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1984: Massillon 28, Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary 21

October 19, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers stun St. Vincent Behind big play attack

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ There were no smiling Irish eyes in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Friday night.

Oh, there was The Eye of the Tiger. And it was smiling. Boy, was it ever.

That’s because Massillon’s football‑playing Tigers applied a 28‑21 shiner to visiting Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary before 10,342 screaming fans.

“The guy upstairs was sitting on our side of the field,” Massillon head reach Mike Currence told one of his aides after the game.

St. Vincent entered the game with a 6‑1 record. They were second in their region of the computer poll and fourth in the UPI wire‑service poll.

The Irish left with an empty feeling.

“The two quick touchdowns got us. What can you do?” said a beleaguered St. V head coach John Cistone. “It was just one of those things. You have to give them credit for making those big plays. They’re a good football team.”

The entire game’s complexion changed in a matter of 77 seconds. Actually there was a 15‑minute break between the two lightning-quick Tiger scores that altered the outcome.

Holding a 14‑7 lead late in the first half, the Irish (6‑2) looked as if they were going to knot things, Faced with a first‑and‑goal from the Tiger 6, St. V called on halfback Henry Henderson to get them six points.

And six points did go up on the board, but it went up on the Massillon side. Henderson hit the line, fumbled and linebacker Pete Johnson alertly speared the ball in midair and rambled 95 yards to paydirt.

Instead of tieing the game up at halftime, the Irish went into the lockeroom trailing 21-7.

Stunned as they were, the Irish were hardly ready for what transpired shortly after intermission.

Enter Cornell Jackson.

Jackson, who didn’t start the game, took the second handoff of the second half and burst 76 yards to paydirt with just 46 seconds gone in the period. Dan Kozma, putting his best foot forward this season, booted his fourth straight point‑after, and the Tigers owned a surprising 28‑7 advantage.

“For the first time this year, we got some breaks,” Currence said. “This is a nice thing to happen for the team. When you lose three games like we have and then you come up and beat one of the best teams in the area, it’s a big game for the coaching staff and the players.”

Leading by 21 points, the Tigers (5‑3) were given a most definite scare in the second half by the never‑say‑die Irish.

St. V, which won the statistical battle, cut Massillon’s lead in half with 43 seconds left in the third period when Henderson punched it in from five yards out. Ted Fundoukos added the PAT.

The Irish defense stiffened and forced the Tigers to punt for its second time. Taking over at its own 35, St. V went 65 yards in 12 plays with Unaitis sneaking over from a yard out with 6:28 showing.

Needless to say, it was anybody’ game for the taking at this point.

St. V’s Steve Englehardt then intercepted a tipped Mike Scott pass on the first play following the kickoff, giving the Irish the ball at the Tiger 43.

Sensing a fierce comeback, the Irish stormed down to the 12 in five plays for a first down. Fullback Jim Fedrick picked up two yards when Tiger sophomore Lance Hostetler made the biggest play of the game with an 11‑yard sack of Unaitis.

On the next play a Unaitis pass fell incomplete, and on fourth down from the 21 a screen pass netted just five yards. The Tiger Claw had held its own.

But, nearly three minutes still remained. And anything could happen.

Massillon picked up one first down, but eventually had to punt the ball with 1:12 remaining. Tiger punter Scott Byelene, who was shaken up earlier in the period, lofted a kick that went nearly straight up, covering just 13 yards. St. V took over at its own 47.

Two straight Unaitis completions moved the ball to the Tiger 41. On first down the Irish, with no time outs left, went to the air. The pass was completed again, only it went to Massillon’s Jeff Smith at the 10. Victory was saved.

“At the first of the year there was no way we could’ve beaten St. V,” Currence said. “It’s through dedication and hard work that we are where we are. I was real pleased with the emotion of the team right from the beginning. We won it with emotion.”

Massillon opened scoring on its first possession, driving 80 yards in nine plays with Derrick Newman hitting paydirt from four yards out.

Biggest play in the march was a 32‑yard pass from Scott to Wes Siegenthaler on third‑and‑10, catching St. V in a blitz. Irwin Hastings’ downfield block allowed Siegenthaler to gain most of his yardage.

The Irish stormed right back and tied the score when Henderson, who finished with 118 yards on 26 carries, tallied from five yards out.

Scott was intercepted in the end zone on Massillon’s next possession by Greg Littler. Jackson, the game’s leading rusher with 165 yards on 10 carries, was wide open in the end zone, but the ball was under thrown.

Massillon scored the next time it had the ball, marching 62 yards in seven plays with Scott hitting Bruce Spicer from four yards out. A 33‑yard punt return by Siegenthaler helped set things up, and a 25‑yard run by Jackson put the ball at the 3 where the Tigers scored three plays later.

Undaunted by Massillon’s 14-7, the Irish were rolling, moving all the way to a first‑and‑goal at the 6 when Johnson made his big‑play touchdown on the fumble return.

“We had to get on the board before they did,” Cistone, alluded to Jaskson’s long TD run, “If we do it’s 21‑14 and we’re in the ballgame.”

The Irish held a commanding 21‑11 edge in first downs, and an even bigger edge in time of possession, 31:18 to 16:42. St. V also held a slight 332‑265 edge in total yards gained.

Scott finished the night by completing 8‑of‑14 passes for 100 yards. He hit six different receivers with Newman and Spicer both catching two aerials.

Unaitis (his name’s spelled different than Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas) threw for 138 yards on 13‑of‑21.

The game was virtually penalty free as only one flag was thrown, that being a five‑yarder on St. V for a delay.

The Tigers, working on a four game winning streak, will now take on Perry (7‑1), 70‑0 winners over Marlington, next Friday night.

MASSILLON 28
ST. VINCENT‑ST. MARY 21

M S
First downs rushing 7 13
First downs passing 4 8
First downs by penalty 0 0
Totals first downs 11 21
Yards gained rushing 192 195
Yards lost rushing 27 11
Net yards rushing 165 184
Net yards passing 100 138
Total yards gained 265 322
Passes attempted 14 21
Passes completed 8 13
Passes int. by 2 1
Times kicked off 5 4
Kickoff average 45.6 53.8
Kickoff return yards 69 92
Punt 3 3
Punting average 28.0 37.3
Punt return yards 41 13
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumble 0 1
Fumbles lost 0 1
Penalties 0 1
Yards penalized 0 5
Touchdowns rushing 2 3
Touchdowns passing 1 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 39 67
Time of possession 16:42 31:18
Attendance 10,342

ST. V‑ST. M 7 0 7 7 21
MASSILLON 7 14 7 0 28

M ‑ Derrick Newman 4 run (Dan Kozma kick)
S ‑ Henry Henderson 5 run (Ted Fundoukas kick)
M ‑ Brian Spicer 4 pass from Mike Scott (Kozma kick)
M ‑ Pete Johnson 95 fumble recovery (Kozma kick)
M ‑ Carroll Jackson 75 run (Kozma kick)
S ‑ Henderson 5 ran (Fundoukas kick)
S ‑ Mark Unaitis 1 ran (Fundoukas kick)

Massillon’s long TD plays
Enough to outlast St. V-M

By Roland Queen
Beacon Journal staff writer

For most of this season, Massillon coach Mike Currence has had more reasons to cry than laugh.

It has been an uncharacteristic football season for one of the most successful high school teams in Ohio.

But Currence was sporting his biggest grin of the season Friday night in the Tigers locker room after his team defeated powerful St. Vincent‑St. Mary 28‑21 before a crowd of 10,342 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

For the Tigers (5‑3), it was a night of big plays as the Fighting Irish (6‑2) won the statistical battle but came up short on the scoreboard.

“I’ll tell you,” Currence said, “to lose three ballgames like we did early in the season then come up with a big win like this over one of the best teams in the area is a great feeling.”

The two biggest plays of the game for the Tigers came just before and just after halftime.

With Massillon leading 14-7 late in the second quarter, St. V-M drove 66 yards in seven plays and had a first‑and‑goal on the Massillon 6‑yard line.

On the next play, St. V‑M’s outstanding tailback, Henry Henderson, took a handoff from quarterback Mark Unaitas on a counterplay off tackle. But jut as Henderson got to the line of scrimmage, he was hit by Massillon senior linebacker Pat Spicer. The ball popped straight up, and Tiger linebacker Pete Johnson caught it in the air and raced 95 yards for the touchdown just 31 seconds before halftime.

Instead of a 14‑14 tie at the half, the Tigers were in command 21-7 after Dan Kosma’s second of four extra‑point kicks.

Johnson said be was only thinking of one thing after the big fumble nestled in his arms and an open field loomed ahead of him.

“All I was thinking was touchdown,” said Johnson, a senior. “I could smell the goal line. I had intercepted a pass earlier this year like that and I got caught on the 7‑yard line. This time, I wanted it. I wasn’t about to let that happen again.”

After the Tigers received the second‑half kickoff, it took two plays before senior halfback Cornell Jackson (10 carries, 165 yards) broke through a big hole off tackle and raced 76 yards down the sideline for the eventual game‑winning touchdown with 11:14 left in the period.

“It was a big‑play game,” Currence said. “Both teams moved the ball well in the middle of the field. But when you come right down to it, the big plays won the game for us.”

Holding a 21‑point lead, Currence admitted the Tigers became “too conservative.”

The Fighting Irish then put together a furious comeback that fell just short of being successful.

Behind the passing of Unaitis and the running of Henderson, St. V‑M drove 56 yards in nine plays late in the third period. Key plays in the drive were 13‑yard passes from Unaitis to tight end Steve Englehart and split end Bill Clevenger. Henderson ran the final 5 yards and the conversion by Ted Fundoukos (his second of three) made the score 28‑14 with 43 seconds left in the period.

Everyone in the stadium knew the momentum had shifted to the Irish. The Tigers were forced to punt on their possession following Henderson’s touchdown and St. V‑M had the ball on its 35.

The Irish drove the 65 yards in 12 plays with Unaitis going over from the 1. And St. V‑M had 6:28 left to finish its comeback.

On the first play from scrimmage following the Unaitis’ touchdown, Currence said he decided to forget being conservative and Tiger quarterback Mike Scott dropped to pass.

But Scott’s pass bounced off the hands of split end Wes Siegenthaler and was intercepted by Englehart who returned it 13 yards to the Massillon 43.

As the Tiger fans held their breath, St. V‑M drove to a first‑and‑10 on the Massillon 11 behind runs of 9 and 15 yards by Henderson, who finished the night with 118 yards on 26 carries.

But instead of staying with his premier runner, St. V‑M coach John Cistone said he tried to catch the Tigers off guard with a first‑down pass. Unaitis was sacked for a 10‑yard less. It was the key play of the drive as Massillon held on downs and took possession on its 20 with 2:54 to play.

St. V‑M got the ball back with less than a minute left at the Massillon 47, but Unaitis first‑down down pass from the 41 was intercepted by Jeff Smith with 30 seconds to play.

1984: Massillon 25, Barberton 6

October 12, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Defense makes strong case
Tigers whip Barberton

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ Mike Currence made a plea for the defense Friday night.

“The defense hung in there, and that was important,” he said following the Tigers’ hard‑earned 25-6 win over Barberton at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

“We wanted a shutout. We came close, and I’m proud of the way they came back,” the Tiger head coach said, alluding to last week’s wild 38‑31 affair against Stow, a game where the defenses rested their cases

“You can’t blame our defense for their (Barberton) score. If we don’t make the mistake we get the shutout,” Currence said.

The miscue Currence referred to happened in the second quarter when Jeff Smith failed to find the handle on a Barberton punt, the Magics’ Roy Fez Ferguson recovering at the Tiger 14.

Five running plays later and the Magics (0-6) scored when quarterback Joe Underation snuck over from less than a yard out with 1:26 left in the half.

By the time the Magics got on the board, they were faced with an 18‑0 deficit as the Tigers (4‑3) struck early and often.

Massillon, which has now won three straight, put it to the Magics right out of the starter’s gate as quarterback Mike Scott came at throwing.

Scott, who last week threw for 302 yards, attempted eight passes in the opening drive. For that matter, the senior put the ball in the air on the first four plays.

The Tigers easily marched into Barberton territory as Scott hit Bruce Spicer twice for 15 and 14 yards, Wes Siegenthaler for nine, and Irwin Hastings for 17 more.

The 14‑yard pass to Spicer came on a fourth and four from the Magic 20, and led to halfback Derrick Newman’s 6‑yard touchdown jaunt behind the blocking of fullback Duane Crenshaw and guard Jared Mayle.

After stopping the Magic on three downs, the Tigers took over on Barberton’s 49 following a poor 27‑yard punt for their next possession.

And if the passing game highlighted the first score, it was the running attack that was featured on the next TD drive, a six‑play, 49-yard march on the ground.

Newman, playing with a soft cast to protect a broken wrist he suffered two weeks ago, ran over and through several Magic defenders on a 23-yard scamper. Crenshaw then tacked on runs of 8 and 9 yards to give the Tigers a first-and-goal inside the 10.

Newman, who finished with 68 yards on 11 carries, then ran for four more yards before Crenshaw added two stripes to set up the second of three Newman TDs, this one from 3 yards out on the heels of a crunching Crenshaw block. A subsequent two point conversion pass failed.

It didn’t take the Tigers long to strike again as the ensuing kickoff eluded Barberton’s Mike Fields, ending in the arms of Chris Singer at the Magic 38.

Scott, ala Green Bay Packer great Bart Starr, went deep right away, connecting with Siegenthaler on an apparent 38 yard TD strike. An illegal procedure call on the Tigers nullified the score, albeit temporarily.

With the ball now nestled on the 43, Siegenthaler went 15 yards for a first down on a reverse. Crenshaw, the game’s leading ground gainer with 69 yards on 10 carries, then rambled for 14 more before Hastings was thrown for a yard loss.

Faced with a second-and-11 from the Magic 15, Scott rifled a frozen rope to Hastings over the middle with 1:43 left in the quarter for an 18‑0 lead. Another two point conversion pass was thwarted.

With their backs firmly planted against the wall, the Magics set out to do something about it.

Aided by a pass interference call and two key first downs on third‑and‑nine and fourth‑and‑three, the Magics found themselves with a first‑and‑goal from the Tiger 5. On their third crack into the Massillon defense, fullback Pat Boone fumbled after a vicious hit, the orange and black’s John Kroah recovering at the goal line.

Still, the Magics trailed just 18‑6 at intermission as they took advantage of a fumbled Tiger punt return.

If the first half belonged to Massillon, then the third quarter was strictly Barberton’s as the Magics had the ball for all but three minutes.

Following the band shows, it looked as if the Magics were going to make a game of it as they chewed more than six minutes off the clock on the second half’s opening drive only to come away empty-handed.

After then forcing a Tiger punt, the Magics promptly moved deep into Massillon territory once again. This time Brian Miller came up with the big play, intercepting Underation at the 1‑yard line.

“You can’t score if you don’t get the ball,” Currence said of the Tigers’ second‑half showing. “They kept us off balanced.”

Miller returned the ball 15 yards, and the revitalized Tiger offense went back to work, moving 84 yards in 12 plays with Newman scoring on a 3‑yard run. Big plays were third down passes for first downs to Spicer and Siegenthaler. Dan Kozma added the point‑after try and Massillon had its margin of victory in front of 8,681 fans.

The final minutes of the game found the Tigers substituting freely.

And now the Tigers must prepare for the home stretch against Akron St. Vincent‑St. Mary (6‑1), Perry (6‑1) and Canton McKinley (4‑3) in subsequent weeks.
*****
It was announced that former Tiger Craig Johnson, now a member of the Michigan State Spartans, has reached the final 50 in Wheaties’ Search for a Champion II. Johnson and the rest of Tigertowners will have to wait until December 31 to find out if he made the final six, which would put him on the cover of the cereal’s box.

Johnson is being backed by CAATS (Concerned about All Tiger Sports), just like Chris Spielman was a year ago.
******
Tiger cheerleader Meg Arciello was named Homecoming queen prior to the game.
******
Don and Anita Barnes were in attendance. They came all the way from Juneau, Alaska, The Barnes’ were in town for a 35th reunion and were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bonk. Mr. Bonk was the captain of the 1945 Tiger team that went 5‑0‑5, and he caught a touchdown pass in front of 60,000 fans in Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium that year to tie Cathedral Latin.
******
The Tiger Booster Club honored M.C.A. Sign Company at halftime for 48 years of service. M.C.A. has promoted enthusiasm among Tiger fans by printing and handing out lapel stripes for free.

In 1937, the late Alvin “Dutch” Wampler founded the program, and it’s been going strong ever since. Booster Club president Bob Bushaman presented Paul Stoner, vice president of M.C.A. with a plaque.
******
Another former Tiger is doing well on the collegiate level. Steve Walterhouse was named defensive captain of the University of Pennsylvania’s freshmen team Friday. The cornerback sparked the Quakers to a 31‑14 win over Brown in an Ivy League meeting.

Prep gridsticks
MASSILLON 25
BARBERTON 6

M B
First down rushing 8 8
First downs passing 9 4
First downs by penalty 1 2
Totals first downs 18 14
Yards gained rushing 172 132
Yards lost rushing 2 8
Net yards rushing 170 124
Net yards passing 143 67
Total yards gained 313 191
Passes attempted 24 24
Passes completed 12 8
Passes int. by 1 0
Times kicked off 5 2
Kickoff average 42.4 54.0
Kickoff return yards 33 74
Punts 3 3
Punting average 38.0 33.3
Punt return yards 5 12
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 3 3
Fumbles lost 1 3
Penalties 7 5
Yards penalized 55 36
Touchdowns rushing 3 1
Touchdowns passing 1 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 53 59
Time of possession 20:19 27:41
Attendance 8,681

MASSILLON 18 0 7 0 25
BARBERTON 0 6 0 0 6

M ‑ Derrick Newman 5 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Newman 3 run (pass failed)
M ‑ Irwin Hastings 15 pass from Mike Scott (pass failed)
B – Joe Underation 1 run (kick failed)
M – Newman 3, (Dan Kuzma kick)

1984: Massillon 38, Stow Lakeview 31

October 5, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers win wild one 38-31

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ You’ve no doubt heard about the famed shootout at the OK Corral.

Well, that was nothing compared to what transpired Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium when Massillon outscored Stow 38-31 before 9,561 awe-struck fans.

A total of 912 yards in offense was generated, 577 of that coming on the passing arms of Massillon’s Mike Scott and Stow’s Pat Williams.

It was a blitzkrieg that left old, timers shaking their heads in disbelief. For the young of heart it was New Wave football at its best.

The aerial display left Stow head coach Gary Mattes staring into the empty stands afterwards. He couldn’t believe what took place.

Not even a 19 point Tiger lead entering the final quarter was safe. Not with a football in Williams’ hands.

The common belief among the fans was that whoever had the ball last would win … and Massillon had the ball last.

Not since a 68‑7 win over Akron St. Vincent in 1970 have the Tigers, now 3‑3 on the year, been involved in a game in which so many points were scored.

“If it’s all right with you,” Tiger head coach Mike Currence chided his offensive coordinator Nick Vrotsos, “I’d rather not see another offensive game like that.”

They both smiled at one another, because they liked what they had just witnessed on the field of play.

One person not smiling after the game was Mattes.

“I’m drained,” he said. “We did not expect the game to be as high scoring as it was. I think the fans more than got their money’s worth.

“I guess it was just one of those ballgames.”

Stow came into the game having permitted just 35 points in five games. They left wondering if they had any defense left at all.

But the same could be said of the Tiger defense, which has now given up 105 points. Not since the 1921 team gave up 140 points has a Massillon team yielded that many points after six outings.

And in a game dominated by the offense, it took a pass interception by Tiger safety Antwan Jones to seal the victory in the final minutes.

Scott’s numbers were awesome. The senior completed 19 of 32 attempts for 302 yards and two touchdown. He was not intercepted.

Williams was also up to the task. The Bulldog senior went to the air 24 times and completed 15 for 253 yards and four touchdowns.

With those kinds of numbers, someone at the receiving end was bound to post impressive numbers of their own. And the duo of Tiger Bruce Spicer and Bulldog Cyle Feldman did.

Spicer hauled in eight passes for 133 yards and one score. Feldman was on the receiving end a like number of times for 147 yards and three TDs.

Did someone mention a running game? It was there and in full force for the Tigers as well.

Massillon somehow came up with 231 rushing yards on 45 carries Fullback Duane Crenshaw had 72 yards, Cornell Jackson 71 and split end Wes Siegenthaler reeled off 64 on an end around reverse en route to a third-quarter score.

All told, the Tigers generated 24 first downs, and 533 yards. A big part of their success was an uncanny ability to convert third downs into first downs. That they did 12 of 18 times.

Massillon was the first to draw blood, scoring with 3:01 left in the opening period when Irwin Hastings ran in from five yards out. Dan Kozma added the first of his two point-after kicks.

The biggest play in that opening score was when George Olshawsky recovered a Jackson fumble at the Stow 36.

Stow (4‑2) came right back to even things up when Williams hit Feldman on a 45‑yard scoring strike 69 seconds later. Williams then added the PAT.

Following a 22‑yard punt return by Siegenthaler, the Tigers marched 55 yards in eight plays to paydirt when Duane Crenshaw went over from nine yards out. Kozma added the PAT.

Then things started to heat up in earnest.

First, it was Stow’s turn. The Bulldogs want 66 yards in nine plays with Mike Braccio punching in from a yard out. A big play was a Feldman pass ‑ he did a little of everything – to Braccio for 23 yards.

Now it was Massillon’s turn to score on the ensuing set of downs when Scott found Spicer on a 41‑yard TD pass down the right sidelines with 3:43 still left. The two connected earlier on a 14‑yard pass on a third‑and‑nine situation.

But, Stow wasn’t through yet. The Bulldogs lit the scoreboard up with 1:32 left in the halt when Williams hit Mike Tersigni from 22 yards out to culminate a nine‑play, 74‑yard drive.

Entering halftime, the Tigers were clinging to a 20‑19 lead.

And if play in the first half wasn’t enough for the fans to chew on during intermission, they were in for a double treat by each school’s band show.

Following a stimulating halftime show, the third period belonged strictly to the Tigers as Stow ran off just five plays.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff of the second half and promptly marched 75 yards in 12 plays, eating up nearly six minutes. The prolonged drive was capped by Crenshaw’s 2‑yard run.

But there were key plays galore in that drive, all pass plays from Scott. The first was a 14‑yard toss to Siegenthaler, the next a 27‑yard pitch to Hastings and the third an 11‑yard gain to Spicer. All three passes came in third‑down situations.

Massillon’s defense ‑ believe it or not! ‑ then set up the next Tiger score on a Pete Johnson fumble recovery. A shanked 7‑yard punt set up the second.

Johnson’s recovery gave the Tigers the ball back one play after Crenshaw’s score. Massillon then went 43 yards in six plays with a 10‑yard TD pass from Scott to Hastings capping things.

The shanked punt gave the Tigers the ball at their own 36. One play later and the Tigers caught the Stow defense off guard as Siegenthaler was off to the races on an end around reverse for 64 yards, with Scott throwing a key block down field.

Siegenthaler’s TD made it a 38‑19 score with less than a minute remaining in the third period.

A Tiger victory was assured, right? I mean, didn’t Ed Wentzel then recover a fumbled kickoff to give Massillon great field position again? Yes, but no to the assured win.

“We just seemed to lose our concentration,” said Currence about Stow’s belated rally in the final period. “We relaxed, and you can do that against a good team.”

Three plays after Wentzel’s fumble recovery, the Tigers returned the favor. And it didn’t take Stow long to take advantage of the miscue.

Williams made it a 38‑25 game when be hit Feldman from six yards out, The two‑point conversion was intercepted by Johnson in the end zone.

Once again the Tigers turned the ball over, this time two plays later with Feldman pouncing on the loose sphere near midfield.

Four plays later and Williams hooked up with Feldman again, this time from 40 yards out. Another two‑point pass play was intercepted, this one by Brian Miller in the end was.

With a shade more than six minutes still to go, it was suddenly anyone’s game with the Tigers holding a not‑so certain 38‑31 lead.

Massillon then drove for two first downs before punting the ball into the end zone, giving Stow the ball at its own 20 with 3:26 remaining.

On Williams’ arm, the Bulldogs drove to the Tiger 42 in five plays. The sixth play turned into Jones’ interception at the Massillon 12, and saved the day for the Tigers.

Still, the Tigers had to move the ball in order to kill off the clock and destroy the effectiveness of Stow’s remaining time outs.

Faced with a third‑and‑eight with 1:14 left, the Bulldogs used their last time out. The Tigers had to make a first down, or risk giving the ball back to the strong arm of Williams.

Scott, who surprised everyone, want to the air and launched a bomb down the right sidelines to Spicer, who made the catch in fount of Currence for a 30‑yard gain. That sealed the victory.
******
Tiger sophomore Lance Hostetler made his presence known in the game, blocking one of Williams’ PAT tries.
******
It was Junior High Football Night at Tiger Stadium and the young lads were treated to one of the most thrilling games at home in a long while.

Area prep gridsticks

MASSILLON 38
STOW 31

M S
First downs rushing 11 7
First downs passing 13 11
First downs by penalty 0 1
Total first downs 24 19
Yards gained rushing 251 112
Yards lost rushing 20 9
Net yards rushing 231 104
Net yards passing 302 275
Total yards gained 533 379
Passes attempted 32 25
Passes completed 19 16
Passes int. by 0 1
Times kicked off 7 6
Kickoff average 42.9 43.7
Kickoff return yards 83 116
Punts 2 4
Punting average 38.5 28.5
Punt return yards 26 8
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 4 2
Fumbles lost 2 2
Penalties 8 3
Yards penalized 67 31
Touchdowns rushing 4 1
Touchdowns passing 2 4
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 77 50
Time of possession 28:24 19:36
Attendance 9,561

MASSILLON 7 13 18 0 38
STOW 7 12 0 12 31

M ‑ Irwin Hastings 5 run (Dan Kozma kick)
S ‑ Cyle Feldman 44 pass from Pat Williams (Williams kick)
M – Duane Crenshaw 9 run (Kozma kick)
S ‑ Mike Bracchio 1 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Bruce Spicer 40 pass from Mike Scott (kick failed)
S ‑ Mike Tersigni 22 pass from Williams (kick failed)
M ‑ Crenshaw 2 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Hastings 10 pass from Scott (pass failed)
M ‑ Wes Siegenthaler 64 run (pass failed)
S – Feldman 6 pass from Williams (pass failed)
S ‑ Feldman 39 pass from Williams (pass failed)

1984: Massillon 27, Cleveland St. Joseph 7

September 28, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers’ 27-7 win ‘a big one’

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

EUCLID ‑ Ahhh. That’s a little more like it!

Massillon snapped out of a three‑game losing streak Saturday night at Euclid Stadium by swamping host Cleveland St. Joseph 27‑7 before a boisterous Tigertown following.

To say the victory was one of the biggest for the Tigers in recent year may net be true. But it was darn close.

“It’s a big one,” said a jubilant and much‑relieved head Tiger football coach Mike Currence. “You never know until you lose three in a row how big that next one is.

“We’re back on a row now, I hope.”

The victory lifted the Tigers to a 2‑3 record, and now they’ll return to home turf for the remainder of the season. St. Joseph, playoff participants a year ago, dropped to 1‑4.

“I told the kids that this was a real personal victory for me, because I had coached up here for five years,” Currence, who had head coaching stints at Westlake and Lakewood St. Edward before joining the Tigers in 1976 said.

“I thanked them personally after the game.”

Keys behind the Tiger success were a diversified offensive attack and a hard‑hitting defense that stopped the Vikings cold following the game’s opening set of downs.

The offense seemingly put it all together with senior quarterback Mike Scott at the helm. Scott, who suffered a fractured vertebra on Aug. 18 in a scrimmage against Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, hit on 11 of 24 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown ‑ the first through the air for the Tigers this year.

Scott, who had at least a half‑dozen passes dropped, had excellent pass protection throughout the game. He had to break out of the pocket only occasionally, and once took a solid hit by a St. Joe defender when forced to scramble.

“We got him back and now we want to keep him healthy,” said Currence, who had his offense line up in an I‑formation. “We wanted to give Mike Scott as much protection as we could get him.

“My line did just a great job,” the veteran coach noted. “I’m really proud of them for doing that. I think he (Scott) means a lot in terms of leadership to the ballclub.”

With Scott at quarterback, the Tigers moved Wes Siegenthaler to a split end. The move paid off as the junior caught five passes for 52 yards and dazzled the crowd with his acrobatic leaps for slightly over thrown passes.

And while the passing game was clicking, the Tigers rushed for 166 yards on the ground as well on 31 carries.

Nonetheless, the Tigers were given a scare by St. Joseph in the early going.

The Vikings took the opening kickoff and marched 73 Yards in 11 plays to paydirt when quarterback Robert Duffy hit tight and Tom Barni from eight yards out. Mike Oliver added the point‑after to give the Vikings a 7‑0 lead at the 6:29 mark.

Massillon aided the Viking drive with three penalties, one an encroachment call on third‑and‑two.

For that matter, the Tigers were penalty riddled throughout the contest. They were called for 12 infractions for 123 yards, twice being flagged for having too many players on the field on punt returns.

“We were trying to get into so many defensive formations, and we had people on the field who had not been there before,” Currence analyzed. “The nice thing is that it didn’t hurt us tonight.”

One of those illegal participation calls took away a fine 36‑yard punt return by Siegenthaler in the opening period and gave the hall back to the Vikings.

The first period was one the Tigers would rather forget. They ran off just six plays, recorded but one first down and saw junior halfback Derrick Newman suffer a possible fractured wrist after taking a jarring tackle on a pass reception.

But good things befall those who wait patiently.

If the first period was a lost cause, than the second 12 minutes more than made up for it as the Tigers scored twice to take a 14‑7 lead at halftime.

Massillon’s first score came just two plays after Newman was hurt when Scott hit a wide‑open Irwin Hastings over the middle far a 65‑yard score. Hastings, playing by far and away his best game, broke a tackle on his TD jaunt.

And for the first time this season, the Tigers convened an extra‑point try as Dan Kozma booted the first of three straight PATs. His fourth try was blocked later in the game.

The Tigers played the role of opportunists on St. Joe’ near possession when Chris Slinger pounced on a loose ball, giving Massillon field position at the Viking 45.

Eight plays later the Tigers found the end zone as fullback Duane Crenshaw exploded 12 yards with 6:57 remaining. Key plays in the march were a 5‑yard run by Hastings on third‑and‑two and a 15‑yard pass from Scott to Siegenthaler an fourth‑and‑five from the Viking 27.

Massillon nearly had another six points tacked to the scoreboard later in the period when Siegenthaler appeared to have returned a punt 86 yards. He stepped out of bounds, though, at midfield.

Both teams punted on their first two possessions of the third quarter, but the Tigers worked things out on their third set of downs.

After a Scott Byelene punt buried St. Joe at its 13-yard line, the Tigers took over at the Viking 42 following a 27‑yard punt.

This time the Tigers marched 58 yards in nine plays with Hastings plowing over from two yards out with three seconds left in the period. Twice Scott found Hastings on third-and‑long situations with screen passes for first downs to keep the drive alive.

Massillon closed out its scoring at the 6:32 mark of the final period when Jackson cut back and then sprinted past a host of defenders 35 yards to paydirt. Again, it was Hastings who had the big play with a 33-yard gain on a reverse.

St. Joe had three cracks at the Tiger defense in the final quarter, once reaching the Massillon 36 and another time the 22. Interceptions by Brian Miller and Antwan Jones stopped two of those marches.

“It was a team effort all the way,” Currence said. “The line did well, the backs ran well and the defense did another solid job. It turned out to be as exciting a game as if we were both 4‑0.”

Hastings finished as the Tigers’ leading ground gainer with 52 yards on file carries. He also added 103 yards on four pass receptions.

The Tigers will host Stow on Friday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in an 8 p.m. game.

Area prep gridsticks

MASSILLON 27
St. JOSEPH 7

M SJ
First downs rushing 8 7
First downs passing 6 5
First downs by penalty 0 3
Totals first downs 14 15
Yards gained rushing 175 164
Yards lost rushing 9 19
Net yard, rushing 166 145
Net yards passing 174 93
Total yards gained 340 238
Passes attempted 24 18
Passes completed 11 7
Passes int. by 2 1
Yardage on pass int. 15.8 13.3
Times kicked off 5 2
Kickoff average 50.2 31.0
Kickoff return yards 5 90
Punts 4 5
Punting average 41.5 36.0
Punt return yards 47 2
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 0 2
Fumbles lost 0 1
Penalties 12 4
Yards penalized 123 47
Touchdowns rushing 3 0
Touchdowns passing 1 1
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 55 62
Time of possession 21:35 26:25

MASSILLON 0 14 7 6 27
ST. JOSEPH 7 0 0 0 7

SJ ‑ Tom Barni 8 pass from Robert Duffy (Mike Oliver kick).
M – Irwin Hastings 65 pass from Mike Scott (Dan Kozma kick).
M ‑ Duane Crenshaw 13 run (Kozma kick)
M ‑ Hastings 1 run (Kozma kick).
M ‑ Cornell Jackson 34 run (kick blocked)

1984: Massillon 18, Akron Central Hower 20

September 21, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers lose 3rd straight

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ Ugh! What next?

It seems the Midas Touch has left the Massillon Tiger football camp these days.

Rather than turning to gold, things have been going so poorly in Tigertown that … well, everything is turning to rust.

They don’t talk defeats around here, but lately there hasn’t been much else to discuss over supper.

And you can forget the dessert, Tigertowners. Massillon has lost another one, this one a 20‑18 setback to visiting Akron Central‑Hower Friday nigh at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

The defeat was the third straight for the Tigers, who haven’t tasted victory since a 12-0 opening night win over Akron North.

Not since 1966 has Massillon had to go longer than two weeks without a win. Not even, the newly‑installed “Tiger Stripe” could help lift the spirits of the players and fans alike.

Things got so bad against Central-Hower that the Tigers saw a 12-0 advantage turn into a 20‑12 deficit. At that point, the stands began to empty.

Even Tiger head coach Mike Currence was at a loss for words to explain what happened.

“I really don’t have any comments,” the disgruntled veteran coach of nine years said in the hosts’ grim locker room. “I don’t have any answers. We need some time to re-group.”

And with that Currence closed the post‑game interview. He was not a happy man, and in no mood to share his thoughts with anybody but his players and coaching staff.

For the second straight week the Tigers held the upper hand in the game’s statistics, holding a 21‑9 edge in first downs and a 404‑314 edge in total yardage.

And for the second straight week, you couldn’t buy the paper the statistics were printed on. The one figure that counted the most – found on the scoreboard – told the sad but true tale.

Things started out regally enough for Tiger fans as the hosts took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in six plays to pay dirt, Derrick Newman following a convoy of blockers to the end zone from 12 yards out.

Big plays in the drive were, a 37‑yard run by newly‑installed fullback Duane Crenshaw and a 13‑yard gain on third and four by Newman.

However, the first of two missed extra-point kicks, one by Todd Manion and another by sophomore Mike Norris, would come back to haunt the Tigers.

The Eagles (1‑2) then strung together a 13‑play drive of their own, but the march was stopped when John Fresh recovered a fumble caused by the tackle of teammate Darren Radtke.

Both teams took turns punting on their next possessions, with the Tigers taking over on their own 31 following a 15‑yard return by Wes Siegenthaler, the starting quarterback.

Massillon chewed up over five minutes of the clock and despite three 15‑yard penalties drove 69 yards to the end zone, scoring on an eight-yard run by Siegenthaler. The extra point kick this time sailed wide left.

Siegenthaler, who completed nine of 13 passes on the night for 61 yards, hit his favorite target ‑ Bruce Spicer ‑twice for long gains in key situations on the drive.

With 7:11 remaining before halftime, the Tigers held a 12‑0 lead and the fans were whooping it up.

Central‑Hower took over the ball on its own 17 following a fine open field tackle by Ed Wentzel on the kickoff.

The Eagles, running out of a wishbone offense, gained one yard on two running attempts when halfback-turned‑quarterback Verdell Rice (remember his name) found tight end Mike McMullen on a 23‑yard gain. McMullen did a juggling act on his reception.

On the ensuing play, Steve Martin gained eight yards then Rice, who would gain 206 yards on 19 carries, turned a quarterback keeper into a 53‑yard touchdown ran down the left sidelines. Kelly Clark added the first of two extra‑point conversions.

Massillon was forced to punt on its next set of downs, Hower taking over at the Tiger 45. Seven plays later, the Eagles lined up for a 42‑yard field goal by Clark with 40 seconds left. Clark never got a chance, as the visitors tried a bit of trickery with the holder throwing an incomplete pass.

After an entertaining halftime show by the Tiger Swing Band, the Eagles took the second‑half kickoff and found themselves faced with a fourth and one at their own 40.

Confident they could get the necessary yard, Rice promptly ran the bootleg 60 yards down the right sideline to paydirt. Clark added the point after, and Central‑Hower led 14‑12 with less than three minutes elapsed in the third quarter.

Once again both teams exchanged punts, and on Massillon’s second possession of the half the Tigers took over on their own 45.

Crenshaw, who rushed for 121 yards on 14 carries, picked up 30 yards to the Eagle 25. Two more runs pushed the ball to the 18 where Massillon was faced with a third and three, but the Tigers were guilty of illegal procedure.

Faced with a third and eight now, a Siegenthaler pass was incomplete. On fourth down, Norris tried a 40‑yard field goal that fell way short of the intended mark.

But, the Tigers were given new life when a Central‑Hower punt on the following set of downs traveled just 13 yards, putting Massillon on the Eagle 38.

Crenshaw ran twice for 10 yards and a first down. Newman picked up seven more to the 21. Crenshaw’s number was called again, and the braising runner‑blocker picked up six yards when he fumbled the ball away, Central‑Hower’s three‑year starter Raheem Reid pouncing on the loose pigskin.

Again the Tiger defense held its ground, forcing another weak Central‑Hower punt. With 8:58 remaining in the final quarter, Massillon had the ball at the Eagle 43.

Three straight runs put the Tigers into a fourth‑and‑one situation where Crenshaw was knocked off his feet at the line of scrimmage by Reid.

Seemingly inspired by the linebacker’s alert defensive play, Rice shook off three tacklers on the ensuing down and scampered 66 yards to the end zone. Clark’s kick was wide right, but the Eagle, owned a 20‑12 advantage.

Then the excitement began.

With Siegenthaler taking to the air, the Tigers moved from their own 20 to a first down at the Central-Hower 28 in seven plays, aided by a 15‑yard unsportsmanlike penalty on the Eagles.

On first down, Siegenthaler launched an apparent TD pass to Newman. But the junior couldn’t find the handle on the throw as he crossed the goal‑line. Siegenthaler was then intercepted by Greg Chatman on the next play.

The Tiger defense again held Hower to three runs and a punt, with the offense getting the ball back at the Massillon 30. Enter Mike Scott as the quarterback.

Scott, who had been banged up with a back injury, hit Spicer on three straight pass, for 11, 10 and nine yards. He the, found Cornell Jackson downfield on 35‑yard pass play to the Eagle four where Newman went over left tackle two plays later for a touchdown.

Just 1:18 was left and the Tigers had to go for two points and the tie. Scott took the snap and pitched to Jackson, who in turn tried to hit Siegenthaler. But Jackson was swarmed under and his pass fell harmlessly to the ground.
******
The Tigers attempted a halfback pass earlier in the game. That time the pass was intercepted by Hower’s Willie Jennings in the first quarter.
******
Rice may have gained 206 yards, but three of his runs totaled 178 yards and three touchdowns.

M C
First downs rushing 12 8
First downs passing 7 1
First downs by penalty 2 0
Total first downs 21 9
Yards gained rushing 294 309
Yards lost rushing 17 18
Net yards rushing 277 291
Net yards passing 127 23
Total yards gained 404 314
Passes attempted 18 7
Passes completed 13 1
Passes int. by 2 0
Times kicked off 4 4
Kickoff average 48.3 58.8
Kickoff return yards 20 42
Punts 2 5
Punting average 32.0 31.6
Punt return yards 28 0
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 1 2
Fumbles lost 1 1
Penalties 7 6
Yards penalized 75 76
Touchdowns rushing 3 3
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 63 50
Time of possession 21:40 26 20
Attendance 9,641

CENTRAL‑HOWER 0 7 7 6 20
MASSILLON 6 6 0 6 18

M ‑ Derrick Newman 11 run (kick failed)
M ‑Wes Siegenthaler 8 run (kick failed)
C ‑ Verdell Rice 53 run (Kelly Clark kick)
C ‑ Rice 59 run (Clark kick)
C ‑ Rice 66 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Newman 1 ran (pass failed)

1984: Massillon 6, Warren Harding 18

September 14, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Seven turnovers undo Massillon
Harding stuns Tigers

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

WARREN ‑ It was a game of give and take Friday night at Mollenkopf stadium.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, Massillon did most of the giving and Warren Harding the taking.

Seven times the Tigers played the role of gracious guests. Five Massillon passes were intercepted and two fumbles were lost.

The muscle, added up to an 18-6 setback for the Tigers, the first time since 1976 that a Massillon team has lost two games in a row.

It was also the first time since 1977 that Harding came away a victor against the Tigers.

It was a night worth forgetting for Massillon fans as the Tigers fell to 1-2.

“The turnovers killed us,” said a subdued Tiger Head Coach Mike Currence. “We were searching for something out there and we had to take some chances, and sometimes when you take a chance …

“I don’t know what it is,” he continued. “I was at a dilemma in the third period. I just didn’t know what to do, but we’ve got to find some answers real soon.”

All three Harding (2‑1) scores were the direct result of Tiger breakdowns, one by the defense, another by the punt team and the third by the offense. It was three-ring circus, but only the Panther faithful were entertained.

Harding rolled to an 18‑0 lead before the Tigers averted being shut out for the first time since a 1979 state playoff loss to Parma Padua (12‑0).

When fullback Derrick Newman capped a 14‑play, 80‑yard drive by scoring from a yard out, the scoreboard showed just 3:54 remaining in the final period.

By then, though, the damage had run its course. The Tigers self destructed much earlier.

Given good field position at the Harding 38 following a 19‑yard punt, the Tigers turned the ball over on downs when they failed to convert on a fourth and five as quarterback Wes Siegenthaler was stopped a yard short on a keeper.

Harding then rolled up three first downs to the Tiger 35 when quarterback Harley Kellar was sacked for an eight‑yard loss by middle guard Tom Whitfield.

However, a personal foul was called on the Tigers. So, the Panthers had a second down at Massillon’s 27 rather than at the 43.

On the next play Whitfield stopped fullback Willie Perez for a loss, but the Tiger junior was called for a face mask penalty much to the chagrin of the Massillon coaching staff.

The face mask call was very questionable,” Currence said. “I’ll have to see the films on that one.”

With a first down on the Tiger 14, Perez took the next handoff and scooted to paydirt with 4:04 remaining in the opening period.

Two big defensive plays by the Tigers, ones that may have put Harding out of scoring position, turned into big Panther plays, And, as they would do later on, the Panthers capitalized on them.

Harding’s defense then forced a Tiger punt. Scott Byelene’s boot was fielded by Perez at his own 22. He didn’t stop running until he crossed the goal line.

“We just broke down on our coverage,” Currence said. “It was set up and executed well by them.”

Entering the second quarter, the Panthers found themselves atop the scoreboard by a 12‑0 count.

The second 12 minutes was a study in who wanted to keep the ball the longest as their were four turnovers, three coming on consecutive possessions.

Massillon, which started three of its seven first‑half drives well inside Panther territory, could not capitalize on its opportunities.

The comedy of errors continued into the third period when Siegenthaler was intercepted on the third play following the kickoff by David Arnold, who returned the ball 25 yards to the Tiger six.

From there, Perez notched his third TD of the night on the ensuing play. Less than two minutes into the second half, the Panthers owned a commanding 18‑0 advantage.

Midway through the third period, the Tigers were given a golden opportunity to get back in the game when a Perez fumble was recovered at the Panther 23. Two plays later, though, Massillon turned the ball back over when Kellar came up with the fourth Harding interception at the three.

Turnovers continued to plague the Tigers early in the final period when a Panther punt was bobbled and then recovered by Harding’s Derrick Goliday at the Massillon 28.

The Tiger defense, which yielded just 104 yards, stiffened and a 42 yard field goal try by the Panthers was way short of the intended mark.

Finally, the Tigers hit paydirt when they marched 80 yards in 14 plays. Cornell Jackson gained 35 of the yards on three carries, and Massillon converted three third‑down plays.

But, it was too little too late.
******
Of the five passes Harding picked off, four came off the arm of Siegenthaler and the other with Mike Scott at the helm. Scott, making his first appearance of the year, entered the game at the 4:42 mark of the second period. Scott, nearly connected with Siegenthaler on a 24‑yard TD pass.
******
The Tigers came up with a pair of interceptions of their own. The culprits were Brian Spicer and Clay Spangler. Harding’s interceptions were turned in by Kellar (2), Reuben Osborne (2) and Arnold.
******
Massillon used three quarterbacks in an effort to find a spark that world ignite the offense. Siegenthaler started but was replaced by both Scott and Paul Fabianich at various times.

Warfield has special night;
Thomas gets ‘biggest win’

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Spans Editor

WARREN ‑ For all Massillon cared, it might as well have been Gungo Din Night.

As it stood, though, it was Paul Warfield who came back home to the school where he first made his mark as a football player.

Warfield, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was saluted Friday night prior to the Massillon-Warren Harding game at Mollenkopf Stadium.

It was at Harding that Warfield made his name known, rushing for 2,103 yards and catching passes for 356 more yards. He led the Panthers to two wins in three years over Massillon as well from 1957 to 1959.

Warfield, who was a high school All‑American, went on to star at Ohio State University where he became a college All‑American under Woody Hayes.

In pro ball he played for the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and the Memphis Southmen of the now defunct World Football League.

Hayes and Warfield’s high school coach, Gene Slaughter, now the head coach at Capital University, were both present at the pre‑game ceremonies.

Warfield was presented with a proclamation by the Warren School Board of Education.
******
Warren Harding football coach Frank Thomas, who served as a defensive coordinator for the Massillon Tigers for five years before heading off for Niles McKinley and then Harding, was one happy man following his team’s 18‑6 defeat of the Tigers.

“Without a doubt, it’s my biggest win,” Thomas, who is in his third year at the Panther helm, said. “Any win is an important one, especially coming off a loss and playing Massillon.

“When you beat Massillon, it’s like putting a feather in your cap,” he said.

Did the Paul Warfield Night inspire his troops to greater heights?

“It was a combination of things, really,” Thomas said. “We had a big spirit rally at school, Paul talked to the kids before the game and told them to give 110 percent and to believe in your fellow teammate.

“All of that was important, and playing Massillon was equally important.”

The Harding defense came up with seven turnovers, five on interceptions, to snuff out nearly all of Massillon’s drives before they got started.

“We went an awfully lot to man‑to‑man coverage, much more than usual,” Thomas acknowledged. “We went out with the idea that defensively we would come after them and make same things happen. Every time they tried to beat us deep, we intercepted them.

“I felt we set the tone defensively. We did not sit back and wait,”

One of the biggest plays in the game was Willie Perez’s 78‑yard touchdown on a punt return in the first quarter. That TD gave the Panthers a lightning‑quick 12‑0 lead before the Tigers knew what hit them.

“Being up 6‑0 is one thing, but then ‘bam,’ we went up 12‑0 on the punt return,” Thomas said. “It takes a lot of wind out of your sails when something like that happens.

“You know, this is a funny game. Last week we gave up 10 first downs on third‑down and long plays. That was the exact same defensive backfield we had in last week (a 14‑12 loss to Youngstown East).

“Who can figure it out? One week everything works for you, and the next it doesn’t.

1984: Massillon 12, Akron Garfield 29

September 7, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Rams rush past Tigers 29-12

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent dent Sports Editor Editor

MASSILLON – How good is Akron Garfield’s football team? Nearly 12,000 fans at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium found out Friday night for themselves.

The Golden Rams rammed the football down Massillon’s collective throats en route to a 29‑12 win. Head coach Bill McGee’s squad gained all of its 348 yards on the ground.

So effective was Garfield’s rushing attack that the Rams attempted only one pass and that was intercepted! However, that play turned out to be one of the game’s biggest.

Garfield, which ventured to the Division I state finals a year ago, literally dominated the game ‑ save for a few moments in the second period when the Tigers took a 12-7 lead following a 62‑yard touchdown run by junior Cornell Jackson.

Although the Rams held a slim 19‑16 edge in first downs, the Akron visitors owned the ball for over nine more minutes than Massillon in terms of possession.

Garfield gained 6.2 yards every time it rushed with the ball, and they carried the pigskin 55 times for 348 yards. Bruising fullback Eric Finn totaled 142 yards, quarterback John Oster added 105 and tailback Nate Winfield chipped in with 83 more.

Obviously, there was no secret as to what Garfield would do with the ball ‑ run, and then run some more. When the going got tough, the Rams simply got tougher.

The 17‑point deficit was the second worst defeat suffered by a Mike Currence‑coached Tiger squad during the regular season. Back in 1981 Massillon dropped a 24-6 decision to Cincinnati Moeller.

And the 29 points were the most surrendered by a Currence team in regular season play as well. For that matter, there have been 11 Tiger teams who gave up less than 29 points in a season!

Garfield (2‑0) struck first in the opening quarter when Oster, who also handled all of the kicking duties, scampered five yards to paydirt to culminate a nine‑play, 74-yard march following a Tiger punt. Oster added the extra‑point kick at the 3:29 mark.

Massillon, which failed to sustain anything resembling a drive during its 12-0 opening-season over Akron North, came roaring right back on its next possession.

Taking over at their own 23, the Tigers drove 77 yards in 14 plays when junior fullback Derrick Newman bulled over from a yard out. Dan Kozan’s kick at the 11:18 mark of the second period was wide.

All of Massillon’s yardage during the march was generated on the ground with quarterback Wes Siegenthaler netting 28 yards on four carries, twice converting on third‑down situations.

The Tiger defense dug in on Garfield’s ensuing set of downs, holding the Rams to seven yards and forcing them to punt for the only time in the game.

With the ball nestled deep in their own territory, the Tigers picked up a first down behind two Siegenthaler carries to the 38. Then, Jackson broke free on his 62‑yard jaunt, highlighted by a wicked stiff‑arm of a Ram defender near the 12‑yard line.

With 8:35 remaining in the half, the Tigers went for two points. Siegenthaler, though, was knocked out of bounds at the one, but Massillon was on top, 12‑7.

Needing another stout effort by the defense, the Rams proved to be just too much in marching 62 yards on 10 plays. This time Finn crossed the goal line from a yard out with 3:32 showing in the half. Oster added a two‑point ran for a 15‑12 lead.

Despite trailing by three points at intermission, the Tigers had shown they could move the ball on Garfield’s defense. But the Rams also displayed the same tenacity on offense.

The third period belonged to Garfield as the Tigers ran off just four plays to the Rams’ 20.

Garfield took the opening kickoff and drove 70 yards in seven plays with Finn bulling his way in to paydirt from 10 yards out. A 27‑yard run by Oster on a keeper moved the ball from Ram territory into Tiger land. Oster added the kick‑after to put the visitors up 22‑12 with 8:58 left.

The Ram defense then held Massillon to minus yardage before getting the ball back on their own 40 following a 40‑yard punt by Scott Byelene.

This time the Rams moved 60yards in 13 plays, with Winfield scoring from three yards out. The key play, and the biggest of the game, occurred when Oster was forced to pass for the first time when Garfield was faced with a fourth and seven from the Tiger 26.

Oster’s pass was intercepted by Jeff Smith, who took off to his right with the errant throw. With running room and some blockers in front of him, he was hit from behind and lost his grip on the ball.

A Garfield lineman pounced on the ball, giving the Rams renewed life and a first down at the Tiger 21.

Six plays later Winfield scored to make it 29‑12 with 37 seconds left in the third period.

If the Tigers were to make a comeback, they had to do it the next time they had the ball. And they did, driving from their own 21 to a first and goal at the Garfield seven after converting three third down plays into first downs.

Two running plays kept the Tigers at the seven. An incomplete pass in the end zone followed before Siegenthaler was stopped at the two, turning the ball over to Garfield with 5:44 left. The Rams chewed up the remainder of the clock.

For Massillon, Jackson finished with 95 yards on 11 carries while Siegenthaler added 53 on 11 totes. Siegenthaler completed six of 12 passes for 50 yards.

Siegenthaler was knocked silly late in the third period and sat on the sidelines gathering his wits for six plays while junior Paul Fabianich took over. Fabianich attempted only one pass.
*****
Rudy Sutter celebrated his 89th birthday Friday. He hasn’t missed a home Tiger game since 1941.
*****
Ron and Marilyn Wright entertained fans as they entered the stadium with their traveling calliope, which was perched on the back of their newly‑acquired pick‑up truck. Their son, Ron Jr., played on the 1978 Massillon team.

Prep gridsticks

MASSILLON 12
GARFIELD 29
M G
First downs rushing 11 19
First downs passing 4 0
First downs by penalty 1 0
Total first downs 16 19
Yards gained rushing 201 356
Yards lost rushing 28 8
Net yards rushing 173 348
Net yards passing 70 0
Total yards gained 243 348
Passes attempted 14 1
Passes completed 7 0
Passes int. by 0 1
Times kicked off 3 5
Kickoff average 45.0 44.0
Kickoff return yards 77 49
Punts 3 1
Punting rules 37.0 41.0
Punt return yards 0 17
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 4 2
Fumbles lost 1 0
Penalties 2 1
Yards penalized 20 15
Touchdowns rushing 2 4
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 49 56
Time of Possession 19:24 28:36
Attendance 11,666

GARFIELD 7 8 14 0 29
MASSILLON 0 12 0 0 12

G ‑ John Oster 5 run (Oster kick)
M ‑ Derrick Newman 1 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Cornell Jackson 62 run (run failed)
G ‑ Eric Finn 1 run (Oster run)
G – Finn 10 run (Oster kick)
G – Nate Winfield 3 run (Oster kick)

1984: Massillon 12, Akron North 0

August 31, 1984August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Massillon cashes in on Viking miscues
Tigers beat back North 12-0

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON ‑ Mark Twain once wrote that there were three types of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.

And so it was Friday night when host Massillon blanked Akron North, 12‑0, to open its season at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium before 9,605 fans. A glance at the stats didn’t tell the tale.

The Vikings outgained Massillon in total yardage, 161‑133, but the Tigers played the role of opportunists to the hilt. When North made a mistake, Massillon was there to cash in.

Considering that North held a decided advantage in playing experience, 18 returning starters as opposed to Massillon’s two, the Tigers took the first step ‑ a big one ‑ in earning their stripes.

The first North mistake occurred midway through the first period when quarterback Charles Marquess had a pass intercepted by Tiger Pete Johnson.

Johnson, whose older brother Craig made his mark a year ago as a Tiger running back, returned the interception 38 yards to the North seven where Marquess dragged him down from behind.

Two rushing plays netted the Tigers four yards, but a delay of the game penalty pushed Massillon back to the eight. On third down, quarterback Wes Siegenthaler made like a belly‑dancer in finding his way into the end zone.

The kick after sailed low and lathe right, but the Tigers were on the board with a 6‑0 lead at the 4:00 mark.

Late in the second quarter, the Vikings committed their second miscue when Lawrence Moore fumbled when it appeared North was on its way to paydirt.

Moore’s bobble was pounced on by Bruce Spicer at the Tiger five yard line.

But the most damaging blow to North came at the start of the second half when Moore fumbled Todd Manion’s kick off. The recovery was made by Tiger Chris Slinger, and gave Massillon a first down at the Viking 24.

Tiger Cornell Jackson gained four yards on the first play following the turnover, and then was stopped for no gain. However, North was hit with a face mask penalty.

With the ball now on the 10, Jackson’s number was called again. This time he responded by following blocks by Jared Mayle and Jim Thorne to the end zone. Massillon’s bid for a two‑point conversion failed, but the Tigers led 12‑0.

North knocked at the door only twice, the first time Spicer closed it behind him with his timely fumble recovery. The second time was late in the third quarter when the Vikings did something neither squad had done up to that point ‑ mount a drive of any proportion.

Taking over at their own 39 following a 21‑yard punt return by Brian Sanders, the Vikings rolled up three first downs and found themselves at the Tiger 13.

A pair of running plays netted three yards and on third down Marquess went back to pass. He was greeted by a host of Orange and Black uniforms and was sacked for a seven‑yard loss. Marquess’ pass on fourth down fell harmlessly to the stadium turf.

As evidenced by the final score, neither team made much of an offensive showing. The Tigers had just six first downs, and converted on only one of 11 third‑down tries. The Orange and Black also completed just two of 10 passes for 24 yards, and the leading rusher was Siegenthaler with 40 yards on seven totes.

And the final stats were just as uninspiring on North’s part. The Vikings notched nine first downs, and also converted just once in 11 third‑down attempts. They fumbled six times, losing two.

A tell‑tale sign of ineffective offenses is the number of punts. In this case, both sides punted eight times.

Massillon returns to Tiger Stadium next Friday for a grudge match of sorts with Akron Garfield, the only team to beat the tigers a year ago.

Tiger ‘D’ earns its stripes

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON‑ The Tiger defense earned its stripes Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium before 9,605 fans who gathered together to usher in yet another season of Tigertown football.

Even long‑time Tiger rooter Cy Witmer had cause to smile following the 12‑0 blanking of visiting Akron North. Witmer’s been coming to Massillon home games since 1922, and the sparkle in his eyes gave away his pleasure with the outcome.

Opportunists, that’s what the Tigers were against North. An interception by Pete Johnson led to the game’s first score, and a fumble recovery by Chris Slinger opened the door to the second TD.

A second fumble recovery, this one by Brian Spicer, stopped a potential North scoring drive in the second quarter. The senior defensive back pounced on the loose ball at the Tiger five.

And then there was the gang-tackle turned in by the trio of Duane Crenshaw, Scott Byelene and Pat Spicer that tossed North’s quarterback for a seven‑yard loss when the Vikings had a third and seven at the Tiger 10 late in the third quarter.

Then, to top things off, there was the heads‑up play turned in by Tiger halfback Irwin Hastings, who took a Massillon fumble right out of the hands of a North defender on the third quarter’s final play. Had Hastings not come up with the play, the Vikings would’ve had a first down at Massillon’s 30.

Such was the play of the Tiger defense, which had come under a certain amount of criticism during the scrimmage season. Even head coach Mike Currence had said he expected opponents to score points.

But, against North, the defense was where it had to be at the right time.

“I was really impressed with our defense,” Currence said in the noisy locker room. “Also, I have to compliment our punter, Scott Byelene. We were in some situations where if he gets a real bad punt we were in trouble. It all comes together, the whole thing, the whole package ‑ a good punting game, a good kicking game and a good defense.

“I was really surprised and pleased,” Currence said when asked about the low score of the game. Many expected the scoreboard to change at a rapid‑fire pace.

“I thought they were a good enough offense to score, good enough with speed, a big enough line, but our coaching staff‑did a tremendous job. I think they are to be commended for shutting them out,” he said.

Against North, the Tiger defense truly rested its case. However, it was the offense which was expected to move up and down the field. They had done so in scrimmages, but the Vikings were a most formidable foe as they prevented Massillon from getting its highly‑vaunted speed around the corners.

“We would’ve been better off had we punted on first downs sometimes,” Currence said. “Here I am, I know we’re not throwing the ball well or catching it well and we had our backs to the goal line.”

Although Currence expressed some concern with the offense, he knew it had poor field position most of the night. The Tiger grid boss was pleased with poise shown by junior quarterback Wes Siegenthaler, a move‑in from Green High School.

“One thing he did tonight is that he may have lost some yardage, but he didn’t put the ball up for grabs. That could’ve won us the game. If he had put the ball up for grabs, with the field position we had most of the night …”

Currence didn’t finish the statement. He didn’t have to. That’s because the Tigers didn’t self-destruct. The victory may not go down as the most artistic success, but it was a win.

Considering the youthfulness of the squad, just two starters back from last year as opposed to 18 for North, it was a good feeling to get off on the right foot.

Next Friday is the biggie – Akron Garfield. Are your guys ready, coach?

For the first time since 1939, Russ Ramsey Sr. wasn’t at the game. The Tiger press box manager had his spot taken by his grandson Mike Ramsey. Russ is recovering from a heart attack he suffered while on a trip to California. Mike reports his grandfather is doing just fine.

MASSILLON 12
AKRON NORTH 0

M N
First downs rushing 5 5
First downs passing 0 4
First downs by penalty 1 0
Total, first downs 6 9
Yards gained rushing 135 113
Yards lost rushing 26 37
Net yards rushing 109 76
Net yards passing 24 85
Total yards gained 133 161
Passes attempted 10 11
Passes completed 2 4
Passses int. by 0 1
Times kicked off 3 1
Kickoff 54.0 34.0
Kickoff return yards 6 47
Punts 8 8
Punting average 36.8 31.3
Punt return yards 10 39
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 2 6
Fumbles lost 1 2
Penalties 6 4
Yards penalized 43 35
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 41 51
Time of possession 19 48 28:12
Attendance 9,605

AKRON NORTH 0 0 0 0 0
MASSILLON 6 0 6 0 12

M ‑ Wes Siegenthaler 3 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Cornell Jackson 10 run (run failed)

1983: Massillon 18, Canton McKinley 7

November 5, 1983August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers capture 89th classic 18-7

Bulldogs fall in misty Fawcett

By BOB STEWART
Repository Sports Editor

In the 89 games the Bulldogs and the Tigers have battled on the high school football field since 1894, there have been numerous surprises and upsets.

But it was not to be Saturday, as the favored Massillon Tigers mugged the feisty but overmatched McKinley Senior Bulldogs 18-7 before 21,232 fans in a freezing mist at Fawcett Stadium.

It was the 50th victory for the Tigers in this scholastic gridiron granddaddy, increasing the edge over the Bulldogs, who have won 34 times and tied five others.

To be sure, this 1983 band of Bulldogs fought the valiant fight, played perhaps as well as they have played this disappointing season. But it was not enough this dreary afternoon.

The Massillons had too many guns. The outcome was never really in doubt.

Massillon was favored by 10 points, according to the odds fellows. The Tigers won by 11.

It could have been worse, embarrassingly much worse.

Massillon’s first scoring threat misfired when Bronc Pfisterer missed on a 34-yard attempt for a field goal.

Game Action 1983 Massillon vs. Canton McKinley

The Tigers also missed a TD near the end of the half when McKinley’s Pierre Taylor intercepted a Brian Dewitz pass in the end zone, a bizarre play on which the officials almost mistakenly awarded the Tigers a safety (see Stewart on Sports column, Page 43).

In addition after the longest drive of the day, Massillon fumbled the ball away on the McKinley 1-yard line in the fourth period, and after that had an apparent interception taken away for roughing the Pups’ passer.

The Tigers’ rushing game was perhaps short of awesome, but certainly more than effective. Massillon’s ball carriers netted 260 yards on the ground, an average of 5.1 per carry, and it allowed the Tigers possession for 61 percent of the clock time.

The victory salvaged respectability for the Tigers, who with a 9-1 record will watch from the sidelines as the OHSAA grid playoffs begin this weekend.

It is expected to be announced today that Alliance (10-0) and Akron Garfield (9-0), the team which tamed the Tigers 14-10 in the second game of the season will play for the Region 3 championship in Division 1.

If Alliance is the No. 1 team in the computer ratings for the region, the playoff game probably will be in Fawcett, Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

McKinley finished 6-4, it’s worst record since 1976, the first year of consolidation from four Canton high schools to two.

But McKinley coach Thom McDaniels said his players had nothing to be ashamed about Saturday.

“I’m proud of the way they (the Bulldogs) attempted to win the football game,” he said.

“The Ursuline and Elder games (two of the losses) left a bad taste in the mouth. Against Moeller, (the other loss) we weren’t ashamed of ourselves, either,” said the coach who completed his second season as the head man at McKinley, and his fourth at the school.

”I didn’t have any heart attacks in the first half,” Massillon Coach Mike Currence was to say afterward. “But I had about five in the second half.”

“McKinley didn’t quit, and they played a good game. McDaniels is a great coach, and he did not have the best material this season.”

“I don’t think this was a great McKinley team, when compared to some of the ones in the recent past, but they played tough.”

Tigers trip Bulldogs

The swift senior tailback, Craig Johnson, who carried only once for a loss of three yards in the Tigers first possession that ended in the aborted field goal, finished with a flourish, running for 138 yards in 20 carries, putting him at 1,008 yards for the 1983 season.

On their second possession, the Tigers zipped 52 yards in only four plays, the finale a
one-yard touchdown plunge by All-Ohioan Chris Spielman, who not only gained 55 yards on 15 carries and scored both Tiger touchdowns, but also led a swarming defense from his linebacker position which stifled McKinley’s running game.

Dewitz sparked the TD drive with a 19-yard rollout romp on the first play, and then was hit late by a Bulldog. The 15-yard penalty put the Tigers on the Pups’ 18, from where Johnson got eight and Spielman nine to set up the touchdown.

Spielman’s 33-yard punt return on the last play of the first period set up the second Tigers’ score.

Even though the Bulldogs’ defense held Massillon to 13 yards over the first six plays of the second quarter, Pfisterer drilled a 36-yard field goal to put the visitors up 10-0 with 9:20 left in the half.

The Bulldogs’ junior Jeff Angione sparked his team with a 42-yard return of the ensuing kickoff, and McKinley marched to the Tigers’ 28, before a dropped pass on fourth down turned the ball over.

But three plays later, Anthony McCullough pounced on a Dewitz fumble and the Pups were back in business at the Tigers’ 47, from where they scored in eight plays.

McKinley quarterback Kevin Parrish, who completed six of 21 passes for 82 yards before being injured late in the fourth period, hit Jeff Smith in the end zone with a 15-yard scoring strike 55 seconds before the band show. Anthony Taylor’s placement pulled the Pups to within three at 10-7.

After Spielman returned the kickoff to his own 43, Dewitz flipped a screen pass to the fleet Johnson, and he turned the play into a 41-yarder, putting the ball at the Bulldogs’ 16.

Then came Pierre Taylor’s interception in the end zone with seven seconds left.

After the lengthy discussion by the officials, who finally made the right ruling of a touchback, Parrish fell on the ball to end the half.

What may well have been the final turning point came midway in the third period.

McKinley couldn’t move with the third quarter kickoff, and Massillon marched from its own 14 to the McKinley 12, thanks to a 38-yard scamper by Johnson and runs of 17 and 13 by Dewitz, who was the Tigers second leading rusher with 62 yards on 11 carries.

But Dewitz fumbled and McKinley middle guard Bob Gilmore covered the ball, only to have the Bulldogs’ offense fumble it right back on the first play.

Four plays later, Johnson ran in from four yards out to make it 16-7.

The PAT took a while.

Finally, from 13½ inches away, Spielman plunged for the two-pointer to conclude the day’s – and the season’s – scoring, with 4:29 remaining in the third period.

McKinley came back to the Tigers’ 18, thanks mostly to a 25-yard pass from Parrish to junior end Rafe Lazar, the Pups’ longest gainer of the day.

The Tigers, with 2:12 left in the third, then took final control of the game. They managed to come up with the key plays, just when the Pups thought they had them stopped, and moved the ball 81 yards in 14 plays to the McKinley 1, where, with a second-and-goal, Dewitz fumbled the snap again, and the ball wound up in the end zone where McKinley’s Jeff Smith covered it for another touchback.

A pass interference penalty and a 22-yard Parrish to Pierre Taylor aerial putt he ball on the Tigers 40, from where Parrish threw a pass that was picked off by Massillon’s Derrick Dave. But the Tigers’ were flagged for roughing Parrish, and the Pups had a first down at the Tiger 25…but without Parrish, who left the game with a knee injury. Reports indicate he was treated and released at Timken-Mercy Medical Center after the game.

Brian Worstell, a 5-11 junior, came on, but he could fare no better, and the Pups gave up the ball at the 19.

Troy Jenkins, McKinley’s premier runner who had gained 1,101 yards in his first nine games, picked up 72 yards in 15 carries.

Pup-Tiger
Statistics

Massillon……………….. 7 3 8 0 – 18
McKinley Senior……….. 0 7 0 0 – 7

Mas – Spielman 6 run (Pfisterer kick)
Mas – FG Pfisterer 36
McK – Smith 15 pass from Parrish (A. Taylor kick)
Mas – Johnson 4 run (Spielman run)
A – 21,232.

TEAM STATISTICS
Mass. McK.
First downs rushing 15 3
First downs passing 3 6
First downs penalties 2 2
Totals first downs 20 11
Rushes – yards 51-260 23-82
Passing yards 78 97
Total Net yards 338 179
Return yards 75 92
Passes 4-11-1 8-29-1
Punts-avg. 2-27 4-36.5
Punt return yards 48 2
Kickoff-avg. 4-45.5 2-35.2
Kickoff return yards 25 96
Fumbles lost 4-3 2-1
Penalties-yards 6-51 4-39
Third down conversions 4-11 5-13
Total plays 64 52
Time of possession 29:11 18.49

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing – Massillon: Johnson 20-138, Dewitz 11-62,
Spielman 15-55, Gruno 2-3, Hastings 1-2,
Sampsel 2-0.
McKinley Senior: Jenkins 15-72, Parrish 3-4,
Calhoun 2-3, Smith 2-3, Lytle 1-0.

Passing – Massillon: Dewitz 4-11-1-78.
McKinley Senior: Parrish 6-21-0-82,
Worstell 2-8-15-1.

Pass Receiving – Massillon: Johnson 2-57, Spielman 1-13,
Crenshaw 1-8,
McKinley Senior: Jenkins 3-17, Lazar 2-32,
p. Taylor 1-21, Draper 1-12, Smith 1-15.

Missed field goals – Massillon: Pfisterer 34.

Massillon celebrates
Golden Anniversary

By STEVEN DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

CANTON – Massillon football celebrated a Golden Anniversary of sorts Saturday afternoon at Fawcett Stadium – 50 wins over McKinley.

The Tigers (9-1) posted an 18-7 victory over the Bulldogs (6-4) in the 89th meeting between the two before a packed house. With the win Massillon upped its series lead to 50-34 with five ties.

Massillon held the statistical edge in nearly every category of importance: first downs (19 to 11), rushing (227 yards to 79) and total yards (332 to 175).

It was one of those kind of days where everything went wrong, but nothing did.

Although the Tigers scored two touchdowns and a field goal, head coach Mike Currence’s squad squandered away more golden opportunities than it wanted to.

In the first quarter alone the Tigers had a first down at the McKinley 18 and came away empty-handed when a 34-yard field goal went astray.

Massillon was knocking on the door again late in the second quarter, with a first down at the Bulldog 16. This time an interception halted the drive.

Another time, this in the third period, the Tigers had a first down at the McKinley 12. A lost fumble again stymied Massillon.

And if three blown opportunities weren’t enough, the Tigers continued their version of give-away in the final period when another fumble at the McKinley one stopped yet another golden chance.

“We made some mistakes,” Currence admitted, citing the fumble in the end zone in the fourth quarter as a prime example. “That was terrible.”

Through it all, though, the Tigers still prevailed. That’s because a stingy defense made it happen.

Forced to go to its passing game in the second half, McKinley finished with just 79 yards rushing on 23 carries. The Bulldogs’ lone TD occurred following a Massillon fumble.

In the air the Bulldogs picked up 96 yards, but quarterbacks Kevin Parrish and Brian Worstell combined to complete just eight-of-29 attempts.

Only two of McKinley’s 10 possessions began inside Massillon territory. More often than not the Bulldogs were pinned back inside their own turf, especially in the opening stanza when the hosts netted a total of nine yards.

Massillon appeared well on its way to a score on the game’s opening set of downs, marching to the McKinley 18 with a first down. Two straight runs lost five yards when quarterback Brian Dewitz ran for six yards.

On fourth down Pfisterer, who holds career and single-season field goal kicking school records, missed on a 34-yard attempt.

A roughing the punter call on McKinley during the drive kept the Tiger hopes alive.

After holding McKinley on its second possession, the Tigers were back in action with the ball at their own 48.

Dewitz scampered 19 yards on a bootleg, but McKinley was called for spearing on the play. With the ball now on the 18 stellar running back Johnson, who finished with 133 yards rushing, gained nine yards.

Then Spielman got into the act, gaining eight yards to the one and adding the final yard for the TD at the 4:14 mark. Pfisterer added the extra-point and the Tigers led 7-0.

McKinley was stopped in its tracks once again on its next series, but Spielman broke off a 33-yard punt return to give Massillon good field position at the Bulldog 32.

Johnson picked up eight yards on the first play from scrimmage and Spielman added three more for a first down. Dewitz was then sacked for a six-yard loss when the Tigers were then called for illegal motion.

A Dewitz pass fell incomplete before Johnson broke off a 13-yard scamper to the McKinley 19 to put Pfisterer within field goal range. The senior booter responded with a 36-yard field goal, giving Massillon a 10-0 lead at 9:30.

McKinley mounted its first serious threat on the next series with tailback Troy Jenkins running four yards on a fake punt for a first down. However, the drive stalled on Massillon’s 28 when a Parrish pass bounced off the hands of Leon Draper.

Three plays later and the Tigers gave the ball right back when Dewitz lost the handle on the center exchange. McKinley’s Anthony McCullough recovering at the 47.

Eight plays later and Parrish found Jeff Smith on a slant over the middle for a score with 51 seconds left in the half.

With time running out in the half Massillon reached the Bulldog 16 when Johnson ran 41 yards down the right sidelines on a screen pass. Dewitz then threw a pass over the middle which was intercepted by Pierre Taylor.

Taylor, who caught the ball in the end zone, then ran out of the end zone. Currence was quick on the field, asking for a safety.

After some deliberation by the game’s officials the Tigers were awarded a two-point safety. Now, it was McKinley head coach Thom McDaniels’ turn to “discuss” the play.

Again the game’s officials conferred. When they broke huddle they reversed their earlier decision and took the two points off Massillon’s side of the scoreboard.

“The McKinley coaches out coached me on that one,” Currence said tongue-in-cheek. “They showed me the ruling. It doesn’t seem right to intentionally take a safety.”

The two teams swapped turnovers in the third quarter, Dewitz losing a fumble to Bob Gilmore and Massillon’s Tim Sampsel recovering a Bulldog bobble one play later.

Four plays after Sampsel’s fumble recovery gave the Tigers excellent field position at the McKinley 19, Johnson ran four yards to pay dirt behind a good block by Tom Gruno at the 4:29 mark.

On the conversion, McKinley was called three straight times for encroachment. With the ball resting inside the one, Spielman carried in the two-pointer for a 18-7 Tiger lead.

McKinley then drove to a first down at the Massillon 23 following a 25-yard pass play, but three straight passes fell incomplete to stop the drive.

Massillon then chewed up over eight minutes of time on its next possession, but came away with nothing to show for it when the center snap was bobbled at the McKinley one with Smith recovering in the end zone.

The Bulldogs put together their last threat on the ensuing series, marching from their own 20 to Massillon’s 21 thanks in large part to a pair of 15-yard penalties, one for pass interference and another for roughing the quarterback.

But the drive stalled when a fourth down pass failed to gain the necessary yardage.

On last McKinley hope was thwarted by a Pat Spicer interception with less than a minute left.

Tiger ‘D’ turned
Pups into kittens

By NORM WEBER
Independent Sports Writer

CANTON – While the Massillon offense surprised McKinley with some new wrinkles Saturday in Fawcett Stadium, the Tiger defense was its reliable self in the 18-7 victory.

The Bulldogs did get one touchdown off the tight Tiger defense, but the score was set up by a Tiger fumble.

Other than that drive, the Tiger defense didn’t yield much. In the first quarter McKinley’s offense ran nine plays for nine yards.

Tackle Tom Gruno and nose guard John Franke incessantly applied pressure to Bulldog quarterback Kevin Parrish. The defense up front also showed strong pursuit on flushing out McKinley’s screen passes.

“I was getting a little concerned in the third quarter when they started driving,” Franke said. But then when we stopped them on our 18-yard line, I knew they weren’t going to score on us any more.”

Gruno admitted that Saturday’s game was the most exhausting of his career, but well worth it.

“With eight minutes left in the game I felt like dropping; I could hardly breathe,” said Gruno, who doubled at fullback. “Usually we’re ahead 44-0 in the fourth quarter and I’ll get a rest. This is by far my most tiring game.”

“I’d go to the sidelines when Timmy Sampsel would replace me at fullback. Every time I kept saying to the rest of the defensive players, ‘We’ve got to stop them.’ Nothing stood in our way. I knew it after we stopped them three consecutive times at getting a first down in the first quarter.”

“McKinley has some big tackles. But we were able to out-quick them. That was all we could do. We got so fired up every time I went to the sidelines on my offensive breaks. Beating McKinley is great.”

HUMBLE HERO – Tailback Craig Johnson was the first Tiger to go over the 1,000-yard mark rushing this season. His 133 yards against McKinley give him 1,003 on the season.

“How many yards to I have for the season?” a humble Johnson asked in the locker room after the game.

Johnson went over the magic number with a 13-yard gain in the fourth quarter.

“I didn’t know it then,” Johnson answered. “Which play was it?”

SPIELMAN’S VOW – When McKinley stopped the Tigers two years ago at Fawcett Stadium to earn a trip to the playoffs and eventually win the state championship, Chris Spielman vowed that the Tigers would never lose at Fawcett while he was playing.

“After we lost two years ago I said our team – and you can underline team, would not be beaten on this field again,” said Spielman. “I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. I’d like to thank Massillon for everything.”

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN – The Tigers may not be going to the playoffs, but based on Saturday’s performance, could be the best team in the state.

“If we played Akron Garfield next week we’d beat them by four touchdowns,” said Gruno. “This is a much improved team. I’ve been sitting in bed, listening to the radio and praying that Alliance or Garfield would lose. But we can’t control that.”

Neither Alliance nor Garfield, which beat Massillon 14-10 on Sept. 9, have lost. They’ll meet in the first round of the playoffs Saturday.

Topics of discussion such as the great Garfield debate are what keep the off-season fires burning.

1983: Massillon 38, Youngstown South 0

October 28, 1983August 13, 2017
by Eric Smith

TIGERS ROMP

McKinley in way of 9-1 mark

By STEVE DUNGJEN
Independent Sports Editor

MASSILLON – Bring on Canton McKinley!

The Tigers strutted their stuff Friday night to the tune of a 38-0 blasting of visiting Youngstown South at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Now the Tigers (8-1) find themselves in preparation for arch-rival McKinley, which posted a 13-6 over North Canton.

Against South (5-4), Massillon’s defense was at its best. The famed “Tiger Claw” did its thing, holding the Warriors to a net total of 118 yards.

In the first half the Tiger defense was simply awesome, yielding just 42 yards. Half of South’s rushing attempts were for zero or minus yardage.

While the defense was busy holding the quick Warrior offense at bay, the Tiger offense was efficient to say the least.

Quarterback Brian Dewitz completed seven of 11 passes, including six of his last eight tries, for 108 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Craig Johnson, who caught two of those three TD aerials, totaled 82 yards on the ground on 15 attempts. He added 52 yards via the airways, and now has 110 points scored on the season.

After a scoreless first quarter in which South was held to one net yard on six rushes, the Tigers put it all together in the second stanza by scoring all three times they had the ball.

Massillon’s first score came on a 37-yard pass from Dewitz to Johnson . The Tiger
signal-caller faced a heavy rush on the screen pass, tossing the ball over the onrushing Warrior defense.

Johnson, who bobbled the ball at first, took the pass into the end zone at the 10:05 mark. The drive found Johnson gain nine yards on the ground, and Dewitz 11.

The Tiger defense then held South to minus 10 yards before forcing a punt.

On the first play from scrimmage the Warriors were called for pass interference, but the Tigers were in turn called for illegal motion. With the ball on South’s 37, Johnson rambled for 13 yards before a Chris Spielman carry went for negative yardage.

South was called offside when Johnson broke off a five-yard gain to give the Tigers a first down at the 17. From there unheralded fullback Tom Gruno went the remainder of the distance for his first TD of the season.

As he did on the first Tiger score, Bronc Pfisterer added the point after and Massillon owned a 14-0 lead at the 5:28 mark.

Again the Tiger defense rose to the occasion in holding South to one yard in three plays. Massillon took over on its 47 following a 34-yard punt.

Johnson broke off a 16-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage before Dewitz hit Reggie Crenshaw for a 21-yard gain to the South 16. Gruno then picked up six before the Tigers were called for illegal motion.

With the ball on the 15, Dewitz found a diving Johnson in the end zone for a TD at the 1:20 mark.

Prior to South’s final drive of the first half, the Warriors had a total of minus eight yards in offense. The visitors then gained 50 yards on the last march to gain some lost confidence.

South’s offense continued to sputter in the second half, though. On its first set of downs Tigers safety Steve Walterhouse intercepted a pass. Massillon, however, was unable to capitalize on the turnover.

Spielman then intercepted another Chris Williams pass, zig and zagging his way 39 yards to the South 9 on its next sequence of plays.

From the 9 Johnson gained six yards before Spielman was hurled for a yard loss. Dewitz, on third-and-goal, then hit a wide-open Spielman on a swing pass.

Three plays and a punt later and the Tigers took over on their own 36.

A Dewitz pass to Gruno covered nine yards after Johnson was held to no gain. Spielman then picked up the first down on a tough one-yard gain.

Johnson picked up two more yards when Spielman displayed his prowess in throwing a football, hitting Paul “Big Play” Briggs for a 47-yarder to the South five. From thee Spielman carried the pigskin to pay dirt with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.

Massillon’s final score, a 41-yard field goal by school record holder Pfisterer with 2:48 left, was set up by a fumble recovery by Glen Thomas, the 5-foot-6, 155-pound nose guard.

Pfisterer’s kick was his seventh three-pointer of the season and his 12th as a Tiger.

South’s deepest penetration was to the Tiger 35 at the end of the first half. Of their 12 possessions the Warriors only invaded Massillon territory that one time.

Now, bring on McKinley.

MASSILLON………………..38
SOUTH……………………… 0

Statistics
M S
First downs rushing 8 4
First downs passing 6 2
First downs by penalty 1 0
Totals first downs 15 6
Yards gained rushing 168 110
Yards lost rushing 14 32
Net yards rushing 154 78
Net yards passing 171 40
Total yards gained 325 118
Passes attempted 18 14
Passes completed 9 4
Passes int. by 1 2
Times kicked off 7 1
Kickoff average 53.7 60.0
Kickoff return yards 0 87
Punts 2 7
Punting average 45.0 33.7
Punt return yards 13 16
Fumbles 3 3
Fumbles lost 0 1
Penalties 4 3
Yards penalized 20 24
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 3 0
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 54 46
Time of possession 25:13 22.47
Attendance 8,518

SOUTH……………… 0 0 0 0 – 0
MASSILLON……….. 0 21 14 3 – 38

Category: <span>History</span>

Tigers capture 89th classic 18-7

Bulldogs fall in misty Fawcett