Top Games for Week 5

Top Games for Week 5

Massillon (4-0) at Lakewood St. Edward (4-0) – A battle of two of the top teams in Ohio, the match that everyone has been waiting for.  Massillon owns a 4-game winning streak in the series and St. Eds would love to turn it around.  It will be the size of the Eagle lines vs. the speed of the Tiger skill players, while both possess several Division 1 athletes.  Top game in the state this week.

Cardinal Gibbons, NC (3-1) at Akron Hoban (0-4) – Hoban’s first four opponents have a combined record of 12-1 and they have been outscored by an average of six points per game.  This week they are right back into the fire following a 17-14 loss to St. Edward.  Gibbons, the No. 7 team in North Carolina, is a 33-point favorite according to hsratings.com.

Hudson (4-0) at Nordonia (3-1) – Hudson is coming off a one-sided victory over previously undefeated North Royalton, while Nordonia lost last week to a strong Medina Highland, their only loss coming to Walsh Jesuit in Week 1.

Kings (3-1) at Cincinnati Anderson (3-1) – A big game among top teams in the ECC.   Also, a good one for comparing scores, since Kings earlier lost 35-0 to Cincinnati Winton Woods.

Cincinnati Moeller (2-2) at Cincinnati St. Xavier (2-2) – Perhaps a battle for second place in the GCL.  Moeller’s losses were to Cincinnati Princeton (4-0) and Louisville Trinity (3-1).  St. Xavier’s losses were to Lakota West (4-0) and Indianapolis Cathedral (2-2).

Lakota West (4-0) at Cincinnati Princeton (4-0) – This one will be for all the marbles in the GMC.  Princeton owns a win over Moeller, while Lakota West beat St. Xavier.

 

 

 

 

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 5 – Post-Canisius;…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 5 – Post-Canisius; Preview of the Lakewood St. Edward Game

Massillon (4-0) defeated Canisius, NY (1-1), 42-0.  This week Massillon plays Lakewood St. Edward (4-0), Ohio’s No. 1 team in Division I.  The venue for the game is Baldwin-Wallace University’s Finney Stadium.

Link to the Canisius Game Story

Link to the Canisius Game Statistics (later)

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (3-0): Defeated Medina Highland, 36-6.  Plays at Warren on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:00 pm.
• 8th Grade (1-1): The game against Louisville was canceled due to weather, with the Tigers on top 16-0 at the time.  Plays at home against Warren on Wednesday, September 16, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (1-3): Lost to Austintown Fitch, 41-0.  Plays at home against Lakewood St. Edward on Thursday, September 17, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (2-2): Lost to Detroit Catholic Central, 20-6.  Plays at home against Lakewood St. Edward on Saturday, September 19, at 1:00 pm.

Review of the Canisius Game

A smothering Tiger defense set the tone and the offense took advantage in a 42-0 victory over the No. 8 ranked team in New York, the Canisius Crusaders, who hail from Buffalo. It was the fourth time in head coach Nate Moore’s twelve years at Massillon that his team won its first four games of the season. In the previous ones, the Tigers went on to win the remainder of their regular season games and advance in the playoffs to the Division II state championship game, while winning the title in 2023.  The Tigers finished with a balanced attack, rushing for 146 yards and passing for 148 yards, for a total of 294. Canisius was held to a mere 12 yards in the second half and finished with 101 total yards: 63 on the ground and 38 in the air.

Massillon head coach Nate Moore said that Canisius is one of the top teams in New York.  “We played OK,”  he remarked.  “It wasn’t one of our best games.  We lacked some physicality.  Inconsistent at times.  Took our feet off the gas a bit.  We need to constantly guard against that.  Hopefully, we learned a lesson.”

The guest players were senior wide receiver Gio Jackson Jr. and senior outside linebacker Issac Maxheimer.

Jackson – Last week was a good win.  Our main priority was just to do a good job.  This week we face a great opponent.  They play hard football.  They are very talented.  We hope to take a good step in the right direction.

Maxheimer – St. Edward is a really good opponent.  They are heavy run.  They have a big line and run the ball a lot.  They don’t pass much.

Preview of the St. Edward Game

Scores to date:

• Olentangy Liberty (1-3): 15-12 W
• Canton McKinley (3-1): 22-8 W
• Huber Heights Wayne (1-3): 48-21 W
• Akron Hoban (0-4): 17-14

In the last five years St. Edward has recorded an overall record of 62-13.  They have also qualified for playoffs each year, with a record of 24-3.  Recent state titles were earned in 2021, 2022 and 2023.  Last season the Eagles finished with a record of 11-3 and advanced to the state semifinals, only to lose 28-0 to eventual state champion Olentangy Orange.  During the regular season Massillon defeated St. Eds 21-14, which was the fourth win in a row in that short series.  The Tigers lead 7-4 all-time.  St. Ed returns seven starters on offense (including four lineman) and three on defense.  They include offensive lineman Jack Marquard (1^st Team All-Ohio) (3-star, Missouri), defensive back Langon Lehmer (2^nd Team All-Ohio) and offensive lineman Landon Walkem (HM All-Ohio).  In last year’s game Lehmer made 11 tackles and defensive lineman BP Paulozzi (3-star, Stanford) made six.

Moore had nothing but good things to say about the St. Edward team.  “They are a typical Eds team,” he said. “They are a very good team.  Big on both sides of the ball.  They’re athletic and talented.  They have a good quarterback.”

The offensive is run-first and revolves around senior quarterback Landston Lucas (6′-0″, 205) and his zone-read option scheme.  He will often pull the ball and run.  On other plays he will keep on a quarterback draw.  He is quick and runs like a running back, similar to that of the NFL Academy quarterback.  On hand offs they tend to say between the tackles with their massive line, which averages 6′-3″, 295 lbs.  Lucas is also a good passer.  The No. 1 target is Lehmer (6′-0″, 195), a 2-way player.  He is a 3-star recruit, who has committed to Miami of Ohio.  At tight end is Joe Moore (6′-4″, 230) (3-star, UConn).

The defensive line also has good size, averaging 6′-2″, 265 lbs.  Normally an even-front, this year they have shown a lot of odd-front.  They will use a variety of formations with the goal of putting a lot of pressure on the opponent’s offensive line.  They want to control the run and pressure quarterback.  The secondary is mostly in quarters, with some cover-1 and some cover-3.  The corners are both good, particularly Lehmer.

“The front line will be a great challenge for us,” said Moore.

The key matchup will be Massillon’s running attack vs. St. Edward’s front 7 and and its solid linebacker corps.  If the Eagles can have success in this area without bringing up extra defenders, then the Tigers could become one-dimensional.  However, if Massillon is successful with the run and protects the quarterback, they have the speed at running back to get into the second level and athletic ability at receiver and tight end to stress the defense.  On the other side of of the ball it is all about the Tigers limiting the quarterback production on the ground.

Regarding the Farrell game

The Week 7 game vs. Farrell has been officially canceled.  It is unknown if the game will forfeited or canceled.  Given that Farrell is a Division VII opponent it would be to Massillon’s benefit if it was canceled.  For the Tigers would receive more Harbin points with a seasonal average than the minimal second level points earned when Farrell wins games (Note that each of Farrell’s opponents are also classified as Division VII and valued at just 3.5 points).

 

 

 

Go Tigers!

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-NFL…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-NFL Academy; Preview of the Canisius Game

Massillon (3-0) defeated NFL Academy (2-1), 21-16.  This week Massillon plays at home against Canisius, Buffalo, NY (1-0).

Link to the NFL Academy Game Story

Link to the NFL Academy Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (2-0): The game against South Range was canceled.  Plays at Medina Highland on Tuesday, September 8 at 6:00 pm.
• 8th Grade (1-1): The game against Milkovich (Maple Heights) was canceled.  Plays at Louisville on Wednesday, September 9 at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (1-2): Lost to Akron Hoban, 15-28.  Plays at Austintown Fitch on Thursday, September 10, at 5:30 pm.
• Junior Varsity (2-1): Defeated Akron Hoban, 18-12.  Plays at home against Detroit Catholic Central on Saturday, September 12, at 1:00 pm.

Review of the NFL Academy Game

In one of the most physical games ever played at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon defeated NFL Academy, 21-16, behind three touchdowns from running back Savior Owens and a defense that made enough plays to preserve the victory. Owens rushed 19 times for 115 yards and scored on runs of 2 and 24 yards, as well as a spectacular 26-yard touchdown in which he fought through several defenders. vQuarterback Rasmus Haines completed 10 of 16 passes for 112 yards, including a 40-yard strike to Geo Jackson Jr. that set up Owens’ second touchdown. The Tigers led 14-10 at halftime and extended the margin to 21-10 late in the third quarter after an 80-yard, 12-play drive. NFL Academy, a highly regarded program based in England and coached by NFL-selected American coaches, proved to be Massillon’s toughest opponent of the season to date, with quarterback Viktor Lachambre rushing for 75 yards and completing 13 of 24 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown. The Academy scored on the final play of the game to make the final margin five points, but Massillon had controlled much of the night, finishing with a 341-194 advantage in total yardage and a 229-112 edge on the ground. Brayton Feister led the Tiger defense with 1½ sacks, two tackles for loss, five solo tackles and seven assists, while the deafening home crowd certainly aided in the victory.

“I’m proud of our guys,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore.  “It was a big week with a lot of distractions.  Lots of media coverage.  I’m proud of how they handled it.  We went out and played a great ball game against a great opponent.  They lived up to their billing.  It was physical.  Their skill was good.  The quarterback (Rice commit) was fantastic.”

The game plan was to open up the offense at the beginning and tail off in the second half with more runs.  Moore thought that it worked out as he had hoped.  On defense, he stated that that their running back couldn’t get anything going, due to the really good work by the defensive line.  Moore also noted that Massillon’s superior conditioning was a big factor.

The guest players were senior defensive back Braylon Gamble, senior offensive tackle Marcus Garner and senior running back  Savior Owens.

Gamble – We were tired of hearing about them.  We just wanted to prove that we’re the best in the state.

Garner – The prep was very physical.  They slowed down early, after the Tigers’ 80-yard drive.

Owens – The NFL team was really good.  We put on an 8-minute drive to score.  It was huge.  The offensive line did amazing.  NFL’s slogan, “Bow down  to the kings” was quickly rejected.  We turned that around.  Conditioning was a factor.  Now we need to put it behind us and focus on this week’s game.

Preview of the Canisius Game

Scores to date:

• Health Sciences / Buffalo Academy of Science (co-op): 41-14 W

Moore said that Canisius is a”well put together team.  It is a talented group.”  They have good size on both lines, with the offense averaging 6′-3″, 284 lbs. and the defense averaging 6′-2″, 258 lbs.

The key player for the Crusaders’ offense is senior running back Elijah Kimble (5′-11″, 195), a 4-star player who is committed to Syracuse.  He is ranked as the No. 27 running back in the country.  And he also plays cornerback and safety on defense.  Canisius plays two quarterbacks: senior Nathaniel Lindstrom (6′-3″, 190) and sophomore Zaeden Zayatz (6′-0″, 160).  They prefer to run the ball, mostly between the tackles, while utilizing a tight end or two.  The passing game involves some RPO.  Sophomore Mekhi Chaka (5′-10″, 170) is the primary receiver.

The defense lines up mostly using an even front, with a two linebacker look, similar to NFL Academy.  The secondary is mostly in man-to-man.  The best player on defense is junior linebacker Quentin Littleton (6′-0″, 200).  He is physical and has good speed.  Although, all of the linebackers are pretty active.

Canisius has a decent kicker, but not a great punter.

Go Tigers!

 

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 3 – Post-Canton…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 3 – Post-Canton GlenOak; Preview of the NFL Academy Game

Massillon (2-0) defeated Canton GlenOak (0-2), 54-7.  This week Massillon plays at home against NFL Academy (2-0).

Link to the Canton GlenOak Game Story

Link to the Canton GlenOak Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (2-0): Defeated Oakwood (Canton GlenOak, 54-0.  Plays at South Range on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:15 pm.
• 8th Grade (1-1): Defeated Oakwood (Canton GlenOak), 30-0.  Plays at home against Milkovich (Maple Heights) on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (1-1): Defeated Canton GlenOak, 27-13.  Plays at home against Akron Hoban on Thursday, September 3, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (1-1): Defeated Canton GlenOak, 26-0.  Plays at Akron Hoban on Saturday, September 5, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Canton GlenOak Game

Massillon had little trouble in dispatching Canton GlenOak, winning 54-7.  The Tigers outgained the Eagles in yardage, 425-111, with Gary Yeager gaining 154 yards and Savior Owens adding 107.  Owens also scored four touchdowns.  Mateo Herrera kicked a career-high 45-yard field goal.  Defensively, Massillon held GlenOak to just 15 yards rushing in19 attempts.  Brayton Feister recorded eight tackles and two tackles-for-loss.

Massillon head coach Nate Moore said that the challenge going into the game was handling the week the right way.  “Most handled the week really well,” he said.  All knew that GlenOak was not nearly in the same class as last week’s opponent, Cleveland Glenville.  On the down side, referring to the game, he said,” We had a chance to put them away in the first half and gave up a cheap TD.”  But he did mention that the special teams showed improvement.  In addition, the defensive line was very active and caused a lot of havoc in the backfield.

The guest players were senior running back Savior Owens, senior defensive back Braylon Gamble and sophomore running back Gary Yeager.

Owens: We had a really good practice and prepared really well.  This week, a big opponent.  Pretty big.

Yeager: I thought we did good as a group.  A shout out to the offense line.  This week we need to fix the little things.

Gamble: If we practice like we do this week, we’ll be OK.  This will  be the best team we play all year.  We need to be more physical.

Preview of the NFL Academy Game

The NFL Academy Europe-Africa is a traditional boarding high school, located in the UK.  Over a thousand high students from across Europe try out for the Academy each year, with the goal of earning football-related scholarships to American universities and eventually finding their ways to the NFL.  Eighty will secure spots on the team.  There, they receive a heavy education in American football, along with taking a full load of high school-level academics.  The school also adheres to the age limits that American schools use for playing eligibility. Coaches are American-bred and selected by the NFL.  Although their website says that the players are from Europe and Africa, several hail from Canada and Mexico.

In 2024 the Tigers traveled to Beaverton, Oregon, to participate in the Nike Football Classic.  There, they faced the NFL Academy, winning 35-21.  But this edition of NFL is expected to be much improved from that time.  In fact, they opened the season at home with a 44-24 win over Marietta, Georgia, and  hen traveled to the U.S., coming away with a 28-13 victory last Friday over always strong Akron Hoban.

The games with Massillon and Hoban were set up by Nike, which partially funded the adventure along with the NFL.  The games do not count in the Harbin computer calculations and are treated as open dates.

“It’s going to be a great game,” said Moore.  “They are much better than in 2024.  Huge at every position.  They are a well-seasoned team.”

What stands out most with this year’s edition of NFL Academy is their size.  It’s starts with the lines.  The offense averages 6′-5″, 298 lbs.  The 3-front defense averages 6′-3″, 290 lbs.  Both tight ends are 6′-4″.  One of the wide receivers is 6′-6″.  And the four linebackers average 6′-1″, 234 lbs.

The offense is similar to that of Massillon, in that they run a lot of lot of zone blocking schemes and run-pass options.  The quarterback is Viktor Lachambre (Canada, 6′-4″, 200).  Moore says that he is really talented, and especially fast as a runner.  He can scramble and looks for yardage when out of the pocket.  The No. 1 receiver is Leon Donato (Japan, 5′-10″, 175), while Jamil Secka (Germany, 5′-11″, 170) is the fastest.

The defense is similar to that of GlenOak structurally,  although the players are obviously much better.  They run a 3-4 front, with 2-high and some cover-3.  The best lineman is Shams Alnusyrat (Syria, 6′-0″, 270).  The best defensive back is Shaq Cisse (Germany, 5′-11″, 190).  They also have a good kicker and are well-coached in special teams.

“They are very skilled,” said Moore.  “Good players.  They play the right way.  Very physical.  Good at every position.  Well coached (by NFL coaches).  A great challenge for us.”  Expect them to be similar to last season’s Football North team.

One factor in the Tigers’ favor may be conditioning.  In each of their first two games, NFL seemed to lose its spark in the second half.

 

 

Go Tigers!

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 2 – Post-Cleveland…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 2 – Post-Cleveland Glenville; Preview of the Canton GlenOak Game

Massillon (1-0) defeated Cleveland Glenville (0-1), 31-18.  This week Massillon travels to Canton GlenOak (0-1).

Link to the Glenville Game Story

Link to the Glenville Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron (Litchfield), 30-0.  Plays at Oakwood (Canton GlenOak) on Tuesday, August 25, at 6:00 pm.
• 8th Grade (0-1): Lost to Wadsworth, 26-23.  Plays at Oakwood (Canton GlenOak) on Tuesday, August 25, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (0-1): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 46-0.  Plays at home against Canton GlenOak on Thursday, August 27, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (0-1): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 21-14.  Plays at home against Canton GlenOak on Saturday, August 29, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Cleveland Glenville Game

Massillon got its revenge against Cleveland Glenville with a hard-fought 31-18 victory.  The offense displayed a balanced attack with 183 yards rushing and 186 passing.  Rasmus Haines, in his first-ever varsity start, completed 11 of 23 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns.  Deontay Malone caught one of 82 yards and Geo Jackson Jr. added another from 21 yards out.  In the rushing department, veteran back Savior Owens carried the ball 26 times for 180 yards and two touchdowns, of 47 and 40 yards.  The defense held the Tarblooders to 146  total yards.  Brydon Feister had 8 combined tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.  Brayton Feister had 6 tackles and 2.0 TFLs.  Although, both assisted with many more tackles that didn’t show up on the stat sheet.

“We’re very happy with the overall effort and execution,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club meeting.  “The defense was put in bad situations at times and bowed up.  Also, very impressed with the offense.  It exceeded my expectations.  They played very well.  Very happy with the punt team.”  But he also alluded to some “dumb” mistakes and stupid penalties, without which the score might have been more impressive.  “We had several self-inflicted wounds that are completely avoidable that led to touchdowns,” he added.  But on the positive side, he highlighted a multitude of good blocks from the linemen while  showing the game film.

Then, the was the massive crowd.  “Incredible atmosphere,” said Moore.  “You guys really showed up.”

The guest players were offensive lineman Marcus Garner, inside linebacker Brayton Feister and outside linebacker Isaac Maxheimer.

Garner – “A  big shoutout to (freshman lineman) James Gatsios, who played really good in the game.  Also, to (quarterback) Ras (Haines).  He played really good. ”

Feister – “I thought we did really well overall.  Really physical.  We need to continue to build and clean up our mistakes.”

Maxheimer – “It was a tough game.  We came out with high intensity and they couldn’t match it.”

Preview of the GlenOak game

GlenOak is a Division I program that competes in the Federal League.  Last year they finished 2-8 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.  Although they are one of the largest schools in Stark County, they continue to struggle on the football field.  Over the past five years they have compiled a record of 17-35 and only qualified twice for the playoffs, with a 1-2 record.  Last year Massillon got the better of the Eagles,  44-10, with all of the offensive points scored in the first half.  Quarterback Mandwell Patterson completed 16 of 21 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns.  Malone and Jackson each caught seven passes and combined for three of the TDs.

GlenOak opened the season last week with a 36-21 loss to Dover.  They return six starters on offense and three defense, including wide receiver Caydren Saunders, who caught 5 passes 49 yards and a TD in last year’s game.  GlenOak has hired Matt Dennison (191-83) to be its new head coach, replacing Scott Garcia, who may remain as athletic director.

“GlenOak is not Glenville,” said Moore.  “We need to focus on ourselves, maintain the same level of play and preparation, regardless.  That has to be our approach.”

The Eagles line up on offense in the spread, while leaning toward buck sweeps, screen passes and deep passes.  Defensively, they are similar to Massillon’s old scheme.  They utilize a 3-4, with some 4-front.  A lot of cover-3.

The best players are junior wide receiver / cornerback  Timarien Patterson and Saunders, also a wide receiver / cornerback.  Both are very athletic.  The running back is senior Lelan Snell  Jr., who is fast and shifty.  The quarterback is a sophomore, Jamel Hall, who Moore said manages the offense well.

Garner – “We need to take a step forward.”

Feister – “Every week is the best team we play.  We need to continue to get better.  With max effort, we will be just fine.”

Maxheimer – “We need to show GlenOak what football is about.”

Go Tigers!

Tigers Get Their Revenge with Win Over Cleveland Glenville

Tigers Get Their Revenge with Win Over Cleveland Glenville

Statistics

Massillon head coach Nate Moore prefers to schedule a high-level opponent for the first game of the season in order to find weaknesses early and make corrections.  Unfortunately, that strategy carries the risk in that the team could begin with a loss.  In fact, over the past six seasons that has happened to the Tigers four times, including in last year’s 27-33 overtime game with Cleveland Glenville.  This year’s opening opponent once again was Glenville, the 3-time Division IV state champion.  But this Tiger team would have none of that losing stuff, and came out on the right end of the score in a hard-fought 31-18 victory.

GAME NOTES

• The atmosphere was electric: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium at near capacity and rocking; the massive new scoreboard with enhanced graphics; a new announcer geared toward getting the fans more involved in the game; and dozens of photographers lining the sidelines.
• The game lasted well over three hours on account of the numerous stoppages to treat players that went down with cramps. However, it appeared that both teams were in great physical shape and exerted maximum effort right until the finish.
• By game’s end Massillon had displayed a balanced attack, with 183 yards rushing and 186 yards passing. Most of the passing yards came in the first half, while the run was more effective after the break, in response to Glenville’s ever-changing defensive scheme.  Quarterback Rasmus Haines was supurb, until Glenville eventually adjusted to take away the pass by inserting additional defensive backs.  But early on he threaded the Glenville secondary with around 180 first-half yards. Only, that opened up the run, with Glenville particularly vulnerable around the edges due to fewer linebackers in the game.  Haines finished with 186 yards passing, with 149 going to Deontay Malone on five receptions and a touchdown.  The longest completion was an 82-yard score.  Giorgio Jackson also caught a touchdown pass.  Savior Owens got the bulk of the carries and finished with 180 yards at 6.9 yards per attempt and two touchdowns.
• Glenville is perhaps the fastest team the Tigers will face this year and that attribute was on display throughout the game. They were led by quarterback LaMarques Greenwood, who accounted for most of their offense.  He rushed for 65 yards and passed for 42 (6 of 20), gaining 107 of their 124 total yards.
• The score may not show how dominant the Tigers were, since a few errors led to opportunities on the other side. Glenville’s first touchdown was off a 44-yard drive, initiated following a pair of 15-yard penalties.  Take away a third penalty and the Tarblooders earned just 20 yards.  The second score was a 68 kickoff return.  And the third was an 18-yard drive following a muffed punt, with a run off a broken play on fourth down.
• The Tigers responded to every threat posed by the Tarblooders. After Glenville scored following Massillon’s initial touchdowns, the Tigers came right back to take a 14-6 lead.  After the Tarblooders ran back the kickoff, Massillon put the next points on the board to go up 24-12.  And following the final Glenville TD, the Tigers sealed it on their next drive with a 40-yard Owens TD run.
• Massillon’s defense had a few issues, but was simply overwhelming for most of the night. Led by the tackling of Brydon Feister (8 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss) and Brayton Feister (6 tackles and 2.0 TFLs), the Glenville rushing attack was held to just 71 yards (2.5 ave.), including 53 lost yards.
• The 2026 hall of fame inductees were recognized at halftime. The Wall of Champions honoree is David Reese (first MAC commissioner).  The Tiger Football Hall of Fame inductees are former players Fred Heyman, R.C. Arrington B.J. Payne and Charles Calhoun.  Sadly, after driving up from North Carolina and speaking to the team on Thursday evening, Calhoun passed away in his hotel room that night.  A moment of silence was observed in his passing.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Massillon received the opening kickoff and proceeded to drive 74 yards in ten plays for a touchdown.  The big play was a 31-yard pass over the top from Haines to a leaping Malone, who secured the ball at the Glenville nine.  Three plays later Haines hit Jackson for a 4-yard TD.

Following the extra point by Mateo Herrera, the Tigers were assessed a 15-yard penalty.  Then on the return, another 15-yarder, giving Glenville great starting position at the Massillon 30.  It took seven plays for the Tarblooders to cover the distance, aided by yet another penalty, of ten yards.  On third and one, Valonte McCord powered in from the one.  Just twenty yards were gained by the offense.  Following a missed PAT, the score was 7-6.

But the Tigers came right back when Haines went long to Malone, who gathered in the ball and finished off an 82-yard touchdown pass.  Score: 14-6 in the first quarter.

Following a Glenville punt, the Tigers were on the march again.  This time they covered 64 yards in 16 plays, only to lose the ball on a bumble at the Glenville seven.  Sideline observers said that the runner’s knee touched the ground first, but of course the referee has the final say.

Following a Tarblooders punt, Massillon managed to drive 58 yards for a field goal and a 2-posession advantage at the half.  Score 17-6.  At that point the Tigers owned a 255-30 yardage edge.

Only, Glenville got back into the game when Eniere Lemon returned a pooch kickoff 68 yards for a touchdown.  That’s when the Glenville speed really showed itself.  Again, they missed the PAT.  Score: 17-12.

Following an exchange of punts, Massillon took over at the Tarblooder 47 yard line.  From there, it took just one play to stretch the margin back out when the shifty Owens raced around end and worked his way through the opponent secondary and to the end zone.  Score: 24-12.

But, Glenville did not quit, closing the margin after a muffed punt return with a 4th-down run from the Massillon 18.  Score 24-18.

Making it a habit, the Tigers came right back, driving 50 in four plays, with Owens scoring from the 40.  It was the final points of the night and a 31-18 victory.

Photos by Marlene Kanipe

Deontay Malone (6)

Sabastian Harper (3) and Christian Culler (2)

Deontay Malone (6)

Savior Owens (1) and Geo Jackson Jr. (21)

Noah Garner (66), Brydon Feister (8)

Marcus Garner (60) and Savior Owens (1)

Savior Owens (1)

Brayton Feister (18)

Savior Owens (1)

 

Deontay Malone (6)

Savior Owens (1)

 

Photos from the Kickoff Rally

Photos from the Kickoff Rally

 

Massillon Dominates Cincinnati Moeller in Scrimmage Action

Massillon Dominates Cincinnati Moeller in Scrimmage Action

The Tigers traveled four hours to Cincinnati to play Moeller and came away with a one-sided 24-3 victory in two and a half quarters of action.  Per Maxpreps.com, the Crusaders are the No. 5 team in Division 1, whereas Division II Massillon is ranked No. 1 among all Ohio teams.  The win comes on the heels of last week’s 28-7 victory over Avon, the No. 5 team in Division II.  Based on these results, the Tigers are certainly deserving of their high ranking.  But still, these are just scrimmages and it gets real next week with the start of the regular season.

Once again, the defense was simply overwhelming, holding Moeller to just three first downs, with one coming via the penalty route.  The D also forced three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown.  Meanwhile, the offense did what offenses are supposed to do; i.e., score points.

Scoring:

• Mass – 15 yd. return of an intercepted pass by Christian Culler; Mateo Herrera kick; score: 7-0.
• Mass – Short field goal by Herrera; score: 10-0.
• Mass – 75 yd. touchdown pass from Rasmus Haines to Braylon Gamble; Herrera kick; score: 17-0.
• Mass – 20 yd. touchdown pass from Haines to Gio Jackson; Herrera kick; score 24-0; drive set up by a Culler pass interception.
• Moel – Field goal; score: 24-7.

Moeller bested Massillon in JV play, 10-0.

The regular season begins next Friday with Massillon hosting Ohio No.  9 Cleveland Glenville (division TBD).  Moeller travels to Division I No. 3 Cincinnati Princeton.

The freshmen defeated Moeller, 18-12.

Massillon and Avon to Square Off in Initial Scrimmage

Massillon and Avon to Square Off in Initial Scrimmage

It’s finally here!  The start of the much-anticipated 2026 high school football season.  And what better way to begin than by matching up two of Ohio’s Division II state powers: Massillon, the state champion of 2023 and Avon, champion in 2024 and ‘25.  Both are expected to contend this year for the state title and could potentially meet again in the state finals.

Although past accolades certainly won’t be the focus when they meet on Friday at 11:30 am in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, and while state titles are not won in scrimmages, it will still be a great event.  Fans should expect the respective coaches to challenge their players in game action settings in order to determine the starters and effective backups, while not focusing so much on which team comes out on top.  Nevertheless, Tiger fans are sure to have other opinions and conversations to hold them over until the scrimmage the following week against another state power, Cincinnati Moeller.

Avon has had a long history of successful football under head coach Mike Elder, who is entering his 18^th season in that position.  His overall record to date stands at 198 wins and 27 losses, including eight undefeated regular seasons, eight playoff regional championships and two state championships, the latter occurring in the past two years.  Interestingly, all of his post-season titles have come in the last nine years.  But until the last two, there always seemed to be a hill climb; that hill being Akron Hoban.  Five times in seven years it was Hoban that halted Avon’s run to the title.  And not all of the games were close.  The Eagles were also eliminated by Massillon 35-10 in 2019, the only time these two teams have met in a game that counted, and by Toledo Central Catholic 28-20 during their 2022 title run.  Finally, in 2024, they reached the summit, convincingly knocking off Hoban 35-10 and winning the crown with a 20-13 victory over Cincinnati Anderson.   The following year they handled Walsh Jesuit in the semifinals 38-7 before beating Anderson in the title game, 37-20.

For Massillon, head coach Nate Moore begins his 12^th season, with an overall record of 119-29.  During his tenure the Tigers have won six regional championships and advanced to the state title game four times.  The state title came in 2023, on a 7-2 victory over Akron Hoban.  In regular season encounters, Massillon holds a 10-game winning streak over rival Canton McKinley and a 4-game winning streak over state power Lakewood St. Edward, which captured the Division I state title in two of those years.  Going into this season, the Tigers have been tabbed by multiple ranking services as the team to beat in Division II.

Avon will have some big shoes to fill this year with the loss of nine all-state players, including quarterback Blake Elder, son of coach Mike Elder.  In addition, there are apparently few marquee players returning, according to the recruiting websites.  However, the Eagles traditionally field a lot of interchangeable participants during key parts of games, positioning them as better suited to reload rather than rebuild.  It begins with these promising players:

• Junior quarterback Carter Jenny
• Junior wide receiver Jackson Palmer
• Sophomore running back / linebacker Camden Bly
• Senior offensive lineman Maximus Hauck
• Senior offensive / defensive lineman Cameron Dietz
• Senior defensive lineman Lance Dawson
• Senior defensive back Jacob Weatherspoon (Power 4 recruit)

Meanwhile, Massillon welcomes back fifteen starters from its 9-4 campaign of the previous year.  Although stellar linebacker Jayden Williams has moved on to Indiana, the Tigers are well positioned with several top-shelf athletes, including the following:

• Senior running back Savior Owens (1^st Team All-Ohio, Michigan State)
• Senior wide receiver / cornerback Deonte Malone (2^nd Team All-Ohio, Ohio State)
• Senior wide receiver Giorgio Jackson (2^nd Team All-District, Miami of Ohio)
• Senior offensive lineman Dayvionne Floyd (2^nd Team All-District)
• Senior offensive lineman Marcus Garner (Honorable Mention All-District)
• Junior defensive lineman Brydon Feister (1^st Team All-Ohio)
• Senior linebacker Brayton Feister (Ohio Defensive Player of the Year, Oregon)
• Senior linebacker Isaac Maxheimer (2^nd Team All-District)
• Senior safety Braylon Gamble (2^nd Team All-District, Boston College)

What a great way to kick off the season.