards to Toles and 6 yards to Banks.

Score No. 4: 1-play, 74-yard drive; 74-yard TD run by Hartson.  Sooner or later that 5-man defensive front was going to cost Big Walnut.  And it did this time in a big way.  Hartson simply sliipped a tackle on the left side of the line and he was off the the races, his speed to end zone being too much for the Eagle secondary.

The rest of the night was a matter of keeping Big Walnut at bay with aggressive defensive line play.  The Eagles just couldn’t get any rythym going and each time they tried one of their classic screen passes a defender was right there to stop the receiver for little or no gain.  Other than Severs getting his one rushing touchdown, that was pretty much it, except for their final TD at the end of the game against the backups.  Meanwhile, Massillon did not hold back offensively and Slaughter tossed a neat looking pass to Banks in the corner of the end zone for a 17-yard score midway through the fourth.  Another went to Toles a couple minutes later for a 40-yard score on a play similar to his first TD.

The Tigers finished the night with 254 yards rushing (6.2 yards per att.) and 130 yards passing (8 of 14) for a total of 384 yards.  Big Walnut made a good account of themselves with 263 total yards, 131 on the ground (4.4 per att.) and 132 in the air (17 of 31).  Severs finished with 19 carries for 85 yards (4.5 per att.), including his 40-yard touchdown run.  But penalties were an issue for both teams.  Massillon was hit 14 times for 132 yards and the Eagles, 9 times for 77.  The penalties were mostly the result of effort, while one pass interference call on the Tigers in the end zone saved a touchdown when Big Walnut was running a trick play (double lateral, kick back to the quarterback and long pass).

With the win, Massillon (11-1) advances to next week’s regional finals game against 12-1 Uniontown Lake, a 16-7 winner over Westerville South.  Big Walnut bows out at 10-3.

Peter Holland Jr., The Repository

Eight Tigers Named All-Stark County

Eight Tigers Named All-Stark County

WHBC recently announced its all-county team and eight Tigers received honors.  The group was selected by vote of the area coaches.

• Ardell Banks – Senior wide receiver (6-4, 185).  2-year starter.  35 receptions for 759 yards (21.7  ave.) and 11 touchdowns.  Against Lakewood St. Edward, caught five passes for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Also caught six passes for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns against Warren Harding.  Due to his exceptional talent and speed, spent most of the season fighting through double and triple-teaming.  Has several Division 1 offers, including Kentucky, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.  Last year, caught 44 passes for 733 yards (16.7 ave.) and 8 touchdowns.
• Nolan Davenport – Sophomore tight end (6-6, 230).  1st year starter.  Brings an imposing frame to the game.  Used primarily as a blocker.  Helped his team rush for 2,331 yards (212 per game).  Caught a 34-yard touchdown pass against Warren Harding.  Holds an offer from Pittsburgh.
• Willtrell Hartson – Senior running back (5-10, 200).  3rd year starter.  246 attempts (5th all-time) for 1,590 yards (4th all-time).  144.5 yards per game (2nd all-time), 6.5 yards per attempt and 26 touchdowns (3rd all-time).  Eleven consecutive games of 100+ yards (1st all-time). Leading scorer with 170 points (2nd all-time).  In a 49-28 win over Austintown Fitch, rushed 40 times for 274 yards and scored 4 touchdowns in handing the Falcons their only loss of the regular season.  Rushed 28 times for 198 yards and 3 touchdowns against Middletown, the No. 1 team in Delaware, in a 42-24 victory.  Explosive runner who is skilled at following his blockers through the line.  This season, is a more physical runner and blocker and better adept at running to the outside.  Was injured for most of his junior year, when he rushed 141 times for 831 yards and 9 touchdowns, while playing in only 6 games.  As a sophomore, rushed 138 times for 1,111 yards (8.1 ave.) and 13 touchdowns, including 188 yards against Canton McKinley.  On track to become one of Massillon’s best runners ever.  Holds offers from Kentucky, Pittsburgh and Cinicinnati.
• Marcus Moore – Senior defensive lineman (6-2, 305).  2nd year starter.  One of the top players in what may be one of Massillon’s best-ever defensive front-sevens.  Regularly double-teamed by opponents.  Recorded 20.0 tackle points (9-22), including 4 tackles-for-loss and 2 quarterback sacks.  The defense as a group held opposing rushing attacks to 83 yards per game (2.6 ave.).  Committed to the University of Akron.
• De’Airre Pringle – Senior defensive back (5-9, 195).  1st year starter.  45.5 tackle points (35-21), 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 3 pass breakups.  Quick to the edge to stop sweeps.  A strong player who won his weight class in last spring’s Lift-a-thon.
• Dorian Pringle – Junior inside linebacker (5-11, 220).  1st year starter.  52.5 tackle points (38-29), 15.5 tackles-for-loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks.  Extremely active in his position.  Considered a game-breaker.  As a runner, rushed 32 times for 209 yards (6.5 ave.) and 4 touchdowns.  Mostly used on short yardage situations in 2-back sets.  Physical runner and blocker.
• Jalen Slaughter – Sophomore quarterback (5-11, 160).  2nd year starter.  Named the team’s Most Valuable Player.  Completed 105 of 191 pass (55%) for 1,661 yards and 19 touchdowns.  In a 31-28 upset of the state’s No. 1 Lakewood St. Edward, completed 18 of 32 passes for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 24-yard game-winner with 11 seconds remaining.  Also completed 14 of 19 passes for 248 yards and 4 touchdowns against Warren Harding.  Became a starter in Week 6 of 2021 and led his team that year to the regional finals.  Listed in the records Top 10 that year for pass completion percentage.  Has excellent pocket presence, quick feet, good field vision, game management skills and a long arm for a sophomore.
• Evan Sirgo – Junior offensive lineman (6-3, 225).  1st year starter.  Replaced Marcus Moore as a starter early in the season, allowing Moore to focus solely on defense.  Helped his team rush for 2,331 yards (212 per game).  Praised by the Head Coach Nate Moore for his blocking skill.  Plays bigger than his size.

Note: All statistics shown above are current as of the second playoff game.

Congratulations to these Massillon Tigers.

The Tigers have won their last ten games and currently sport a 10-1 record.  They faces Big Walnut this week in the third round of the state playoffs.

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 12 – Post-Canal…

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 12 – Post-Canal Winchester

Massillon (10-1) defeated Canal Winchester (7-5), 34-0 to advance in the playoffs.  The Tigers will play next against Big Walnut (10-2) in the third round of the playoffs, this Friday at 7:00 pm in Mansfield.

GAME STORY

PLAYOFF BRACKET

Canal Winchester

Defense ruled in this one as the Tigers held the Indians to a just four first downs and 62 total yards, with 59 on the ground (1.8 yard per att.) and 3 in the air.  They also recorded six tackles-for-loss.  Field position played a major role, with Canal Woinchester starting their nine possessions on average at their own 22 and advancing just 9 yards to their own 31, with the deepest penetration of the night to their own 43 yard line.  It was clearly Massillon’s best defensive performance of the season.

Offensively, after a slow start, the Tigers scored touchdowns on five of the their next six possessions in rolling up 378 yards of total offense at 6.9 yards per play.  The attack was mainly on the ground as Massillon rushed 44 times and passed just 11 times, passing only when needed.  Willtrell Hartson, with his 141 yards rushing, set a new Tiger record for consecutive 100+ yard games, surpassing Jamir Thomas’ mark of ten.

It was also a big night for Nate Moore, who with his 81st win overtook the great Paul Brown in total victories as a Massillon head coach.  A grand celebration took place on the field following the game.

“We picked up win No. 930,” said Moore.  “It was the last game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  We played ten games at home.  Our kids loved it.  Our fans bring the energy there.

“It was great to come out with a good game and beat a good team.  Our defense really dominated.  Once our offense got going, we really rolled. I’m really proud of our kids.  They really played hard.  And we’re really getting good on the outside zone (which allows Willtrell Hartson to hit the edge).”

The guest players were:

• Marcus Moore – “They were a pretty respectable team.  It starts with the line and we played really well.”
• De’Airre Pringle – “Our offense played really well and got me off the field in the third quarter.”

Stats Leaders

• Rushing – Willtrell Hartson: 20 carries for 142 yards and 3 touchdowns
• Rushing – Mylen Lenix: 10 carries for 51 yards
• Rushing – Peytton Mitchell: 4 carries for 51 yards and 1 touchdown
• Passing – Jalen Slaughter: 5 of 9 for 75 yards and 1 touchdown
• Receiving – Ardell Banks: 2 receptions for 31 yards and 1 touchdown
• Receiving – Braylyn Toles: 2 receptions for 22 yards
• Kickoffs – Nolan Hendricks: 6 for 337 yards (56.2) and 3 touchbacks
• Defense – Marcus Moore Jr.: 6.5 tackle points (5-3), 1.5 tackles-for-loss, 1 QB sack
• Defense – Cody Fair: 6.0 tackle points (4-4)
• Defense – Dorian Pringle: 4.5 tackle points (4-1) and 2.0 tackles-for-loss

Big Walnut

The only previous meeting between Massillon and Big Walnut occurred last year in a 38-0 Tiger playoff win.  This season the Region 7, No. 5 Golden Eagles sport a record of 10-2, with losses to 11-1 Westerville South (24-31) and 7-5 Canal Winchester (14-21).  Their signature wins came in Week 4 against 7-4 Delaware Hayes (34-14) and last week against 9-3 Watkins Memorial (35-21).  Their remaining wins were against teams that had losing records.  They average 37 points per game and give up 16.

BW returns six starters from last year’s 12-1 team, including quarterback, running back, three offensive linemen and a wide receiver.  They use a lot of unbalanced formations and pre-snap shifts.  Moore calls them a “formation nightmare.”  For example, they will often use five interior linemen with three side receivers to one side and a fullback in the backfield.  It makes the far side tackle pass eligible, while doing the opposite for one of the wide receivers (in order to keep seven on the line).  The objective is to draw interior players away from the run game.  They will also line up in an empty set.  A balanced offense, they run the ball 56% of the time.  The best players are:

• Junior quarterback Jake Nier (6-2, 200).  Returning starter.  Good high school player.  Will run some.  A good thrower.  Uses a lot of run-pass option (RPO).  Last year against Massillon he completed 7 of 11 passes for 73 yards; ran 11 times for 13.
• Junior running back Nate Severs (5-11, 210).  Best player on offense.  Good size.  Has some speed.  Last year against Massillon he ran 21 times for 100 yards.
• Senior wide receiver Nicky Pentello (5-11, 195).  The “go-to” receiver.  Also their best deep threat.
• Senior offensive lineman Grant Conklin (6-4, 295).  Returning starter.  Big and strong.

The defense returns three starters from 2021, including a lineman and two inside linebackers.  They align in a 4-3 with cover-4 and use a lot of 2-high coverage.  They will occasionally use 1-high and at times will bring up the safeties.  They will blitz some.  The best players are:

• Senior defensive lineman Wes Skinner (6-4, 230).  Strong, athletic and plays with a good base.
• Senior defensive lineman Tyon Fountain (6-1, 210).  Good athlete.  Good speed.
• Junior defensive lineman Kohen Lyles (5-11,265).  Athletic and very active.
• Middle linebacker Garrett Stover (6-2, 210).  Played safety last year.  Athletic with good speed.  Cousin of Ohio State’s Matt Stover.
• Outside linebacker Ethan Clawson (6-4, 220).  Played defensive end last year.  Good blitzer.  Not a natural size for a high school linebacker.
• Senior cornerback Teddy Dancer (6-1, 185).  Athletic and has good speed.  Will press cover when there is safety help over the top.

Massillon

Some team information:

• Tigers are averaging 37 points per game and giving up 16.
• They have outgained their opponents on average 366-238 (6.6-4.6 ave.).
• On the ground they have the edge, 212-83 (5.6-2.6 ave.).
• The third down conversion rate is 50% versus 30% for the opponents.
• Five of their seven Ohio opponents have qualified for the playoffs; three are still alive.
• They are currently ranked No. 67 in the nation by calpreps.com and No. 1 in Ohio Division II.

Some seasons stats for the Tiger players:

• Sophomore quarterback Jalen Slaughter: Comploted 105 of 191 pass (55%) for 1,661 yards and 19 touchdowns.
• Senior wide receiver Ardell Banks: 35 receptions for 759 yards (21.7) and 11 touchdowns.
• Sophomore Braylyn Toles: 26 receptions for 330 yards (12.7) and 3 touchdowns.
• Junior Kyler Wiggins: 22 receptions for 285 yards (13.0) and 2 touchdowns.
• Senior running back Willtrell Hartson: 246 attempts (5th all-time) for 1,590 yards (6.5) (4th all-time) and 26 touchdowns (3rd all-time).  144.5 yards per game (2nd all-time).  Eleven consecutive games of 100+ yards (1st all-time).  Leading scorer with 170 points (2nd all-time).
• Junior inside linebacker Dorian Pringle: 52.5 tackle points (38-29), 15.5 tackles-for-loss, 5.5 quarterback sacks.
• Junior inside linebacker Cody Fair: 49.0 tackle points (31-36), 9.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 quarterback sack.
• Junior safety Ryan Page: 47.5 tackle points (34-27), 2.5 tackles-for-loss, 6 pass breakups.
• Senior safety De’Airre Pringle: 45.5 tackle points (35-21), 4.5 tackles-for-loss, 3 pass breakups.
• Senior outside linebacker Brandon Carman: 5.5 sacks.
• Sophomore kicker Nolan Hendricks: 67 kickoffs, 52.1 yards per kick, 11 touchbacks, 3 of 4 field goals
• Junior kicker Vinney Keller: 33 of 39 PAT kicks.
• Junior Zach Liebler: 9 punt returns, 6.4 yards per return.  6 kickoff returns, 26.7 yards per return.

Miscellaneous

The Football Booster Club is sponsoring a bus to Mansfield for the Big Walnut game, open to the general public. The cost is $30.00 and includes a foot long sub, chips and water. Game ticket is NOT included. The bus will depart the high school parking lot at 4:30 pm. If interested, contact Bill Brown at (330) 704-2548 or visit him at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.

This week’s game ball was donated by Dumont’s Sporting Goods in Massillon.

Seven Tiger players were named All-Stark County.  Feature story to come later this week.

Big Walnut Game – Bus Details

Big Walnut Game – Bus Details

The Football Booster Club is sponsoring a bus to Mansfield for the Big Walnut game, open to the general public.  The cost is $30.00 and includes a foot long sub, chips and water.  Game ticket is NOT included.  The bus will depart the high school parking lot at 4:30 pm.  If interested, contact Bill Brown at (330) 704-2548 or visit him at O’Reilly’s Auto Parts between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.

2022: Massillon 34, Canal Winchester 0

Massillon Cruises Past Canal Winchester, Advances In Playoffs

STATS

BRACKET

It was a night for the running backs as both teams kept their offenses focused mostly on the ground game.  Massillon chugged right along, throwing a heavy dose of Willtrell Hartson at the opponent.  Canal Winchester, however, just couldn’t get out of first gear in a 34-0 rout, with a running clock in effect for most of second half.  It was also a night of records.  Hartson rushed for over 100 yards for the 11th consecutive time, surpassing the previous mark set by Jamir Thomas in 2018.  With his 141 yards, he also remains on pace to break the all-time season rushing record set by Travis McGuire (his current running backs coach) back in 1991.

But larger than that is the one set by Nate Moore, who eclipsed an achievement set over eighty years ago.  That’s when Paul Brown departed Massillon in 1940 having compiled a record 80 wins.  Moore has now won 81 games as a Tiger head coach.  It took that long to find one that met two criteria: first, he needed to be ultimately successful year-to-year to keep being invited back; and second, he needed to fall in love with this town to point where he was willing to embrace it and become a career coach here.  He has managed to do both and Massillon is fortunate to have him.

Prior to the game it was no secret that Canal Winchester was going to run the ball, while at the same time being very poor in the passing game.  They were also going to load the box with their 4-4, cover-3 defense.  On the other side, Massillon wanted to establish the run game and pass when needed.  And Massillon, as the No.1 team in Region 7, was considered by national rating services to be a heavy favorite with their balanced offense and devastating run defense.

The game played out as expected.  Massillon was able to overcome the loaded box and roll up 378 yards of offense, with 299 on the ground.  Meanwhile, the Indians managed just 62 yards, all but three coming on the ground at 1.8 yards per carry.  They also never crossed midfield.  The only offense they could muster was the quarterback running out of the pocket after realizing that all of his passing targets were covered.  It was also the second consecutive game that the Tiger first unit pitched a shutout.  It should also be noted that Massillon played the defense straight up and didn’t load box.

After stalling on their first two drives, the Tigers got it going and scored touchdowns on five of their next six possessions.  Canal Winchester put up a good fight early on and forced a couple of punts, but then seemed to tire a bit as they just couldn’t get off the field after that.  And Hartson, behind some exceptional line play, was just a bit too much.

The first score came on 32-yard rainbow from Jalen Slaughter to Ardell Banks, who had solidly beaten the defensive back.  After that score, the Indians regularly double-teamed him, which of  course took a player out of the box; advantage Massillon.

With Canal Winchester limited on offense, the Tigers nearly always started in good field position following punts and took full advantage.  The next score came at the end of a 53-yard drive when Hartson bulled in from the six.  The third score of the first half was set up by a blocked punt by Dorian Pringle, with Malachi Card recovering at the 30.  Hartson then finished off the drive with a 2-yard run.

Hartson scored his third TD midway through the third quarter when he broke free on a 34-yard run.  The play was outside zone to the right.  The offensive line perfectly sealed the edge and kicked out the outside linebacker, creating a nice seam for Hartson to speed through.  It happened so quickly that the secondary just couldn’t recover in time.

With Hartson done for the night, the final score was tallied by sophomore Peytton Mitchell on a 1-yard run, capping an 80-drive.  He  finished the evening with 51 yards, as did running mate sophomore Mylen Lenix.

Slaughter ended up completing five of nine passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.

The defense was led by Marcus Moore, who recorded 6.5 tackle points (5-3) and a quarterback sack.  Cody Fair added 6.0 tackle points (4-4).

All-in-all, both teams played to their potential and competed very cleanly throughout the game.  What a difference a week makes.  Congratulations to Canal Winchester on a fine season.

Next week Massillon will play at a neutral site (TBD) against No. 5 Big Walnut (9-2), a 35-21 winner over No. 4 Watkins Memorial, for a chance to advance to the regional finals.  Last year, the Tigers downed unbeaten Big W, 38-0.