Lincoln’s Scrappy Lions Hold Tigers To Scoreless Draw Fumble Late In Fourth Period Costs Massillon Chance To Cop Contest
By FRED J. BECKER
That Sunday punch the Washington high school Tigers tossed at Weirton to blast the West Virginia Red Riders a week ago was missing Friday night when Coach Augie Morningstar’s gladiators tangled at Tiger stadium with Junie Ferrall’s up and coming Lincoln Lions and as a result the Massillonians finished in a scoreless deadlock with the east enders after 48 minutes of hectic battling. And because the Tigers mislaid their offensive wallop they were called out for a practice session this morning as Coach Morningstar and his assistants endeavored to rub out some of the defects that marred the orange and black’s exhibition and probably cost the local lads a victory.
The largest crowd of the season – 18,500 spectators jammed Tiger stadium – witnessed a hard, grueling battle between a pair of evenly matched teams. The game ended in a 0 to 0 tie because the Tigers, uncorking their only sustained offensive drive late in the fourth quarter, missed a touchdown through an unfortunate fumble inches away from the Lincoln goal line. Tigers Suffered Letdown After Weirton What happened to the Tigers last night was just what Coach Morningstar was afraid all week might happen and what he fought so hard to overcome – a natural letdown following last Friday night’s terrific shin-dig with Weirton. The Tigers certainly did not play the same kind of a game last night they did against the Red Riders, particularly on offense. Their defense was good enough to keep the Canton invaders well in hand throughout the game but when it came to moving the ball for any sustained distance the orange and black did not have the stuff to do it.
What the Tigers failed to accomplish in an offensive way, however, does not detract in the least from the splendid performance of the visiting Lions. A fast charging, rugged Canton forward wall that battered its way through the Tigers front line quite consistently might have had a lot to do with putting a damper on Massillon’s offense. Lions Prove Their Worth After soaking up two defeats in the past two years, one by a 15-0 score and the other by a 12-0 margin, the Lions last night proved their worth by stopping the Tigers dead in their tracks until late in the fourth period when the Massillonians clicked long enough to carry the ball from deep in their own territory to within scoring distance, only to lose their one and only chance for a touchdown through a fumble.
Tied to the ground in their efforts to move the ball on running and power plays, the Tigers had only one other offensive threat left and that was the forward pass but even their aerial game did not click until their sensational spurt and then it was a brilliant heave from Bert Webb to Jim Bishop, substitute end, that sent the Tigers deep into Lincoln territory and had them pounding on the touchdown door a few seconds later.
The Tigers gained their long awaited break in the fourth period when Harvey Neel’s dump pass over the line was intercepted by Don McGuire on Massillon’s 38. The Tigers drew a 15-yard penalty for clipping, taking the ball back to the 23. Two attempts to dent the Lincoln line netted two yards and then Webb cut loose with a long pass to Jim Bishop who was racing down the west side of the field.
Jim made a fine catch and set out under a full head of steam for the Canton goal line but he didn’t quite get by the last Lincoln player in his path. The lad was Harvey Neel. Bishop tried to cut Neel down with a stiff arm but it didn’t work and Jim was grounded on Canton’s 23-yard line. The pass and Bishop’s run netted the Tigers a gain of 52 yards and brought the fans to their feet in a frenzy of wild cheering
Webb tried a pass to McGuire that failed. He then went through the line for three. On the next play Webb tossed a nifty pass to Captain Fred Bonk who was nailed on the Lincoln seven yard line. It was good for a first down. McGuire smashed to the four and then battered his way to within inches of the goal line. Webb Fumbles, Lions Recover Webb had difficulty holding the ball on the next play but kept possession of it, being downed on the two-yard line. With fourth down coming up, Webb crashed into the left side of the Lincoln line. He was hit hard and the ball flew out of his grasp and sailed over the goal line where Lincoln covered it for a touchback. Webb was less than a yard from the goal line when he fumbled.
The Lions put the ball in play on their 20 and kept possession of it the remainder of the game, making two first downs to their 44 before the final gun sounded.
The statistics gave Massillon a slight edge over the Lions but they don’t pay off on statistics. The local gridders moved the 10-yard chain seven times while Lincoln had six first downs. Massillon gained a total of 181 yards from all types of plays and lost 23 for a net yardage of 158. Lincoln had a gross gain of 123 with a loss of seven for a net of 116.
The Tigers attempted 18 forward passes and completed four for 86 yards. They had three intercepted. Lincoln tried nine aerials, completing two for 18 yards. They had two intercepted.
Massillon fumbled seven times and recovered twice. Lincoln fumbled four times and recovered once.
There was little to choose between the two teams until the Tigers flashed their spectacular offensive splurge in the final period. That was the only serious scoring threat of the game.
The Tigers for a minute looked like they might be going somewhere in the second period when they dusted off the old Statue of Liberty play and drove to Lincoln’s 20 but their drive fizzled and Lincoln held for downs.
The Tigers gained the ball on Canton’s 46 when Bob Kendig fumbled and Bob Waltz recovered. On fourth down Webb faked a kick, Bob Richards coming around and taking the ball and dashing wide at right end, raced to the 20 before being pulled down.
The play was good for 22 yards. Lions Drive To 18 Lincoln’s best scoring opportunity came in the third quarter. Webb took a punt by Neel and was downed on his 30. Here Coach Morningstar sent McGuire in to replace Webb and pulled out his entire first string line and shoved in his reserve line. On the first play McGuire fumbled and Bill Zettler covered for the Lions on Massillon’s 29. Ray “Rainbow” Keck, who was Lincoln’s offensive star, then raced wide around right end to Massillon’s 16 yard line for a gain of 13 yards and Coach Morningstar rushed in his first line in a jiffy. Keck was stopped. Then Neel fumbled and Gene Krisher covered for Massillon on his 18 yard line to wipe out Lincoln’s best chance to get within striking distance of the Tiger goal.
Sharing offensive honors with Keck were Don Bonevich and Neel while defensively Bruce Beatty, Lincoln’s veteran and brilliant end, was a decided pain in the neck to the Tigers all night. Beatty was all over the field, doing a lot of tackling and he was one of the main reasons Massillon’s aerial attack failed to click any better than it did. George Young, Bill Little and Roland Bowers also played good defensive ball for the visitors.
Massillon’s ground attack failed to function last night because adequate interference was lacking. A week ago against Weirton the Tigers did a right smart job of knocking opposing tacklers out of the road. Last night the orange and black ball carriers were given but little assistance in the way of interference.
Defensively the Tigers were as formidable as they were in their first two games. Their tackling was hard and accurate and they generally smeared Lincoln’s ball toters with sufficient force to stop them right where they were hit. Gene Krisher, Bernie Green, Bob Waltz and Tom Brooks did a lot of fine tackling with Captain Bonk leading the procession. The Tiger captain’s defensive performance last night was quite potent. A Draw Massillon – 0 Pos. Canton Lincoln – 0 Zeller LE Williams Green LT G. Young Waltz LG Little Darrah C B. Boldt Brooks RG Bowers Krisher RT Zettler Bonk RE Beatty Edie QB Kendig Webb LH-B Keck Richards RH-B Bonevich Zorger FB Neel
Substitutes: Massillon – J. Young, rt; Giloff, fb; McGuire, rh; Uilveto, lg; Ceckler, lt; Johnson, re; Bishop, le; Piper, rg. Lincoln – Criswell, rb; Malett, qb; T. Boldt, lh.
Referee – Gross. Umpire – Rupp. Head Linesman – McPhee. Field Judge – Shafer.
Statistics Mass. Lincoln First downs 7 6 Yards gained by rushing 95 105 Forward passes attempted 18 9 Forward passes completed 4 2 Yards gained by passing 86 18 Total yardage gained by 181 123 Yards lost 23 7 Net yardage 158 116 Passes had intercepted 3 2 Number of punts 4 6 Average distance of punts 33 29 Average return of punts 6 10 Number of kickoffs 1 1 Average distance of kickoffs 34 32 Average return of kickoffs 3 35 Number of fumbles 7 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 5 3 Times penalized 1 1 Yards lost by penalties 15 15
Tigers Lambast Weirton 24 To 6 In Gridiron Thriller 18,000 Watch Massillon Lads Conquer Tough Foe In Spectacular Finish
By FRED J. BECKER
The Tiger is on the prowl again.
He’s tough, courageous and fights his best when the chips are down. He’s never learned the meaning of the word defeat – and doesn’t intend to. He’ll bear a lot of watching between now and the end of next November, will this Massillon jungle king. Take a look at him and memory flashes back to other days. Yes sir, the Tigers has come of age again.
It you’ve had any doubts about Augie Morninstar’s 1945 Washington high school football tam they must have been dispelled like mist before a hot sun Friday night if you were among the 18,000 or more wildly shouting fans who jammed Tiger stadium to watch the orange and black sink the Red Riders of Weir high, Weirton, W. Va., 24 to 6 in one of the greatest football battles ever staged on the Tiger stadium gridiron where some memorable conflicts have taken place in years gone by. Tigers Deliver When Chips Are Down Two great, finely-coached and hard fighting schoolboy aggregations, who pulled out all the stops and played for keeps battled it out to a finish in one of the most sensation-packed contests ever witnessed here.
The final score was 24 to 6 with the Tigers holding a three touchdown edge but the score doesn’t begin to tell the true story of that shindig or the raw courage and intestinal fortitude those lads displayed or – and this is what is all important – how those Massillon Tigers turned on the steam and went to town once the chips were down and they had to score points if they were going to win or keep a vicious, never-say-die aggregation of warriors from the West Virginia banks of the Ohio river from going back home with a victory over the orange and black – their most cherished dream and something they had failed to accomplish in three previous Massillon visits but something they believed they had a chance to do last night. A Flock of Heroes There were a lot of heroes out at Tiger stadium Friday evening. Carl Hamill, veteran Weirton coach, brought to Massillon what is probably his greatest team in 17 years of coaching at Weir high school. It was big. It was fast and it was smart in football strategy. It never quit trying and it might have won had it been able to match the skill and fighting spirit Augie Morningstar’s lads uncovered last night.
Heroes? Yes, a lot of them. Weirton had a flock of them – and so did Massillon. If you’re looking for Red Rider heroes, how about Bill Paclisso, Ken Bricker, Dominic Brown, Joe Enrich, Ed Gretchen, Joe Herman, and James Mauley? They can play on anybody’s football team.
And then if you’re looking for heroes wearing the orange and black take everyone of those Tigers who got into last night’s ball game. Ever last one of them earned a niche in Massillon’s football Hall of Fame but if you want to nominate a lad who really gave an outstanding exhibition of playing, pick Jack Zeller, that dark haired Tiger end.
He played a lot of football last night – and how! But so did Captain Fred Bonk, Gene Krisher, Tom Brooks, Merle Darrah, Bob Waltz, Tony Uliveto, Jim Young, Bill Ceckler, Virgil Edie, Bert Webb, Bob Richards, Gene Zorger, Alex Giloff, Mickey McGuire, Dan Byelene and Gene Yost.
Bernie Green also was playing a lot of football until the officials ruled he got into more or less of a fistic argument with Bill Herman of Weirton and chased them both to the bench early in the second quarter. And then the Tiger reserves who finished out the argument also proved they had something that is going to make them quite valuable before the season is over. Sensational Fourth Quarter Considering only the score one might think the Tigers had things pretty much their own way but the opposite is true. Until the Tigers unleashed a sensational scoring spree in the fourth quarter to tally three touchdowns in less than five minutes the game was a ding dong battle with neither team holding a decisive edge and the ultimate outcome very much in doubt.
Scoring a touchdown in the opening period when the nimble-footed Bert Webb tore off a nifty romp of 42 yards, the Tigers held a 6-0 lead until near the close of the third period when the Red Riders finally executed a brilliant forward pass and an equally brilliant lateral for an overall gain of 45 yards and the touchdown that knotted the score at six all.
Then it was that the Tigers really dug their cleats into the sod and went to work and the opening of the fourth period saw Massillon touchdowns come so rapidly the fans were still gasping for breath hours after the game was ended. The first Tiger set of counters in that spectacular scoring spree came on an unbroken march of 66 yards. That was the clincher – the touchdown that won the game.
But just to make it a certain Massillon victory the orange and black nailed two more scores to their victory banner – one on a brilliant piece of grand larceny by Gene Zorger and the other on a spectacular pass interception, and run of 65 yards by Jack Zeller with his teammates bowling over Red Riders as if they were match sticks.
Zorger had better stay away from Wierton. If he ever gets into that town they are sure to slap a warrant on him for highway robbery. And his theft of the ball right from a Weirton players hands and a 35-yard romp for a touchdown was something beautiful to behold and will be talked about for a long time to come. Rivals Evenly Matched The statistics show you just what kind of a ball game it was and what tough battling took place. If the statistics don’t convince you, take a look at the Tigers. You’ll see a few black eyes, cut lips, skinned faces and other marks of battle. It was that kind of a game, tough, rough and no quarter asked. Some of the Weirton boys, too, may be carrying around a few reminders of last night’s duel. At least they’ll be a long time forgetting about the kind of tackling and blocking the Massillon lads showed them. That Tiger tackling and blocking was really something to feast your eyes on.
Both teams made 12 first downs. The Tigers tried 12 passes and completed five for 64 yards. They had two intercepted. The aerial-minded Red Riders with Dominic Brown doing most of the tossing and Ken Bricker, brilliant end, most of the catching, attempted 23 passes. They completed nine for 110 yards and had two intercepted, one bringing a Tiger score.
The Tigers had a gross yardage from all plays of 286, and a loss of 20 for a net gain of 266.
Weirton had a gross yardage of 303, and a loss of 65 for a net gain of 238, giving the Tigers the edge in net yardage. The Tigers were set back 89 yards on penalties, once late in the game for half the distance to the goal, amounting to 34 yards, when the officials tagged Bill Piper for unnecessary roughness. Weirton lost 50 yards on penalties.
A picture of things to come was unfolded early in the game when Richards and Webb cut loose on two beautiful reverses for substantial gains after Massillon had received. But Weirton plugged the holes in its line and stopped the Tigers on the 11.
But the Red Riders couldn’t move either and Bill Paolisso punted to Webb who was downed on Weirton’s 42. On the first play the clever little Negro ace dashed through a hole at right tackle on a reverse after taking the ball from Gene Zorger and then cutting back sharply to his left raced 42 yards and across the goal line for Massillon’s first touchdown. It was a corking good run and not a Weirton player laid a hand on Webb, so well did his interference and blocking function. Virgil Cocklin missed the try for extra point from placement.
Those six points looked mighty big but Weirton began to threaten soon after and took the ball on the kickoff and marched it right down into Massillon territory. A Paolisso to McClelland pass put the pigskin on Massillon’s 10 but McClelland fumbled when tackled and Bernie Green covered for the Tigers. Morningstar’s lads had to fight with everything they had but they succeeded in keeping the Red Riders bottled up the rest of the quarter.
The visitors were still punching away in the second period but Zeller halted their march by intercepting a pass and running it back to the Weirton 37. That stopped the invaders for a few minutes but they never quit trying and they lost a touchdown late in the period when Brown heaved a perfect toss into Gretchen’s hands but Gretchen, with a clear field ahead, couldn’t hold the ball. Weirton lost some of its offensive strength when Bricker was forced out because of an injury.
But he came back in the game in the third period and the Hamill crew went all out in a desperate and what proved to be a successful bid for a touchdown. Pass And Lateral Bring Score Brown intercepted a pass thrown by Bob Richards on Weirton’s 47. On the first play Zorger dumped Brown for a three yard loss but Brown gained his revenge quickly. On the next play he faded back and heaved a nifty pass right into Bricker’s waiting arms. It was good for 15 yards and then as Bricker was tackled he lateralled to Joe Herman, Weirton substitute center, and Mr. Herman quite speedily galloped over the remaining 30 yards and across the Massillon goal for Weirton’s touchdown and the first points tallied against the Tigers this season.
It was a perfectly executed bit of football strategy and caught the Tigers with their guard down. Bricker’s attempted place kick was wide and the game was all tied up at 6-6 and ready for its flaming and dramatic conclusion.
It was not long in coming.
The Tigers received. Bricker kicked off to Webb who returned to the Massillon 34 behind some good blocking.
It was now or never for the orange and black and they proved their mettle by turning loose an offensive display that rocked the Red Riders to their heels as they clipped off 66 yards without a break.
Zorger was stopped without gain. Webb lost one and was hurt, giving way to Mickey McGuire. McGuire immediately hurled a perfect strike into Captain Fred Bonk’s arms for 15 yards and a first down on Massillon’s 48. Then Mickey raced wide around left end for four more. On the next play McGuire faded back to pass. He had trouble locating a receiver and it looked as if he was going to be tossed for a sizeable loss. But Mickey ducked a Weirton tackler and then spied Jack Zeller out in the clear. He rifled the ball to Jack and when the Red Riders caught up with Jack and nailed him he had covered 18 yards and lugged the leather to the Weirton 29. McGuire fumbled but covered for a gain of five. Richards rammed through left tackle for four. Edie on a quarterback sneak made it first down on Weirton’s 13 as the quarter ended. McGuire Scores On the opening play of the fourth quarter McGuire again unlimbered his pitching arm and tossed a strike to Bob Richards and the ball was on Weirton’s three yard line, six inches from another first down. Edie tried another quarterback sneak but they nailed him without gain. Then McGuire plunged through a hole at left tackle and smashed across the goal line for the second touchdown to put Massillon back into the lead. Cocklin again failed in his placement attempt. That, touchdown started things off in a big way.
Weirton received and McClelland was dumped on his 35. The Red Riders were supposed to be quite adept with the T formation and had used both it and a single wing during the evening. This time they went into their T and it brought them a big headache – it also gave Zorger his chance to play burglar – legitimately.
Brown took the ball from center and dropped back. As he did so Zorger smashed through the center of the Weirton line and bore down on Brown. The next instant Brown was without the ball. Zorger had it and was streaking like lightning for the Weirton goal 35 yards away. He made it as an amazed Weirton team tried to comprehend what had happened. Zorger’s feat proved that alertness pays off in football. Zorger saw the ball in Brown’s out-stretched hands and simply took it away from the stunned Red Rider. Richards was stopped in an attempt to plunge through the line for the extra point but the Tigers were on pretty solid ground with a lead of 12 points. Zeller in 65 Yard Romp The fireworks, however, were not yet over. Once again Weirton received. Brown began to toss passes. His first one fizzled, the next one went to Bricker for six yards. And then the next one went to Jack Zeller. That wasn’t part of the Weirton strategy but young Mr. Zeller just happened to be at the right spot at the right time. He was that way all night. Well, the ball nestled into Zeller’s arms on Massillon’s 35 yard line and Jack took off from there in a hurry. He darted down the west sideline and as he did so his teammates ganged up on Red Rider players with a vengeance. Red jerseyed lads from West Virginia could be seen sailing in all directions as the Tigers cut a path for Zeller who gathered speed as the way was opened for him.
He was 65 yards away from Weirton’s goal when he intercepted the pass and when he finally stopped he had covered those 65 yards and planted the ball back of Weirton’s goal line for Massillon’s fourth touchdown. Quite a run and what blocking! Once again Cocklin failed to kick the extra point.
The steam was pretty well taken out of the Red Riders by this time but they battled gamely in a desperate attempt to score again. They were held well in check, however, and with several minutes remaining Coach Morningstar shoved in his reserves and they shellacked the Red Riders with the same slam bang tactics the varsity used.
With seconds remaining the Red Riders were still trying to score and Brown uncorked another long pass to Bricker but Dave Dowd, hit Bricker so hard he dropped the ball on the Massillon 30 where the Tigers recovered it and then were in possession of the leather when time expired.
A Story Book Thriller MASSILLON 24 Position WEIRTON 6 ZELLER left end WALASZCYK GREEN left tackle GAIN WALTZ left guard LEWIS DARRAH center KAMENSKY BROOKS right guard OVINGTON KRISHER right tackle MAULEY BONK right end BRICKER EDIE quarterback D. BROWN WEBB left halfback PAOLISSO RICHARDS right halfback HEILMAN ZORGER fullback GARAN
STATISTICS Mass. Weirton Total first downs 12 12 Yards gained by rushing 322 193 Yards lost by rushing 20 65 Net yards gained by rushing 202 128 Forward passes attempted 12 23 Forward passes completed 5 9 Yards gained by passes 64 110 Total net yardage 266 288 Passes had intercepted 2 2 Number of punts 5 5 Average distance of punts 27 33 Number of kickoffs 5 2 Average distance of kickoffs 36 42 Number of fumbles 5 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 3 Number of penalties against 6 6 Yards lost by penalties 89 50
Latin Hands Tigers First Opening Game Loss Since 1930 Clevelanders Ride To 14-7 Victory On Strong Arm Of Bill Petersen
By LUTHER EMERY
Washington high school’s bid for the Ohio scholastic football championship ended where it started here Friday evening as a powerful Cathedral Latin Lion subdued the ambitious Tiger by a score of 14-7 before 22,000 fans, the largest opening night crowd in the history of Massillon football.
The Lions rode to victory on the arm of stellar Bill Petersen, quarterback and passer deluxe of the Cleveland team, whose rifle-like pegs scored the first Latin touchdown and so opened the Tiger defenses that they dropped into a five-man line, the first five-man line a Massillon team has used in a good many years.
Petersen’s passing and Massillon’s lack of a defense to successfully combat it, just about tells the story of the Tigers’ defeat, the first opening game loss since Akron East whipped Massillon 6-0 Sept. 20, 1930.
Chalk that achievement up to Latin and also give the Clevelanders’ credit for being the only team to go undefeated with Massillon three consecutive years since Canton McKinley drubbed the locals in 1932-33-34. The Latin record is now two victories and a tie since the war interruption of 1943. Lions Had Better Team There was nothing lucky about Latin’s victory and there’s no room for an alibi. The Lions outplayed the Tigers most of the way and their advantage is found not only in the score but also in the statistics. That should be sufficient to establish their superiority.
They made seven first downs, four on passes, to Massillon’s three, and gained 253 yards from scrimmage to the Tigers’ 121 yards. The only place in the entire column of statistics where Massillon looked better than the visitors was in the lost yardage summary. Latin was thrown back for 38 yards, while the Tigers lost 13, from scrimmage.
Coach William G. “Bud” Houghton was not entirely downhearted because he knew this his team had lost to a good eleven, but he did criticize parts of the performance. He was disappointed over some of the defensive work, and felt his team was not as much on edge as it should have been. The breaks as a whole went to Latin, and the visitors capitalized on them. They followed the ball more closely than the Tigers and were alert to fumbles.
Because Latin linemen sifted through the Tiger forward wall on T formations, the local team ran most of its offense from single wing. It tried to pass a couple of times from the T but was smothered before the ball carrier could find a receiver. The only pass that did hit its mark was a 32-yard touchdown peg from Dan Byelene to Gene Zorger for the Tigers’ only score in the fourth quarter.
Herb Eisele, Latin coach, was naturally jubilant over the triumph of his team but felt a little shaky in the fourth period when the Massillon eleven appeared to grow stronger as the game progressed. The victory helped to erase from his memory some of the terrific beatings his Lions sustained at the hands of the Tigers here in the years 1939-42; and likewise established his team as a leading contender for the Ohio high school championship, a title it has rightfully claimed a share of the past two seasons. The triumph extended the Lions’ undefeated string to 27 games.
The Tiger team at intervals showed flashes of offense, but was unable to coordinate its attack successfully for any extended drives. The Latin wall smote down most attempts to run between the tackles, and though end sweeps worked best for the local team, only a few were tried. The passers were so rushed that they had little time to throw the ball. Ten times they tried for overhead gains but only Zorger’s touchdown did they connect.
Latin on the other hand, completed six of 10 for 95 yards and had none intercepted while two of Massillon’s throws were gathered in by visiting players.
After Latin’s first period touchdown which took the Lions’ 10 minutes to get, the local team dropped back to a 5-3-3 defense in an effort to cover the receivers. It has been a long time since the Tigers have faced a thrower accurate enough to force a Massillon team into a five-man line, but Petersen did it after his touchdown toss to Hasselo. A five-man line naturally opens the way to the opponents’ running attack, but Latin found it difficult to gain yards even on a five-man Massillon line.
Petersen’s accurate pegs not only produced the first touchdown but paced the 76-yard drive that led to it. Lions Open Drive The first period was more than half over and the Lions had already shown one offensive burst when Byelene got off a nice punt that went to the Latin 24-yard line. Jerry Beckrest’s running advanced the pigskin to a first down by inches on his 34 and a 21-yard toss. Petersen to Beckrest, put the leather on the Massillon 45. Just when it appeared the Latin attack would bog down, Petersen up and rifled the ball 27 yards to Beckrest for a first down on the Tiger 10-yard line. Once again the local team looked as though it surely would be equal to the occasion. Three tries ended with Latin a yard back from where it had started. Then Petersen called for another pass. The Tigers were in an eight-man line and when using this defense, the ends are expected to hem in the ends of the opposing team. Al Hasselo, however, was only brushed and he got into the clear to snare the ball from Petersen and score on fourth down. George Raggetts kicked the extra point from placement and it was 7-0 in Latin’s favor and that’s the way the first half ended.
Massillon fans who had hoped the Tigers would come out stronger and more alert in the second half, uttered a big moan ere the fourth period was four minutes old when the Tigers, after fumbling the kickoff, had a punt blocked which Latin covered on the 19-yard line. On second down, George Werling slipped through left guard with a couple of timely blocks and went over for the Lion’s second and last touchdown, a run of 17 yards. Again Raggetts placekicked the extra point.
Latin played cautiously with a 14-point lead as the Tigers tried vainly to score in the third period. They had a first down in the making in Latin territory on the first series of plays after the kickoff when a fumble by Giloff, was recovered by Latin on the latter’s 45, and they never got into Latin territory again until the fourth period was half gone. Then it was that Jack Zeller pounced on Beckrest’s fumble on the Latin 35. On second down, Byelene pitched to Zorger for the Tigers’ only touchdown of the game. They had two chances for the extra point. Paul Cary tried to kick it the first time but the boot was blocked. However, Latin was offside on the play. Given a second chance, Cary tucked the leather under his arm and plunged it over.
The seven points stimulated Massillon spirit, but not for long. The Tigers kicked off to Latin and forced the Lions to punt on their second series of plays. Houghton sent in his sophomore flash, Al Brown, hoping he might get away with a good punt return. He was downed on his 37, and on the next play Massillon’s last chance to tie the score was snuffed out when O’Day intercepted Zorger’s pass. The game ended a minute later with Latin on the Massillon 17-yard line.
The Tigers displayed little in the way of offense. In fact they had little opportunity to open up for they were backed up deep in their own territory most of game.
They got few breaks, and while they scored a touchdown after one of them, they passed up a golden opportunity in the second period after Jim Young had recovered a Latin punt blocked by Jim Bishop on the Cleveland 20-yard line. The Tigers fumbled on the very next play and Latin recovered to take possession of the ball.
As a result of the defeat, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see a few shakeups in the Tiger lineup this coming week. “It took this one to tell us for sure just where we are weak,” Houghton said after the game. “Maybe we can correct some of the faults. At least we now know who will play the best competitive ball for us.”
The Massillon eleven will meet its second opponent in Fawcett stadium, Canton, next Friday evening when it tackles Canton Lincoln high school.
As has been its custom the past several years, the Tiger Booster club entertained local and out-of-town newspaper and radio men at a press party at the Massillon club before the game.
Those present were addressed briefly by Coach “Bud” Houghton and Band Director Ford and several took part in a 15-minute radio broadcast over station WHBC of Canton.
Wives of members of the working press sat with their hubbies in the press box during the game while the other guests at the party were assigned to a special section near the box.
Among those present were newspapermen from Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Niles, Wooster, Alliance, Dover and St. Clairsville.
Last night was just the beginning of what still looks like one of the big seasons of Massillon football. There are still nine shows left and it is a safe bet that a lot of enjoyment will be provided for Massillon fans by both the Tiger team and band before the 1946 campaign passes into history.
Just wait until next Friday night and see.
A Poor Start
Massillon Pos. Cathedral L. Zeller LE Saunders Young LT Campanella Uliveto LG Kiousis Darrah C Bohn Brooks RG J. Raggetts Krisher RT Beletic Schludecker RE Hasselo Byelene QB Petersen Giloff LH Werling Zorger RH Beckrest Yost FB Csizma
Score by periods Latin 7 0 7 0 14 Massillon 0 0 0 7 7
Tigers Rip Akron South For 21-0 Win On Soggy Field Cavaliers Display Tough Defense As Bengals Open Before Crowd Of 15,000
By FRED J. BECKER
If you ask Augie Morningstar and his Washington high school Tigers they’ll tell you that the weatherman is a contrary cuss and apparently “agin’em” but despite the weatherman’s lack of cooperation Augie’s 1945 edition of the famed Massillon Bengals ushered in their fall campaign Friday night on a sloppy, slippery battlefield at Tiger stadium by conquering Akron South’s doughty and rugged Cavaliers 21 to 0. At least 15,000 fans braved rain laden skies to be on hand for the lid lifter. It did not rain during the game but it came down plenty Friday afternoon.
During their four week’s training program, the Tigers had to put up with all kinds of torrid weather and a practice field baked hard by the sun’s searing rays. Only once prior to last night did they go through a workout in the rain and on a wet field. Drenching Downpour Soaks Field But last night it was different. A drenching downpour struck Massillon early Friday afternoon and continued until early evening. It turned the Tiger stadium gridiron into a soggy, slippery mass of mud and grass. So the Massillon gladiators, in addition to fighting off opening night nerves, also were forced to handle a ball that was as slippery as an eel and run on anything but a solid footing. The tarpaulin had not been spread on the field Thursday night.
Although they lacked a consistent offense and were hampered offensively as badly as the Tigers by the wet field, South’s fighting Cavaliers lived up to their reputation of being a tough defensive ball club. They made the Tigers fight for every inch of ground they gained during that muddy battle and Coach Franck (Doc) Wargo trotted out a big, husky line that gave Massillon’s forward wall a ding-dong battle all night. Cage Shines for South Paced by the brilliant Louie Cage, Akron South’s captain and all-city tackle in 1944, the invading Cavaliers were hard to push around. Cage played a stellar defensive game until he was injured in the third quarter. He’s a lot of football player, is that big, rangy colored boy.
Massillon tallied points in every quarter, scoring touchdowns in the first, third and fourth periods and tallying two points in the second heat on an automatic safety. South never threatened but that didn’t keep the visiting lads from being hard to handle when Massillon was in possession of the pigskin. Still showing some rough spots, but getting better as the game progressed the Tigers presented a well knit ball club that will improve as it gains experience.
Several times during the first half it looked as if the Tigers were rolling but each time their drive bogged down, either through penalties or difficulties in handling the slippery ball. They showed marked improvement in the second half with their offense several times clicking for sustained marches down the field.
In the matter of statistics the Tigers held the edge in all department. They made eight first downs to one for South. The completed three of seven passes for 33 yards while South completed two of seven, winding up with a net loss of two yards. One of South’s passes was good for nine yards. On the other they lost 11. Tigers Hold Edge In total yards gained from all types of play the Tigers had a gross of 208 with a loss of 31 for a net of 177 yards. South had a gross of 37 and lost 37, winding up a yard to the red on net gain.
The Tigers fumbled seven times and recovered five of them. South fumbled seven times and came up with the ball three times.
Massillon scoring was well divided between Bert Webb, Ray Zorger and Dick Richards with Virgil Cocklin, a sophomore, making one of four attempts to gather points on placement kicks after touchdowns.
It was fleet footed Bert Webb who started the Tigers off on their 1945 scoring by clicking off a 51-yard sizzler on a punt return for Massillon’s first set of counters about midway through the first quarter. It was a beautiful run by Webb who was given some fine assistance along the way by his blocking teammate.
South gained possession of the ball on its 18 when Webb’s attempt to pass to Richards failed. After Captain Fred Bonk had tossed Frank Delorenzo for a four yard loss Cage punted to Webb who speared the ball on Massillon’s 49. Off like a flash Webb weaved his way through the South team, streaking straight down the middle of the field. So well did he pick his spots and so well did the blocking in front of him function that he scampered the last 25 yards without a South man being within yards of him. Cocklin came in and booted the extra point from placement.
It was pretty much of a see-saw battle the remainder of the quarter. Morningstar began to run Alex Giloff and Don McGuire into the game to relieve Webb, Richards and Zorger.
Two Points On Safety
The second quarter was well advanced when McGuire punted to Bob Atchinson who fumbled on his 29, Bill Piper covering for Massillon. McGuire, Richards and Giloff hacked away on off tackle plays to the seven yard line where the slippery oval got away from Giloff and Eli Joyce covered for South. Bernie Green, Bob Waltz and Bonk tossed Fred Jesser around with gusto and without gain in his two smashes into the line and Cage dropped behind his goal line to punt.
The pass was low and Cage had no chance to get away a kick as the Tigers came surging in. So he dropped on the ball back of his goal line, giving the Tigers two points on an automatic safety.
After a punting duel to start, the third quarter, the Tigers were favored by a break that paved the way for their second touchdown. Charles Brown, South fullback ,fumbled and Virgil Edie pounced on the leather on South’s 15. Cage was hurt on this play and forced to leave the game but he was in and out from then on.
The Tigers then turned loose a determined drive for a touchdown. Richards hit for two. McGuire and Webb picked up five in two tries and Zorger made it a first down to South’s eight. McGuire hit for three, Webb picked up three and then lugged the ball to the one and with fourth down coming up Zorger lunged through the middle and across the goal line for the second set of counters.
Cocklin’s toe failed him this time and the score was 15-0 Massillon.
The finish of the third period and the start of the fourth saw the Tigers uncork their best and most sustained offensive punch of the game.
The Tigers had the ball on their 45 when the final period opened. With second down coming up Webb went five to the 50 for a first down. Edie squirmed through right tackle for five more. Webb then broke loose through right tackle and headed for the sidelines, picking up 13 before being nailed. Richards made five and Giloff rammed for a first down to South’s 15. Webb made four more but with Cage back in the game South’s defense stiffened and the Tigers were stopped on the eight.
Steve Kirkbaumer fumbled for South and recovered on his four and a South penalty took the ball back to the one from where Jesser punted to Richards who ran from South’s 25 to the 18 before being tackled. Richards Scores On Next Play This set up the Tigers third and final touchdown. Webb’s attempted pass to Richards was batted down by Kirkbaumer but Webb then picked up five at right end getting to the 13. On the next play Richards roared through a nice hole at left tackle and then reversing his field dashed the remaining yards for the third set of counters. It was a neat and well timed bit of offensive work. Once again Cocklin failed to negotiate the extra point.
With the clock running out, Coach Morningstar sent in his reserves and they drove deep into south territory with Don Byelene, Bill Gutchall and Milan Chovan spearheading the attack before they lost the ball on a pass interception by Kirkbaumer just as the game ended. Wet But Happy Massillon 21 Pos. Akron South 0 Zeller lc Joyce Green lt Gage Waltz lg Brown Darrah c Zakich Brooks rg Jordan Krisher rt Oldfield Bonk re Becker Edie qb Gates Webb lh b Jesser Richards rh b Delorenze Zorger fb Kirkbaumer
Referee – McGhee. Umpire – Boone. Head Linesman – Graf. Field Judge – Peabody.
Statistics Mass. South Total first downs 8 1 Yards gained by rushing 173 23 Yards lost by rushing 31 37 Net yards gained by rushing 144 -12 Forward passes attempted 9 7 Forward passes completed 3 2 Yards gained by passes 33 11 Total net yardage, 177 -1 Passes had intercepted 1 0 Number of punts 3 6 Average distance of punts 33 31 Number of kickoffs 3 3 Average distance of kickoffs 30 46 Number of fumbles 7 7 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 4 Number of penalties against 8 3 Yards lost by penalties 50 12
Smith And Pujazon Shine As Bulldogs Rip Tigers 27-0
LOCAL WARRIORS GO DOWN FIGHTING
Powerful And Speedy McKinley Eleven Tallies 4 Times In Annual Classic To Inflict Third Defeat Of Season On Massillon Gridders
By FRED J. BECKER A golden anniversary in football but not so golden from a Massillon viewpoint was celebrated out at Tiger stadium Saturday afternoon when a power-laden Canton McKinley Bulldog outfit battered its way to a 27-0 victory over a Washington high school Tiger team that was on the short end in everything but courage.
And what courage those Massillon kids displayed!
The records will show in cold figures what will appear to be a rather lopsided victory for one of the most powerful aggregations ever fielded by Canton McKinley but the raw courage and fight those badly outmanned Tigers exhibited out there on the gridiron last Saturday afternoon will live long in the memory of the more than 21,000 fans who jammed Tiger stadium to witness this annual schoolboy classic, one of the greatest in the nation.
50th Anniversary Game Team Captains & Head Coaches
Defeated But Not Outfought Defeated, yes, but not outfought were those Massillon youngsters who had some apparent shortcomings all fall but lack of intestinal fortitude was not one of them. No football team in Massillon history ever fought their hearts out against greater odds than did those gallant little youngsters last Saturday.
In defeat they rose to their greatest fighting performance of the season and even though they lost they need not hang their heads in shame. They put up a brilliant fight against odds that were too great for them to overcome with sheer courage alone and they will always be remembered as the team that went into their season’s biggest game with everything against them and came out of it heroes in defeat.
Tigers Never Quit Even partisan Canton McKinley fans who went wild with glee as their superb and powerful Bulldogs ripped their way to 4 touchdowns through the use of driving power and dazzling speed had to stop in the midst of their cheering to pay tribute to the great fighting spirit displayed by the Tigers. Those Massillon kids came out fighting at the opening whistle and they were still fighting their hearts out at the final bell, even though nearly all the breaks of the game went against them, breaks which would have taken the fight out of a team imbued with less fighting spirit than the Tigers possessed Saturday.
The victory is yours, Canton McKinley. You deserved it because you had the team – a great team in every way. We give you all the plaudits and praise that rightfully belongs to a victor. Your Bulldogs did a masterful job, a great exhibition of what a team can do when it is big, experienced and strong in every department with 2 such phenomenal performers in the backfield as Joe Pujazon and Hank Smith, All-Ohio scholastic performers without a doubt.
We gave you every credit, Canton McKinley, except this one – your powerful Bulldogs didn’t outshine our little kids when it came to courage – but courage alone could not win that ball game Saturday against a team like the Bulldogs – a team that packed too many guns and made the most of the power, speed and weight it possessed.
Last Saturday’s game marked the 49th combat between Massillon and Canton McKinley teams in the last 50 years, the first game having been played in 1894. McKinley’s triumph last Saturday now gives it a 2-game victory margin over the Tigers, the Bulldogs having won 24 of the 49 engagements with Massillon having won 22 while 3 others ended in ties.
That 27-o trouncing the Bulldogs inflicted on the Tigers was Massillon’s third defeat of the 1944 campaign, the orange and black this fall losing more games in a single season than any other Tiger team since 1932. Other outfits to conquer the 1944 Tigers were Cleveland Cathedral Latin 6-0 and Warren Harding 32-12. Brilliant Bulldog Season By defeating the Tigers Saturday in the golden anniversary classic Canton McKinley completed one of the most brilliant season’s in its history, winning 9 and losing but one, that to Warren Harding by a single point, 27-26.
A brilliant decade of Tiger football ran afoul of some bad breaks this fall and for the first time since 1934 an orange and black team finished far down in the list of outstanding Ohio scholastic outfits but the Tigers of 1944 need not feel too badly about this because the defeats they suffered were inflicted by aggregations which held great advantages over them in manpower, size and experience. In each of their 3 defeats they went down fighting before teams which excelled them in practically all departments of the game and the defeats would have been greater had not the Tigers possessed that superb fighting spirit which kept them in there battling to the finish, even though they were outclassed.
Although Washington high school lost 3 games this fall it still had a great and shining record on the gridiron which no other school in Ohio can match and which very few throughout the country can equal. In 100 games played since 1935 the Tigers have recorded 93 victories against 5 defeats and 2 ties. Canton McKinley has inflicted 2 of these defeats winning 35-0 in 1942. Newcastle, Pa., handed the Tigers a 7-0 reverse in 1937 and Cathedral Latin and Warren Harding joined the list of Tiger conquerors this season. The 2 ties came in games with Mansfield’s Tygers in 1937 and 1941, both by 6-6 scores.
There is this one consolation for the 1944 Tigers and local supporters of the orange and black. The Tigers will come roaring back – and before very long – to avenge the defeats sustained this year. Just keep an eye on the Tigers for the next year or two and see what happens.
No two backfield stars laden with more power and speed than Joe Pujazon and Hank Smith put on display Saturday have ever been seen in action here. Operating behind a big and powerful forward wall that outweighed the Tiger line by nearly 20 pounds to the man, the McKinley stars had nothing to do but run and how they ran! This pair of Canton aces divided the scoring honors, each tallying twice.
There was nothing particularly deceptive about the Bulldog attack. For the most part one could tell what type of play the east enders were going to use. It was either Pujazon or Smith running off the tackles or wide to the right or left ahead of powerful interference which shook them loose for frequent and brilliant long dashes down the field.
Once Smith and Pujazon were out in the open it was a man-sized job to halt them. The Tigers for the most part did a great job of smacking them down with spectacular and fierce tackling but they just couldn’t catch them all the time.
Pujazon and Smith closed their scholastic careers against the Tigers in a blaze of glory and deserve plenty of praise for the brilliant performance they put on tap. Without them the Bulldogs, even with their great advantage in weight, would have been taken apart by the Tigers as they played Saturday but Pujazon and Smith spelled the differences between victory and defeat.
Aiding and abetting Pujazon and Smith were Herm Lombardi, who did a great job backing up the line, Bob Tucci, Bob Parks, Jack Belding and Jim Rawers, towering husky pillars of strength on the line. They were big and good, these fellows and they packed too many guns for the badly outweighed Tiger line which fought tooth and nail against them all afternoon and came off second best, simply because they did not have the weight and strength to battle on even terms with the rugged Canton gains.
In all the previous games the Bulldogs, in addition to the brilliant running of Pujazon and Smith, depended to a large extent on a highly capable aerial attack to score points but forward passing availed the Cantonians nothing Saturday. The Tigers saw to that by playing a strong defensive game against aerials, covering Canton receivers like a swarm of bees and rushing Pujazon so much he had no time to display the uncanny accuracy which had characterized his passing all fall. Thus the Tigers became the first team to bottle up the Canton air attack.
There were plenty of heroes in the Tiger camp Saturday. Every boy who got into the game distinguished himself by his fierce and courageous playing but the great work of Massillon’s sturdy co-captains Bill Gable and Glenn Keller stood out prominently. Few better exhibitions of defensive playing have ever been seen than that put on tap Saturday by tow-headed Bill Gable. He smashed McKinley interference and tackled like a demon all afternoon. Keller also did a great job of backing up the line and punting.
Others standing out prominently in the Tiger performance were little Francis Cicchinelli, 135 pound guard, who hit with the force of a 200-pound battering ram, Tom Brooks and Gene Krisher, sophomore linemen, Bert Webb, Don Sedjo, Junie Pedrotty and Don McGuire who spearheaded the Massillon offensive threats, and Wilmer Luke who did a grand job of covering big Jim Rawers, who all season had been on the receiving end of most of Pujazon’s passes. Jim didn’t catch any aerials Saturday.
Breaks of the game and one or two errors in judgment hurt the Tigers and set up at least 2 Canton touchdowns and also robbed the orange and black of some fine opportunities to score. Had these breaks been in the Tigers’ favor it might have been a different ball game, despite McKinley’s apparent great advantage.
The errors the Tigers committed were plain to be seen but they were errors which any team might make and the Tigers do not rate too much censure for these blunders. Those who are inclined to criticize might well stop and ponder for a moment what they would have done under similar circumstances, particularly in the heat of such a tense battle as that one was Saturday. After all the lads who made those mistakes are just kids and their errors might have gone almost unnoticed had they been on the winning end instead of the losing.
It’s easy to find flaws when things are not going your way.
The statistics show just how powerful a ground gaining outfit the Bulldogs were Saturday. They only shaded the Tigers 11 to 8 in first downs but that does not begin to tell the story. Where Bulldogs Held Edge Canton McKinley’s vast superiority is revealed in the yards gained, the Bulldogs finished their afternoon’s chores with a net yardage of 345 as compared to only 132 for the Tigers. The Bulldogs had a gross yardage of 366 with a loss of 21 while the Tigers had a gross of 163 with a loss also of 21.
The orange and black gained more yards through the air than the Bulldogs but tried more than twice as many passes as the east enders. Coach Elwood Kammer’s lads tossed 18 aerials during the progress of the battle, completing 6 for 74 yards and had 3 intercepted. Canton tried 7, completing 2 for 31 yards and had 2 intercepted. Pujazon, however, was not on the tossing end of either of Canton’s completed aerials. Smith tossed both of them, one to Harold McCoy in the second quarter and the other to Bill Messenheimer late in the game.
As had been the case so often this season the Tigers found themselves in a hole early in the game and had to wage a desperate but not too successful battle in an effort to keep the Bulldogs out of pay territory.
McKinley received and on the first play of the game Pujazon running wide around his left end broke into the clear and dashed 32 yards to the Massillon 26 before being pulled to earth. The Tigers braced and Pujazon took to the air, his first attempt to hit Rawers being batted down. On his second try, which was fourth down, he tossed a long one toward Rawers but Luke leaped high into the air and grabbed the ball instead of batting it down. This was the first costly Tiger mistake as Luke was tackled on his 6 yard line. Had the ball been batted down the Tigers would have gained possession on their 27 yard line.
Then a 5-yard penalty for offside did not help them and Keller punted from behind his goal line to Pujazon who came roaring back to the Massillon 30 before being halted by this same Keller. Bill Gable dropped Smith for a loss of 6 but Lombardi crashed through the Massillon line and rambled to the 19 before being stopped. Pujazon made it a first down on the Massillon 17 but once again the Tigers stiffened and held. Then came the first of Pujazon’s 2 touchdown dashes. Taking the ball from center Joe faded back looking for a pass receiver. Finding none he set out toward the east side line and running like a scared rabbit dashed down the sideline and across the Massillon goal for Canton’s first touchdown. Several times it seemed as if a Tiger tackler would nail him but they all missed. Smith plunged across for the extra point. Poor Judgment The Tigers received and Keller ripped off a 15-yard gain through right tackle. Webb made 3 and Sedjo smashed for 6 but with third down coming up the Tigers gambled on a pass instead of a ground play and it failed. The decision to attempt to pass seemed like poor judgment, particularly at that stage of the game when their line plays were clicking.
Then with a yard to go it looked as if they were going to gamble on a plunge but Coach Kammer immediately sent in a substitute with instructions to punt. All season the Tigers have gambled on making that last yard on fourth down and all season they have lost. Kammer was not ready to give Canton the ball at midfield Saturday if he could help it.
Keller then punted and Pujazon was downed on the Canton 30. A short time later the Tigers got a break when Lombardi fumbled and Dick Ielsch pounced on the ball on Canton’s 20. The Tigers worked their way to Canton’s 25 and with fourth down coming up the locals took to the air and this time they ran into a bad break. McGuire pitched a perfect strike to Webb who was out in the open but the little Tiger halfback could not hold the ball and it fell to the ground. Had he held it, it might have resulted in a touchdown.
Early in the second quarter Keller had the experience of having a punt blocked for the first time this season. Bob Parks crashed through to block the kick and McCoy covered the ball on the Massillon 13.
A Canton chance to score, however, was wiped out when Korosedes fumbled on the second play and Cicchinelli covered on his 17. The Tigers offensive was checked and Keller then punted to Smith who was dropped in his tracks on Massillon’s own 47. Canton drew a 15-yard penalty for holding, putting the ball back on McKinley’s 41 but Pujazon tossed a lateral to Smith, and the dusky Bulldog flash broke into the clear and raced to Massillon’s 24 for a 35 yard gain. Pujazon made 8 in two plays. Lombardi fumbled but recovered and then Pujazon made it first down on the Massillon 12. Pujazon’s attempted pass to Rawers was batted down but Massillon was handed a 5 yard penalty for being offside. But once again the Tigers braced and took the ball on their 6.
Again Keller punted, Pujazon being downed on the Massillon 30. Two plays later he was injured and left the game. It was then Smith tossed a pass to McCoy good for 17 yards, taking the ball to the Massillon 8. Lombardi smashed for 3 and then Smith, running wide around his right end went over by a scant few inches for Canton’s second touchdown. Canton’s attempt to run the ball over failed and the Bulldogs were leading 13-0. Tiger Bid For Score Fails The Tigers, however, refused to concede a thing and late in the quarter again were within scoring distance when Korosedes fumbled and Brooks covered on the Canton 27. With time running out McGuire passes successfully to Gable for 7. A Keller to Gable pass failed and then Webb tossed to McGuire for 14 yards taking the ball to the Canton 6. Keller was turned loose on a dash at right end but was thrown for a 4 yard loss as the gun sounded, ending the half.
The Bulldogs threatened to turn the game into a rout in the third period by scoring twice in quick succession, their third touchdown coming on an unbroken march of 85 yards. Getting the ball on their 30 after a Keller punt the Bulldogs were handed a 15-yard penalty for clipping. Pujazon picked up 3 yards and then Smith turned loose another of his dazzling runs, breaking into the clear and streaking down the east side line to the Massillon 40 for a gain of 42 yards before being nailed by Gable. Pujazon and Korosedes picked up 6 in 2 plays and once again Smith went into high and this time raced around his right end to the Massillon 21 for 14 yards. Pujazon and Korosedes made 9 yards in 2 tries and then Pujazon tucked the leather under his arm and sprinted around his left end for 7 yards and the third Canton touchdown. Rawers placekicked the extra point. Just one play was needed for Canton’s fourth and last touchdown.
Once again the Tigers gambled in an effort to make a yard and first down and failed, the Bulldogs getting the ball on Massillon’s 49. And once again Mr. Smith went to town in a big way with the day’s most dazzling run for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Starting out around his right end, the Bulldog ace squirmed and fought his way into the open, shaking off a flock of Tiger tacklers. Then reversing his field he darted toward the west side of the gridiron and out sped the Tigers in a sizzling dash across the goal line. Again Rawers made good on his placekick to boost the Canton total to 27. Not So Golden Massillon, 0 Pos. McKinley, 27 Gable LE McCoy Ielsch LT Tucci Cicchinelli LG Belding Heltzel C Lilly Brooks RG Cobett Krisher RT Parks Luke RE Rawers Keller QB Lombardi McGuire LH Smith Webb RH Korosedes Sedjo FB Pujazon
Score by quarters: Bulldogs 7 6 14 0 27
Touchdowns: Bulldogs – Pujazon 2; Smith 2.
Points after touchdowns: Bulldogs – Smith (plunge); Rawers 2 (placekick).
Referee – Mobach. Umpire – Gross. Head Linesman – Brubaker. Field Judge – Shafer.
Statistics Mass. Can. Total first downs 8 11 Yards gained by rushing 89 335 Yards lost by rushing 21 21 Net yards gained rushing 68 314 Forward passes attempted 18 7 Forward passes completed 6 2 Yard gained by passing 74 31 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 142 345 Passed had intercepted 3 2 Number of punts 6 3 Average distance of punts 36 22 Number of kickoffs 2 6 Average distance, kickoffs 27 40 Number of fumbles 1 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 1 Number penalties against unreadable Yards lost on penalty unreadable
Last Meeting Of Tiger Boosters
The final regular Tiger Booster club meeting of the 1944 football season will be held this evening at 8 o’clock in Washington high school auditorium.
Coach Elwood Kammer’s report on the Tiger-Bulldog battle last Saturday will highlight the program.
The annual Tiger banquet and show will be held at Washington high school Tuesday, Dec. 5. Clark Shaughnessy, Pittsburgh Panther coach, will be the principal speaker.
Tigers Turn Back Akron Central 13-7 In Muddy Battle
KELLER AND WEB SHINE ON OFFENSE
Don McGuire Does Good Job Of Tossing Aerials As 16,000 Brave Rain To See Rubber Bowl Clash; Wildcats Tally On Pass Late In Game
By FRED J. BECKER
Mired in the mud and set back on their haunches by a determined and plucky foe when within sight of pay dirt in the first half, the Washington high school Tigers Friday night unleashed sufficient power in the last 2 periods to tally twice to conquer the Akron Central Wildcats in a rain-soaked battle in the Akron Rubber Bowl. And it’s a good thing Coach Elwood Kammer’s warriors managed to smash into the Promised Land twice because the never-say-die Rubber City lads uncorked a spectacular aerial attack in the dying minutes of the combat to score. The final count was 13 to 7 in favor of the orange and black.
Playing in the rain and on a muddy, slippery field for the first time this season, the Tigers, by dint of hard plugging, emerged triumphant in their ninth combat of the 1944 campaign and come up to their final battle of the season with Canton McKinley here next Saturday with a record of 7 wins against 2 losses. Second Tiger Teams to Play In Bowl A crowd of more than 17,000 persons braved threatening weather and then sat through a hard downpour during the second period and part of the halftime intermission to watch the Tigers and Wildcats stage their ding-dong battle and to cheer the Akronites for the determined and plucky fight they waged against the Massillon invaders.
It was the second time a Washington high school team has played in Akron’s spacious Rubber Bowl. In 1940 the Tigers walloped Alliance’s Aviators on the Rubber City battleground before more than 26,000 spectators. Wildcats Prove Tough Although they out-gained their opponents by a wide margin and held command of the battle at all stages with the exception of the brief point-producing flurry the Wildcats uncorked near the close of the game, the Tigers found it mighty hard to cover ground once inside Akron Central’s 20 yard line and not until the third quarter were they able to carry the ball across the Wildcats’ goal line.
Twice Co-Captain Glenn Keller planted the ball behind the Wildcats’ goal line once in the third period and again early in the fourth quarter. Both times he negotiated the scores on wide sweeps around his left end.
Akron Central’s touchdown came late in the game on a forward pass from Drumm to Liddle from the 1-yard line after 2 brilliantly executed aerials had taken the ball from Massillon’s 42 to the 5 with the Akronites uncorking the touchdown pass on fourth down with a yard to go.
The crowd was the largest ever to see an Akron high school football team perform in Akron and the fans, particularly those from the Rubber City, had plenty to cheer about as the Wildcats turned back all Tiger scoring attempts in the first half and then came back with a drive of their own in the closing minutes that produced Central’s lone touchdown and made the duel a much more closely contested affair than most of the fans thought they would see when they braved last night’s inclement weather to journey to the Rubber Bowl.
Rolling up 11 first downs to 4 for the Akronites, Coach Kammer’s lads held a wide edge on the Wildcats in ground gained. The Tigers had a gross yardage of 226 with a loss of 14 for a net of 212 yards. They rolled up 148 yards in the first half but never got nearer to scoring than the 12 yard line. Akron Central had a gross yardage of 107, with a loss of 24 for a net of 83 yards.
In forward passing the Wildcats amassed more yardage than the Tigers, completing 6 tosses out of 11 for 72 yards. The Massillonians tried 8 aerials, completed 5 for 58 yards and had on intercepted.
Despite the muddy field and wet ball, fumbles were not numerous, the Tigers dropping the leather 4 times and recovering 3 of their bobbles, while Akron fumbled but once, the Tigers recovering. Darrah Replaces Bonk A last-minute switch in the Tiger lineup because of the inability of Fred Bonk, regular orange and black center to play, forced Coach Kammer to send Merle Darrah, a sophomore, in at center and the youngster turned in a fine job after a rather wobbly start. He played a bang up defensive game and his passing from center improved steadily throughout the combat.
The Tiger line outplayed the Akron Central forward wall consistently, particularly when the local team was on defense, halting most of Akron’s ground gaining attempts but on offense the orange and black forwards were bothered quite a lot by the determined fight put up by the Wildcats.
Offensively Glenn Keller and Bert Webb carried the mail for the Tigers with the big Massillon co-captain doing an exceedingly good job of advancing the ball for long gains on wide sweeps around the Akron flanks. Webb also flashed to some good yardage on end sweeps. Don McGuire showed improvement in tossing forward passes and was on the starting end of several well executed Massillon aerials.
Charles Drumm, Akron Central’s All-Akron halfback and one of the team’s veteran backfield aces, was the standout performer for the Wildcats. He did a good job of plowing through the mud and was on the pitching end of Central’s aerial attack that gave the Wildcats their lone touchdown.
The Tigers twice were turned back in the first half when it seemed they were bound for touchdowns. In the first quarter Keller punted to Drumm who fumbled and Bill Gable and Bob Heltzel pounced on the ball on Akron’s 35. Keller and Webb lugged the ball to the Akron 12, Keller making 20 on an end sweep but there the Massillon attack bogged down and the Tigers surrendered the ball. Tigers Checked On 12 Getting the ball on the Akron 46 after Joe Bearer had punted for Central, the Tigers started another march late in the first quarter and early in the second period were again on the Akron 12 but once again they were destined to lose the ball when the Wildcats dug in and stopped Keller inches short of a first down.
Then Bearer got away a beautiful quick kick which sent the ball back to Massillon’s 28 but once again the Tiger offense functioned and the Bengals moved back deep into Akron territory. This advance was featured by a 20 yard dash by Webb and a 19-yard Cary to Gable pass that put the ball on Central’s 22. Don Sedjo clipped off 5 to the 16 but time expired before the Tigers could get any farther.
It did not take the Massillonians long to smash into the scoring column in the third period. After an exchange of punts the Tigers took the ball on their 43 yard line. Webb skirted left end for 7 and the Tigers picked up 15 additional yards when Central drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness, putting the ball on Akron’s 36. From here Coach Kammer’s lads began an unbroken march that was to produce their first touchdown in 10 plays.
McGuire dashed around right end for 3 and then tossed a pass to Sedjo for 11 yards. Keller and Sedjo picked up 8 yards in 3 plays and then Webb breezed around left end for a first down to Akron’s 12. Sedjo made a yard on a line plunge but was injured and replaced by Junie Pedrotty. A McGuire to Keller pass picked up 6 yards and put the leather on the Akron 5. Pedrotty went off left tackle for a yard and Keller, running wide at left end, steamed across the goal line for Massillon’s first points. A McGuire to Pedrotty pass brought the additional point. Keller Scores Again The second Massillon touchdown came much more quickly, only 2 plays being required to carry the ball across from the 20 yard line. Bearer punted from behind his goal line and Webb took the ball on Akron’s 40 and lugged it back to the 20 on a neat return. McGuire again unlimbered his pitching arm and tossed a pass to Webb, good for 9 yards and on the next play Keller tucked the ball under his arm and sprinting wide around left end never stopped until he had battered his way across the Wildcat goal line. Keller’s attempted placekick failed.
Thirteen points behind and with time running out fast, the Wildcats continued to battle with all they had and their plucky fight finally was rewarded with a touchdown.
When Jim Widican intercepted a McGuire pass on the Massillon 42 the stage was set for Central’s touchdown drive. Drumm flipped a pass to left end Jim Dyer for 8 yards and Bearer smashed through the line for a first down. Then the Wildcats who had flashed tricky offensive formations several times during the game, uncorked their best scoring threat of the contest. Drumm took the ball from center and fading back, very cleverly pulled the entire Tiger team to one side of the field. While this was going on quarterback John Stierl slipped far out into the open on the opposite side of the gridiron and Drumm heaved a long aerial that nestled in his arms. With a clear field ahead of him Stierl set out for the Massillon goal line but was finally overhauled on the 5 yard stripe. The aerial was good for a 25 yard gain and put the Wildcats in scoring position for the first time during the battle.
Three plunges into the line took the ball to the 1 yard line and then Drumm uncorked a nigty pass which Liddle snared behind the Tiger goal line for Central’s set of counters. Drumm added the extra point on a successful placekick.
The game ended a few seconds later with Massillon in possession of the ball on the Tiger 45. Bulldogs Next Massillon, 13 Pos. Central, 7 Gable LE Dyer Ielsch LT Simpson Heltzel LG Buehrle Darrah C Jacquet Cicchinelli RG Fletcher Krisher RT Warren Luke RE Liddle Keller QB Stierl Cary LH Drumm Webb RH Haury Sedjo FB Bearer
Score by quarters: Massillon 0 0 7 6 13 Central 0 0 0 7 7
Touchdowns: Massillon – Keller 2. Central – Liddle.
Points after touchdowns: Massillon – Pedrotty (pass). Central – Drumm (placekick).
Referee – Boone. Umpire – Long. Head Linesman – Rupp. Umpire – Graff. Statistics Mass. Cen. Total first downs 11 4 Yards gained by rushing 168 35 Yards lost by rushing 14 24 Net yards gained rushing 154 11 Forward passes attempted 8 11 Forward passes completed 5 6 Yards gained by passing 58 72 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 212 82 Passes had intercepted 1 0 Number of punts 3 8 Average distance of punts 39 29 Number of kickoffs 3 2 Average distance kickoffs 35 26 Number of fumbles 4 1 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 1 Number penalties against 4 3 Yards lost by penalties 20 25
Tiger-Bulldog Game A Sellout
Here’s a bit of information for football fans who would like to see next Saturday’s Tiger-Canton McKinley Bulldog game at Tiger stadium and as yet have no ticket.
It will do you no good to go to Tiger stadium next Saturday. The ticket windows will not be opened because there will be no tickets to sell. All ducats for the game were sold 2 weeks ago and every available inch of seating space is gone. The only chance you have to see the game is to pick up a ticket from someone who, at the last minute, will be unable to attend.
All service men and women in uniform will be admitted free. They are to enter the stadium at gate 2.
Incidentally, Faculty Athletic Manager E.S. Ackley and Faculty Ticket Manager Russell B. Zepp are going to have pretty much of a holiday next Saturday for the first time this fall. With no tickets to sell they will have the afternoon to themselves and hope to be able to see a game from start to finish, something that happens only once in a long time.
Washington High’s Gridders Score First Points Of Season On Aerial Heaves As They Conquer Sturdy Foe; Keller Shines As Punter
By FRED J. BECKER The Tiger is still alive, believe it or not.
He took quite a kicking around a week ago from Warren but he bounced back off the ropes Friday night out at Tiger stadium and, uncorking a few knockout drops, bowled over Canton Timken’s Trojans 26-7 for his sixth triumph of the 1944 campaign against 2 defeats. It was Timken’s third reverse in 8 battles. 1943 Attendance Mark Passes
Program Cover
The visiting gladiators discovered early that Coach Elwood Kammer’s Washington high Tigers still have quite a wallop left and a rather surprisingly large outpouring of fans, estimated at over 12,000, learned that the Tigers may be knocked groggy one week but still can snap out of it and come bounding back to administer punishment to a foe which had been nursing the idea it might take its place alongside Cleveland Cathedral Latin and Warren as conquerors of the orange and black.
The big turnout Friday night is convincing evidence that the fans must like the Tigers stadium show and with 8 games under their belts the Tigers already have attracted more spectators than they did in 10 games a year ago and still have 2 games to go.
Timken Proves Sturdy Foe In taking the measure of Timken’s Trojans for the second straight year, the Tigers marched to victory over and through a rugged, hard fighting aggregation, a team that never quit trying and which late in the game saw its determined efforts to score rewarded with a touchdown. Once before, in the second quarter, the Trojans had made a bid for a touchdown, working the ball to the 3 yard line but their hopes went glimmering when the Tigers intercepted a pass.
Showing an improvement in their tackling and with the line showing decidedly more prowess, both on offense and defense, than it did a week ago against Warren’s Presidents, the Tigers last night held a decided advantage over the Trojans in all departments of the game except one. The visitors were about even with the orange and black in forward passing but the Tigers last night accomplished something they had not been able to do before this season – score points on a forward pass. Last night they made 2 of their touchdowns via the aerial route.
In addition to installing Gene Krisher, young sophomore, at right tackle, Coach Kammer also made a change in his defensive lineup, sending Co-Captain Glenn Keller from linebacker to right end and pulling Bob Heltzel out of the line and installing him as a linebacker. The switch worked well with both Keller and Heltzel playing bang up defensive games. Co-Captain Bill Gable, Tom Brooks, another sophomore, Fred Bonk Dick Ielsch and Krisher also played strong defensive games. Wilmer Luke, in the secondary on defense, also did a good job in breaking up a lot of Timken’s passes.
Offensively Keller, Bert Webb, Don McGuire, Don Sedjo and Junie Pedrotty were consistent ground gainers with Webb scoring one touchdown and being on the tossing end of the aerial heaves that produced 2 others, Luke and Pedrotty being the receivers who scampered across the goal line after taking Webb’s tosses. Paul Cary scored Massillon’s first touchdown in the opening quarter.
The Trojans came to town last night with a boy in their lineup by the name of Calvin (Red) Moore, who in addition to his other qualifications as a football star, was labeled one of the best high school punters in the state.
Well, Moore does right well as a kicked but when it come to booting he has to take his hat off to Massillon’s sturdy southpaw hoofer, Glenn Keller. Keller never expected to become a punter but when Vic Turkall sustained an injured ankle in the Alliance game the job fell to the Tiger Co-Captain and ever since he has been doing a swell job. Last night he punted 3 times and his kicks averaged slightly better than 50 yards, which is not bad punting in anyone’s league. Some Punt Keller’s best kick came in the second quarter when the Tigers stopped Timken on their 3 yard line. Standing behind his own goal Keller got away a beautiful kick that went to Canton’s 29-yard line.
It traveled 68 yards from the line of scrimmage and the kick was good for almost 80 yards from the point where Keller applied his foot to the leather.
The statistics gave the Tigers a wide margin over the Trojans in everything except forward passes. The orange and black made 14 first downs to 6 for the visitors. The Tigers had a gross yardage gain of 367 with a loss of 24 for a net of 343 yards while Timken had a gross of 162 with a 10-yard loss for a net of 152.
The Tigers tried 14 passes and completed 5 for 118 yards, 2 of them producing touchdowns. One Massillon pass was intercepted. Timken tossed 12 aerials, completing 5 for 101 yards with 1 intercepted. A long pass set up Timken’s touchdown in the final quarter.
The Tigers knocked twice at the touchdown door early in the first quarter before gaining admission. With Timken kicking off Kammer’s lads hammered the ball down the field to the Trojan’s 14 yard line only to lose it when Cary missed a first down by 6 inches.
A holding penalty set the Trojans back to their 5 from where Moore punted to Cary on the 50 and the Tiger halfback lugged the ball back to the 40 before being tackled. Then Cary slipped around his right end on a neat run for 18 yards and Webb followed with a dash around left end good for 9 before he was run out of bounds. This put the ball on Canton’s 13 from where Cary hit the line for a first down to the 12. A 5-yard penalty for man in motion pushed the Tigers back but Cary skirted right end for 9 to the 6, Sedjo cracked the line for 3 and with fourth down coming up Cary went through right tackle and across for the first Massillon touchdown. He added the extra point on a dash through the visitors.
A few minutes later the Tigers were back on the Canton 20 but lost the ball on downs when Cary with 2 yards to pick up, was tossed for a 5-yard loss. Timken got nowhere in its offensive attempts and Moore punted to Cary who was downed on the 40. A Webb to Cary pass netted 18 yards and put the ball on Canton’s 22 but here the Tiger machine sputtered and miss fired on 4 straight attempts to score through the air and Timken took over the ball. Timken Checked on 3 Yard Line Starting from their own 28 yard line, Timken launched its first determined drive for a touchdown moving the ball deep into Massillon territory. Stan, Neago and Kraft alternated in lugging the ball and then Stan heaved a long pass to Kraft which was good for 31 yards and took the ball to the Massillon 12. A series of line plays and a Stan-Logan pass put the ball almost on Massillon’s goal line but the Trojans were penalized 5 on a substitution play for delaying the game. Stan then attempted a short pass over the line but McGuire pulled it down on his 3 yard line to end the Timken scoring threat.
It was then that Keller got away his spectacular punt for 68 yards and Canton again found itself deep in its own territory. Moore punted to McGuire who was downed on the Massillon 47. McGuire then tossed a pass to Pedrotty good for 15 but the play was called back because Pedrotty caught the ball after Bill Gable, the intended receiver, had touched it first but failed to hold it. This however did not stop the Tigers and the next play produced one of the highlights of the game as well as Massillon’s first touchdown of the season on a forward pass.
Webb dropped back and shot a long pass toward Luke, well down the field. Kraft hit the ball in an attempt to break up the pass but, much to his disgust, he helped set the stage for the Tiger score. Kraft knocked the ball into the air and when it came down toward earth there was tall, lanky Luke running for dear life toward the Timken goal. All Mr. Luke had to do was to wrap his hands around the ball, which he promptly did, and without slowing down a bit continued his touchdown romp unmolested. The gain was good for 53 yards. Keller added the extra point on a placekick.
The third Massillon touchdown came early in the third quarter and the Tigers traveled 34 yards to 4 plays. Gaining possession of the ball on the Canton 34, Webb made 2 at left end after Dan Byelene and Featheringham had failed to connect on a forward pass attempt. Then McGuire tossed a good one to Gable which netted 12 yards and took the ball to the Canton 20 from where Webb set his educated dogs into motion and on a sweep around left end ran the remaining 20 for the touchdown. Massillon’s attempt to convert on a pass failed.
Late in the third quarter the Tigers were again touchdown bound. Keller and Pedrotty on sweeps and line plays along with a Webb-McGuire pass for 14 yards took the ball to Timken’s 8 but here Keller fumbled and Piatt covered for the Trojans. Pedrotty Scores On Pass The visitors, however, were forced to punt and once again the Tiger scoring machine moved into high gear. Getting the ball on Massillon’s 45 Keller clipped off 18 on a neat end run and Webb followed suit with another end sweep good for 16 yards to put the ball on the Canton 20. Here Webb and Pedrotty combined forces on an aerial. Bert tossed to Junie who took the ball out in the clear and scampered 20 yards for Massillon’s fourth set of counters. Cary’s attempted place kick failed.
A pass interception late in the period paved the way for Canton’s lone touchdown. Tomsho pulled down Cary’s pass on his 40. Meolo who had replaced Neago when the latter was injured, tossed to Stan for 20 yards, putting the ball on the Massillon 40. Then Moore tried a heave to Logan, which Luke knocked down. Moore, however, came right back to try another and this time he uncorked a long one which Stan and 2 Tiger players battled for right on the goal line. Stan came out the winner. He grabbed the ball as the Tigers attempted to knock it down and then held on to it as a Tiger vainly attempted to pull it out of his hands. Stan was downed a half yard from the line and the play was good for 37 yards. On their third attempt to pierce the Tigers line Stan went over from Timken’s lone touchdown and Moore added the extra point from placekick. The Right Way Massillon, 26 Pos. Timken, 7 Gable LE Moore Ielsch LT Leppka Heltzel LG Sweitzer Bonk C Tomsho Brooks RG Pont Krisher RT Van Horn Luke RE Logan Keller QB Colaner Cary LH Kraft Webb RH Stan Sedjo FB Neago
Referee – McAfee. Umpire – Long. Head Linesman – Lobach. Field Judge – Shafer. Statistics Mass. Timken Total first downs 14 6 Yards gained by rushing 249 51 Yards lost by rushing 24 10 Net yards gained, rushing 235 41 Forward passes attempted 14 12 Forward passes completed 5 5 Yards gained by passing 118 101 Total net yardage rushing and passing 243 152 Passes had intercepted 1 1 Number of punts 3 7 Average distance of punts 54 36 Number of kickoffs 4 2 Average distance, kickoffs 23 25 Number of fumbles 3 1 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 1 Number penalties against 6 2 Yards lost by penalties 50 20
Powerful, Speedy Trumbull County Outfit Packs Too Much Stuff For Heavily Outweighed Massillonians’ 20,000 See Contest
By FRED J. BECKER
It was again safe to walk the streets of Massillon this morning – those big, bad Presidents of Warren high school had left town and returned to their haunts over in Trumbull county. We took a look at those big fellows from eastern Ohio Friday night when they were turned loose in Tiger stadium and we hope we don’t have to look at them again for a long, long time. Gosh, now we know why chills run up and down the spines of Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs and their followers every time some one mentions the name Warren. Awful feeling, isn’t it?
Those big, bad fellows from Warren didn’t do right by our little Washington high school Tigers last night. They messed up our Tigers something terrible and transformed them from a snarling, ferocious jungle cat into a meek, badly mauled little pussy cat. Capacity Crowd Sees Tigers Lose They just can’t do that to our Tigers, we said, but they did to the tune of 32-12 inflicting on the orange and black its worst defeat since the close of the 1942 season when the Canton Bulldogs came to Massillon and chalked up a 35-0 triumph. It was Massillon’s second reverse of the 1944 campaign, Cleveland Cathedral Latin’s Lions humbling the local lads 6-0 in the second game of the season.
More than 20,000 fans jammed their way into every available inch of seating space in Tiger stadium last night. It was the biggest crowd to see an Ohio high school football game this fall. And what a football team they saw in action – meaning those big, rugged, speedy Presidents. Warren Has Power Coach J. O. (Henie) Beck’s gridders invaded Massillon with a record of 4 victories, a defeat and a tie.
And after watching them do a workmanlike job of taking the Tigers apart we wonder how any team ever tied the Presidents, let alone defeat them. Campbell Memorial tied Warren 13-13 just a week ago and early in the season Cleveland East Tech scored a 13-7 victory over them. The Presidents must have been well fed and in a rather playful mood those 2 nights. They were anything but playful last night and Coach Elwood Kammer’s Tigers didn’t have what it takes to stop a team as good as the Presidents were last night.
Big and powerful, with speed that was amazing, those Trumbull county gridders scattered Massillon’s badly outweighed but game as they make’em little youngsters all over the gridiron as easily as a tornado knocks over everything in its path.
Smashing through and around the Tigers with the speed of lightning and the power of a block buster, the Warren aggregation rolled to 5 touchdowns, scoring in every quarter, once in the first, twice in the second ,and once in each the third and fourth periods. It was not until the fourth quarter that the Tigers even came near the Warren goal and in that final hectic stanza they punched out a pair of touchdowns for themselves to gain some measure of consolation out of the rout.
In sweeping to that 32-12 conquest of the Tigers, Warren scored its first points against a Massillon team since 1937 and chalked up its first victory in the Tiger-President rivalry since 1932. Warren has experienced many long, lean years since way back in 1932 but this victory they scored last night makes up for all the pushing around they have taken in recent years.
This year is also the first time since 1933 that Massillon has lost more than one game in a season. Back in 1933 Barberton and Canton McKinley inflicted defeats on the Tigers. The orange and black lost one game in 1934, that to Canton McKinley and then went undefeated until 1937 when New Castle, Pa., turned the trick and Mansfield was able to gain a tie. From then on until 1941 the Tigers had nothing but victories but in that season Mansfield again managed to tie the locals and in 1942 Canton McKinley chalked up its resounding 35-0 triumph. Now comes 1944 and in 7 games the Tigers find themselves on the short end twice with the annual duel with the Bulldogs still 3 weeks away. Four Defeats In 97 Games Since 1935 the Tigers have played 97 games and 93 of them have been Massillon victories. The record shows but 4 defeats and 2 ties over that span of years.
A good big fellow is always better than a good little fellow and that was the case out at Tiger stadium last night. The Warren Presidents were the good big fellows and the Tigers were the good little fellows and there wasn’t much anyone could do to avert the beating the orange and black soaked up. They were just outclassed. The President’s had just too much stuff. The Tigers made a fight of it al the way but they needed many more pounds of weight and speed that was comparable to that unleashed by the fleet-footed, hard driving Presidents.
You can’t take anything away from the Warren gridders. Any team that plays football the way they played it last night deserves to win. They had everything and they were a much more formidable looking ball club than Cathedral Latin’s Lions who blasted out a 6-0 verdict over the Tigers earlier in the campaign.
With a hard, fast charging line that ripped the Tiger forward wall to shreds, particularly in the first half, Warren’s speedy, hard hitting ball toters had nothing to do but race through the holes they found in Massillon’s defense and keep on running until some member of Massillon’s secondary caught up with them and finally succeeded in bringing them down.
Warren’s line spelled the difference between victory and defeat. It gave a great exhibition of how a line should perform and out played the Tiger forwards at most every stage of the game. Outstanding for the Presidents were Dan Bevan and John Stocz, a pair of giant tackles and Jack Polena at center. Star Ball Luggers And don’t forget those Warren ball luggers, Leonard Corbia, giant Negro end, who runs with the speed of the wind once he’s out in the open, twice breezed by the Tigers as if they were standing still on long romps across the Massillon goal. He was ably aided and abetted by Captain Ed Kvesich, a rugged, smashing fullback, seldom stopped without gain and Don Spencer, a crafty halfback who knows how to pick’em up and lay’em down and who can shit and dart like nobody’s business.
The only thing the Tigers had last night that prevented the contest, from becoming a shambles was a forward passing attack which was better than any they have shown at any other time this season. Without that aerial threat the Presidents might still be running up touchdowns.
After a bad showing in the first half, the Tigers pulled themselves together and made it a ballgame in the last two periods.
But Warren with a 3 touchdown lead, amassed in the first two quarters, was too far ahead and too rugged for the orange and black to overcome.
The Tigers tried hard and gave everything they had but just didn’t have enough ammunition to halt the invaders. If the Tiger line could have played on more even terms with Warren’s big forwards and if the orange and black’s tackling had been better it might have made some difference on the final result. Massillon’s interference and blocking also was conspicuous by its absence. Warren’s big forwards came roaring through the line before the Tigers could even form any sort of protection for their ball carriers.
Although the Tigers were handed a crushing defeat the statistics do not show them too badly outplayed not nearly as badly as the score would indicate.
Warren made 14 first downs to 10 for the Tigers. The invaders had a gross gain of 382 yards from all types of plays with a loss of 14 for a net of 368 yards. The Tigers had a gross yardage of 225 with a loss of 27, leaving them a net of 208. Tiger Aerial Game Clicks The Tigers tried 15 passes and completed 7 for 124 yards with 2 intercepted, one of the interceptions giving Warren a touchdown. Warren tried but 3 passes and completed 2 for 18 yards.
The first time Warren secured possession of the ball it was plain to be seen that the Tigers really had something on their hands in trying to stop that withering Warren running attack.
The first Warren touchdown came about midway in the opening quarter and the Presidents moved 44 yards without a break in only 6 plays.
Gaining the ball on Massillon’s 44 following a punt, Kvesich lugged the leather to Massillon’s 10 in 3 plays. An offside penalty set the Presidents back to the 15 but Kvesich smashed to the 9 and then smashed right through center and over for Warren’s first set of counters. Spencer missed the try for extra point from placement.
Warren’s second touchdown came much quicker than the first, only one play being required, that an end around sweep he dashed into the open behind fine interference and then outraced the Tigers in a sizzling romp of 45 yards and a touchdown. This time Spencer made good on his placekick and Warren was leading by 13 points. Turning Point Of Game What might be considered the turning point of the ball game occurred just as the second quarter ended. Another fumble by Williams gave Massillon the ball on its 32. The Tigers made a first down and then Paul Cary tossed an 18 yard pass to Wilmer Luke to put the bal on Warren’s 25 but here the Tiger attack bogged down and Warren gained possession of the ball. The orange and black this time managed to check the Warren charge and Spencer punted to Massillon’s 47. Cary tossed a pass to Webb for 19 yards putting the ball on Warren’s 34 and then tried it again but this time his heave was wide of the mark.
Spencer intercepted the ball on his 5 and running craftily behind hastily formed but effective interference raced 95 yards down the west sideline and across the Massillon goal for Warren’s third touchdown. Again Spencer failed to convert.
The play was one of those important breaks which often spells the difference between victory and defeat. Had Cary’s pass gone to Webb, its intended receiver, it would have meant a touchdown for the Tigers because Bert was well out in the open and only a few yards from pay dirt. As it was the pass was intercepted by Spencer and he converted it into a touchdown for Warren.
The third quarter was unusual in that Massillon had possession of the ball for only one play but still managed to keep the Presidents from scoring more than one touchdown. The invaders, however, were in Massillon territory most of the time. A Warren touchdown was averted when Luke intercepted a pass on his goal line and Keller kicked out from behind the line but the Tigers couldn’t keep Warren away from pay dirt all the time and late in the period the Presidents traveled 58 yards in 8 plays for their fourth score, the points coming when Spencer tossed a short pass to Williams from the 10 yard line with Williams going over. Spencer again failed to convert. Tigers Finally Score The fourth quarter finally saw Massillon break into the scoring column. Trailing by 25 points the Tigers still fought a ding dong battle with the giant Presidents and when Coggins, a substitute back, fumbled on his 4 yard line Bill Gable pounced on the ball and Massilon was on the way to its first touchdown. Don Sedjo, who had replaced Pedrotty in the second quarter and who hammered out some consistent gains through the Warren line, was called upon to carry the ball and he rammed through right tackle and across for the Tigers first points. He failed, however, on a plunge for the extra point.
But Warren was not yet through scoring, particularly the fleet-footed Mr. Corbin. Getting the ball on their 36 yard line after the kick off which went out of bounds the Presidents moved 64 yards in 4 plays. Spencer and Kvesich picked up a first down and then Kvesich was tossed for a 4 yard loss. On that next play Corbin was given the ball on his specialty, an end around and how he went around that end just like something shot out of a cannon and the next time the Tigers caught up with him he was back of their goal line. The run was good for 58 yards.
But the Tigers came right back to score their second touchdown. They took the kickoff on their 44 where it went out of bounds and showed the fans still remaining in the stands they also could march, traveling 56 yards in 6 plays for a touchdown.
Webb flipped a pass to Sedjo for 14 yards. Cary tossed one to Luke for 31 yards, Luke going to the 8 before being downed. Sedjo and Cary then alternated in ramming the Warren line and on the fourth play Cary went over from the 6-inch line for the score. Webb’s attempt to run the ball over for the extra point failed and the score stood 32-12 Warren. This One Hurts Massillon, 12 Pos. Warren, 32 Gable LE Corbin Green LT Bevan Heltzel LG Cupples Bonk C Polena Brooks RG Blakely Gibson RT Stocz Luke RE Nadar Keller QB Bollas Cary LH Spencer Webb RH Williams Pedrotty FB Kvesich
Referee – Lobach. Umpire – Rupp. Head Linesman – Groff. Field Judge – Shafer,
Statistics Mass. Warren Total first downs 10 14 Yards gained by rushing 101 364 Yards lost by rushing 27 14 Net yards gained by rushing 74 350 Forward passes attempted 15 3 Forward passes completed 7 2 Yards gained by passing 124 18 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 198 368 Passes had intercepted 2 0 Number of punts 4 2 Average distance of punts 37 35 Number of kickoffs 3 5 Average distance, kickoffs 25 22 Number of fumbles 3 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 3 Number of penalties against 4 11 Yards lost by penalties 20 85
Glenn Keller Dashes Over For Touchdown Inflicting First Defeat On Tygers; Goal Line Stands Feature Thrilling Battle
By FRED J. BECKER
There are no longer any Ohio scholastic football championship dreams in Mansfield.
The mighty Richland county Tyger was knocked off its lofty perch among the state’s undefeated teams Friday night by the mightier Tiger from Washington high school, Massillon, by a 6-0 count before a tense, shouting mob of nearly 10,000 in the Mansfield stadium.
The battle between these gridiron Goliaths was everything it was expected to be – hard fought from start to finish, nerve-tingling, spectacular and replete with brilliant individual performances – a game that had the spectators on the edge of their seats every minute and one which might have flared into a wild conflagration at any moment but, fortunately, did not. Players, Fans Keyed to High Pitch That ball game last night had plenty of explosive qualities but the fuse was never touched off. Keyed to a high pitch by days of preparation for this all-important contest, players on both teams went into action with a do-or-die spirit and the result was one of the hardest fought and most tensely waged battles seen on any gridiron in a long time.
The spirit which imbued the players of both aggregations also manifested itself among the spectators and many a heart throbbed harder and faster than it has for a long time and many a nervous system was on the verge of complete collapse. Players and spectators alike were rather limp and weak when the tumult of battle ended. Big Assignment For Tigers Coach Elwood Kammer’s once-defeated Tigers invaded Mansfield last night to tangle with a vicious, hard hitting, clever Mansfield Tyger that had chalked up 5 straight victories and had become Ohio’s No. 3 schoolboy aggregation. It was the second important game away from home for the Tigers, in as many Friday nights, their first invasion being a week ago when they traveled to Alliance and knocked off the Aviators 27-0.
Trotting out upon the gridiron last night was the greatest high school team Mansfield has fielded in many a year – a team that possessed individual stars galore, a team that had weight, speed, deception – in fact everything, a first class football outfit should have. It had proved its prowess by running rough shod over 5 opponents. In Mansfield it was hailed as a potential champion but standing in its path to that coveted honor was an old and respected opponent – the Tigers of Massillon – and the hurdle proved too big for the Richland county boys. So today their dream of a state title was shattered and they were back in the also ran class – a mighty good team but still not good enough to be a champion.
Mansfield’s hopes for a state crown were blasted by what is probably the greatest fighting team in Washington high school’s history – an aggregation of just about the most courageous and plucky lads any coach would ever want – a team that does not know the meaning of the word defeat. And in addition to all these lion-hearted qualities the Tigers have something else – they are getting better every time they take the field.
Four weeks ago this Tiger team ran into a great Cathedral Latin outfit from Cleveland and lost 6-0 after a torrid scrap. The Tigers looked rather bad in spots in that encounter but their fighting spirit was always in evidence. The following week they bounced back from that loss to trim Canton Lincoln 12 to 0. They showed improvement over their play against Latin.
The next week they took on Steubenville and forged a 19-6 conquest. Again they showed improvement. A week ago they trimmed Alliance 27-0 and again their performance was better than the week before.
But last night these sturdy, fighting Tigers were better than at any time this season and they were rewarded with their greatest victory of the campaign – a 6-0 victory over a hitherto unbeaten Mansfield Tyger. And those Massillon kids just had to be better than at any other time this season. Had they not they probably would have been on the losing end for an aroused Mansfield team, seeing an opportunity to knock over the Massillonians for the first time in 9 years shot everything in its arsenal in a desperate but futile try for victory. Tigers Catch Fire In a ding-dong battle that saw each team in a brilliant goal line stand in the first half – Massillon early in the first period and Mansfield just before the gun sounded the end of second quarter – the old rivals fought up and down the gridiron without any decisive results but late in the third period the Tigers caught fire and began a brilliant and steady march toward the Mansfield goal – a march that was to reach its climax early in the fourth period when the orange and black smashed through the Mansfield defense to score the game’s only points.
That touchdown decided the issue in Massillon’s favor but there were many hectic moments between that time and the end of the game as a desperate and still hard fighting Mansfield team fought its heart out in a last ditch but futile effort to cross the orange and black goal line.
A great Mansfield team went down to its first defeat, conquered by a greater Massillon team. That Tiger outfit really played football last night – every minute of the way. No greater performance could be seen anywhere than that given by the Tiger line. It really came through when the chips were down and every boy on that forward wall deservers a hero’s status today. It took a mighty fine line to stop Mansfield’s brilliant backs and its clever and deceptive ball handling and the Tiger forwards were that kind of a line last night.
True the Tiger line did not stop all of Mansfield’s offensive thrusts. No line is good enough to stop a guy like Mike Zivkoff, Mansfield’s speed demon, all the time but when Mike blasted his way by the Tigers first line of defense there was the secondary and it arose to the occasion every time it was called upon and brought the elusive Zivkoff to earth before he could get into the open where he would have been mighty hard to catch. This Tiger secondary also did a swell job of stopping Mansfield’s aerial attack, so swell in fact that the Tygers completed but one lone forward pass during the entire game.
Offensively the Tigers found it a mighty difficult task to gain ground consistently against the rugged Mansfield defense which successfully blocked all Massillon’s offensive efforts until that third and fourth quarter march which found the Tigers putting everything they had into a drive that was to pay off in a well-deserved victory.
But there was one lad in the Massillon lineup last night who sparked the Tigers to their great victory. Mansfield has its Zivkoff – and he’s a mighty sweet performer – but we’ll put our money on a dark haired, slightly built youngster by the name of Paul (Chick) Cary, a Tiger sophomore. Cary Sparks Victory March All season there has been talk about the potential brilliance wrapped up in this little, quiet spoken chap. However, it never flared into the open until last night but it came at a time when the Tigers needed it most and it paid off in a handsome dividend. It was Cary, who sparked the Tigers in their touchdown march. He’s a lot of football player, is this lad. If you don’t believe it just ask Mansfield. He was in the Tygers hair aplenty and his great offensive performance stood out head and shoulders over the best Mansfield could offer.
Fast and a hard runner, Cary time after time blasted his way right through the center of the Mansfield line for sizeable gains when carrying along 3 or 4 Tyger tacklers for several yards before being brought down. Cary went into the game in the first quarter replacing Vic Turkall when Vic’s bad ankle was wrenched again and he was forced to leave the game. And from then on he was poison to the Tygers.
Ably supporting little Chick were Co-Captain Glenn Keller who scored Massillon’s winning touchdown but who was knocked out in doing so and forced to leave the game, Bert Webb, another great little competitor if there ever was one who performed in great style in a defensive role and Junie Pedrotty, Keller sustained a severe bump on the back of the head as he lunged across the Mansfield goal and had to be assisted from the field. He was O.K. however, when the game was over.
On the line Co-Captain Bill Gable, Bob Heltzel, Fred Bonk, Jim Gibson, Dick Ielsch and Wilmer Luke distinguished themselves by their great playing. Gene Krisher, with his left arm in a cast because of a broken bone sustained in the Alliance game, played most of the contest but his injury reduced his effectiveness.
An injury forced Ielsch out of the contest late in the game and his place was taken by Bernie Green and here was another lad who distinguished himself in the short time he was in the battle. We’ll wager Mr. Green will be heard from again before the season is over. If statistics decided ball games then Mansfield would have won last night’s game but its’ points they pay off on and the Tigers had the points. Mansfield can have the edge on statistics if that’s any consolation to the Tygers. Mansfield Lead In Statistics The first half in particular saw the Richland county lads pile up a great margin on the orange and black in first downs and yardage. The battle, however, took on a more even aspect in the second half as the Massillonians more than held their own with their western Ohio foes.
Mansfield chalked up a total of 9 first downs to 5 for Massillon. The Tygers had a gross yardage of 211 with a loss of 23 for a net of 188 yards. The Tigers had a gross of 150 with a loss of 14 for a net of 136.
The Mansfield outfit tried 12 forward passes and completed but one for 5 yards. They were supposed to be exceptionally strong in this department but their ace passer, Ollie Cline, a slim Negro lad, was not hitting any bulls eyes last night. Massillon tried 9 passes and completed 5 for a total of 33 yards.
It was a game marked by numerous penalties as officials sought to keep the battle under control. Criticism of the officials was heard from both the Massillon and Mansfield camps and the penalties they inflicted halted marches by both teams on numerous occasions. Mansfield hired only 3 officials and the game again indicated that such a contest as the one last night needs 4 officials if it is to be properly handled. We believe they tried to do a good job and some of the lapses of which they were accused might have been averted had another official been on the field.
A total of 18 penalties were called by the officials, 5 against Massillon for a total of 70 yards and 10 against Mansfield for a 90 yard total.
Massillon fumbled 3 times and recovered twice. Mansfield had 5 bobbles and recovered 3 of them.
The Tigers’ march which brought victory to the orange and black started late in the third quarter and saw the Massillonians rushing the ball 47 yards without a break and across the Mansfield goal.
Bill Dent, Mansrfield back, punted to Bert Webb who took the leather and raced it back 18 yards to Mansfield’s 42. On the first play following the punt Massillon was penalized 5 back to the 47 for being offside. Tigers In High Gear Then the Tiger machine moved into high gear with Cary at the throttle. Cary smashed through the center of the line for 10 and came back on the next play for 4 more. Pedrotty slashed off right tackle and a first down on Mansfield’s 27.
Webb hit the line for 4 and Cary picked up another 4 but the officials ruled a Massillon back in motion and the Tigers were set back 5 yards. With second down and 11 to go Cary tossed a pass to Pedrotty for 6 yards. Webb skirted left end for 3 and then Cary lugged the leather right through the Mansfield team and down to the 13 yard line for a first down. He came right back with another smash good for 8 yards to put the ball on Mansfield’s 6 as the quarter ended.
It was second down coming up with 2 to go. Cary picked up one of these yards at right tackle and then Glenn Keller tucked the leather under his arm and running wide at left end behind good interference raced the remaining distance for the touchdown, going over in the corner of the field. He was hurt on this play and Alex Giloff replaced him. Cary’s attempted placekick was blocked by Dominic Musille and covered by Ivan Wallington, Mansfield left end.
Then began the most hectic period of the game as Mansfield turned loose everything in its bag of tricks in a final desperate effort to at least tie the score. Only the stout hearted playing of the orange and black prevented the Tygers from achieving their goal.
Late in the game Zivkoff ripped off a brilliant 19 yard gain that took the ball to the Massillon 22 from where the Tygers drove to the Massillon 6. But here Jim Hahn, hard hitting Mansfield fullback, fumbled on a smash into the line and Bob Heltzel pounced on the leather on Massillon’s 14 yard line and the Tyger scoring threat was erased.
Right at the outset of the game Mansfield opened up with a devastating running attack, spearheaded by the fleet Zivkoff, that drove the Tigers right back to the shadow of their goal line. But the Tigers had what it takes and repelled the threat. It was no new experience for Kammer’s lads. They have faced similar situations before.
This courageous Tiger stand was really the turning point of the game. Mansfield put everything it had in thus offensive thrust and when it was smashed by the Massillonians it proved to the Tygers that they were up against something they had never faced before this season.
The Tygers took a punt by Vic Turkall on their own 42 and marched it right down the field with Zivkoff, Cline and Musille steadily slashing their way through the Tigers’ defense. Finally Zivkoff made it a first down for Mansfield on the Massillon 4. Here it was the Tigers dug in and repelled the next 4 Tyger attempts to cover the coveted 4 yards. Tygers Halted On 4 Musille rammed through for 2 but Cline’s attempted pass to Johns failed. Zivkoff tried left end but was promptly tossed for a yard loss by Luke. Then Cline’s attempted short pass over the line fizzled and the Tigers took the ball on their own 4.
But the Tigers were to face a similar experience late in the second period. With 2 minutes to go before halftime Hahn fumbled and Cary and Gibson covered on the Mansfield 45. With fourth down coming up and still 6 yards to go, Cary dropped back and shot a beautiful pass to Webb who raced to the Mansfield 15 before being over-hauled. It was a gain of 25 yards and put Massillon in scoring position for the first time in the game.
Pedrotty picked up 3 yards at right tackle but with the clock fast running out, the Tigers took to the aerial game in an effort to score but failed. Cary attempted a pass to Luke which failed, then he tried another to Pedrotty. It also failed. On fourth down Cary tossed another to Luke who was in the end zone. The ball hit Luke in the stomach and fell to the ground. The Tiger end claimed his arms were pinned to his sided by a Mansfield player but the officials said they saw no interference and the scoring chance ended. Now For Warren Massillon, 6 Pos. Mansfield, 0 Zeller LE Wallington Ielsch LT Hartig Heltzel LG Majoy Bonk C McBride Gable RG Hemperly Gibson RT Marth Luke RE Johns Keller QB Cline Turkall LH Zivkoff Webb RH Adams Pedrotty FB Musille
Referee – Kreiger. Umpire – Compton. Head Linesman – McAfee.
Statistics Mass. Mans. Total first downs 5 9 Yards gained by rushing 117 206 Yards lost by rushing 14 23 Net yards gained by rushing 103 183 Forward passes attempted 9 12 Forward passes completed 3 1 Yards gained by passing 33 5 Total net yardage Rushing and passing 136 211 Passes had intercepted 0 0 Number of punts 6 4 Average distance of punts 40 31 Number of kickoffs 2 1 Average distance , kickoffs 19 53 Number of fumbles 3 5 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 2 Number of penalties against 8 10 Yards lost by penalties 70 90
Tigers Score Impressive 27-0 Victory Over Alliance
TALLY 4 TIMES IN TORRID DUEL
Sturdy Aviators Handed Shellacking Before 10,000 Spectators; Victory, However, Costly For Massillon With 4 Players Hurt
By FRED J. BECKER
Well, Alliance will have to wait another year before it can dream again of a football victory over the Tigers of Washington high school – a dream which may eventually become a reality but which, for this year at least, is nothing more than a dream – and perhaps a lot of wishful thinking.
Deeds speak louder than words and if the Aviators of Alliance high school visit Mount Union stadium today they will find scattered about the field the pieces of their dream of conquest so rudely shattered Friday night by Coach Elwood Kammer’s Tigers who blasted their way to a 27-0 triumph over the Alliance gridders, recording their most important and impressive victory of the 1944 campaign. A Surprise Party for Alliance Fans There must have been a lot of surprised people among the 10,000 spectators who jammed every inch of space around the Mount Union gridiron last night. For some time prior to Friday night they had been told that Massillon’s famous Tiger was no longer the ferocious beast of old. They had been told that Washington high school’s gridiron jungle cat, the mere mention of whose name once upon a time caused mothers to call their children into the house, bar the doors and pull down the shades, this year was just a shadow of his former self.
The Tiger had been pictured as a decrepit, worn out old fellow blind in at least one eye, or maybe both with stiffened muscles and creaking joints – in fact so far gone that one more good sock on the whiskers would finish him and then the remains could be interred in some lonely spot and others might climb to the heights which the Tiger in his younger and more prosperous days, had occupied and held against all challengers. Poor Old Tiger In fact there might have been found among the spectators last night a few of the more kind hearted who came with tin cups and lead pencils. They had been touched by all the stories they had read of how this famous old jungle king had been shorn of his strength and they wanted to hang a tin cup around his neck, shove a flock of lead pencils into his paw and set him out on some street corner where other kind hearted individuals might toss him a dime now and then and thus make his passing a trifle easier and free of want.
Imagine their surprise then when instead of a washed up old animal they saw an up and coming young monarch of the jungle roam up and down the gridiron and slash into ribbons their Aviators who they had come to believe would administer the coup de grace to Massillon’s old moth-eaten warrior.
What they found was a Massillon Tiger who is fast becoming of age and not a worn out old monster. They also discovered that liberties may be taken with a Tiger cub but that as he grows older his claws become sharper and he is less inclined to stand for any frivolity.
The Tigers Friday night rode to their 12th triumph in as many years over the Alliance Aviators in a rip snorting exhibition of power that must have left the supporters of Coach Marcus Covert’s gridders a bit breathless and sent to bomb proof shelters some sports writers and radio announcers who had been rash enough to predict an Alliance victory.
The Tigers had it last night – everything they needed to fashion a resounding victory over the Aviators – courage, fighting spirit and ability. They conquered a mighty good ball club and in so doing they gave their most impressive performance of the 1944 campaign.
The Alliance team which the Tigers conquered last night was far from a weakling. It was a hard fighting, desperate outfit which wanted so badly to win but, when pitted against the speed and driving power the Tigers put on display was hopelessly outclassed and badly shellacked. Tigers Score 4 Times Four times the Tigers drove through the Aviators for touchdowns, once in the opening quarter, twice in the second period and again in the fourth stanza.
Several other times the orange and black lost golden opportunities to tally points because of penalties and fumbles – or shall we say some expert ball stealing on the part of the Aviators.
Only twice during the entire battle did the Aviators threaten to score. Once in the first half they drove inside Massillon’s 15 yard line. Once in the second half they worked their way inside the Tigers 10 yard stripe but each time an aroused gang of Massillon kids dug their cleats deeper into the sod and rose to the occasion and turned back their eastern Stark county foes.
It was Massillon’s fourth victory in 5 games. The defeat was the second for Alliance in the same number of contests. The victory was Massillon’s second over a Stark county rival, the orange and black having disposed of Canton Lincoln 12-0, 2 weeks ago.
It was a hard fought battle from start to finish with Alliance going all out in its bid for victory. The Tigers, who have improved steadily since their 6-0 loss to Cathedral Latin 3 weeks ago, gave every indication last night that as they gain experience they are gaining power and ability.
But the resounding defeat the Tigers plastered on the Aviators may prove a costly one and impair the team’s chances of victories in coming combats. At least 4 members of the squad sustained injuries in the torrid battle that may be sidelined for some time.
Junie Pedrotty, midget fullback who plays a lot of football for his size, was severely shaken up in the third quarter in a head on collision with an Aviator and forced from the game with a neck injury. He was taken to the Massillon city hospital after the game for observation. Krisher May Have Broken Wrist Gene Krisher, versatile sophomore who last night played his first game at left end and did a masterful job, may have a fractured left wrist, sustained in the fourth quarter. He also was taken to the hospital for an x-ray examination.
Vic Turkall, regular left halfback had his left ankle twisted late in the game and limped off the field. Francis Cicchinelli, substitute guard, sustained a deep gash in his lower lip and several stitches may be required today to close the wound.
These casualties are evidence of the type of battle which was waged. It was slam bang from start to finish, with both teams tossing everything they had into the traces.
The Tigers, however, were not to be denied and they drove to victory in a convincing fashion. Every player who got into the melee performed in a hero’s role. Offensively the brilliant running and plunging of Pedrotty, Co-Captain Glenn Keller, Vic Turkall, Bert Webb and Don Sedjo stood out head and shoulders over the best Alliance could offer. On defense the Tiger line stood firm through every crisis with some able assistance from the secondary and Alliance’s vaunted aerial attack and razzle dazzle, for the most part was held in check by the alert and hard hitting Massillonians.
Statistics reveal a decided superiority for the Tigers. Coach Kammer’s lads made 14 first downs to 9 for Alliance, gained 315 yards net to 133 for the Aviators, having a loss of only 6 yards to 23 for their opponents. The Tigers tried 9 forward passes, completed 2 for 29 yards and had none intercepted. Alliance went in for the aerial game in a big way, attempting 18, 6 of which were completed for a total gain of 61 yards and 3 were intercepted.
Massillon fumbled 6 times and recovered only twice. Alliance fumbled 4 times and recovered 3 of them. Penalties totaling 65 yards were assessed against the Tigers while Alliance drew a total of 25 yards in penalties.
The fans hard hardly become comfortably settled in their seats before Alliance was knocking at Massillon’s goal line. The Aviators received and a fine punt by Donald Lawther which went out on the Massillon 6 put the Tigers in hot water early. Turkall got off a nice punt back to Massillon’s 36 but the Aviators began a drive that was not checked until the Tigers held for downs on their 11. Then with their first opportunity of the game to show their offensive power the Tigers went to town in a big way and in 7 sizzling plays marched 89 yards and across the Aviators’ goal for their first points. A Sizzling Tiger Turkall carrying the ball on Massillon’s first offensive thrust of the game dashed off right tackle and scampered 19 yards before being downed on his 30. Webb breezed around left end on the next play for 20 yards to Alliance’s 40 before being nailed. Pedrotty drilled through the center of the line for 7. Turkall whipped around left end for 15 more to the Alliance 15 and Alliance fans began to say to themselves this was not the kind of a tiger they had come out to see. Pedrotty again cracked through the line for 7 to the Alliance 8. Turkall went off right tackle for 6 and Webb then drove across the goal line from the 2 for Massillon’s first touchdown. Turkall added the extra point on a dash through the line.
A fumble by Pedrotty a short time later gave Alliance the ball on Massillon’s 34 but the Aviators’ threat was wiped out when Keller intercepted Jack Robinson’s pass on the Tiger 34. Again the Massillon steam roller went into action but the drive was halted when Keller fumbled and Alliance covered on the Massillon 49. This occurred early in the second quarter.
Using a deceptive offensive with the generous use of passes and laterals the Aviators worked the ball to Massillon’s 23 but here their aerial games went haywire and paved the way for the Tigers’ second touchdown.
Robinson dropped back and cut loose with another aerial. But this one never came near its intended receiver. Streaking across the field was little Junie Pedrotty who snared the leather on his 30 and running behind splendid interference dashed 70 yards down the sideline and across the goal for Massillon’s second touchdown. It was a spectacular dash and a fine block by Co-Captain Bill Gable cleared the last Aviator from Pedrotty’s path and Junie did the rest as he outran the entire Alliance team in a race for the goal line. Turkall’s attempted place kick failed.
Another Massillon touchdown was to be recorded before the second quarter ended but penalties almost frustrated the local teams’ drive for points. The points finally came, however, and Keller was the lad who held the spotlight this time as he dashed through and around the bewildered Aviators for a flock of sizeable gains.
An Alliance punt gave the Tigers the ball on the Aviators’ 45. Keller ripped through left tackle for 16. A pass play failed and then Keller blasted through right tackle to the 24. On the next play the husky Massillon back drove around left end and down to Alliance’s 4 but Massillon was set back to the Alliance 37 on a holding penalty. Alliance held and Massillon surrendered the ball on the 26., Turkall, however, again gave the Tigers the leather when he intercepted an Alliance pass on the 47 and ran it back to the 19.
Keller then steamed around left end and across the goal line behind fine interference but again he lost a touchdown when the officials ruled the Tigers guilty of clipping and penalized them 15 yards back to the Alliance 24. This Time Keller Scores Turkall again passed to Krisher who picked up 16 yards to the Alliance 8 from where Pedrotty smashed through to the 1-yard line. Again Keller romped over the goal line and this time it was good. Turkall’s place kick sailed over the bar and the Tigers were leading 20-0.
The third quarter was a ding dong battle with Alliance making an early threat to score but losing the ball on downs on the Massillon 24. Late in the quarter a fumble by Sedjo gave the Aviators the ball on their 38 and from here the Alliance lads launched a determined drive which early in the fourth period carried to Massillon’s 11. But when Don Strait fumbled on a lateral Turkall pounced on the ball on the Tiger 8. Keller, turning loose the best punt of the game, booted the leather from behind his own goal line down to the Alliance 36 to wash out the Aviators’ scoring threat.
An Alliance punt gave the Tigers the ball on their 31 yard line and in 5 plays the Massillonians picked up 69 yards and their fourth touchdown. Sedjo started the march when he crashed through the line on a spinner and romped 32 yards to the Alliance 27. It was on this play that Krisher was injured. Webb reeled off a first down around left end to the 16. Sejo in 2 smashed drove to the 4 yard line from where Don McGuire, who had replaced Turkall when he injured his ankle, romped through right tackle and over for the touchdown. Keller booted the extra point from placement.
Both Kammer and Covert used substitutes freely. Alliance held a weight advantage over the Tigers, particularly in the backfield. Atta Boy, Tiger! Massillon – 27 Pos. Alliance – 0 Zeller LE Thompson Ielsch LT Penney Heltzel LG Stivers Bonk C Rosler Gable RG Pucci Gibson RT Post Luke RE Krahling Keller QB Lawther Turkall LH Strait Webb RH Bench Pedrotty FB Robinson
Referee – Gross. Umpire – McFee. Head Linesman – Boone.
Statistics Mass. All. Total first downs 14 9 Yards gained by rushing 292 95 Yards lost by rushing 6 23 Net yards gained by rushing 286 72 Forward passes attempted 9 18 Forward passes completed 2 6 Yards gained by passing 29 61 Total net yardage rushing and passing 315 133 Passes had intercepted 0 3 Number of punts 3 7 Average distance of punts 40 28 Number of kickoffs 5 1 Average distance kickoffs 24 40 Number of fumbles 6 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 4 1 Number of penalties against 7 3 Yards lost by penalties 65 25
History 
