Don Engelhardt, Author at MassillonTigers.com

Tigers Overwhelm Canada’s Football North with Big-Play Offense

October 5, 2024October 5, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Tigers Overwhelm Canada’s Football North with Big-Play Offense

Game Statistics

Massillon (5-2) returned to its winning ways with a 45-6 rout of visiting Football North (Clarkson) (4-2), a team that hails from Toronto suburb Mississauga, Ontario. The Tigers used a balanced attack in scoring early and often and took the game into a running clock situation with their first touchdown of the second half.

North is not your typical Canadian team. Rather, they are an all-star group of Ontario-area athletes that participates in a league comprised of U.S. teams. In fact, they play exclusively American teams and are trained to play American-style football, similar to that of the NFL Academy-London. They have a huge offensive line, a very aggressive defensive line, multiple speed players and quarterbacks with big arms that are adept at finding open receivers.

But Massillon was clearly the better team in this encounter, rolling up 415 yards of offense, while holding North to just 49 yards on the ground. On offense the 3-headed backfield monster of Ja’Meir Gamble, Mylen Lenix and Peyton Mitchell combined for 146 rushing yards, 46 receiving yards and a touchdown. Even Big Mike Wright Jr. got into the action with 24 rushing yards and a score. In the air, Jalen Slaughter had another great night, completing 8 of 12 passes for a whopping 205 yards and a pair touchdowns. And he mixed those passes among six different receivers. He was also adept at avoiding a ferocious pass rush from North’s four down lineman. On defense, inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams was simply a monster, coming up with seven solo tackles and two assists. In addition, Tyler Hackenbracht was all over the field, as he recorded four solos, three assists and a pass interception.

With little yardage available on the ground, North went to the air with two signal callers. Winston Chapman completed 7 of 11 for 110 yards and a touchdown, that coming on a 77-yard bomb on the second possession of the game. On the receiving end of that score was Lucas Weir, who also caught four other balls. Quarterback Jacob Mueller added 47 yards on an 8 of 19 effort. But it was still a struggle, since in passing situations linebackers Williams and Logan Allman were coming hard and flew through the big North line. Although the QBs were only sacked twice, they were severely pressured and often took hard beatings on hits just after pass releases.

On North’s first possession they elected to go for it on a 4^th and 1 at their own 31. Only, while attempting to sweep the right end, the running back was stuffed in the backfield by a hard rushing Tiger defense, led by Lenix. After that, it took Massillon just four plays to cover the necessary yards, with Wright “speeding” around the left side for an 8-yard score. It was on North’s subsequent possession that they hit the big pass play, only to have the PAT attempt blocked.

The Tigers came right back, but the 11-play drive ended a bit short. Mateo Herrera then enter the game and, with Francesco Salvino snapping and Savior Owens holding in perfect execution, easily drilled a 20-yard field goal, upping the score to 10-6.

Massillon tallied three times in the second quarter to essentially put the game away. The first was on a 64-yard burst through the middle of the North line by Lenix, who outraced three defenders to the end zone. The second was a 22-yard pass from Slaughter to Deontay Malone, who eluded the defender and found himself wide open and standing in the end zone waiting on the ball. The third score came with just 43 seconds on the clock when Slaughter threw another long pass to Malone, who caught the ball at the five and finished the play for a 44-yard TD. So, the Tigers took a 31-6 lead into the locker room.

Massillon got the ball in the third quarter and Slaughter immediately threw long to a wide-open Jacques Carter for a 73-yard score. And that was it for the first unit. Six touchdowns, one field goal and only a single punt.

But the second unit also wanted a piece. First, quarterback Mandwell Patterson launched a bomb to a well-covered Richard Harris, who executed a back shoulder catch to the delight of the crowd. Patterson finished it on the next play with a lob pass in the corner of the end zone to Gio Jackson Jr. for his first of many varsity touchdowns to come, making the final score 45-6.

Massillon will be at home again next week when they face Legacy School of Sports Science, from Texas. Football North will travel to Lakewood St. Edward.

Go Tigers!

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

Jordan Jones (58)

Vito McConnell (3), Mylen Lenix (5), Jalen Pringle (6), Logan Allman (13) and Ja’Dyn Williams (9) following the 4th down stop.

Peyton Mitchell after the catch.

Ja’Meir Gamble tries to elude a pair of tackles.

Gavin Kappes (57)

Ricardo Wells Jr. (11)

Mylen Lenix enroute to a 73-yard score.

Deontay Malone with his first touchdown.

Braylon Gamble with the near interception.

Maxwell Tanner (67), Tyler Hackenbracht (24), Michael Looney (75), Coach J.P. Simon, Gavin Kappes (57), Ayden McElroy (79), Van Hawkins (29) and Reymir Jackson (81).

Vito McConnell celebrates the victory.

Editorial

Week 6 Computer Poll Projection

October 3, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Week 6 Computer Poll Projection

The Harbin Computer Poll is used to select and seed Ohio high school football teams for post-season play. Teams are distributed among seven different championship divisions based on enrollment, with each division divided into four regions. In the largest division teams are assigned a value of 6.5, whereas in the smallest it is 3.5, with the values in the remaining divisions graduated between. Computer points are thereby earned through direct victories and through victories attained by defeated opponents. No points are awarded for losses. Currently, sixteen teams qualify for the playoffs in each region, with the Top 8 teams earning a home game in the first round. Top 4 teams can also earn a second home game with a first-round win.

Massillon is currently in 8^th place in Division 2, Region 7, having compiled a record of 4-2. Not a great placement at this time for a team that traditionally leads the field. But it’s best to look at it from a full season perspective. Of course, this would involve predicting the winners of the remaining games. Fortunately, Drew Pasteur’s Ohio Fantastic 50 does a good job of this, as does Calpreps.com.

After meticulously calculating the numbers for all potential qualifiers, it appears that should the Tigers win their final four games they will finish in fifth place, behind Columbus Walnut Ridge, Big Walnut, Ashland and Teays Valley. Indeed, Harbin can pick the top teams, but it sure can’t seed them properly. Nevertheless, a 5th place finish earns just one home game. The next game would be at the home field of the No. 4 team, presuming they win their opening game, with the following two games on neutral fields, unless the OHSAA decides to add a third home game this year, which is the rumor.

The problem with Massillon’s placement stems not from their expected final winning percentage (.800) nor lack of high-level competition (Bergen Catholic, Canisius, Lakewood St. Edward and DeMatha Catholic), but from the opponents. And as long as Harbin fails to incorporate a strength-of-schedule component into their program, this problem will continue to exist. Regarding the opponents, here are the issues:

Canton GlenOak – They will most likely finish with a 1-9 record, not too much different than taking a loss.
Lakewood St. Edward – They have the potential to finish 5-5, with future games against Cincinnati Moeller and Akron Hoban. This was not as expected for the 3-team defending Division I state champions.
Football North – They have been classified as Division IV. Therefore, every non-Ohio school they defeat is also classified as Division IV.
Legacy School of Sports Science – Based on their enrollment, they will most likely be classified as Division V, as will all of their opponents.
That leaves just Canisius, Warren Harding and Canton McKinley to provide the bulk of the points. The Tigers will receive an average of all points earned for the NFL Academy-London game.

So, based on the predicted results at this moment in time of all potential qualifiers, Massillon would host Perry in a first-round game. No. 4 Teays Valley is expected to defeat No. 13 Licking Heights and would therefore host the next game vs. the Tigers (assuming they lose in Week 9 to Pickerington Central; if they win, it would be Ashland). It should be noted that Teays Valley’s stadium seats a paltry 3,300 fans. In the third round Massillon could be matched up with Canal Winchester and in the fourth Big Walnut, both familiar opponents.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season winds down.

History

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 6 – Post-DeMatha…

October 1, 2024October 1, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 6 – Post-DeMatha Catholic; Preview of the Football North Game

Massillon (4-2) lost to nationally-ranked DeMatha Catholic, MD (3-1), 20-14. This week Massillon hosts Football North (Clarkson) (4-1).

Link to the DeMatha Game Story

Link to the DeMatha Game Statistics

Other scores:

7th Grade (3-3): Lost to Brunswick, 44-20. Plays home to Austintown Fitch on Wednesday, October 2, at 6:00 pm.
8th Grade (5-1): Defeated Memorial (South Euclid/Lyndhurst), 16-14. Plays home to Austintown Fitch on Wednesday, October 2, at 7:30.
Freshmen (3-3): Defeated Gilmour Academy JV, 14-7. Plays home to Cleveland Glenville (JV?) on Thursday, October 3, at 6:30 pm.
Junior Varsity (3-1-1): The Uniontown Lake was canceled. Plays home to Cleveland Glenville on Saturday, October 5, at 10:00 am.

Review of the DeMatha game

In a matchup of two nationally ranked high school football teams, parochial school power DeMatha Catholic (3-1) came out on top of Massillon (4-2) 20-14 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Simply put, although the Tigers played to their capabilities, the Stag were bigger, stronger and faster, and they used those assets to control the game from start to finish. The Stag also took advantage of a short field on three of their four scores. But the Tiger defense never quit and kept the game score under control.

“Obviously, we didn’t like taking the loss,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore. “Our defense played incredibly. They stood tall. Mike Wright had a great game. We were right there with a chance to win at the end.”

The guest players were defensive back Tyler Hackenbracht and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr. “They had a lot of really good skill players,” said Hackenbracht. “But we kept going. We kept coming back. That shows our improvement.” Wright added that the defense “really showed up.” He said that the defense could have given up. But they didn’t.

Football North Scouting Report

Football North, which is affiliated with Clarkson Secondary School, is located in Mississauga, Ontario, just west of Toronto. Their goal is to educate students while also focusing on American-style football in order to create academic/athletic opportunities at American universities. As such, they play exclusively American competition. They are also a member of the East Coast Power Prep League, along with Life Christian Academy (VA), Mt. Zion Prep (MD), St. Francis Regional (MD) and Virginia Academy (VA). They currently have a 4-1 record, as shown below:

Impotep Charter, PA – Lost 38-20
Life Christian Academy – Won 36-6
Virginia Academy – Won 41-13
Mt. Zion Prep – Won 50-0
Ironton – Won 28-27

Last year the Chargers finished with a record of 3-3, with a 35-15 loss to Lakewood St. Edward and a 24-21 loss to Cleveland St. Ignatius. In 2022 they defeated Mentor, while losing to Akron Hoban, St. Edward and St. Ignatius. They also have a 5-year record of 9-21. Massillon has never played Football North.

This is not your typical Canadian team, one that would lose 50-0. Think of them as Ontario’s all-star team and they are good enough to defeat most American football teams. They play fast and physical and correct mistakes from the previous weeks. “They’re big. Maybe, the biggest line we’ve seen all year. They have good skill with speed. A good quarterback. He does a nice job of running the offense.”

The offense aligns in 10 and 11 personnel (one or two wide receivers). They run plays similar to the Tigers, although there is an element of rawness to the unit. Nevertheless, they are all good players, both on the line and in the skill positions.

It starts with the offensive line, which appears to be the strength on that side of the ball. Behind that beef, North tries to establish the run first. Afterwords, they aim to get the ball to their receivers in space, using primarily tag screens and corner routes. But they are also not shy about chucking it deep. Below is a breakdown of the offensive line:

Senior left tackle Dejan Guzina (6′-7″, 354); 2-star recruit; University of Maine offer; massive and mean.
Senior left guard Tamarley Smith (6′-5″, 295); 3-star recruit; Eastern Michigan commit; huge body.
Senior center Owen Taylor (6′-4″, 290); Mercyhurst offer.
Sophomore right guard Matteo Capilongo (6′-2″, 285); 2-star recruit.
Junior right tackle Owen Richardson (6′-6″, 280); University of Maine offer.

The quarterback is senior Winston Chapman (5′-10″, 195). He can pass and run equally well, often in set pieces. Consider him a run threat. But he can also throw into tight windows. So it will imperative to get pressure on him. Behind the QB is senior running back Lucas Shannon (5′-11″, 210). Moore calls him a “bruiser.” He has good vision and will get vertical. All of the receivers have good size and speed.

The defense aligns mostly in an even front, with 4-2 and 4-3 looks. The secondary utilized a lot of cover-4, with some cover-2 and man-to-man mixed in. Often, they will walk down a linebacker and present a 5-1 look. The line has good size, averaging 6′-2″, 240 lbs. The best player in this group is sophomore Graham Harburn-Welburn (6′-2″, 240). He is quick off the ball and gets off blocks. He also has a big motor. Senior inside linebacker Brock Schaubel (6′-1″, 205) is also very good. He can shed blocks and make plays. Senior strong safety Kash Grewal (6′-1″, 185) is perhaps, according to Moore, the most athletic player in the secondary. He has great speed and drives on the ball. He also holds an offer from Maine.

The game does not count in the Harbin System. As such, the Tigers will receive an average of the total season points earned.

Go Tigers!

News

2024: Massillon 14, DeMatha Catholic, MD 20

September 28, 2024October 1, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Massillon Edged by Maryland’s DeMatha Catholic

Game Statistics

When on offense, DeMatha was inclined to hand the ball to 4-star running back Bud Coombs (Maryland), who followed his 295 lb. offensive line to tune of 171 yards and a touchdown in 24 carries. The Stag also took advantage of a short field on three of their four scores. But the Tiger defense never quit and kept the game score under control.

DeMatha was equally effective on defense, keying on running back Ja’Meir Gamble the entire night. Gamble netted just 38 yards in 14 carries. Quarterback Jalen Slaughter did complete 15 of 25 passes, but for just 104 yards. He struggled all night to find receivers open against DeMatha’s extremely fast secondary and was left with screen passes and sideline tosses. It was commendable that the Tiger offense was even able to score. On a positive note, the Tiger offensive line did a great job against DeMatha’s constant blitzing and surrendered just two quarterback sacks.

DeMatha received the opening kickoff and began at their own 40, owing to a Massillon offsides on the first kickoff attempt and a kick out of bounds on the second. Following a 5-play, 69-yard drive that stalled at the Tiger 22, Alex Amaya kicked a 39-yard field goal.

Following an exchange of punts, with DeMatha’s punt coming after a 26-yard penalty for intentional grounding, Massillon fumbled on its own 33. It then took the Stag seven plays to cover the necessary yards for Elijah Lee’s 1-yard touchdown run. That made the score 10-0.

On the Tigers’ next possession, they were forced to punt from their own 37. Tyler Hackenbracht is a great punter, but in this game his long punts were a detriment as were going beyond his team’s coverage. With the speed possessed by the Stag return players it caused serious problems. In this instant, his 45-yard punt was returned 39 yards to the to the Massillon 43. From there, hampered by a series of offensive penalties, DeMatha ultimately failed on a 56-yard field attempt.

Finally, starting at their own 22, the Tigers were able to put together a meaningful drive. Going mostly to the air, they covered the 78 yards in ten plays. The key plays were a 19-yard pass to Deontay Malone and a 22-yard run by Slaughter, during which he scrambled from the pocket and eluded several tackles on the way to the end zone. So, at halftime, the score was 10-7.

DeMatha responded in the third quarter when Hackenbracht’s 43-yard punt was returned 74 yards to the Massillon seven. Two plays later they were in the end zone. Score: 20-7. The Tigers did come back with a nice drive a bit later. Mylen Lenix was inserted at running back and he carried the ball five times for 43 hard gained yards. But the drive stalled at the Stag 33 with two incomplete passes, followed by a fourth down quarterback sack.

The game might have ended quietly at 20-7, except that with 3-1/2 minutes left the DeMatha punter mishandled a punt snap that gave the Tigers the ball at the six. Lenix then did the honors from the one. Subsequently, with 2:43 left, Nolan Hendricks attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by DeMatha, effectively ending the game.

DeMatha led in first downs 15-13, total yards 288-195 and rushing yards 210-91.

The stag might have left a good impression on the Massillon fans based on their superior play, but it was lost in the constant chirping and extracurricular activities following the whistle, something that the referees were disinclined to address. It also didn’t help that they committed 16 execution penalties.

With the loss, Massillon will now need to focus on winning their final four games in order to grab a favorable ranking in the very flawed Harbin computer poll. It will begin with a home game next week against Football North (Clarkson), Ontario. DeMatha will host Life Christian Academy, from Virginia.

Tyler Hackenbracht (24), Marcus Garner (60)

Vito McConnell (3)

Jalen Slaughter (2)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21), Deontay Malone (80)

Deontay Malone (80)

Andrew Brumfield (51), Mike Looney (75), Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

DaMatha fumbles the punt snap.

Mylen Lenix (5), Michael Wright Jr. (45), Mike Looney (75)

News

Massillon Fills Week 8 with Charter School from Texas

September 26, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Massillon Fills Week 8 with Charter School from Texas

Week No. 8 on the Tiger schedule has been a difficult one to fill and lately fans have resigned themselves to the premise that it would be an open date. But, after several false starts, it has finally been filled. The opponent is Legacy School of Sports Sciences, which is located in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston. This is the first time Massillon has played a team from the Lone Star state.

This is sure to be a unique experience for the players at Legacy, as they have never traveled this far for a game. Mostly, they compete in Texas, with an occasional game in Louisiana.

Legacy is a state accredited charter elementary/secondary school that serves grades six through twelve and focuses on both sports and education, while intertwining the two in the course curriculum. It would be similar to the former Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education (CAPE) from back in the 1970s and 80s. Also similar to the football-focused NFL Academy-London, which the Tigers played in Oregon this year. And it would have a correlation to Cleveland’s Ginn Academy, while their athletes participate in sports at Cleveland Glenville.

Legacy has a limited capacity in their facility, so they conduct a lottery among those students that desire admission. No tuition is charged. They offer a variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, flag football, scholastic football, soccer, softball and volleyball.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the school this year has 447 students in grades 6 through 12. Per U.S. News and World Report, 70% are boys, 95% are minority students and 69% are economically disadvantaged. The student-teacher ratio is 13:1.

Based on the number of students distributed throughout seven grades, the number of boys in the top three grades may be around 190. That would conceivably place it in Ohio’s Division V for computer playoff calculations. Therefore, a win over Legacy would net Massillon 4.5 first level points and the same number for each opponent that Legacy defeats throughout the season.

Legacy began playing football in 2018 and has compiled an overall record of 33-25, including 8-1 marks in both 2018 and 2023. This year they are 1-3, although all three losses were by a touchdown or less. Calpreps.com has them ranked No. 159 in Texas with a rating of 24.2. That would place them 18^th in Ohio’s Division II. For comparison purposes, Massillon is rated 64.8 and ranked first in Ohio among all schools.

The Titans do not play in a league. According to Maxpreps.com, they have 36 players on the roster.

The game is not included in the season ticket packet. Therefore, tickets for the game must be purchased through the WHS Ticket Office.

History

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 5 – Post-St.…

September 24, 2024September 24, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 5 – Post-St. Edward; Preview of the DeMatha Catholic Game

Massillon (4-1) defeated Lakewood St. Edward (3-2), 31-21. Massillon now leads the series 6-4. It was also historical win No. 952. This week Massillon hosts DeMatha Catholic (2-1).

Link to the St. Edward Game Story

Link to the St. Edward Game Statistics

Other scores:

7th Grade (2-2): Awaiting the score from the Madison game. Plays at Brunswick on Wednesday, September 25, at 6:00 pm.
8th Grade (4-1): Lost to Warren, 36-14. Plays home to Memorial (Euclid) Wednesday, September 25, at 6:00 pm.
Freshmen (2-3): Lost to St. Edward, 28-6. Plays at Gilmour Academy on Saturday, September 28, at 6:00 pm.
Junior Varsity (3-1-1): Lost to Lakewood St. Edward, 21-10. Plays home vs. Uniontown Lake on Saturday, September 28, at 9:00 am.

Review of the St. Edward game

In one of best matchups of the season, the top two teams in the state of Ohio (per national rating service Calpreps.com) battled it out for 48 minutes at Lakewood’s First Federal Stadium, with Massillon coming out on top, 31-21. It was the third straight victory by the Tigers over the Eagles, with the wins coming in consecutive years. The Massillon offensive and defensive lines held the advantage throughout, rushing for 236 yards against 51 yards for St. St. Edward. Running back Ja’Meir Gamble had his best outing of the season, carrying the ball 22 times for 144 yards and scoring two touchdowns. On defense, Ja’Dyn Williams recorded 16 tackles.

“We’re happy for the victory,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore. “The Tigers played well. In places were were undersized.” Moore was also appreciative of the support the several thousand Tiger followers brought to the event. “Our fans were amazing,” he said. “At the critical moments you guys showed up. It was a huge side of the victory. You guys are the 12th man!”

The guest players were running back Ja’Meir Gamble, linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams and safety Tyler Hackenbracht. Collectively, they felt that the Tigers dominated in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams. On offense, Massillon finally got the running game going, rolling up 236 yards on the ground at 6.6 yards per tote. On defense, they held the Eagles to little yardage on the ground, including three stops on fourth down. And on special teams, they blocked a punt, negated a field goal attempt and kicked a crucial field goal. But this week, against DeMatha, the players said that they are facing some big lines and a good quarterback. But nothing they haven’t seen before.

DeMatha Catholic Scouting Report

DeMatha is the No. 3 team in Maryland per Calpreps.com, behind Archbishop Spalding (28-14 win over Hoban) and St. Francis Academy. They hold wins over Zion Prep, MD (0-3), 48-0, and Roman Catholic, PA (4-1), 49-12, with a loss to Spalding (5-0), 26-10. The “Stag” plays in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference along with 2023 Massillon opponent St. John’s College, DC. Last year DeMatha finished 9-2, with victories over Ohio Division I runner-up Springfield, OH, 35-7, and St. John’s, 21-14 in the regular season and 21-3 in the playoffs. The Stag has a 5-year record of 35-13, along with two league playoff runners-up.

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” remarked Moore. ” DeMatha is one of the best teams in the country. Their offensive line is really big. The running back is going to Maryland. It’s the best quarterback we’ve seen. He can throw and run. And they have a wide receiver going to Penn State. Great players everywhere.”

According to the scouting report DeMatha is a team with a great collection of talent. What the coaches need to see is if that great talent can play as a team to the level needed to win against good competition.

The offense operates out of the spread. This is the the fastest and most athletic offense to have faced the Tigers this year, particularly at quarterback and running back. Their offensive line is massive, averaging 6′-3″, 295 lbs., about the size of line on last year’s Lakewood St. Edward’s team. Their top personnel are as follows:

Senior quarterback Denzel Gardner (6′-0″, 185), 3-star, Marshall commit; best offensive player; designed runs; good arm
Junior wide receiver Lavar Keys (5′-11″, 170), 3-star, Penn State commit; favorite target; good route runner
Senior running back Bud Coombs (5′-10″, 195), 4-star, Maryland commit; downhill runner with good speed; can get to the outside
Senior fullback Michael Boxley (6′-0″, 220); solid; finishes blocks; physical
Junior tackle Zion Smith (6′-5″, 300), 2-star, Syracuse offer
Senior tackle Anthony Chuman (6′-1, 300), Syracuse offer

The defense is a 4-front with three linebackers, but plays like a 4-2-5, with one linebacker having defensive back skills. The line on this side of the ball also has good size, averaging 6′-3″, 266 lbs. The strength of the group is the linebacker corps. Their top personnel are as follows:

Senior nose tackle Anthony Chuman (6′-1″, 310), 2-star, Syracuse offer; strong and holds ground well
Sophomore end James Pace (6′-4″, 225), 4-star, Florida offer
Senior middle linebacker Jermaine Minnis (6′-1″, 215), 3-star, Ohio U commit; very athletic and moves well
Senior outside linebacker Noah Chambers (6′-2″, 210), 4-star, Virginia Tech commit; very good tackler; makes a lot of plays
Senior outside linebacker Terry Dorsey (6′-1″, 195), 2-star, Akron offer
Senior cornerback Jacob Wallace (6′-2″, 175), 2-star, Marshall offer; explosive out of his breaks
Junior safety Darrell Carey (6′-2″, 175), 2-star, West Virginia offer; fast and physical; covers a lot of ground

“In games like this, the best TEAM is going to win,” said Moore. “We have plenty of good players, too!” In other words, DeMatha has some great personnel based on the number of college offers. But how well they play as a team will determine the outcome the game.

History

2024: Massillon 31, Lakewood St. Edward 7

September 21, 2024October 1, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Massillon Downs Lakewood St. Edward in Battle of Defending State Champions

Game Statistics

The intensity in the game displayed by both players and fans rivaled that of a good Massillon-McKinley game, given its playoff atmosphere and overflow crowd. The Tigers displayed a crushing defensive front-7 that brought the Eagle run offense to its knees, forcing them to go to the air, especially after they had lost the lead at the end of the first half. By the time the game ended Massillon had held its St. Edward and their huge offensive line to a mere 51 yards on the ground, against 251 yards through the air. But it is a rare day when the Tigers lose a game to a one-dimensional passing team.

The Tigers had struggled to run the ball consistently in their previous four games. So, the key for this one was to establish the run and mix in the pass to consistently move the sticks. Although they did sputter at times with both, there was enough of each to get the job done. Ja’Meir Gamble had his best outing of the year, rushing 22 times for 144 yards (6.6 ave.) and two touchdowns, including a burst up the middle for a 47-yard jaunt to the end zone. Late in the game, part-time running back Mylen Lenix added a 39-yard touchdown run that sealed the victory. Quarterback Jalen Slaughter added just enough, completing 14 of 22 passes for 106 yards and a score, that one going to Braylyn Toles. Five passes were caught by Deonte Malone.

Defensively, junior linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams had a marvelous day, recording 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss. On one play he literally in one motion knocked the blocking running back to the ground and then proceeded to sack the QB seven yards past the attempted block. Cornerback Daylan Pringle added another nine tackles. Michael Wright Jr. was a beast on the field disrupting the Eagle runs up the middle and three times he was in the backfield helping to stop the runner for a loss. Kicker Mateo Herrera converted a 26-yard field.

For St. Edward, quarterback Thomas Csanyi, who was also the starter in last year’s game, had perhaps his best outing of the season. He completed 19 of 30 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Twice he hit deep, with a touchdown throw of 69 yards and another of 39 yards that advanced his team to the red zone. Running back Tyrese Buchanan, who played in place of the injured Elijah Kimble, carried the ball 20 times for 49 yards (2.5 ave.).

Both teams were quickly stopped on their initial possessions. The Eagles, on their second try, used seven plays to advance the ball from their own 30 to the Tiger 10, aided by Csanyi’s 39-yard bomb to Zach Hackleman. But, after being stopped on downs, they attempted a 42-yard field goal, only to have it blocked by Malone.

Massillon then went on an 11-play 59-yard drive that was halted at the St. Ed 9 yard line. But it wasn’t for naught, as Herrera gave his team a 3-0 advantage with a 26-yard field goal. Late in the drive, sophomore Savior Owens plowed 11 yards up the middle from the wildcat position, reminiscent of his older brother’ Da’One’s modus operandi during last year’s state championship run.

Following a punt by the Eagles, the Tigers came right back and this time scored a touchdown on a 15-yard run by Gamble. It took 8 plays to methodically advance the ball 43 yards to paydirt.

Then it was the Eagles’s turn. First was an 8-play, 50-yard drive, with a 14-yard pass to Bradley Eaton. Then it was a 69-yard pass to Hackleman for a second score, that one coming on the first play of the series, to put St. Edward up 14-10 with 2:58 left in the half.

But Massillon wasn’t yet done. A 15-yard run by Gamble, a 12-yard carry by Slaughter and an 18-yard 3^rd down pass to Deontay Malone set up a final 7-yard pass to Toles for a score, as the Tigers regained the lead at 17-14.

Massillon received the second half kickoff and made the most of it, driving 80 yards in just four plays. After Slaughter connected with Malone on a 25 yard pass, Gamble on the next play broke through the line and outraced the secondary to the end zone for a 47-yard touchdown. It put the Tigers up 24-14 and suddenly the Eagles had their backs against the wall. So, for the rest of the game, they focused on the pass.

Two series later St. Edward’s Csanyi completed a 4-yarder to Joe Saffold to close the margin to 24-21 and that’s as close as they got for the rest of the game, as Massillon then focused on defense. On St. Ed’s next drive they were stopped on downs at the Massillon 35. They next punted from the Tiger 41. On the third try they were stopped on downs at the Massillon 40.

But Massillon had the ball at the Eagle 39 and a minute and a half remaining. And the Eagles were out of timeouts. So, it might have been time to take a knee. But Lenix found a gap on the right side of the line and quickly burst through it. After that, it was clear sailing to the end zone. But on the downside, it gave St. Eds time to potentially score and then attempt an onside kick. But as it turned out, with Massillon now aligned in a prevent defense, they managed to move the ball just to the Tiger 31, where they were stopped on downs.

This game has turned into quite a rivalry and looks to continue into the future. It has certainly proved competitive from year-to-year. Massillon now owns a 6-4 lead in the series.

Next week the Tigers (4-1) return home to face another outstanding opponent in DeMatha from Maryland. The Eagles (3-2) also have another tall task as they host Cleveland Glenville.

Go Tigers!

The Tigers enter the field at Lakewood First Federal Stadium

Braylyn Toles (1) looks for running room after the catch.

Savior Owens (25) on the wildcat

Jacques Carter (7) after the catch; Deonte Malone (80)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21) cuts to the outside; Michael Looney (75)

Michael Wright Jr. (45) with assistant coach J.P. Simon

Deonte Malone (80); can anyone say “pass interference?”

Ja’Meir Gamble (21) heads around end; Marcus Garner (60)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21) with the ball.

Mylen Lenix (5) on his way to the end zone.

History

Rating Massillon’s 2024 Strength of Schedule

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Rating Massillon’s 2024 Strength of Schedule

It’s no secret that Massillon’s 2024 football schedule is loaded with quality competition and appears better than most previous schedules. Three major opponents dot the slate, including three teams that are rated in the Top 100 nationally by Calpreps.com, including Bergen Catholic, the defending New Jersey state champion, Lakewood St. Edward, the 3-time defending Division I Ohio state champion, and DeMatha, last season’s No. 2 team in Maryland. But how does this year’s schedule stack up numerically against previous Tiger teams?

Rating the Schedule

In order to rate a schedule one must first have a method of rating each individual opponent. In that regard, a 3-point system has been selected, as follows:

3 points for a large parochial school.
2 points for a mid-sized parochial school or a public school that finishes in the Top 8 of their respective region in the Harbin computer rankings.
1 point for a public school that finishes below No. 8 or does not qualify for the playoffs.
0 points for a team that struggles to play football.

The overall schedule rating is then calculated by summing the individual ratings for all ten opponents.

For the 2024 Massillon schedule, points have been awarded as follows:

NFL Academy – 2 points
Canton GlenOak – 1 point
Bergen Catholic – 3 points
Canisius – 2 points
Lakewood St. Edward – 3 points
DeMatha – 3 points
Football North – 1 point
Warren Harding – 2 points
Canton McKinley – 2 points

The sum of these ratings is 20. Since the Tigers play only nine games, it is pro-rated to 22.2 as the final rating.

Comparing Seasons

The same rating process described above was applied to all of the Massillon teams back to 1964, which encompasses a span of 61 games. Unfortunately, there was not enough opponent data available prior to this date. The chart below shows the results of that effort. Indeed, this year’s strength of schedule, with a rating of 22, surpasses that of all previous years.

Just behind are three teams that reached a schedule rating of 20, including 2003, 2020 and 2022.

The 2003 schedule included both Cleveland St. Ignatius and Lakewood St. Edward. As did the 2020 Covid year schedule. In 2022 Massillon faced Cincinnati Moeller and St. Edward.

Interestingly, the average schedule rating over the 61-year period is just 14.8, well below recent standards. But, as the chart shows, the strength of schedule rating has been steadily increasing (except during the 2000s), from around 13 in the 1960s to around 20 today.

Strength of Schedule by Coach

The chart below shows a lot of variation among coaches in their schedule makeups. Several factors have influenced this and the data shows much variation from coach to coach, a few of which are shown below:

Large parochial schools – The first large parochial school wasn’t scheduled until Mike Currence put Cincinnati Moeller on the slate in 1981. Then, starting with Lee Owens, several of these schools started to appear. But they disappeared under Jason Hall, who felt that the Massillon program was ill equipped due to declining enrollment to compete in these games. They returned under Nate Moore, as the program rebounded and actually elevated itself to the level of the schools.
All-American Conference – Prior to the introduction of the state playoffs, a team needed to produce an undefeated season to win a state championship. Given the strengths of teams across the conference, coaches opted to schedule weaker opponents in between conference games. The AAC dissolved after the 1979 season.
Playoff system – In the early days of the playoffs, very few teams qualified. It was therefore imperative to win a lot of games in order to qualify and scheduling a strong opponent or two could jeopardize that goal. Now, with 16 teams qualifying, the risk has been reduced considerably.
Independent school – Massillon is an independent school. As such, it has been extremely difficult to schedule games beyond Week 3 when most teams are in league play. Several coaches have opted to fill out the schedule with inner-city teams, which are almost always available. However, Coach Moore is not interested in that, but has found that the schools mostly available later in the season are in fact the large parochial schools. Fortunately, his program is now equipped to handle that level of competition.

Success vs. Schedule

Do weaker schedules result in more wins? Sometimes, yes; sometimes, no. Mostly, there is more influence on a team’s success from the coaching end than from the schedule end.

Interestingly, Bob Commings had the weakest schedule and second best winning percentage, while his successor, Chuck Shuff, had the second weakest schedule, but the worst winning percentage. Mike Currence won a lot of games with a weak schedule. Nate Moore has won a lot of games with the strongest schedule. So, as one Massillon assistant coach put it recently, “you win when you have the Jimmies and Joes.” And right now Massillon has an abundance of those.

News

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-Canisius;…

September 17, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-Canisius; Preview of the Lakewood St. Edward Game

Massillon (3-1) defeated Canisius, NY (1-1), 41-7. Massillon now leads the series 3-1. It was also historical win No. 951. This week Massillon travels to Lakewood to face the St. Edward Eagles.

Link to the Canisius Game Story

Link to the Canisius Game Statistics

Other scores:

7th Grade (2-2): Lost to Madison, 12-8. Plays at Warren on Thursday, September 19, at 5:30 pm.
8th Grade (4-0): Defeated Madison, 22-8. Plays home (MJHS) vs. Warren on Wednesday, September 18, at 6:00 pm.
Freshmen (2-2): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 56-14. Plays home vs. Lakewood St. Edward on Thursday, September 19, at 6:00 pm.
Junior Varsity (3-0-1): Tied Cleveland Glenville, 20-20. Plays home vs. Lakewood St. Edward on Saturday, September 21, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Canisius game

The Tigers opened a 35-0 lead by halftime and cruised to their third win in four starts, 41-7. In fact, the entire second half was played under running-clock conditions. The scores were multiple and came in the form of three offensive touchdowns, two via the run and one via the pass, a pass interception return, a fumble return and a punt return. Quarterback Jalen Slaughter completed 10 of 12 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. Jacques Carter caught four of the passes for 91 yards and one TD. Meanwhile, the first team defense held the Crusaders under 40 yards of total offense throughout the three quarters they were on the field.

“It was a great team win,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore. “Anytime we score in all three phases, we’re pretty happy. Canisius was a good team. Our style of play was the difference in the game; physicality and effort. I’m proud of our guys.”

The guest players were linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams and running Ja’Meir Gamble. Williams thought that the defense played really, while Gamble believed the same of the offense. In regards to St. Edwards, the focus for the defense will be on the run, per Williams. Gamble said that the Tigers should have an edge in the passing game. Not that the Eagle secondary isn’t good, but the Massillon receivers have an edge in speed.

Lakewood St. Edward Scouting Report

St. Edward is the 3-time defending Ohio Division I state champion. Last season they compiled a record of 15-1, defeating Springfield 31-21 in the state finals. That was the third consecutive year that they faced Springfield in this venue. Their lone loss came at the hand of Massillon by the score of 15-13. The Tigers also defeated the Eagles the previous year, 31-28. St. Ed owns a 61-7 record over the past five years, with a 21-2 mark in playoff games. Massillon leads the overall series, 5-4.

This year the Eagles have a record of 3-1, with victories over Pickerington North (3-0), 28-0, St. Joseph Prep, PA (1-1), 35-21, and Cincinnati Elder (3-1), 24-17. Their loss came two weeks ago at home against Doyle County, KY (4-0) by the score of 38-21. Doyle is a 7-time Kentucky state champion. St. Edward is currently ranked 44th in the country by Calpreps.com. Massillon is ranked 47th.

The Eagles return 3 starters on offense and 5 on defense, plus backup quarterback senior Casey Csanyi (6’-2”, 190). Against Massillon last year as the starter Csanyi completed 14 of 29 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. An Ashland commit, he has a good arm and can hit receivers with great accuracy in tight windows. He also runs of the read option when the play calls for it, which is very often. His favorite receiver is junior Zach Hackleman (6′-1″, 170), who likes to run come-back routes on the hash. But all of the receivers are good.

The starting running back appeared to be 2-star recruit, junior Brandon White. But he is believed out with a knee injury that he suffered in the St. Joe game. In his place is junior Tyrese Buchanan (5′-10, 175), also a strong runner, with a quick burst through the hole.

The offense utilizes the spread, but wants to run the football, especially with the quarterback. The line is the strength of the team and averages 6′-2″, 284 lbs., nearly as large as last year. The best players are the two tackles. Senior Sawyer Prementine (6′-3″, 290) has an offer from Ashland. He is really good at pass protection and has good footwork. Junior 2-star recruit Mason Wilhelm has an offer from Toledo.

The defense aligns in a 4-3 even front, but will game plan when the opponent calls for it, like they did against the Tigers last year. The secondary is in mostly cover-3, with some cover-1 and press coverage of the wide receivers. They also like to blitz from and edge, particularly on long yardage plays. The line averages 6′-0″, 246 lbs. The best players line up in the middle and include senior Jaden Woods (6′-0″, 275) and junior Diondre Taylor (6′-1″, 265). Woods is the most physical of the line group and has a high motor. Taylor is considered by Moore as the best player.

The linebacker corps is led by 3-star recruit, senior Nate Gregory (6′-0″, 230), who is committed to Coastal Carolina. Gregory is a 3-year starter and has received 15 offers to Division 1 schools. He reads keys well and makes plays. Moore said that as a linebacker “he is as good as it gets.” At outside linebacker is 1-star recruit, senior Bradley Eaton (5′-9″, 170), who has an offer from Bowling Green. He is also a 3-year starter. The best player in the secondary is junior cornerback Makhi Boone (6′-0, 165).

This is a very good team across the board. Very well coached. “This is a great matchup,” said Moore. “They play the game the right way. They have a great team again this year. The offensive line is the most outstanding part. They are still big, still physical, and come off the ball well. The best team is going to win.”

Massillon’s Season to Date

Passing

Jalen Slaughter – 69 of 108 passing (64%) for 859 yards (12.5 ave.) and 7 touchdowns, with one interception.

Receiving

Braylyn Toles – 18 receptions for 109 yards (10.7 ave.) and 1 TD.
Jacques Carter – 12 receptions for 232 yards (19.3 ave.) and 4 TDs.
Ricardo Wells – 11 receptions for 183 yards (16.6 ave.) and 1 TD.
Ja’Meir Gamble – 11 receptions for 94 yards (8.5 ave.) and 0 TDs.

Rushing

Ja’Meir Gamble – 44 carries for 339 yards (7.7 ave.) and 6 TDs.
Peytton Mitchell – 12 carries for 25 yards (2.1 ave.) and 1 TD.
Mylen Lenix – 5 carries for 43 yards (8.0 ave.) and 1 TD.

Scoring

Ja’Meir – 36 points
Jacques Carter – 24 points
Mateo Herrera – 21 points

Defense

Jadyn Williams – 16 solos, 16 assists – 32 tackles, 2.5 TFLs
Mylen Lenix – 13 solos, 10 assists – 23 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks
Tra’Yon Williams – 14 solos, 6 assists – 20 tackles, 1 pass interception
Tyler Hackenbracht – 10 solos, 10 assists – 20 tackles
Logan Allman – 6 solos, 13 assists – 19 tackles
Lennox Lemon – 2 pass interceptions
Vito McConnell – 1 pass interception

Go Tigers!

History

2024: Massillon 41, Canisius, NY 7

September 14, 2024October 1, 2024
by Don Engelhardt

Massillon Uses Big Plays to Take Down Canisius

Coaches will tell you that there are three phases to the game of football: offense, defense and special teams. And the performance of each is measured following the game. If one looked at just the scoring statistics, all three measured up quite well for the Tigers, as they cruised to their third win in four starts, defeating Canisius, 41-7.

Massillon scored in nearly any way they could in the game of football. There were two rushing touchdowns. There was a passing touchdown. There was a pick-6 interception return. A punt was returned for a score. And even a fumble was returned to the house. All of that negated a fine defensive performance by the Crusaders.

On Canisius’ first possession they ran the ball twice to set up a 3^rd and 5 from their own 40. The situation against the stingy Tiger defense called for a pass. Only, quarterback Matteo Brusco threw the ball right into the hands of Massillon’s Lennox Lemon, who promptly returned it 44 yards to pay dirt. Mateo Herrera’’s kick gave the locals a 7-0 early advantage.

Following a punt by the Crusaders, the Tigers went on a 9-play, 83-yard drive for their second score. The key play was a 43-yard pass from quarterback Jalen Slaughter to Jacques Carter. Carter was covered by a glove as he headed down the middle of field and both players had a hand on the ball. But after it received several more touches Carter managed to secure it at the six yard line. Then, after losing five yards on the next play, Mylen Lenix took a handoff from the jumbo set, the first time it had been used this year, and sped around the right side for the score.

In the second quarter, Canisius punted from their own ten and the ball bounced past return player Tyler Hackenbracht. It looked as if he was going to just let it go, but the ball had a lot of momentum. So, in order to protect field position, he caught it on the bounce while running toward his own end zone and pulled an Austin Brawley by reversing field. Following some fine blocking down the left sideline, he raced for a 52-yard touchdown return. That made the score 21-0.

Nolen Hendricks placed the ensuing kickoff on the three yard line and the return player was content to let it bound into the end zone. Only, Hendricks used a 9 iron on this one and the ball checked up. By the time the returner realized this he quickly retrieved the ball, but was promptly tackled at his own three yard line. An encroachment penalty advanced it to the eight. But three plays later the handoff was fumbled and picked up by Lenix, who had friendly company as he strolled into the end zone. The game was essentially over at that point.

The final score of the half came on a 24-yard bomb to the corner of the end zone from Slaughter to Carter. So, the two teams headed into the locker room with the score sitting at 35-0 and second half to be played under a running-clock situation.

On the Tigers’ first possession after the break they advanced the ball to their own 38 and punted. Only, the ball was fumbled by the Crusaders and recovered by Lo’Quan Young at the 24. Two plays later Ja’Meir Gamble showed his speed in racing around the left side, while eluding two would-be tacklers, for a 9-yard score.

At that point the first team was done for the night, with 1:41 left in the third quarter. The unit had put up six touchdowns: three by the offense, two by the defense and one by special teams. Meanwhile, d Canisius was held under 40 yards of total offense. For the night, Massillon led in first downs 10-8 and total yards 209-131. Gamble rushed 10 times for 63 yards and a touchdown and Slaughter completed 10 of 12 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Carter caught 4 passes for 91 yards and two scores. On defense, Lenix and Logan Allman collected five tackles each. Herrera has now converted 41 straight varsity extra points through last season.

It should be noted that the Crusaders were operating just a bit shorthanded in two different ways. The first was that their best player, 3-star recruit running back/receiver/cornerback Elijah Kimble, who holds offers from Michigan and Oregon, had suffered a broken hand earlier in the week when he fell off a bicycle and had the injured limb in a wrap. In a conversation with Canisius Coach Kraig Kurzanski prior to the game, the coach said that running was doubtful and receiving was out of the question, but he would play some defense. In the end Kimble gutted it out and did what he could, rushing 10 times for 15 yards and playing some on defense. He also caught a kickoff one-handed.

The second issue was their small roster size, around 35 players. Coach Kurzanski explained that, unlike the large parochial powers in Ohio that gather good players from the public schools and pay little or no tuition, Canisius experiences the complete opposite situation in that each player is responsible for paying some amount of tuition. Also, in the city of Buffalo, public students can attend any school they desire. As a result, some schools are loading up with talented football players, similar to Cleveland Glenville, and in fact are raiding Canisius, given that no tuition would be required in a public school. Hence, the small roster. Nevertheless, the players the Crusaders do have certainly play good football and they play hard to the end.

For Massillon, the Tigers had difficulty running the ball against a stout Canisius from-7 and gained just 59 yards in 19 carries. In addition, Slaughter was under pressure most times when he dropped back to pass. Sure, the Crusaders had some big defensive linemen. But this is an area that needs to be shored up. The return of the injured senior Gavin Kappes may help and he did perform well when he subbed in. But he was slated in this game mostly for defense, which has its own problems as Coach Nate Moore appears to be still searching for the right players to start, with the goal of keeping All-Ohio Mike Wright in the middle, where he is most effective. Nevertheless, the defense overall did put in a fine performance, particularly against the rush, giving up just 84 yards, mostLY coming against the backups.

Next week Massillon (3-1) travels to Lakewood to face St. Edward. Canisius (1-1) is also on the road, at Erie Cathedral Prep.

Go Tigers!