Author: Don Engelhardt

History

OHSAA Releases Updated Playoff Assignments for 2020

The Ohio High School Athletic Association has released its revised divisional and regional team assignments for the 2020 post-season playoffs.  With last year’s competitive balance formula essentially in place once again this year, there are very few changes to Division 2.

One Division 1 team, Toledo Bowsher, moved down to Division 2, while interestingly no team moved up to replace them.  Cincinnati Elder, the 2019 Division 1 state runner-up, had the potential to also drop down on account of reduced enrollment, but the competitive advantage was sufficient to keep them in the top group.  Five Division 2 teams are now in Division 3, including Columbus DeSales, Chillicothe, Alliance, Sylvania Southview and Parma Padua.  Replacing them are University School, Dayton Belmont and Independence, which moved up from Division 3.

Massillon remains in Region 5 along with Akron Hoban.  The only change to the region is the departure of Alliance.

It appears that once again Division 2 will be a formidable challenge for any team.  So one has to ask: who among the 106 teams in that Division are expected to dominate?  A few names readily jump to the top, such as Akron Hoban, Cincinnati LaSalle, Massillon and Cincinnati Winton Woods.  And several others can also be thought of as in the mix; teams such as Mayfield, Toledo Central, Hudson and Avon.

So to figure out who are the contenders, the two best factors to consider are regular season record and playoff success.  A time span of the last seven years is considered, since this is the period of time since the OHSAA created a new Division 2 by dropping several former Division 1 teams into its ranks.  Also, only teams that have won at least 40 regular season games over those past seven years are considered.  The chart below matches these two factors against each other.

The “red” data points indicate teams that have won state titles.  The “green” data points represent teams that have won regional titles, but not state titles.  The remaining teams under consideration are as indicated in “black.”  The “blue” line is a curve fit of all data points shown.  Those teams located above the line appear to excel more than their regular season record would predict otherwise.  Conversely, those below the line appear to struggle in the playoffs.

One can see that most of the teams are located in the vicinity of the “blue” line, although some, like Kings and Columbus Walnut Ridge win a lot of regular season games, but then fail in the playoffs against the better teams.  The most likely reason for this is apparent weaker schedules.

Well at the opposite end of the spectrum are the highly successful parochial schools, including Cincinnati LaSalle, Akron Hoban and Toledo Central (aside from Cleveland Benedictine, which has just a “black” data point).  These three schools have combined for six Division 2 state titles and four Division 3 state titles.  This in spite of the wide discrepancy in regular season marks, which of course vary on account of their difficulty of schedule.

Among the public schools Avon, Massillon and Hudson lead the pack.  All have shown great success both during the regular season and in the playoffs.  Although none has won that coveted season-ending prize, they have combined for nine regional titles and two state finals appearances.  Next up are Massillon Perry and Cincinnati Winton Woods.  They have garnered four regional titles and three state finals appearances.

Next year the OHSAA will increase the number of playoff qualifiers in each region from eight to twelve, giving many more teams the opportunity to record playoff wins.  Incidentally, had this system been place for the past seven years and had the teams in the region been the same as this year, Massillon would have been the only team in Region 5 to qualify for the playoffs in each and every year, while Hudson, Perry and Bedford would have qualified six times.  The Tigers would have had a bye in the first-round in five of those years; Hudson, Perry and Akron Hoban, three times each.

Below are details of all the teams that are considered the best in Division 2.

Cincinnati LaSalle

  • Regular Season Record: 48-22
  • Playoff Appearances: 5
  • Playoff Record: 22-1
  • Playoff Highlights: 4 state titles

 Akron Hoban

  • Regular Season Record: 57-13
  • Playoff Appearances: 5
  • Playoff Record: 22-1
  • Playoff Highlights: D2: 2 state titles; D3: 2 state titles

Toledo Central Catholic

  • Regular Season Record: 64-6
  • Playoff Appearances: 7
  • Playoff Record: 22-4
  • Playoff Highlights: D2: 1 regional title; D3: 1 state title; 3 regional titles; 1 state finals appearance

Avon

  • Regular Season Record: 67-3
  • Playoff Appearances: 7
  • Playoff Record: 14-6
  • Playoff Highlights: 3 regional titles

Massillon

  • Regular Season Record: 54-16
  • Playoff Appearances: 6
  • Playoff Record: 12-6
  • Playoff Highlights: 3 regional titles; 2 state finals appearances

Hudson

  • Regular Season Record: 52-18
  • Playoff Appearances: 6
  • Playoff Record: 10-6
  • Playoff Highlights: 3 regional titles

Massillon Perry

  • Regular Season Record: 47-23
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 9-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 2 regional  titles; 2 state finals appearances

Cincinnati Winton Woods

  • Regular Season Record: 47-23
  • Playoff Appearances: 3
  • Playoff Record: 8-3
  • Playoff Highlights: 2 regional titles; 1 state finals appearance

Olentangy Lewis Center

  • Regular Season Record: 51-19
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 8-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Mayfield

  • Regular Season Record: 48-22
  • Playoff Appearances: 5
  • Playoff Record: 6-5
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Anthony Wayne

  • Regular Season Record: 47-23
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 5-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Nordonia

  • Regular Season Record: 44-26
  • Playoff Appearances: 3
  • Playoff Record: 5-3
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title; 1 state finals appearance

Perrysburg

  • Regular Season Record: 50-20
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 5-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Medina Highland

  • Regular Season Record: 50-20
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 4-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

 

News

Highlights from the 2020 Spring Kickoff

If you weren’t able to catch the Massillon Tiger Booster Club’s Spring Kickoff you missed quite a show.  Head Coach Nate Moore provided one the most comprehensive previews of an upcoming Tiger squad in his 5-year career at Massillon.  But there were also a couple of prominent guests, including Ohio State Head Coach Ryan Day and Houston Texan cornerback Gareon Conley.

The venue, of course, was a bit different this year due to the social distancing guidelines on account of Covid-19.  It was more of an online podcast, with the guests addressing written questions at the end.  No one really knows at this point whether the season will go on as scheduled, be shortened or canceled entirely.  It all depends on the numbers and the Governor’s recommendation.  Nevertheless, both coaches are proceeding with their preparations as if the season will proceed.  And the players are buying in.

Eric Smith, this year’s Booster Club President, chaired the event.  First up was Coach Day, whose Buckeyes last year fashioned a 14-0 regular season record, followed by a win in the Big Ten Championship Game and a subsequent spot in the BCS  playoffs.  As a result of this success, Day was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, the first time for an OSU coach in 40 years.

“It’s unbelievable to be a part of this tonight,” said Day.  The relationship between Ohio State and Massillon remains strong every day.  The ties between OSU and Massillon run deep.”  He was referring to the 27 current and previous Tiger players who suited up for the Buckeyes and the three former coaches who became head coaches for Ohio State, including Paul Brown, Carroll Widdoes and Earl Bruce.  Several others over the years were also hired as assistant coaches.  Players currently on the team are Thayer Munford and Austin Kutscher.

Coach Day is doing everything he can to prepare this year’s team, in spite of the handicaps imposed by the stay-at-home guidelines.  “This has been a challenge for us,” he said.  “We’re trying to do the best we can to manage it.  The players have been with their parents rather than on campus with their teammates.  It’s not easy.  There’s no real map.”  So the coaches and players have been interacting in group meetings using online media

Next up was former Massillon player Gareon Conley, who currently plays for the Houston Texans.  He said the transition from Oakland went well and that the Texan players were quite welcoming.  A regular starter throughout last season, it appears that he has found a home in Houston.  Gareon also addressed his de-committing from Michigan and subsequent signing with Ohio State.  After visiting Michigan for the first time, he thought it was prudent to commit early to their offer.  But, then he learned that he could still visit additional campuses.  That opened up a trip to Ohio State and we all know the rest.

Finally, Coach Nate Moore had the screen and spoke for over an hour.  Here is a snapshot of what he provided:

  • The assistant coaches are doing a tremendous job keeping the players focused on pre-season activities.  He continues to refer to this group as the best coaching staff in the country.  Each was named along with their position responsibilities.
  • The coaches are meeting online as a staff to manage the program in addition to game planning for this year’s opponents.  They haven’t really slowed down and are doing everything they did in previous years, just online.
  • Assistant coaches are meeting online with the players in position groups, mostly to perform wellness checks regarding health and school work.
  • The players are individually responsible for maintaining their physical conditioning using a plan provided by the coaches.  A software app called “Team Builder” has been introduced to monitor all of the players’ workouts.  The players log their activities into the app and Coach Joe Studer perform the monitoring and feedback.
  • Not all players have weights for workouts.  So the Booster Club purchased workout bands.
  • There is a weekly challenge to complete certain conditioning activities.  Nike has become involved in this and is providing T-shirts and shorts as awards for the best performers.
  • “The players have taken to all of this very easily,” said Moore.  “Out Tigers are meeting our hardships and tests.  We will come out better because of it.”
  • Massillon has two goals this year: beat McKinley and win the state championship.
  • Coach Moore reviewed this year’s schedule and was excited to note that it includes seven home games.  The opener is Bishop Gorman from Las Vegas, Nevada, a game that will be played at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton; they are a national power and a perennial Top 50 team; Moore expects this game to be on national television; he anticipates a fierce battle.  GlenOak should be much improved this year and looking to turn the corner after several substandard years.  Moore said that St. Ignatius is always tough and well-coached; the best team in the state last year not to make the playoffs; it’s a great challenge.  Barberton was young last year and this year’s game should be a good one.  Wooster could be a dangerous opponent.  McKinley: greatest high school rivalry in the country; young last year; returns several key players, many D1; very formidable.
  • All college summer camps have been canceled.  Therefore, game film has taken on an added significance.  Moore expects additional scholarships to be offered during the early games.
  • Currently, nine Tiger players have received scholarship offers to play college football.  “And there’s more to come,” said Moore.  “This is a very talented senior class.  We’ve seen this coming for quite a few years.”  Nate read the names of 24 returning lettermen, most of which saw extensive playing time last year and they cover nearly every position on the field.  He is really high on his four returning offensive linemen.
  • The stadium work is on schedule.  It is important to maintain the facility that is now 80 years old.
  • The golf outing is scheduled for August 15.
  • The Lift-a-thon and many other activities will be scheduled and possibly rescheduled, but not canceled.
History

Tom Hannon – Wall of Champions

Tom Hannon – Wall of Champions

He was lightning fast and shifty on the gridiron.  Could break it for a long run on any play, daring any opponent to chase him down.   By season’s end he had rushed for over 1,300 yards, scored nearly 100 points and helped his Massillon Tigers to an undefeated regular season and berth in the first-ever Ohio high school football playoffs.  And after a stellar career in both college and professional football, Tom Hannon was honored in 1994 with a place on the Wall of Champions.

No. 45 was called “The Man with the Flying White Shoes,” by sportswriter Chuck Hess.  “We had a neighborhood with a bunch of kids who wanted to play for the Tigers,” said Hannon.  “And everybody who wanted to play for the Tigers ended up playing for the Tigers.  Before the games on Friday night we would always play in somebody’s yard.  I was always Bill Blunt because he was my idol.  He was number 45.  After that Tommy James was 45.  After that it was Larry Harper.  And after that it was me.” – from Scott Shook’s “A Century of Heroes.”

Tom Hannon was born in Massillon on March 5, 1955 and became a 3-sport athlete at WHS, participating in football, basketball and track.  Following an undefeated sophomore football season, Tom began his varsity career as a junior in 1971.  Not wasting any time in showcasing his talents, he made an immediate impact on special teams, returning 21 punts for 192 yards and averaged 23.4 yards per kickoff return on eleven attempts.  In addition, he played running back behind the great Willie Spencer, Sr., rushing 30 times for 190 yards (6.3 yards/attempt) and scored eight points.   He also played in the defensive secondary, recording five pass interceptions.

But his senior season was a breakout year in which he became the featured tailback, at 6’-0”, 186 lbs., while also serving time in the defensive secondary.  For the season Hannon rushed 253 times (3rd all-time) for 1,392 (7th all-time) and scored 14 touchdowns.  Eight times in eleven games he eclipsed the 100-yard mark.  Tom also caught two passes for 22 yards and even completed one of two halfback pass attempts for 15 yards and a TD.  He continued his exploits on special teams, where he returned 24 punts for 217 yards and twelve kickoffs for an average of 22.8 yards per return, including one for an 87-yard touchdown.  He also scored 94 of the team’s 193 total points.  Defensively, he intercepted three passes and recovered a pair of fumbles.  It seemed as if he never left the field.

Tom Hannon bursts through the Upper Arlington Line. Also shown is Larry Mayles (66) and Terry Edwards (42). (Massillon Yearbook photo)

Massillon won all ten regular season games that year, outscoring the opposition 179-29, but two contests really jumped off the page: Upper Arlington and Canton McKinley.  Upper Arlington had defeated the Tigers in 1966 and 67 and captured the state poll title in 1967, 68 and 69, whereas the locals won the same title in 1970, in spite of the Golden Bears finishing unbeaten for the fourth consecutive year.  So it’s no surprise that, according to Hannon, Coach Bob Commings absolutely hated Upper Arlington and approached the game like it was Massillon vs. McKinley.  It’s all he talked about in the weeks leading up to the contest, Hannon remarked.   Now, with the game finally back on the slate, it was time to settle matters on the field and determine who would lay claim to Ohio dominance.

The two teams met in the third week of the season, at Upper Arlington, in front of sellout crowd of 11,000.  So excited were the fans of Massillon that as soon as the gates were opened they rushed the stadium to get choice seats, as only general admission seats were sold for this one.  Gate attendants never had a chance to collect the ticket stubs.

The first half was scoreless as neither team was able to generate much offense.  But after Coach Commings delivered an inspiring halftime talk mixed with colorful expletives (according to Hannon), the Tigers came out in the second half and simply overwhelmed the Bears, coming away with a 14-0 victory.  Tommy led the way by rushing 16 times for 169 yards, including runs of 17, 12 and 31 in the third quarter and 16, 12 and 52 in the fourth.  He finished with 24 carries for 224 yards (9.3 yards per carry).  Upper Arlington was held to just 130 total yards of offense (60 rushing and 70 passing).  They eventually finished the year 6-2-2, losing to Zanesville 21-20 and tying Cincinnati St. Xavier and Cincinnati Princeton, 0-0.

Against McKinley, in front of a sellout crowd of 22,371 fans, Hannon rushed 28 times for 108 yards.  He also returned five punts/kickoffs and intercepted a pass as his team went on to defeat the Bulldogs 12-3, with all the points scored in the first half.  McKinley ended the year with an 8-2 record, the other loss coming to Akron Garfield, 12-6.

“It was just like Super Bowl week on a smaller scale,” said Hannon.  “It was so crazy.  That’s one crazy week.  It wasn’t like you could prepare for the game.  There were so many distractions.  I was like, ‘Let’s just play football.’  But I really enjoyed it.” – from Scott Shook’s “Massillon Memories”

The win wrapped up an undefeated regular season and first place in the All-American Conference.  The Tigers were also awarded State Champions by the Associated Press.  But the award was only symbolic, since it was the first year of the state playoffs.  Nevertheless, with only one team qualifying in each region that year, it was only fitting that the owner of 24 previous state crowns participate in the very first playoffs.

The game was held as part of a Class AAA double header at OSU Stadium with Massillon facing Cincinnati Princeton in a morning start and Warren Western Reserve going up against Toledo Scott in the afternoon.  The event drew a huge crowd of around 30,000, with a sizeable majority coming from Tigertown, as they filled both upper and lower decks on their side of the horseshoe.  On the second play of the game, Hannon energized the stadium throng by racing 64 yards for a touchdown.  He then added a 2-point conversion to give the Tigers an early 8-0 lead.  The Tigers scored again on a 40-yard pass from Kevin Westover to Terry Edwards, that one coming near the end of the second quarter.  In between those two scores, Massillon was stopped on downs three consecutive times inside Princeton territory, the third time at the 6 yard line.  It was a complete domination by the Tigers until the final play of the half, when Princeton’s Rick White kicked an unprecedented 47-yard field goal, extremely rare for that era.  Nevertheless, Massillon held the lead 14-3 and it might have been 21-3.  Hannon was superb, rushing 15 times for 139 yards.

But the second half was a different story, as the bigger Vikings wore down the Tiger lines on both sides of the ball and eventually won the game 17-14, in spite of Massillon leading in total yards.  Hannon was held in check and Princeton reeled off 34 plays to the Tigers’ 18.  Near the end, Massillon advanced to the Princeton 26, but a pass to the 11 yard line was intercepted ending Massillon’s final chance to win.  Hannon finished the game with 159 yards rushing on 22 carries.

At the conclusion of the season, Tommy was recognized for his achievements by being named All-County Most Valuable Player and First Team All-Ohio.  He also received the Reese’s Raiders “E” Award.

Throughout his senior year, Hannon gained the attention of several major colleges.  He shared one interesting story about his contact with Ohio State.  Upon leaving the locker room following the Upper Arlington game he was approached by OSU Head Coach Woody Hayes.  Along with him was former Massillon and OSU player Steve Luke and OSU quarterback Cornelius Green.  The discussion of course centered around Tom playing running back for Buckeyes and he was offered an opportunity to split time with Archie Griffin.  Well Archie just happened to win the Heisman Trophy in 1974 and 75.  So I believe everyone, including Hannon, knows today how that would have turned out.

Subsequently, he had a good talk with highly respected Tiger defensive backfield coach Larry Coyer, who advised him to switch to defense for college ball, since that would provide him a better opportunity to play professionally.  Hannon admitted that he never really thought about play pro ball until after that conversation.  Eventually a solid match was made with Michigan State, a place where he was very comfortable with the coaches, calling them “really nice guys.”  So off to MSU he went, lining up at defensive back for all four years and again wearing No. 45.  His career went like this:

  • 1973 – Coach Dennis Stoltz; record: 5-6-0
  • 1974 – Coach Dennis Stoltz; record 7-3-1; 24 punt returns for 199 yards; 2 pass interceptions for 25 yards; 5 tackle points (39, 16)
  • 1975 – Coach  Dennis Stoltz; record 7-4-0; 15 punt returns for 116 yards; 2 pass interceptions for 1 yard; 93 tackle points (59, 34) 3rd on team; 4 tackles for loss; 4 pass breakups; 2 fumble returns
  • 1976 – Coach Darryl Rogers; record 4-6-1; 2 punt returns for 17 yards; 108 tackles points (68, 40) 2nd on team; 3.0 tackles for loss; 8 pass breakups

In both his junior and senior years, Hannon was named All-Big Ten and was also named to a couple All-American teams.

In 1977, although he always wanted to play for the Browns, Hannon was drafted in the 3rd round (No. 83 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings.  There he played safety for eight years, as a starter in all but one, and of course wore No. 45.  During that span he participated in 117 games and started 103, recording 13 fumble recoveries and 15 pass interceptions, which he returned for 202 yards.  One pick went for 41 yards and a score in a 34-14 victory over Chicago.  His team made the playoffs in 1977, 78, 80 and 82.

It was after his first year at Minnesota that he returned to Michigan State to complete his degree and by chance developed a good relationship with the university’s president.  That led to an opportunity after his pro career had ended to join the sales staff at Oscar Meyer, where he Tommy worked professionally for 23 years.  Now retired, he currently resides in Southfield, Michigan.

In 2011 Hannon was inducted into the Stark County HS Football Hall of Fame and in 2018 was honored as a Massillon Distinguished Citizen.

When looking back at his days at Massillon High School, Tom said he enjoyed every minute of it and never missed a day of school.  Tommy, we’re fortunate to have had you as a Tiger.

 

Obie Logo (Large) News

Anthony Pedro Is Headed To Wittenberg University

Massillon senior Anthony Pedro has selected Wittenberg University to continue his education and play the sport he loves.  Wittenberg participates in football at the NCAA Division 3 level and is a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC).  The Tigers currently have the most wins of any team in Division 3, with an overall record of 727-353-22.  Last year they compiled a mark of 7-3 and finished in a tie for first place in the NCAC.  They are coached by Joe Fincham, who has been there for 24 years.

Pedro was one of just a handful of players last year to see action on both sides of the ball for the Massillon Tigers, who finished with a record of 14-1 and advanced to the Division 2 state championship game.  On offense he lined up as a slot receiver with a primary responsibility to block on the tag screens, while also being available to catch an occasional pass.  He finished with five receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown, the TD coming against Penn-Trafford in a 42-21 victory over the 11-2 team from Pennsylvania.  On defense Anthony was a starter at cornerback where he recorded 10.0 tackle points (5 solos and 10 assists), two pass breakups and a tackle for loss.

Congratulations to Anthony Pedro.

News

Seven Tiger Athletes Ink Letters-of-Intent

Four standouts from the 2019 Massillon football team signed letters-of-intent to play at the next level. They include Robbie Page, Preston Hodges and Jarron Hodges, who will attend Walsh University, and Cole Jones, who is headed to the University of Findlay.  Joining them are Hannah Frey, who is headed to Capital University to play golf, TJ Harper, who will play golf at The College of Wooster, and Erroll Isaiah II, who will join the bowling team at Walsh University.

Robbie Page was a starting safety on Massillon’s 14-1, state runner-up team in 2019.  He was fourth on the team with 58.5 tackle points (49 solos and 19 assists).  He also intercepted three passes, broke up eight passes and recovered a fumble.  An All-County selection, Page will be remembered as a player who challenged any opposing receiver to catch a pass over the middle.

Preston Hodges was third on the team with 65.0 tackle points (27 solos and 56 assists).  He also recorded 14.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, four pass interceptions returned for 78 yards and two touchdowns, five pass breakups and a blocked punt.  He saw limited duty in the backfield, where he carried the ball eleven times for 78 yards and scored two touchdowns.  Hodges received the Touchdown Club Hardnose Award and was awarded Defensive Player of the Year.  One of the co-captains, he was named to the All-County, All-District and All-State Teams.

Jarron Hodges was third on the team as a wide receiver, catching 14 passes for 127 yards.  Used primarily as a short-to-medium distance receiver, he averaged 9.1 yards per catch.  Hodges also received the “lunch bucket” award, given to the player that comes to practice every day ready to work.

Cole Jones led an offensive line that averaged 180 yards rushing per game and surrendered just five quarterback sacks over 15 games.  A co-captain, playing both guard and center, Jones was presented the Ducky Schroeder Outstanding Lineman Award.  He was also named All-County, All-District and All-State.  Cole has been invited to participate in the Ohio North-South Classic, scheduled for April 25, tentatively at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Hannah Frey is a standout on the Girls Golf Team.  Last fall she was named Senior Academic All-Ohio, Honorable Mention Stark County and Honorable Mention All Northeast Ohio District.

TJ Harper is a standout on the Boys Golf Team.  Last fall he was named Senior Academic All-Ohio, Honorable Mention Stark County and Honorable Mention All Northeast Ohio District.

Erroll Isiah II is a member of this winter’s Boy’s Bowling Team.

On early signing day last fall, both Aidan Longwell and Luke Murphy committed to Kent State, Aidan for baseball and Luke for football.

Longwell, a 3-year starter, was a standout quarterback who owns career passing marks for yards (7,705), attempts (795), completions (484) and touchdowns (84).  A co-captain, he received the Most Valuable Player award.  He was also named All-County, All-District and All-State.

Murphy saw action primarily at safety, where he was the leading tackler on the team with 85.5 tackle points (60 solos and 51 assists).  He also had five tackles for loss, intercepted two passes returned for 43 yards, broke up six passes and blocked a punt.   He was named All-County, All-District and All-State.

Congratulations to all nine of these Tigers.

2020 Signing Day. (Row 1, L-R) Hannah Frey, Robbie Page and Preston Hodges; (Row 2) TJ Harper, Erroll Isaiah II, Cole Jones and Jerron Hodges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obie Logo (Large) History

Chuck Vliet and a Tiger Record for the Ages

The Massillontigers.com website maintains over 2,500 player and team game records.  The data comprises 270 categories, such as rushing, passing and receiving, and lists the Top 10 record holders in each category.  For the last several months I have been reviewing past history to verify the accuracy of these entries.  Some of the more obvious ones are Jamir Thomas and Aidan Longwell as the all-time career rushers and passers.  Then there are remote ones, like Chauncey Watson having the longest touchdown run of 99 yards against Akron Garfield 1991 and Art McConnel with the longest punt of 81 yards vs. Warren in 1925.

But there is one record that always bothered me: Chuck Vliet’s 42 tackles in the 1950 game against Warren Harding.  How could this be?  Is that even possible?  The No. 2 player on the list, Cooper Ivan, has just 14 tackle points.  Fortunately, the aging Chuck is still with us to tell the story.  And it’s a good one.  I had a chance recently to sit down with Chuck and talk about that record, but first a little background.

Chuck played football in 1949-51 under the legendary coach Chuck Mather.  During his 6-year tenure, Mather racked up an inconceivable 57 wins in 60 games.  In all six years his teams were honored as the best in the Ohio and three times named national champs.

“I thought he was a great coach,” Vliet said about Mather.  “One thing I liked about Chuck Mather and his whole staff, they never yelled or cussed at us.  They would walk up to us with a calm voice and look at us straight in the eye.  They might put their hand on your shoulder and say, ‘What is your assignment on this play?  What are you supposed to do?’  He always told us, ‘You play the game the way you practice.’  If someone made a nice block and they had their head and shoulders on the wrong side, they were told about it.  We were all graded.  Our position coaches were the ones that graded in that position.”

It was during the 1950 season (Mather’s 4th) that Vliet, a 5’-8”, 160 lb. junior running back / linebacker set the record.  It was one of those years when Massillon was undefeated and both state and national champions.  And they outscored the opposition 407-37.   Along the way they defeated No. 8 Canton McKinley 33-0 and No. 9 Steubenville 35-12.

Game 7, held on October 17, 1950, was against Warren Harding, who entered the fray with a 5-1 record, having lost earlier to the Bulldogs 19-7.  Massillon led 7-0 at the half and pulled away after the band show to win 23-6.  Harding’s only score came on a 72-yard pass, but overall was held to just 87 total rushing yards in 46 attempts.

This is where Chuck Vliet, who proudly wore No. 49, enters the story by setting a record for the most tackles in a single game.  The amazing part is that out of 58 plays Warren ran that night, 12 were passes and Chuck did not tackle any of the three players who caught a pass.  In addition, Harding lost a fumble, which means that, if you do the math, Vliet made 42 tackles out of 45 opportunities, which was simply amazing.

Here’s how Chuck told the story:

“At the beginning of this game against Warren in 1950 on our field we practiced a solid week for their passing offense.  Back in our time we didn’t run into many teams that threw a lot and we had to gear up for that particular game.  So the whole week our defense was all pass.  It was pass here, pass there.  We had to learn what they were doing, read the quarterback, and so on.

“So we came out that night onto the field.  Did our exercises.  Came off the field.  We’re in the locker room.  I’m standing there.  Mather came over.  He says, ‘Vliet.  We’re going to change the defense tonight.’  I said, ‘What, coach?’  He said, ‘We’re changing the defense.’  I said, ‘What for?’  He said that we found out that their quarterback on Wednesday twisted his ankle quite bad and cannot play in this game.  So they brought a second quarterback in which cannot throw, so that Warren will be running all night.  He says, ‘So what we’re going to do on defense, we’re going to make a 7–man front and we’re going to have you as a roving linebacker.’  I thought that time I got a big old goose bump all over me because I didn’t know what he was talking about.  And I was going to be the only linebacker.  He said, ‘You will be my roving linebacker.’  I said, ‘Roving linebacker?’  He said, ‘Yes.  You have to cover from sideline to sideline.’  Again, that hit me real hard.  I said, ‘Coach.  What about Joe Gleason and Ray Lane?  They’re both seniors.’  He said,’ I want you!’  Well, I was scared.  I really was.

The 1950 defense: (Row 1, L-R) linemen Thomas Zeller, James Geiser, James Shumacher, Jack Strobel and Allen Murray; (Row 2) linebackers Joe Gleason, Chuck Vliet and Ray Lane; (Row 3) defensive backs Robert Khoenle, William Stoner and Ernie Russell

“So he got us together, and this was about ten minutes before we were ready to go back onto the field, and on our defensive front, at right guard, he said, ‘We’re going to put those two on double duty.’  And (Jerry) Krisher let out a little bit of noise.  He didn’t like that.  And, anyhow, he took Ray Lane and put him over defensive guard on the right side he took Joe Gleason, the outside linebacker, and put him on the left side.  They put Krisher in (Jack) Strobel’s place and (Jim) Richenbach over the nose man.  And he said, ‘This is what we call our 7-1-2-1.”  What we now know as a diamond defense.  We never practiced that beforehand.  We never practiced that the whole time I was there.  And we never used that defense again.

“He told each one of the defensive people up front, ‘keep the lineman off of Vliet.  Hit them and hold them up at the line and let him (Vliet) do his job.’  And I called them My Magnificent Seven because I didn’t have anyone coming out hitting me and I had free range from one side of the field to the other side.  And I did not know at the end of the game or that week or thereafter how many tackles I made in that game until I read that piece in the paper (the following year in an article presenting Vliet and Frank Gibson as the captains of the 1951 team).

“It was a defense that nobody played against us.  He threw this at them because they knew our regular defense.  And they were always set up to block a regular defense.  And this threw them off balance.  And then telling our defensive line people, ‘Keep the offensive players off of Vliet.’  And that worked.  And they did a job.  I’m not kidding you.  I used to think sometimes that he was psychic.  He just seemed to know how to do everything and sprung that on us.  But we had the type of people, whatever they were told to do, they could do it.  That’s the type of people we had.”

It’s a record that’s sure to never be broken.  Lee Nussbaum, a member of that 1950 team, said later, “If I could tackle as well as Chuck Vliet, I’d have been first string at Ohio State in 1954.”  The mark is documented on the Ohio High School Athletic Association website under “Individual Miscellaneous Feats.”

So, if you see an SUV going down the road with a license plate that reads “CV 49”, give a wave to former Tiger great Chuck Vliet, a Massillon Tiger forever.

Chuck Vliet (49) positions himself to make the tackle after Ernie Russell (29) slows the runner down. Also shown is Allen Murray
Chuck Vliet (on the ground) brings down the Warren ball carrier. Assisting is Erie Russell
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2019 Tigers Take a Final Bow

2019 Booster Club President Bruce Gallagher (holding State Runner-Up Trophy) with Head Coach Nate Moore

The 2019 season has long been over, but it was a good time at the banquet to look back on a great year and recognize those individuals that made so much success possible.  Outgoing Booster Club President Bruce Gallagher welcomed all and went great lengths to thank everyone who helped him accomplish the Club’s goals of supporting the players throughout the past season.  Special tribute was paid to the Tiger Moms, who were instrumental in feeding the Tigers throughout the campaign.  Bruce also introduced next year’s president, Eric Smith.

Head Coach Nate Moore then spoke to the several hundred players, coaches, parents and fans who attended, thanking nearly everyone for supporting the program.  But he couldn’t talk enough about the past year.  “I’m so proud of this football team,” he said.  “They played in 14 playoff games.  They set all kinds of records.  But what I’m most proud of is that they played for the City of Massillon.  They have reset the standard of Massillon football.”

The 2018 Massillon football team was a hard act to follow: they won the most games ever during the season by fashioning a 14-1 record, they participated in the playoff state finals for the first time in 13 years and they had the all-time leading rusher in Jamir Thomas.  But the 2019 team did exactly that.  They met and in some cases exceeded that previous team.  Led by an outstanding senior class, these Tigers repeated both the 14-1 record and the appearance in the state finals.  And although nearly matching the offensive stats of the previous year, it was the defense that flexed it muscles the most in playing the best football on that side of the ball since the 2002 season.  Consider these accomplishments:

  • 14-1 record (number of wins ties all-time record)
  • 605 points scored (40.3 per game) (2nd all-time)
  • 177 points allowed (11.8 per game) (fewest since 2002)
  • 899 overall wins (5th in the country)
  • 2nd consecutive undefeated regular season (first time since 1965)
  • 4th consecutive playoff appearance (26th appearance overall)
  • 3rd consecutive playoff regional title (13th overall)
  • 2nd consecutive state finals appearance (5th appearance overall)
  • 4th consecutive win over Canton McKinley; 8 of the last 9 (series record: 72-53-5)
  • 17-14 victory over 2017 and 2018 Division II champion Akron Hoban
  • Defeated five out of five playoff opponents in regular season
  • Rated in the U.S. Top 50 by several national publications
  • Academic All-Ohio with an overall GPA of 3.37 during the football season

This team has also penciled itself into many areas of the record book, including the following:

  • 2,910 passing yards (4th overall)
  • 62.9 pass completion percentage (2nd overall)
  • 10.5 yards per pass attempt (1st overall)
  • 35 touchdown passes (3rd overall)
  • 185.2 pass efficiency rating (1st overall)
  • 5,602 total offensive yards (3rd overall)
  • 7.4 yards per play (4th overall)
  • 84 touchdowns (2nd overall)
  • 337 passing yards vs. Perry (5th overall)

The senior class never lost to Canton McKinley.  They won more playoff games (11) in three years than any previous class.  They own a 21-game regular season winning streak.  And who can forget Ben Krichbaum’s end-of-the-game sack of the Akron Hoban quarterback to seal the victory in the regional finals.  Then there were the two memorable passes from Aidan Longwell, one breaking the record for the longest pass ever and the other sealing the win over McKinley.  What a senior class.  They will also be a hard group to follow.

So at this evening’s banquet the 2019 players took their final bows and in turn received a multitude of accolades, including participation awards for JV players, letters for varsity game participants, senior awards, captain awards and top player acknowledgments.

Captain Awards – Quarterback Aidan Longwell, Offensive Lineman Cole Jones, Defensive Lineman Manny McElroy, Inside Linebacker Ben Krichbaum, Outside Linebacker Preston Hodges and Honorary Captain Nathan Forte

All-County – Robbie Page, Preston Hodges, Aidan Longwell, Terrance Keyes, Jr., Jayden Ballard, Luke Murphy, Andrew Wilson-Lamp, Cole Jones, Manny McElroy, Alex Bauer and Zion Phifer

All-District – Aidan Longwell, Terrance Keyes, Jr., Jayden Ballard, Cole Jones, Caiden Woullard, Preston Hodges, Luke Murphy and Magnus Haines.

All-State – Aidan Longwell (1st Team), Jayden Ballard (1st Team), Cole Jones (1st Team), Luke Murphy (1st Team), Terrance Keyes, Jr. 2nd Team), Caiden Woullard (2nd Team), Preston Hodges (2nd Team), Magnus Haines (3rd Team) and Andrew Wilson-Lamp (Special Mention)

Through the Roof Player of the Year (Sponsored by Progressive Auto Group) – Aidan Longwell (offense) and Preston Hodges (defense)

Character Award – Ethan Tobin

Thayer Munford ACT Award – Deven Warfield

John Pizzino, Sr. Academic Football $1,000 Scholarship – Ahmon Williams

Paul David Academic Award – Anthony Pedro

Defensive Player of the Year – Preston Hodges

Co-Offensive Player of the Year – Terrance Keyes Jr.

Co-Offensive Player of the Year – Zion Phifer

Lifter Of the Year – Ben Krichbaum

Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year Offense – Tanner Pierce

Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year – Nick Hatheway

Ducky Schroeder Award Outstanding Lineman – Cole Jones (All-County, All-District, 1st Team All-State)

Special Teams Player of the Year – Seth Lance

Bob Smith / Bill Snyder Sportsmanship Award – Noah Richards

Lee Tressel Citizenship Award – Davon Woods

Tom Harp Coaches Award – Peyton Mendenhall

Touchdown Club Hardnose Award – Preston Hodges

Most Valuable Player – Aidan Longwell

Massillon Record Setters – Aidan Longwell (career passing yards, career touchdowns pass attempts, career pass completions, career yards per pass attempt, career touchdowns, season pass efficiency and longest pass completion), Jayden Ballard (career touchdowns, season touchdowns and longest pass reception) Caiden Woullard (season tackles-for-loss), Zach Catrone (career pass completion percentage) and Alex Bauer (season PAT kicks attempted, season PAT kicks made and career field goal percentage).

See you next year.

2019 Most Valuable Player Aidan Longwell with Head Coach Nate Moore

2019 Defensive Player of the Year Preston Hodges
2019 Co-Offensive Players of the Year Zion Phifer and Terrance Keyes, Jr., with Head Coach Nate Moore
2019 Ducky Schroeder Outstanding Lineman Award Cole Jones with Head Coach Nate Moore
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Former Tiger Player Named AP All-American

Former Massillon player and current Mount Union defensive back Kordell Ford was recently named Division 3 1st Team Collegiate All-American by the Associated Press.  The 5′-10″, 190 lb. Ford, who majors in Sports Business, had a productive junior year in helping his team to an 11-1 record and a birth in the post-season playoffs.  For the season, he recorded 53.0 tackle points, two quarterback sacks and a pass interception, including a season-best eight tackles against Heidelberg.  In addition to his All-American status, Ford was named to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference first team and recognized as the OAC’s top defensive back.  He has also been nominated for the Cliff Harris Award as the top small college defensive player in the country.  In his previous two years, Kordell was credited with 56 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback sack and a fumble recovery.

At Massillon, the 2017 graduate played varsity ball extensively for three season, first under Jason Hall and then Nate Moore, lining up at both running back and defensive back.  As a senior, he was a team co-captain and named to both the All-County and All-District teams.  His stats were as follows:

  • Sophomore – 1 carry for 28 yards; 6 pass receptions for 66 yards and 1 TD; 3 solo tackles and 1 assist.
  • Junior – 2nd on the team in tackles; 35 solos and 37 assists; 4 pass interceptions.
  • Senior – 55 carries for 208 yards and 2 TDs; 4 pass receptions for 63 yards; 1st on the team in tackles; 40 solos, 26 assists, 3 tackles for loss, 2 pass interceptions returned for 77 yards and 1 TD TD; 8 punt returns for 68 yards; 10 kick returns for 182 yards

Kordell is the son of Charles and Jodi Ford.

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

  • Quarterback — Broc Rutter, senior, North Central (Ill.).
  • Running backs — Robert Shufford, junior, Birmingham-Southern; Ethan Greenfield, sophomore, North Central (Ill.).
  • Linemen — Sharmore Clarke, junior, North Central (Ill.); Quinn Meinerz, junior, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Nic Vetter, senior, Wartburg; Sean Sherman, senior, Mount Union; Dan Greenheck, senior, St. John’s.
  • Tight end — Ryan Curtiss, senior, Muhlenberg.
  • Receivers — Andrew Kamienski, junior, North Central (Ill.); Justin Hill, senior, Mount Union.
  • All-purpose player — Willie Julkes III, senior, Concordia-Moorhead.
  • Kicker — Anthony Avila, sophomore, Mary Hardin-Baylor.

DEFENSE

  • Linemen — Frankie Feaster, senior, Muhlenberg; Dallas McRae, senior, Wheaton (Ill.); Joey Longoria, senior, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Michael Nobile, sophomore, Delaware Valley.
  • Linebackers — Scottie Bobeck, senior, Benedictine; Dante Capozzoli, junior, Kean; Anton Clark, senior, East Texas Baptist.
  • Secondary — Jeff Hector, senior, Redlands; Spencer Rowland, senior, Wheaton (Ill.); Jake Beesley, junior, North Central (Ill.); Kordell Ford, junior, Mount Union.
  • Punter — Zach Warcola, senior, College of New Jersey.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

  • Quarterback — Jackson Erdmann, senior, St.John’s.
  • Running backs — Alex Minton, senior, Denison; Wesley Schools, senior, Grove City.
  • Linemen — Ben Bartch, senior, St. John’s; Joe Krall, senior, Monmouth (Ill.); Tyler Norwood, senior, Salisbury; Ryan Malarkey, senior, Muhlenberg; Steven Sellers, junior, Mary Hardin-Baylor.
  • Tight end — Dan Allen, senior, Delaware Valley.
  • Receivers — Ruhann Peele, senior, Wesley (Del.); Ravi Alston, sophomore, St. John’s; Samuel Staehling, senior, St. Norbert.
  • All-purpose player — Brock Martin, sophomore, Ohio Northern.
  • Kicker — Jaydon Haaq, sophomore, Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

DEFENSE

  • Linemen — Jordan McInerney, senior, Lake Forest; Danny Pietruszewski, junior, St. John’s; Tim Ousley, senior, Muskingum; Mike Williams, senior, Washington & Jefferson.
  • Linebackers — Mason Dekker, senior, Hope; Emmet Forde, junior, Hobart; Nick Garone, senior, Ithaca.
  • Secondary — Peyton Haynes, senior, LaGrange; Blaze Barista, senior, Dubuque; Danial Shelton, senior, Susquehanna; Tramon Wiley, junior, Heidelberg.
  • Punter — Alex Berg, senior, Concordia-Moorhead.

 

News

Hardnose Award Goes to Preston Hodges

At the end of each season, the Touchdown Club honors one of the players with the “Bob Commings Memorial Hardnose Award.”  That player would have received the most votes from among weekly tallies taken by the club members.  Past players honored include John Mulbach (Ohio State), David Whitfield (Ohio State), Chris Spielman (Ohio State), Shawn Crable (Michigan), Brian Gamble (Illinois/Ashland) and Jamir Thomas.

Bob Commings was a very successful coach for the Tigers from 1969 to 1973, compiling a record of 43-6-2, including Massillon’s last state championship (1970) and qualification for Ohio’s first ever state playoff games (1972).  Commings departed following the 1973 season to become head coach of the University of Iowa and later coached at GlenOak High School, for which their field was later named.

This year’s Hardnose Award goes to senior outside linebacker and team captain Preston Hodges, recently named Second Team All-Ohio, First Team All-District and WHBC All-County.  Hodges’ stats are aplenty, including:

  • 3rd on the team in tackles with 37 solos and 56 assists
  • 14.5 tackles for loss, accounting for 48 negative yards
  • 1.5 quarterback sacks, accounting for 15 negative yards
  • 4 pass interceptions returned for 78 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • 5 pass breakups
  • 9 passes defended
  • 1 blocked punt
  • 11 rushes for 79 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • 3 punt returns for 18 yards and a touchdown
  • 30 points scored
  • 175 all-purpose yards

When asked about the award after the presentation, Preston said this: “It means everything to me.  I  know being an undersized guy you have to be a hard-nosed player.  You have to go all out every single play.  It’s just the mindset you have to have going into every single game.  I really love the game of football and I just give it my all.”  But the admiration for his teammates was not lost on him.  “I love this football team,” he said.  “They’ve had my back every step of the way.  We all push each other to be better.  I created life-long friendships with this team, I can already tell.  I was very happy with our season.  It didn’t end the way we wanted.  But I’ll still love every single one of those guys and they’re my brothers for life.”

A new award was added to the ceremony this year for the player that comes to practice every day and gives maximum performance.  It’s called the “Bucket Award.”  And this year’s winner is Jerron Hodges.

Preston Hodges receives the Hardnose Award from Bob Commings, Jr.
Jerron Hodges with Touchdown Club President Steve Berecek
Jerron and Preston Hodges, with parents Nick and Jennifer, and Coach Nate Moore
Coach Nate Moore with the 2019 team captains: Preston Hodges, Cole Jones, Aidan Longwell, Ben Krichbaum and Manny McElroy

 

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo News

Booster Club Report – Final 2019 Meeting

The final Booster Club of the 2019 season kicked off with recognition for job well done by this year’s president, Bruce Gallagher, who thanked all of the members for their unending support throughout the year.

The date of the Football Banquet has not yet been set.

Head Coach Nate Moore did not dwell on the state finals loss to Cincinnati LaSalle, but instead elected to expound on the accomplishments of the 2019 team and the outgoing senior class.  “This was a great year,” he said.  “So  proud of our kids.  They fought hard every week.  Bittersweet at the end.  Our kids really wanted to win it (the state championship) for the City of Massillon.  But we have to move on.

“What an incredible year Aidan Longwell had.  Really hard to compare to anyone else.  Having two 1,000-yard receivers. Lots of records set.  The last few years for these seniors, it’s really been an incredible run.”

  • A win-loss record of 38-6 (fewest losses in three years since 1983)
  • A playoff win-loss record of 11-3
  • Two consecutive undefeated regular seasons (previously only accomplished by Earl Bruce, Chuck Mather and Paul Brown)
  • Three consecutive playoff regional championships (a first for Massillon)
  • Two consecutive playoff state finals appearances (a first for Massillon)
  • A fourth consecutive victory over Canton McKinley
  • Seven games finishing with a running clock
  • Defeated 4-time defending state champion Akron Hoban in the Regional Finals
  • Record-setting quarterback for a career (Aidan Longwell: attempts (795), completions (484), completion percentage (60.9%), yards (7,705) and touchdowns (84))
  • Record-setting quarterback for a season (Aidan Longwell: quarterback efficiency rating (186.5))
  • 1,000-yard+ rusher (Terrance Keyes, Jr.: 227 attempts for 1,592 yards and 23 touchdowns)
  • Two 1,000-yard+ receivers (Jayden Ballard: 68 receptions for 1,202 yards and 18 touchdowns, Andrew Wilson-Lamp 55 receptions for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns)
  • Record-setting kicker (Alex Bauer: PAT kick attempts (83), PAT kicks made (81))
  • Record-setting defender (Caiden Woullard: tackles for loss (18))
  • Most receiving yards in a game: Andrew Wilson-Lamp (232) vs. Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary
  • Longest touchdown pass: Aidan Longwell to Jaydon Ballard (95 yards) vs. Monroeville Gateway, PA

Moore then addressed the prospect for next year.  Defensively, the Tigers return just one starter in Caiden Woullard.  So that area will be a work in progress.  “Somebody will step up and take their place.” he said of the departing starters.  “It will be like that at a lot of positions.  But we will return a lot on the offensive side of the ball: 3 of 5 offensive linemen, two wide receivers, two fullbacks and the two kickers.”  Backup quarterback Zach Catrone has a great shot at being the starter next year.  “The juniors are now seniors,” he said.  “It’s their team.  I fully expect to compete at the state level next year.  And it’s a very reasonable goal.”

Moore acknowledged the contributions of the assistant coaches saying that Massillon’s development process for players is second to none.  And the facilities are “unbelievable.”  The coaches will now prepare over the next month during the “hands-off” period and welcome the players back into the weight room on January 6.

Three open dates remain on next year’s schedule, week 5, 7 and 9, with a special opponent in the works for Week 1  So far it looks like this:

  1. Filled, not announced
  2. Canton GlenOak (A)
  3. Warren Harding (H)
  4. Filled, not announced
  5. Open
  6. Austintown Fitch (H)
  7. Open
  8. Barberton (H)
  9. Open
  10. Canton McKinley (H)

A college showcase for Division 2 and 3 college coaches is scheduled for December 19, the day after the D1 early signing date.  All senior players are welcome to attend.  The event is open to all area schools.  Moore expects 40-50 coaches to attend.  The annual college showcase for D1 college coaches will be held in the spring and will be open to underclass Massillon players.

See you at the Banquet and the Spring Kickoff.