The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association (OPSWA) has released its 2025 Northeast Inland District All-Star Team for Division II. Ten Massillon players are included, four on offense and six on defense. All except three are juniors. Massillon currently sports a record of 9-3. This week they participate in the Regional 7 playoff finals against Big Walnut.
First Team
Senior defensive lineman Sam Doussous
Junior cornerback Deontay Malone
Junior running back Savior Owens
Senior inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams
Second Team
Junior offensive lineman Dayvionne Floyd
Junior outside linebacker / safety Braylon Gamble
Junior wide receiver Gio Jackson Jr.
Junior outside linebacker Isaac Maxheimer
Honorable Mention
Senior tight end Logan Allman
Junior offensive lineman Marcus Garner Jr.
The Offensive Player of the Year is running back Casey Myser of Medina Highland. The Defensive Player of the Year is Brayton Feister of Akron Hoban. The Coach of the Year is Justin Todd of Wadsworth (10-0).
Massillon used a devastating ground attack against Columbus St. Francis DeSales to overwhelm the host team 48-14 in Round 3 of the state playoffs. With the win, the Tigers advance to the regional championship game for a much-anticipated match-up with Big Walnut, which defeated Canal Winchester to move on. Last season, the two teams met in the same venue, with Big Walnut coming away with a 14-7 victory.
Coaches will tell you that when on offense you take what the defense gives. And that works well for the Tigers, as they are very adept with both the run and the pass. When prepping for Hoover, the coaches observed that the Viking secondary presented a sizeable mismatch in Massillon’s favor. So, the game plan was to throw the ball, which resulted in quarterback Manny Patterson having one of his best outings of the season. By game’s end he had completed 12 of 13 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns, with a whopping 340 efficiency rating.
Savior OwensAnthony McMullen Jr
Against the Stallions, the mismatch was found on the lines, where the Tigers outweighed the DeSales front-3 by 50 pounds a man. So, the plan was to run the ball. And it worked as expected, with the offensive line opening holes all night long and with the 2-headed monster of running backs Savior Owens and Anthony McMullen combining for 32 carries, producing 303 yards and five touchdowns, with an average of 9.5 yards per attempt. That, even with the Stallions loading the box with up to eight defenders in their cover-3 alignment. Massillon ended up scoring on seven of its ten possessions, while punting just twice. The tenth was the boggled trick play that resulted in a fumble and TD return by the Stallions. One bad play out of 44, OK then.
Defensively, the aggressive Tiger defense completely grounded the DeSales rushing attack, limiting them to just 54 yards in 21 attempts. To control the Stallion’s short passing game Massillon brought the safeties up closer to the line on most plays and often just matched up with the receivers without a safety. The end result was that, although highly-touted quarterback RJ Day did complete 13 of 26 passes, it was for just 125 yards and one touchdown, that occurring during the running clock portion of the game. Day also threw a pair of interceptions.
The Tigers were hoping to get a quick start after receiving the opening kickoff. But a third down bomb from Patterson to Gio Jackson, who had beaten his defender by a couple steps, was just overthrown by a few inches. Following a 3-and-out by DeSales, Massillon took over at midfield. From there it took just three plays to tally the first points, when Owens threaded the secondary on a 22-yard run. The drive was kick-started with a 36-yard run by Owens.
The next possession was more traditional as Massillon ground out a 14-play, 92-yard drive, with each play on the ground, while picking up six first downs in the process. The final deed was done by McMullen with a 2-yard run up the middle. Unfortunately, Mateo Herrera missed his first PAT try of the year due to a low snap.
Later in the second quarter the Tigers were on the march again after DeSales fumbled the ball at their own 40 on a hit by Sam Doussous and a recovery by Isaac Maxheimer. Owens ran for ten, then for nine, then for 21 and a touchdown, making the score 20-0.
Then came an interception by a leaping 285 lb. Zay-Shawn Murray at the Stallion 37 to squash a screen pass attempt. Three plays later the score was 27-0, following a 16-yard pass to Deontay Malone and two runs by McMullen of 8 and 13 yards.
Deontay Malone
Then came a wild part of the game. With seconds left in the half Day attempted a deep pass. Only, it was overthrown and tracked down by Malone at the 13. After eluding a several potential tackles near the goal line he crossed the field and headed up the sidelines, not being caught until he had reached the 44. Just 15 seconds remained on the clock. Time for one more score. The call? A trick play. Owens lined up at wide receiver, which of course immediately tipped off many Massillon fans. After taking a handoff while in motion left he reversed and threw back to Patterson for a halfback pass. Only, the backward pass fell to the ground well short of the target and was immediately scooped up John Hockaday, who returned it untouched for the Stallion score, closing the margin to 27-7.
DeSales failed to move at start the third period and put the Tigers on the march once again. It took five running plays to cover the 65 yards, with Owens scoring from a yard out. Again stalling without a first down, this time the Stallions botched the punt, giving Massillon the ball with a short-field at the 20 yard line. Three plays later Sebastian Harper went over from the three, sending the game into a running clock situation.
After that, DeSales finally found their offense, driving 80 yards in 7 plays, with Day connecting with Dax Middleton in the end zone on an 11-yard slant pass. During the drive Day completed all three of his passes for 52 yards. The TD halted the running clock, but not for long. That’s because the speedy Malone promptly returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown, making the final score 48-14.
Owens finished the night rushing 18 times for 215 yards (12.1 ave.) and three touchdowns. McMullen had 14 carries for 80 yards (5.7 ave.) and a pair of TDs. Attempting just six passes, Patterson completed three for 34 yards. On defense Malone and DeVaughn Williams had seven total tackles each. In addition, the Tigers recorded 6 tackles-for-loss and a sack.
Photos by Marlene Kanipe
Savior Owens (1), Manny Patterson (10), Kevin Elliot Jr. (74), Will Hymes (34)
Savior Owens (1)
Savior Owens (1) with the score
Celebrating the pass interception by Zay-Shawn Murray (56); Sam Doussos (91), Braylon Gamble (5), Noah Jenkins (16), Christian Culler (2)
Deontay Malone (6)
Anthony McMullen Jr. (24) plows through the defender for the score
Celebrating the TD by Anthony McMullen Jr. (24); Marcus Garner (60), Kevin Elliot Jr. (75), Logan Allman (13), Dayvionne Floyd (52), Eli Moore (8)
Anthony McMullen Jr. (24) falls just short of the goal line
Quarterback sack by Ke’Aun Fowler (43); Isaac Maxheimer (20)
Touchdown
Deontay Malone (6) at the start of his 97-yard kickoff return.
Deontay Malone (6) headed for the end zone.
A well-earned victory! Off to the regional finals.
WHBC recently announced its All-Stark County team and six Tigers received honors. The local players, as selected by the area coaches, include Sam Doussous, Marcus Garner, Braylon Gamble, Gio Jackson Jr., Deontay Malone, Savior Owens, and Ja’Dyn Williams. Massillon is currently 8-3 on the season and plays Friday against Columbus DeSales in Round 3 of the state playoffs.
Sam Doussous – Senior defensive lineman (6′-4″, 220). This was a breakout year for Sam after playing a backup roll last season. He immediately impressed as an impact player at defensive end, to date recording 35 total tackles (4th on team), 8.5 tackles-for-loss (3rd on team) for 31 lost yards, 3.0 quarterback sacks (2nd on team) for 15 lost yards and a forced fumble. He also had 8 total tackles in the game against Football North, Ontario.
Braylon Gamble – Junior outside linebacker / safety (6′-2″, 190). A 2-year starter, Braylon began the season at safety. Recently, he has begun to line up at times at outside linebacker due to his versatility as a defender. For the season he has recorded 34 total tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, 3 pass interceptions, 6 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery and 3 forced fumbles. He also had 6 tackles in the game against Rabun Gap, GA, and 4 tackles and a pass interception against Canton McKinley.
Marcus Garner – Junior offensive lineman (6′-3″, 285). Marcus is a 2-year starter at offensive tackle, where he helped his team rush for 1,811 yards at 4.9 yard per attempt and score 27 rushing touchdowns. He also played part time on defense as a nose tackle, where he recorded 18 total tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss.
Gio Jackson Jr. – Junior wide receiver (6′-4″, 185). Gio has incredible athletic ability as an underclassman, with good ball sense and “go-deep” speed. He leads the team with 41 receptions for 508 yards (12.8 ave.) and 8 touchdowns. Against Hoover, he caught 7 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. He also had 7 receptions for 72 yards and 2 TDs against Canton GlenOak and 6 catches for 61 yards and a TD against Warren Harding.
Deontay Malone
Deontay Malone – Junior wide receiver / cornerback (6′-0″, 175). Malone is a 2-year starter at wide receiver. He was selected for the All-Stark County Team as the Massillon MVP. To date on offense he has caught 30 passes for 476 yards (15.9 ave.) and 7 TDs. On defense, he has recorded 25 total tackles, one tackle-for-loss and 2 pass interceptions. On special teams, Malone has returned 6 punts at 18.2 yards per try and 9 kickoffs at 25.2 yards per try. He holds an offer from North Carolina.
Savior Owens – Junior running back (5′-11″, 210). Owens is a first starter after seeing some time at the position last year, although he plays like a veteran. He also occasionally lines up in the wildcat position. Savior runs with both power and speed, and has the necessary shiftiness to make players miss in the open field. To date, he has rushed 169 times for 1,064 yards (6.3 ave.) and scored 15 touchdowns, to go along with six 100-yard games. His best outings came against Rabun Gap, GA (21 carries for 182 yards and 3 TDs), Cardinal Ritter, MO (27 carries for 168 yards and 2 TDs) and Lakewood St. Edward (32 carries for 162 yards and 2 TDs). He holds an offer from Wisconsin.
Ja’Dyn Williams – Senior inside linebacker (6′-2″, 205). Ja’Dyn is a 3-year starter at his position. With his knowledge of the game, first-step anticipation and quickness he is always around the ball and has the size and attributes required to play at the next level. To date he has recorded 99 total tackles (1st on team), 11.5 tackles-for-loss (1st on team) for 54 lost yards, 4.5 quarterback sacks (1st on team) for 33.5 lost yards, 1 forced fumble, 5 fumble recoveries, 1 pass interception, 1 pass breakup and 1 blocked kick. He also had 17 tackles against Cleveland Glenville, 15 tackles against Rabun Gap, GA, and 12 tackles against Canton GlenOak. Williams has committed to Indiana University, while also being offered by Ohio State University.
The OHSAA playoff format for this season has been reduced from sixteen teams in each region to twelve, effective in each of the seven divisions. The impact is that a third of the participating schools now earn byes for Round 1. The change came about following a request made by Ohio’s high school coaches.
In 2020 the OHSAA intended to increase the number of regional qualifiers from eight to twelve, but the plan was not implemented due to the high number of game cancellations on account of Covid. Anticipating related problems with the Harbin rankings, the OHSAA thus invited all schools to participate. The following year, the OHSAA increased the number of regional qualifiers from eight to sixteen, citing the enjoyment of participation. However, many believed the change was simply a “money grab” when the OHSAA at the same time assumed control of ticket sales and retained all the revenue. But now it is believed that the 12-team format will remain for awhile. And it’s probably the right number to assure that the best eight teams qualify, given the inherent flaws within the Harbin system.
With Round 1 now in the books, it’s time for the heavyweights to finally join the fray. For Massillon, the bye was much needed following an emotional 21-14 victory over Canton McKinley. A time to rest and heal up, a time to revisit the fundamentals and a time to get re-energized. Friday night the Tigers (7-3) will host the Vikings (9-2) of North Canton Hoover, which advanced following last week’s victory over Columbus Northland.
Aside from statistical and strength-of-schedule comparisons between the two teams for this specific game, there is a lot of successful history for the Tigers under current Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore when it comes to playing suburban schools.
Moore was hired in 2015 and, although his squad did not qualify that first year owing to a 4-6 record, the Tigers have been to the playoffs in each and every year since that inaugural season, which is an achievement that few coaches around the state can match. His overall record in nine years of playoff participation is a remarkable 32-8, which includes a state championship in 2023, six regional titles and four state finals appearances. Compare that to the nine previous Massillon coaches, who combined for a mark of just 28-22. However, it should be noted that most of those games were against Division I competition.
Nevertheless, there is little difference in performance capability between Division I and Division II suburban schools. Moore’s record there is a very fine 23-3, with all of the losses occurring during regional play, including:
2016 – Dublin Scioto (7-3), Round 1, 21-31
2021 – Uniontown Green (8-2), Regional finals, 25-26
2024 – Big Walnut (10-0), Regional finals, 7-14
The average score in all 26 games is 31-13 in favor of the Tigers. Eleven times Massillon played a suburban team at home, winning ten of them. The average score in those is 40-15. On neutral fields, Moore’s record is 12-2, with an average score of 33-11, while the lone game on the opponent’s field resulted in a 43-13 pounding of No. 2 seeded Perry.
Records of the opponents don’t seem to matter much either. Against undefeated teams Moore has won four of five, with an average score of 34-15. Against 9-1 and 8-2 teams he is a combined 8-0.
The most common opponents played were Perry, with a 3-0 record, Westerville South, with a 3-0 record, and Big Walnut, with a 2-1 record. The Tigers faced Canal Winchester, Uniontown Lake and Green twice each, winning five of six. Moore is also 1-0 against Hoover, with a 48-23 victory in 2020.
Just for completeness, Moore is 6-1 against city-type schools and 3-4 against parochial schools Akron Hoban (2-3) and Cincinnati LaSalle (1-1).
In regular season games against suburban schools Moore has a record of 30-3, with the three losses coming during his first three years. When added to the playoff mark the combined record is a whopping 53-6.
Below is a list of past games played against North Canton:
2020, Playoffs Round 2, Massillon, 48-23
2009, Playoffs Round 1, Massillon, 17-10
2008, Playoffs Round 1, North Canton, 14-7
2003, Playoffs Round 1, Massillon, 45-14
2002, Playoffs Round 1, Massillon 31-0
2001, Playoffs Round 3, Massillon, 27-7
The numbers in the story above show that history is not necessarily on the side of the Vikings. No. 1, Massillon has simply dominated suburban schools with Moore at the helm, even in the playoffs when facing the better teams. No. 2, they are playing at home, where they have won 11 of 12 playoff matches. No. 3, most scores have not been close, with the Tigers winning three-quarters of the games by at least three touchdowns. And No. 4, the Tigers have won the last 27 games against Stark County opponents. Nevertheless, the two teams still need to play on Friday. Does Hoover have the tools it needs to pull the upset? We will see come Friday.
A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part 10 – The 1999 Season
This is the tenth of a 10-part series looking back at all of the Massillon teams of the 1990s.
Head Coach: Rick Shepas (2nd Year) Overall Record: 10-1 Regular Season Record: 10-0 Playoff Results: Division I, Region 3, 1st; lost to Perry in the first round Key Players: Quarterback Dave Irwin, running back Jesse Scott, wide receiver Rocky Price, wide receiver Joe Price, wide receiver Rocky Dorsey, linebacker Dan Studer All-Ohio: Ellery Moore (1st), Rocky Dorsey (SM), Jesse Scott (SM)
A new head coach in Massillon is always given a “free pass” by the fans during the his first year at the helm, thereby providing time to establish his program. But in the second year he is then expected to produce. For Coach Rick Shepas it couldn’t have gone any better, at least during the regular season. Not only did the team win every game, it also handily defeated Perry, Lakewood St. Edward and Canton McKinley along the way. All was well in Tigertown. Only, in the playoffs it came crashing down, as the region’s No. 1 seeded Tigers stumbled right out of the gate, losing at home to Perry in the first round, 23-6. But the year was not without a second drama incident, this one occurring prior to the season. The focus was on 1998 Perry running back Jesse Scott, who had transferred to Massillon right after the season had ended. That did not sit well with Panther Head Coach Keith Wakefield, who promptly filed a complaint with the OHSAA. Only, the transfer was ruled to be legal, setting the stage for the two Massillon-Perry games to come, with Scott as the Tigers’ starting running back.
PIVOTAL GAMES
Massillon Perry (regular season) – It had been fourteen years since Massillon and Perry had hooked up for a football game. What made this one happen was an unusual home-and-home contract whereby the first game (1999) would be played at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and the second at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium, which served in this game as the home field for Perry. In the home encounter it was all Massillon, as they ran away with a 35-14 victory in front of a large crowd of 14,185. Each team scored in the first half, with Jesse Scott crossing the goal line from the one. But the Tigers turned it on in the second half with fourteen points in each quarter. In the third Scott scored on a 5-yard run and Rocky Dorsey tallied on a 22-yard pass from Dave Irwin. After Perry closed the margin to 21-14, Massillon put the game away in the fourth on a 43-yard pass to Dorsey and a 9-yard pass to Joe Price. The Panthers were strong against the run, holding the Tigers to just 94 yards. But they simply couldn’t defend the pass owing to the Tigers’ speedy receivers and the accurate arm of Irwin, who ended up completing 18 of 25 passes for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns. Price caught 6 of the passes for 61 yards and a score. And Dorsey had his 2 TD receptions.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1999
Lakewood St. Edward – St. Edward was not the formidable team in 1999 that they are today, entering the contest with a 3-5 record. But the big story was the loss of quarterback Dave Irwin to a thumb injury that occurred in shop class on the day of the game. That quickly put backup QB Brett Marshall in the spotlight. And he didn’t disappoint, completing 8 of 13 passes for 183 yards and 3 touchdowns. What a marvelous performance. The Tigers led 17-7 at the half on two TD passes from Marshall and a Marshall 29-yard field goal. The passes went to John Stanke (14 yards) and Jesse Scott (71 yards). In the third quarter Irwin toughed it out with his thumb heavily bandaged. He did well, completing 7 of 12 passes for 113 yards and a TD 30 yards to Jesse Scott. But Marshall eventually relieved him and finished game off with a 60-yard toss to Dave Bumgarner, making the final tally 31-14. Massillon rolled up 425 yards of total offense, including 125 on the ground and 300 in the air. Anthony Battle led the receiver corps with five receptions for 75 yards.
Canton McKinley – It was unbeaten Massillon against 7-2 McKinley at Fawcett Stadium. In an unusual start the Tigers scored in the first quarter on a 31-yard pass interception return by Steve Eyerman and then the Bulldogs countered in the second with an interception return of their own. That made the score 7-7 at the half. In the second half Massillon took over and completely overwhelmed the opponent by scoring 28 unanswered points and winning 35-7. All four scores came on pass plays from Dave Irwin: Jon Stanke (12 yards), Jeremiah Drobney (10 yards), Rocky Dorsey (39-yard catch and run on a crossing pattern) and Jesse Robinson (35-yard bomb). Irwin ended up completing 12 of 21 passes for 130 yards and 3 TDs. Jesse Scott added 93 yards rushing, while Dorsey had five receptions and Price had four. In the playoffs, the Bulldogs would defeat Hoover 7-6 in the first round and then lose 7-0 to Perry the following week.
Massillon Perry (playoffs) – In a surprising turnaround from the regular season game, Perry upset Region 3’s top-seeded Massillon in the first round of the playoffs, 23-6. The big change for the Panthers was incorporating a delay blitz package that put constant pressure on Tiger quarterback Dave Irwin, who made all the difference in the first match with three touchdown passes. The blitz was effective enough that Irwin was able to complete just 9 of 24 passes for 137 yards and zero touchdowns. On offense, Perry this time around was also able to finish drives with a more consistent ground game. Massillon’s lone touchdown came in the first quarter when Jesse Scott scored from the four. Perry led in total yards, 282-213, including a 261-76 advantage on the ground. With the win, it would appear that Perry Coach Keith Wakefield got the last laugh. The Panthers would go on to beat McKinley 7-0 the following week, before losing 16-14 to Pickerington in the regional finals. In the state semifinals, Pickerington would lose to eventual state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius, 48-8.
A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part 9 – The 1998 Season
This is the ninth of a 10-part series looking back at all of the Massillon teams of the 1990s.
Head Coach: Rick Shepas (1st Year) Overall Record: 4-6 Regular Season Record: 4-6 Playoff Results: Division I, Region 3, 16th; did not qualify Key Players: Quarterback Dave Irwin, quarterback Steve Eyerman, quarterback Thomas Fichter, running back Marc Cleveland, running back Julian Miller, wide receiver Rocky Dorsey, defensive lineman Ellery Moore, defensive back Jason Jarvis, linebacker Dan Studer and punter Luke Shilling All-Ohio: Luke Shilling (1st), Ellery Moore (SM)
Newly hired Coach Rick Shepas is credited with ushering the modern-day offense into the the Massillon football program. Gone were the days of the wing-T and power-I; in came the spread, with multiple receivers and the quarterback in the shotgun. But the change was not without some growing pains as the youthful Tigers finished the season with a 4-6 record, their first losing campaign in 32 years and the second since the time of Paul Brown. Massillon opened with national power Clovis West from Fresno, California, losing respectfully, 21-6. In the middle of the season Glen Mills, which is a prison team of older players, overwhelmed the Tigers 19-0. And it wrapped up with a 42-20 loss to eventual Division I state champion Canton McKinley. But there was a big win over Akron St. Vincent.
PIVOTAL GAMES
Mansfield – In spite of the expected loss to Clovis West, Massillon entered the game with a 2-1 record, owing to victories over Lima Senior and Akron Garfield. But a 21-0 road loss to the Tygers was a preview of the difficult times come. Mansfield scored in each of the first three quarters, while outgaining the Tigers 359-191. Meanwhile, the spread offense, which is designed to throw the ball around 40% of the time, managed just 42 yards in the air on a 5 of 14 effort. The only bright spot was Marc Cleveland rushing 20 times for 121 yards.
Akron St. Vincent – It was Week 9 and Massillon was sitting on a 3-5 record, with three consecutive losses to Glen Mills, Division III state runner-up Walsh Jesuit (13-1) and Cincinnati Moeller (7-3). Yet another challenge awaited the Tigers with the 6-2 Irish coming to town. This appeared to be only chance to salvage some kind of success, with No. 1 Canton McKinley looming the following week. Fortunately, Massillon turned in its best performance of the year, winning the game, 36-7. By that time junior quarterback Dave Irwin had become the starter and he had a great day, completing 12 of 17 passes for 93 yards and three touchdowns. And Marc Cleveland added to that production, rushing 16 times for 126 yards and two scores. The Tigers opened the game with 23 consecutive points, with touchdowns coming from Marcus Simpson (9-yard pass), Cleveland (1-yard run), Joe Price (6-yard pass) and Brett Marshall (19-yard field goal). In the fourth quarter Massillon put the game away with scores coming from Price (10-yard pass) and Cleveland (40-yard run). Luke Shilling punted six times, averaging nearly 40 yards per attempt.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1998
Canton McKinley – The Tigers trailed the Bulldogs (8-1) just 19-17 at the half, but just couldn’t keep up in the second, eventually falling 42-20. Quarterback Dave Irwin scored in the first quarter on a 2-yard run, giving his team a brief 7-6 lead. In the second, after Brett Marshall converted a 23-yard field goal, Julian Miller (photo) followed with a 2-yard touchdown run. In the third quarter Marshall kicked another field goal, this one from 20 yards, and Massillon again had the lead, at 20-19. But McKinley owned the rest with 23 consecutive points, including the return of a blocked punt. Marc Cleveland rushed 22 times for 122 yards, Irwin completed 15 of 23 passes for 133 yards and Ron Lynn caught seven balls for 66 yards. The Bulldogs would go on in the playoffs to revenge a regular season loss to Cleveland St. Ignatius and then capture their second consecutive Division I state title with a 33-10 victory over Cincinnati St. Xavier.
A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part 8 – The 1997 Season
This is the eighth of a 10-part series looking back at all of the Massillon teams of the 1990s.
Head Coach: Jack Rose (6th Year) Overall Record: 7-3 Regular Season Record: 7-3 Playoff Results: Division I, Region 2, 12th; did not qualify Key Players: Quarterback Tip Danzy. running back Christian Morgan, running back Dave Hodgson, linebacker Jared Stafenko, linebacker Seth Venables, defensive back Josh Krieder, punter Luke Shilling, All-Ohio: Josh Krieder (1st), Christian Morgan (SM), Josh Hill (SM)
Massillon was led by two outstanding running backs: Christian Morgan, who rushed 181 times for 1,061 yards (5.9 ave.) and 11 TDs, and Dave Hodgson, who rushed 115 times for 810 yards (7.0 ave.) and 7 TDs. Hodgson was also the team’s leading receiver with 12 catches for 188 yards (15.7 ave.) and 2 TDs. The Tigers finished the season unbeaten at home, but lost all three road games to outstanding teams, including to Lima Senior, Cincinnati Moeller and Canton McKinley. Lima qualified for the playoffs, while Moeller and McKinley faced each other in the playoff state finals. Also, in the Moeller game the Tigers led 24-7 early in the fourth quarter, but then surrendered three TDs to lose by four. Luke Shilling had a great year punting, placing 5th in the Massillon record book with a 39.9 yard average.
PIVOTAL GAMES
Lima Senior – In 1996 Massillon gave state champion Lima Senior its only loss of the season. In the return game the Spartans got revenge in a big way, winning 25-7. Lima scored two touchdowns in the second quarter on a short run and a return of an intercepted pass to take a 12-0 lead into the locker room. They increased the lead to 18-0 on another short run, before the Tigers finally got on the board. It came on a 59-yard punt return by Josh Kreider, as Massillon’s offense failed to score a point in this one. The Spartans added one final TD in the fourth on a 17-yard pass. In a game of complete dominance, Lima led in total yards, 209-38. Lima would finish the season 8-2, but lose to unbeaten Upper Arlington in the first round of the playoffs.
Walsh Jesuit – Walsh was the only significant opponent that the Tigers beat, by the score of 27-14. Two Massillon TDs came in each of the first two quarters, with Dave Hodgson scoring on two short runs, Christian Morgan scoring on a 41-yard jaunt and Josh Hill returning a fumble 25 yards to the end zone. With the Tigers on top 27-0, the Warriors finally found the end zone on a 72-yard pass, giving Massillon a 27-7 lead at the half. There was only one score in the second half, that by Walsh on a fumble recovery at the end of a drive. Morgan rushed 23 times for 146 yards, while Hodgson added 96 yards on 15 carries. The Warriors would finish the season with a 10-3 record. In the Division III playoffs they advanced to the regional finals, only to lose 13-7 to state runner-up Youngstown Chaney.
Cincinnati Moeller – This is the one that got away. It’s hard enough to defeat a team like Moeller, which was ranked No. 3 in the state entering this the game. But, giving away a 17-point advantage with one quarter left and losing 28-24 put a dagger into the heart of all Tigers. The Crusaders opened the scoring in the second quarter on a 21-yard pass, but Massillon tallied the next 24 points to take a presumed comfortable lead. Christian Morgan’s 3-yard run and Josh Hose’s PAT gave the Tigers a 7-6 lead at the half. In the third quarter Morgan hit paydirt again, this time from 80 yards out. That was followed by a 28-yard pass from Tip Danzy to Tyrie Clifford and a 36-yard fourth-quarter field goal by Hose. There might have been additional points, but dropped passes were an omen of the doom to come. It came when the Crusaders changed offensive tactics by going to a 3-receiver spread formation. First was a 77-yard touchdown pass. Then came a 2-yard run. Finally, the go-ahead was a 5-yard TD run with three minutes left in the game. Moeller led in total yards, 430-341, including 12 of 17 passing for 292 yards. Both Morgan and Hodgson eclipsed the 100-yard mark rushing. But the passing game was effective only 8 times in 23 attempts.
Game Action vs. Canton McKinley 1997
Canton McKinley – The season ended on a down note with a 27-14 road loss to Canton McKinley, in spite of a gallant effort by the over-matched Tigers. Massillon fell behind 21-0 in the first half on three Bulldog TD runs. Massillon finally converted a first down and eventually found the end zone on a 14-yard run by Tip Danzy. But McKinley answered right back on a 17-yard return of a blocked punt to take a 24-7 lead into the locker room. That score remained until the fourth quarter, when Danzy connected with Neil Buckosh on an 8-yard pass. Dave Hodgson rushed 18 times for 109 yards. Danzy completed 15 of 31 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. Ironically, McKinley led just slightly in total yards, 317-297. And the 27 points was their lowest-scoring output of the season. But in the end, the Tigers couldn’t overcome three turnovers. For the undefeated Bulldogs, they would go on capture a well-earned Division I state title, which included during the run a second victory over Cleveland St. Ignatius (35-32, 20-19) and a state finals win over Cincinnati Moeller (31-16). For the 7-3 Tigers, this would be the final game for head coach Jack Rose.
Across four long quarters of football Massillon and Cardinal Ritter slugged it out. Back and forth they went. Ground-pounding, old-style football. Gaining yardage little by little. But by the end of the night, it was the big plays that spelled the difference, giving the Tigers a hard-earned 28-14 victory over a very good opponent.
Cardinal Ritter, a private school from St. Louis, Missouri, came into the contest with a 2-2 record. But all four opponents were ranked in the Missouri Top 50, including No.1 Christian Brothers, which had a close win over previous Massillon opponent Rabun Gap, GA, on this same night. The Lions were huge up front, with an offensive line that averaged nearly 300 pounds. In addition, every skill player had extreme speed and was very athletic. And the Lions knew how to play the game. It was quite a challenge for Massillon, coming off last week’s one-sided loss to Canada’s Football North. But by game’s end they had made more big plays than Ritter and that really made most of the difference in the game.
The other difference was a Massillon defense that refused to let the Lions cross the goal line when they got close. They stopped the Lions with an interception at their own 29. They recovered a fumble at their own 13. And they held on downs at their own 7 late in the game.
But some of Ritter’s undoing was their own fault. Sixteen times they were whistled for a penalty, accounting for 144 lost yards. Add to that three turnovers and it became just too much to overcome.
Nevertheless, the Tiger fans could never get comfortable unless the lead was at least two touchdowns. That’s because the Lions had the talent to score on any play, either running or passing. In fact, several times they launched a long bomb to a slightly open receiver, only to have the ball sail just past his hands.
Savior Owens
Massillon wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. On the first play from scrimmage junior running back Savior Owens ripped off a 14-yard run, setting the tone for the night. Two plays later he sped around the right side of the line and raced 45 yards for a touchdown. Mateo Herrara’s PAT then put the Tigers up 7-0.
On Ritter’s second possession they drove 46 yards in 10 plays to the Massillon 13, but fumbled the ball away to Joe Karder.
Early in the second quarter, the Tigers scored again, after first stopping the Lions on downs at the Massillon 46. The 10-yard TD by Owens came at the end of a 7-play drive that covered 54 yards.
But Ritter got right back into it when Manny Ellis sped 70 yards to the end zone. Lacking a kicker, the Lions went for two and were successful on a pass from Kashmir Manuzuk to Elijah Lucas, making the score 14-8.
Massillon responded by driving to the Ritter 17, but Manny Patterson lost control of the ball while scrambling out the pocket and the Lions took possession at their own 27. Only, they gave it right back on a punt snap that literally dribbled along the ground, never reaching the punter. The stop gave Patterson a chance to redeem himself. Lining up in the slot, he took a reverse lateral from Owens, who first took the snap from the shotgun, and launched a perfectly thrown ball to Jadyce Thigpen in back corner of the end zone for the score.
Although there were just 19 seconds left in the half, it was enough time for the quick-strike Lions to have the last say. It came in the final play when Manuzuk fired a 46-yard “Hail Mary” dart into end zone and somehow Ryan McDavis found the ball for a TD. The PAT pass was incomplete. So, the two teams headed to the locker room with the Tigers up, 21-14.
The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with the Tiger defense keeping the Lions out of the end zone and the offense finding a way to score one more time. It came early in the fourth quarter when Christian Culler, who was in the game for the injured Owens, broke loose for a 44-yard run down the right sideline. It was Culler’s first carry of the season, having been relegated so far exclusively to defense.
Cardinal Ritter led in total offense, 321-259. For Massillon, Owens rushed 27 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns. Patterson was 3 of 8 for 30 yards and one score, that pass going to Thigpen. Isaac Maxheimer led the defense with 9 total tackles, one TFL and a fumble recovery. Ja’Dyn Williams had seven total tackles and 0.5 TFLs. Chayce White intercepted a pass to spoil a Lion drive.
For Ritter, Ellis rushed 22 times for 164 yards and one TD. Rylan Moore completed 6 of 10 passes for 91 yards, while Manuzuk completed 3 of 9 for 42 yards and a touchdown. The defense was led by Da’Ryan Stringer, who had 11 total tackles and 0.5 TFLs.
Next week Massillon (4-3) will entertain Cornerstone Christian (4-2), from San Antonio, Texas. Ritter (2-3) will host Roosevelt (1-4).
Ja’Dyn Williams (9), Tra’Yon Williams (27), Eli Moore (8)
Head Coach Nate Moore
Savior Owens (1)
Deontay Malone (6)
Savior Owens (1), James Wallace Jr. (50)
Samuel Doussous (91), Joe Karder (94), Christian Culler (2), Chayce White (35), Ja’Dyn Williams chance after the loose ball.
Jadyce Thigpen (44)
Jadyce Thigpen (44)
Anthony Mullen Jr. (24)
Christian Culler (2) scoring run, Kevin Elliott (74)
Christian Culler (2), Chayce White (35), Ja’Dyn Williams (9)
Tra’Yon Williams (27), Deontay Malone (5)
Savior Owens (1)
Andrew Holland (36), Isaac Maxheimer (20), Tra’Yon Williams (27), Noah Jenkins (16)
A Look Back at Past Massillon Teams – Part 7 – The 1996 Season
This is the seventh of a 10-part series looking back at all of the Massillon teams of the 1990s.
Head Coach: Jack Rose (5th Year) Overall Record: 9-2 Regular Season Record: 9-1 Playoff Results: Division I, Region 2, 1st; lost in first round Key Players: Ben Hymes (QB), Christian Morgan (RB), Devin Williams (WR), Ben Mast (OL), Milo McGuire (DL), Eric Lightfoot (DB) All-Ohio: Ben Mast (1st), Milo McGuire (1st), Eric Lightfoot (SM)
The season was highlighted by an weeks-long No.1 ranking in the state A.P. Poll, plus victories over Cincinnati Moeller and eventual Division I state champion Lima Senior. Nevertheless, what started out as a promising season ended with a whimper, owing to a Week-10 loss to a dominant Canton McKinley team and a first round upset by Brunswick in a snow-covered Rubber Bowl. Christian Morgan led the offense, rushing 202 times for 1,044 yards (5. ave.) and scoring 102 points. Devin Williams caught 21 passes for 211 yards and 2 TDs. Eric Lightfoot contributed with three pass interceptions, a fumble recovery and exceptional punting. Josh Kreider had six takeaways: four picks and two loose balls.
PIVOTAL GAMES
Christian Morgan
Lima Senior – This was an early showdown of the season’s state powers and it was a classic, at least for Massillon. For, they came away with 28-14 victory over Lima Senior, a team that went on to win the Division I playoff state championship. It was also Lima’s only loss of the season. The Tigers scored first on a 77-yard run by 6′-4″ Christian Morgan. In in the second quarter the Spartans responded with a short run, but then Morgan followed with his second TD of the game, from two yards out, to put the Tigers out in front again. Following the halftime break the momentum fully swung in Massillon’s favor when Eric Lightfoot intercepted a pass and returned it 37 yards for a score. In the final period Morgan got his third touchdown of the game on a short run, making the score 28-7, although Lima did push one in late in the game to make the final margin respectable. Morgan ended with 22 carries for 156 yards.
Walsh Jesuit – Walsh entered the game with a 4-1 record and a close loss to Lake Catholic, but was summarily pummeled by a surging Tiger team, 34-10. Morgan again led the way with three rushing touchdowns, of 2, 21 and 2 yards, while Dusty Limbaugh returned a blocked punt for a TD and Elijah Blake scored on a 1-yard run. It turned out to be the Warrior’s only regular season loss, although they failed to make the Division III playoffs.
Naperville Central, IL – Naperville Central, owning a 6-1 record, played a competitive game with the host Tigers. In fact, they led Massillon 13-0 at halftime. But the second half was a complete reversal and the Tigers left the field with a 21-13 victory. In the third quarter Jared Sefanako scored on an 8-yard run. Then in the fourth, Ben Hymes tallied from one yard out, with Josh Hose adding the PAT, to give Massillon a 14-13 lead. The clinching points were scored by Morgan on a 1-yard run. The overall stats were fairly even, while the Tigers held a sizeable edge in the rushing game. Naperville finished the season with a 7-2 record.
Cincinnati Moeller – Massillon defeated the Crusaders for a second straight time, by the score of 20-15. Massillon was ahead 14-13 at the break off a 10-yard pass interception return by Josh Kreider and 25-yard run by Elijah Blake. Moeller had a short run and kicked field goals of 32 and 45 yards. Neither team found the end zone in the third quarter, but in the fourth Dave Hodgson got loose on a 74-yard TD run to put the Tigers ahead 20-12. Meanwhile, the Crusaders could not dent the end zone and were forced to settle for a 46-yard field goal, which simply closed the gap. Hodgson ended with 8 carries for 134 yards. Moeller finished the regular season with an 8-2 record, the other loss coming at the hands of Cincinnati Elder. In the second round of the playoffs the Crusaders again lost to Elder.
Canton McKinley – The two titans faced off in yet another classic. Massillon came in unbeaten, while McKinley had one loss, 47-19, to eventual state finalist Cleveland St. Ignatius. As good as the Tigers were throughout the season, it all came crashing down in this one with a 21-0 defeat. The Bulldogs scored twice in the second quarter and once in the third, while the Tigers gained just 110 yards for the game and were forced to punt six times. They also turned the ball over twice on pass interceptions. In the playoffs the Bulldogs, after defeating Brunswick, lost 31-24 in the state semifinals to St. Ignatius,
Brunswick – A driving snow storm at the University of Akron’s Rubber made playing conditions nearly impossible, with up to six inches of the wet stuff blanketing the field. The snow came down so hard that attempts to plow it proved fruitless. In a game that should have been postponed, the Tigers lost 7-6. The difference? Massillon attempted their PAT immediately following their touchdown, with the kicker lining up from within a bed of snow, while Brunswick called time out to first shovel the snow suitable enough for the kicker to have some footing during his ultimately successful kick. After a scoreless first half, Christian Morgan sped through the line and plodded 89 yards for a touchdown. The Blue Devils, employing a 2-tight end set, scored their TD late in the fourth quarter on a short run, capping a drive that covered just over half of the field. Massillon’s size and speed advantage was negated by the poor field conditions and they managed just over 100 yards of offense, aside from Morgan’s long run. Also, they couldn’t take advantage of four Brunswick fumbles. Of course, the Blue Devil’s couldn’t cash in on the Tiger’s four turnovers. The following week Brunswick would lose in the playoffs 36-15 to McKinley, on a dry field.
7th Grade (4-0): Defeated Canfield, 30-8. Plays at Massillon Perry on Wednesday, October 1, at 6:00 pm.
8th Grade (1-4): Lost to Medina Highland, 13-8; plays at Austintown on Wednesday, October 1, at 6:00 pm.
Freshmen (1-4): The game vs. Football North was canceled. Plays home to Medina Highland on Thursday, October 2, at 6:00 pm.
Junior Varsity (0-5-1): Lost to Football North, 40-10. Plays at Avon on Saturday, October 4, at 10:00 am.
Review of the Football North Game
Rasmus Haines
Massillon played from behind the entire game in a 34-2 loss. North won the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball and also took advantage of seven Tiger turnovers. North’s Josh Martin-Pendkey was the whole offense for North as he rushed 26 times for 192 yards and scored four touchdowns. The North defensive front, along with a constant linebacker blitz, put tremendous pressure on the Massillon quarterback. The stout defense also kept the Tigers bottled up in their own end of the field, with the average starting field position being the 25 yard line. Massillon also failed to score an offensive point, the first time since 2015. For the Tigers, Savior Owens rushed 14 times for 51 yards. Quarterback Manny Patterson completed 13 of 24 passes for 117 yards. Giorgio Jackson Jr. had four receptions for 16 yards. Isaac Maxheimer led the defense with 11 total tackles, a quarterback sack and two tackles for loss. Junior Rasmus Haines punted four times with an average of 42.5 yards per attempt.
“A terrible loss,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore at the Monday Booster Club meeting. “We got our butts kicked on both sides of the ball, on the line. We weren’t physically strong enough to handle them. It’s a tough pill to swallow. We need to correct the mistakes. That was an excellent football team. Very physical. If we can’t move people physically to run the ball, we need to find another way.”
Moore also said that the defense was placed in tough positions as a result of the turnovers. Otherwise, he felt that side of the ball played well. As did special teams, particularly Haines with his ever-improving punting.
The guest players were junior offensive lineman Dayvionne Floyd and junior defensive back Braylon Gamble.
Floyd – We did not play to our capability.
Gamble – We were prepared, but we weren’t ready for what they brought.
Cardinal Ritter Scouting Report
Cardinal Ritter plays in the AAA League along with four other area parochial schools. Last year they finished with a record of 10-2, while losing 30-18 in the third round of the playoffs to Lafayette. Over the past five years they have a record of 49-15, with state championships in 2022 and 2023. The Lions (2-2) are currently ranked 11th in Missouri among all schools and 3rd in Division 5 (Division 6 is the largest). The top player returning from last year is junior linebacker Marshaun Ivy (6’-3”, 220) (71 tackles). He is a 3-star athlete that has offers from several Power-5 schools. For the purposes of Harbin points, Ritter is classified as Division V, but compete above their enrollment classification.
Cardinal Ritter’s schedule to date:
No. 9 Jackson (5-0), 20-23 L
No. 1 Christian Brothers (5-0), 12-34 L
No. 33 Howell Francis (3-2), 50-0 W
No. 44 St. Pius X (2-3), 36-8 W
“Ritter is a good team,” said Moore. “No let up for Massillon this week.”
Once again the Tigers will be facing a team that has a huge offensive line that knows how to play. This one averages 6′-3″, 294 lbs. The wide receivers in their 10-personnal formation are really, really fast, according to Moore. The two best are senior Elijah Lucas (6′-3″, 200) and sophomore Ryan McDavis (6′-1″, 150). They play two underclass quarterbacks in freshman Rylan Moore (5′-8″, 155) and sophomore Kashmir Manuzuk (6′-0″, 175). Both are good players. They also feature two alternating running backs in senior Manny Ellis (5′-7″, 165) and sophomore Kenny Robinson (5′-8″, 175). The Lions like to run the ball first, but won’t hesitate to go deep.
Defensively, Ritter employs an even front with four linemen. They average 6′-2″, 225 lbs., with a couple 275 lb. backups in the wings. The best of the two inside linebackers is Ivy (see above). The 5-man secondary is very fast and aggressive and uses a lot of man-to-man coverage. They will align mostly in cover-0 and cover-1, with occasional cover-3. Not much blitzing.
On special teams, they are not a great at kicking, but have good return players.
“This is a good football team,” Moore said in closing. “Strong and physical. They play the game the right way. Another great challenge.”
Samuel Doussous (91), Joe Karder (94), Christian Culler (2), Chayce White (35), Ja’Dyn Williams chance after the loose ball.
Cardinal Ritter plays in the AAA League along with four other area parochial schools. Last year they finished with a record of 10-2, while losing 30-18 in the third round of the playoffs to Lafayette. Over the past five years they have a record of 49-15, with state championships in 2022 and 2023. The Lions (2-2) are currently ranked 11th in Missouri among all schools and 3rd in Division 5 (Division 6 is the largest). The top player returning from last year is junior linebacker Marshaun Ivy (6’-3”, 220) (71 tackles). He is a 3-star athlete that has offers from several Power-5 schools. For the purposes of Harbin points, Ritter is classified as Division V, but compete above their enrollment classification.