Category: History

2022: Massillon 42, Middletown, DE, 24

GAME STATS

Peter Holland Jr., The Repository

Massillon football’s defense brings the pressure, beats Middletown to extend win streak

 

 

MASSILLON — On a chilly, fall night at Paul Brown Tigers Stadium, the Massillon Tigers brought some heat to the visiting powerhouse from Delaware, beating the Middletown Cavaliers 42-24 Friday.

Middletown just couldn’t handle the pressure. The pressure of Massillon’s defensive front, which helped the Tigers win their sixth straight game.

The Tigers’ defense got after it as they registered five sacks and a handful of hurries on Middletown’s quarterback Austin Troyer. While he did throw for three touchdowns, two in the first half, the Tigers’ defensive line made their presence known in the backfield. According to Massillon head coach Nate Moore, the key was forcing Middletown to eliminate running the football and making the Cavs a one-dimensional offense.

“I thought they played well,” Moore said after the game. “They couldn’t run the ball on us, at least consistently and that was key to the ballgame. Even when they were a good throwing team, we were able to make them one-handed. Then when you get to them in long situations … we were able to bring the pressure and started to get home during the game.”

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Dorian Pringle, Michael Wright Jr. and Malachi Card were the sack leaders on Massillon’s defense. Brandon Carman forced a fumble, and Chase Bond recovered it early in the third quarter. Cody Fair also recovered a fumble created by Pringle and Ryan Page.

“We had to get the ball out quickly. No. 45 (Wright Jr.) is a wonderful football player,” Middletown’s coach Zachary Blum said. “I’m sure he is going to play Power 5 football somewhere. Their linebackers did a great job in the pressure game. Our thought is to get the ball out quickly, hit on the edges  and the perimeter and make these guys tackle in space.”

Massillon’s defense prevented that for the most part. Middletown did take an early 12-0 lead, then it was all Massillon. The Tigers (6-1) scored 35 unanswered points to take control of the game.

“After that first touchdown, it was kind of a wake-up call for us and it kind of set the tone for us the rest of the game and we knew what we were getting ourselves into,” said Zach Liebler, who led the Tigers in receiving yards with 56 yards and a touchdown.

What was working for the Tigers was running the football, led by senior Willtrell Hartson again. He ran for 198 yards and three touchdowns a week after netting 274 yards in their victory over Austintown Fitch. Sophomore quarterback Jalen Slaughter threw three TD passes and was 10-of-18.

Hartson said the Tigers got off to a slow start, “but we picked it up and started running hard.”

Liebler gave credit to Massillon’s defense for its limitless amount of pressure. “They completely dominated the game … to put the pressure on the quarterback and stop the run game.”

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

IMPORTANT: Beat McKinley Parade Information 2022

Follow the Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club on Facebook.

McKinley Week is just few short weeks away. The culminating event prior to Saturday’s game is the annual Beat McKinley parade. The parade is scheduled to begin at 7pm Friday October 21st with the route going right through the heart of downtown. Staging on 8th street will begin at 5:30pm

Below you will find an interactive map showing the planned route and planned drop off area. The staging area will be on 8th street and the drop off area is noted within the interactive map.

INTERACTIVE MAP

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If you would like to participate in the Beat McKinley parade, please send an email to register for your participation to MassillonFBC@gmail.com

Please include the following in the body of the email (COPY and PASTE the detail below):

Your name: 
# of people in your party :
vehicle type: 
license plate: 
email address & Phone Number: 

This information is REQUIRED for participation in the parade. At the time of registration you will receive a confirmation number that you will need to provide at the staging area.

All parade registrants must positively promote the Massillon Tiger Football Program, Massillon City Schools, Massillon Athletics and the City of Massillon.

POLITICAL SIGNS AND POLITICAL PROMOTION OF ANY KIND ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

THROWING OF CANDY OR ANY OTHER OBJECTS FROM PARADE VEHICLES IS ALSO PROHIBITED

GO TIGERS!!

2022: Massillon 35, Canton GlenOak 7

GAME STATS

Mike Popovich, The Repository

‘Did a little bit of everything right’: Massillon football rolls past GlenOak to first win

 

PLAIN TWP. — It’s always a long high school football season.

In Massillon’s case, it has felt a lot longer thanks to successful playoff runs over the past few years.

That’s why the Tigers could not overreact after a Week 1 loss to one of the best teams they will see all season. Friday was a new day. GlenOak was the next challenge.

Massillon successfully seized this opportunity.

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Willtrell Hartson’s three touchdown runs helped lift the Tigers to a 35-7 win over the Golden Eagles at Bob Commings Field. On the heels of last week’s loss to Moeller, Massillon grabbed the lead less than two minutes in and improved to 1-1.

“We did a little bit of everything right,” Tigers head coach Nate Moore said. ” … We have to stay committed to getting better every day in practice and every week.”

The Massillon defense came within seconds of positing a shutout after allowing 500 yards to Moeller. GlenOak scored its only points with 5.2 seconds left on Katour Ashcraft’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Cole Anderson.

Meanwhile, Hartson continued his hot start to the season. He scored on a pair of 1-yard runs, had a 4-yard touchdown run and finished with 158 yards on 23 carries. He has 284 yards rushing and seven touchdowns in two games.

Hartson did not let an early fumble when the Tigers could have led 14-0 set him back.

“Handling adversity is hugely important,” Moore said. “It’s not the fumble per se. Things are going to go wrong all the time. It’s inevitable. You have to be able to handle it which means keep fighting, keep swinging and keep playing hard.”

Hartson’s third touchdown run and Braylyn Toles’ TD reception from Jalen Slaughter in the third quarter put Massillon in command at 28-0. Mylen Lenix added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the Tigers.

The Golden Eagles had their chances to break even with the Tigers in the first half. They drove inside Massillon territory twice, but came up empty.

When Hartson scored with 43 seconds left in the first half, the Golden Eagles found themselves down 14-0.

“Our defense played hard and kept us in it,” GlenOak head coach Scott Garcia said. “We couldn’t do anything offensively.”

Knowing that it’s a long season, the Golden Eagles have to pick themselves up now. They celebrated a 51-24 win over Shaker Heights last week. Now it’s their turn to deal with adversity.

“A lot of guys never played in situations like this and games like this,” Garcia said. “It’s a learning experience. We’re going to grow from it and move on.

“I thought our kids played with great effort. As long as they do that and come back to work, we’ll be alright.”

Reach Mike at mike.popovich@ cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @mpopovichREP

2022 Massillon vs. Canton GlenOak Game Statistics

MASSILLON WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

Massillon vs Canton GlenOak (Aug 26, 2022)

 

 

 

 

Scoring Summary

 

Scoring Summary (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon vs Canton GlenOak (Aug 26, 2022 at Canton, OH) Massillon (1-1) vs. Canton GlenOak (1-1)

Date: Aug 26, 2022 • Site: Canton, OH  • Stadium: Bob Cummings Field  •  Attendance:

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 Score 
Massillon  7 7 21 35 
Canton GlenOak  0 0 7 7 
SCORING SUMMARY  MASS -GLENOAK  
1st 10:09 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 1 yd run (Vinney Keller kick) 
      6 plays, 51 yards, TOP 1:51 7 – 0 
2nd 00:43 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 4 yd run (Vinney Keller kick) 
      8 plays, 50 yards, TOP 3:24 14 – 0 
3rd 09:30 MASS  Braylyn Toles 50 yd pass from Jalen Slaughter (Vinney Keller kick) 
      1 play, 50 yards, TOP 0:09 21 – 0 
 00:40 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 1 yd run (Vinney Keller kick) 
      8 plays, 59 yards, TOP 2:42 28 – 0 
 10:45 MASS  Mylen Lenix 1 yd run (Vinney Keller kick) 
      3 plays, 14 yards, TOP 1:06 35 – 0 
 00:06 GLENOAK  Cole Anderson 21 yd pass from Katour Ashcraft (Luc Thompson kick) 
      7 plays, 93 yards, TOP 3:49 35 – 7 
Kickoff time: 7:07 PM  • End of Game: 9:31 PM  • Total elapsed time: 2:24
Referee: Danny Kleckner  •  Umpire: M Steigerwald  •  Linesman: Dan Kozma  •  Line judge: Vince Guardado  •  Back judge: Gary Witts  •  Scorer: Jim Barkan Jr  •
Temperature: 76 F  • Wind: 8MPH NW  • Weather: Dry

 

 

Team Statistics

 

Team Statistics (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon vs Canton GlenOak (Aug 26, 2022 at Canton, OH)

 Team Totals MASS GLENOAK 
FIRST DOWNS 16 10 
   Rushing 11 7 
   Passing 2 2 
   Penalty 3 1 
NET YARDS RUSHING 209 51 
   Rushing Attempts 40 38 
   Average Per Rush 5.2 1.3 
   Rushing Touchdowns 4 0 
   Yards Gained Rushing 230 133 
   Yards Lost Rushing 21 82 
NET YARDS PASSING 102 86 
   Completions-Attempts-Int 5-13-1 5-9-0 
   Average Per Attempt 7.8 9.6 
   Average Per Completion 20.4 17.2 
   Passing Touchdowns 1 1 
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS 311 137 
   Total offense plays 53 47 
   Average Gain Per Play 5.9 2.9 
Fumbles: Number-Lost 2-2 1-0 
Penalties: Number-Yards 5-51 9-65 
PUNTS-YARDS 3-100 8-244 
   Average Yards Per Punt 33.3 30.5 
   Net Yards Per Punt 34.3 27.9 
   Inside 20 1 0 
   50+ Yards 0 0 
   Touchbacks 0 0 
   Fair catch 1 2 
KICKOFFS-YARDS 5-229 2-82 
   Average Yards Per Kickoff 45.8 41.0 
   Net Yards Per Kickoff 41.0 9.5 
   Touchbacks 0 0 
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD 3-21-0 1–3-0 
   Average Per Return 7.0 -3.0 
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD 2-63-0 4-24-0 
   Average Per Return 31.5 6.0 
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD 0-0-0 1-0-0 
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD 0-0-0 0-0-0 
Miscellaneous Yards 0 0 
Possession Time 21:49 25:22 
   1st Quarter  6:40  5:20 
   2nd Quarter  6:10  5:50 
   3rd Quarter  8:59 14:12 
Third-Down Conversions 2 of 8 0 of 9 
Fourth-Down Conversions 2 of 2 0 of 1 
Red-Zone Scores-Chances 4-6 0-0 
Sacks By: Number-Yards 4-39 1-9 
PAT Kicks 5-5 1-1 
Field Goals 0-0 0-0 

 

 

Individual Statistics

 

Individual Statistics (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon vs Canton GlenOak (Aug 26, 2022 at Canton, OH)

Massillon
Canton GlenOak
RUSHING No. Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg. 
Willtrell Hartson 23 162 4 158 3 27 6.9 
F Lenix Jr  9 52 3 49 0 18 5.4 
Shon Robinson  2 9 0 9 0 7 4.5 
Mylen Lenix  2 6 0 6 1 5 3.0 
Marquavion Young 2 0 5 -5 0 0 -2.5 
Jalen Slaughter 2 1 9 -8 0 1 -4.0 
Totals… 40 230 21 209 4 27 5.2 
RUSHING No. Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg. 
Jamar Johnson  5 29 0 29 0 10 5.8 
Avantae Burt  17 39 18 21 0 13 1.2 
Cole Anderson  1 10 0 10 0 10 10.0 
Adrion Burt  15 55 64 -9 0 23 -0.6 
Totals… 38 133 82 51 0 23 1.3 
  
  
PASSING Cmp-Att-Int Yds TD Long Sack 
Jalen Slaughter 5-13-1 102 1 50 1 
Totals… 5-13-1 102 1 50 1 
  
PASSING Cmp-Att-Int Yds TD Long Sack 
Adrion Burt  3-7-0 31 0 19 4 
Katour Ashcraft 2-2-0 55 1 34 0 
Totals… 5-9-0 86 1 34 4 
RECEIVING No. Yds TD Lg 
Braylyn Toles  4 103 1 50 
Kyler Wiggins  1 -1 0 0 
Totals… 5 102 1 50 
  
  
RECEIVING No. Yds TD Lg 
Xavier Harris  2 53 0 34 
Cole Anderson  1 21 1 21 
Katour Ashcraft 1 14 0 14 
Avantae Burt  1 -2 0 0 
Totals… 5 86 1 34 
PUNTING No. Yds Avg Long In20 TB 
Nolan Hendricks 3 100 33.3 39 1 0 
Totals… 3 100 33.3 39 1 0 
PUNTING No. Yds Avg Long In20 TB 
Gino Kelley  8 244 30.5 41 0 0 
Totals… 8 244 30.5 41 0 0 
  Punts Kickoffs Intercept 
ALL RETURNS No Yds Lg No Yds Lg No Yds Lg 
Braylyn Toles  2 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Zachary Liebler 1 11 11 1 41 41 0 0 0 
Ricardo Wells  0 0 0 1 22 22 0 0 0 
Totals… 3 21 11 2 63 41 0 0 0 
  
  Punts Kickoffs Intercept 
ALL RETURNS No Yds Lg No Yds Lg No Yds Lg 
Xavier Harris  0 0 0 1 -3 0 0 0 0 
Avantae Burt  0 0 0 2 27 14 0 0 0 
Muhammad Malka  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 
Hunter Kurylo  1 -3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 
Totals… 1 -3 0 4 24 14 1 0 0 
ALL PURPOSE Rush Rcv KR PR IR Total 
Willtrell Hartson 158 0 0 0 0 158 
Braylyn Toles  0 103 0 10 0 113 
Zachary Liebler 0 0 41 11 0 52 
F Lenix Jr  49 0 0 0 0 49 
Ricardo Wells  0 0 22 0 0 22 
Shon Robinson  9 0 0 0 0 9 
Mylen Lenix  6 0 0 0 0 6 
Kyler Wiggins  0 -1 0 0 0 -1 
Marquavion Young -5 0 0 0 0 -5 
Jalen Slaughter -8 0 0 0 0 -8 
Totals… 209 102 63 21 0 395 
ALL PURPOSE Rush Rcv KR PR IR Total 
Xavier Harris  0 53 -3 0 0 50 
Avantae Burt  21 -2 27 0 0 46 
Cole Anderson  10 21 0 0 0 31 
Jamar Johnson  29 0 0 0 0 29 
Katour Ashcraft 0 14 0 0 0 14 
Hunter Kurylo  0 0 0 -3 0 -3 
Adrion Burt  -9 0 0 0 0 -9 
Totals… 51 86 24 -3 0 158 
  
  
  
FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS 
FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS 
KICKOFFS No. Yds TB OB Avg. 
Nolan Hendricks 5 229 0 1 45.8 
KICKOFFS No. Yds TB OB Avg. 
Luc Thompson  2 82 0 0 41.0 
FUMBLES: Massillon-Willtrell Hartson 2-2. Canton GlenOak-Avantae Burt 1-0.

 

 

Drive Chart

 

Drive Chart (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon vs Canton GlenOak (Aug 26, 2022 at Canton, OH)

  Drive Started Drive Ended Consumed   
Team Qtr Spot Time Obtained Spot Time   How Lost Pl-Yds TOP RZ 
MASS  1st M49 12:00  Kickoff G00 10:09 * TOUCHDOWN 6-51 1:51 # 
MASS  1st G27 10:06  Kickoff G05 07:18   Fumble 8-22 2:48 # 
MASS  1st M25 03:23  Punt M34 01:25   Punt 3-9 1:58   
MASS  2nd M11 09:10  Punt M35 06:24   Punt 6-24 2:46   
MASS  2nd M50 04:07  Punt G00 00:43 * TOUCHDOWN 8-50 3:24 # 
MASS  3rd M50 09:39  Punt G00 09:30 * TOUCHDOWN 1-50 0:09   
MASS  3rd G29 07:41  Punt G09 07:28   Fumble 2-20 0:13   
MASS  3rd G41 05:47  Punt G15 05:06   Interception 4-26 0:41 # 
MASS  3rd M41 03:22  Punt G00 00:40 * TOUCHDOWN 8-59 2:42 # 
MASS  3rd G14 11:51  Punt G00 10:45 * TOUCHDOWN 3-14 1:06 # 
MASS  3rd G43 07:57  Downs G49 03:55   Punt 4–6 4:02   
MASS  3rd G48 00:00  Kickoff G48 00:00   End of half 0-0 0:00   
  
GLENOAK  1st G05 07:18  Fumble G44 03:23   Punt 9-39 3:55   
GLENOAK  1st G40 01:25  Punt M39 09:10   Punt 8-21 4:15   
GLENOAK  2nd G30 06:24  Punt G20 04:07   Punt 3–10 2:17   
GLENOAK  2nd G16 00:35  Kickoff G16 00:00   End of half 1-0 0:35   
GLENOAK  3rd G26 11:54  Kickoff G10 09:39   Punt 3–16 2:15   
GLENOAK  3rd G19 09:24  Kickoff G15 07:41   Punt 3–4 1:43   
GLENOAK  3rd G09 07:28  Fumble G11 05:47   Punt 3-2 1:41   
GLENOAK  3rd G20 05:06  Interception G25 03:22   Punt 3-5 1:44   
GLENOAK  3rd G10 00:40  Kickoff G02 11:51   Punt 3–8 0:00   
GLENOAK  3rd G35 10:45  Kickoff G43 07:57   Downs 4-8 2:48   
GLENOAK  3rd G07 03:55  Punt M00 00:06 * TOUCHDOWN 7-93 3:49   
  1st 2nd 3rd 4th   1st 2nd     
Massillon  Qtr Qtr Qtr Qtr   Half Half   Total 
Time of possession  06:40  06:10  08:59   –    12:50  08:59    21:49  
3rd Down Conversions   1/4   1/2   0/2   –     2/6   0/2     2/8  
Average field position  M49   M30   G41   –     M41   G41     G48  
4th Down Conversions   1/1   0/0   1/1   –     1/1   1/1     2/2  
  
  1st 2nd 3rd 4th   1st 2nd     
Canton GlenOak  Qtr Qtr Qtr Qtr   Half Half   Total 
Time of possession  05:20  05:50  14:12   –    11:10  14:12    25:22  
3rd Down Conversions   0/1   0/2   0/6   –     0/3   0/6     0/9  
Average field position  G22   G23   G19   –     G22   G19     G20  
4th Down Conversions   0/0   0/0   0/1   –     0/0   0/1     0/1  

Drive Chart (By Quarter)

  Drive Started Drive Ended Consumed   
Team Qtr Spot Time Obtained Spot Time   How Lost Pl-Yds TOP RZ 
MASS  1st M49 12:00  Kickoff G00 10:09 * TOUCHDOWN 6-51 1:51 # 
MASS  1st G27 10:06  Kickoff G05 07:18   Fumble 8-22 2:48 # 
GLENOAK  1st G05 07:18  Fumble G44 03:23   Punt 9-39 3:55   
MASS  1st M25 03:23  Punt M34 01:25   Punt 3-9 1:58   
GLENOAK  1st G40 01:25  Punt M39 09:10   Punt 8-21 4:15   
MASS  2nd M11 09:10  Punt M35 06:24   Punt 6-24 2:46   
  
GLENOAK  2nd G30 06:24  Punt G20 04:07   Punt 3–10 2:17   
MASS  2nd M50 04:07  Punt G00 00:43 * TOUCHDOWN 8-50 3:24 # 
GLENOAK  2nd G16 00:35  Kickoff G16 00:00   End of half 1-0 0:35   
GLENOAK  3rd G26 11:54  Kickoff G10 09:39   Punt 3–16 2:15   
  
MASS  3rd M50 09:39  Punt G00 09:30 * TOUCHDOWN 1-50 0:09   
GLENOAK  3rd G19 09:24  Kickoff G15 07:41   Punt 3–4 1:43   
MASS  3rd G29 07:41  Punt G09 07:28   Fumble 2-20 0:13   
GLENOAK  3rd G09 07:28  Fumble G11 05:47   Punt 3-2 1:41   
MASS  3rd G41 05:47  Punt G15 05:06   Interception 4-26 0:41 # 
GLENOAK  3rd G20 05:06  Interception G25 03:22   Punt 3-5 1:44   
MASS  3rd M41 03:22  Punt G00 00:40 * TOUCHDOWN 8-59 2:42 # 
GLENOAK  3rd G10 00:40  Kickoff G02 11:51   Punt 3–8 0:00   
MASS  3rd G14 11:51  Punt G00 10:45 * TOUCHDOWN 3-14 1:06 # 
GLENOAK  3rd G35 10:45  Kickoff G43 07:57   Downs 4-8 2:48   
MASS  3rd G43 07:57  Downs G49 03:55   Punt 4–6 4:02   
GLENOAK  3rd G07 03:55  Punt M00 00:06 * TOUCHDOWN 7-93 3:49   
MASS  3rd G48 00:00  Kickoff G48 00:00   End of half 0-0 0:00   

 

 

Defensive Statistics

 

Defensive Statistics (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Massillon vs Canton GlenOak (Aug 26, 2022 at Canton, OH)

## Massillon  Solo Ast Total TFL/Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds BrUp Blkd Sack/Yds QBH 
34 Dorian Pringle   5  3  6.5  2.0/12   .  .   .   .  .  1.5/11   . 
33 Cody Fair   5  1  5.5  3.0/20   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
1  Jaden Welch   4  .  4.0  1.0/1   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
9  Maverick Clark   3  1  3.5  2.0/5   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
16 Ryan Page   3  .  3.0  .   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
30 Deairre Pringle  2  1  2.5  1.0/1   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
3  Angelo Salvino   2  .  2.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
12 Brandon Carman   1  2  2.0  1.0/12   .  .   .   .  .  1.0/12   . 
45 M Wright Jr   1  2  2.0  1.5/13   .  .   .   .  .  0.5/8   . 
14 Kalix Collins   1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
15 Da’Mart Menard   1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
85 Jeremiah Clark   .  3  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
48 Steven Reinhart  1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
10 Zachary Liebler  1  .  1.0  1.0/2   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
8  Ma’Taeaun Frazier  1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
82 Jacques Carter   1  .  1.0  1.0/5   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
96 Malachi Card   .  2  1.0  1.0/8   .  .   .   .  .  1.0/8   . 
99 Kendal Thomas   .  1  0.5  0.5/0   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
39 Daylan Pringle   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
17 F Lenix Jr   .  .  .   .   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
## Canton GlenOak  Solo Ast Total TFL/Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds BrUp Blkd Sack/Yds QBH 
30 Noah Williams   5  4  7.0  2.5/13   .  .   .   .  .  1.0/9   . 
25 Jayden Gorham   5  1  5.5  1.0/3   .  1-0   .   .  .  .   . 
7  Da’Codis Davis   4  2  5.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
50 Jaiden Thomas   1  6  4.0  1.0/3   1  1-0   .   .  .  .   . 
3  Muhammad Malka   2  1  2.5  0.5/0   .  .   1-0   1  .  .   . 
11 Gino Kelley   2  1  2.5  0.5/0   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
9  Brailon Wilcox   2  .  2.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
1  Xavier Harris   1  2  2.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
29 Ethan Lucas   1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
34 Joshua Coleman   1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
TM TEAM   1  .  1.0  .   1  .   .   .  .  .   . 
56 Isaiah Shackleford  1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
44 David Potter   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
99 Omar Ford   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
26 Robert Brown   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
60 Romeo Magueyal   1  .  1.0  1.0/2   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
59 Ashton Rulewicz  1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 

 

2013 GlenOak Game Needed Three Overtimes to Decide the…

Massillon and GlenOak have been playing each other since 1982 and continuously since 2009.  Although the Tigers currently hold an edge in the series at 13 wins against four losses, nearly half of the games have been decided by three points or less.  So the competition is certainly there, compounded by the fact that games are usually played in the second week of the season, before the teams have hit their strides.  This was particularly the case in 2013 when it took three overtime periods to decide the outcome.

GlenOak came into Paul Brown Tiger Stadium having won the two previous encounters by scores of 22-21 and 26-24.  At quarterback for the Massillon was Danny Clark, a freshman who was starting his first-ever varsity game.  But he had two good passing targets in senior Marcus Whitfield and junior Reggie Rogers, plus a couple of steady running backs in senior Lyron Wilson and junior J.D. Crabtree.  GlenOak was led by junior running back Jason Simon and senior QB Austin White.

Massillon struck first on the scoreboard when Clark hit Rogers on an 18-yard touchdown pass, but the PAT attempt was blocked.  Following a Tiger turnover at their own 22 yard line, GlenOak countered with 1-yard touchdown run by Simon, making the halftime score 7-6 in favor of the Eagles.

In the third quarter, following another Massillon turnover, this time at their own 21, GlenOak converted a 28-yard field goal, which increased the lead to 10-6.

Now in the fourth quarter, the Tigers drove 81 yards in 11 plays and scored when Clark connected with Rogers for a 10-yard TD.  Andrew David’s successful PAT gave the locals a 13-10 lead with 4:46 left in the game.  But yet another Massillon turnover, this time at their own 23, set up the Eagles for a game tying field goal, which came from 31 yards out.  And that was it for regulation with the score tied at 13 apiece.  So it was overtime, with each team gaining possessions at the opponent’s 20 yard line.

On Massillon’s initial try they converted a first down at the six yard line, bit then on the ensuing play Clark was sacked for a loss of 12 yards.  Failing to advance any further, the Tigers settled for a 33-yard field goal try, but missed it wide right.  GlenOak failed to move the ball at all and their 37-yard field goal attempt fell short.  So it was off to a second overtime period.

This time GlenOak received the ball first.  They ran four straight rushing plays and scored a touchdown when Simon went over the goal line from six yards out.  The PAT gave the Eagles a 20-13 lead.  Now it was Massillon’s turn and they didn’t wait long to score.  On second and 11 from the GlenOak 21, Clark connected with Rogers for the touchdown and David’s PAT tied the score at 21.  On to a third overtime period.

This time Massillon began the action.  Clark immediately hit Whitfield for a first down at the nine, but the Tigers could only advance to the three on the next three plays.  So they settled for a 20-yard field goal.  For the Eagles, it was all rushing, and all Simon.  Five plays later GlenOak was sitting at the Tiger one yard line with a fourth and goal situation.  They decided to go for the win.  And who else to carry the ball but Jason Simon.  But this time Massillon’s Mike Smith came up big, stopping Simon in his tracks to give the Tigers the win, 23-20.

Massillon led in first downs (18-8) and total offense (288-152), although they lost the turnover battle (5-1).  Clark completed 14 of 24 passes for three touchdowns, with 3 interceptions.  Five of the receptions went to Rogers for 99 yards and two touchdowns.  Whitfield also caught five passes for 52 yards and a touchdown.  In the ground game, Wilson had 13 carries for 75 yards and J.D. Crabtree contributed 15 carries for 75 yards.  GlenOak’s Simon rushed 26 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns.  But White was held to three completions in ten attempts for just six yards.

Massillon would finish 9-3 that year, losing to Medina Highland 17-14 in the second round of the playoffs.  GlenOak clocked in at 5-5.

The Tigers would win again the following year and then the Eagles the next.  But the following five games have gone the Tigers’ way, three by blowouts.  However, with Scott Garcia back as the GlenOak head coach, these games may get a lot closer again.

 

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Moeller

Massillon (0-1) opened the season with a 49-31 loss to Cincinnati Moeller, a team that was a Division 1 semifinalist in 2021, losing to Springfield, 22-21.  But the Crusaders did defeat eventual state champion Lakewood Edward in the regular season.  Next up is a road game against Canton GlenOak, with the kickoff slated for 7:00 pm.

  • 7th Grade (0-1): Lost to Akron Ellet combined 7th and 8th grade, 54-14.  Plays Canton GlenOak away on Tuesday, August 23, at 6:00 pm.
  • 8th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron Armor (private program), 21-20.  Plays Canton GlenOak at home (MJHS) on Wednesday, August 24 a6 6:00 pm.
  • 9th Grade (0-1): Lost to Cincinnati Moeller, 19-14.  Plays Canton GlenOak at home on Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 pm.
  • JV (1-0): Defeated Cleveland St. Ignatius, 13-7.  Plays Canton GlenOak at home on Saturday, August 26 at 10:00 am.

Former Washington Redskins (Commanders) Coach George Allen, who traditionally fielded older players on his squad, was once asked in a press conference when it was that a team with youth and vitality was good enough to beat a team with age and experience.  Allen responded that it happens when the team with youth and vitality has acquired enough age and experience.  And that about sums up last Friday’s game.  Moeller, a senior-laden team, was the one with the age and experience, while the Tigers were stacked with youth, and as a result they had those costly first-game errors.  This will be a very good team.  But first, they need to get some field time.

“We played a very good team, but had execution errors,” said head coach Nate Moore.  “We’re not happy with the loss.  We’re looking forward to getting better.  It (the game) exposed our weaknesses.”

Special teams and the defensive secondary had the most glaring issues.  But the passing game also had too few moments of glory. Massillon fumbled the opening kickoff, which led to a quick score by the Crusaders.  In effect, it was a 14-point  swing.  Had the ball been retained, the field was wide-open for a sprint to the house.  An extra point kick bounced off the upright, negating the try.  A punt rolled backward into the end zone for safety.  And a field goal attempt was blocked.  That play coming after a 3rd and goal at the six yard line that resulted in 23-yard loss due to a sack.

The secondary struggled with alignment and coverage and surrendered five long passes of at least 25-yards each, four of which went for scores.  And the Tiger passing game was effective only 37 percent of the time, with several passes being dropped.

But there were also several positives.  Special teams returned two kickoffs into Moeller territory, both of which kick-started touchdown drives.  The offensive line did an outstanding job in the run game, helping Willtrell Hartson to 126 yards and four touchdowns.  And the line only allowed one quarterback sack, that when the QB simply hung onto the ball too  long.  As a unit, the offense converted 8 of 15 3rd down situations for first downs.  And quarterback Jalen Slaughter did seem to get more comfortable in the pocket as the game went along.  Plus, the offense scored 31 points against one of the best teams in Ohio, which shows a lot of promise.  Defensively, they held Moeller’s potent rushing attack under 200 yards, at 4.8 yards per carry.

Moeller, on the other hand, played nearly mistake-free football, other than a few penalties. The two quarterbacks, Luke Dunn and Andrew Robinson, combined to complete 15 of 21 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns.  Seven of the passes went to Tennel Bryant, for 230 yards and three scores.  OSU-bound running back Jordan Marshall rushed for 139 yards at 8.2 yards a clip.  Those four players were pretty much all of the offense.

In spite of all that, the Tigers had an opportunity to really close the gap with seven minutes remaining and down 42-31.  That’s when kicker Vinnie Keller perfectly executed and recovered an onside kick.  But unfortunately the Tigers could only advance two yards and surrendered the ball on downs.

But with better execution on  Massillon’s side, the game would have certainly been much closer than the final score indicated.  The good news is that all of these mistakes are correctable and the team will improve as it gains more age and experience.

“I  was impressed with the way our kids played,” said Moore at the season’s first Booster Club meeting.  “They played hard.  And we have some good film on them.”

Stats leaders:

  • Quarterback Jalen Slaughter: 13 of 34 for 165 yards and 0 touchdowns
  • Running back Willtrell Hartson: 26 carries for 126 yards (4.6)
  • Ardell Banks: 4 receptions for 84 yards
  • Kyler Wiggins: 4 receptions for 48 yards
  • Dorian Pringle: 6.0 tackle points
  • De’Aire Pringle: 5.0 tackle points
  • Cody Fair: 4.0 tackle points

Next up for Massillon is a game against Canton GlenOak.  This is the 18th meeting between the two schools in a series that started in 1982.  The Tigers currently hold a 13-4 edge.  Coach Moore said that the Eagles are much improved from a year ago and will continue to get better, as they have a really good sophomore class.  Last week, the Eagles defeated Shaker Heights, 51-24.

GlenOak is led offensively by two brothers: sophomore quarterback Adrion Burt and junior running back Avantae Burt.  Avantae is a stud of a running back according to Moore.  He is as skilled as Moeller’s running back, although not as big, at 5′-8″, 165 lbs.  Adrion runs like a running back, with speed and power and has a big arm. It’s no secret, then, that the Eagles prefer the run to the pass, behind these two highly-skilled players.

Defensively, GlenOak aligns in a 3-4 and 4-3, with mostly cover-3 secondary.  Keep an eye on senior linebacker Jayden Gorman (6′-2″, 205 lbs.).   He is their best defensive player.

Guest players for the evening were Cody Fair, Freddie Lenix Jr., Dorian Pringle and Christian Kring.

The Booster Club is sponsoring a bus to the Mansfield game, scheduled for September 2.  The cost $30.00 and does not include a game ticket.  Sandwich and drink will be provided.  For tickets, contact Bill Brown at (330) 704-2548.

Charlie Brown – Wall of Champions

Story written by Bill Porrini

Whether it be in sports, business or life, some people are just champions.  Charlie Brown is one of those champions and more!  Charlie is not only a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame, he is also a member of the Wall of Champions.  In addition, Charlie was named one of Massillon’s Distinguished Citizens in 2012.  A natural born leader who has excelled in every phase of his life, he made his mark on the gridiron in high school, college, the NFL and the Canadian Football League. But even greater marks off the field in life and in his communities.

Brown’s road to success began here in Massillon where he played on teams that went 31-1 during his 3-year high school career, winning three state championships and two national titles.  He was a co-captain and earned recognition in 1961 as All-Stark County and BOTH 1st Team All-Ohio running back and 2nd Team All-Ohio defensive back!  He was also named a high school All-American.

He then went off to play college football at Syracuse University where he achieved the following honors:

  • All-Eastern Conference defensive back in 1964 and ’65.
  • Sporting News All-American.
  • Milrose Champion in track, running the 440-yard relay team.
  • Outstanding Student Athlete in 1965.
  • Player in The 1965 East-West Shrine Game.

After college Charlie was off to the pros.  He was drafted by both the NFL Chicago Bears (5th) and the AFL San Diego Chargers (4th) and chose “Da Bears.”  In an exhibition game, he played in The Hall of Fame game at Fawcett Stadium.  Later, he joined the Buffalo Bills of the AFL.  And then it was off to Hamilton Tiger Cats of The Canadian Football League.  That’s where he had a 115-yard interception return for a TD for a team record.  It was similar to a 100-yard interception return he had against Warren Harding for a TD in high school for the Tigers!

After football it was time to make his mark on the world.  Charlie has served on the NFL Alumni Association of Chicago as President.  He has served as Executive Director of Robert Taylor Boys and Girls Clubs in Chicago and is President of Bound for Glory.  Charlie is also a member of the Canton Old-Timers Hall of Fame.

Back home in Massillon he was co-founder of One Tiger, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting Massillon’s youth.  One Tiger is dedicated to early childhood literacy.  Charlie along with his friends Joe Snively and Bob Clendenin wanted to capture “The Tiger Spirit” to prepare and create a passion in children for reading.  Their goal is to create well-educated kids that will go onto college and become teachers, innovators and entrepreneurs who come back and invest in their community.

Thus, “Massillon Ready to Read” was born.  He said, “You can’t get that Massillon feeling out of your system no matter what you do or where you play!”

Charlie Brown, a Champion from The City of Champions!  Thank you!!

Massillon and Avon Begin Season Prep with an Opening…

The OHSAA permits three weeks of full contact practice before the first game and local teams are now just one week into that process.  Two scrimmages are allowed and Massillon’s first one, traditionally with the Avon Eagles, is now in the books.  Who knows what these teams will look like once the season gets underway, let along by the time the playoffs roll in.  But these two Division II powerhouses at least gave some indications as to what their strengths will be down the road.

For Avon, it is the passing game, which is usually the case.  And on this day, they got somewhat the better of the Tigers, moving the ball consistently down the field throughout the match.  Their quarterback was very accurate in hitting short and medium passes to receivers that were running their routes well.  And the Eagles also showed the poise of an experienced team.

Massillon, on the other hand, came out with a very balanced run-pass attack and substituted liberally.  Although they struggled early on both offense and defense, they seemed to find a better pace, at least offensively, as the scrimmage wore on.  Returning sophomore Jalen Slaughter showed improvement from last year with his handling of the quarterback duties, moving in the pocket well, hitting his receivers and knowing when to bail.  And that final trait may turn out to be a real asset down the road.  Willtrell Hartson is, well, Willtrell.  Except that he is a much more powerful runner this year, as demonstrated by his ability to break tackles throughout the scrimmage.  As did Dorian Pringle.  Wide receiver Ardell Banks also had a very good showing.  Defensively, the Tigers were stingy against the run, but pass defense was another story.  Of course, neither team was game-planning and again it was just the first scrimmage.  But the overall assessment of Massillon is that of a young but talented team that needs field experience before it will shine.  But it will shine.

The first part of the scrimmage involved the offense starting at its own 35 with ten plays in the pocket.  Avon’s possessions went like this:

  • Short touchdown pass.
  • 35-yard touchdown pass.

Massillon:

  • 55-yard pass completion to Banks to the five yard line.  One play left in the series.  Vinny Keller kicked a 21-yard field goal.
  • 25-yard “jail break” pass to Banks to the six yard line.  Mylen Lenix scored from the three.  Keller kicked the PAT.

In the second part each team ran several series starting at the opponent’s 25.  Avon:

  • 2-yard touchdown pass.
  • 32-yard field goal.

Massillon:

  • 21-yard screen pass to Willtrell Hartson for a touchdown.  PAT missed.
  • 19-yard field goal.

In part three, each team started at the opponent’s ten.  Avon:

  • 10-yard touchdown pass.
  • 3-yard touchdown pass.
  • 29-yard field goal.

Massillon:

  • 1-yard touchdown run by Dorian Pringle.  Keller PAT.
  • Another 1-yard touchdown run by Dorian Pringle.  Keller PAT.

The scrimmage wrapped up with  special teams punting and field goal practice.

Massillon on  defense.  No. 10 is Zach Liebler.  No. 52 is Marcus Moore.  No. 34 is Dorian Pringle.  No. 1 is Jaden Welch.

Jalen Slaughter passes down field.  No. 77 is Michel Mercurio.

Ardell Banks catches the long bomb and carries it to five.

Willtrell Hartson runs the outside zone for good yardage.  No. 75 is Michael Looney.  No. 52 is Marcus Moore.

Overthrown Avon pass.  Good coverage by the Massillon defender.

Ardell Banks on the “break pass” reception is headed for the end zone.

Vinny Keller connects on a 21-yard field goal  No. 14 is Kalix Collins.

Football Is In the Air

It’s full pads and hitting this week as the Massillon Tigers continue their preparation for their 2022 season.  In just two weeks time the Tigers will host Cincinnati Moeller in a high-powered opener.  But first they need to manage a couple of scrimmages, with both slated for the friendly confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  On Saturday at 11:30 am, Massillon will entertain Avon in a match that has become a tradition over the past few years.  Both teams have aspirations of winning their respective playoff regions and moving onto the state semifinals.  The following Friday at 7:00 pm Akron Buchtel will pay a house call as the Griffins they strive to regain the top spot in the Akron City Series.  Meanwhile, please enjoy the photos of Thursday’s practice.

Jim Letcavits – Wall of Champions

Jim Letcavits, like most Wall of Champions inductees, distinguished himself as both an outstanding player and as a coach of young men.  But what sets him apart from other inductees is that he always maintained his roots in Massillon and returned to his hometown right after wrapping up his professional playing career.  There he became an assistant coach for the Tigers, a position he held for 27 years.  In 1998, he was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.

Letcavits was born in Massillon on December 1, 1935, and joined the Massillon Tiger football team as a sophomore in 1951.  There he played offensive end, defensive end and punter under Head Coach Chuck Mather.  He also shared in the successes of those years, with his teams compiling a record of 29-1 and capturing three state and two national championships.

As a senior, Letcavits caught four touchdown passes from his split end position, including a 44-yarder against Canton McKinley in a 48-7 rout.  Although he didn’t carry a large frame for football, he excelled, nonetheless.  “He only weighed 160 pounds, but he was a very competitive player,” said Dave Putts, Letcavits’ position coach at Massillon.  “He used his speed and was a very good receiver.” (1)

As an award for his outstanding performance, he was named 1st Team All-Ohio offensive end.  The 3-sport letter-winner was also the Most Valuable Player in the Ohio North-South All-Star Football Game, which was played the following summer.

After high school Letcavits accepted a football scholarship to play for the University of Kansas, under new Head Coach Chuck Mather, who had departed Massillon following the 1953 season.  There he played tight end, while completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education.  “Jim was such a great player for me all through high school and college,” Mather said.  “He seldom made mistakes.  He was a football coach’s dream.” (1) As such, he was named All-Big Eight in 1956 and 1957.

1957 University of Kansas Football Team

The next stop was professional football.  But he needed to choose between the NFL and the Canadian Football League, ultimately selecting the Edmonton Eskimos, where he played five seasons as a tight end and punter.  “I thought I had a better chance to play if I went to Canada.” Letcavits said.  “I really wasn’t that big.  It was something new, and I made some great friends up there.” (1)  Four times his team won second place.

With his playing career coming to an end, Letcavits returned to the local area in 1964 and was hired by Jackson as an assistant coach.  But in 1969 he was lured away by new Massillon Head Coach Bob Commings.  “When he came home during the offseason, he always was a substitute teacher,” Nancy (Jim’s wife) said.  “When Bob Commings came here, he interviewed, and Bob Commings hired him on the spot.” (1) And the following year he became part of Massillon’s last state championship team.

Jim Letcavits and Chris Spielman

Commings left after five seasons, but Letcavits stayed on and ended up coaching in Tigertown for 27 years, until 1995, while serving under six different head coaches.  During that time, the Tigers compiled a record of 221-64-5, including nine playoff appearances during a time of limited team qualifications.  In 1980 and 1982 Massillon reached the state championship game.

Letcavits was also the head track and field coach during that span.  His best years came in 1983, when his team placed third in the state, and 1984, when they placed fifth.

  • 1983: Jim Bushe 2nd in the 300 low hurdles and 3rdin the 110 high hurdles, Craig Johnson 5th in the 100 dash and Charles Calhoun 1st in the shot put.
  • 1984: Craig Johnson 1st in 100- and 200-yard dashes and Chris Spielman 4th in the shot put.

He also served as Athletic Director in 1985 during the transition from Mike Currence to John Moronto.  Meanwhile, his primary high school assignment was Coordinator for the Occupational Work Experience Lab.

Outside of Massillon he was president of the Stark County Coaches Association for two years and was later inducted into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.

Letcavits was married to Nancy, and they were the parents of four children.  Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2004 and died in Massillon on February 3, 2015, at the age of 77.  Today, his memory is honored by “Team Tiger,” a group of Massillon residents that participate in the annual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk.

 

  • (Mike Popovich, Canton Repository)