Tigers Beat Alliance In Final Minute Martin Gugov Plunges For Clincher With 57 Seconds Left To Play
By JIM QUILTY
“I’ve been coaching for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of wild games. But that’s the wildest.”
And not one among the 10,464 paid fans who jammed Hartshorn stadium in Alliance could disagree with victorious Coach Leo Strang’s summation of the 14-10 Washington high school victory Friday night.
The triumph established the Tigers as the team to beat in their defense of the Ohio scholastic football crown. It was their fourth victory of the season and 17th in succession over three years.
The winning score came with 57 seconds remaining when Martin Gugov climaxed a 65-yard drive crashing off tackle from two yards out.
Only the clock prevented the Aviators from a possible score as they moved to the Tigers’ 10 before time ran out.
An exhausted Strang said the Aviators of Mel Knowlton were “the best team I’ve ever coached against.”
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* * * STRANG was still very much upset in the Tiger dressing room about an official’s call which gave the Aviators a two-point, 10-8, lead and possession off the ball in the closing moments of the third period.
Bob Baker intercepted Aviator Quarterback Bob Wallace’s pass intended for Charley King near the goal line. King then tackled Baker in the end zone. The officials ruled Baker had caught the ball on the field of play, then went into the end zone. The safety gave the Aviators a then commanding lead.
“That call could have meant the state championship,” a still hazy Strang stated.
A free kickoff from the Washington high 20 following the safety was brought back to the Tigers’ 37 by the Aviators.
The Tigers who managed only one cohesive drive over the first three periods – that one netted the first score – were far from finished.
Taking over after an Alliance four and 14 yards to go attempt failed on the Tigers’ 35, the locals drove the 65 yards in 17 plays, all on the ground chewing up nearly seven minutes to push the deciding tally across.
* * *\ ART HASTINGS carried the ball seven times, Ken Dean, the bulldozing fullback, four times, Gugov another four times and Larson twice.
Larson ticked off seven yards on the first attempt, then whipped around end for nine to the Aviator six for the first down on a quarterback keeper.
Four plays later, after Hastings had churned to the two behind the Tigers’ forceful line, Gugov sliced between inside and outside tackle on the right side of the line for the touchdown.
But, had it not been for the goal line stance by the Tigers defensive unit midway through the third period, the complexion of the game would have been entirely altered.
The Aviators, following King’s 31-yard gain to the Tiger eight, moved to the two in two downs. King then attempted to skirt his left end on a pattern, which had been working fine. But Hastings busted up the interference this time tossing King down on the 10.
* * * THE SPEEDY half, who figured in all 10 of the Aviators’ points, picked up seven yards on the next play to the Tiger three falling short.
That was only one of three occasions when the Tigers held inside their 25. The yardage came easy for the Aviators until the final few. There the Tigers held every time but once.
The first Bengal touchdown came without apparent effort. After Gary Wells pounced on an Aviator fumble to curtail the first Alliance drive on the locals’ 28, the Tigers moved 72 yards in seven plays. The longest gain was a 40-yard aerial from Larson to Ken Ivan.
Ivan grabbed the ball in the left secondary on Washington high’s 45 and raced to the Alliance 29 before King tripped him up. Five plays and two penalties later, five yards against the Tigers for offside, half the distance against Alliance for unsportsmanlike conduct (the call moved the ball from the eight to the four), Hastings cracked through the center for the score.
Dean, who reeled off 26 yards in the drive, plunged for the two-point conversion with 3:21 remaining in the first period.
The Aviators marched to the Tiger 18 after taking the ensuing kickoff before an incompleted pass on a third down and two to go and Wells’ tackle of Hugh Wilson on the 20 gave the Tigers possession.
After picking up a lone first down, Hastings’ fumble was recovered by Dave Trief on the Washington high 45.
The Aviators, with Wallace directing the attack around King and Wilson, scored in 11 plays. Wallace’s pass to King covered 12 of the yards.
He again hit King after a deft bit of ball handling had thrown the Tiger defenses off the tying Two-point conversion with 2:24 remaining in the half.
The Tigers then ran out the first half clock. * * *
FIRST half statistics gave Alliance a 97 to 76-yard rushing edge. The Tigers led in passing, 40 yards to 12. The Aviators had seven first downs, Washington high five.
Despite the statistics, Alliance had the invaders on the defensive most of the first half, aside from the Tiger scoring drive. Only once was Alliance outside Washington high territory. That was after a punt by Ken Dean bounced out of bounds on the Aviator 47.
The second half started the way the first ended with Alliance again threatening.
After King had returned Charlie Williams’ kick-off to the Aviator 26, the hosts put together three successive first downs moving to Washington high’s eight. The last first and ten came on King’s 31-yard sprint through the center of the Tigers’ defense. Ed Radel pulled him down from behind.
After the Tigers held, Dean pulled them from trouble with a 19-yard gain up the middle behind a blocking force led by Jay B. Willey and Ivan. A clipping violation two plays later and an incomplete pass ended the assault.
Dean’s punt went to King who returned it to the Alliance 46. In five plays the Aviators were again in scoring position on the Tigers’ 30.
Wallace then faded back, spotted King near the goal line and let fly. Baker grabbed it and was tackled in the end zone.
When Gugov scored to give Washington high the four-point edge, the decision appeared locked up. * * *
BUT Wallace, King and Company, aided by a 15-yard penalty against the Bengals on the kickoff, marched from the Tiger 45 to the 10, Wallace connecting through the air to King twice and Marion ‘Plunky’ Young once. Time then clicked off as the Aviators were hurriedly lining up for another play.
Dean enjoyed his finest night of the season. The 190-pound junior rolled up 91 yards on 15 carries. Hastings added 45 yards on 17 as the two toted the ball over 75 per cent on the locals rushing plays. * * *
“THE THING we have to look out for now is the letdown. We just can’t relax,” Strang said after the game.
Leo had special praise for his assistant coaches who did what he called “one fine job” on the last touchdown drive.
Walt Keller, team trainer, said the squad came out of the game in top condition. Only a few minor muscle injuries, similar to ‘charley-horses,’ cropped up with Dean and Hastings.
Washington high’s next start is at Tiger stadium Friday night against a reportedly strong Steubenville team. The Big Red bowed to Weirton, W. Va., 13-6, last week after opening with a 16-8 win over Cleveland Lincoln. Last night the Red and Warren battled to a 12-12 tie
Tigers Beat Stubborn Central 28-0 Baker’s Fancy Runs Spark Bengals’ Play; Alliance Is Next Foe
By JIM QUILTY
It was billed as an Alliance tune-up. But it turned out to be Washington high’s stiffest test of the young football season.
The defending state football champions, slowed to a turtle’s pace by the crunching Columbus Central ground attack, reacted like champions to a pair of first period breaks which resulted in touchdowns, then relied on a staunch defense deep in home territory for the most part of three periods to preserve a 28-0 decision Friday night.
The triumph was the Tigers’ 16th in succession, third without a loss this year, and came before 9,944 fans under ideal weather conditions.
Even before the end of the first period Coach Leo Strang began inserting his entire second offensive unit. He was forced to retreat somewhat later in the period to repulse a Central scoring bid on the Tiger eight-yard line.
* * * BUT the final score meant little to Ohio’s top ranked grid power. Central had given a much stronger performance than expected by the locals. Yet, the decision was never contested after the Tigers exploded into a three-touchdown lead less than three minutes into the second period.
Bob Baker, making a habit of coming up with the big plays, sprinted 83 yards for a touchdown after intercepting a Central pass midway through the first period, then added the final score of the game on a 43-yard punt return with 1:39 remaining.
Sharing the glory with Baker were Jim Houston and Art Hastings. Houston chopped down a pair of Central boys with one block on Baker’s first run, that nearly broke a Columbus lad in half with a crushing block on a 20-yard spurt by Hastings.
Art followed his tremendous performance in the Cleveland Benedictine game with an equally convincing job. He picked up 93 yards net in 13 carries and terrorized attempted sweeps around the right side by Central.
The 186 yards gained rushing was the most yielded by the Tiger defense this year. Most of it came through Charles Glover who carried the ball 30 times.
Central, after returning the opening kickoff to its 35, managed a pair of first downs while parading to the Tigers’ 30. Switching to a single-wing from the unbalanced line “winged-T” attack used exclusively until then, Glover tossed, under a fierce Tiger defensive charge, into the waiting arms of Baker.
The speedy left safety picked his spot straight up the east sideline and raced unmolested 83 yards for the score. Ken Dean added the two-point conversion off his short side guard and end for an 8-0 Washington high lead at 7:35.
* * * MAINTAINING, the constant pressure on the Tigers, Central advanced to the host’s 43 before Gary Wells led a defensive surge which knocked the ball from Glover’s hands, Jay B. Willey recovering.
Five plays later Hastings winged around his long side end and slipped into the west corner of the end zone for the second touchdown. His run for the PAT made it 16-0.
A John Larson to Ken Ivan pass covering 25 yards and 13 and 12 yard runs by Hastings set the ball in scoring position.
The Tigers’ second unit, paced by Jack Lash’s 22 yards in two carries, drove 50 yards to Central’s 10 early in the second period. Bob Herring, regular wingback, then took a deceptive handoff from Quarterback Dave Null and whipped nearly unseen past the goal for the third Tiger score in less than 11 minutes.
The PAT run failed as the Tigers led 22-0.
Pulling a bit of trickery on the statue of liberty punt play, the Columbus eleven moved to Washington high’s 41 on the next series of downs, one yard short of a first down.
John Potts grabbed a Charles Williams fumble on the Tigers’ first play giving the invaders possession on the Washington high 45.
Ten plays later, the Central boys had driven to the Tiger eight only to have a stiffened defense and a pair of incomplete passes stymie the drive.
A 17-yard run by Herring and another of 14 by Hastings gave the Tigers breathing room by the half.
After Central kicked off, the locals failed to move at the start of the third quarter. On a fourth and eight on their own 31, Dean went back to punt but was trapped on the 21 by a host of pursuers and dropped.
* * * WITH CENTRAL threatening, the Tiger defense was again put to the test. Only an illegal receiver down field on a Steve Tweedy to Glen Carr completed pass in the end zone stopped the drive. The 15-yards set Central back to the 24 as the drive died.
Central staged another two-pronged attack featuring John Darling and Glover early in the fourth stanza driving to the locals’ 12. Spearheaded by Houston, Ed Radel and Ivan, along with Lawson White and Duane Garman the thrust was repulsed.
Taking over on their own 14, the Tigers traveled 77 yards to the invaders’ nine before their attack sputtered. Sophomore Ron Davis, replacing Hastings, was the leading gainer.
Only two passes were completed by the combined offenses. Larson’s covered 25 yards while Tweedy picked up nine.
Strang had no excuses for the teams showing. It was evident, however, that preparations were already well underway for the Alliance game this Friday.
“We were good in spots,” Leo said, “and we were also bad in spots. It was the first time we ran into this type of offense and it kept us busy.”
What was the matter?
Strang answered: “The Alliance game must have been on most of the players’ minds. I know it was on ours all week.”
Strang was informed after the game that Bob Herring suffered either a torn or pulled cartilage in his left knee. The swelling surround the injury was too great for the team physician to get a good look. The extent of the injury will be known today.
The coaching staff faces a busy weekend with meetings planned today and Sunday to plot the Tigers’ course of action against Alliance. The Aviators stayed unbeaten in three starts with a narrow 18-13 victory over Cuyahoga Falls.
* * * COACH Frank Howe of Columbus Central was anything but displeased with his team’s performance. “We lost to a very good team,” was his comment.
Howe had the same thoughts about the game as Strang and hoped to capitalize upon them. “I thought they might be looking forward to the Alliance game which would have given us a much better chance.”
Appraising his team, Howe said: “Our defense is good. We showed that, and our offense has finally started to move. That was the first time this year we showed any offense.”
Howe received the bad news when a shoulder separation was reported to Glover. “It may not be too serious, we don’t know yet.”
“We ought to be in good shape for East next week. But we have to eliminate our mistakes. We just made too many,” he added.
Howe confided that his team may have been somewhat awed by the huge crowd. They had never played before more than 4,000 before.
He was also high in his praise of Houston.
Individually for the Tigers Dean gained 28 yards in six tries, Herring 27 in two, Larson 23 in three, Baker 12 in one (later lost 11 on a fumble play), Davis 33 in six, Charlie Williams three in one, Lash 22 in two, Heflin eight in two and Null six in one.
Tiger Defeat Stubborn Benedictine, 36-6 Massillon Gridders Roll Up 22-0 Advantage In First Half
By JIM QUILTY
Worry sometimes works wonders.
Washington high school football coach Leo Strang was one worried man entering the Cleveland Benedictine clash Friday evening. And apparently it paid dividends as his Tiger gridders responded with a thorough 36-6 triumph over the invaders before 12,486 fans at Tiger stadium.
After observing the scouting reports from the Bennies’ 14-0 preview over Cleveland East, Strang had reason to worry. But it was all in vain as the powerful Tigers, paced by Art Hastings’ three scoring runs, vaulted into a 22-0 half time lead and were never threatened.
“I’m glad that’s over with,” Strang said afterwards.
While Strang ended his worrying in the Tiger dressing room, Benedictine Coach Augie Bossu prepared to start his season over again next week against Mansfield in the solemn Benedictine quarters.
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“That’s the difference between a good team and a great team,” Bossu said when reminded of the several breaks which the Tiger capitalized upon.
They’ll hit you early, then jump on every opportunity which presents itself. They have exceptionally good backs and that makes a great deal of difference.” Bossu added.
Looking ahead Strang sees only Columbus Central. But despite himself he can’t help but grab a quick glance here and there at the powerful Alliance Aviators, apparently the locals’ most serious threat in a bid to repeat as state champions, who provide the opposition Sept. 30.
“We don’t know exactly what we’re up against next week.” Leo said. “They have some real fast backs but other than that, nothing is too clear.”
* * * IT TOOK Washington high little more than four minutes to find out what they were up against Friday night, and for the first 24 minutes it was little.
The Tigers controlled the ball completely throughout the first half picking up 196 yards on 34 plays while limiting the Bennies to 31 on 13 carries. Hastings displayed the form which won him third team All-Ohio honors a year ago, slipped into the west corner of the end zone from inches inside the 10-yard line at the 8:16 mark of the first period for the first touchdown. A first scoring effort by Hastings from five yards out was nullified by an illegal motion penalty the previous play.
Hastings set the scoring run up moments before when he skirted the Tigers’ short side end for 35 yards to Benedictine’s seven.
The PAT attempt failed when Bengal center Tomy Palmieri pulled Hastings down in the Tiger backfield.
* * * IT TOOK the locals 17 plays and over six minutes to score their second touchdown midway through the second period. John Larson, who failed to complete a pass in the opening game, hit Robert Herring on a cut-in pattern from Benedictine’s 18. Herring scooped the ball in one the 10 and sprinted into the end zone. Joe Heflin went in for the two extra points.
The drive nearly fizzled on the 18 when Palmieri stopped Heflin with a three-yard loss on one play and without a gain on the second. The touchdown came on the first pass of the game on a third and 13 situation.
Larson added the third touchdown personally when he capped a 43-yard march from a year out with a quarterback drive. Ken Dean pranced in for the extra points and a 22-0 lead with little over two minutes remaining in the first half.
A 32-yard flare pass featuring the Larson-Herring combination set up the touchdown.
Larson found Herring open again for a 16-yard gainer seconds before the first half ended.
* * * LIMITED to a single first down in the first two quarters, the Bennies came to life after the intermission picking up one first down. They moved to the Tigers’ 37 before Joe Miano fumbled and Bob Baker of the Tigers recovered.
Failing to move, the Tigers Jim Alexander punted only to have the ball partially blocked by Dick Kestner. The boot covered 14 yards to the Bennies’ 48.
With elusive Paul Rini and Miano dividing the ground gaining chores, the invaders paraded to Washington high’s 12 before an alert George Demis grabbed Quarterback Dennis Andrews’ fumble.
It took the Tigers just four plays to move the 89 yards with Hastings lugging the ball the final 69 on a skirt around the short side end.
Art shook loose from one defender behind the line, then picked up great blocking from Richard Crenshaw, Ken Ivan and a host of others to go the distance untouched. Ivan cut down the final pursuer.
Larson added the two-point play on a sweep of his long side end for a 30-0 Tiger lead.
* * * ON THE THIRD play of the final period, the invaders’ Rini scooted through, under and around the Tigers from 24 yards for the lone Benedictine touchdown. A 25-yard aerial from Andrews to Sam Collura set the jaunt up on the previous play.
Not to be outdone, Hastings sprinted for 49 yards and his third six-pointer of the evening after Dave Null returned a short kickoff to the Tigers’ 46 and a five-yard delay of game penalty by Benedictine moved the ball to the visitors’ 49.
Hastings pulled Vince Naso the final four yards into the end zone. The PAT attempt failed as the Tigers took a 36-6 lead with less than two minutes elapsed in the fourth quarter.
Three intercepted passes by Naso, who missed a fourth earlier in the game by inches, curtailed any further Tiger advance. Null, Baker and Alexander were each a victim once.
Baker atoned for his with an interception of his own, his third in two games. Another interception by Joe Snively was ruled out of bounds.
Lineman Lawson White did a yeoman’s job on defense. Rated the most efficient lineman last week, the middle guard twice dropped Benedictine backs for losses early in the first period and was the fifth man in their backfield most of the night.
All 42 of the Tigers who dressed for the game saw at least limited action.
* * * HASTINGS, who averaged better than 10 yards per carry last year, picked up 177 yards on eight carries last night. Herring added 39 in five, Larson 34 in 10, Dean 32 in 11, Jack Lash 10 in two, Fred Philpott seven in two Null four in two and Heflin seven in five.
The Tigers’ aerial arm picked up 7 yards with four for 11. Three completions were by Larson, the other by Null. Herring was on the receiving end of all four.
Preparations for Columbus Central begin Sunday when the coaching staff goes over scouting reports. Central edged Newark, 8-6 last night for its second win in succession.
The Aviators, 2-0 on the year, walloped Akron Central, 40-6, last night. They play at Cuyahoga Falls next Friday night.
The Columbus game is slated for Tiger stadium while Alliance will meet Washington high at home on Mount Union College field.
Tigers Claw East Liverpool 42-0 Bengals Explode For Long Runs To Score 36 Points In First half
By JIM QUITY
Win No. 14 in succession came easy for Washington high school’s Tiger football team and Coach Leo Strang Friday night.
Cashing in early, the defending state champions scored five times in the first two periods, then coasted past a formidable but inexperienced East Liverpool eleven, 42-0, before 11,592 fans at Tiger stadium.
It was the first meeting between the two Ohio grid powers and the first start of the year for both.
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Strang, though quite pleased with the overall performance of this his third Tiger team, called the showing “spotty” and promised a good deal of ironing out would have to be done.
“This is just the type of performance you’d expect for the opening game,” Strang said.
For the Potters’ Coach Lou Vendetti, the defeat came as no surprise. “We lost to a good team, but learned a lot of football,” he said following the defeat.
Vendetti summed the game up thus: “We were just too inexperienced. We could hold them for a few downs, then our inexperience would show and they’d break loose. We have some good kids but they lack the experience because of a cut down in our reserve schedule last year.”
* * * THE CONTEST wasn’t at all close after the first eight minutes when the Tigers drove for their first touchdown on a 15-yard run by Quarterback John Larson which climaxed a 63-yard drive.
Ken Dean, who added the PAT on a run, chewed up 35 of the yards on five carries.
Martin Gugov, whose injured knee is again a question mark, supplied the second spectacular of the contest, with a 67-yard touchdown burst up the middle on a perfectly executed trap.
The first great effort came moments earlier when Bob Baker leaped and intercepted a Ken Cunningham aerial while falling to the ground giving Washington high possession on its own 33. Gugov broke away on a handoff from John Larson scoring on the next play with 2:42 remaining in the quarter.
Art Hastings’ extra point attempt was stopped short as Washington high led 14-0.
Jim Houston, who terrorized the Potters much of the night form his defensive left end slot, shattered the invaders’ first offensive effort. Houston rammed Joe Thompson, after the latter had scooped in a pass from Cunningham, forcing him to fumble. An alert Bob Herring pounced on the ball on the Tigers’ 32.
* * * LARSON then astounded the gathering when he shook loose from a half dozen Potters five yards deep in his own backfield, picked up perfect blocking, and raced 68 yards to score on the first play of the second quarter. Hastings’ run for the two-pointer was again stopped.
East Liverpool’s offense failed to penetrate Washington high’s defense bringing a punting situation. Cunningham booted out of bounds on the Tiger 48.
After one first down, Herring cut across the short side of his line and sped 40 yards for the fourth Washington high score. He added the two extra points snagging a pass from Larson as the Bengals held sway, 28-0.
Herring concluded the first half scoring when he rambled 49 yards on a similar play with 2:12 remaining in the half.
The burst climaxed a 91-yard scoring drive spearheaded by a 23-yard run by Charlie Brown and a 16-yard gain by Hastings, which moved the ball to the East Liverpool 49.
Dean plunged across for his second two-point conversion.
Action slowed to a walk throughout most of the second half before the Tigers put together a sustained 59-yard scoring attack, late in the final quarter.
* * * FRED PHILPOTT, the workhorse in the Tiger backfield with 84 yards on 12 carries, had an 18-yard gainer in the 13 plays needed to cover the distance. Joe Smith, on his lone attempt of the game, slipped in for the touchdown behind a wall of blockers.
Dean’s third attempt for two points stopped short.
Taking advantage of an intercepted pass in the waning seconds of the game, the Potters moved to within five yards of a touchdown as the game ended.
After Baker intercepted his second Cunningham pass, he received similar treatment by the Potter ace. Cunningham returned the interception to the Bengal 40, then tossed incomplete to John Goodballet, but interference was called on the 16.
Given an extra play since a game cannot end on a penalty, Cunningham tossed to Goodballet, who was cut down on the Tiger five.
The Potters most potent weapon was their air attack, which netted 112 yards and six of their seven first downs. Cunningham hit on 11of 20.
In rushing East Liverpool was limited to 45 yards, while the vaunted Tigers put together 488.
* * * IN TOTAL FIRST downs, Washington high held a substantial 16 to 7 advantage.
A quite weary Leo Strang disclosed in the dressing room following the route that Gugov is again a question mark. “That makes to captains we’ll have out,” Leo said. He added that the seriousness of the injury won’t be known for a few days.
Gugov was helped off the field early in the first quarter but came back to break away for the long scoring run. Reports are that either a ligament is torn or the knee is badly pulled.
There were words of praise for the Tigers’ long pass defense but Strang cited the need for work on the short ones.
“We were real spotty, that’s all,” Strang said.
Pass offense was another sore spot. Of 12 passes attempted, none was completed. Larson did manage to hit Herring for two points after the fourth touchdown.
On the credit side for the Tigers was the great down field blocking and the internal line play. Lawson White-cleared the final barrier on Herring’s second touchdown run.
And the line showed extreme speed in opening the path for the backs on the long jaunts.
Of East Liverpool, Strang said they were “not strong enough.” He was quite impressed with their quarterback (Cunningham) and their fullback (Goodballet).
* * * INDIVIDUAL RUSHING statistics credited herring with 96 yards for three carries, Hastings 35 for five, Gugov 67 for one. Dean 50 for eight, Larson 95 for three, Philpott 84 for 12, Brown 36 for three and Smith one for one.
A warm-up session and general check for injuries was planned for this morning at the stadium.
The Tigers’ next opponent is Cleveland Benedictine in a home game Friday. Benedictine was idle last night but appears to possess a good deal of weight and experience. Washington high won last year’s game 30-6.
Benedictine is the lone non-Stark County school to capture the state football crown since before the days of Chuck Mather. They won the coveted award in 1957 after beating Washington high en route to an undefeated season.
Workmanlike Tigers Make It A Perfect Year Massillon Stouties Roast Bulldogs 20-0 In Defensive-Minded Hassle
By CHARLIE POWELL
Workmanlike.
That is as good a word as any to use in describing the superlative piece of machinery which combined to hold the “Indian sign” over the Canton McKinley Bulldogs last Saturday afternoon.
The mighty Massillon Tigers did no extraordinary things, they simply did the ordinary thing extraordinarily well as they put the Bulldogs through the meat-grinder, 20-0 before nearly 19,000 fans at sunny Fawcett stadium.
There were not twisting, 80-yard runs, no fourth-down scoring passes, no whopping, long punt or kickoff return. Just work. Much like other people perform in the mills.
The bountiful Tigers tore off the tackles and up the middle most of the afternoon as they enjoyed an early Thanksgiving Day – stuffing the Bulldogs and roasting’em well.
The Cantonians must have felt like they had eaten a mess of those contaminated cranberries that slipped by the spying crews.
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The grind-em out offense combined with an impregnable defense proved that the Tigers could get the job done one way or the other. All season long, when the occasion demanded, they either banged inside the flanks, threw the long stroke or pulled off some hipper-dipper. Versatility and variance were bywords.
It was this kind of a team which will go down in Washington high gridiron annals as one of the greatest.
The sweet smell of success over 10 weekends brought Tigertown its first unbeaten season since 1953, this was the sixth highest scoring club in all history, the eighth to splurge to over 400 points in a single season. * * * HEADMASTER LEO Strang’s merry-makers averaged six touchdowns a game, held their eminent opponents to just 46 points, only Akron Garfield scored more than one touchdown against them and the Bulldogs became the fifth foe to draw a blank in the scoring column.
Balance, depth and poise of a champion w ere the big reasons why the Tigers came through with Massillon’s 16th unbeaten and 12th perfect record team in history. They worked, worried and whaled into their job with one goal on the horizon – an unsullied record – and they got it – and they earned it.
Teamwork, as always, paid off handsomely. Everybody who had a part in this spectacular season, from Coach Strang and his aide-de-camps on down to the little people behind the scenes, deserve the heartiest compliments.
This team had a whole lot of everything.
It had a world of balance in the leather-lugging department. When tricky Art Hastings wasn’t whirling and weaving, piston legged Bill Finney was flashing downfield. And when speedy Jim Wood wasn’t on the go, that reliable junior, Martin Gugov was like Popeye’s can of spinach or the U.S. cavalry showing up in a western movie…help came when needed.
It had Joe Sparma, the hand-is-quicker-than-the-eye quarterback…he had no peer in the state. A non-worrier and team-steadier, the confident field general threw 15 touchdown passes this season to bring his career total to 32 pay off pitches. * * * GUGOV SCORED 88 points, Hastings chalked up 86 and Finney and Wood each checked in with 64. Hastings carried 116 times for 1,244 yards, an average of 10.7 yards per try. Finney toted 87 times for 608 yards. Wood collared 481 yards in 39 tries and Gugov was called on 50 times and picked up 480 yards.
Yep, this team had everything. It had sharp blocking, especially improved downfield blocking, with Virgil Bukuts, Jim Houston, Wendell Snodgrass, Don Appleby, and Bob Barkman as possibly the standouts. It had smart, teeth-loosing defensive play led by Gugov, Houston, Hase McKey, “Sluggo” Bednar, Frank Midure, Terry Snyder, Gary Wells, Jay B. Willey, Nick Daugenti, and Bob Oliver.
While of offense averaged 8.1 yards per play, the defense allowed the opposition just 2.8 yards per try.
We think you will agree, the Tigers had all the earmarks of a true champion.
They may not be officially crowned the state champ but in this book, and probably yours too, they are the very best in Buckeyeland.
It took some doing to wade through such formidable opposition without a loss. The orange and black knocked down, Alliance, Steubenville and Warren, when they were ranked in the top 10 and two other victims, Cleveland Benedictine and McKinley, were accorded berths in the second ten over the season.
McKinley tried to show Massillon was not unbeatable but the Tigers had too many guns in their arsenal. Thus they keep the Nickel Plate Road victory bell for a third straight year. The series record now reads Massillon 32 wins, 27 losses and five tie scores.
For two years under Strang, the Bengals arte 18-1-1. It was Leo’s second unbeaten team, his 1955 Upper Sandusky array having tifted nine straight scalps. * * * McKINELY HAD scored at least two touchdowns in eight of its nine previous games. (Steubenville triumphed, in the rain and mud, 15-0) but the Bulldog offense was practically nil against the Orangemen.
The host club gained 96 yards but the Tigers, led by Bednar (he waits and pounces like a burglar) and Gugov (he surely can wreck those end runs!), tossed Bulldog runners for losses amounting to 29 yards. For 35 plays the losing side made 67 yards, an average of a mere 1.9 per play.
McKinley never got off a pass. Quarterback Dave Sitzman went back three times but Massillon never gave him a chance to get rid of the ball.
The Bulldogs made only five first downs – three of them in the last quarter.
Meanwhile, the tenacious Tigers reeled off 15 first downs, made 242 yards rushing and Sparma hit on two of seven passes for 21 yards. One pass was caught out of bunds and another hit the intended receiver on the headgear.
Hastings, the driving junior, clicked off 108 yards in 17 carries. Gugov made 68 yards in 14 tries and Finney picked up 53 yards in 15 stabs.
The Tigers reached the promised-land in the second, third and fourth periods, going 75 yards in 15 plays during the second round, 59 yards in 11 plays during the third panel and 21 yards in five plays during the last chapter. The final TD came after that ferocious middle guard McKey, recovered an enemy fumble.
McKinley only once threatened and that was in the second quarter when a Massillon fumble was recovered by Fullback Wrentie Martin at the Bengal 34.
THE FUMBLE occurred on the first play of the second stanza and in the next four plays, the red and black was unable to get a first down.
Halfback Stanley Wilcoxen carried twice for six yards before Sitzman, unable to find the receiver open on a jump pass, ran and was stopped by Houston after a pickup of a yard. With fourth and three at the 27, Wilcoxen rode off the right side on a trap play but found no trap, consequently no hole, and he was grassed a yard shy of the first down.
The Tigers marched 61 yards the first time they got the ball as a 16-yard run by Hastings and a 10-yard smash by Gugov sparkled. But at the 22 they lost the ball on a fumble and they had to wait until the second period before breaking a scoreless deadlock.
After halting the Bulldogs at their own 25, the Orangemen knuckled down, Hastings, Finney, Sparma and Gugov lugging the ball goalward. Hastings inserted a 15-yard run and only a tackle from behind by Bill Babics, a fine end, kept him from going all the way. Finney got off a 10-yarder and would have scored from 14 yards out except that he was tripped up at the last second by End Frank Smith.
From the one Finney scored off right tackle as Wood made the key block. Gugov hit the same spot for the bonus points and at 2:58 in the quarter it was 8-0.
Following the score, McKinley made three yards in three plays and Sitzman was stopped after two on fourth-and-seven. Massillon still had time for a giant-sized try.
With time running out, Wood caught the Sparma pass out of bounds at the Bulldog 22 and on the last play of the half, Martin managed to knock Sparma’s pass away from Oliver.
To start the second half, the Tigers received and they promptly added another six points. This 59-yard foray highlighted a 14-yard Sparma to Wood pass and Hastings’ twisting 10-yard jaunt.
Gugov scored on a beauty from the nine. He took a pitch out to the right, got a nice block from Barkman, leaped over one would-be tackler and kept his footing to step in and hike the count to 14-0 at 6:25. Finney then was stopped a yard away from two more markers.
McKINLEY THEN had to punt and Daugenti, the boy who came here from Cleveland this year, put on a nifty return of 35 yards to the Bulldog 34. Nick fought off three defenders and Willey applied a crunching block but their efforts were wiped out because the Tigers were called for clipping.
However, they advanced 43 yards on the last eight plays of the quarter as Hastings ignited the drive by breezing for 25 yards.
But this bid was thwarted by linebacker Dan Mussulin who picked off a Sparma pass from the 20 (it was intended for sub halfback Bob Herring, but too short) and McKinley remained in contention.
An exchange of punts followed and with 8:40 remaining, the hosts got moving. After two first downs though, Sitzman, swarmed under as he tried to pass, fumbled and the ball was grabbed on the fly by McKey who churned four yards to the McKinley 21.
Finney gained eight, Gugov five in two tries and Finney came back for seven before Hastings wedging through center, made the final yard at 1:50. Gugov was stopped short on the PAT attempt but it didn’t matter, the Tigers were in.
On the ensuing kickoff, Gugov recovered what appeared to be a fumble but the ball was ruled dead. After Jimmy Robinson’s combine made a first down, Massillon cheerleaders hauled out and displayed a big sign, “State Champions!” and two plays later the 64th Tiger-Bulldog game was history.
THE CANTONIANS defensed the Tigers pretty well but it wasn’t enough. The loss gave McKinley a record of six victories against four losses for the season.
Massillon has held the upper hand 10 times in the last 12 years and the Tigers now have shut out their top rival 13 times during the ancient series.
Statistics Mass. McKin. First downs, rushing 14 5 First downs, passing 1 0 First downs, penalties 0 0 Total first downs 15 5 Yards gained rushing 245 96 Yards lost rushing 3 29 Net yards gained rushing 242 67 Yards gained passing 21 0 Total yards gained 268 67 Passes attempted 7 0 Passes completed 2 0 Passes intercepted by 0 1 Times kicked off 4 1 Kickoff average (yards) 41.0 50.0 Kickoff returns (yards) 26 45 Times punted 1 4 Punt average (yards) 37.0 34.5 Punt returns (yards 28 0 Fumbles 3 2 Lost fumbled ball 2 1 Penalties 1 5 Yards penalized 15 25
THE EMERY WHEEL By Lut Emery
Will the Tigers be named state champions in the Associated Press poll this week?
In our mind and in the mind of every Massillonian and for that matter most residents of Stark County, the Tigers are champs regardless of how they are voted in the poll.
Their 10-game sweep concluded Saturday with a 20-0 victory over Canton McKinley should be convincing to a majority of the state’s sports writers and sportscasters, we believe, but there was rigging the past two weeks in several spots, which if carried on again this week would make the Tigers’ hopes for a state title via AP recognition almost futile. * * * THERE HAVE been suggestions that we fight fire with fire, and attempt to enlist our friends to rig the poll in favor of Massillon.
Not desiring to get our hands dirtied in the already muddy water, we will have no part of it.
We have cast our ballot as have most of the state’s sportswriters and radio sportscasters. Naturally, we voted our Tigers first. They are the only ranking team in the state that has won 10 straight this season, and against tougher opposition than the other ranked teams have faced.
After re-examining the scores, we voted undefeated Kettering Fairmount second, which is a change from last week, when we cast our second place ballot for Springfield.
Springfield, which we vote third, and Kettering, played two common foes, Middletown and Dayton Chaminade. Kettering looked the better against Middletown, winning 26-0 while Springfield won 38-26. Springfield made the better showing against Chaminade, winning 60-0 while Kettering won 22-0.
Springfield at no time during the season met a team in the top 10 of the AP ratings, while Kettering knocked Troy out of the top 10 with an 8-0 victory. * * * FRANKLY WE feel the Associated Press poll no longer serves its purpose, as a result of the rigging this year, and should be thrown out as a basis for selecting a state champion until some better plan can be devised.
A few writers and sportscasters have put Fritz Howell, sports editor of the Associated Press and conductor of the poll on the spot. Two weeks ago Howell tossed all ballots into the waste paper basket when 14 writers and radio commentators failed to list Massillon on their 10-team ballot/
Last week Howell resumed the poll. The rigging continued but not on as large a scale. One writer didn’t put the Tigers in the first 10, a number of others including one block of eight placed them eighth or ninth – and most of this conniving came from northwest and northeast Ohio – not from Springfield and not from the cities of Tiger opponents.
The rigging started three weeks ago. The Tigers who had been in front from the start of the season led by 83 points on Oct. 27.
The Tigers knocked off sixth ranked Warren, but their lead in the poll dropped to 36 points. Next they beat Barberton 90-0 and that was the week Howell tossed the poll away.
When the poll was resumed last week, the count showed Springfield had gone around Massillon to lead by 45 points.
Maybe the Tigers- 20-0 victory over McKinley will change the sentiment of those who ganged up on them the past two weeks.
We’ll just have to wait and see. * * * IN THE MEATIME our congratulations go to Coach Leo Strang and his staff for a job well done this fall. They and their fancy Tigers have given Washington high school its first undefeated season since Chuck Mather’s romp in 1953.
Massillon ‘Held” to 36-18 Romp; Garfield Foe Doesn’t Fold For Bengals
By RICH MOORE Repository Bureau Writer
MASSILLON – The Massillon Tigers won their ninth straight game here Friday night – but it was anything but the usual romp Bengal fans have become used to seeing.
With the Akron Garfield Presidents putting up a stubborn battle, Massillon emerged with a 36-18 victory before 8,596 fans.
Now, the terrific Tigers have one date remaining on their 1959 schedule – next Saturday’s game with Canton McKinley.
It was the first time this season a Bengal opponent has been able to score more than one touchdown.
Surprisingly, Garfield’s only previous loss was to Barberton, 18-14, a team swamped 90-0 last week by Massillon. The Akron team now has a 6-2-1 record. * * * WHILE THE Tigers showed better in earlier games, they had to play good ball to put down the Presidents, who obviously were fired up.
Garfield used every second allowed between plays, a major factor in the low score.
Both coaches were pleased.
Massillon Mentor Leo Strang was elated with the victory, of course.
Garfield’s Dan “Babe” Flossie was happy because his crew had played so well.
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Strang expressed much respect for the Akron squad and felt its battle was more responsible for the relatively low score than a letdown by the Tigers.
“I don’t think we were at our peak,” he said, “but I don’t want to take anything from Garfield and its coaching staff. They did a tremendous job.”
He was not expecting a breeze, however. * * * “WE FELT WE were going to have a hard time with them. From our scouting, we knew they were capable of giving us trouble – and they did,” Strang noted.
Strang predicts the McKinley contest will not be a picnic, either, and he doesn’t intend to let the Tigers loaf.
“We’re going to work real hard this week,” he said. “I think we’re going to run into another fired-up club and a good game.”
Meanwhile, in the Garfield dressing room, hilarity was the byword. If any tears were shed, it was from happiness.
They had every right to satisfaction. No one could doubt they had played their best.
Flossie was well pleased with his team.
“These boys did their best,” he said. “We had told them if they played a good game and weren’t afraid of Massillon’s reputation, they would do all right. * * * HIGH PRAISE was heaped on the Bengals by Flossie.
“Strang has the best club Massillon has had since we’ve been coming down here to play,” he said. “We’d love to play Massillon every year because of the treatment we receive from the players, the coaches and fans.”
Halfback Bill Finney and Martin Gugov each tallied twice for the Bengals on runs and end Bob Barkman added one TD on a pass.
For Garfield, fullback Larry Valatka notched two touchdowns and sophomore halfback Tony Bissessi scored one.
The clock ran for eight minutes before Gugov cracked off guard from eight yards out to draw first blood for the Tigers. He also added the first of three PAT’s for Massillon.
Garfield countered following the kickoff. After 10 plays, mostly line bucks it pushed the ball the to the one-yard line from where Valatka scored. * * * SCORING WAS easier for Massillon after the first period. A 21-yard pass play from quarterback Joe Sparma to Barkman added a TD in the second period. Finney reeled off a 75-yard end sweep to score in the same quarter.
From his own 45 in the fourth quarter, Sparma passed to halfback Jim Wood, who was tackled and fumbled on the 5. The ball bounced into the end zone and Finney pounced on it.
Gugov capped the Bengal scoring with a 10-yard scoot around end in the fourth stanza.
Taking the second-half kickoff, Garfield went 45 yards in 15 plays, with Bissessi going over from the one to score.
The final score of the game was by Akron from 27 yards out.
All the statistics favored the Tigers, as usual. They edged Garfield in first downs, 14-11; in passing yards gained, 104-70; and in total yards gained 406-193.
Tigers Beat Fired-Up Akron Garfield 36-18 Golden Rams Display Surprising Strength As Bengals Win Ninth
By CHARLIE POWELL
Homecoming was worth ‘coming home to” at Tiger stadium Friday night as the Massillon Tigers turned back the challenge of a chin-up Akron Garfield team.
The orange and black got possession of the pigskin eight times and scored five times to beat the Golden Rams 36-18 in a game which saw the enemy give the Tigers more competition than 99 percent of the fans expected.
A crowd of 8,596 (paid admissions) watched the Rubber City stouties, with everything to gain and nothing to lose, pound the Massillon defense with power and precision. * * * A GRINDING ground attack with two boys named Larry Valatka and Tony Bissessi starring as go-guys, and a stick’em-in-their tummy passing game with cool, collected Ronnie Tate as the launcher, formed a parlay which gave the Tiger defense more trouble than that concocted by any of Massillon’s eight previous victims.
Up until last night the Tigers had allowed the opposition only four touchdowns – never more than one a game and four foes had drawn a blank in the scoring department.
However, the Babe Flossie-coached crew marched 48 yards to cut the gap after falling behind by eight points, then consumed all but three minutes and 48 seconds of the third period to move 65 yards and make the score 22-12. After the Bengals put their ninth straight decision of the year on ice with a pair of TDs in the final quarter, the visitors scored again – on the last play of the game.
Flossie prepped his offense to hold onto the ball and his big, seasoned lads did a good job of doing just that.
But in the end the terrific Tigers simply had too much of everything as they sent the Rams down to their second loss in nine spins, one other game winding up in a tie score.
The Tigers extending their overall wins string through a dozen games, brought their point total to 411 and became Massillon’s ninth 400-point team in all history.
Now they can turn their attention to the traditional game with Canton McKinley. Next Saturday’s fracas at Fawcett stadium will find the Orangemen going for their third straight triumph over their No. 1 rival. They will need a victory for an unbeaten season and to remain in contention for the state crown.
Tigertown’s prides, perhaps a little lackadaisical against this fired-up opponent, didn’t hit with their usual gusto but their efforts were mighty pleasing to their fans. * * * ALTHOUGH GARFIELD ran off 56 running and passing plays to Massillon’s 38, the Tigers roared for a hefty advantage of 406 to 193 in total yards gained. On the ground they rushed for 302 yards and the unerring arm of Quarterback Joe Sparma, connecting on three of three forwards, added 104 yards. Garfield picked up 70 of its net gain via the airways as Ronnie Tate, a very talented youngster, hit on six of 11 attempts.
Valatka and Bissessi made the Tigers sit up and take notice but the Garfield duo was over-shadowed by the likes of Bill Finney, Art Hastings, Martin Gugov and Jim Wood.
Finney and Gugov each counted two tallies with the former galloping 75 yards in the second period and his second TD, coming on the first play of the final canto, rated an assist from Sparma and Wood.
From the Tiger 45, Sparma pitched to Wood on the 17 and Jim sped to the three. After being hit, he tried to drag a couple defenders past the final stripe, fumbled the ball and Finney recovered in the end zone for the fourth Bengal six-pointer of the night.
Finney fished with 113 yards in eight trips and Gugov carried five times for 41 yards. Rambling Art Hastings, who did not enter the game until the second quarter, carried 10 times and winged for 98 yards. Wood had 23 yards in five tries, Doug Toles (who started at fullback) carried three times for 10 yards and Bob Herring picked up 13 yards in his only carry. * * * SPARMA ALSO passed to End Bob Barkman on a 21-yard scoring play and his other completion, a 29-yarder with Wood on the receiving end, paved the way for the first touchdown of the contest.
These boys had some sharp blocking with Virgil Bukuts, Don Appleby, Jim Houston and Wendell Snodgrass being prominent. On defense the names of Captain Gary “Sluggo” Bednar, Terry Snyder, Hase McKey, Nick Daugenti and Gugov bobbed up more than once.
The offense, averaging over 10 yards a play, actually bogged down only once all night.
The first time Massillon had possession it lost the ball on a fumble. Only once did the Tigers have to punt. And one play after a Garfield punt in the second stanza, the first half came to a close.
The second time the Tigers got the football in the opening round Sparma passed to Wood for 29 yards and this led to six points.
Herring swooshed for 13 and Finney got 12 to help move the ball to the seven before Gugov, fighting through the right side, reached pay dirt with 3:58 remaining. His PAT run made it 8-0. * * * HOWEVER, the maroon and gold came back in a hurry. After Dave Taylor returned the kickoff 40 yards to the Tiger 48 (sub guard Pete Anzalone pulled him down from behind) six plays, including a 17-yard gainer by Valatka, put the ball on the Bengal 12 as the quarter ended.
The second period opened with Garfield facing a fourth-and-six situation at that point. The Rams lined up for an apparent field goal attempt by Valatka (from the 19) but before the ball could be snapped, an over-anxious Tiger defender spurted across the line of scrimmage and made contact.
This encroachment penalty gave the Rams a new outlook on things and Valatka and Bissessi carried the ball to the one before the piston-legged Valatka blasted across. At 10:07 his pass on the conversion try went awry but the difference was only two points.
After an exchange of punts the Sparma-Barkman combo put the Orangemen out front to stay.
Tate rushed by Tiger linemen, punted high but not far and the ball rolled dead at the Garfield 23. After Wood made two at right tackle, Sparma, getting rid of the ball at the last possible second, fired to Barkman who made a leaping catch in the end zone. The score came at 4:41 and Gugov ran across for two more markers. * * * WITHIN THREE and a half minutes, Leo Strang’s gang had six more points. Daugenti returned a Garfield punt ot the Massillon 25 and on the first play Finney got a big hole at right tackle and raced down the west sidelines – 75 yards for a touchdown as McKey and Bukuts threw key blocks. Gugov was stopped shy of the final stripe on the conversion try. Garfield was forced to punt four plays after the kickoff and after Wood picked up 13, the half came to an end.
The first eight minutes and 12 seconds of the third round was a boring proposition for Tiger fans. Garfield took the kickoff and marched 65 yards in 15 plays. It was a slow process – but a good one for the Rams – whose longest gain was a 10-yard pass play. With fourth and one at the one, Bissessi rammed through at 3:48. It remained that way as the Tigers stopped Bissessi a foot short on the extra point try.
The Massillon lead was down to 10 points, but it wasn’t 22-12 very long. Hastings returned the kickoff 18 yards and with the same boy going for 16 on one play, the Tigers initiated an advance that hit the jackpot on the first play of the final quarter.
On the last play of the third period Wood gunned for 22 yards but the Tigers were called for clipping and when the final period got under way the ball was resting at the Tiger 45. * * * THEN CAME the pass play in which Finney recovered Wood’s fumble in the end zone. Gugov bulled across for the extra points and Massillon was home safe.
Not too long afterward the Akron club had to punt, the ball going into the end zone, and the Bengals quickly whirled to another score.
Hastings ran the ball four straight times for 27, 3, 15 and 5 yards. Gugov twisted for 21, then scored on a nine-yard pitchout play. On another pitchout maneuver, Herring was stopped short on the conversion attempt but Massillon was ahead by 36-12 at 3:04.
To prove that they still had lots of bounce left, the Rams came back for another score before action ceased.
A 74-yard drive featured a 16-yard run by Valatka and the passing of Tate who flipped three times for 27 yards before he followed up with a 27-yard payoff pitch as the clock ran out. His pass from the 27 was caught by Valatka at the 20 and Valatka hiked to the promised-and, carrying a couple players with him. Valatak tried to boot the extra point but the kick sailed wide and to the right.
The Akron Garfield dressing room called for a doctor. Dr. John R. Rohrbaugh responded.
As Dr. Rohrbaugh entered the dressing room, he found a Garfield player somewhat dizzy from a blow sustained during the game.
The doctor asked the standard question: “Do you know where you are?”
The player blinked a couple of times, “I must be in Massillon, that’s the only place they hit that hard.”
The player was not seriously injured. Statistics Mass. Gar. First downs, rushing 12 6 First downs, passing 2 4 First downs, penalties 0 1 Total first downs 14 11 Yards gained rushing 309 128 Yards lost rushing 7 5 Net yards gained rushing 302 123 Yards gained passing 104 70 Total yards gained 406 193 Passes attempted 3 11 Passes completed 3 6 Passes intercepted by 0 0 Times kicked off 6 3 Kickoff average (yards) 39.6 45 Kickoff returns (yards) 72 76 Times punted 1 6 Punt average (yards) 35 32.5 Punt returns (yards 2 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Fumbles 2 1 Lost fumbled ball 1 0 Penalties 5 0 Yards penalized 45 0
LOOKING’ EM OVER with CHARLIE POWELL
CAPSULE SUM-UP of the Massillon-Garfield game. “They were up and we were going through the motions.”
The Tiger fans who made this observation after the Tigers remained on the victory trail by beating he Garfielders for the eighth straight time wasn’t a bit disappointed by what many probably prefer to call a so-so performance.
The Bengals hit three out of three passes, two for touchdowns and more than doubled the Garfield output in total yardage, he maintained…then tossed a generous bouquet in the direction of the Golden Rams. * * * LEO STRANG HAD a bushel of compliments for the Akron team.
“Their coaches did a good job and their boys were up for this one,” said the Tiger mentor.
“They made our job tough by being able to keep possession of the ball more than we had hoped they would,” he asserted.
Strang didn’t stay around the Tiger locker room too long because he wanted to continue his post-game conversation with Babe Flossie, the likeable coach of the Garfield team. Strang congratulated many of the Garfield players and 30 minutes after he left their dressing room, the Rams still were shouting and singing – really whooping it up. * * * MEANWHILE, TIGER fans were talking about some of the high points of the game – and the state polls.
The Associated Press poll, cancelled this week because of some rigging shenanigans, will be out next Tuesday.
What effect will the Garfield game have with the voters? That is the question.
Springfield, our nearest rival for the state title, walloped Hamilton Taft 59-0 in their finale last night.
It was Garfield’s final game against Massillon. It will be replaced on next year’s schedule by Toledo Waite. * * * FLOSSIE SAID, “Strang has the finest Massillon ball club we have ever played against and we’d love to play Massillon every year because of the wonderful treatment we receive from your fans and coaches and because your boys play the hardest, cleanest football in Ohio.
“I don’t think anybody ever has anything to squawk about down here in Massillon as far as fans, coaches and the team are concerned. We are just sorry we can’t play your boys every year.”
Babe thought both teams last night were playing under a psychological disadvantage: Massillon because of the publicity regarding the state ratings, he said, and he claimed that his boys were at a disadvantage from what they had read in the paper and what their parents and friends might have said, “that Massillon would do to us what they did to Barberton.”
The Garfield pilot asserted, “Our kids gave their best. We told them all week that if we’d play a good ball game, we could give Massillon a good run and the kids did it. They deserve a lot of credit.”
He said he confined the “bread and butter” of his attack to Larry Valatka’s running and the passing-running of Ronnie Tate, because his regular lefthalf, Larry Wimley, was hurt and did not dress for the game.
On defense he thought George Butash, Tom Dyser and Bill McGee played especially good games.
The soggy turf apparently helped Garfield’s style of play. This was chiefly noticeable on short yardage plays when the ball carrier’s momentum helped him get another yard or two against tacklers who were forced to be more careful in their pursuit. * * * THE TARPAULIN was placed on the field Wednesday and taken off for the Tiger swing band’s “dress rehearsal” Thursday night. The tarp was put down again after band practice but both sides had become dampened and the material was made porous, thus water from Tuesday night’s steady rainfall seeped into the ground.
Plough horse Valatka barreled for 58 yards in 16 tries and Bissessi (he was No. 31 and mistaken for the sub Bob Mosley) picked up 39 in 11 carries.
However both Bill Finney and Art Hastings out gained these boys with Finney flashing for 113 yards in eight tries and Hastings hurrying for 98 in 10 trips.
From this corner it looked like the Tigers were hurt by two questionable decisions made by the officials.
A 22-yard run by Jim Wood on the last play of the third quarter was nullified when a clipping penalty was called on a Tiger who looked like he made contact with the Garfield player with his headgear and one shoulder – and from the front side.
However, on the first play of the final period a Sparma pass gave the Bengals another touchdown and a 28-12 lead. * * * A FEW MINUTES later the Tigers went into punt formation with fourth and four at the midfield stripe but before the ball could be snapped, the referee called Massillon for taking too much time. After the penalty was walked off, the Tigers decided to run the ball instead of punting and Finney was stopped a yard shy of a first down.
In our book the penalty was uncalled for and it temporarily riled the players with the result that there was a mix-up in the huddle before Finney tried for the first down.
10 Players Score As Tigers Scuttle Magics 90-Point Total Misses Massillon’s One-Game Record by 4 Markers
By CHARLIE POWELL
Even a team of horses couldn’t have slowed down the mighty Massillon Tigers Friday night.
This pigskin powerhouse, only two games away from Massillon’s first undefeated season since 1953 and an apparent state championship, blitzed Barberton’s Magics 90-0 before 8,197 fans at Tiger stadium where Tiger fans yelled for more right down to the fading seconds.
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When sub halfback Bob Herring scooted 65 yards to pay dirt with only 28 seconds remaining and Martin Gogov followed with a blast for two bonus points, the Bengals became Tiger town’s fourth team ever to score over 80 points in a single game.
They ran over, through and around the woefully weak Magics and a sharp passing attack added kindling to the fire as they finished with the second highest one-game scoring avalanche in Tiger grid annals.
Only the unbeaten 1922 combine had a more astronomical figure, 94-0 over Akron North and only the 1918 team (82-0 over Uhrichsville) and the 1923 array (by the same score over Salem) ever tallied more than 80 markers in a single engagement. * * * THE TENACIOUS Tigers, winners of eight in a row this season and 11 dating back to 1958, are the highest scoring Washington high school outfit since 1953 (399 points in 10 games) and seem a lead-pipe cinch to reach the charmed 400-point circle in the two remaining games.
They have rattled off 375 points for an average of 46.8 points per tilt and are destined to become the ninth 400-point team in all history, the previous teams being those of the 1934, 35, 36, 39, 40, 49, 50 and 52 campaigns. Most points scored in a single: 483 by the ’35 crew.
The win was Massillon’s 11th straight over Barberton and put the series standing at 23 victories, four losses and one tie. It was Barberton’s worst licking by the Tigers, the biggest margin heretofore being 54-0 in the 1934 fray.
The Tiger express gained 608 yards (to 93) and 10 different players figured in the scoring led by that adept Art Hastings and speedster Jim Wood.
Hastings, his best effort being on a second half kickoff return of 82 yards, hit in for three touchdowns and Wood made two, both on passes. Art got two more points on a conversion run to bring his season total to 88. Wood twice converted on runs and brought his mark to 66.
Smoothie Joe Sparma pegged two six-point aerials, one to Wood and the other to End Bob Barkman while Wood made his other TD on a toss from sub quarterback John Larson. Sparma, who completed four aerials for 112 yards, also sneaked across for a TD.
Sub, halfback Martin Gugov, one of seven boys having single touchdowns, added four conversion runs to finish with 14 points.
With the help of his 65-yard payoff prance, scatback Herring wound up with 108 yards in five carries to lead the leather-luggers. * * * HOWEVER, HASTINGS, Wood, Gugov and Bill Finney (one touchdown churned off lots of yardage). Hastings accumulated 98 in seven trips, Wood 76 in eight, Gugov 63 in nine and Finney 50 in seven.
Another sub, small but strong Doug Toles, carted four times for 42 yards and made one touchdown. The other TD was reeled off by nimble-footed, Nick Daugenti on a six-yard run in his only try,
On the other hand ,the out-manned Magics had a meager 56 yards rushing and five of 17 passes added another 37.
Their best bid came early in the final quarter. A 14-yard run by Halfback Tracy Marsh helped them advance to the Bengal 23. But sophomore End Larry Ehmer tossed Quarterback Ron Molloric for a four-yard loss and on the next play, Molloric fumbled as Tackle Ken Herndon put the squeeze on and Jay B. Willey recovered for the Tigers.
Barberton became a loser for the fifth time in eight starts. Two wins and a tie are on the “black” side of the ledger.
The Magics never had a chance after the first period in which the host team made 24 points. In the second, third and fourth quarters the Tigers added 22 markers.
Leo Strang’s boys splurged to 436 yards in 40 rushing plays while the passing of Sparma and Larson (six for 16) tacked up an additional 172 yards. Further more, the Orangemen had possession 16 times and failed to score only four times.
The scoring summary:
FIRST QUARTER – Barberton received, had to punt on fourth down and John Mackovic, rushed by McKey, kicked high but not far, the ball being grounded at the Magic 32. On the very first play for the Tigers, Sparma faded back, passed to Barkman on a “perfect” 32-yard scoring play at 10:15. Finney made it 8-0 on a slant off tackle. A minute later McKey intercepted a pass and Massillon took over at the opponents’ 40. With Finney rambling for 24 on a sweep, the Tigers reached the five before Hastings tallied standing up on a five-yard scoring play at 5:07. Gugov ran the extra points. Barberton again had to punt. Daugenti returned 10 yards to the Tiger 35, and Wood promptly zipped 50 yards, fighting and twisting the last 10. From the two, Sparma sneaked across behind Guard Jim Houston. At 1:27, Hastings converted on a run.
SECOND QUARTER – On the first play, Barkman recovered a fumble as Frank Midure banged into Jim Whitman. Tigers moved 21 yards before Larson, on the first play he was in the game, passed to Wood for 33 yards and another score at 9:52. This was another picture pass with Wood catching on the dead run. Several minutes later Bednar recovered a fumble at the Tiger 32. Hastings legged for 26 before Sparma unlimbered his arm again, tossing to Wood who raced 26 yards to complete a 43-yard maneuver at 6:25. Wood also ran the points. On the second play after the kickoff, Wally Brugh recovered still another Magic fumble at the Barberton 24. Toles scored by smashing off the right side from five yards out after previously gaining 17 yards on a sweep. Gugov ran across two more points with 4:35 left in the half.
THIRD QUARTER – Barberton’s Jack Romain kicked off, the ball going to Wood who reversed to Hastings at the 18. Art sped down the east sidelines and with Midure slowing up the last defender just enough, Hastings went all the way, 82 yards for another TD. Time left: 11:43. Three plays after the kickoff Bednar intercepted a pass and Massillon had possession at the enemy 28. Hastings bolted off left tackle, got a fine block from Tackle Virgil Bukuts, cut away from two would-be tacklers and scored again. Gugov converted on an off-tackle smash at 9:52. Late in the period, the Tigers marched 51 yards to pay dirt with the big gains being a 20-yarder by Hastings and an 18-yard burst by Toles. From the five, Finney roared through right tackle to score at 2:25 and Herring made the conversion points standing up.
FOURTH QUARTER – After Willey recovered a fumble on the third play of the final stanza, the orange and black rolled 65 yards in 10 plays. Enroute Hastings made 15 before stumbling and Gugov barreled for 16. The 12-yard touchdown run was made by Gugov at right tackle and at 5:39, Baker passed to McKey to make it 76-0. After the kickoff Barberton had to punt, Daugenti returned 10 yards to the Tiger 48. Gugov gained 15 on a sweep, Larson passed to Oliver for 27 and Daugenti then scored at 1:59 on a six-yard burst off the right side. With 34 seconds remaining, Massillon got the ball at its 20 after a Barberton punt rolled into the end zone. With the fans yelling “Go, Go, Go!” a pass failed and with the opposition looking for another pass, Herring ripped off the left side and dashed 65 yards to score. With 16 seconds left, Gugov rammed through the right side and that was it, 90-0.
OFFICIALS Referee – George Ellis. Head Linesman – Clarence Rich. Umpire – John Russ. Field Judge – Bill Holzworth.
STATISTICS Mass. Barb. First downs, rushing 18 5 First downs, passing 3 2 First downs, penalties 1 0 Total first downs 22 7 Yards gained rushing 444 106 Yards lost rushing 8 50 Net yards gained rushing 436 56 Yards gained passing 172 37 Total yards gained 608 93 Passes attempted 16 17 Passes completed 6 5 Passes intercepted by 3 1 Times kicked off 13 1 Kickoff average (yards) 40 42 Kickoff returns (yards) 72 21.3 Times punted 0 8 Punt average (yards) 0 26.6 Punt returns (yards) 34 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Fumbles 3 6 Lost fumbled ball 2 5 Penalties 3 6 Yards penalized 25 36½
Massillon Raps Barberton, 90-0 Tigers Roll Up Highest Score Since 1922; Hastings Tallies Three
Plain Dealer Canton Bureau
MASSILLON, O. – Massillon’s top-rated Tigers put on one of the hottest offensive showings in their history before 8,197 frigid fans here last night as they buried Barberton’s Magics, 90-0.
The triumph was the eighth straight for the Bengals, and it was their biggest since the 1922 Massillon team blasted Akron North, 94-0. That was the all-time high score for the Tigers.
The Tigers erupted for 12 touchdowns. Nine players took part in the scoring parade. Art Hastings led the way with three tallies and Jim Wood had two.
Massillon scored three times in every quarter. A 32-yard Joe Sparma to Bob Barkman pass gave the Tigers a tally on their first scrimmage play of the game. A few moments later, Hastings went five yards through center. Then Sparma capped a 65-yard drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak.
Wood caught both his touchdown passes in the second period. One was a 43-yarder from Sparma and the other a 32-yard toss from substitute quarterback John Larson. Doug Toles blasted over from five yards out to give Massillon a 46-0 halftime advantage.
Barberton kicked off to open the second half and Hastings took a handoff and sped 78 yards down the sidelines. Just two minutes later, after a pass interception, Hastings went 28 yards for this third tally. Bill Finney ended the third period with a five-yard touchdown burst.
Martin Gugov went 12 yards and Nick Daugenti five for the Tigers in the last quarter, then Bob Herring wound things up with just 16 seconds to play when he raced 65 yards into the end zone.
The Tigers racked up 608 total yards against Barberton, while holding the Magics to 93.
But Barberton never stopped scrapping. The Magics are made up primarily of underclassmen.
End Jerry Toth sparked Barberton on defense, while fullback Jim Whitman led the Magic ball carriers with 52 yards in 14 carries.
Barberton now has a 2-5-1 record for the season. It has lost 19 times, won 3 and gained one tie in its long series with Massillon.
Magic Coach Raps Massillon’s Strang Hits ‘Pouring It On” In Wake Of 90- Rout
By PHIL DIETRICH
Somewhere between the sixth and the 90th point in Friday nights’ stunning loss to Massillon Washington, Barberton High’s Tom Phillips made up his mind.
“There definitely is going to be something done about that 90-0 trimming,” he said bluntly. “Barberton must decide. Do we take such beatings – at a price – or do we find our own level of competition?”
“A lot of Barberton people feel we should play and beat Massillon. Perhaps we should, but now is the time to decide. It’s not fair to the kids to take a merciless beating like that. How do you go about reconciling the work that went into preparing for a game that turned out like that one.”
“It is bad for squad morale, bad for the coach’s confidence in his own ability – bad for football itself!”
Thirty-five-year old Tom Phillips in his first season as varsity coach of the Magics, was angry for his players and angry for himself. He took a deep breath and leveled the verbal finger squarely at Massillon grid boss Leo Strang.
“That’s what happens when you have a coach who obviously wants to get to the top fast,” he said gruffly. “Barberton was just another rung in the ladder to get him there.”
“He knew early we didn’t have a chance. So what happened? In the second quarter we made two first downs. He immediately rushed in another defensive unit to stop us.”
With 22 seconds to go in the first half and the score 46-0 he still had Hastings (Art), Sparma (Joe) and his other guns in there.”
“I’ve taken trimmings before – although never this bad – including a couple from Massillon. There is a difference, though, primarily in coaches. Did you ever hear of a coach running up 90 points before while using only part of his squad.”
“He had every reason to use them all, too. It was Dads’ Night at the stadium.”
It was pointed out by Barberton Athletic Director Karl Harter that Massillon’s point standing in the high school football polls served as a challenge to the Tiger team and coaches and affected Friday night’s score. Phillips agreed.
“No doubt about it,” he said. “Springfield has been gaining on Massillon, which lost ground last week despite that one-sided win over Warren.”
“This goes a bit deeper, though. Other Massillon coaches – Tom Harp, for example – didn’t believe in pouring it on. In the long run Massillon will suffer. You won’t resign yourself to the nine beatings you’ll take before you beat’em once – not when the beatings are like last night’s.”
“Canton Lincoln finally dropped’em and there will be more. I had calls from as far away as Niles – from friends and acquaintances who wanted to say how sorry they were to hear about that score – sorry for me and sorry for football.”
Harter took a more philosophical view. His experience runs through much of the 23-game Barberton-Massillon series – and the 19 Tiger victories.
“Certainly, Massillon was intent on getting points,” he said. “I hold the polls to blame. They create pressure on teams and coaches. It is bad for high school football.”
“You can’t take it away from Massillon’s team. They have speed and depth and marvelous balance. I’ve never seen a better Massillon team. They can score any way they want to score.”
“Phillips used all his kids and fortunately none of them were injured.”
Not physically, perhaps, but Phillips seems to detect cracks in the morale.
He said he plans to do something about it, but soon!
LOOKING’ EM OVER with CHARLIE POWELL
THE BARBERTON coach Tom “Red” Phillips, was a very upset man after his team was given a pummeling Friday night. He refused to shake hands with Tiger Coach Leo Strang and he waved his players off the field before they could go through the usual post-game compliments.
The Magic mentor would not allow newsmen in the team dressing quarters and as one reporter tried to get in, a voice from within the locker room said “Go see Strang.”
In the Tiger dressing room, Strang showed he was upset too.
He explained that all 43 Tigers dressed for the night got into the game and that all but two or three played in all four quarters. * * * SIX SOPHOMORES got to suit up with the varsity for the first time this year and two of them were plugging away even before the first period was concluded. The sophs were Quarterback Bob Baker, Halfback Fred Philpott, Center Ed Radel, Tackle Dan Spees and Ends Larry Ehmer and Ken Ivan.
“We can’t tell them not to play to the hilt or not to try to score” commented Strang, who was carried off the field by a few players.
Actually, Leo didn’t have much to say about the landslide. What can a guy say about a game like that?
“I was pleased in that the boys showed they wanted to play their best football and that so many got a chance to score.”
“It also gave us an excellent opportunity to look at some of the kids who will be coming back next year,” he added. * * * THE 90-POINT total was Leo’s personal high. One of his Upper Sandusky teams paddled Mifflin 86-0 several years ago.
The barreling Bengals used spread formation plays more than usual as they toyed with the visiting club. By actual count, they used 25 different plays to slice out a whopping 608 yards net gain.
Much will be said, and written, and rightly so, about the offense so we’ll take an opportunity to plug the Tiger defense.
It has allowed only four touchdowns and an average of 101 yards per game! Last night the Magics made only 56 yards on the ground and 37 in the air. Massillon’s ball-hawkers intercepted three passes and recovered five fumbles. * * * PASSES WERE intercepted by Hase McKey, “Sluggo” Bednar (after the ball was deflected by Frank Midure) and sub Joe Smith while enemy fumbles were pounced on by Bednar, Bob Barkman, Wally Brugh, Gary Wells and Jay B. Willey.
Barberton had only two plays good for over 10 yards all night. Keep it up you Tigers! * * * THE VICTORY should increase Massillon’s stock with some of the voters in the scholastic poll.
Second place Springfield, which trailed the Tigers by 36 points this week, finally beat Lima after being behind 6-0 in the first half. When the score was announced at Tiger stadium, Massillon fans let out a real roar. But there was not much noise when Bob Smith gave the 22-6 score. * * * THE CROWD included Dennison university’s gridders who play at Akron today. Ex-Tiger Al Slicker was among the group but Al, who had worked his way up to a regular job as an offensive guard, won’t get to play because of a torn ligament in his right knee. He is expected to be back in the starting lineup for the Big Red’s season finale against Ohio Wesleyan, Nov. 14.
Terrific Tigers Smash Warren 38-8 21,092 Fans See Bengals Roll Up 30 Points In First Half To Subdue Foe
By CHARLIE POWELL
Any doubt that Massillon is not MIGHTY MASSILLON was certainly and very explicitly brought to an end Friday night by a hungry band of Washington high school Tiger footballers.
Spirited, downright vicious blocking and tackling, hell-bent-for-leather running, the confidence of a Las Vegas gambler holding all the aces – these were the earmarks of the Tigers as they showed 21,092 fans how the game of football should be played in pounding Warren Harding’s Panthers into submission by a 38-8 tune.
The Panthers did not have a chance against the revenging Bengals.
Program Cover
In what shaped as a bruiser but wound up as a one-sided bruiser with Warren getting all the “black eyes” the state’s top-ranked powerhouse was conclusively dominant from the first minute to the last tick of the clock.
They set up the invading team with a quick first period touchdown, shook them with two more salvos early in the second quarter and then an electrifying 73-yard run by the whirling Art Hastings just before intermission took 99 percent of the starch right out of the fired-up Panthers. * * * MASSILLON’S heroes drove for another six-pointer in the third stanza and that was the extent of their scoring. But it didn’t matter, one has to think that the boys from Warren wouldn’t have put many chinks in the Tiger armor if they had battled the rest of the night.
The Panthers did score, a fake-punt run by Paul Warfield setting up a 19-yard pass play which averted a shutout, but they floundered and sputtered until that last quarter.
Massillon had 17 first downs to – 10 and five of Warren’s stickmovers came in the last period. Massillon rolled up 409 yards on the ground to 73 for the Panthers – and the visitors netted all but 30 of that total in the final canto.
Had they remained real “hungry” for the second half of their spectacular production, the talented Tigers might have really poured it on. But the final spread of 30 points was plenty good enough against the sixth-ranked Slaughtermen. * * * SLAUGHTERED Warren, in going down to its second defeat against five wins, hadn’t yielded by that many points since Massillon’s 1952 victory by a 31-0 margin.
Had the Tigers kept up the steamroller attack they probably would have passed the 59-0 shellacking the 1940 Panthers suffered at the hands of the Bengals.
The triumph was the seventh of the season and 10th consecutive for the Leo Strang-coached battlers.
It probably will hike Massillon’s stock in the state polls because the Tigers beat a higher ranked team than second-place Springfield, which clubbed Hamilton Garfield, 61-0.
It – the Tigers 26th victory over the Trumbull countians since 1921 – also preserved the record of no Massillon coach ever having lost two in a row to the Panthers.
Offensively, the Orange forward wall which was led by Captain Gary “Sluggo” Bednar, Jim Houston, Wendell Snodgrass, Bob Barkman, Jay B. Willey, Virgil Bukuts and Don Appleby, earned its share of accolades. They cut down the enemy to spring the ball-carriers loose for big yardage and there was picture blocking especially on Hastings’ 73-yarder and that 60-yard gallop by Martin Gugov at the outset of the third frame.
Defensively, the line also was outstanding. Standouts yes, lots of them, but special praise must go to the likes of Houston, Bednar, Willey, Frank Midure, Hase McKey, Gary Wells and Terry Snyder, plus the secondary defenders such as, Gugov, Hastings, Nick Daugenti, Bob Oliver and Bob Herring. Most of their tackles, shook the white-shirted opponents to their toes. * * * THE DEFENSE held the Panthers to less than three yards per rushing play. In the air Warren completed six of 18 passes with one being intercepted and only the 19-yard scoring aerial in the last period did major damage.
The losing side committed three fumbles and twice Massillon boys were “Johnny on the Spot” for important recoveries.
Absolutely and positively, it was a true team effort with 34 Tigers entering the game but how about some of that snazzy running?
The longie by Hastings for the fourth touchdown of the first half must rank with the greatest seen anywhere.
After the Orangemen’s third TD, a Warren bid was thwarted at the 27 and on the first play, the lad they call “Duck” hit off the left side and it looked like an ordinary three or four yard gain. But Art saw that it wasn’t plain ordinary. Between the line of scrimmage and the midfield stripe, he twisted away from four defenders, then at the Warren 45, did a sensational job of pulling away when apparently trapped once again. * * * FREE AFTER this bit of hipper-dipper, he headed for the west sidelines and outran a couple hopeful opponents to the end zone.
Agile Art got his other touchdown on a six-yard slant on his previous trip with the mail and when the game ended he had accounted for 171 yards in 18 tries…an average of 9.5 yards per carry out-doing Warfield’s 6.7 average.
The hard-hitting Gugov carted 10 times for 87 yards and scored twice on short plunges. Bill Finney, using the old noodle when he wasn’t blasting straight ahead, carried 12 times and picked up 61yards – including a one-yard touchdown smash.
Jarrin’ Jim Wood netted 45 yards in six tries and had a 10-yard run wiped out by a penalty. For the first time this year, the Tigers used their classy quarterback, Joe Sparma, as a major infantry “weapon” and he got 32 yards in four carries.
The first time he kept the ball, Joe hummed for 18 yards and this was the longest gainer as the Bengals moved to their second score of the night. * * * SPARMA had to punt only once and this boot went 44 yards. He did not arch a pass until the Tigers tried to “beat the clock” in the second period. He hit on one of four in a space of 50 seconds. On two occasions the pass was completed – but barely out of bounds – and the other toss was batted down on a fine individual effort by Warfield.
Only two of his passes in the second half were way out of reach.
Warfield, who had previously scored eight touchdowns and averaged over eight yards per carry, gained 28 yards on his best try of the game. This came on a double reverse in which he danced to the left and then to the right. The speedy back was shaken up on this play and many times thereafter he was slow getting up off the ground.
On the next play Howard carried nine yards to the Tiger 28 and he too had to have some attention after being knocked out of bounds. Suffering a reoccurrence of his leg injury, he did not get to play in the second half, and for the game carried three times and made 13 yards. * * * FULLBACK Willie Jones did not run like he had a serious leg injury, which hospitalized him last week. His only trouble was that he had to contend with the Tiger defense and he picked up only 23 yards in five trips.
The Tigers started to take command on the sixth play of the encounter when Snyder recovered a Howard fumble at the Warren 45.
In eight plays, the orange and black covered the remaining distance as Finney, Hastings and Gugov toted the pigskin. On a critical three and one-foot situation at the 20, Hastings zoomed 13 yards and three plays later, Gugov dived through a hole at right tackle from two yards out. Finney swept the right flank and at 6:06 jubilant Massillon fans chirped on an 8-0 lead.
On Warren’s first two plays after the kickoff the Panthers had a would-be pass receiver in the open behind Massillon’s secondary. But on the first slip, Quarterback Doug Brown was smacked by Willey as he threw and the wobbly ball fell short. On the next play, the Panthers pulled an identical maneuver in which there was a reverse in the backfield before Brown took a pitch-out. However his throw again was short and Hastings made a leaping interception and got four yards to the Tiger 39. * * * STRANG’S gang went out on the prowl again. After 10 plays and before the quarter came to a conclusion, they had marched to the enemy 11 as Sparma sneaked for 18 and Hastings found a hole for 11.
On the first play of the second round Gugov made four and then came back with six after Wood slipped and fell for no gain. From the one Gugov rammed through right tackle and at 10:38 Massillon had its second tally. Hastings swept left for two more points and it wasn’t long before the score was hiked to 24-0.
A low punt gave the Tigers the ball at their own 21 following a penalty which put the Panthers at their nine-yard line. Wood made four, Finney seven, Hastings two and Finney also two before Sparma pulled a beautiful fake and gave the ball to Hastings who drilled through the left side at 6:22. The conversion again was good as Gugov went across standing up.
As the Tigers re-aligned for the kickoff, hundreds of gala Massillon fans gave them a standing ovation and this roaring apparently spurred the boys for another TD before intermission arrived.
Warfield’s 28-yard sortie aided the Panthers in moving from midfield to the Tiger 27 before their passing attack went awry. Then came the rip-roaring burst by Hastings and with a little over three minutes remaining in the first half the Tigers held a 30-0 advantage. * * * AFTER THE KICKOFF Warren was forced to punt. Wood ran for 15 and then little Bob Herring dashed for 20 to move the ball to the 47. Sparma tossed to Herring on a brilliant play for 14 yards but after another forward failed, time ran out.
Gugov ripped off 60 yards on the third play of the third chukker and Hastings followed with a 15-yard gain. Sparma then was nailed for an eight-yard loss on an attempted pass play and Massillon had to relinquish the ball after an intentional grounding penalty and a screen pass which failed to click.
However, the Tigertowners were back in business after McKey smacked down Brown, (trying to pass) who fumbled with Midure recovering at the Warren 44. Finney galloped 12 yards and the Tigers percolating, but good, once again.
A holding penalty did not deter them as Wood came back with a 19-yard gain on a reverse. From the one Finney tallied at 1:36 and Gugov went in for two more points.
After the kickoff the visitors made 14 yards on the last three plays of the quarter and on the fourth play of the final chapter, Warfield raced 23 yards from punt formation. With the ball at the 19, Brown hit End Dick Laraway who made a difficult catch in the right corner. From placekick formation, Warfield ran across and it was 38-8 at 9:03. * * * ON THEIR NEXT series of plays the Tigers gambled with a fourth and four situation. From punt formation Sparma ran right but was halted about a yard and a half shy of a stick mover.
The Panthers then moved from the Massillon 43 to the 19 before a penalty (illegal player downfield on a pass play) stymied the bid. Two passes fell incomplete.
A holding penalty hurt Massillon and Sparma punted for the first and last time of the night. A Brown to Jones flat pass lost two yards and Warfield caught Brown’s toss for 30 yards but on the last play of the game Daugenti intercepted another Brown forward.
OFFICIALS Referee – Dan Tehan. Head Linesman – Tony Pianowski. Umpire – Jim Lmyper. Field Judge – Sam Hodnick.
Statistics Mass. War. First downs, rushing 16 7 First downs, passing 1 3 First downs, penalties 0 0 Total first downs 17 10 Yards gained rushing 419 101 Yards lost rushing 10 28 Net yards gained rushing 409 73 Yards gained passing 13 76 Total yards gained 422 149 Passes attempted 8 18 Passes completed 1 6 Passes intercepted by 2 0 Times kicked off 6 2 Kickoff average (yards) 33.3 43.5 Kickoff returns (yards) 20 57 Times punted 1 2 Punt average (yards) 44.0 27.5 Fumbles 0 3 Lost fumbled ball 0 2 Penalties 6 3 Yards penalized 80 40
Massillon Virtually Sews Up First Title Since 1954 Rated Warren No Match For Savage Tigers in 38-8 Massacre
By DON LIGHTNER Repository Sports Writer
MASSILLON – It doesn’t pay to defeat the Massillon Tigers. Warren’s Panthers found that out in no uncertain terms here last night.
With 21,092 fans in attendance, the state’s top-ranked Bengals easily crushed the Panthers, 38-8, in a tremendous display of rock’em, sock’em football.
It was sweet revenge for Coach Leo Strang’s Massillon crew. The one-sided victory more than made up for last season’s 6-0 loss at the hands of Warren.
That was the only defeat on the Tigers’ 1958 record and ruined their hopes for the state title which went to Alliance. The Aviators and Bengals tied 8-8 last season.
Massillon also has erased that “blot” – blanking Alliance, 14-0 earlier this campaign.
Thus, the Bengals have a good down payment on their first state championship since 1954 when they posted a 9-1 record under Coach Tom Harp.
It is hard to believe any of the Tigers’ three remaining opponents – Barberton, Akron Garfield and Canton McKinley – can derail the Massillon express.
With seven victories already in the bag, the Bengals seem to be a cinch to post their first undefeated season since 1953.
If there is such a thing as perfect football, Massillon played it last night in the first half. * * * THE FIRED-UP Bengals scored eight points in the first period and then rammed home 22 more in the second quarter for an over-whelming 30-0 lead at intermission.
Massillon’s fantastic feats in the first half stunned the huge throng. For the most part, fans were expecting a close game.
But the Tigers wanted the Panthers’ skin real bad. They forced Warren into mistakes and turned them into touchdowns.
The Bengals’ blocking and tackling were savage. With the triumph locked up at half time, Massillon lost some of its fire in the second half.
It upped the count to 38-0 in the third period before Warren got its only touchdown in the fourth quarter. * * * STRANG JUST shook his head while talking about his charges in the first half.
“I never have had a team which played such vicious football,” Leo said.
“The kids wanted this one real bad. It took us 372 days to get even for last year’s loss to Warren.”
Strang then was asked if the number switching of Warren halfbacks Paul Warfield and Marv Howard caused him any trouble.
“We spotted it on the kickoff.” Strang said. “It was just a bush league trick to do it in front of all those people.”
Warren Coach Gene Slaughter said he knew Massillon would be keying on Warfield and figured it was worth a try.
Slaughter, incidentally, also had a gripe. “This is the second time we’ve come to Massillon without having field phones.” Slaughter said, “We just had to play it by ear.” * * * GENE WENT on to say that his team’s early errors gave Massillon three “cheap” touchdowns. “You can’t expect to win by playing that kind of football.”
Slaughter was referring to a fumble, pass interception and bad punt which Massillon turned into TD’s in the first half.
Although they made the Tiger goal a little easier, there wasn’t much question as to which was the better team.
The Bengals’ savage tackling stopped the vaunted Panther attack.
Howard was knocked out of the contest in the second period with a severely injured shoulder.
The brilliant Warfield also was shaken up as was fullback Willie Jones.
Massillon’s main aim was to keep Warfield contained. It succeeded pretty well.
Only in a few instances did he show his sparkling running form. But it was far too little. * * * MASSILLON’S GREAT depth was overpowering. Fullback Art Hastings was the workhorse with halfbacks Martin Gugov, Bill Finney and Jim Wood adding valuable support. Gugov was the Bengal “storm trooper.” When yards were needed, Gogov got them.
Hastings carried the pigskin 18 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns and an extra point run. Gugov had 10 carries for 83 yards two TDs and two extra point runs.
Finney added a touchdown and PAT to round out the scoring.
Warfield paced Warren with 60 yards in nine carries.
The Panthers put themselves in the hole after receiving the opening kickoff.
After picking up a first down they fumbled on their own 45. Massillon covered and was off to the races.
Eight plays later, Gugov blasted into the end zone from two-yards out. Finney added the PAT. * * * SECONDS LATER, Hastings intercepted a Warren pass on his own 39.
The Bengals pounded downfield to the one-yard stripe where Gugov again took it over on the 14th play. Hastings ran over the extra points.
A poor punt, which went out of bounds on the Warren 21, set up Massillon’s third TD. The kick traveled only 12 yards.
Hastings then tallied from the six-yard line and the rout was on. Gugov made the PAT.
After the Panthers were stopped on the Tiger 26, the most exciting play of the game occurred.
Hastings took the pigskin and rambled 74 yards to pay dirt. At least five Warren players had a crack at the elusive speedster, but he kept right on going down the left sidelines.
The Tigers made their final TD late in the third quarter. * * * AGAIN IT WAS a fumble which gave Massillon possession on the Warren 44. Twelve plays later, Finney went in from the one-yard line. Gugov made the extra points.
Warren then took the kickoff and finally scored after a 63-yard march. With the ball resting on the Massillon 10, quarterback Doug Brown pitched a strike to end Dick Laraway in the end zone. Warfield ran the PAT.
Massillon also won the battle of statistics. It made 17 first downs to Warren’s 10.
The Tigers picked up 422 net yards. The Panthers had only 149.
Warren broke one Massillon streak. It was the first time in 10 games that Bengal quarterback Joe Sparma didn’t complete a touchdown pass.
OUR MAGNIFICIENT Massillon grid warriors knocked the livin’ daylights out of the Warren Harding Panther in the first half, then rested on their laurels.
What a well deserved rest it was!
Warren had only Paul Warfield’s 21-yard scamper to shout about in that all-Massillon show for the first 24 minutes of play.
The Tigers stopped the Panther at every turn.
Most of the fans didn’t realize for over a quarter, that Warfield and Marvin Howard had switched jerseys with Warfield wearing No. 43 and Howard No. 45. But the Tigers knew about the switch at the game-opening kickoff. * * * ALL OTHER tricks the Panthers had up their sleeves failed too.
Meanwhile the blazing Bengals did just that…as the lads up front opened hole after hole for some terrific ball toting by Art Hastings, Bill Finney, Jim Wood, Martin Gogov and Joe Sparma.
Massillon’s first TD got the Panthers anxious and their gambles failed. The second score got them worried and the third – that razz-ma-tazz gallop by Hastings – left them as limp as Grandma’s oldest and wettest dish towel.
Warfield’s run from punt formation was about the only “surprise play” of the night that really worked for the Panthers.
We imagine their coach, Gene Slaughter, was surprised at the final score. * * * IT WAS WARREN’S worst beating in quite a few years but Slaughter had no excuses…he didn’t even feel like mentioning anything about the clock.
How did the Tigers look to him?
“Well, tonight they were a very good football team and we got beat,” he said.
“I honestly believe the difference was up front. You hurt us with those runs outside. You took advantage of the breaks.”
He made quite a point of the latter statement.
Slaughter, who probably will hear the wolves howling today, added, “We gave you three cheap touchdowns,” and complained about the injuries to Howard and Willie Jones slowing his team down.
Up at the north end of the field, Coach Leo Strang could hardly put two words together. He was a happy gent and so were his assistants, players and fans.
“This is the one we waited for…the one we wanted,” he kept repeating.
He was exuberated over the way the Tigers blocked, tackled and ran.
“Did you see that Hastings go, (on Art’s 73-yard TD jaunt),” he exclaimed. * * * “I DIDN’T SEE Warfield do anything like that,” he chortled.
Strang turned serious when a well-wisher yelled, “We’re the champs!”
The Tiger grid commander reminded everybody around that the Bengals have three remaining games and “anything can happen in football.” To emphasize his point, Strang pointed to a large sign in the dressing room. The sign reads, “To be crowned the best, we’ve got to win the rest.”
Leo was only slightly disappointed in that the Tigers didn’t show more offense in the second half. He said he was “trying a few things” and added that had the Tigers stuck to possession football they might have given Warren a more severe thumping.
Everybody around agreed also that after hitting so hard in the first half, the Orange apparently lost some of their energy.
Personally, they should save some of their vim and vigor for the three contests left on the agenda.
Mud-Loving Tigers Swamp Mansfield 70-0 ‘Beat Warren!’ Is Battle Cry After Bengals Hit Highest Score Since ’40
By CHARLIE POWELL
The trial runs are over for that good football ship, the Massillon Tiger.
The “real!” thing will be Massillon versus Warren Harding next Friday night. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 o’clock on Oct. 30 Tiger football fans will know whether their team is “for real” or just another challenger. BEAT WARREN! That’s the old battle cry from now until the big one at Tiger stadium next Friday night. * * * BEAT WARREN – That is what the Orangemen will have to do to prove they have the makin’s of a football team that belongs at the summit.
In their final dress rehearsal last night, the host Tigers stormed over Mansfield an out-maneuvered and out-manned Mansfield club, 70-0, and in a driving rain and storm at that. * * * THERE SEEMED to be no looking ahead to Warren on the part of the Tigers who diligently went to work, put the handwriting on the wall by half time, and breezed home before 7,473 fans, many of whom took a soaking while watching, waiting to see how high the score would zoom.
Zoom it did as the Leo Strang coached charges displayed a relentless attack – their most devastating of the season – in maintaining a spotless record.
With nimble, footed Fullback Art Hastings and swiftie Jim Wood leading the surge, the Tigers rolled to a net gain of 576 yards – 469 through the mid and 107 through the rain drops.
After a slow start (“only” eight points in the first period), the home-towners skyrocketed the count to 30-0 by intermission, added three tallies in the third chukker and two in the last round. Ten different boys worked their way into the scoring act and all 39 boys who suited up saw action. * * * DESPITE the rain and heavy going, the Tigers did not fumble once all night…and helped themselves to the ball four times when the visitors coughed them the oval.
The win was the sixth of the season and put the series record at 21 victories, two losses and four ties.
It was Mansfield’s worst beating at the hands of Massillon since Paul Browns, 1939 powerhouse applied a 73-0 haymaker. It was Massillon’s highest score since 1940 when another Brown team smacked Erie, Pa. East high 74-0.
It brought the current Tiger teams’ total for six games to 247 markers and this figure can be compared to the 10-game tally of 227 points by the 1956 Tigers, the 221 total of the ’57 team and the 220 final aggregate by last year’s crew.
This is the highest scoring Massillon team since 1953. That ’53 combine of Chuck Mather’s scored 399 points during the year and after six games had zeroed in for 243 markers. * * * AGAINST the Tygers, who now have dropped six in a row, the orange and black hit the jackpot on long drives, long runs, short runs and Sparma’s passes. Although Hastings and Wood came through with big gallops there were, as in all such games, heroes a plenty. Wearing the halos too were the horses in the trenches.
They made holes you could drive a truck through. They were the big reasons for a third shut-out of the year because the defense never let the Mansfielders keep possession for too long at a time.
However, one Mansfield boy stood out. Henry Weaver, only a sophomore. He was hard to stop. All he did was carry the ball 22 times for 72 yards.
Try as they did, the invading boys didn’t have the blocking and tackling – or lads who could travel like Hastings, or Wood and the rest.
Hastings, scoring on runs of 80 and 43 yards, made 181 yards in nine trips. Wood, hitting in after touchdown sorties of 76 and 70 yards, toted only four times and accounted for 164 yards. * * * MAKING singel touchdowns were Sparma, Bob Oliver, Martin Gugov, Bob Barkman and Doug Toles. Sparma sneaked across from a yard out and threw pay off strikes to Oliver (32 yards) and Barkman (34 yards) while Gugov tallied on a 17-yard jaunt and Toles on a three-yard run.
Both teams substituted freely with Massillon’s second string line taking the field after the Tigers’ second touchdown.
During the second half the subs kept going in and out. A boy with a clean uniform could hardly be recognized after he had been in for a couple of plays. Mansfield played nothing but sophomore and juniors the whole last half.
Here is the scoring summary:
FIRST PERIOD – The second time Massillon had possession it marched 67 yards, getting short yardage consistently after Hastings started the drive with a quick-hitting dash of 33 yards. On third down at the one, Sparma sneaked across at 2:02, then did the same thing for two more points.
SECOND PERIOD – On the first play, Mansfield punted, the ball going out of the end zone, and on the next play Hastings ripped off the right side, wriggled free at the 30, “beat” the last defender at the Tyger 30 and legged it for a TD at 11:39. Gugov was stopped short on the PAT attempt. Mansfield was stopped on a fourth-and-one situation at the Massillon 37 and four plays later Hastings slipped off the left, got away from one would-be tackler at the 36, another at the 20, and went in at 3:46, a 43-yard run. Finney made the extra points on a run. Following a Tyger punt, Hastings made 12 in two carries, then Wood carried for the first time. He cut off left tackle, veered to the right and was gone, 76 yards, and after Finney made the PAT, the Tigers led 30-0 at 0:44.
THIRD PERIOD – Hastings returned the kickoff to the Tiger 30 before Wood, the second time he carried the ball, raced 70 yards for a touchdown, out-running the defenders the last 30 yards. Finney made the extra points at 11:27. Hase KcKey recovered a fumble at the Mansfield 36 and from the 34, Sparma passed to Barkman who got behind the safetyman at the six, and scored at 8:54. Sparma passed to McKey for two more markers. After the kickoff, Mansfield was forced to punt. A 37-yard run by Finney, then four yards by Hastings, put the ball at the enemy 32. Touchdown came when Sparma passed to Oliver, behind the Mansfield defenders at the goal-line Hastings ran across the conversion points and it was 54-0 at 5:51. Gugov recovered a fumble on the next to last play of the quarter. Sub quarterback John Larson pitched to Toles for 41 yards.
FOURTH PERIOD – On first play with ball at three, Toles rammed for a TD off right tackle. Sub Don Kurzen took a pitchout and went in for two more points at 11:57. Oliver recovered a fumble on the kickoff return but the Tigers stalled at the five. Then Mansfield made its best advance, going to the Tiger 30 before the ball was lost on a fumble. Larry Haines recovering. Wood’s 16-yard run set up the touchdown, made on a 17-yard pass play, Sparma to Barkman, run by Gugov who went in standing up. Finney’s run made it 70-0 at 2:30. Real Mudders!
OFFICIALS Referee – George Ellis. Head Linesman – Ron Dotson. Umpire – Phil Dienoff. Field Judge – C.W. Rupp. Statistics Mass. Mans. First downs – rushing 12 9 First downs – Passing 2 0 First downs – penalties 1 1 Total first downs 15 10 Yards gained rushing 478 196 Yards lost rushing 9 38 Net yards gained rushing 469 158 Yards gained passing 107 0 Total yards gained 576 158 Passes attempted 9 4 Passes completed 3 0 Passes intercepted by 1 1 Times kicked off 10 1 Kickoff average (yards) 37.4 42 Kickoff returns (yards) 13 122 Times punted 1 4 Punt average (yards) 36 45.5 Punt returns (yards) 10 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Fumbles 0 5 Lost fumbled ball 0 4 Penalties 5 4 Yards penalized 35 32.5
Mansfield Club Annihilated By Bengals’ Might In 70-0 Blitz
By RICH MOORE Repository Bureau Writer
MASSILLON – As expected, the top-rated Massillon Tigers put on quite a touchdown parade to swamp the Mansfield Tygers, 70-0, here Friday night.
Mixing long runs and high-flying aerials, the rampaging Tigers made it look easy in rolling to their sixth straight win against no losses.
A rain-soaked crowd of 7,473 faithful fans saw Massillon roll up 576 yards, the highest total this season, in scoring nine touchdowns, also the highest number of the campaign.
Mansfield remains winless in six tries. The Tygers’ lack of experience was a big factor. Only 11 seniors are on the roster.
In the entire second half, only junior and sophomores were pitted against the Massillon powerhouse.
The 70 points scored by Massillon, overshadowing the 65-0 romp over Canton Lincoln earlier this year, is the most points chalked up by a Tiger team since 1940. Then Erie (O.) East lost 74-0.
In the 22-game series between the two schools which began in 1936, only the 1939 squad, which won 73-0 produced more points against a Mansfield team. * * * MASSILLON HOLDS a wide margin of victories over the Tygers since initiation of the rivalry. Mansfield has won only twice – 16-12 in 1949 and 14-6 in 1956 – and four contests have ended in ties.
Massillon Coach Leo Strang was happy last night.
“We’re well pleased with the kids playing like that with the field so muddy,” he said.
Strang also was thankful no serious injuries occurred. Only one player was hurt. Tackle Virgil Bukuts will miss a couple days of practice because of a hip bruise. Otherwise, the squad will be healthy, barring practice mishap, when it takes on Warren next Friday night.
Strang had little else to say, except to look ahead and express hope that his Bengals will “gain 500 yards again next week.” * * * IN THE VISITORS’ shower room, Tyger Coach Bob Pierson, commented on his squad’s youngsters, their scrappy spirit and wondered where his next job was coming from.
“The way the wolves are howling, I’ll probably be in ‘Podunk” next year – maybe before next year,” he sighed.
The Tygers’ major problem is lack of experience, he said.
“We’re just too young. We definitely do not have the material to play the schedule we have this year,” Pierson said. * * * ART HASTINGS, Jim Wood and Bill Finney were the big guns in the Massillon offense. Hastings, in nine carries, gained 182 yards for an average of 20.2.
Wood packed the mail only four times, but averaged 41 yards per tote with a total of 164 yards. Finney’s work for the night, though small by comparison with his mates, totaled 81 yards in eight runs for an average of 10.1.
Henry Weaver, sophomore halfback, was a real workhorse for Mansfield. He gained 79 of Mansfield’s 158 net yards in 23 carries and lost ground only once.
While the host Tigers scored in each period, the “rudely-treated” visitors got no closer to the chalk line than the Massillon 35. * * * IN THE AERIAL department Massillon posted 107 yards with three connections in nine tries against no completions in four heaves for Mansfield.
In scoring for Massillon, Hastings hit pay dirt on runs of 80 and 44 yards. Wood scored twice on runs of 76 and 70 yards.
A one-yard quarterback sneak by Joe Sparma lit the rocket in the first quarter to begin the parade.
Doug Toles added to the deluge with a 3-yard scoot. Martin Gugov circled left end for a 16-yard scoring jaunt for the night’s finale.
Going to the air in the third quarter, Sparma lofted scoring arcs of 33 yards to Bob Barkman and 32 yards to Bob Oliver.
Sparma-Herring Pass, Big Gallops By Wood, Hastings Repel Benies
By CHARLIE POWELL
That Massillon Tiger trademark of yesteryear – the long, explosive type play that can take the starch out of the opposition in a jiffy – again held forth at Tiger stadium Friday night and the orange and black knocked off the invading Cleveland Benedictine forces, 30-6, before 11,920 fans.
The Tigers used three of the long gainers as a spring-board to their fifth consecutive victory of the season and the win over the big, determined but outclassed Benies coupled with Warren Harding’s reversal of form undoubtedly will provide the Leo Strang-coached gang with a tighter grip on their No. 1 state ranking.
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Warren, upset by East Liverpool, 14-13, has been Massillon’s arch rival for the top spot in the Associated Press poll. Now it seems as though Springfield, Lorain or Toledo DeVilbiss will assume the runner-up role.
The Panthers can’t be counted out. The season is far from being over and a Tiger loss will send their hopes for that elusive crown right down the drain.
THE GAME of the year still looms for Friday the night of Oct. 30.
* * *
BEFORE WARREN comes Mansfield (next Friday night at Tiger stadium) and Coach Strang will be happier if the Bengals can present a more consistent attack against the Mansfielders.
“I’m glad it’s over,” Strang said over telling locker room well-wishers about a “frustrating” night.”
“It went about the way I expected …we would have to go from a long way out and that’s what we did.”
“It was as frustrating ball game as we’ve played, mainly because we did not move the ball consistently. Of course, we should give credit where credit is due. They had me worried and we had our hands full trying to block them,” he commented.
He said that several of his players told him that a few of the Benie linemen ‘had to be held” – they couldn’t be moved to either side of the hole.
“We knew Benedictine had a tough team and would come down here all hopped up. They have my respect. And you can ask the boys, they rate on a par with Alliance or Steubenville,” Strang said.
The Benie pilot, a downcast Auggie Bossu, was reluctant to talk but claimed the Tigers are a good ball club – “as good and probably better than your teams of the past few years.”
“Yes, it was a good game…for Massillon. Yes, we played hard…but we didn’t win,” the usually mild-mannered mentor rasped before excusing himself to see about an injured player.
* * *
BOSSU POINTED out that his team’s best runner last night, Joe Miano, previously was a second stringer. And he said that his punter, Bob Jambor, was averaging 42 yards per kick, going into last night’s game.
Against the Tigers, Miano averaged over five yards a carry with his longest jaunt of 30 yards setting up Benedictine’s only touchdown. Stocky Paul Rini showed ability to gallop in the open field at times.
On more than one occasion the ball carrier had found a hole at the line but it was quickly closed by Massillon’s linebackers and deep backs.
The Benies took to the sky 13 times but only four made connections and three were intercepted.
However, the Tigers’ inability to muster a sustained drive and Jambor’s amazing punting (an average of 47.2 yards for five kicks) made it a pretty dull affair except for the long striking plays.
The long gainers were turned in by Art Hastings, on a dash of 62 yards which set up the Tigers’ second touchdown, a 41-yard pass play from Joe Sparma to Bob Herring and a 69-yard sprint by Jim Wood.
These crowd-pleasing antics helped the Orangemen out gain the visitors by 339 yards to 182. Massillon netted 257 yards on the ground to 136 for the Benies.
* * *
NEITHER TEAM’S passing attack was nowhere near sensational but the aerial game was real prominent for the hometown lads.
The talented Sparma was right on the button with his fling to Herring which paved the way for the third TD of the evening and the defensive backs hauled in no less than three Benie forwards.
An interception by Martin Gugov, who incidentally started his second game on offense as Lefthalf Bill Finney was kept out of uniform due to an injury, put the Tigers in position for their first score. Prior to the Sparma-Herring payoff pitch-catch it was Herring who intercepted a pass.
Nick Daugenti, the defensive back and punt return specialist, made the first interception on the third play of the encounter but his effort went for naught as the Tigers were forced to punt. Daugenti, who did not play the second half because of a sprained ankle, caught the ball after it was deflected by Art Hastings.
The first time Daugenti returned a punt he wheeled from the end zone out to the 20 and Massillon was on the move in a hurry. Sparma threw down the middle to Wood who made a diving catch at the Benie 39 but four plays later End Tony Palmieri recovered a fumble by Gugov. However, the latter made amends when he intercepted a toss by Dennis Andrews and from the Benie 24 the orange and black reach pay dirt in four plays.
Gugov picked up six and Hastings four before Gugov added two. Then Hastings slicked off the left side and went in standing up. Gugov bulled across for two more points and the Tigers led 8-0 with 16 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Four plays into the second period Herring returned a Benie punt seven yards to the 25 and Hastings had the Tiger fans emitting superlatives on the very first play from scrimmage. He hit off left tackle, did a tight-rope act down the west sidelines and aided by a beauty of a block by Virg Bukuts, zipped 62 yards to the Clevelanders’ 13. On the next play Gugov barreled through right tackle for six, Wood swept end for the PAT and it was 16-0 at 9:36.
* * *
A MOMENT later the Tigers were penalized for illegal substitution but the ball was placed at the original spot after a hurried discussion by the officials. After the kickoff Massillon defensive subs took the field…all nine of them. The penalty was stepped off, then retracted, because it was not a case of substituting. Everything was “jake” after two more players entered the lineup and the defense forced Benedictine to punt.
The ball changed hands in a hurry. Gugov lateralled as he was tackled and Sparma and Palmieri wrestled for possession. Palmieri had the final say at the Tiger 25. With second and 14, Andrews’ pass was intercepted by Herring at the 15 and he got out to the 37.
Hastings pounded 22 yards in three tries before Massillon scored again.
From the Benie 41, Sparma hit Herring who had slipped behind the secondary at the Benedictine five. The mite halfback snagged the ball, was hit, but fell across the zero stripe. Gugov’s run was short but the Tigers led 22-0 and that’s the way it was at intermission.
Midway in the third round Halfback Tom Kosewic recovered a Tiger fumble at the Massillon 29 but the Tigers held and took over at the 31 as Captain “Sluggo” Bednar batted down a fourth down aerial.
The most peculiar play of the night resulted on the first Tiger try from scrimmage.
Sparma went back to pass, was hit, and the ball floated out to the 35 where big Tony Gibbons, a tackle, cradled it and churned goalward. Gibbons, however, coughed it up as he was tackled and Tiger tackle Don Appleby recovered at the 29. After Gugov gained two, Wood winged 69 yards to put the Massillonians ahead by 28. The speedy halfback went through the left side, found himself in the clear at the 40 as the Benies looked around for the guy with the ball, and outran Rini to the end zone. Sparma passed to End Bob Zumbrunn in the end zone for two more markers.
Early in the final heat Jim Houston, Tiger guard, recovered a fumble at the Tiger 49 but aftre Wood wheeled 22 yards the attacked bogged down.
Benedictine, playing against a sub-studded lineup, marched 79 yards for its only six-pointer in a dozen plays.
* * *
ON THE FIRST play Miano scatted 31 yards and three plays before the TD, a pass, Joe Bujak to End Al Grigaliunas, resulted in a 24-yard gain. On third down at the one, the Massillon defense ganged up at the middle but Miano hit off the left side all by his lonesome and it was 30-6 at 1:55 with 1:55 remaining. The same Miano was stopped short on the PAT attempt.
Benedictine had the ball for 54 plays as compared to Massillon’s 42 tries but the long strikes and the Tiger defense (led by Bednar, Hase McKey, Houston, Gary Wells, Frank Midure, Jay Willey and Don Appleby) proved to be more than enough.
Outside of Miano’s 24-yarder in the final quarter, the blue’s biggest rushing gain amounted to only eight yards.
In the third frame the Tigers had the ball for only four running plays but with the help of Wood’s 69-yard effort, netted 82 yards.
Hastings, the workhorse of the attack, twisted and fought his way for 130 yards in 13 carries while Wood made 96 yards in seven trips and Gugov gained 30 in eight tries.
The loss was the second in five starts for the Benies who now trail the Tigers in the series, 4-1.
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