Eric Smith, Author at MassillonTigers.com

1983: Massillon 24, Warren Harding 0

September 16, 1983August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Back on track Tigers rebound with big victory

Tigers blank W. Harding

By NORM WEBER
Independent Sportswriter

MASSILLON – Everything is restored to normal in Tigertown.

The Tigers bounced back from last week’s upset loss to Akron Garfield by clubbing Warren Harding 24-0 Friday night, at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

With the collective running of Chris Spielman and Craig Johnson, and a stingy defense that forced 11 Harding punts and allowed but five Panther first downs, Massillon posted the convincing victory.

Putting it bluntly, Massillon’s vaunted defense was set on not letting the Panther offense go anywhere. Harding finished the game with 53 total net yards, 35 in the air and 18 on the ground.

“We had to play a good defensive game to win and as it turned out we did,” said Massillon head coach Mike Currence.

“Their defense was very quick and we were not able to sustain any blocking,” said Harding head coach Frank Thomas. “We got some blocking in the early part of the game, but we could not keep it going.”

The Tigers got their first score on their second possession of the game. After a 28-yard Harding punt Massillon took over on the Harding 39-yard line nad marched to thegoal in 10 plays using up 4:42 of the clock.

The Tigers calmly moved inside the Panther 20 on the running of Johnson and Spielman. Once inside the 20, however, the Tigers ran into some problems.

A clipping penalty negated a pass from quarterback Bronc Pfisterer to Bruce Spicer on the four-yard line, sending the ball all the way back to the 29-yard line.

The Tigers got some of it back two plays later, when Tom Gruno was interfered with on the 15-yard line. Spielman took it to the five on two carries and then Johnson took a pitch at the five and angled right on a sweep for the score.

Pfisterer added the conversion and the Tigers led 7-0.

The Johnson—Spielman running show continued after the Panthers punted to the Tigers on their next possession.

The Tigers drove 80 yards on nine plays – all running plays – to mount the 14-0 lead they were to take into the locker room at halftime.

In the ‘all rushing’ drive Johnson carried five times for 28 yards and Spielman three times for 43 yards. On a fourth-and-two from the three-yard line, Spielman took the ball—as well as a wall of tacklers – into the end zone for the score.

After shutting out the Panther offense the first half, the Tiger defense really earned its stars the second half.

Harding did not manage a first down until the fourth quarter and was forced to punt eight times the entire second half. The Panthers did not penetrate midfield the second half.

What permitted the Panthers to get the ball so many times the second half was their defense, which posted shut-outs in their first two games and forced five Tiger turnovers, four in the second half.

“They (Harding) have a good defense and an exceptionally good secondary,” said Currence. “Bronc played a good game at quarterback. He threw a couple interceptions, but they were on tips.”

“Those are the kinds of things that will happen, though. Having thrown those interceptions will teach him to back off a bit. You gain your experience by making mistakes, and Bronc is coming along fine,” he continued.

“Already playing the whole game against Garfield has helped him. We had our quarterback one more week than they had theirs and that proved to be the difference. When we put our backup (Mike Scott) in late in the game we had an illegal procedure on the first play, to give an idea of the adjustment needed for backup quarterback.”

Harding’s No. 1 quarterback, Maurice Reid got injured against Youngstown East last week, missed the Massillon game and is to miss the next four games. Reuben Osbourne, a junior, replaced Reid at quarterback.

“Reuben was playing injured, too,” said Thomas. “He’s been troubled with bad ribs since the first game. There was no miscalculation in timing between Reuben and the rest of the first unit. Their defense was just so darn quick.”

Turning in solo sacks for the Tigers in the second half were nose guard John Franke and defensive end John Brown.

Pfisterer added a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and Spielman ran a punt back 53 yards with 30 seconds left in the game to conclude the scoring.

Tiger offense
back in high gear

By NORM WEBER
Independent Sportswriter

MASSILLON – Take away the five turnovers against Warren Harding, and it appears as if the Tigers have established an offensive game, one that future opponents are sure to fret over.

It was former Ohio State Buckeye coach Woody Hayes who made the words, “three things can happen when you put the ball in the air and two of them aren’t good,” famous.

Although the Tigers scored 24 points on the previously unscored on Warren Harding defense, they could very well have had more points than that.

Three times in Friday’s game the Tigers were driving in Panther territory and had passes intercepted to stop the drives, not to mention one other drive that was stopped at the three because of a fumble.

But it was the running game that overshadowed the turnovers. Tailbacks Chris Spielman and Craig Johnson, along with the help of their blockers, put on one fine show of running.

Spielman carried 13 times for 77 yards and Johnson 20 times for 116 yards.

The Tigers’ second scoring drive showed how potent the Johnson-Spielman combo really is. So potent that they didn’t need a single pass to score in the 80-yard drive which took a tad over four minutes.

Not only did Spielman and Johnson display some nifty running in the drive, but the play selection by the coaching staff was also excellent.

In nine plays, neither Johnson or Spielman carried the ball as much as twice in a row in the diverse attack.

“It was clicking,” said Tiger head coach Mike Currence. “All the plays we called seemed to click. We were trying to go outside whenever it looked as it they were pinching up and going inside whenever we thought they were going to overload on one side.

“It all clicked for us on that drive. But it can go both ways. There were times when they overloaded on one side and we went that way and didn’t get much.”

In the drive Spielman had one run of 25 yards, which should have been only a 10-yard gain, but Spielman carried a tackler or four and maintained his balance to get the extra yardage.

Spielman scored the touchdown on the drive from three yards out. On a fourth-and-two from the three, Spielman went into a wall of tacklers and it appeared as if he didn’t have the first down, but somehow he squirmed out of the stack for the touchdown.

While Spielmans’ forte was brute strength and shear desire, Johnson’s was the deceptive moves and quick stops. On one run in the third quarter, Johnson literally ‘danced’ for a 23-yard gain.

He almost scored in the fourth quarter on a 36-yard run, with blockers in front, behind and next to him. Center Dave Morelli, running behind Johnson, stepped on the back of his shoe top on one of those ‘excuse me’ moves, Johnson tripped down at the 13-yard line

***********
Spielman had the dubious distinction of throwing an interception from the same yard line he had intercepted the ball from.

In the waning seconds of the first half Spielman intercepted a pass at the Harding 41-yard line. Two plays later, with the line of scrimmage the 41-yard line, Spielman threw an interception to Harding on a halfback option pass.

***********
Tiger No. 1 quarterback Brian Dewitz, who has been injured since the first game, will probably see action next week against Akron Central Hower.

“We might have been able to play him against Harding,” said Currence. “But we want to give him as much rest as possible. He will probably play some next week.”

************

Warren Harding coach Frank Thomas was a tad disturbed by Spielman’s 53-yard punt return toward the end of the game, but at the same time was astonished by the execution of the run.

“If they want to get their No. 1 tailback hurt by having him run back punts with seconds left and a 17-point lead that’s their choice,” Thomas said. “But then if you get blocking like he got on that run you don’t need to worry about getting him injured.

************

The Tiger Booster Club experimented with a new idea for Friday’s game.

Referee Gordon Schutt wore a microphone on his belt, so that the fans could get an audio aid to go with the non-verbal signals on penalties.

As it turned out, the ‘mike’ came in handy. The scoreboard clock was not working and Schutt was able to inform the crowd of the official time via the mike.

“I think it’s a good idea. It wasn’t much trouble for me,” said Schutt. “I just made that one mistake when I said the player’s number on a holding call. I wasn’t supposed to do that.

The booster club plans to use the mike for future games.

MASSILLON 24
HARDING 0

STATISTICS
M H
First downs rushing 10 1
First downs passing 3 2
First downs by penalty 2 2
Totals first downs 15 5
Yards gained rushing 213 61
Yards lost rushing 19 43
Net yards rushing 194 18
Net yards passing 58 35
Total yards gained 252 53
Passes attempted 15 15
Passes completed 5 2
Passes int. by 1 3
Yardage on pass int. 00 00
Times kicked off 5 1
Kickoff average 52.0 42.0
Kickoff return yards 9 70
Punts 4 11
Punting average 42.3 27.5
Punt return yards 59 00
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 5 1
Fumbles lost 2 0
Penalties 6 5
Yards penalized 68 30
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 53 47
Time of possession 24.04 23.56
Attendance 9,014

MASSILLON 7 7 0 14 – 24
HARDING 00 00 00 00 – 00

History

1983: Massillon 10, Akron Garfield 14

September 9, 1983August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

No joy in Massillon Tigers upset by Garfield, 14-10

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON – There was no joy in Massillon Friday night

Visiting Akron Garfield put an early crimp in the Tigers drive toward a state playoff berth with a 14-10 win at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The Rams, a serious contender for their City Series League title, dominated the game in most areas.

Head coach William McGee’S 2-0 squad outgained the Tigers by a wide 238-151 margin in total offense. More telling, though, was the time of possession, which showed Garfield with more than a nine-minute edge.

Garfield’s defense – well-rested in the second half – proved a stingy lot, holding Massillon’s Mr. Versatility, Chris Spielman, to just 18 yards rushing on eight carries.

The one-two punch of Garfield’s Charles Gladman and Eric Finn accounted for 196 yards rushing offense. Gladman finished with 105 on 24 totes and Finn with 91 on 23.

“I’m still sore,” Gladman said. “I didn’t care if I got 50 yards so long as we won. We can’t be beat now.”

Mistakes proved the culprit for Massillon as an interception by Garfield’s Rickey Morse on the game’s third play led to a one-yard TD plunge by Finn. The PAT was wide right and the Rams led, 6-0.

Massillon (1-1) came storming right back, mounting a seven-play, 64-yard drive that culminated in a 20-yard TD run by Craig Johnson, who finished the game with 78 yards on 13 carries. Bronc Pfisterer added the PAT for a 7-6 lead.

The Tigers averted what appeared to be sure trouble when Spielman intercepted a pass at the Massillon two-yard line in the second period.

Entering half time the Tigers held a slight 7-6 edge, but the Rams took the second half kickoff downfield, scoring when Finn bulled over from the one to cap a 10-play, 63-yard drive. A fake kick for the extra point ended in a two-point play when Morse caught a pass from Mike Beane.

On Garfield’s drive the key play of the game surfaced when Massillon head coach Mike Currence was assessed a penalty for being on the field of play.

“That was the biggest play of the game,” a subdued Currence said. “No one heard a whistle. I went out for an official’s conference and he threw a flag on me.”

“How can I get his attention? Hell, there’s 14,000 people out there and how can I hear him?” Currence said.

The play in question centered around an apparent fumble by Gladman. The “loose ball” was picked up and rambled to pay dirt by a Massillon player.

However, the play was ruled dead by the game’s officials.

Right after Garfield made the score 14-7, the Tigers came roaring right back. Massillon drive down to the 19-yard line, but when faced with a third-and-three play they were called for encroachment, pushing the ball back five yards where Currence’s squad failed to get the first down on a pass play.

The Tigers scored early in the final quarter when Pfisterer drilled home a 21-yard field goal, but Massillon would run off only seven plays in the final eight minutes to 21 for Garfield.

“It’s never easy,” said McGee. “I stand aside, you have to talk to these (the Rams’ offenseive and defensive coordinators) guys.”

“I don’t know what the stats were, but they were lopsided in the number of plays in the second half,” said Ram offensive coordinator Ron Amedeo.

“We just played our basic defense. We didn’t change one bit,” said defensive coordinator Mardeo Rossi. “We felt our speed could match up with theirs.”

The playoff picture may have been clouded somewhat for the Tigers, but Currence isn’t about to throw in the towel.

“We have to lose another one to be out of it,” Currence said. “We just have to get ready for the next game and come back.”

The Tigers will host Warren Harding next Friday night for their next game.

MASSILLON 10
GARFIELD 14

STATISTICS
M G
First downs rushing 7 10
First downs passing 2 2
First downs by penalty 0 0
Total first downs 9 14
Yards gained rushing 127 207
Yards lost rushing 10 12
Net yards rushing 117 195
Net yards passing 34 43
Total yards gained 151 238
Passes attempted 14 7
Passes completed 6 3
Passes int. by 2 1
Yardage on pass int. 56 0
Times kicked off 3 3
Kickoff average 48.3 43.3
Kickoff return yards 51 57
Punts 3 2
Punting average 36.7 18.5
Punt return yards 7 0
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 2 1
Fumbles lost 1 0
Penalties 6 3
Yards penalized 49 15
Touchdowns rushing 1 2
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 41 63
Time of possession 19.11 28.49
Attendance 14,171

GARFIELD 6 0 8 00 – 14
MASSILLON 7 0 00 3 – 10

History

1983: Massillon 22, Massillon Perry 8

September 2, 1983August 11, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers rip Perry 22-8

Spielman does it all; Defense does its job

By MARK ESTEP
Independent Sportswriter

MASSILLON – With three of the Midwest’s top coaches in the stands, Chris Spielman led the Massillon Tigers to a 22-8 win over Perry in the season opener for both squads.

Ohio State’s Early Bruce, Notre Dame’s Gerry Faust and Indiana’s Sam Wyche were in the crowd at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium as Spielman rushed for 78 yards, caught a pass, threw a touchdown pass, intercepted a pass and ran back a punt 68 yards. He also helped the famed “Tiger Claw” defense keep the Panthers bottled up most of the evening

“Chris Spielman is the best all-around athlete I’ve ever coached,” declared Tiger coach Mike Currence. “That punt return was worth the price of admission.

“In an opening game, you can expect to make the kind of mistakes we did,” Currence continued. “We need some work with our receivers, but we’ll find out what we can do in the next few weeks.”

Tiger fans and coaches got a scare with 10:45 left in the second quarter when quarterback Brian Dewitz went down with a knee injury after being tackled. However, the injury turned out to be a strain and Currence said the coaching staff decided not to take any chances with the senior signal caller and replaced him with Bronc Pfisterer.

“You can’t be pleased when you lose,” said Perry coach Keith Wakefield. “We came here to win, not to keep it close, like some people think. Our kids hung in there but we missed tackles and didn’t block very well.”

“But we’re going to be a good football team.”

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched down to the Perry 29 in seven plays but Pfisterer missed a 47-yard field goal attempt with 8:54 left.

After holding the Panthers on their first possession, the Tigers drove down to the Panther 5, set up a 50-yard pass from Dewitz to split end Paul Briggs. But Spielman fumbled two plays later and Panther linebacker John Hively recovered.

Perry couldn’t get any further than their own 25 and after a punt, the Tigers took over on the Panther 37. On the first play, Craig Johnson swept around left end for the first Tiger TD of the season. Pfisterer booted the extra point.

Perry defensive back Pat McRoberts blunted the next Tiger drive with an interception but the team couldn’t capitalize on their fortune. Spielman ran back Ray Williams’ punt 68 yards down to the Panther 1 but two penalties and an incomplete pass took the Tigers out of a TD.

The Tigers made it 10-0 with 50 seconds left in the second period on a 27-yard field goal by Tim Sampsel which was set up by Spielman’s interception.

On the kickoff, Perry’s John Maciag fumbled and Glen Thomas recovered for Massillon on the Perry 29. Three plays later, Spielman took a pitch from Pfisterer and threw a scoring strike to Bruce Spicer to give the Tigers a 16-0 lead with 22 seconds left.

Spielman scored the Tigers’ final touchdown on a 10-yard run off left tackle, which capped an eight-play, 56-yaard drive. The PAT attempt was blocked.

Perry’s lone score came in the waning minutes of the game when tailback Rod Lemon bulled over from the 1 to avert a shutout. The score came on the fifth play of a 47-yard drive. Quarterback Jamie Howell, who relieved starter Don Decker late in the second quarter, ran around right end for the extra points.

Spielman was the game’s leading rusher with 78 yards on 12 carries. Johnson gained 71 yards on nine carries. Howell scrambled his way for 47 yards in 12 carries while fullback Wally Buzinski tallied 36 yards on 10 rushes.

“Perry is a much improved ball club,” Currence said. “I think everyone knows that. Howell really gave us some trouble.”

Both Massillon and Perry play host to Akron City Series teams next Friday. The Tigers host the Garfield Rams (and Charles Gladman, remember him from last year?) while the Panthers open their home season against the Buchtel Griffins.

History

1982: Massillon 14, Cincinnati Moeller 35

November 27, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers fall in state final 35‑14
Moeller had ‘too many horses’

By MIKE HUDAK
Independent Sports Editor

COLUMBUS ‑ The place was the state capital, the date Nov. 27, 1982.

But for the Tiger head coach Mike Currence it might as well have been medieval Mongolia. Why? Because he must have felt like a villager seeing the rising cloud of dust marking the approach of Attila the Hun, with his only viable option left to mutter “there’s too many horses” and go down fighting as best as possible.

Saturday, Attila the Hun was Francisco Hiawatha and the rest of the Moeller Crusaders the Mongol Horde. Moeller captured the Division I state championship with a 35‑14 win, overcoming a fine first‑half effort by the Tigers, giving the Crusaders their sixth state title in the past eight years and 95th win in the last 97 games.

The Tigers’ first loss of the year made them settle for the title of “Ohio Public School Champs.” Sunday’s horrendous weather caused a postponement of the team’s “Recognition Day,” but festivities are reslated for tonight beginning at 7:30 in the school auditorium. The team, band and cheerleaders will all be honored, plus officers for next year will be introduced to the throng.

The weather for Saturday’s game was near perfect. It was a bit chilly but bright sunshine made conditions as conducive as possible for the contest, especially considering the sleet, snow and rain of Friday and Sunday.

Massillon received the opening kickoff, but on the second play from scrimmage, Tim Sampsel absorbed a hit which caused the ball to fly straight up in the air, where Moeller linebacker Shane Bullough pounced on the loose orb at the Tiger 38.

The Tigers sacked Moeller quarterback John Shaffer on the first play, but then D’Juan Francisco and brother Hiawatha took over, grinding out big chunks of yardage, particularly with end sweeps.

The first score came when D’Juan, the sophomore sibling, scored from four yards out with 7:26 remaining in the opening quarter. Rob Heintzman’s soccer‑style conversion kick was good.

The Tigers came right back to fill their thousands of fans with hope. Junior quarterback Brian DeWitz rolled out on a second‑and‑two play and found wide receiver Gary Conley open over the middle. Conley, the senior speedster, caught the ball on the dead run and ran unmolested into the end zone. Bronc Pfisterer added the conversion kick to tie the score with 3:13 left in the period.

It remained tied until the second quarter. Moeller had advanced to its own 42 on a 19‑yard pass from Shaffer to Steve Williford, then went the remaining 58 yards as Hiawatha broke up the middle and used his unbelievable speed to outrun the entire defense into the endzone. The kick was good with 8:19 left in the half.

The next time the Moe‑Men had the ball, they marched 70 yards for a score. The tally came with 4:03 left in the half as Scott Mahan took a 28‑yard pass into the endzone after evading a tackle at the point of the catch. The kick was again good for a 21‑7 lead.

But the Tigers still weren’t deflated. They used most of the remainder of the half, 15 plays to be exact, to march 80 yards for a touchdown.

There were three key plays in the drive. The first was a diving sideline catch by receiver Jim Geiser to give the Tigers’ possession on the Moeller 39 good for 18 yards. it appeared that Geiser had neither foot in bounds for the catch, but the Tigers’ weren’t about to quibble.

But it looked like the break would go for naught when Massillon was faced with a third and 16 with just 45 seconds until intermission. But DeWitz evaded a strong rush and scrambled 20 yards for a first down to the Moeller eight. On the next play, DeWitz led Geiser with a perfect pass to the right corner of the end zone, and Pfisterer’s kick made it 21‑14 at halftime.

Moeller received the second half kick and began another drive, but on a fourth‑and‑one most of the Tiger front line stacked up Hiawatha to give the Tigers the ball back on their own 35.

The Tigers started a drive of their own, but junior defensive back Byron Larkin ended the threat with an interception on the Crusader 30. This time the Crusaders used the running of fullback Dave Springmeier and the passing of Shaffer to move 70 yards for the score. The capper came on a 10‑yard run by Springmerier, followed by the kick. The play took 11 plays and ended with 3:53 left in the quarter.

The ball control antics of the Crusaders wore the Tigers down eventually. Moeller’s final score came in the fourth quarter on an 87‑yard drive in eight plays, including runs of 16 and 27 yards by brother D’Juan. The final 18‑yards came on a pass from Shaffer to Williford, followed by the kick, with 3:23 remaining on the clock, but no hope was left in the hearts of Tiger fans, who started to empty the stands and prepare for the long journey back to Tiger Town and cries of “wait till next year.”

Offensively, the Tigers’ offensive total of 282 yards compared favorably to how they performed against both Sandusky and Berea ‑ when they had the ball to work with a lot more.

But defensive was another story. Moeller racked up 479 yards of offense, including 326 on the ground and 153 more though the air on a nine‑of‑14 performance by Shaffer.

The problem was, the Francisco brothers were all they were cracked up to be, plus the others were better than feared. Hiawatha amassed 151 yards and D’Juan 123 more, while Springmeier was more than effective with 77 yards in 10 bolts. Williford was a killer on pass receiving with five glue‑handed grabs for 57 yards.

After falling behind early, the Tigers went almost exclusively to the pass in hopes of scoring quickly. The Tigers carried only 20 times for 79 yards, led by DeWitz’ 31 yards in eight carries and Chris Spielman’s 28 yards in five attempts. Passing, DeWitz hit on 13 of 31 for 200 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while Spielman was one of two in the passing department. Spielman also had five catches for 60 yards, while Conley grabbed four for 78 yards and Geiser three for 47 yards.

First‑year coach Steve Klonne praised his senior dominated team, noting that they deserved “their day in the sun” after losing 13‑0 to McKinley in last year’s title clash while basically a junior‑oriented squad.

As for Currence, he concluded, “We played better than we did in 1980 against them down at Dayton. I just wish we could have won it all, but the great thing about sports is, there’s always next year.”
Tiger gridstick
MASSILLON 14
MOELLER 35
M 0
First downs rushing 3 14
First downs passing 8 7
First downs by penalty 1 0
Totals first down 12 21
Yards gained rushing 91 362
Yards lost rushing 12 36
Net yards rushing 79 326
Net yards passing 203 153
Total yards gained 282 479
Passes attempted 33 14
Passes completed 14 9
Passes int. by 0 2
Yardage on pass int. 0 0
Times kicked off 3 6
Kickoff average 41.0 51.3
Kickoff return yards 91 10
Punts 4 3
Punting average 36.0 44.7
Punt return yards -3 20
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 5 1
Fumbles lost 1 0
Penalties 6 7
Yards penalized 30 75
Touchdowns rushing 0 3
Touchdowns passing 2 2
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 54 64
Time of possession 20:34 27:26
Attendance 42,000 (est)

MOELLER 7 14 7 7 35
MASSILLON 7 7 0 0 14

Moe ‑ D. Francisco 3 run (Heintzman kick)
Mas ‑ Conley 58 pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
Moe ‑ H. Francisco 58 run (Heintzman kick)
Moe ‑ Mahan 29 pass from Shaffer (Heintzman kick)
Mas ‑ Geiser 8 pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
Moe ‑ Springmeier 11 run (Heintzman kick)
Moe ‑ Williford 18 pass from Shaffer (Heintzman kick)

Title hopes die hard in Columbus
Tigers, fans gave it their all
By DENNY HIGHBEN
Independent Staff Writer
COLUMBUS ‑ There’s a savage splendor about the Ohio State Stadium, which boldly thrusts its massive ramparts into the heavens.

On the floor of this storied arena, American gladiators have battled with all their strength and wit for the rush of glory that comes with conquest; and for that screaming, cheering worship from the spectators.

Every schoolboy in Buckeyeland who puts on the pads dreams of playing in that landmark along the Olentangy. The best, on rare occasions, get their chance.

That’s how it was Saturday, with some 42,000 spectators there. But they were more than just spectators. They were part of the battle, so intimately attached to the struggle that they were one with the young warriors below.

The Tigers of Massillon and the Crusaders of Cincinnati Moeller were locked in battle, and the energy created in the stands was so powerful it had a life of its own. It swept down from the maelstrom of its birth to join the struggle, growing as it rolled down through row after row, wave after wave of explosive emotion.

The emotion which erupted Saturday had been building for a long time, especially for the Massillon faithful. Many things contributed: years of watching the state championship elude the Tigers, usually to turn up in Cincinnati; two previous losses to Moeller; and the final insult of watching Massillon’s arch‑rival, McKinley, knocking off Moeller first and for the state crown to boot.

When the Tigers drilled Berea in the semifinals, the fuse was lit. And the site change to Ohio Stadium seemed to add even more fuel to the Tiger’ fans’ fire.

One man, at least, didn’t like the change. We would fill Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati he said. But as big as OSU stadium is, even 30,000 fans would be “lost” in the bowels of that concrete‑and steel canyon.

But 42,000 showed up and they were far from lost. The crowd was something to behold. The size, the colors, the noise, the energy … To step back and take a hefty drink of the surroundings made you tremble with excitement.

The OSU officials were shaken, too. obviously, such a following for a high school game was not considered. Only the main gate was open for admission of those with tickets and for ticket sales. When it was undeniable that one gate couldn’t handle the crowd, others were opened.

Still, however, some fans didn’t get inside until the first period of battle was well under way. And it wasn’t because the fans were late. Not for this game. Oh no! Not for this game.

In the first half, the hopes of the Massillon fans blossomed and withered time and again. From a seven‑yard gain by the Tigers on the first play to a fumble recovered by Moeller on the second play, ecstasy and misery traded shots within the hearts of the legions from Tigertown. Moeller turned that fumble recovery into a score, but the Tigers came back and tied it with a lightning bolt strike when Brian DeWitz passed the Gary Conley.

Boom‑Boom. Two touchdowns behind, time running out in the half and 80 yards away. But they did it, pushed the ball down the length of the field for another score. The reaction of the fans was awesome. They knew the Tigers had the stuff to win.

“Hey, Moeller’s tough, but we’re still in the game. We can do it!” one man said to no one and everyone within hearing distance at halftime. His sentiments belonged to the thousands in black and orange.

Perhaps the most powerful outburst of emotion ‑ even bigger than Moeller’s final victory cheer, came early in the third quarter. The mighty Crusaders were stopped on a fourth‑and‑one Hiawatha Francisco, that cross between a tank and a gazelle, was stopped cold.

But, victory was not to belong to Massillon on this day. It turned very cold towards the end; bitterly cold, it seemed. And the temperatures made the burden of losing harder to bear; Moeller dominated the second half. There was still hope until late in the fourth quarter, until Moeller built a three touchdown lead. The outcome could not be denied after that touchdown, and the Massillon loyalists had to endure.

The disappointment was uncontrollable for many, fans and players alike. For they all had given it everything they had.

It was a day for heroes, and though Moeller left no doubt who the champion was on Saturday, every Massillon fan knew this small town had just as many heroes on the field as Mighty Mo.

And as the final minutes ticked away, many a perplexed Tiger fan had to resist the urge to sneak up behind a Moeller player and lift up his jersey. What was really under those blue‑and‑gold shirts: muscle and bone or armor plate and high‑impact plastic?

As one dismayed Tiger fan put it, “They ain’t human.”

History

1982: Massillon 31, Berea 0

November 20, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Berea bombed; Moeller last step

By MIKE HUDAK
Independent Sports Editor

AKRON ‑ Was Massillon head coach Mike Currence kidding?

After Saturday’s 31‑0 thrashing of Berea, Currence commented, “We were lucky tonight. We got some big breaks.”

The only response to that comes from “The Sports Writer’s Bedside Companion of Cliches and Alliteration” ‑ a good team makes its own breaks. Perhaps in this case, a great team made them.

Berea entered the game having allowed only 36 points in 11 contests. The Tigers almost matched that in a single night; no other team had ever even scored twice on the Braves.

The Braves were allowing barely 100 yards a game defensively. On the Tigers’ second possession, they marched 99 yards Braves for the first score of the game, eating up almost eight minutes of the clock.

Berea was expected to struggle offensively; a shutout certainly concedes the point. With star running back Rod Witlow hobbled, the Braves’ running game was nonexistent. Passing wasn’t much better, as Berea quarterback Bill Davis completed only eight of 30 attempts as the Tigers’ hard‑hitting and strong rush resulted in a flurry of hurried passes and some ill‑timed drops.

A crowd of 15,250 showed up at the Akron Rubber Bowl. Conditions were less than perfect; an intermittent drizzle fell from the heavens while a steady wind made the temperature seem colder than it was.

The Tigers received the opening boot but had to punt. So did Berea, with quarterback Davis’ kick downed at the Tiger one‑yardline.

Led by the big, bad boomers known as the Massillon front line, the running combination of junior Chris Spielman and senior Jim Bushe ground out steady chunks of yardage.

It took the Tigers’ 12 plays to move the length of the field.

The only pass was a 22‑yarder from quarterback Brian DeWitz to Spielman to end the first quarter. The score came on a three‑yard linebuck by Spielman with 8:44 remaining in the half. Bronc Pfisterer added the conversion kick.

Berea was forced to punt again, and this time the Tigers moved 60 yards to score in eight plays. The capper came on a first‑and‑23 play following a holding penalty. DeWitz stepped back and unleashed a perfect strike to senior receiver Gary Conley, who enjoyed his greatest night as a Tiger. The perfectly‑executed 28‑yard scoring play ended with the Tigers leading 14‑0.

With 1:42 left in the half, Conley’s receiving and defensive backfield cohort, senior Jim Geiser, intercepted a halfback option pass and returned it deep into Berea territory at the 21.

With 13 seconds remaining in the half, DeWitz fired over the middle to Conley, who put on the best open‑field running exhibition of the year in sidestepping defenders en route to a 13‑yard touchdown. Pfisterer’s kick made it 21‑0 at halftime.

Berea received the second half kickoff, but Tiger linebacker George Ziegler got the ball right back with an interception, returning the ball to the Berea 31.

The Tigers’ advanced to the Berea six, but played it safe and relied on the steady foot of Pfisterer for a field goal. The 23-yarder made it 24-0 with 6:23 left in the third period.

The only downer of the night came on the Tigers’ next possession when DeWitz took a vicious blindside hit and fell unconscious to the ground. Serious injury was feared, but he left the field under his own power and later returned for a punt. Brad Offenbecher and Pfisterer split quarterback duties the rest of the way.

Whether the injury caused a lapse of concentration or not, the Tigers lost a quick seven on the very next play. Spielman took a pitchout and launched a wobbly‑but‑on‑target strike to a wide‑open Geiser, who lost control of the ball. It was a rare miss for Geiser, noted for his glue hands.

The Tigers’ final score came with 3:52 remaining in the game. Conley capped his sensational night with an interception and 37‑yard return for a touchdown. Pfisterer’s kick climaxed the 31‑0 barrage.

The Tigers, still perfect at 12‑0, dominated most statistical categories. Massillon led in total yardage 245‑116 and in time of possession, 28:03 to 19:57.

Individually, Spielman carried 16 times for 56 yards, while Bushe carried 11 times for 49 yards. Jeff Boerner carried twice for 18 yards in a good late showing, plus lost a big‑gainer to a penalty flag.

DeWitz finished with a stellar night, completing nine of 14 passes for 112 yards, including two TDs and no pickoffs. Conley caught four passes for 72 yards while Geiser caught three for 31 yards.

“Jubilant” would be the proper word to describe the post‑game lockerroom.

Two‑way lineman Tim Sweterlitsch summed up everybody’s feelings.

“You bet I’m excited about playing Moeller. That’s what we’ve been working all year for.”

The hard work has paid off.

Massillon romps
into state finals
By Milan Zban
Beacon Journal staff writer
It didn’t take Massillon long Saturday night at the Rubber Bowl to soil Berea High’s reputation as a defensive giant.

The Tigers scored three times in the second quarter en route to a 31‑0 victory in the semifinals of the state Division I playoffs before 15,520. The victory advances Massillon to Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. championship game against Cincinnati Moeller at Ohio Stadium.

Berea came into Saturday’s game with an unblemished 11‑0 record and a defensive yield of little more than three points per outing.

But Massillon drove the ball 99 yards on its second possession with tailback Chris Spielman going the final 3 yards for the game’s first score. Bronc Pfisterer kicked the first of three conversions to give the Tigers a 7‑0 lead.

Then wide receiver Gary Conley and quarterback Brian DeWitz took over.

DeWitz and Conley collaborated for touchdown passes of 38 and 13 yards before the half to put the Tigers on top 21‑0.

After Pfisterer booted a 23‑yard field goal in the third quarter, Conley scored again, this time intercepting a Bill Davis pass and returning it 37 yards for his third score of the night.

CONLEY, who had never scored three times in a single game before, credited DeWitz with throwing perfect passes for his two scoring receptions.

“He just laid the ball up there. All I had to do was run under it,” Conley said.

Conley did a bit of fancy shimmying on his second TD, eluding two Berea tacklers just outside the goal line before he stepped across.

Of his interception, Conley said: “I was playing the outside and he (Davis) just hung the ball out there. I got a couple of nice blocks and took it in.

“This is one heck of a team,” Conley said, “we can hurt you running or passing.”

DEWITZ, who took a solid hit by Berea tackle Ted Thompson in the second half, said he hit his head on the AstroTurf on the play and was dazed for awhile. But the game already was in Massillon’s pocket.

“I was trying to set up and got blind‑sided,” DeWitz said. “But I’ll be all right for the finals.”

DeWitz, who wears No. 13, was asked if he was superstitious.

“No, I’m not. My brother Brent wore No. 12 and I wanted the same number, but it wasn’t available, so I went one number higher.”

DeWitz’ passing numbers included 9‑for‑14 for 117 yards without an interception. He also punted three times for a 42.7 yard average.

Conley bad four receptions for 73 yards.

MASSILLON coach Mike Currence, whose Tigers are 12‑0, said the 99‑yard drive was the pivotal point in the game.

“It was a long time for their defense to be on the field,” he said. “You have to remember we got a couple of breaks on that drive. You have to have a couple of breaks to win in a game like this.”

The big break was a facemask call against the Braves after Spielman had dashed 6 yards to the Braves’ 49. DeWitz then completed a 22‑yard pass to Spielman to the Berea 25 and six plays later the Tigers had their first score.

“You have to have the big play,” Currence repeated, “and it was Conley who got it for us.

“Usually we don’t throw long because the longer the pass the lower the percentage it be completed,” he said.

“Now, we can talk about Moeller,” said Currence, who had been asked about the perennial state title contenders week in and week out.

“I don’t think anybody can hit as hard as Berea, but I think Moeller is much quicker than Berea. We’re going to have to play a super game and get some breaks.

“Right now, we’re hot. I just hope we can stay that way.”

BEREA coach Tom Madzy said he had no regrets. His team had had a fine season.

“If anything, that second touchdown (Conley’s 38‑yard reception) is what really hurt us. Our defense won us a lot of games this year, but they were on the field for an awfully long time tonight and so we came out on the short end of the score.”

Berea also was hurt by the inability of speedster Rod Whitlow to go at full speed. An ankle injury sustained several weeks ago sidelined him. He played only sparingly and finally, in the last quarter, limped off the field.

Spielman was the game’s top rusher with 61 yards in 17 attempts. Jim Bushe added 47 yards in 11 carries.

For Berea, Mike Kostyack gained 25 yards in eight tries.

MASSILLON 31, BEREA 0

MASSILLON 0 21 3 7 31
BEREA 0 0 0 0 0

MASSILLON ‑ Spielman 3 run (Pfisterer kick)
MASSILLON ‑ Conley 38 pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
MASSILLON ‑ Conley 13 pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
MASSILLON – Pfisterer 23 FG
MASSILLON – Conley 37 run with pass interception (Pfisterer kick)

Mass Berea
First Downs 16 7
Yards Rushing 126 45
Yards Passing 121 73

Tigers bomb Berea
on way to finals

History

1982: Massillon 29, Sandusky 7

November 13, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Massillon runs over Sandusky 29‑7
Spielman, Bushe are two tough Tigers

By BOB STEWART
Repository Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ Paul Revere would have hung only one lantern in the old North Church.

“One if by land,” would have been the signal. But here Saturday night, it was two by land, as Chris Spielman and Jim Bushe romped through, over and around the Sandusky Blue Streaks, leading the Massillon Tigers to a 29‑7 victory in an OHSAA Division I playoff game.

The crowd of 14,949 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium watched the two tough Tigers each run for more than 100 yards in registering the 11th Massillon win in as many games and advance to next Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinals.

The OHSAA officially will make the pairings and sites known tonight, but it would appear Massillon will travel to Akron’s 38,000‑seat Rubber Bowl to meet unbeaten Berea (11‑0), a 7 – 0 winner over Mentor Saturday night.

It was the first loss for Sandusky, which had shut down the running games of its 10 regular season foes.

The Blue Streaks, who had limited opponents to a mere 68 yards a game on the ground, found the relentless Massillon offensive line too much to handle as the Tigers roiled up 260 yards running the ball.

Spielman, the 6‑foot‑2, 206‑pound junior, ran 25 times for 127 yards and Bushe, a 6‑1, 185‑pound senior, toted 19 times for 118 yards.

“We took a physical beating in the game,” said Sandusky coach Jim Colwell. “We knew his (Massillon coach Mike Currence) game plan would be to run the ball at our smaller defense. But we couldn’t stop it.

“We had hoped to get a couple of quick scores, and make them have to play catchup, but they just ran it down our throat,” said Colwell.

Both Colwell and Currence said the blocked field goal with the game tied at 7 in the second period was the turning point of the game.

“Yes, that gave us a big lift,” said Currence. “We knew the defense had to come up with a big play somewhere. They (the Blue Streaks) had been moving the ball on us.”

Sandusky had moved the ball to the Massillon 8, and faced a fourth-and‑five situation, when Alan Antel came on to attempt the 24‑yard field goal, less to five minutes into the second period.

Massillon’s Charles Calhoun leaped high behind the defensive line and got a hand on the kick, which trickled harmlessly into the end zone.

The play fired the Tigers, who marched 80 yards in 13 plays … seven carries by Bushe and six by Spielman … to score the go‑ahead TD 46 seconds before the band show. Bushe banged it in from the 3.

Massillon dominated the second half controlling the ball for all but 5:02 of the 24 minutes of playing time. The Blue Streaks not only failed to get a first down in the second half, they had a minus‑24 yards total offense in the third and fourth periods, and in one series, lost 18 yards in three plays, culminating in a safety when Massillon’s Derrick Johnson lowered the boom on quarterback Bret Ninke in the end zone.

The latecomers weren’t even in their seats when Massillon drew first blood.

Sandusky’s Richard Twine returned the opening kickoff 13 yards to the 24, but on the first play from scrimmage, the Tiger defense separated him from the ball and linebacker George Ziegler pounced on it at the 18.

Spielman slammed for 10 and a down, then ripped off the 8 yard TD jaunt as the game was only 97 seconds old.

The Blue Streaks came right back with a mighty march, which included three straight clutch conversions two on third down and one on fourth‑and‑three.

With a first down at the Massillon 28, the Blue Streaks started what appeared to be a reverse, but halfback Dave Turner stopped, and fired a halfback pass to a wide open Randy Moore at the goal line. The conversion tied the score at 7 with 5:07 left in the first period.
Massillon-Sandusky game summary
Sandusky 7 0 0 0 7
Massillon 7 7 7 8 29

Mas ‑ Spielman 8 run (Pfisterer kick)
San ‑ Moore 28 pass from Turner (Antel kick)
Mas ‑ Bushe 3 run (Pfisterer kick)
Mas ‑ Safety Johnson tackled Ninke in end zone
Mas ‑ Spielman 1 run (kick failed)
Att ‑14,949.
Mass Sand
First downs rushing 15 5
First down passing 2 3
Total first downs 17 8
Rushes-yards 54‑260 24‑32
Passing-yards 49 69
Return yards 54 43
Passes 2‑5‑0 5‑12‑1
Punts 2‑41.5 2‑32
Fumbles‑lost 2‑0 2‑3
Penalties‑yards 2‑30 0‑0
Time of Possession 29:24 18:36
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
Massillon, Spielman 25‑127, Bushe 19‑118, Sampsel 4‑16.
Sandusky, Twine 10‑22, Steele 7‑26.

PASSING
Massillon, DeWitz 2‑5‑0‑1‑49,
Sandusky, Ninke 4‑11‑1‑0‑41, Turner 1‑1‑0‑1‑28.
Missed field goal ‑ Sandusky, Antel 24.

Massillon turned the ball over on downs at the Sandusky 31 with 2:16 left in the opening canto, and Sandusky began its drive that ended in the blocked kick with 7:22 left in the half.

There were no penalties and no punts in the first two periods, but each team had to punt the first time they had possession in the third quarter.

Massillon’s junior quarterback Brian DeWitz came up with his first completion of the game midway in the third period, hitting a 31‑yarder to end Jim Geiser at the Sandusky 21.

Seven rushes later, five by Spielman and two by Bushe, the Tigers were in the end zone again. Spielman blasted the final yard.

Massillon continued to march, and turned the ball over on downs at the Sandusky 18, 2 1/2 minutes into the fourth period, but three plays later came the safety. Included in the minus march was a five‑yard sack by Massillon’s Sam Clark.

After the free kick, Massillon was forced to punt, but Willie Clark fumbled the return and the Tigers’ Mark Smith gobbled up the loose ball at the Massillon 41, from where the Tigers roared 59 yards in eight plays, the score coming on a 19‑yard pass from DeWitz to Gary Conley, with 1:55 left in the game.

On the first play after the kickoff, Geiser, who doubles as a weak safety in addition to his split end duties, intercepted Ninke, and Massillon ran out the clock.

Sandusky had only 101 yards in total offense, 69 of it passing on five completions in 12 attempts. DeWitz completed 2 of 5 for 49 yards.

Antel’s conversion kick made it 7‑7 with 5:07 left in the first quarter.

CURRENCE said neither he nor his team was expecting such a play. “They were running so well at the time that I don’t think anyone expected them to throw.”

The Blue Streaks threatened to go ahead by moving from their own 31 to the Massillon 8 with 7:22 left in the ball, but the Tigers forced a fourth and five situation and Colwell elected to try a field goal.

That’s when Spielman came over the top to block it and give Massillon the needed momentum.

The Tigers took over at their own 20 following Spielman’s defensive gem and with fullback (rest of article not available)

Spielman’s blocked kick
sparks Massillon victory
By Milan Zban
Beacon Journal staff writer
Chris Spielman had more numbers than the Ohio Lottery.

The Massillon tailback‑linebacker rushed for 116 yards in 23 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns Saturday night as the Tigers downed Sandusky 29‑7 in the quarterfinals of the state Division I playoffs before 14,949 at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

But Spielman’s most important statistic was his block of an attempted field goal try of 24 yards by previously unbeaten Sandusky which would have given the Blue Streaks a 10‑7 lead.

Spielman came crashing over the top of the line to get a hand on Alan Antel’s attempt from the 14‑yard line.

Massillon took over at its own 20, marched 80 yards in 13 plays for a 14‑7 advantage and never looked back.

THE WIN allowed Massillon to advance to the semifinals where they will meet Berea, a winner over Mentor in another Division I quarterfinal. The site reportedly will be the Rubber Bowl Saturday night.

Both coaches, Mike Currence of Massillon and Jim Colwell of Sandusky, called Spielman’s blocked field goal pivotal.

“Had we been able to grab the lead, Massillon would have been forced to play catch‑up and that was our only hope,” said Colwell. “Ironically, that was the first blocked kick we’ve had all season.”

Currence, who saw his Tigers jump to a 7‑0 first‑quarter lead after recovering a fumble on Sandusky’s first possession and converting it into a 7‑yard scoring sprint by Spielman, lauded his offensive unit.

After Spielman’s first touchdown, coming just three plays after linebacker George Ziegler recovered Richard Twine’s fumble, Sandusky marched 72 yards to tie the game by using a bit of razzle dazzle.

Quarterback Bret Ninke, who kept the drive alive by optioning for key yardage on a fourth and two situation, handed off to wing back David Turner on an apparent end sweep. But Turner stopped and threw a pass downfield to wide receiver Randy Moore who was wide open at the Massillon 6. He turned and stepped into the end zone for the touchdown.

Jim Bushe and Spielman each carrying 6 times for 40 yards, they broke the tie with 46 seconds left in the half as Bushe cracked into the end zone from 3 yards out. Bronc Pfisterer’s conversion kick was good and Massillon led 11‑7 at intermission.

MASSILLON padded its lead when Spielman added his second touchdown on a 1‑yard run following a drive of 50 yards.

The big play in the march was a 30‑yard pass from Brian DeWitz to Jim Geiser which carried to the Sandusky 20. The score came with 1:32 left in the third period, but more was on the way.

With 7:14 remaining in the game, Ninke was nailed in his own end zone for a safety by Massillon end Derrick Johnson.

DeWitz later passed 19 yards to Gary Conley for the Tigers’ final score with 1:55 remaining. The Tigers drove the ball 60 yards to score after Mark Smith recovered another fumble by Twine.

Bushe was the game’s lop ground gainer with 117 yards in 18 attempts. Massillon’s defense surrendered only 22 yards in 10 carries by Twine and 26 yards in 7 attempts by Tracy Steele.

Massillon advances
Tigers run over Sandusky
Beadle blocks big boost
for Tiger backs
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Assistant Sports Editor
MASSILLON ‑ Ty Beadle thinks Jim Bushe and Chris Spielman are merely the two best high school running backs in Ohio.

Now, Beadle may be a tad prejudiced.

He blocks for them, you see.

Beadle did his usual good job of blocking Saturday. Spielman and Bushe did their usual good job of running.

And there was the usual result: a runaway victory for the Massillon Tigers. The victim, by a 29‑7 score – the Tigers’ seventh blowout in their last eight games ‑ was unbeaten Sandusky.

This time it was a game of more than usual importance. It is the time of the season when a loss means the end of the season. It was a quarterfinal playoff victory in the Ohio Division I playoffs.

“Blocking Sandusky,” Beadle said afterward, “was harder than usual, but not as hard as against McKinley (the team the Tigers tamed 7‑0 a week earlier to qualify for the playoff).”

Massillon, 11‑0, advances to a semifinal game against Berea, also 11‑0, next Saturday night in Akron’s Rubber Bowl.

The Tigers almost made it look easy against Sandusky (10‑1), unleashing a rushing attack that netted 118 yards in 19 carries for Bushe and 127 yards in 25 totes for Spielman.

When one runs behind Beadle, a 6‑foot‑2, 265‑pound senior tackle (not to mention an outstanding supporting cast of offensive linemen), sometimes it is easy.

Beadle’s attitude about doing the blue‑collar work for the Tiger backs: “My pleasure.”

“They’re the best backs in Ohio,” he said.

What makes Spielman effective?

“He hits somebody,” Beadle said. “He rolls ’em over.”

And Bushe?

“Speed … he dodges people. He fakes ’em out,” Beadle appraised.

Beadle gave the Massillon fans among a throng of 14,949 a scare when he limped off the field in the fourth quarter. He said there is nothing to worry about, diagnosing his ailment as “just a charlie,” of the horse variety.

Sandusky made a game of it for one half. The Blue Streaks counteracted Massillon’s beefeater ground game with some French pastry, scoring on a 28‑yard flea flicker to tie it at 7‑7 in the first quarter.

The Blue Streaks threatened to take a lead in the second quarter, using burner Richard Twine and bulldozer Tracy Steele to rush into field goal position, only to watch a 24‑yard attempt get blocked by another Massillon offensive lineman, Charles Calhoun.

The coaches cited the block as the turning point.

It may not have been. Sandusky showed no evidence all night of being able to arrest the Tiger ground patrol.

By the third quarter, after Massillon had pushed its lead to 21‑0 and stalled the Sandusky offense, the only burning issue was whether Bushe or Spielman would be the first to reach 100 yards.

Bushe, a 6‑3, 185‑pound senior, said the Tigers agreed at halftime it was time to get going.

“We knew that offensively and defensively we had to pull together and go out and beat ’em like the Tigers beat everybody,” said Bushe, who scored the second‑quarter touchdown that put Massillon ahead to stay.

Spielman, who also did a bang‑up job at linebacker, said he wouldn’t have worried had Sandusky converted the field goal for a 10-7 lead.

“If they would’ve gone ahead, it wouldn’t have been for long,” the 6‑2, 206‑pound junior said. “We made some adjustments at halftime, kept them from spreading out our defense and shut them down. And we kept running our offense.”

Sandusky came to town with two running backs, Richard Twine and Willie Clark, said to go from zero to 60 faster than a Ferrari.

A night of running into Massillon’s trucks negated their skills. Twine gained 24 yards in 10 carries, Clark minus‑two yards in two trips. Steele, a 225‑pound fullback, rushed for 26 yards in seven carries.

The Sandusky passing game was effective for a time ‑ it produced 69 yards ‑ but it, too, died in the second half.

Somebody asked Spielman if the Massillon defense took it personally when the Blue Streaks scored.

“Yeah,” he grinned. “We go for a shutout every game. We’re the Massillon Tigers. We just stayed with our defense, went out there to stick ’em.”

One of Massillon’s big sticks was a relatively small defensive end, 185‑pound senior Derrick Johnson, who played one of his best games, at one point tackling Sandusky quarterback Bret Ninke in the end zone for a fourth‑period safety.

“As the season goes on, we get more and more psyched,” Johnson said. “Our sheer desire to win pulled us through.”
*****
TIGER TALES: Tiger quarterback Brian DeWitz had three season lows Saturday: attempts (five), completions (two) and yards (49).

“We didn’t have to pass,” Massillon coach Mike Currence said. “We wanted to keep the ball away from Sandusky, because they could get the big play at any time, And we were having a lot of success keeping it on the ground.”

Sandusky coach Jim Colwell lamented the blocked field goal.

“After that, they took over and ran the ball right down our throats, and scored. That gave them a big lift,” he said.

“I’m not sure we were back far enough on the field goal. One of our players came out after the block and said he thought the holder was only back about 5 yards instead of our normal 7.

The last thing Sandusky wanted was to fumble away its first possession. but that’s just what happened, and the Tigers turned the miscue into two Spielman runs for 18 yards and a touchdown.

“Our kids showed a lot of courage to come back with a touchdown drive,” Colwell said.

Of the flea‑flicker pass play, Colwell said, “We ran that same play last week against Fremont, and we had the guy open, but our receiver dropped the ball.”

Dave Turner, who threw the TD off a reverse, was the first‑team quarterback two years ago as a sophomore when Bret Ninke was out with a knee injury all season.

Colwell tried several lineup changes to stop Tiger runners.

“We were trying to get someone in there who wouldn’t get blown five yards down field on every play … we didn’t find anyone.

History

1982: Massillon 7, Canton McKinley 0

November 6, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Playoff game here Saturday night
Sandusky next as Tigers nip Pups

By MIKE HUDAK
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON – Victory whoops echoed throughout a locker room where passage was difficult because of wall-to-wall well wishers wanting to reach out and congratulate the players who were an extension of their own lives.

But Ty Beadle, the Tigers’ 6-foot-2, 265 pound senior tackle was not smiling. The young giant was drained mentally and physically and his eyes seemed to peer through the floor he was staring at.

It was a helluva game, he understated.

Teammate Charles Calhoun, the Gladiator like Tiger guard, brought the twinkle back to Beadle’s eye. “We showed them the line could run today, too, he quipped.

Early in the third quarter, Calhoun had provided the only levity in what wasn’t a laughing matter, picking up a fumbled snap and carrying the ball six yards before being pulled down by the swarming Pup defense.

“That was the famous Clydsdale right play,” quipped Calhoun and Beadle laughed.

Beadle deserved to laugh, the Tigers had won, a perfect regular season had been completed and a home date in the playoffs assured. Unemployment may have hit the highest mark in Massillon since the 1930s but there was no “Depression” in Tigertown on Saturday, Nov. 6, 1982.

According to Tiger statistician Tom Persell, the talk around town after the game was that the Tigers were “flat”, that they had heard so often how they were supposed to overwhelm the Bulldogs that they were lulled by the publicity.

Not so. The first time the Tigers touched the ball following the opening kickoff they held the ball 18 plays, moving down to the Bulldog 15 before a penalty and a devastating McKinley pass rush moved them back to the 34 where a fake punt and a run by quarterback Brian DeWitz fell short of the first down.

This initial stand buoyed the Pups confidence. McKinley from that moment on played to its maximum defensive potential – known to be quite good before the game even began. It was the McKinley offense that was suspect and despite moments of glory, it remained the Pups ‘Achilles Heel’ as they failed to score for the first time in the annual classic since 1979.

After the Tigers initial drive, neither team threatened again the remainder of the half. Massillon fans were contemplative at halftime; typical reactions when friends spotted each other were raised eyebrows or shrugged shoulders when would the vaunted Tiger offense roll into gear?

Again, the Tigers first possession of the half, after forcing McKinley to punt, appeared to be the opening of the flood gates.

Beginning possession on the McKinley 42, halfback Chris Spielman, who enjoyed a spectacular day and garnered more page one press than perhaps any junior in journalistic history, picked up chunks of turf in eight-yard chunks as the Tigers drove to the Pup three.

But a flag for clipping on the run that set up first and goal turned the drive around. Moments later, it was fourth and goal from the 17.

Bronc Pfisterer rushed onto the turf for a field goal attempt. But at the last second, he rushed off and Tim Sampsel rushed on, barely avoiding a delay of game flag and attempted a kick that was wide left.

Tiger head coach Mike Currence explained the apparent confusion.

History

1982: Massillon 37, Mansfield Senior 14

October 29, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers breeze past Mansfield 37‑14
Preliminaries’ over as Massillon coasts 37‑14

By MIKE HUDAK
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ “Everything up to this point has just been a preliminary drill for next week,” said Massillon head coach Mike Currence. “Next week’s Massillon McKinley game is … well, it’s the season.”

Not only the season, but the final roadblock to a perfect 10‑0 regular slate and a sure trip to the post‑season playoffs.

Friday night’s game against Mansfield Senior at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium indeed amounted to a drill, and for the invading Mansfield Senior Tygers, a drilling.

The final 37‑14 score was hardly indicative of the one‑sided nature of the contest. As the visiting scribe from Mansfield pointed out, the Tygers may have had a 6‑2 record, but their victims had amassed only 10 wins among them going into Friday night.

It was obvious within seconds that this wasn’t going to be a repeat of 1949, when Mansfield, coached by 1945 wartime Tiger coach Augie Morningstar, defeated mighty Massillon 16‑12. (Making Morningstar the only former Tiger coach to ever defeat his old team.)

Massillon recovered an opening on‑side kick attempt on its own 30 after it squibbed through the first two lines of the Massillon specialty unit.

On the first play, Chris Spielman broke off a 15‑yard run through the right side of the Mansfield fine. On the second play, Jim Bushe went through the left side and raced 55 yards for a touchdown, with 11:18 still showing on the clock. Bronc Pfisterer who enjoyed a big night of his own ‑ added the extra point and, the rout was on.

Mansfield promptly used the famous “Cha‑Cha Offense” ‑ one, two, three, kick ‑ and this time the Tigers used the airwaves to score, moving 67 yards in five plays.

Quarterback Brian DeWitz started the drive with passes of 25 and 12 yards to fullback Tom Gruno. On the following play, Gary Conley turned the defensive back around in the end zone but couldn’t contain the ball. But after a short running play, DeWitz tossed a short pass over the middle to Bushe, who glided through the defense for a 25‑yard score. After the kick, Massillon led 14‑0 with 7:37 remaining in the quarter.

After forcing another Mansfield punt, the Tigers tried to be charitable as Spielman failed to see a teammates’ fair catch signal and fumbled the kick away. But Mansfield tried to pass on first down, only to have it picked off by Tommy Manion and returned to the Massillon 35.

The Tigers scored in four plays this time. A 24‑yard pass from DeWitz to Conley set up the ball at the six, with Spielman breaking through the line for the score on the next play. Pfisterer’s kick again split the uprights, and Massillon led 21‑0 in the first quarter.

It stayed that way until early in the second quarter ‑ a point of time which also marked the first trickle of a never‑ending flow of Tiger reserves for the remainder of the game.

Senior Jeff Boerner set up the next Tiger tally with a 30 yard run on the first play of the second quarter, and finished the drive with an eight‑yard burst up the middle with 9:50 left in the half.

The Tigers’ next possession saw Brad Offenbecher at the controls. Massillon started on its own 25‑yardline and marched all the way to Mansfield’s two before settling on a 20‑yard Pfisterer field goal, making the score 31‑0.

Pfisterer’s kick set a Tiger record for field goals in a season, four. The previous mark was three held by five former Tigers, including Tim Manion last year.

The half ended with a Spielman interception which he almost returned for a touchdown.

At halftime, the Tigers held a 341‑54 advantage in total yards, including 102 yards in the air, all in the first quarter and the reserves had already played half a period!
Tygers learn ‘y’ Tigers 9‑0
Mansfield was able to rack up some yardage in the second half as the Tiger youngsters gained valuable experience for the future. The visitors scored on their first possession of the quarter as a 43‑yard run by Pete Webb set up a 10‑yard scoring run by Bobby Taylor, with quarterback Craig Leedham’s kick good.

But the Tigers came right back again with Pfisterer, a junior, at the controls, and he provided one of the night’s most spectacular moments.

After a flurry of penalty flags, the Tigers found themselves in a third‑and‑30 situation on the Mansfield 36. Hopeless? Not for Massillon!

Pfisterer hit Boerner with a screen pass, and the fleet running back raced through the defense for the final Tiger touchdown with 10:38 left in the game.

It was a big night for Boerner, who led Tiger rushers with 97 yards in 10 carries, plus made the big touchdown catch.

“That was the most playing time I’ve gotten yet,” he said afterwards. “The running play that I had success running was the counter‑6 and counter‑7 play; it seemed to work every time. It all boiled down to our line just blowing out their line.” (But give Boerner an inch of daylight, and he has the raw speed to cover quite a distance quickly, which he proved more than once Friday.)

In the end, Massillon outgained Mansfield 477‑221 in total yardage. Boerner’s rushing totals were tops, but Bushe and Spielman both helped their averages, as Bushe ran three times for 68 yards and Spielman toted the leather four times for 46 yards. Junior Mark Smith added 65 yards in seven carries. Vernon Hairston led Mansfield with 64 yards in 16 carries.

DeWitz was five‑of‑seven passing for 102 yards, giving him 68 completions on the ‘Year, just one short of fifth place on the all‑time Tiger single‑season completion list behind Chris’ older brother, Rick Spielman. The receiving was spread out as Tom Grotto caught two passes for 44 yards, and seven other receivers caught one each.

“Mansfield’s not quite as tough as some of our other foes, but they put up a good fight,” said a generous Currence afterwards.

“Massillon’s just a first class outfit, what can you say?” said second‑year Mansfield coach Harold Dean. “They’re just a good, good team. About the best you can say for us is that we didn’t quit the second half; we kept plugging away.”

Needless to say, next Saturday’s contest will have a bit more intensity than Friday’s “controlled scrimmage”.

MASSILLON 37
MANSFIELD 14
M 0
First downs rushing 13 9
First downs passing 7 2
First downs by penalty 0 1
Totals first downs 20 12
Yards gained rushing 314 204
Yards lost rushing 10 13
Net yards rushing 304 191
Net yard. Passing 173 30
Total yards gained 477 221
Passes attempted 13 11
Passes completed 8 4
Passes int. by 2 0
Yardage on pass int. 49 0
Time. kicked if 7 3
Kickoff average 49.4 33.7
Kickoff return yards 25 137
Punts 1 6
Punting average 30.0 27.3
Pont return yard 28 0
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumble 3 4
Fumbles lost 1 0
Penalties 6 3
Yards penalized 80 15
Touchdowns rushing 3 1
Touchdowns passing 2 1
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 52 45
Time of possession 23:32 24:28
Attendance 8,454

Massillon 21 10 0 6 37
Mansfield 0 0 7 7 14

M ‑ Bushe 55‑yard on (Pfisterer kick)
M ‑ Bushe 25‑yard pass from DeWitz (Fosterer kick)
M ‑ Spielman 6‑yard ran (Pfisterer kick)
M ‑ Boerner 8‑yard ran (Pfisterer kick)
M ‑ Pfisterer 20‑yard field goal
Mn ‑ Taylor 10‑yard run (Leedom kick)
M ‑ Boerner 35‑yard pass from Pfisterer (kick failed)
Me ‑ Webb 25‑yard pass from Leedom (Leedom kick)

History

1982: Massillon 42, Canton Glenoak 14

October 22, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers near‑perfect in routing Eagles
‘Flawless’ team effort, adds” to ‘Nick’s Night’ as Tigers roll 42‑14

By MIKE HUDAK
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ Halftime activities had ended, and Massillon Tiger offensive coordinator Nick Vrotsos was returning to his familiar perch in the upper loge of the pressbox.

A ladder separates the two decks; and for Vrotsos, each week’s climb is a happy reminder of the ladder of success he has climbed in Massillon in his unparalleled 25 years as a Tiger assistant.

Friday night was a bit different.

“This is my night, fellas, my night!” beamed a jubilant Vrotsos to his admirers in the pressbox. And indeed it was.

Not only had Vrotsos been presented with a surprise 25‑year plaque from the Tiger Booster Club in pre‑game ceremonies, (along with the original picture which appeared on Friday’s Tiger program), but his offensive charges had built an overwhelming 21‑0 lead at halftime in the “Computer Bowl” contest against GlenOak.

When it was all over, the first‑ever meeting between the two schools ended in a one‑sided 42‑14 Tiger win, assuring the Tigers of moving ahead of at least GlenOak when next week’s regional rankings are released.

“We were practically flawless tonight!” beamed Vrotsos after the game.

True, and from their first play from scrimmage, no less!

GlenOak received the opening kickoff, moving the ball two yards, on the ground in three plays, typical of the night’s efforts against the Tiger starters. A punt gave the Tigers possession on their own 36.

Tiger quarterback Brian DeWitz took center Rick Hamit’s snap, faked a handoff, rolled out left and unleashed a long pass to Gary Conley, who caught the ball on the run and ran the final 30 yards untouched. Bronc Pfisterer, becoming ‘Mr. Automatic’ on extra points, kicked his first of seven conversions and the Tigers led 7‑0 with 9:31 left in the opening period.

“I was surprised the coach (Mike Currence) went for the long one on the first play,” said DeWitz, fast moving up the ranks of all‑time Massillon throwing leaders. “But as soon as I threw it, I knew it was in there.”

“Loved it … loved it,” cooed the cool Conley afterwards. “The defensive back took the initial run fake and I just snuck around behind him, Brian fired a beauty and the result was a quick six.”

“That was Nick’s call to go right at them,” said Currence in praise of Vrotsos.

Vrotsos admitted that ‘unofficial’ coach Sonny Spielman, now the assistant principal at Longfellow Junior High, planted the idea in his head, adding, “It was a good call, that play’s been open for us most of the year.

GlenOak never recovered from the opening shockwave. On their next possession it was three downs and punt, then the Tigers came right back with a time‑consuming, 12‑play touchdown drive.

The drive was consummated entirely on the ground except for a screen pass to junior Chris Spielman on the second play good for 16 yards. Constant success was found on the “student body” right and left plays ‑ end sweeps.

“They jammed up everybody in the middle, practically giving us the outside,” said Vrotsos. ” And we’ll take what they give us.”

Spielman took final honors with a two yard sweep. The Tigers led 14-0 with 1:05 remaining in the initial quarter.

Massillon scored once in the second quarter ‑ another time‑consuming, 88‑yard drive. Spielman capped it with a seven yard sweep with 58 seconds remaining in the half for a 21‑0 lead.
Tigers show their best
At halftime, despite an almost even time of possession. Massillon led in total yardage 248‑26! GlenOak managed only one first down, midway through the second period.

By the third quarter, the Golden Eagles were “Bushed.” Massillon took the kickoff and marched 70 yards in six plays ‑ the first two plays runs of 29 and 17 yards by senior Jim Bushe, who capped the drive with a one‑yard scoot with 8:56 left in the third quarter.

Bushe was the Tigers’ leading rusher on the night, toting the leather 13 times for 142 yards.

“Give the line credit,” said Bushe. “I swear our guards are almost as quick as me, and they were just burying the Eagles tonight.”

A few more Eagle feathers were ruffled when pass coverage broke down with 29 seconds left in the quarter. A wide‑open Jim Geiser hauled down another DeWitz bomb for a 66‑yard score.

Down 35‑0, the Golden Eagles finally started moving the hall in the final period against the Tiger backups. Following a play in which GlenOak running back Greg Wagner suffered an ankle injury, quarterback Monty Crowl hit senior receiver Rob Wright with a 52‑yard touchdown toss. Wright was a bright spot for GlenOak, adding two interceptions for a fine night’s work.

Crowl, a speedy senior southpaw noted primarily as a fine runner and ballhandler, had his throwing arm kept under wraps in the first half, but found good success in the late going.

On the Eagles next possession, he completed four passes, including a nine‑yard scoring toss to senior Jimmie Burks, as GlenOak went 66 yard in eight plays for a late tally. Crowl ended the game nine‑of‑17 for 158 yards passing.

But the Tiger reserves had a bit of firepower left in them, too. Following an unsuccessful onside kick attempt, senior quarterback Brad Offenbecher led the Tigers 53 yards, hitting junior Richard Crenshaw with a 16‑yard scoring pass with 29 seconds left for the final 42‑14 margin.

Offenbecher played his best hall of the year in the game. On the scoring drive, the brother of Ohio State’s Brent Offenbecher connected on two‑of‑four passes and scrambled nine yards on another play.

The surprisingly‑easy win gave the Tigers an unblemished 8‑0 mark on the year going into next week’s game with Mansfield ‑ a game sandwiched between the GlenOak and McKinley epics where the players must work extra hard to avoid a letdown.

For GlenOak, the loss snapped a six game winning streak, the first since an opening night 14‑0 loss at the hands of McKinley.

It also spoiled the homecoming of former Tiger coach Bob Cummings, who had hoped for a better effort but admitted, “Massillon took dead aim on us and beat us to a pulp.”

Currence felt compassion for his illustrious predecessor, but summed up the situation pragmatically:

“Better him than me.”

Massillon mauls GlenOak 42‑ 14
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Assistant Sports Editor
MASSILLON ‑ The year was 1980. It was a snowy, cold November Sunday in Cincinnati. It was the day Massillon’s Tigers played Moeller High for the Ohio High School Division I football championship.

The day came to mind Friday night after the Tigers shot down ClenOak’s Golden Eagles 42‑14 before, 16,490 fans in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Moeller was awesome in ’80, but Massillon was a good team, and folks were eager to see if the Tigers could make a game of it.

They didn’t.

Friday, GlenOak wore the shoes that had been on Massillon’s feet in 1980. The Golden Eagles were the good team challenging the powerhouse.

This one wasn’t a game, either.

The Tigers started with a bang, scoring on a 65‑yard Brian DeWitz‑to‑Gary Conley pass on their first play from scrimmage, and poured it on until the first team sat down with a 35‑0 lead on the board after three quarters.

Massillon improved to 8‑0, halting a six‑game GlenOak winning streak and leaving the Eagles with a 6‑2 record.

“Ain’t no stoppin’ us now,” said Conley, a speedy senior split end. “We’ll take ’em one at a time until we get to the 13th game.”

No. 13, if it comes to that, would be for the state title ‑ perhaps against Moeller.

“We’re state bound … if we can keep our heads on straight,” said running back Jim Bushe, who used blockbuster blocking by the offensive line and his own speed and shiftiness to amass 142 yards in only 13 rushes.

Bushe says he wants to play football in the Big Ten Conference some day. Heck, he could have played in the Big Ten Friday.

Massillon dominated almost every phase of the game, but the running attack was the real crusher.

Bushe saw to it that it was over early, gaining huge chunks of yardage on runs to the outside.

The Tigers had the ball four times in the first half and scored three touchdowns. An interception by Rob Wright, one of GlenOak’s few bright spots, snuffed out the other drive.

Senior guard Charles Calhoun explained why the Tigers ran wild on the outside.

“We outweighed their defensive line by about 30 pounds a man,” said Calhoun, a 240‑pound senior. “They were submarining us, dying in the hole to try to stuff the middle. So we just went to the outside. Then they stopped submarining us, and we hit them with some counter plays that worked pretty well.”

The Tigers led 478 yards to 241 yards in total offense, but even that whopping margin was deceiving. Through three quarters, the Tigers led 390‑73 in total offense.

After that, Massillon brought in its second string, against which the Eagles scored both of their touchdowns.

Massillon coach Mike Currence said the Tigers had been worried.

“Maybe we were so fired up because we scared,” he said. “On film, GlenOak’s offense executed almost everything perfectly.”

But the Tigers did what no other team has done ‑ shut down GlenOak’s running game.

“People were saying GlenOak has the best offensive line in Stark County,” Massillon defensive coordinator Jim Letcavits said. “Our people shut them down. It was the best tackling we’ve had.”

The last thing GlenOak wanted to happen was one of the first things that happened ‑ the big play, early.

GlenOak took the opening kickoff, ran three plays, then punted to the Massillon 35.

Nick Vrotsos, Massillon’s offensive coordinator, sent in “14 waggle.” It had almost brought a touchdown on Massillon’s first play of the season, against another Federal League team, Perry.

“It calls for me to take my man deep over the middle,” Conley said. “It looked like the defensive back started to go for the run fake. I got open, and Brian threw me a perfect pass.”

Conley caught the ball on the GlenOak 25 and outraced GlenOak’s Fermin Olivera to the end zone at 9:31 of the opening quarter.

Three GlenOak plays and a punt later, the Tigers launched a 12‑play, 63‑yard touchdown drive. Bushe and halfback Chris Spielman did most of the damage on the ground, with Spielman going the final two yards at 1:05 of the first period.

GlenOak had a chance to get back in the game when Wright’s interception gave the Eagles the ball on their own 49 early in the second quarter. The Eagles drove to the Massillon 39, getting their only first down of the first half, before having to punt.

Then Massillon put the game away with a 78‑yard touchdown drive that again featured Bushe and Spielman. Spielman dove into the end zone on a seven‑yard run 58 seconds before the band show.

The rout was on when the Tigers took the second‑half kickoff and drove 70 yards for a score, with Bushe rushing for all but three of them and scoring on a one‑yard blast.

Later in the third quarter, DeWitz and split end Jim Geiser hooked up on a 66‑yard touchdown pass.

DeWitz completed five of eight passes for 168 yards. His touchdown pass to Geiser flushed him over 1,000 yards for the season. He now has completed 63 of 107 tosses for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Massillon romps 42‑14
The Eagles made it 35-7 on a 59‑yard scoring pass from quarterback Monte Crowl to split end Wright at 8:14 of the fourth quarter. Crowl later found Jimmie Burks on a nine yard scoring pass.

The Tigers led 22‑9 in first downs and 268‑91 in rushing yards. Star tailback Greg Wagner of GlenOak was held to 21 yards in nine carries before leaving the game with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. The extent of the injury was unknown.

Next Friday, Massillon hosts Mansfield Senior and GlenOak hosts Louisville.

GlenOak 0 0 0 14 14
Massillon 14 7 14 7 42

Mass ‑ Conley 65 Pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
Mass – Spielman 2 run (Pfisterer kick)
Mass – Spielman 7 run (Pfisterer kick)
Mass – Bushe 1 run (Pfisterer kick)
Mass – Geiser 66 pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
Glen – Wright 59 pass from Crowl (Olivera kick)
Glen – Burks 9 pass from Crowl (Olivera kick)
Mass – Crenshaw 16 pass from Offenbecher (Pfisterer kick)
Att – 16,490

History

1982: Massillon 28, Sharon, PA 7

October 15, 1982August 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers roll to 7th straight win 28‑7

By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Assistant Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ Let’s get the vital statistics out of the way, because The Play is going to take some explaining.

Washington High’s Tigers handed Sharon, Pa. its first high school football defeat of 1982 Friday, 28‑7, before 9,847 in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The Tigers outgained Sharon 371‑137 in total yards and ran their record to 7‑0 in a tuneup for next Friday’s showdown against GlenOak (6‑1).

There. Now, The Play.

Second quarter, Sharon’s ball on its own 44, Massillon leading 7‑0.

Sharon punter Dan Wallace boots a screwball that bounces in front of Massillon return man Chris Spielman.

Spielman positions himself to where he thinks the ball will bounce to him, but it takes a high hop, glances off his right hand, and squibs toward the Tiger goal line.

Sharon’s Robert Dawson tears past Spielman, short hops the ball at the 5, plants his left foot at the 3, his right foot at the 1, and zips into the end zone.

The arms of the back judge shoot skyward. Touchdown!

Spielman dropped to all fours in agony.

But wait. Another official, realizing the punting team can’t advance a fumble by the receiving team, points to the 1, as if to say Sharon should get the hall there.

Then confusion hits. All six officials huddle.

Then, to the astonishment of the Sharon bench, the ball is marched to the 20, where it is Massillon’s ball.

The ruling: the Sharon player did not have control until he was in the end zone. Spielman’s miscue is ruled a muff.

It was a correct call as interpreted by the officials.

But a slow‑motion videotape played in the Massillon coaches’ room afterward clearly showed Dawson had possession before he entered the end zone.

Sharon should have had the ball on the 1, from where it could have scored and tied the game.

It was a bang‑bang play, a tough call for the officals to make.

It was a tough call for Sharon to swallow.

“I had a good grip on the ball at the 3,” Dawson said. “I couldn’t believe what happened after that.”

What turned into a boring second half might have had punch. But Sharon coach Jim Wildman refused to use The Play as an alibi.

“Let’s not make that the major issue,” he said. “They were a better football team. They’re a powerhouse. I hear Mike Currence (Massillon’s coach) has taken some abuse here the last couple of years. Maybe the people here should be thankful for what they have.”

Massillon struck quickly after The Play, driving 80 yards for a touchdown, forcing Sharon to punt, then driving 49 yards for another TD.

The home‑town Tigers (Sharon’s nickname also is Tigers) led 21‑0 at the intermission and never were threatened in the second half.

“We wore them down,” Currence said, “I thought we played pretty well.”

The Tigers are Gerry Cooney with a right hand. They can knock you out with the run. The can turn out your lights with the pass.

At halftime, the Tigers had 105 yards on the ground (58 by Spielman) and 104 in the air (by quarterback Brian DeWitz).

Sharon was beffudled by the rushing of Spielman, and halfback Jim Bushe and fullback Tim Sampsel. It was bewildered by the receiving contingent of Jim Geiser, Gary Conley and John Pierce.

Spielman bulled seven yards up middle the middle for Massillon’s first touchdown, at 1:00 of the first quarter, to cap a 44‑yard drive.

The Tigers tallied again at 6:28 of the second period, with Spielman bulling in from three yards out.

DeWitz hit Geiser with a 10‑yard bullet in the end zone 45 seconds before the band show.

The Tigers scored on a 44‑yard drive midway through the third period, with Sampsel bulldozing two yards for the score.

Sharon, 6‑0, scored a meaningless touchdown with a minute left in the game. Sharon, which revolves around shifty quarterback Teryl Clifford, rushed for 114 yards.

And now, what of GlenOak?

“A computer playoff spot is on the line,” Currence said “It’ll be for all the marbles.”

Sharon 0 0 0 7 7
Massillon 7 14 7 7 28

Mas ‑ Spielman 7 run (Pfisterer kick)
Mas ‑ Spielman 3 run (Phisterer kick)
Mas ‑ Geiser 10 Pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick)
Mas ‑ Sampsel 2 run (Pfisterer kick)
Shar ‑ Sormaz 25 pass from Micchia (Albright kick)
A ‑ 9,847

Massillon wears down
game but outmanned
Sharon gridders 28-7
By MIKE HUDAK
Independent Sports Editor
MASSILLON ‑ According to the oddsmakers, the Massillon Tigers were 22 point favorites over the visitors from Sharon, Pa., Friday night.

Those foolish enough to bet money on football games and wise enough to know that Massillon would coast to victory would have lost their investment, as the locals won by only 21 points, 28‑7, before a Homecoming crowd of 9,847 fans.

But a victory of any sort was welcome news to Massillon equipment manager Rick Smer. Like many souls in the world of athletics, Smer is prone to certain superstitions, and Friday’s game had him leery.

Massillon was wearing its orange jerseys and black pants, a combination that had netted the Tigers a 2‑7 mark over the past six seasons! To make matters worse, not only was Sharon undefeated entering the contest, but the last time the Tigers wore Friday’s combination, the opponent, Parma Padua, wore Sharon’s white and orange‑style attire ‑ and won!

“The coach (Mike Currence) told me not to mention it around the players, but I tell you, it had me worried!,” said Smer.

In the end, Smer’s would have been better off contemplating whether mankind exists within in a universe or a multiverse, or whether or not “Gilligan’s Island” made significant contributions to 20th century culture, but he certainly didn’t have to worry about the Massillon football team.

Sharon coach Jim Wildman pointed to Massillon’s depth and diversity of offense as the keys to the game. Sharon had nine two‑way players in the lineup, and Massillon used this to its advantage, utilizing a constant stream of motion plays and sprintouts on offense, a game plan that kept the Sharon defense on the run all night ‑ until it ran out of gas.

The locals, now 7‑0, had built a 28‑0 lead early in the third quarter when the first unit departed from the game. Sharon scored late in the game against the Tiger reserves on a freak (but spectacular) play where the quarterback escaped a fierce rush to click on a 25‑yard scoring pass.

Massillon ate up 231 yards on the ground to 95 for the opponent from Pennsylvania. Massillon also led in the air 140‑42, for a resounding 371‑137 advantage in total yards.

Whatever chance the invaders had evaporated with a questionable call early in the second period.

Massillon was leading 7‑0 after Chris Spielman had plowed in from seven yards out to cap a 44‑yard drive with a minute remaining in the opening period. The key play was a 19‑yard pass from junior quarterback Brian DeWitz to senior receiver Jim Geiser which set up a first‑and‑goal at the seven. Bronc Pfisterer’s kick made it 7‑0.

Sharon came back with a short drive, but stalled and punted from the Massillon 44. The short boot took a high bounce in front of Spielman, the deep safety on the play, who reached up to grab it only to have it glance off the tip of his right index finger.
Tigers topple Tigers
to remain unbeaten
Sharon’s Robert Dawson seemed to catch the ball on a short hop and carry it into the endzone from the Massillon three. Two of the officials signaled touchdown, then a long conference ensued.

Since you can’t advance a fumble in high school football, it was assumed in the pressbox that Sharon would get possession on the Massillon three, but after the officials discussed the issue, it was finally awarded to the locals on the 20‑yardline!

The official ruling was that the punt resulted in a ‘muff’, different from a fumble in that there was never any possession to begin with. But it was further ruled that the momentum of the punt carried the ball into the endzone ‑ not Dawson’s flying feet and thus the ball was never possessed by Sharon, either, and thus Massillon’s possession following the ‘touchback.’

Slow motion films of the play viewed after the game seemed to clearly indicate that Dawson had the ball tucked away and took two full steps into the endzone, but the judgment call on the part of the officials ruled otherwise.

“I knew we shouldn’t get the touchdown on the play, but I thought it should have been our ball on the three,” said a surprisingly‑calm Wildman afterwards. “If we wanted to have a chance to win, we needed a big break early. That was our opportunity, but we didn’t get it.

“Then again, we didn’t take advantage of our other opportunities ‑ Massillon fumbled five times, and we didn’t recover one of them. You can’t pull off an upset going zero‑for‑five on fumble recoveries.”

After seeing films of the ‘muff’ play, Currence smiled the smile of a man who knows the Lord has blessed him and said, “That was a judgment call and a real close one to have to make. We had the advantage of seeing it three times in slow‑motion here; they (the officials) didn’t.

“Besides, a mistake like that might have given us the impetus to do better,” he added.

Massillon offensive coordinator Nick Vrotsos agreed with that.

“Yea, I wish we could have just let them have the ball and score down there, and then gone on and whipped them like we would have anyway. That way we could have avoided all this,” said the veteran coach, who was treated to a verbal lambasting by a Sharon sportswriter at halftime ‑ for politely answering the sportswriter’s question about the tainted play.!

Spielman had the best idea.

“I just should have let the ball go,” he admitted.

At any rate, instead of being three yards away from a possible game‑tying score, Sharon was on defense, and seemingly too dazed to play it. Massillon quickly marched 80 yards in six plays as Spielman scored again, this time from three yards out. Pfisterer’s kick was good. A 25‑yard run by Jim Bushe, with a 15‑yard face mask penalty tacked on, got the Tigers off to a fine start on the drive.

Massillon scored once more before intermission. This time a 49‑yard drive ended with DeWitz hitting Geiser with a 10‑yard bullet and the score.

The locals final touchdown came on the second possession of the second half. A 43‑yard drive following a short drive ended with Tim Sampsel crashing over from the two. Pfisterer kicked his fourth straight extra point, and the reserves took over. (Highlighted by a 39‑yard run by Jeff Boerner and a 31‑yard run Tom Gruno on the final possession of the evening.)

Sharon’s TD came with 2:24 left in the game. Reserve quarterback Joe Micchia scrambled out of a crisis and hit a sophomore with the unlikely name of Neboisa Sormaz with a 25‑yard scoring play. (Another Sharon player was named Chooky LaCamera ‑ a 5‑foot‑4, 104‑pound junior linebacker.)

“Sharon was a good football team,” praised Currence. “They have three or four Division I‑potential athletes, and they were one of the more physical clubs we’ve played recently. In the end, we were just able to wear them down.”

Wildman returned to Pennsylvania with no regrets, either.

“Tonight hopefully will be a steppingstone for our team. We were beaten on the scoreboard, but we weren’t embarrassed.

“In the end, Massillon executed and we didn’t. That was the ballgame. I was just proud to have came here and played; Massillon can certainly play with anybody in Pennsylvania.”

Now, it’s on to next week and the “Computer Bowl,” where Massillon hosts Glenoak and former head coach Bob Commings.

GlenOak, big winners over Canton South Friday, and undefeated since an opening loss to McKinley, is second in the Ohio computer poll for the region, with Massillon third. (Sandusky holds onto the top spot, but probably not for long.)

At any rate , it should be fun.

MASSILLON 28
SHARON 7
M 0
First downs rushing 9 5
First downs passing 9 2
First downs by penalty 1 2
Totals first downs 19 9
Yards gained rushing 245 114
Yards lost rushing 14 19
Net Yards rushing 231 95
Net yards passing 140 42
Total yards gained 371 137
Passes attempted 20 15
Passes completed 11 2
Passes int. by 2 0
Yardage on pass int. 5 0
Times kicked off 6 2
Kickoff average 36.7 42.5
Kickoff return yards 18 57
Punts 4 6
Punting average 38.5 30.3
Punt return yards 12 10
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 5 2
Fumbles lost 0 1
Penalties 6 3
Yards penalized 50 30
Touchdowns rushing 3 0
Touchdowns passing 1 1
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 57 46
Time of possession 26:50 21:10
Attendance 9,847

Sharon 0 0 0 7 7
Massillon 7 14 7 0 28

M ‑ Spielman 7‑yard run. (Pfisterer kick.)
M ‑ Spielman 3‑yard ran (Pfisterer kick.)
M ‑ Geiser 10‑yard pass from DeWitz (Pfisterer kick).
M ‑ Sampsel 2‑yard run (Pfisterer luck).
S ‑ Sormaz 25‑ yard pass from Micchia (Albright kick)

Sharon falls at Massillon
disputed call aids Ohioans
By LYNN SATERNOW
Sports Editor
MASSILLON, Ohio ‑ Sharon High football coach Jim Wildman knew his Tigers would need some breaks if they were to have a chance against powerful Massillon Friday night. And Sharon did get an early break.

A broken back.

While Sharon lost 28‑7, it would be unfair to say that one call by a referee can cost a team a ballgame. But that one call certainly went a long way toward determining the outcome.

That call that broke the Tiger’s back came like this:

Sharon was trailing 7‑0 after the first quarter and was forced to punt from midfield. The punt was a low kick that bounced a few times, then hit Massillon’s Chris Spielman. The ball bounced free and into the arms of Sharon’s Robert Dawson who tucked it in at the 4‑yard line and carried it into the endzone. Two referees signaled touchdown and 6 points went up on the scoreboard.

Then the referees huddled. Then they moved the ball to the 20‑yard line and signaled Massillon’s ball negating the touchdown. Then the name Wild‑man fit perfectly for Sharon’s coach.

But despite argument from Wildman, the call stood and Massillon had the ball and Sharon had nothing.

Massillon took advantage of Sharon’s confusion and moved downfield in only a few big plays to score. For all purposes, the game was over.

“Maybe we were still scratching our heads about the call,” Wildman said about the defensive breakdown, But he had plenty to say about the referee’s decision:

“Everybody knew he (Dawson) had the ball going into the endzone. But then they said he didn’t have possession of the ball. Actually it should have been our ball where he picked it up, because you can’t advance a muff (touched kick). It should have been our ball on the 3 or 4‑yard line.

“But they were a better team than us tonight. They’ve got some fine athletes. But I said all week that if we had a chance, we would heed a’ break. That was our break and we needed it.”

Other breaks didn’t go Sharon’s way either.

Sharon started the opening drive of the ballgame at the 23 and moved to a first down at the 40. On a third down play from the 45, quarterback Teryl Austin appeared headed for a first down on a run when the ball flipped out of his hands and into the arms of Massillon lineman Derrick Johnson. Johnson ran the ball to the Sharon 34. But a short time later the defense held after a sack by Tom Crawford and Massillon missed on a 35‑yard field goal attempt.

But after a Sharon punt, Massillon rolled to a score. The home team drove 56 yards in seven plays, with 215‑pound halfback Spielman going the final seven yards to paydirt. Bronc Pfisterer kicked his first of four extra points.
Early in, the second period came the controversial call that gave Massillon the ball at its 20. It took only seven plays and a three‑yard Spielman run for Massillon to go up 14-0, with 6:28 remaining in the half.

A third touchdown came with 48 seconds remaining in the period. Massillon quarterback Brian DeWitz moved his Tigers 51 yards in eight plays, including five pass completions. His fifth was a 10‑yarder to Jim Geiser for a touchdown.

In the third period, Massillon scored for a final time with 5:59 remaining on a two‑yard run by Tim Sampsel, ending a 43‑yard drive.

A deep Sharon drive was halted midway through the fourth quarter on an interception at the one‑yard line. But a short time later, with the Sharon substitutes in the game, the local Tigers got on the board.

Scrambling Sharon sophomore quarterback Joe Micchia eluded, several would‑be‑tacklers on a fourth down play and hit fellow sophomore Neboisa Sormaz on a 25‑yard touchdown pass. Mike Albright kicked the point after.

While Wildman was somewhat disappointed that his chances for an unbeaten season went down the drain, he was, grateful for the chance to play at Massillon, one of the hotbeds of football in the United States.

“It was a real honor to play here. I’m not satisfied in the sense that we lost. But I’m proud of our performance and our kids. No one embarrasses us. We moved the ball and the kids didn’t quit. They continued to play with emotion.

“That call hurt us. It turned things a round. But I’m proud that we didn’t get blown out. At halftime we decided that 21 points was enough, and the kids responded.

“It’s a feather in our caps. We went for it. An undefeated season would have been nice. But we set our goal to win the Keystone championship. If we get that goal, and pick up some experience and some other positive things along the way, all the better. Now we’ve got to go back and get ready to reach that goal.”

SIDELINE NOTES ‑ ‑‑ It was agreed by almost everyone (even Massillon scouts) in the press box that Sharon was robbed on the referees call. And after the game, Dawson agreed, “I had the ball on the 3‑yard line’ definitely, I had a good grip on it. They signaled touchdown. I couldn’t believe it when the referees changed the call.” Neither could anyone else…The loss dropped Sharon to 6‑1 on the season, with two league games to go against Reynolds and Grove City … Massillon fumbled four times in the game, but recovered them all … The Shenango Valley had a great representation at the game, filling much of the visitors’ section. The total attendance was more than 10,000…Just to attend a ballgame in Paul Brown Stadium is quite an experience. Everything about the operation is first class and the game has a college atmosphere … Massillon is 7‑0 on the season and ranked second In Ohio behind Cincinnati Moeller.

Score by Qts: 1 2 3 4 Total
SHARON 0 0 0 7 7
MASSILLON 7 14 7 0 28

TDs: Spielman (M) 2; Geiser (M), Sampsel (M), Sormaz (S)
PATs: Pfisterer (M), 4; Albright (S), 1

SHARON MASSILLON
9 First downs 18
118 Rushing yards 234
47 Passing yards 139
15‑2‑2 Att‑comp‑int 20‑11‑0
2‑13 Sacks‑yards lost 1‑8
152 Total yards 365
2‑1 Fumbles-lost 4‑0
3‑31 Penalties‑yards 6‑50

Author: <span>Eric Smith</span>