Author: <span>Don Engelhardt</span>

News

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 12 – Post-Canal…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 12 – Post-Canal Winchester; Preview of the Teays Valley Game

Massillon (10-2) defeated Canal Winchester (8-4), 37-7.  It was historical win No. 958.  This week Massillon travels to Zanesville for a Round 3 playoff game against Teays Valley (8-4).

Link to the Canal Winchester Game Story

Link to the Canal Winchester Game Statistics

Review of the Canal Winchester game

Massillon advanced to Round 3 of the state playoffs with a 37-7 victory over Canal Winchester.  The Tigers led 31-7 at the half behind a balanced offensive attack, while holding the Indians to a mere twenty yards of total offense.  A final score midway through the third quarter sent the game into a running clock situation.  Ja’Meir Gamble led all rushers with 15 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown.  With another fine outing, quarterback Jalen Slaughter completed 10 of 19  passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns.  Jacques Carter caught a touchdown pass of 72 yards.  Not to be outdone, Braylyn Toles caught a touchdown pass of 81 yards, the team’s longest of the season and good enough the make the Massillon record book Top Ten.  The third TD pass, of six yards, went to Vito McConnell, who also led the team on defense with six tackles.  Mylen Lenix added a rushing touchdown and Mateo Herrera connected on a half-ending 29-yard field goal.  On defense Michael Wright Jr. recorded 2.0 quarterback sacks and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.

“I thought our guys played a great,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore.  “The guys took care of  business.”

The guest players were defensive back Daylan Pringle and wide receiver Jacques Carter.  “Last Friday was a great team win,” said Pringle.  “We all played our best.  We outplayed then.”

Now twelve weeks into what is a very long season, Carter was asked about the team’s energy as they head down the stretch.  “The energy is still high and we’re going to work our butts off to win the  state championship,” added Carter.  He said that the players have fun during the week, but “we lock in on game day and get it done.”

Preview of the Teays Valley Game

Teays Valley enters the game with an 8-4 record.  Their season to date:

  • Grove City (7-4): 7-42 L
  • Bloom-Carroll (9-3): 28-10 W
  • Watkins Memorial (3-8): 35-12
  • Lancaster (3-8): 35-28 W
  • Reynoldsburg (4-7): 17-7 W
  • Groveport Madison (7-5): 21-14
  • Canal Winchester (8-4): 10-30 L
  • Newark (7-4): 7-35 L
  • Pickerington Central (9-3): 23-49 L
  • Logan (1-10): 24-3 W
  • Columbus Briggs (6-5): 31-14
  • Worthington Kilbourne (5-7): 10-7 W

In the playoffs the Vikings defeated Columbus Briggs and Worthington Kilbourne to set up the match against the Tigers.  In  the regular season they lost 30-10 to Canal Winchester, a team that the Tigers beat last week, 37-7.   They average 20 points per game and give up 21.  Teays Valley is seeded 7th in Region 7 by Harbin.  They are also rated as the 8th best team in the region by Calpreps.com and 9th best by Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50.

The Vikings participate in the Buckeye Division of the Ohio Capital Conference, which is located in the Columbus area.  Over the past five years they have compiled an overall record of 29-23, including a 3-2 mark in the Division II state playoffs, an event in which they participated three times.  Their best finish in the 5-year span was 9-2, which occurred in 2021.  They are led by second year head coach Brian Cross, who during his career has spent time at multiple high schools, including Canton McKinley from 2003-07.  In 2020 Cross was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Offensively, Teays Valley utilizes the pro-style I-formation, mixing in some Wing-T and unbalanced and also some shotgun.  Mostly in 21 personnel.  This year they have run the ball 73% of the time, behind a group of good-sized, downhill running backs.  The primary ball carrier is sophomore Carson Payne (5′-10″, 200), who has 157 carries for 742 yards (4.7 ave.) and 8 touchdowns.  He is considered one of their best offensive players.  He is quick through the line, runs hard and gets vertical.  Payne splits time with two other runners, including junior Spike Woods (6′-1″, 205) and sophomore Evan Maynard (5′-9″, 165).  Woods has 66 carries for 472 yards (7.2 ave.) and 3 TDs and Maynard has 53 carries for 250 yards (4.7 ave.) and one TD.

Junior quarterback Brady Farmer (6′-5″, 190) also totes the ball on designed plays and has 86 attempts for 272 yards (3.2 ave.) and 3 touchdowns.  In the passing game, Farmer has completed 75 of 153 passes (49%) for 903 yards (12.0 ave.) and 10 TDs.  Moore considers him a decent passer.  His favorite target is junior Cavin McDowell (5′-10″, 165), who has 20 receptions for 246 yards (12.3 ave.) and 3 touchdowns.  McDowell has decent speed and is good out of breaks.  He also runs the jet sweep.

The offensive line is not the best the Tigers have seen this year, starting two sophomores and a junior, but they do have good size, averaging 6′-0″, 267 lbs.  Their best player is sophomore left guard Hayden Kellough (5′-8″, 230).  Not the biggest player, but he plays hard and is aggressive to the whistle.

The defense aligns in a 4-2-5, with cover-3, and some cover-2.  They will occasionally blitz.  The secondary is mostly in zone, but will switch to man-to-man when the matchup calls for it.  The leading tacklers are senior nose tackle Tristian Graham (6′-1″, 270), who has 86 stops, and senior Sam linebacker Tyler Mathews (6′-0″, 190), who has 80 stops.  Graham also plays center on offense.  Mathews will play on the edge and is the primary blitzer.  He is quick through the line of scrimmage.

The secondary is anchored by junior cornerback Cavin McDowell, who also plays wide receiver.  He has good feet and plays well in zone coverage.  He also does well in press coverage.  Keep an eye on senior safety Weston Gray (5′-9″, 165).  He is very aggressive and will disrupt a pass play.  Gray also comes into the game in 3-receiver sets.

Massillon will be the home team in this game.

To Tigers!

 

 

Obie Logo (Large) History

Massillon Defeats Canal Winchester, Advances to Playoff Round 3

Massillon Defeats Canal Winchester, Advances to Playoff Round 3

Statistics

Sixty-four teams entered the Division II state football tournament and three quarters of them are gone in just over a week.  And the field will be reduced to four in just over another week.  It goes that fast.  In Region 7 four teams of the original sixteen remain, including No. 3 seed Massillon, No. 1 Big Walnut, No. 4 Ashland and No. 7 Teays Valley.  In Round 3 the Tigers will be matched up with Teays Valley, while Big Walnut will entertain unbeaten Ashland, with all remaining games played on neutral fields,

Massillon put up another running clock in their 37-7 victory over Canal Winchester at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, but again it wasn’t a cake walk.  Rather, it was more of a chess match between the two coaches as each tried to figure out the best way to move the ball.  Only, by the time the Indians at least had a clue, the game was pretty much over.

Canal Winchester typically aligns their defense in a 4-4, cover-1.  Massillon attacked initially with a tight formation; i.e., a single wide receiver, a tight end or two and three or four in the backfield.  So, the Indians countered by placing their best defensive back against the lone wide receiver and the remaining ten players in the box, including the safety, who was a mere seven yards off the ball.  Cover zero.  Just like Canton McKinley and Licking Valley before them, they knew that if they didn’t stop run, it would be near impossible to pull off an upset.  The Tigers, like any team against that kind of defense, would struggle to run the ball, and they did indeed struggle.  Also, the passing game to the single wide receiver, given the athleticism of the covering cornerback, turned into a stalemate.  So, Massillon head coach Nate Moore brought in three more wide receivers in order to spread out the defense.  The ploy worked.  Running back Ja’Meir Gamble suddenly became a factor, finding seams along the edges of the line for good gains.  In addition, the passing game got into gear.  Thus, by the end of the first half, the Massillon offense had become a dynamo, scoring 31 points and putting up 360 yards of total offense.

On the other side of the ball, the Tiger defense blitzed the two middle linebackers on nearly every play, causing great pressure on the quarterback, who was not the most adept at escaping the pocket.  So, he ended up being sacked four times and most of the passes were rushed.  In addition, the running game was also affected and it didn’t gain a single yard throughout the first half, with numerous tackles-for-loss, while the passing game netted just 20 yards.  The only bright spot for the Indians was a 91-yard kickoff return that set up their lone score of the game.  Perhaps, given that the middle linebackers were constantly blitzing, they might have used the flair pass to the running back a bit more, something with which they had some success in the second half.

On the negative side, the game was marred by a host of penalties, by both teams.  In the first half alone, Massillon was whistled for ten infractions, including eight for holding (seven accepted), and Canal Winchester was called for eight, with three being pass interference, along with several 5-yarders.  The referees just couldn’t let these guys play.

After an exchange of punts to open the game, Massillon quarterback Jalen Slaughter found Jacques Carter open over the middle for a 72-yard touchdown, speeding away from the pursuing defenders for the majority of the yards.  With Francesco Salvino snapping and Savior Owens holding, Mateo Herrea’s PAT kick was good and the Tigers were up 7-0.

Later in the quarter Massillon engineered a 10-play, 79-yard drive for a second score, this one coming on a 4-yard run by Mylen Lenix.  The Tigers withstood two holding penalties during the drive, including one that wiped out a 14-yard TD run by Gamble.  But they were also the beneficiary of an equal number of penalty yards suffered by the Indians.  The key play was a 26-yard run by Gamble through several would-be tacklers that converted a 1st and 20 at the Massillon 45 into a first down at the Winchester 29.

It was after that when the Indians’ Dennis White returned the kickoff 91 yards to the Massillon 6.  Winchester was stuffed on three running plays up the middle, but they eventually scored from the three to open the second quarter when quarterback Quinton McGhee connected with Caleb Clay in the end zone.

Midway through the period, Slaughter found Braylyn Toles open in the middle of the field on a left-to-right skinny post.  He then turned on the jets, eluded his defender and sped down the right sideline for the score, aided by the two receivers on the right side of the field that each shielded off their defenders to clear the way.  Score, 21-7.

On the second play of the Tigers’ next series, Gamble broke through the right side of the line untouched and outraced the defense to the end zone for a touchdown that covered 57 yards.  Score, 28-7.

That’s when things got interesting.  Winchester’s Kavon Sanke returned the kickoff to his own 37.  A first down was gained at the 47.  Time out Massillon.  Loss of a yard.  Time out Massillon.  Quarterback sack.  Time out Massillon.  A punt to the 15, with 1:57 remaining in the half.  Only Massillon was forced to punt it right back from their own 20 following a holding penalty.  Winchester has the ball at the Massillon 47.  Picks up a first down from a holding penalty on the defensive back.  A 50-yard field goal attempt was missed with 45 seconds left.  Encroachment on Massillon; ball at the 15.  26-yard pass to Ricardo Wells Jr.; ball at the Tiger 49.  Holding penalty.  19-yard pass to Carter; ball at the 40.  Pass interference on the Indians; ball at the 25.  Another pass interference on the Indians; ball at the 12; five seconds left.  Hererra finally ends it with a 29-yard field goal and the Tigers go into the locker room up a comfortable 31-7.

After a fine halftime show by both bands, Massillon scored its final touchdown on a 6-yard play-action pass from Slaughter to Vito McConnell.  The PAT was missed.  The remainder of the game was played under a run-clock, with the Tiger backups on the field.

Gamble finished the game rushing 15 times for 154 yards (10.3 ave.) and a touchdown.  Slaughter completed 10 of 19 for 228 yards (22.8 ave.) and 3 TDs.  Carter, Toles and Wells each caught three passes. McConnell recorded six tackles, Michael Wright Jr. had a pair of sacks and ten different players were involved in tackles-for-loss.

For Winchester, Corey Howard rushed 14 times for 43 yards (3.1 ave.) and Quinton McGhee completed 9 of 26 (35%) for 73 yards and the one score.  Dre Jackson caught four passes.  Ausar Imani led the Indians with seven tackles.

Massillon compiled 413 yards of well-balanced offense, with 185 on the ground and 228 in the air.  Canal Winchester produced 138 yards, with 65 on the ground and 73 in the air.

Next week the Tigers (10-2) will play Teays Valley (8-4), a 10-7 victor over Worthington Kilbourne.  The game will potentially be played at Mansfield’s Arlin Field.

Vito McConnell with the touchdown catch.

Ball on the ground in second team action.  Stephen Reinhart (14); Maxwell Tanner (67); Deangelo Zimmerman (4).

Savior Owens showing the power.

Daylan Pringle on the punt return.

Jalen Slaughter on the move.

Ricardo Wells Jr. has his pass reception broken up.

Ricardo Wells Jr. with the almost catch.

Daylan Pringle with the punt return.  Tyler Hackenbracht (24) with the block on Eric Hardy.

Head Coach Nate Moore signals one point following the touchdown.

Braylan Toles eludes the defender on the way to the end zone.

Jacques Carter (7) gets the TD lift from Marcus Garner (60).  Richard Harris Jr. (23); Jalen Slaughter (2).

History

Carter Strang Event Scheduled for November 21

Carter Strang Event Scheduled for November 21

This a free event but you must register for tickets.

Join Carter Strang, son of Leo E. Strang, for a free History Happy Hour at the Massillon Museum on Thursday, November 21, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.! All ages are welcome to attend. A cash bar will be available for guests ages 21 and older. Registration is requested but not required. Register at www.MassMu.org/Tickets or by calling 330-833-4061.
Leo E. Strang served as head coach of the Massillon Tigers football team from 1958 to 1963. He led the Tigers to three consecutive state titles (1959, 1960, and 1961), two national titles (1959 and 1961), and a 7th place national ranking (1960). He posted a 86.5% win-loss percentage (54-8-1) with the Tigers and was 6-0 against Canton McKinley. 22 of his Massillon players were All-Ohio and 14 were high school All-Americans. MaxPreps listed Strang as one of the nation’s all-time 50 greatest high school football coaches. A football innovator, he pioneered the use of vinyl helmet team logos and award stickers, white shoes, a barefoot soccer-style kicker, a defensive analyzation circuit board to help call plays, summer conditioning, and a point-based playoff system. Strang, who was the 1959 Ohio High School Football Coach of the Year, is a member of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
Carter E. Strang is a Leader-in-Residence at Cleveland State University College of Law and a retired trial attorney. He is a graduate of Kent State University (B.S. and M.Ed.), where he was a member of the honors college and the football and ice hockey teams. A teacher and coach prior to obtaining his JD at CSU Law, Carter is past president of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association Northern District of Ohio Chapter, and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation.
Obie Logo (Large) Editorial

What If Massillon Was Division I?

In 1972 the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) introduced post-season playoffs to determine Ohio’s football state champions.  In order to incorporate some equity into the system the OHSAA distributed all of its member schools among several divisions based on school enrollment.  Initially, there were three divisions.  In 1980 it was changed to five.  Then, in 1994 it went to six.  And through all of those years Massillon remained as a Division 1 school, competing for the big-school state championship.  But in 2013 a seventh division was added in conjunction with reducing the number of schools assigned to Division I.  The combination of that modification along with a declining enrollment resulted in the Tigers dropping from Division I to Division II.

But, what if the enrollment hadn’t dropped?  Or, what if Massillon had opted to move up to Division I, something that is currently permitted?  What would the bracket look like then and how successful might the Tigers be in this year’s playoffs?

Massillon this year compiled 29.72 computer points, good enough for third place in Division II, Region 7.  But also good enough for second place in Division I, Region 1, behind Mentor.  Below is how the bracket would appear.  Note that the bracket is completed based on game predictions generated by Calpreps.com.

First up for Massillon is Medina, which has a record of 2-8.  An easy game to start.  Then comes an athletic Cleveland Heights team.  An entertaining game, but a one-sided win for the Tigers.  Round three would see a rematch with McKinley.  Consecutive win No. 10 would come a year earlier.  Finally, Massillon would have a rematch with St. Edward for the regional title.  Calpreps.com says the Tigers by a touchdown in this one.

The other regional winners are predicted by Calpreps.com to be Olentangy Liberty, Centerville and Cincinnati Moeller.   It is presumed that Centerville would be geographically matched up with Moeller, while Massillon would face Liberty.  Again, Calpreps.com selects as the state semifinal victors the Crusaders by a big score and the Tigers in a close one, thereby pitting the two teams against each other in the state finals.  Massillon played Moeller in a pre-season scrimmage fairly evenly.  Also, the Tigers beat St. Edward by ten points, whereas the Crusaders beat them by three.  What a tremendous game that would be.

Nevertheless, competing in Division I would surely bring more excitement to the regional games than the Massillon community currently experiences.  But, let’s just stay in Division II for awhile more.  For, it’s just as difficult to win that final game in DII as it is in DI and there’s a better chance of at least getting to that final game.

News

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 11 – Post-Licking…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 11 – Post-Licking Heights; Preview of the Canal Winchester Game

Massillon (9-2) defeated Licking Heights (4-7), 41-6.  It was historical win No. 957.  This week Massillon is at home for Week 2 of the playoffs against Canal Winchester (8-3).

Link to the Licking Heights Game Story

Link to the Licking Heights Game Statistics

Review of the Licking Heights game

Tra’Yon Williams

Massillon opened defense of their 2023 Division II state title with a 41-6 victory over Licking Heights.  The Tiger offense struggled early to take control of the game against a run-focused Heights defensive front, but eventually pulled away in the second half, with a running clock underway for the entire fourth period.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter had another fine outing, completing 13 of 17 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns, one to Jacques Carter and another to Braylyn Toles.  Running back Ja’Meir Gamble carried the ball 18 times for 164 yards and two TDs.  Meanwhile, the defense completely shut down the Hornet rushing attack and they abandoned it early in  favor of the pass.

“I thought our defense played really well, said Massillon head coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club meeting.  “Our offense played well in spots.”  He emphasized that regardless of the performance level, the most important point is to just get the win and move on.

The guest players were defensive back Daylan Pringle and linebacker Vito McConnell.  “The defense gave up a few big plays, but we will get that corrected,” said Pringle.  McConnell added that, “the defense did a really good job.”

Canal Winchester Scouting Report

Canal Winchester enters the game with an 8-3 record.  Their season to date:

  • Worthington (0-10): 38-13 W
  • Hilliard Davidson (7-4): 15-36 L
  • Worthington Kilbourne (5-6): 31-7 W
  • Reynoldsburg (4-7): 20-14 W
  • Pickerington Central (9-2): 23-51 L
  • Newark (7-4): 31-7 W
  • Teays Valley (7-4): 30-10 W
  • Logan (1-10): 42-0 W
  • Lancaster (3-8): 27-24 W
  • Groveport Madison (7-4): 27-29 L
  • Westerville South (5-6): 17-7 W

The Indians had a signature win over Newark, with losses to Hilliard Davidson,  Pickerington Central and Groveport Madision.  Last week in Round 1 of the playoffs they defeated Westerville South, 17-7.  They average 27 points per game and only two teams have held them below 20 points.  On defense they give up 18 per game.  Canal Winchester is seeded 6th in Region 7 by Harbin, but are rated as the 5th best team by Calpreps.com and 4th best by Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50.  Their trip to Massillon this week will be the farthest they have traveled for a game in two years, as virtually all of their opponents are located in the Columbus area.

The Indians participate in the Buckeye Division of the Ohio Capital Conference, which is located in the Columbus area.  Over the past five years they have compiled a 38-20 overall record, including a 6-4 mark in the Division II state playoffs.  Their best finish in that span was 11-2, which occurred in 2023.  In 2022, the lost to Massillon in the second round of the playoffs, 34-0.  In that game they were held to four first downs and 62 yards of total offense, against 19 first downs and 378 yards of offense for the Tigers.

Canal Winchester has moved away from the Wing-T since the Tigers played them last, but still want to run the ball first, with a run-pass ratio of 70%, and mix in the deep pass.  They like to use the tight end in most formation and will normally align in 11, 20 and  21 personnel.  The strength of this unit is the offensive line.

The defense utilizes a 4-4 (new to Massillon this year), cover-3, with some cover-0 and cover-1.  It is an attack-style defense.  On third downs they like to change to a 3-man front.  They will often blitz, usually from the edge.  The strength of this unit is the front four.  They also have a solid kicking game.  Here are the players to keep an eye on:

  • Senior offense tackle Landen Ward (6′-3″, 300) – Physical and will block until the whistle is blown.  His goal is to pancake the defensive lineman.
  • Senior offensive tackle Lucas Flynn (6′-1″, 240) – Moves well in pass protection.
  • Senior wide receiver Iverson Klusmann (6′-0″, 170) – Favorite target.  Good speed with a long stride.  Good hands.  Likes the comeback route.  Also plays some safety.
  • Senior running back Corey Howard (5′-9″, 190) – Power back.  Has good vision and follows his blockers well.
  • Junior backup running back Toreion Brooks (6′-1″, 195) – Fastest running back and likes to bounce to the outside with his breakaway speed.
  • Senior defensive end Hayden Paschke (5′-10″, 195) – Plays with a high motor.  Athletic and gets to the ball from the edge.
  • Junior defensive tackle James Dove (6′-2″, 265) – Good a taking on the blocker.
  • Senior defensive tackle Eli Spruill (6′-0″, 250) – Best overall lineman.  Explosive off the ball.
  • Senior cornerback / safety Ausar Imani (6′-0″, 180) – Best defensive back.  Can run with most receivers.

Pringle said that Canal Winchester is a better team than Licking Heights.  They have a lot of athletes.  McConnell added that they quarterback tends not to scramble much, so the Tigers need to bring the pressure in the passing game.  They have pretty good running backs.  “We will get the job done,” he said.  “It’s another step in the process.”

Tickets for the game must be purchased through the OHSAA website, which can be accessed through this massillontigers.com link.

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Massillon Defeats Licking Heights in Round 1 Playoff Game

Massillon Defeats Licking Heights in Round 1 Playoff Game

Statistics

The Tigers opened defense of their 2023 Division II state title with a 41-6 victory over Licking Heights on a crisp fall evening at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  But it was no easy task, as they struggled to secure early control of the fray.  Perhaps it was a post-McKinley game hangover.   Or maybe just the environment of the playoffs.  For it’s win or go home in the post-season.  And the Hornets were not intent on fading quietly into the night.

Everyone knows that Massillon with Nate Moore in command likes to run the ball.  And it was expected to go well in this game.  And why not.  They have 1,000 running back Ja’Meir, plus some very capable backups.  And they were an overwhelming favorite.  But it appeared that Licking Heights was well aware of this and geared their defense to stop the run by playing man-to-man against the receivers and committing the remaining players solely to the run.  Something like the Bulldogs did last week.  They even mixed it up by alternating the line play with odd and even fronts.  The result was that the Tigers gained just 87 yards on the ground in the first half and couldn’t break free for any big gainers.  In addition, they were constantly placed in passing situations.

Only, just like that as in the McKinley game, the Tigers are not a one-dimensional team.  So, quarterback Jalen Slaughter went to work in the first half, completing 11 of 14 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.  That in spite of being sacked three times and throwing what was his third interception of the season.

Fortunately, the rushing performance was much better in the second half, as Massillon pulled away with three touchdowns and a fourth that should have counted, which sent the game into a running clock for the entire fourth quarter.

Defensively, the Tigers completely shut down the Hornet rushing attack.  In fact, Heights put that part of their offense in the drawer for the entire second half and just passed the ball.  Heights, however, did have a goodly number of athletic players to use in the passing game and this area went fairly well.  Quarterback JJ Shackleford was extremely adept at escaping the pocket against constant blitzing by the Massillon defense and in several cases was able to find an open receiver.   On a few scrambles he just ran the ball for good gains.  Shackleford finished the game with 13 completions out of 22 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for another 15.  He was sacked four times.  The Hornets were stopped on downs four times in Tiger territory.

Massillon received the opening kickoff and immediately drove 68 yards in eight plays for the initial points, which came on a 33-yard pass into the end zone to a well-covered Jacques Carter.  Mateo Herrera’s PAT kick was good and the Tigers led 7-0.  They had a chance for another score on their third possession, but a pass was intercepted at the Hornet 40 and returned to the Massillon 44.

From there it took Licking Heights just five plays to find the end zone.  On fourth and one from the Tiger 35, Shackleford faked the handoff on a read option and sped around the right end all the way to the 17.  Then on the next play, he found Josiah Ayers for the score.  On the PAT Massillon was called for encroachment, which prompted the Hornets to go for two.  Only, the running back was quickly put down in the backfield.

Braylyn Toles

Slaughter then went to work, completing 5 of 5 passes for 37 yards, moving the ball to the Heights ten yard line.  Two Peytton Mitchell runs later the Tigers had a 14-6 lead.

That might have been the halftime score.  But with under two minutes left in the half, the Hornets gave the ball right back with a fumble at the ten.  This time Lenix did the deed on a fourth and one play with a 16-yard run around the right side of the line.  So, the two teams headed to the locker room with Massillon up, 21-6.

The second half went much better.  In the third quarter, Ja’Meir Gamble scored from eight yards out to cap a 7-play, 42-yard drive and then Slaughter connected with a wide-open Braylyn Toles for a 28-yard score, covering 63 yards in just three plays.  Finally in the fourth Gamble was able to break free for a long run, of 64 yards, down the left sideline.

After that, a running clock was in effect with the backups in the game.  Quarterback Mandwell Patterson did throw a 9-yard touchdown pass into the end zone to Gio Jackson, but the referee ruled it incomplete.  A replay shows a successful catch, however.

Gamble finished with 18 carries for 164 yards and two touchdowns, while catching another four balls for 33 yards.  Slaughter completed 17 of 23 passes for 159 yards and two scores.  Toles caught seven passes for 50 yards and one TD.  The defense came up with eight tackles-for-loss and four quarterback sacks, spread among six different players.  Lucas Shertzer had a fumble recovery that was forced by Mylen Lenix.

For the Hornets, Ayers caught five passes for 94 yards the TD.  Reese Powell recorded ten tackles and Jake Popinto had nine, plus the interception.

The Tiger led in total yards, 360-177.

With the win, Massillon (9-2) advances to the second round of the Region 7 bracket and will face Canal Winchester in a game next Friday at home.  Canal Winchester, a previous Tiger playoff opponent, knocked off Westerville South, 17-7.  Licking Heights closes out with a 4-7 record.

Ja’Meir Gamble (21) avoids the tackle; Jake Lopinto (45)

Braylyn Toles with the reception.

Mylen Lenix (5) forces the fumble; Michael Wright Jr. (45); Alijah Ferguson (52)

The referees hudl with the rules book to get the call right; eventually reversed; Richard Harris (23); Jacques Carter (7); Logan Allman (13)

Mylen Lenix (5) sprints to the end zone; Michael Looney (75); Christian Watson (88)

Mylen Lenix celebrates the touchdown

Mylen Lenix gets a lift from Nolan Davenport.

JJ Shackleford feeling the heat from Vito McConnell (3), Logan Allman (13) and Michael Wright Jr. (45)

Gio Jackson with the overruled touchdown catch; Sebastian Harper (31)

Camden Lynch (12), Avery Blake (41); Josiah Ayers (1)

 

Editorial

Breaking Down the Region 7 Playoff Bracket

Breaking Down the Region 7 Playoff Bracket

After ten grueling weeks of regular season football, it’s time to embark on another six games.  For, it’s playoff time.  Sixteen teams in Region will vie during the next four weeks for a coveted spot in the state final four and a chance to become the 2024 state champion.  Here’s a look at Division II, Region 7.

The chart shown below provides some limited background on each team, listed according to the bracket seeding position.

Win-Loss Records

Two teams fashioned undefeated 10-0 seasons: Columbus Walnut Ridge and Ashland.  A third, Massillon, won all of its games against in-state competition.  Big Walnut went 9-1, with a loss in the opener to unbeaten Columbus Watterson.  Conversely, the five teams at the bottom finished with losing records, including Logan at 1-9.

Offense

The highest scoring team is Ashland, with 36 points per game.  Behind them are Walnut Ridge at 34 and Big Walnut, Massillon and Columbus Briggs with 33.  Fourteen of the 16 teams averaged at least 20 points per game.  The only other teams that scored less than 20 are Perry at 18 and Logan at 6.  So, how did Logan even make the list?  Well, they have a win against Division V Nelsonville-York, which has a record of 8-2.

Defense

The team with the best scoring defense is Columbus Northland, with 9 points per game.  The next best are Walnut Ridge at 11, and Massillon and Columbus DeSales at 13 apiece.  Then there is Logan, at 31.  They are just above New Albany’s 27, Columbus St. Charles’ 25, Worthington Kilbourne’s 24 and Teays Valley’s 23.

Strength of Schedule (SOC)

This is where the better teams often rise to the top.  There is no question that Massillon played the strongest schedule, with the likes of Bergen Catholic, Lakewood St.  Edward, DeMatha Catholic and Canton McKinley.   Calpreps.com rated their strength of schedule at 41.0, well ahead of second-best New Albany at 24.5 and Perry at 22.2.  The teams with the worst SOC are of course the inner-city teams: Northland (-14.3), Walnut Ridge (-10.5) and Columbus Briggs (-10.2).

Ratings

Three different rating systems are shown in the chart: Harbin System, Calpreps.com and Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50.

Harbin – This system uses the various schools’ male enrollments in order to divide teams into seven different divisions.  Each division is comprised of four geographic regions, with each region conducting a regional tournament.  A school’s rating for playoff qualification purposes is determined by using the number of regular season wins and the number of wins their defeated opponents earn (with consideration of enrollment classification).

Calpreps.com – This system uses an iterative mathematical algorithm that rates every team in the country.  It involves using the margin of victory or defeat for each game plus the SOC rating to determine a team’s game performance rating.  For any win, the team receive credit for a margin of at least 15 (regardless of the actual margin), but not to exceed 30.  Likewise, for a loss, the credit also works in the opposite direction.  However, game performance ratings are not included in the algorithm when the predicted margin for that game exceeds 30, unless the actual margin is within 30 points.  The individual game performance ratings are then averaged to determine the final rating.

Pasteur  – This system has similarities to that of Calpreps.com, except that it only includes Ohio teams.

Seeding Teams in the Bracket

The Ohio High School Athletic Association uses the Harbin System to select and seed teams for the playoffs.  However, as pointed out numerous times in previous publications, the Harbin System is greatly flawed in that there is no consideration for SOC.  It may be an acceptable tool for determining the best 12 teams when 16 are selected, it is by no means capable of generating a proper seeding of those teams.  The drawback then is that several teams that would have earned a home game or two do not receive them.

When comparing the rankings of both Calpreps.com with Pasteur, one finds a 97% correlation between the two, which demonstrates credibility with an algorithm-based system.  However, when comparing Harbin with Calpreps.com, one finds a correlation of just 55%.  That is why up to a quarter of the higher seeded teams within the Top 3 divisions in last year’s playoffs lost in the first round.

This year, there are two inner-city teams in the Region 7 Top 8 (seeded 2nd and 8th), each having good records and scoring numbers, but with very poor SOCs. Plus, the consensus best team in the entire group, Massillon, is seeded third.

Round 1 Games

  • 16 Logan at No. 1 Big Walnut – Easy win for Big Walnut
  • 15 Worthington Kilbourne at No. 2 Columbus Walnut Ridge – Walnut Ridge by a touchdown
  • 14 Licking Heights at No. 3 Massillon – Massillon; name the score
  • 13 Columbus St. Charles at No. 4 Ashland – Big win for Ashland
  • 12 New Albany at No. 5 Columbus DeSales – DeSales by a couple scores
  • 11 Westerville South at No. 6 Canal Winchester – This one might be close
  • 10 Columbus Briggs at No. 7 Teays Valley – To problem for Teays
  • 9 Massillon Perry at No. 8 Columbus Northland – This one goes to the visitors by three scores

 

 

News

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 10 – Post-Canton…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 10 – Post-Canton McKinley; Preview of the Licking Heights Game

Massillon (8-2) defeated Canton McKinley (6-4), 16-7.  The Tigers now lead the overall series, 77-53-5.  It was also historical win No. 956.  This week Massillon is at home for Week 1 of the playoffs against Licking Heights (4-6) as they embark upon defense of their Division II state title from a year ago.

Link to the Canton McKinley Game Story

Link to the Canton McKinley Game Statistics

Other scores:

  • Freshmen (5-5): Defeated Canton McKinley, 18-12.  Season finished.

Review of the Canton McKinley game

Massillon defeated Canton McKinley 16-7 in the 135th renewal of this great rivalry, with all of the points being scored in the first half.  The Bulldogs came into the game as an overwhelming underdog, which was uncharacteristic for this event. And it would have played out that way had they not made any adjustments to the defense in order to hamper the well-balanced Tiger attack. So, they elected to load the box to stop the run and take a risk by playing man-to-man against the wide receivers. At times, even the free safeties crept toward the box to aid in the effort, thereby placing up to nine players in that zone. The ploy worked, at least against the run. Massillon never got untracked with their ground game, holding 1,000-yard rusher Ja’Meir Gamble to just 49 yards on 19 carries. Only, Massillon quarterback Jalen Slaughter was on the mark, completing 12 of 17 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. He was also named by the Great American Rivalry Series as the Player of the Game.  The defense blitzed early and often, putting great pressure on quarterback Kam Montgomery, who was the catalyst of the Bulldog offense. And they held the McKinley rushing attack to almost nothing until near the end of the game.  In the second half, the Tigers reverted to the game plan used in last year’s 7-2 state championship victory over Akron Hoban. That is, run the ball to burn up the clock and leave it to the defense to bring it home; i.e., play sound fundamental football against the rush, blitz sparingly and keep the receivers in check. It worked. The Bulldogs had the ball only three times in the second half.

“It was a hard fought victory,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club meeting.  “We thought we would score more touchdowns.  But you have to give credit to McKinley.  They played hard.  We had trouble blocking them.  If we could have run better, we would have scored more points.  We were disappointed in all the penalties.  We need to clean that up.”  But he said that the Massillon crowd was definitely a factor in the win, especially on third down.  In spite of being disappointed that they didn’t score more points, Moore said that the field goal at the end of the first half was big, as it gave the Tigers a 2-score lead.  That changed the way the second half went.  Final kudos went to the defense.  “All eleven players were Players of the Game,” he said.

Moore noted that the seniors never lost to McKinley, from the seventh grade on.  Finally, he stated that the players handled all of the festivities and distractions during the week leading up to the game quite well.

The guest players were middle linebacker Vito McConnell and offensive lineman Nolan Davenport.  “Last week was a very hard fought win for us,” said McConnell.  “We came out strong and we wanted it more.”  Davenport agreed with McConnell and said that they can’t take Licking Heights lightly, as the team continues to move toward the goal of winning a state championship.  It’s a step in the process.

Licking Heights Scouting Report

Heights comes into the game with 4-6 record.  Their season to date:

  • Newark (7-3): 21-31 L
  • Tri-Valley (10-0): 0-31 L
  • Sheridan (6-4): 27-7 W
  • Buckeye Valley (6-4): 15-16 L
  • Lakewood (1-9): 41-0 W
  • Licking Valley (9-1): 22-28 L
  • Granville (9-1): 0-21 L
  • Mount Vernon (2-8): 14-7 W
  • Watkins Memorial (3-7): 18-36 L
  • Zanesville (0-10): 40-0 W

The Hornets participate in the Licking County League.  Over the past five years they have compiled a 21-30 overall record, including a 1-3 mark in the Division II state playoffs.  Their best finish in that span was 5-6, which occurred in both 2020 and 2021.  In 2022, at 5-6, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to North Canton Hoover, 38-7.

The Heights offense operates out of the spread behind a good-sized line that averages 6′-2″, 266 lbs.  The line best players are the two tackles, junior Fred Saunders (6′-3″, 285) and junior Matthew Schmitz (6′-3, 265).  The Hornets have a big running back in senior Jake Lopinto (6′-1, 215), who is committed to Robert Morris.  He runs hard and is a power runner.  He also has good vision and follows his blockers well.  The quarterback duties have been shared between two players, depending in the injury situation at the time.  Senior Reese Powell (5′-10″, 170) is more of the runner and will have designed run plays for him.  He is very shifty.  Junior JJ Shackleford, the passer, throws a nice long ball and is a good scrambler.  Their targets are a pair of good wide receivers in senior Josiah Ayers (5′-7″, 155) and senior Jaedin Edwards (5′-8″, 150).  Ayers is the deep ball threat, while Edwards is the speed guy and is often seen on the jet sweeps.  The Hornet offense tends to run first, but throw deep.

The base for the defense is an odd front.  But they will play some even.  the secondary aligns most often in cover-3, but they will mix it up at times.  They are not a big blitzing team, but it is in the package.  The best player on this side of the ball is Lopinto (the running back), who plays middle linebacker.  Heights wants to get him involved in every play.  And he does make plays.  Another good player is freshman Sam linebacker Robert Talbert (6′-0″, 175).  He is very athletic and covers well in space.  The defensive line averages 6′-1″, 259 lbs.  The best player in that group is senior Ahmed Ulaba Samura (5′-9″, 280).  He will explode off the ball and is solid against double teams.

Tickets for the game must be purchased through the OHSAA website, which can be accessed through this massillontigers.com link.

Go Tigers!

History

Massillon Downs Canton McKinley in Defensive Battle

Massillon Downs Canton McKinley in Defensive Battle

Statistics (pending)

No high school football program in American does “Rivalry Game-Day” better than Massillon.  Even most colleges would be envious of the atmosphere on display at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium on this sunny Saturday afternoon.  The parking lots were packed with fans eager to support their teams.  The dozens of tailgate parties were in full swing.  The calliope was pounding out Tiger Rag at the stadium entrance.  The stadium speakers were blasting the music.  A near-capacity crowd of over 12,000.  And the fireworks were echoing throughout.  It doesn’t get any better than that.  All to witness a classic showdown between Massillon and Canton McKinley, with the partisan Tiger crowd enjoying a 16-7 victory in this 135th meeting.

Jalen Slaughter

The Bulldogs came into the game as an overwhelming underdog, which was uncharacteristic for this event.  And it would have played out that way had they not made any adjustments to the defense in order to hamper the well-balanced Tiger attack.  So, they elected to load the box to stop the run and take a risk by playing man-to-man against the wide receivers.  At times, even the free safeties crept toward the box to aid in the effort, thereby placing up to nine players in that zone.  The ploy worked, at least against the run.  Massillon never got untracked with their ground game, holding 1,000-yard rusher Ja’Meir Gamble to just 52 yards on 20 carries.  Only, Massillon quarterback Jalen Slaughter was on the mark, completing 13 of 17 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns.  He was also named by the Great American Rivalry Series as the Player of the Game.  The defense blitzed early and often, putting great pressure on quarterback Kam Montgomery, who was the catalyst of the Bulldog offense.  And they held the McKinley rushing attack to almost nothing until near the end of the game.

The tone was set on the first series when Montgomery sent a tag screen to Dante McClellan at the 21 yard line.  McClellan was immediately swarmed by a host of Tiger tacklers and stripped of the ball by Lennox Lemon.  Vito McConnell made the recovery and from there it took Massillon just four plays to find the end zone.  Rushes by Gamble and Mylen Lenix advanced the ball to the seven.  Then, Slaughter rolled left and found Braylyn Toles wide open on a crossing route in the back of the end zone for the initial points of the game.  Mateo Herrera’s PAT was good and the Tigers would maintain a lead for the rest of the game.

On the Bulldog’s next possession they were forced to punt after gaining just three yards.  But Michael Wright Jr. leaped high over a blocker to get a hand on the ball, giving the Tigers another chance for a score.  However, following three runs and an incomplete pass, McKinley had dodged the bullet.

But Massillon came right back after another Bulldog 3-and-out and drove 52 yards in eight plays for their second score.  Thirty-eight yards came at the hands of Slaughter who completed a 14-yarder to tight end Deangelo Zimmerman and a 24-yarder to Jacques Carter for the touchdown.  Unfortunately, an unsportsmanship conduct penalty was marched off prior to the PAT and the kick was subsequently missed.  Score: 13-0.

McKinley finally got their offense untracked and advanced to the Massillon 33, but were stalled on downs.  Following a Massillon punt, the Bulldogs were on the move again.  This time they converted when Montgomery, in the face of the blitz, tossed a screen pass to Deejay Britt for a 12-yard score with 2:07 left in the half.

But the Tigers weren’t finished. Starting at their own 15, Slaughter went to work with passing game and completed 5 of 5 for 64 yards, advancing the ball to the McKinley 19.  From there, with just five seconds remaining, Herrera drilled a 36-yard field.  The points were huge as it gave Massillon a two score lead.

In the second half, the Tigers reverted to the game plan used in last year’s 7-2 state championship victory over Akron Hoban.  That is, run the ball to burn up the clock and leave it to the defense to bring it home; i.e., play sound fundamental football against the rush, blitz sparingly and keep the receivers in check.   It worked.  The Bulldogs had the ball only three times in the second half.  The first ended in a punt from the one yard line.  In the second, McKinley ran off 16 plays only to have a 4th down pass intercepted by Daylan Pringle.  And on the third, they ran out of downs at midfield, even after benefitting from a roughing the kicker penalty early in the drive.  Meanwhile, Massillon had one scoring opportunity following the punt from the one, but missed on a 31-yard field goal attempt.

Massillon finished the game with 227 yards of offense, 69 on the ground and 158 in the air.  Toles caught 7 passes for 88 yards and TD.  Gamble caught 4 passes for 32 yards.  Carter caught 1 pass for 24 yards and a TD.  Tyler Hackenbracht made 13 tackles and 1 forced fumble, and averaged 38.3 yards on three punts, including two perfectly placed out of bounds.  Lenix made 8 tackles, including 4 TFLs and a sack.  Logan Allman had 8 tackles.  Michael Wright Jr. had 6 tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a forced fumble.

McKinley, which played perhaps their best game of the season, was held to 154 total yards, 57 on the ground and 97 in the air (Montgomery completed 10 of 20, after 9 of 11 in the first half).  Antonio Stevens had 7 tackles and 1 TFL.  Dante McClellen had six tackles and 2 TFLs.

Once again there was a multitude of penalties, 12 against Massillon (5 of the personal foul variety) and 12 against McKinley (2 of the personal foul variety, both occurring at the end of the game).

With the victory bell now in possession of Massillon for the ninth consecutive year, it resounded loudly for all of Tiger Nation as the players joyfully towed it across the field.  The Tigers also now lead the overall series 77-53-5.

Next week, the Massillon (8-2) hosts Licking Heights in a Division II, Region 7, first round  game.  McKinley (6-4) hosts Parma Normandy in a Division I, Region 1 game.

 

Pre-game handshake.  Michael Wright Jr. (45).

Ja’Meir Gamble eludes a potential tackler (Antonio Stevens)

Let’s play football!

Ja’Meir  Gamble is chased down the sidelines.

Jacques Carter with the touchdown catch.  Bryan Ingram (20).

Michael Wright Jr. showing the emotion.

Deejay Britt is brought down by Daylan Prngle.

Massillon head coach Nate Moore having a friendly discussion with long-time referee Tony Montana.

Braylyn Toles taking a break.

No where for the Kam Montgomery to run.  Isaaac Maxheimer (87); Lucas Shertzer (26); Daylan  Pringle (6).

Champions once again.  Eli Moore (18); Michael Wright Jr. (45).

A final celebration!

History

Get Ready for Some Football: Massillon vs. Canton McKinley

Get Ready for Some Great High School Football: Massillon vs. Canton McKinley

Massillon versus Canton McKinley.  It only happens once a year, but it’s always a great event and an enjoyable week leading up to the game.

No high school football rivalry in the nation can claim the extraordinary tradition of Massillon vs. Canton. The rivalry has festered for over 100 years. It’s bigger than a family feud and it’s more intense than a street fight. In fact, it’s almost akin to going to war. And the success or failure of each team’ season is often based on its outcome.

There is a sense of pride and purpose and the game spills over into every walk of life. The players celebrate each victory and vow to avenge any loss the following year. Such is the intensity of the competitiveness that exists between the Massillon Tigers and the Canton McKinley Bulldogs. For there is no love lost between them and the two schools really do hate each other. But they have also earned each other’s respect. For it takes two great teams to make a great rivalry.

“It was bigger than anything I did in college as a player,” said former Massillon player and Washington Huskies Head Coach Don James. “As a coach, the excitement, buildup and preparation compares to the Rose Bowl.”

But it’s also intense. A game that brings out the best in the players. “All I know is that you have a bulldog on your helmet and I have a tiger on mine. And I don’t like you,” said former Massillon player Ellery Moore.

Here’s some trivia to get you better prepared for the game.

Series started

  • 1894
Eddie Bell
Eddie Bell scores the winning touchdown in the 1974 game.

Number of games played

  • 134

Series record

  • 76-53-5 in favor of Massillon

Longest winning streak

  • Massillon – 9 games (1957- 65)
  • McKinley – 11 games (1894-1906)

Points scored

  • Massillon – 1,909 (14.2 ave.)
  • McKinley – 1,758 (13.1 ave.)

Most points scored in a game

  • Massillon – 48-7 in 1953
  • McKinley – 46-0 in 1900

Fewest points scored in a win

  • Massillon – 3-0 in 1914
  • McKinley – 5-0 in 1900 and 1903

Most shutouts

  • Massillon – 24
  • McKinley – 26
McKinley’s Jimmy Aiken and Massillon’s Paul Brown – 1936

Playoff games

  • 1994 – McKinley won 42-41
  • 2001 – Massillon won 35-19
  • 2005 – Massillon won 21-3
  • 2009 – Massillon won 10-7
  • 2012 – Massillon won 28-19

Overtime games

  • 1988 – Massillon won 10-7
  • 1994 – Massillon won 42-41
  • 2007 – Massillon won 23-20

Number of times both teams were unbeaten prior to the game

  • 1934 – McKinley won 21-6
  • 1936 – Massillon won 31-0
  • 1938 – Massillon won12-0
  • 1940 – Massillon won 34-6
  • 1942 – McKinley won 35-0
  • 1943 – Massillon won 21-0
  • 1955 – McKinley won13-7
  • 1964 – Massillon won 20-14
  • 1970 – Massillon won 28-0
  • 2005 – McKinley won 38-8

Coach with the most wins

  • Massillon – 8 by Nate Moore
  • McKinley – 11 by Thom McDaniels
Quarterback Dave Sheegog scores the winning touchdown in the 1964 game.

Paul Brown Tiger Stadium W/L

  • 28-17-1 in favor of Massillon

Fawcett Stadium W/L

  • 23-16-1 in favor of Massillon

Tom Bensen HOF Stadium W/L

  • 4-0 in favor of Massillon

Largest attendance

  • 29,110 in the Akron Rubber Bowl playoff game

First televised game

  • 1955

Calpreps.com point spreads

  • 2015 – Massillon by 3; score –  McKinley won by 2 (30-28)
  • 2016 – Massillon by 3; score – Massillon won by 2 (21-19)
  • 2017 – McKinley by 7: score – Massillon won by 1 (16-15)
  • 2018 – Massillon by 14; score – Massillon won by 7 (24-17)
  • 2019 – Massillon by 21; score – Massillon won by 10 (24-14)
  • 2020 – Massillon by 18; score – Massillon won by 28 (35-7)
  • 2021 – Massillon by 14; score – Massillon won by 22 (35-13)
  • 2022 – Massillon by 14; score – Massillon won by 10 (23-13)
  • 2023 – Massillon by 32; score – Massillon won by 35 (35-0)
  • 2024 – Massillon by 34; score – ???

Massillon player records

  • Travis McGuire 302 Rushing Yards and 5 TD’s.

    Most yards rushing – 302 by Travis McGuire in 1991

  • Most rushing touchdowns – 5 by Travis McGuire in 1991
  • Most yards passing – 285 by Kyle Kempt in 2012
  • Most touchdown passes – 3 by Rich Crescenze in 1953, Dave Irwinn in 1999 and Kyle Kempt in 2012
  • Most receiving yards – Devin Jordan 154 by Devin Jordan in 2001
  • Longest field goal – 47 yards by Steve Schott in 2006
  • Most tackle points – 11.0 by Stephan Laury in 2011 and Jamir Thomas in 2015
  • Punt returned for a touchdown – Never!