MASSILLON Massillon was coming off its biggest win of the season to date. It was its most emotional and, easily, its closest.
As memorable as the Tigers’ win over East St. Louis (Ill.) was, they made a completely different kind of memory as they welcomed another out-of-state opponent – Sun Valley of Pennsylvania – to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium on Friday. It turned into a night not soon to be forgotten by anyone on either side.
Massillon turned a 73-point first half into a school-record 101-6 win over the Vanguards.
“Our kids work hard and they deserve to play,” said Massillon coach Nate Moore, whose 8-0 team will play at Louisville next Friday. “We subbed early and often. We just kept scoring. I don’t know. I don’t even know what to say.”
The Tigers broke the most points in a game, which was 94, set in a 1922 win over Akron North. They were well on their way to that mark by the half, when they led 73-6.
Massillon was in front 94-6 after the third quarter. The Tigers would top the 100-point plateau on a 77-yard Raekwon Venson touchdown run with 1:56 remaining.
“They are top-notch, the highest level of high-school football program, and we’re not,” said Sun Valley coach Greg “Bubba” Bernhard, whose team fell to 3-5. “We lose our best three skill players in the first (half). We’ve got 37 kids in uniform. We’re in a tough spot. We basically had to hang on. What are you going to do?”
The school record for points in a game wasn’t the only mark to fall. Multiple individual career records also fell.
A week after Jamir Thomas became Massillon’s all-time rushing leader in the 46-40 win over East St. Louis (Ill.), he added another mark to his illustrious career. This time, he became the Tigers’ all-time leader in rushing touchdowns
Thomas came into the game two behind Bob Glass’ all-time mark of 47 rushing scores set between 1935-37. He pulled within one of that mark with a 27-yard scamper to give Massillon a 17-0 lead after one quarter.
The record-tying run, a 46-yard burst with 2:01 into the second quarter, gave the Tigers a 24-0 lead. He would break the mark with 5:52 remaining in the half with a 39-yard touchdown run to make it 52-6 Massillon.
Thomas carried the ball just seven times on the night, rushing for 167 yards and three scores.
Tyree Broyles became the Tigers’ all-time leader in kickoff return touchdowns when he took the second-half kickoff back – after getting the ball handed to him by a teammate at the Tiger 24 – 76 yards for his third career score. Broyles’ record, which broke the old mark of two set by Arvine Ulrich in 1922, made it 80-6 Massillon.
“We had a couple of records go down tonight, so I’m really happy about that,” said Moore, whose team did suffer a key injury when Zion Phifer – who scored the Tigers’ first touchdown – was taken off the field with an apparent head injury late in the first half. “Jamir Thomas with the all-time career rushing touchdown record and Tyree Broyles with the all-time career kickoff-return touchdown record. Those are great things; two records which stood the test of time and two really good players who deserved those records.”
The kickoff return for a score would give Massillon touchdowns five different ways: rushing, passing, kickoff return, punt return and interception return. Tre’Von Morgan would catch a touchdown pass and return a punt for a score, while Kyshad Mack and Max Turner each had interception returns for a score.
Marcellus Blake had two rushing touchdown as well for the Tigers.
Massillon would out-gain Sun Valley 582-274 in total offense. Julz Kelly would score the Vanguards’ only touchdown on an 81-yard pass from Anthony Ellis to make it 45-6, but would be injured on the play.
On Friday, October 5, 2018, Massillon running back Jamir Thomas broke the record for career rushing yards, a record that was set in 1958-60 by Art Hastings with 3,090 yards. The Tiger ironman, who last year shattered the record for career rushing attempts, broke the current mark against national power East St. Louis, the all-time winningest team in the state of Illinois.
But who was this Art Hastings, whose record Thomas was gracious enough to break? The best way to answer this question is to present the following Canton Repository article written by Jim Thomas on July 18, 2018, coinciding with Hastings’ induction into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.
Tiger leader Hastings was ahead of his time
MASSILLON Time eventually swept him away from Stark County consciousness. To Massillon Tigers fans and the people who saw Art Hastings perform his feats as a fullback for the Tigers from 1958-1960, the images of power and speed never fade.
In his high school swan song (a 42-0 shellacking of the McKinley Bulldogs on Nov. 19, 1960), Hastings rushed for four touchdowns to lift Massillon to its second straight Associated Press state poll championship and first team All-Ohio honors for himself.
The Massillon Evening Independent’s Jim Quilty wrote of that performance: “He concluded his final two years of varsity competition with 220 points, over 2,400 yards rushing and innumerable other marks which may withstand the assault of future years.”
Quilty couldn’t have known how true his statement would be.
It’s been nearly 60 years since Hastings last carried the football for the Orange and Black. It’s been 20 since he passed away. But even now, no Massillon Tiger has run for as many yards as Hastings did in a career. His, 3,090 yards in little more than two-plus seasons remains as the school’s standard of excellence and help make Hastings a member of the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.
Hastings’ record is still nearly 300 yards up on runner-up Falando Ashcraft’s 2,794. Massillon senior Jamir Thomas, who has 2,107 yards in his career, could finally break the mark this fall.
But Hastings was more than a career number. He was the best Tiger running back on teams that had future NFL players Jerry Allen and Charlie Brown.
Hastings ran for 213 yards in that McKinley game, second only to legendary Homer Floyd’s 263 yards in 1954. His Tiger teammates set the record for most rushing yards (551) and highest average per carry (14.2) in a game in that finale against McKinley and they still stand, too.
His 1.274 yards in the 1960 campaign were second only to Floyd’s 1,372 in ’54 and his 10.6 yards per carry that season topped Floyd’s 8.9.
Former Massillon Tigers Booster Club president Brock Herring was in junior high school on assignment – “You would go to the game on Friday and watch what the guys who played our position were doing, and you would get asked what they did right, or wrong” – when he first took note of Hastings’ abilities.
”I remember watching a game, and Massillon was on the 7-yard line,” said Herring, whose father, Bob, was a standout running back too. “They ran 31-power, a dive play. Art ran in there and there was a pile up. You are thinking it’s a 3-, 4-yard gain.
“Out of that pile came Art, right up the middle. HE goes (93 yards) for the touchdown. You are thinking ‘How the heck did he do that?’
“He just would not go down.”
Art Hastings breaks free against Canton McKinley in 1960 during a 42-0 victory.
You would laugh if you saw a 5-foot, 164-pounder line up at fullback today. If you saw a fullback in the game at all for that matter. But this was the late 1950s and the head coach was Leo Strang – and these were the powerful Massillon Tigers.
With a stable of running backs led by Hastings and a monster defense, Massillon was undefeated state and national poll champs in 1959. They were state champion again in Hastings’ senior year, 1960. The Tigers were 28-2-1 in Hastings’ career under Strang.
In Scott Shook’s 2010 book A Century of Heroes, Strang described his star back’s style of running thusly: “Hastings looks like his hips went out of joint. He was like trying to catch a dog in the middle of an open field.”
The only loss in Hastings’ final two years was a Week 8, 19-18 road loss to Warren Harding in his senior season in which the Tigers failed on all three two-point conversions tries. That loss snapped a 20-game winning streak and was thought to have destroyed the Tigers’ chance to defend their Ohio crown.
Led by Hastings, the Tigers roared back to life in what was then an 11-game regular season. They crushed Toledo Waite (56-14), fifth-ranked Springfield South (62-32) and McKinley (42-0) as Hastings ran for 552 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in the home stretch to claim the title.
“He was the best back in Ohio that year,” said Dave Null, the Tigers quarterback in 1960 and their future boys basketball coach for many years.
“Our junior year he was as good as any back in Ohio. He was very durable, never hurt. He wasn’t big but he was very strong. And he was as good running inside as he was outside.”
In the win over fifth-ranked Springfield to decide the state title, Hastings tallied four touchdowns including that school-record 93-yarder.
“Because of his size, defenders thought they could hit him and wrap him up,” brock Herring said. “But he would bounce off them or run by them. His balance and strength were his (keys). Some years later I met him. I introduced myself and thought how strong his hands were, years later.”
Art Hastings speeds through the hole against Canton McKinley in 1960 during a 42-0 victory.
Hastings was not only atypical for being a small fullback, he received and exceptionally small load of carries for being a dominant back. Strang believed in using a stable of backs and Hastings averaged just 13 carries as a junior and senior. In his time as a Tigers, Hastings shared the load with Brown and Allen, Doug Toles (who had a cup of coffee with Denver in the AFL), Ken Dean, Marty Gugov, Bob Herring, Joe Heflin and more.
“We all got a chance to do something,” Toles said. “It was evident by the scores and our freshness on the field.”
As for Hastings, Toles said he was “not the fastest guy on the field, but he was deceptively fast. He was a strong runner. Basically, strength and speed were his strengths. HE was very hard to tackle.”
“They have exceptionally good backs,” legendary Benedictine coach Augie Bossu told the Independent after Hastings ran eight times for 177 yards and three scores in a 36-6 1960 win over the Bengals. “That makes a great deal of difference.”
When it was over, Hastings had carried the ball 276 times in his career. It wasn’t until 1991 that Ashcraft broke the mark with 410 carries.
Now it’s 2018, and still no Tiger has taken the mantle from Hastings as Massillon’s career rushing leader.
Art Hastings was born in Bloomville, Mississippi, on March 5, 1942. He died in Barberton, Ohio, on January 25, 1998.
Highlights of Art Hastings’ Career:
Finished the 1959 season with seven consecutive 100 yard games.
In 1960, rushed 15 times for 189 yards and four touchdowns (1, 93, 6 and 8 yards) in a 62-32 victory over Springfield South. South was ranked No. 5 in the state prior to the game.
In 1960, rushed 14 times for 213 yards and four touchdowns (15, 29, 51 and 5 yards) in a 42-0 victory over Canton McKinley.
In 1959, named 3rd Team All-Ohio.
In 1960, named 1st Team All-Ohio.
In 1960, named WHBC Stark County Most Valuable Player
In 1960, received the Sportsmanship Award of the Massillon Junior Chamber of Commerce.
In 1960, was named Scholastic Magazine All-American.
In 2018, was inducted into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.
In 2018, was inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
The 1959 team was ranked state and national champions.
The 1960 team was ranked state champion and 7th in the nation.
Records Prior to the 2018 Season
Career rushing yards – 1st – 3,090 yards
Single season rushing average yards per rush – 3rd – 10.6 yards
Single game rushing touchdowns – 4th – 4
Longest touchdown run – 4th – 93 yards
Single season rushing yards per game – 5th – 127.4 yards
Reference: Photos from 1961 Massillon High School Yearbook
MASSILLON It was a night for records on Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Jamir Thomas broke the Massillon all-time rushing record, and moved within one of the all-time rushing-touchdown record as well. Yet, as incredible as those marks were, it was the record the Tigers emerged with at the end of the night – a 7-0 record – which was the most important one as they outlasted East St. Louis (Ill.) with a 46-40 victory.
“It means we’re national,” said Thomas, whose 116 rushing yards on the night gave him 3,121 career yards, 31 more than Art Hastings’ previous mark. “We’re national. We can get around. We’re really good.”
Thomas set the new mark with a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter, moving him a yard in front of Hastings. However, it was the 9-yard touchdown at the end of that drive which was just as important, as it gave Massillon a 38-34 lead with 7:11 remaining.
Thomas also had a 3-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to make it 34-31 East St. Louis.
“It means everything,” Thomas said of the record. “It means everything to me. It means everything to our offensive line. They came with something they wanted to prove, and that is to be the best offensive line in the state. I think they are.”
However, it would be a 39-yard pass from Aidan Longwell to Jayden Ballard with 3:33 remaining which gave the Tigers the lead for good. Thomas, though, provided the final points on a two-point conversion run to make it 46-40.
That touchdown pass was one of five second-half scores for Massillon, which trailed 20-10 at halftime. The Tigers, who only had three first-half possessions, would score on five of their seven second-half drives.
They needed every one of those, as the Flyers – Illinois’ all-time wins leader – was almost equally unstoppable in gaining 538 total yards, including 418 rushing yards. They scored on three of their first four possessions to lead 20-7, then added scores on three of their six second-half drives.
The last East St. Louis score, a 21-yard Tyler Macon-to-Antonio Johnson touchdown pass, gave it a 40-38 lead with 5:26 left. The Flyers, though, would be stopped on downs and then picked off by Max Turner to end their final two possessions.
“The offense kept us in the game,” Massillon coach Nate Moore said. “The defense got the stop when they did. Hats off to the kids for keep playing hard.”
Massillon finished with 422 yards on 63 plays. That was a stark contrast to its first-half numbers, when it had just 141 yards on 24 plays.
The Tigers picked up 279 passing yards as a team, although Longwell only threw for 260 of those. He did throw three touchdowns, two of which went to Tre’Von Morgan.
However, Ballard and Longwell swapped roles to give Massillon its first lead of the game. After the Tigers recovered a fumbled kickoff by the Flyers, Longwell handed the ball off to Dean Clark on a jet sweep, who then tossed it back to Ballard coming back the other way.
Ballard then hit Longwell in stride for a 19-yard touchdown pass to give Massillon a 24-20 lead. It would be the first of five lead changes in the second half, but the fumbled kickoff which set it up was what stuck with East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett.
“It was a great game,” said Sunkett, whose team falls to 5-2. “It was a slug-fest back and forth. I really think every game has three or four plays which really swings the momentum, and I think what it was was that fumbled kickoff coming out. That was a big swing.”
Treven Swingler rushed for 204 yards and two scores for the Flyers, while Macon added 140 and a score on the ground. East St. Louis, though, was flagged 23 times for 182 yards.
Harry Agustus Stuhldreher — Everyone’s All-American
Written by Mike Riordan Contributors: Gary Vogt and Ron Prunty
“Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, The Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore their names are Death, Destruction, Pestilence, and Famine. But those are aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Crowley, Miller and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below.”
The Foursome achieved football immortality when Grantland Rice, a sportswriter for the former New York Herald Tribune, penned “the most famous football lead of all-time.” This was written after Notre Dame’s 13-7 upset victory over a strong Army team on October 18, 1924.
Notre Dame Four Horsemen: Dan Miller, Elmer Layden, Jim Crowley, Harry Stuhldreher
HIGH SCHOOL
Harry Stuhldreher was born October 14, 1901, in Massillon, Ohio. He grew up there and delivered papers with Luther Emery, the legendary Massillon sports writer. When Knute Rockne played for the pro Massillon Tigers (according to his biography in the College Football Hall Of Fame) Harry gained free entry into a pro Massillon Tiger game. While reaching for Rockne’s gear he asked, “Carry yer bag, Mr. Rockne?” Fate had drawn the two together and fate would bring them mutual immortality.
Harry (known as Hessie and Stuhlie) played for Coach John Snavely on the Tiger teams of 1917, 1918 and 1919. He was not a regular on the 1917 team, which ended with a 7-2 record and beat Canton McKinley, 7-6.
But that changed the following year. The 1918 team was 2-2-2. This was a unique season, when several games were canceled due to the Spanish Flu epidemic, including the one against the Canton McKinley game. In addition, the New Philadelphia game was forfeited when Coach Snavely pulled his players from the field because of what he believed was a biased ruling against the Tigers. Final score: New Philadephia 1, Massillon 0.
Paul Brown, Dave Stewart, Harry Stuhldreher
The 1919 team finished 8-1. Playing at a paltry 5′-5″ and weighing just 137 lbs., Harry started the first nine games. The Tigers beat McKinley that year 21-0, but he was held out due to an injured arm.
During his 3-year career at Massillon, Harry was described as a good, although not outstanding player. Unfortunately, Harry never got the chance to play in a Canton McKinley game.
In 1920 Harry moved to Pennsylvania where he played football for Kiski Prep and graduated in 1921. He was coached at Prep by future Massillon Head Coach Dave Stewart. It was Harry that recommended Coach Stewart to the Massillon administration for consideration as the coaching to succeed Elmer Snyder. Of course, Stewart (Paul Brown’s coach) went on to a very successful tenure with the Tigers.
NOTRE DAME
In college Harry played for Notre Dame’s legendary coach Knute Rockne in 1922, 1923 and 1924. Notre Dame’s record during his three years was 29-2-1 and his team captured the National Championship in 1924. “Stuhldreher was a self-assured leader who not only could throw accurately but also returned punts and proved a solid blocker. He was often labeled cocky, feisty and ambitious, but his field generalship was unmatched.”
Harry Stuhldreher – Notre Dame
Four games into his sophomore season, he beat out the older but slower Frank Thomas (future coach of Alabama). At that time players were not eligible for varsity competition until their sophomore year. Notre Dame finished 1922 with a record of 8-1-1. They tied Army 0-0 after winning the first 6 games the lost their season finale at Nebraska on Thanksgiving Day, 14 – 6.
Rockne once said of Harry Stuhldreher, “Harry made an error in his sophomore year. He never made another.”
As a junior his team recorded a record of 9-1, again losing to Nebraska late in the season. Harry would not lose another game at Notre Dame. In fact, Harry only lost to one team while at Notre Dame and that was Nebraska, in 1922 and 1923.
Luther Emery once wrote, “When Harry Stuhldreher was at Notre Dame the Massillon Tigers would start their summer practice before Notre Dame. “Stuhlie” would come down and work out with the Massillon team.”
As a senior Harry was one of the smallest quarterbacks in Notre Dame’s history, standing 5′-7” tall and weighing just 150 lbs. Notre Dame started the season 2-0 but it was after their rivalry game, a 13-7 win against Army at the Polo Grounds, that The Four Horsemen became immortalized. Notre Dame finished the season 10-0 with a season finale Rose Bowl victory over Stanford, 27-10 on New Year’s Day, January 1, 1925. Notre Dame was proclaimed National Champions by 10 poling/foundations/associations of the day. This would be Notre Dame’s last bowl appearance until the 1969 season. Harry had made All-American twice but this year he was voted Consensus First team All-American Quarterback.
Stuhldreher’s obituary reads, “The undefeated 1924 team went to the Rose Bowl and defeated Stanford 27-10. It was that year that Mr. Stuhldreher was selected virtually unanimously as All-American quarterback”
“Even as a freshman, Harry had the most promise of the Four Horsemen. He sounded the leader on the field.” — Knute Rockne
Don Miller, Harry’s roommate and member of the Four Horsemen said, “Harry was the greatest quarterback in the history of Notre Dame University … not only a great passer and blocker but also a great safety man on defense.”
Harry Stuhldreher will always be associated with the “Hail Mary” desperation touchdown pass. Jim Crowley, a member of the Four Horsemen, used this story in many of his speeches. “During a tense game against Georgia Tech, Fighting Irish lineman Noble Kizer (member of the Seven Mules) suggested a Hail Mary prayer. Shortly thereafter, Stuhldreher threw a touchdown pass on fourth down. After the game, Kizer said, “That Hail Mary is the best play we’ve got.”
PROFESSIONAL
September 16, 1925 Stuhldreher had offers to play for three pro teams in the Connecticut area, but signed a contract to play for the Providence Steam Roller in the team’s inaugural NFL season. The Steam Roller had a non-league game on September 20th, annihilating West Point Artillery club 127-0. Stuhldreher played in that game, but he jumped teams when his demand for a salary increase was refused. He immediately signed with the Waterbury/Hartford Blues for $7,500 plus a $500 bonus. On October 11, Jim Crowley, another member of the Four Horsemen, signed and joined Stuhldreher against Adams, Massachusetts.
Crowley scored three touchdowns and Stuhldreher booted two field goals and three extra points. Crowley picked up his check after the game and said adios to the Blues. On Sunday December 13 all Four Horsemen were signed (for a speculated cost of $5000 for one game) to play the Cleveland Bulldogs in their last game of the season. The Bulldogs prevailed 13-6 and the Blues ended the season 10-2
In 1926 the Brooklyn pro team of the American Football League (AFL) was named “Horsemen” after the signing of Harry Stuhldreher and Elmer Layden, two of Notre Dame’s Four Horsemen. The team’s first game was decided by a 60-yard pass from Stuhldreher to Ed Harrison. Unfortunately, that was their only offensive highlight and their only win. The Horsemen ended with a 1-3 record, playing their last game on November 7, 1926, with a 21-13 loss to the New York Yankees. They then merged with the NFL’s Brooklyn Lions to complete the season. The local media dubbed the team the “Horse-Lions.”
On November 14, 1926, and playing for the Brooklyn Lions, Harry finally got his win against the Canton Bulldogs, winning 19-0. Notable players on the Bulldog team included Washington High School’s own Ben Roderick and Canton’s greatest player Jim Thorpe.
VILLANOVA
Harry Stuhldreher was named head football coach of Villanova in 1925 and found immediate success, being tabbed, “The Man who brought horsepower to Villanova Football.”
Villanova’s president, Father Hickey, asked, “How can we bring that winning Notre Dame spirit to Villanova?” The answer was to bring on a 23 year old, a three-time All-American from Notre Dame to be the 17th head coach of Villanova.
In his 11 years (1925-1935) as head coach, his teams were 65-25-9, with an undefeated season in 1928 at 7-0-1. He had only one losing season. His winning percentage of .722 remains the highest among all Villanova head coaches with at least a 2-year tenure. And his 65 victories were more than Villanova’s first 12 coaches accumulated in 31 seasons.
Coach Harry was instrumental in picking his replacement before moving on. His choice was Maurice J. “Clipper” Smith, a Notre Dame 1920 graduate and lineman coached by Knute Rockne. “Clipper” coached eight years at Villanova. Beginning late in his first year his teams had a record of 25-2-2, sixteen shutouts and was undefeated in 1937.
Outgoing Villanova Coach Harry and Replacement Clipper Smith
WISCONSIN
In 1936 Harry Stuhldreher was hired as the 19th head football coach for Wisconsin, which the Wisconsin State Journal called, a “Coaches Graveyard.” “The little man with the big job.” Harry responded, “Gentlemen, I’ve bought a one-way ticket from Philadelphia. I plan to stay here for a long time.”
Harry served in a dual role as Director of Athletics (1936-1950) and Head Football Coach (1936-1948). In 13 seasons his teams posted a 45-62-6 record. This gives him a career record of 110-87-15 in 24 seasons.
1941 – Wisconsin played at Ohio State and first year coach Paul Brown. Ohio State prevailed 46-34. The Wisconsin band did not travel to this game and it was Harry Stuhldreher, not Paul Brown, who invited the Massillon Tiger Swing Band to perform at halftime (the band’s first appearance at Ohio State) under the direction of George “Red” Bird. George “Red” Bird would later become the Cincinnati Bengals Entertainment Director for Paul Brown.
1942 – Wisconsin finished 3rd in the Nation in the final AP poll with an 8-1-1 record and 2nd in the Big Ten at 4-1. They tied Notre Dame 7-7 and beat Paul Brown and Ohio State’s first National championship team by a score of 17-7, Wisconsin’s first ever win over a top-ranked team. This team featured All-Americans Dave Schreiner, Pat Harder and Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch.
1943 – Stuhldreher coached a college All-Star team to a 27-7 win over the Washington Redskins.
1947 – Wisconsin finished 3-2-1 in the Big Ten which placed them 2nd.
As Athletic director he developed a concept of “Athletics for All” and his leadership produced a well-rounded development of all sports and the accompanying facilities.
Harry Stuhldreher retired from football in 1950 after 33 “Hall of Fame” years as player, coach and executive.
RETIRED FROM FOOTBALL ??
After his years with Wisconsin he was known as Mr. Football. He was extremely involved and active while being so called “retired.”
This is a list of some of the activities in which he was involved:
Past President, American Football Coaches Association
Assistant to Vice President, U.S. Steel Corp.,1959 – 1965
He was past President or Director of
Junior Achievement of S.W. Pennsylvania, Inc.
Allegheny Council, Boy Scouts of America (Silver Beaver)
Boys Club of Pittsburgh
Kiski Preparatory
Pop Warner Midget Football Conference
He was principal speaker at the Canton Junior Achievement banquet in the spring of 1956
Harry Stuhldreher – 1964
Mr. Stuhldreher wrote the books, “Quarterback Play” and “Knute Rockne, Man Builder.” The latter was a source for the movie, “Knute Rockne, All American,” starring Ronald Reagan as George Gipp. He also wrote a short novel titled, “The Blocking Back.” Along with his books he was a regular contributor of articles for the Saturday Evening Post. His wife was also a writer and the couple had four sons.
In August 1962 Mr. Stuhldreher was master of ceremonies at ground-breaking ceremonies for the National Professional Football Hall of Fame. Then during Football’s Greatest Weekend in 1963, the charter class of 17 pro football greats were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. During the ceremony, Mr. Stuhldreher made the formal presentation of Hall of Fame membership to ‘Slingin’ Sammy Baugh.’
Mr. Stuhldreher passed away at age 63 on January 26, 1965, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before his death, Harry told his family that he never really enjoyed the role of a ‘horseman.” “He hated horses, and he hated getting on that horse they always made him get on,” Harry Jr. recalled. He used to tell us he was always afraid he would fall off and get hurt or embarrass himself, and my dad did not like to be embarrassed.His son Michael said, “He loved Massillon as his home, and he was very, very proud of it ”
Harry Stuhldreher will be forever linked with Knute Rockne and Notre Dame. Towards the end of his life he made appearances with the other members of the famous Four Horsemen. One was in Massillon in 1963 and they visited the Massillon Tigers locker room prior to the Cleveland East game.
His wife once said, “Harry has become a football legend. No matter where he speaks or what he says, he is always remembered as the quarterback of the Four Horsemen.”
1963 – Four Horsemen: Elmer Layden, Jim Crowley, Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller
Mr. Stuhldreher’s Awards include
Walter Camp Consensus 1st Team All-American Quarterback, 1924
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, 1965
Staff Award for the American Football Coaches Association, 1965
Massillon, Ohio Washington High School Distinguished Citizen Award ,1994
Four Horsemen of Notre Dame $.32 U.S. Postage Stamp, issued 1998
Villanova Wall of Fame, 2002
Mr. Stuhldreher’s Hall of Fame Inductions include
Helms Foundation Hall of Fame
Notre Dame University Hall of Fame, 1958
National Football Foundation / College Football Hall of Fame at Rutgers University, 1958
Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School All-American Hall of Fame Charter Class Inductee, 1964
Madison, Wisconsin, Sports Hall of Fame ,1966
Wisconsin University Football Hall of Fame,1994
Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School Wall of Champions Charter Class Inductee, 1994
Stark County Ohio High School Football Hall of Fame Charter Member, 2002
Kiski Prep School, Saltsburg, PA. Sports Hall of Fame, 2015
Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School Tiger Hall of Fame, 2015
MASSILLON Massillon long ago learned to never take an Austintown Fitch team lightly. That’s especially true when the Tigers are carrying around an undefeated record.
So, as the two long-time combatants met Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon didn’t necessarily expect to see its run of lopsided routs continue. The only thing that mattered was continuing the Tigers season-opening win streak.
The Tigers would end up keeping their winning ways going, but it wouldn’t necessarily be easy. They scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away for a 42-14 win over the Falcons.
“Our kids fought hard,” Massillon coach Nate Moore said after his team improved to 6-0, the school’s best start since 2013. “It was good to see us go the distance in a ballgame and win it in the fourth quarter.”
The Tigers, whose closest game in the fourth quarter previous to Friday was a 37-21 lead over Warren Harding in Week 3, would only lead 21-14 going into the fourth quarter. Massillon would score on three of its final four possessions, while the Falcons went three-and-out on each of their three drives in the fourth.
Massillon held a 151-5 edge in fourth-quarter yardage.
“I just told them I was proud of the way they fought,” said Fitch coach Phil Annarella, whose team is now 4-2. “We played extremely hard; we didn’t play well at times. Sometimes, a 5-(foot-)7 kid can’t cover a 6-5 kid or whatever he is.”
Much of the focus coming in was on Tiger running back Jamir Thomas’ assault on the school’s record books. Thomas came in just 190 yards behind Art Hasting’s career rushing mark, and four rushing touchdowns behind Bob Glass’ record.
For the first half, Thomas couldn’t find the room to run, with just 28 first-half yards on seven carries. That didn’t necessarily hurt Massillon in opening up a 21-7 halftime lead, thanks to big plays in the passing game.
Aidan Longwell threw three first-half touchdown passes, including two to sophomore Jayden Ballard. Tre’Von Morgan added an 18-yard scoring catch which put the Tigers ahead 7-0 on their first possession of the game.
Longwell hit Ballard, then, on a 58-yard touchdown pass on the first play of their second possession to make it 14-0 Massillon. Ballard added a 66-yard touchdown catch to make it 21-7 Tiger in the second quarter.
Longwell finished 13-of-20 for 263 yards and four touchdowns. He and Ballard would hook up for a third score with 11:17 remaining, a 13-yarder to make it 28-14.
The Tiger passing game had its share of issues in the second half, as Fitch was able to mix up its pressures up front. That’s where the Tiger running game, specifically Thomas, came to the rescue.
Thomas would help Massillon open up its first three-score edge of the night when he took off for a 32-yard touchdown run with 8:59 remaining. That put the Tigers in front 35-14.
Thomas finished with 105 yards on 18 carries.
The Tigers once again struggled with ill-timed penalties, with six flags for 56 yards. They also had a second-half interception.
“We had to overcome a fair amount of adversity tonight,” Moore said. “It was good to see our guys respond.”
However, Fitch also has its own hand in making things interesting. That’s especially true when quarterback Dom Montalbano’s second short scoring run, a 1-yarder, pulled the Falcons within 21-14 with 5:48 remaining in the third quarter.
Fitch made its presence known on the very first play from scrimmage, as Roddell Bebbs raced 21 yards into Massillon territory to the Tiger 44. The Falcons would eventually move as far as the 33, only to be turned away on a fourth-and-11 stop by Massillon.
That would be one of three first-half possessions by Fitch to reach Tiger territory. However, only one would actually do scoreboard damage, as Montalbano’s 3-yard touchdown run with 6:56 remaining in the first half pulled the Falcons to within 14-7.
Fitch had 165 total yards at halftime, 58 on a Bobby Cavalier-to-Reuben Talley pass which set up Montalbano’s scoring run. That total was more than the full-game outputs of three of Massillon’s first five opponents.
Methodical Massillon moves to 5-0 with rout of Firestone
Sep 21, 2018 10:18 PM MASSILLON There was a lot of words Massillon coach Nate Moore could’ve conjured up to describe his team’s 42-0 win over Firestone on Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
So, how about the word “methodical” to describe the performance?
“I think that’s a fair way to put it,” Moore said after his team improved to 5-0 on the season.
Game Action vs. Firestone
Methodical would fit perfectly with the approach the Tigers used to take care of a winless Falcon team which had come into the game having scored only 12 points in the first four games combined. Massillon, save for a pair of fumbles, came out and scored on four of its five first-half possessions, then added a fifth score to open the second half.
The Tigers would lead 35-0 16 seconds into the third quarter. That gave Massillon its fourth consecutive running-clock game, and the third time in that span in which the rule was put into effect within one play of the second half starting.
“I thought we did a good job during the week,” Moore said. “I liked out preparation. We were OK today, sloppy in a couple of places. We’ve got to get them cleaned up because we’ve got a big one coming up next week (against visiting Austintown Fitch).”
Both teams seemed content to not rush into things throughout the game, even as Massillon was opening up a 28-0 halftime lead. Firestone, in particular, was methodical when it had the football.
Despite the fact the Falcons only had four first-half first downs, and only two true drives in that span, they still owned a 15:51-8:09 edge in time of possession at the intermission. Even when Firestone set itself up with a first-and-goal from the Tiger 10 after a 63-yard quarterback keeper by George Rozier, its deliberate approach – and lack of timeouts – let the clock run out after a third-down run.
Rozier’s run accounted for 55 percent of the 114 first-half yards Firestone gained. The Falcons finished with 130 yards for the game.
“We kind of knew before the game started that it was going to be a very difficult task,” Firestone coach Eric Mitchell said. “(Massillon’s) a very good football team. They’re a disciplined football team. They’ve got players at every level: Skill, line, quarterback. Our game plan was to come in and try to shorten the game and run the ball a little bit and try to have some success with the short passing game and hopefully keep their offense off the field.”
Game action vs. Akron Firestone
The methodical approach by Firestone was countered by a Massillon offensive attack which was more than happy to play ground-and-pound. That was especially true with the Tigers short-handed due to a handful of players sidelined for a variety of reasons, including some team-discipline related.
“We had guys out because of injury and we had guys out tonight because of program expectations,” Moore said.
Massillon ran the ball 23 times – one of which was a quarterback scramble – out of its 32 first-half plays. Those 23, however, still accounted for 172 net yards and all four first-half scores.
The Tigers would finish with 282 rushing yards on 37 attempts. They had 365 total yards on 48 plays for the game.
Jamir Thomas was the primary beneficiary of the run-first approach, as he topped the 100-yard plateau for the fifth game in a row by halftime. Thomas, who had 107 yards and two touchdowns on 10 first-half carries, finished with 110 yards and three scores for the game.
That total gives him 2,900 yards and 43 rushing touchdowns for his career. That leaves him 190 yards behind Art Hasting’s school-record 3,090 yards, and four scores behind Bob Glass’ record 47 rushing touchdowns.
Thomas’s scoring runs of 11 and 21 yards on the first two Tiger drives staked Massillon to a 14-0 lead with 3:42 remaining in the first quarter. His third scoring run, a 3-yarder on the first play of the third quarter, made it 35-0 Massillon.
Marcellus Blake and Zion Phifer also had first-half scores for Massillon. Blake’s 1-yard run made it 21-0 Tigers with :51 left in the first quarter, while Phifer added a 3-yard scoring burst with 3:29 left in the half for a 28-0 lead.
Jean-Luc Beasley added a fourth-quarter touchdown for Massillon.
The Modern-Era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019 is comprised of 102 players and coaches. Among the group announced are four first-year eligible players including tight end Tony Gonzalez, linebacker London Fletcher, cornerback Champ Bailey and safety Ed Reed.
The roster of nominees consists of 47 offensive players, 39 defensive players, five special teams players and 11 coaches. The Modern-Era nominees will be reduced to 25 semifinalists in November and, from there, to 15 finalists in January.
MODERN-ERA NOMINEES FOR THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2019
*Finalist in 2018; Underline indicates first year of eligibility (Players and coaches must have last played or coached at least five full seasons to be eligible for nomination. Therefore, any individual who last played or coached in 2013 are eligible for the first time in 2019).
QUARTERBACKS
(5) – Randall Cunningham, Dave Krieg, Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair
RUNNING BACKS
(14) — Shaun Alexander, Tiki Barber, Earnest Byner, Larry Centers, Corey Dillon, Eddie George, *Edgerrin James, Darryl Johnston, Eric Metcalf (WR/KR/PR), Clinton Portis, Fred Taylor, Herschel Walker (also KR), Chris Warren, Ricky Watters
WIDE RECEIVERS
(9) — *Isaac Bruce, Gary Clark, Henry Ellard (also PR), Torry Holt, Chad Johnson, Derrick Mason, Sterling Sharpe, Rod Smith, Hines Ward
TIGHT ENDS
(4) — Mark Bavaro, Tony Gonzalez, Brent Jones, Jay Novacek
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN
(15) — Willie Anderson (T), *Tony Boselli (T), Lomas Brown (T), Ray Donaldson (C), *Alan Faneca (G), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), *Steve Hutchinson (G), Mike Kenn (T), Olin Kreutz (C), *Kevin Mawae (C/G), Tom Nalen (C), Chris Samuels (T), Richmond Webb (T), Steve Wisniewski (G)
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
(7) — La’Roi Glover (DT/NT), Russell Maryland (DT), Leslie O’Neal (DE), Simeon Rice (DE), Richard Seymour (DT), Neil Smith (DE), Bryant Young (DT)
LINEBACKERS
(14) — Carl Banks, Cornelius Bennett, Tedy Bruschi, London Fletcher, Seth Joyner, Wilber Marshall, Clay Matthews, Willie McGinest (also DE), Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, Chris Spielman, Takeo Spikes, Darryl Talley, Zach Thomas
DEFENSIVE BACKS
(18) — Eric Allen (CB), Steve Atwater (S), Champ Bailey (CB), Ronde Barber (CB/S), Bill Bates (S), LeRoy Butler (S), Nick Collins (S), Thomas Everett (S), Rodney Harrison (S), *Ty Law (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), *John Lynch (S), Tim McDonald (S), Ed Reed (FS), Dennis Smith (S), Troy Vincent (CB), Adrian Wilson (S), Darren Woodson (S)
PUNTERS/KICKER
(3) — Jason Elam (K), Jeff Feagles (P), Sean Landeta (P)
SPECIAL TEAMS
(2) — Brian Mitchell (KR/PR also RB), Steve Tasker (ST also WR)
COACHES
(11) — Don Coryell, Bill Cowher, Tom Flores, Jim Hanifan, Mike Holmgren, Jimmy Johnson, Richie Petitbon, Dan Reeves, Marty Schottenheimer, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil
Eighteen finalists will be presented to the full 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee during its annual meeting on “Selection Saturday,” the day before Super Bowl LIII. The finalists will consist of 15 Modern-Era finalists, the recently named Senior Finalist, Johnny Robinson, and the Contributor Finalists, Pat Bowlen andGil Brandt.
The Selection Committee will meet on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 in Atlanta, Ga. to elect the Class of 2019. While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the selection process by-laws provide that between four and eight new members will be selected.
The Senior Finalist and Contributor Finalists are voted “yes” or “no” for election at the annual selection meeting and must receive at least 80 percent support from the Committee to be elected. The Modern-Era Finalists will be trimmed during the meeting from 15 to 10 and then from 10 to 5. The remaining five finalists will be voted on individually, “yes” or “no” and must receive the same 80 percent positive vote as the Senior and Contributors Finalists to earn election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Class of 2019 will be announced during the “NFL Honors” nationally broadcast award show that evening.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019 will be formally enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019 in Canton. The enshrinement is one of three marquee events, along with the Hall of Fame Game and the Concert for Legends, that are held in the spectacular Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls.
FAN VOTE
For the eighth consecutive year, fans can vote for their favorite Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees. Fans should visit www.nfl.com/hofvote to make their picks. The Class of 2019 fan vote is presented by Ford, the Official Automobile of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
7th Grade game vs. Tuscarawas Central Catholic was canceled.
This week’s schedule:
Tuesday – 7th Grade vs. Wooster at Massillon Middle School, 5:00 pm
Wednesday – 8th Grade vs. Akron Buchtel at Massillon Middle School, 5:00 pm
Thursday – Freshmen vs. Akron Firestone at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 6:00 pm
Friday – Varsity vs. Akron Firestone at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7:30 pm
Saturday – Junior Varsity vs. Akron Firestone at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 1:00 pm
Dean Clark (defensive back and wide receiver) and Justin Gaddis (center) were the guest co-captains.
Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach Jarrett Troxler was the guest coach. “I didn’t expect it (Montclair victory) to go that way,” he said. “They had some great players.” A point of emphasis was that each week the coaches prepare the team offensively for what they believe the opponent’s defense will throw at them. And each week there are surprises. “We prepared for what they did on defense (previously),” said Troxler. “But we get different fronts every week.”
Coach Troxler also addressed the play of junior quarterback Aidan Longwell. “I thought he did a tremendous job with his maturity after the interception,” he stated. “The 72-yard bomb after the sack. That was a big moment for Aidan.” In the Montclair game, Longwell completed 11 of 20 pass for 216 yards and five touchdowns. The five TDs is second in the Massillon record book for touchdown passes thrown in a single game. The record is currently held by Justin Zwick, who threw six TDs against Fremont Ross in 2001. For the season, Aidan has completed 44 of 73 passes (60%) for 652 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“I thought Tre’von (Morgan) stepped up big time,” said the coach. “This is what we expected (prior to the season).” Morgan caught three passes, all going for touchdowns. For the season, Tre’von has 7 receptions for 108 yards and 5 touchdowns. The 6′-6″, 215 lb. wide receiver has also put forth great effort in throwing downfield blocks to spring his teammates for large gains.
“I like where we are,” summed up Troxler. “We’re right where we need to be. But we need to get better. We haven’t shown a lot on film. But we continue to work on these in practice.”
Head Coach Nate Moore then reviewed the film from last Friday’s win and a few clips of this week’s opponent, Akron Firestone. “I’m proud of our defensive performance, giving up just 43 yards.”
Turnovers also played a big role in the victory. Twice the Tigers caused fumbles on kickoff returns. Moore believes that Montclair was not prepared for the physical nature of the Massillon kickoff team.
Regarding his own team, he said that the Tigers continue to make some mistakes, but play really hard to minimize the impacts of the mistakes.
Massillon is 4-0 and is gearing to be 5-0 after this week’s game. Firestone has struggled this year, which will make the task that much easier. The Falcons are winless, with losses to Wadsworth (63-0), Copley (28-0), Revere (51-12) and Akron Buchtel (28-0). But don’t expect the Tigers to take the game lightly. All focus this week is only on Firestone.
Firestone offense:
Line averages 6’1″, 238
Best players are the two 6′-4″ wide receivers
Firestone defense:
LIne (4-front) averages 6’1″, 214
Best players are one linebacker and two linemen
Senior dominated
Four players go both ways. Expect the Tigers to have both a size and physicality advantage.
Turnovers turn to touchdowns as Tigers torch Montclair
MASSILLON Turnovers are a football team’s worst enemy. They can also be a team’s best friend.
For Massillon, they were a little bit of both as it played host to New Jersey 2017 state champion Montclair on Friday night.
Game Action vs. Montclair
The Tigers found themselves in an early deficit thanks to an interception which was returned for a Mounties’ touchdown. However, they used Montclair fumbles on consecutive kickoffs to turn a tie game into an advantage, kick-starting Massillon to a 49-7 victory at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
“The special-team units ran fast, hit hard,” said Massillon coach Nate Moore after his team improved to 4-0 with a visit from Firestone coming next week. “The ball popped out and we were able to recover a couple of those. Our offense was able to take advantage of it.”
Those back-to-back Mountie fumbles were two of three first-half turnovers they had. They also muffed a punt – on fourth-and-38, no less – to set up the Tigers’ for one more score before half, giving them a 35-7 advantage at the break.
It would be 42-7 on the first play of the second half after a 65-yard Jamir Thomas run. Thomas finished with 131 yards on 18 carries and the one score, giving him a fourth consecutive 100-plus-yard rushing performance.
“We’ve been giving stuff away,” said Montclair coach John Fiore, whose team fell to 1-2. “Even the 35-0 win (over Nutley, N.J., last week) should’ve been 70-0. We just give it away, give it away, give it away. Three fumbles in a row; missing a first down by an inch.
Massillon would begin emptying the bench after that run, which instituted the running-clock rule or the third consecutive game. It was the second time in that span the Tigers have basically played the entire second half under the rule.
Game Action vs. Montclair
Quarterback Aidan Longwell once again showed he likes Week 4. He threw a career-high five touchdowns – all in the first half – matching the five he threw in Week 4 a year ago against Ursuline.
That was all part of Longwell’s 11-of-20, 216-yard performance. All coming in the first half.
“They were loading the box on us,” Moore said. “Our receiving corps and our quarterback executed what they’re supposed to execute.”
At one point, Longwell threw touchdowns on four consecutive pass attempts. The only issue was that the first of those accounted for Montclair’s only score.
On a first-and-21 play from the Montclair 37, a pass attempt was deflected by a defender and intercepted by Walter King, who brought it back 66 yards for a Mountie touchdown. The 7-0 deficit, with 8:17 remaining in the first quarter, marked he second time in as many games the Tigers trailed early in a game.
That was one of two first-half interceptions by the Tigers. They also had one at the Mounties’ 2.
The deficit, as was the case a week earlier in a win over Warren Harding, didn’t last long. On a third-and-14 play from their own 28, Longwell hit Aydrik Ford on a post pattern for a 72-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 just 1:33 after the Montclair touchdown.
That’s when the Mounties began giving the ball up, and the Tigers were more than happy to turn those into points. The first fumbled kickoff return came at the Montclair 32.
Five plays after that, Longwell hit Tre’Von Morgan on a fade route down the left sideline for a 20-yard touchdown. Alex Bauer’s point-after kick gave the Tigers a 14-7 lead.
On the next kickoff, Montclair fumbled at its own 20. On the next play, Longwell and Ford hooked up to make it 21-7 Massillon with 3:52 left in the first quarter.
Morgan had three first-half catches for 51 yards, all of which went for touchdowns. Beyond the go-ahead 20-yard scoring catch, he added twoleaping grabs in the end zone in the second quartert to turn a 21-7 lead into a 35-7 cushion.
Not to be outdone was Ford, the Tigers’ statistical leader. He had a seven-catch, 162-yard first half, almost doubling his season output.
While the Tiger offense was putting up points, the defense was doing its part to keep the Mounties’ offense from finding a rhythm. The Mounties were held to just 45 net first-half yards, and only had two first-half first down, one of which came courtesy of a Massillon penalty.
In fact, two of the three Montclair first downs came thanks to Tiger flags. The Mounties finished with just 43 yards on 30 total plays.
The passing game which was a concern to Massillon’s defensive coaches never materialized. Montclair was just 2-of-12 throwing the ball for three yards.
“Listen, you can’t have 40 yards of offense,” Fiore said. “We just imploded.”
MASSILLON Kay’Ron Adams slipped through the line of scrimmage, out into the open and into the end zone for a Warren Harding touchdown.
Four plays into Friday night’s game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon was looking at two things it didn’t want to see. Adams getting free and a deficit on the scoreboard.
Those two things, however, wouldn’t endure for long.
Game action vs. Warren Harding
The Tigers would score on seven of their nine possessions, while the Raider running back could never really find the running lanes available he found on his scoring jaunt. All of those added up to a 51-21 win and Massillon’s first 3-0 start since 2014.
“We did well offensively all night,” Massillon coach Nate Moore said afterwards. “I’m proud of the way we executed for most of the night. … We’ll take 51 points.”
Adams, the physical and fast Warren senior running back, was the focal point of the Tiger defensive game plan throughout the week. As a junior, he had rushed for 202 yards and three scores in a 31-21 Massillon.
Two carries into Friday’s game, Adams looked to be on his way to another such night. He had 66 yards, 55 of those on his touchdown run which gave the Raiders a 7-0 lead 1:13 into the game.
Adams would add a 31-yard run on Warren’s second possession, which ended with an incomplete pass on fourth-and-23 from the Tiger 30. However, he wouldn’t have another run from scrimmage for more than 10 yards, as he finished with 123 yards on 20 carries.
Adams’ two longest plays in the final three quarters were receptions of 11 and 32 yards. The latter was a screen pass which went for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Game Action vs. Warren Harding
“It’s just playing hard, being disciplined, being in the right place, getting off blocks,” said Moore, whose team also recorded a safety when Nakoa Keefer picked up a second-quarter sack. “We tackled, wrapped up. You just go out and try to play really good defense.”
While Adams had Massillon’s full attention, the Tigers had their own runner worthy of a defense’s focus. And Jamir Thomas also wasted little time reminding the Raiders of that fact.
Thomas ripped off a 53-yard run to the Warren 3 on his first carry of the game, and tied the game with a 1-yard plunge two plays later. By the time Massillon hit the locked room with a 30-13 halftime lead, the senior running back had already topped the 100-yard plateau for the third time in as many games this season, with 149 yards on 17 first-half carries.
Thomas would finish with a career-high 262 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns. Massillon ran for 380 net yards as a team and finished with 550 total yards.
“They have weapons,” Warren coach Steve Arnold said. “(Thomas is) fast, strong and plays a demanding, physical style of football. He’s been here for a long time. I have a loss for words what they did offensively to our defense.”
Thomas may have had Warren’s attention, but it found itself distracted by Massillon’s aerial attack as well. Aidan Longwell threw three first-half touchdown – two of which went to Aydrik Ford, plus one to Tre’Von Morgan – as part of a 145-yard first-half effort.
Longwell finished 12-of-20 passing for 170 yards. He also ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
If there was an issue, though, for Massillon, it was its own miscues. The Tigers threw two interceptions – two of the three times their drives wouldn’t end in scores – as well as had a roughing-the-punter penalty.
The first pick set up an Elijah Taylor 1-yard run to pull Warren to within 23-13. The roughing call kept a drive alive which resulted in Adams’ second score, pulling the Raiders to within 37-21.
“We have plenty to work on,” said Moore, whose team finished the game with the ball on the Warren 1. “Plenty to work on.”
In his high school swan song (a 42-0 shellacking of the McKinley Bulldogs on Nov. 19, 1960), Hastings rushed for four touchdowns to lift Massillon to its second straight Associated Press state poll championship and first team All-Ohio honors for himself.
