Greatest Massillon Player Performance Series, Part 1 – Spread…

This is the first part of a series on the greatest performances by Massillon players, as selected by the Booster Club Football Museum staff.   Three distinct eras are considered in order to account for the variations in offensive styles.  Part 1 focuses on the quarterbacks during the era of the spread offense (1998-2021).

In determining the best quarterback performance it’s not a matter of which player had the most yards or the most touchdown passes or the highest efficiency rating.  If you’re interesting in those numbers you can read about them in the Records section of this website.  Surely, the stats for a QB should be better than average.  But what’s missing in many of those records is the challenge presented by the caliber of the opponent.  This then is a key component.  Another factor is the degree to which the quarterback had influence in the outcome.  Was the running game shut down, forcing a move strictly to a passing attack?  Was the quarterback a major factor at the end in pulling out a win?  Here then are the criteria used in this analysis?

• The quarterback must have had better than average passing statistics.
• The opponent must have had a top-level record and presented a significant challenge to the offense, particularly coming from the secondary.
• The passing game must have contributed a major percentage of the total offense.
• If required, the quarterback must have been a significant factor in pulling out the win at the end.

Finally, let’s not forget the receivers who were on the other ends of these outstanding passing performances.

THE ERA OF THE SPREAD OFFENSE (1998-2021)

Massillon began using the spread offense in 1998 when Rick Shepas became the head coach and it has been the offense of choice for all Massillon coaches since.  With anywhere between three and five wide receivers in the formation, the tendency has been to throw the ball around 40% of the time, more than during previous years.  Therefore, the presentation groups the quarterbacks from this era together.

Since passing is more prevalent with the spread offense, it stands to reason that there would be many great quarterback performances from which to choose, making the selections extremely difficult.  But two performances stood above the rest: Bobby Huth in the 2005 playoff game against Lakewood St. Edward and Aidan Longwell in the 2018 game against East St. Louis.  And even choosing the best between these two was a difficult task.  But in the end it was the St. Edward game due to the significance of the outcome at the time; i.e. the state semifinals.  The next eight are also outstanding and perhaps could have been ranked in any order.  Here is our list:

No. 1 – Bobby Huth (2005)

• Opponent – Lakewood St. Edward (12-0); Division 1 State Semifinals
• QB numbers – 14 of 20 for 230 yards and 2 touchdowns; 91% of the offense
• Key receivers – Brian Gamble (5), Zack Vanryzin (3)
• Final score – 21-17
• The story – A large Rubber Bowl crowd of 14,100 huddled together to watch two of Ohio’s state powers do battle on this cold and snowy Saturday afternoon.  For local fans it was an opportunity to see if Massillon (11-1) could to return to the state finals for the first time in 23 years.  But first they needed to get by one of the best teams in the state, if not the country; one that was undefeated also craving its first playoff state title.  Throughout the game St. Edward held the vaunted Tiger running game in check, eventually limiting it to 24 yards in total.  That forced the Tigers to the air.  In the first quarter Huth connected with a wide-open Vanryzin on a 67-yard touchdown bomb to give his team a 7-0 lead.  But the Eagles quickly settled down and began to pound away, eventually leading 17-7 midway through the fourth quarter.

That’s when Bobby did his best work.  First, he engineered an 8-play 62-yard drive, with Gamble securing an 18-yard pass in the end zone for a score, cutting the margin to three points.  Along the way Huth completed passes to Brett Huffman of 6 and 13 yards and another to Gamble for 14.  The Tigers held St. Eds in the ensuing possession and Huth then drove his team downfield for the winning score, moving 55 yards in eight plays.  But the drive was not without some nail-biting toward the end.  On first and ten at the Eagle 29 the center snapped the ball prematurely and Huth was forced to fall on it near midfield, some 30 yards from the first down stick.  After an incomplete pass, Bobby found Gamble on a crossing route and Gamble sprinted the remaining distance down the left sideline to pick up the first down.  It was simply an inconceivable conversion of a 3^rd and 30 situation.  Huth, who was 5 for 6 on the drive, then hit Gamble on a 9-yard pass to the five.  Finally, Brian finished it off with a run up the middle, with 1:56 left on the clock.  The Tigers then held St. Ed’s on its final possession and secured the victory.

“I was looking for B.G.,” Huth said. “He was supposed to run a deep post over the middle, and he saw the safety over the top.  We were just on the same page.  I just threw it to him, and he was there.  He had a good run after the play.” – Independent story

“Once they started going pass first and spreading, we didn’t come up with the answer,” said Eagle Coach John Gibbons.  “We tried to get the ball quick out of the quarterback’s hand, and he was very elusive and he found guys.  It was hard for us to run with those guys in man, especially when the quarterback was getting in open spaces.  Then we tried to mix it up and use some zone coverages and take the pressure off that way and they seemed to adjust their routes.  They just made great plays.” — Independent story

Other Great Huth Performances

• 2006 – Massillon Perry (9-1); Division 1 playoffs first round – Stats: 11 of 16 for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns – Score: 41-20

No. 2 – Aidan Longwell (2018)

• Opponent – East St. Louis, IL (5-1); finished the season 9-3
• QB numbers – 16 of 26 for 260 yards and 3 touchdowns; 65% of the offense
• Key receivers – Tre’von Morgan (8), Jamir Thomas (4); Jayden Ballard (3)
• Final score – 46-40
• The story – Massillon was surely the underdog while facing this out-of-state national power, a team that possessed unbelievable team speed and athleticism.  But Massillon held its own and kept it close throughout, with the final points coming late in the fourth quarter.  ESL scored on its first possession.  Two minutes later the Tigers responded when Longwell hit Morgan on a 16-yard touchdown pass, closing the gap to 8-7.  In the second quarter Aidan again hooked up with Morgan, this time for 39 yards, but the Tigers ultimately trailed 20-10 at the half.

That was about to change, at least for a while.  A 39-yard TD pass to Morgan, his third of the night, cut the deficit to 20-17.  And then Longwell called his own number with a double lateral and throwback pass from Ballard to the QB for a 19-yard score to take a 24-20 lead.  But it was short-lived.  ESL came right back with a pair of touchdowns to lead 34-24.  The Tigers battled back, but were behind 40-38 with 5:26 remaining.

So it was time for the game-winning drive.  It started with 22-yard completion to Thomas on a wheel route that advanced the ball to the ESL 43.  After two rushing attempts gained four yards, Aidan unloaded a 3^rd down pass to Jayden Ballard, who snagged the bomb in the end zone just before going out the back end.  It was the final points of the night and the Tigers were able to control the remaining three and a half minutes to take home the win.

“The offense kept us in the game,” Massillon coach Nate Moore said. “The defense got the stop when they did.  Hats off to the kids for keep playing hard.” – Massillon Independent

Other Great Longwell Performances

• 2018 – Austintown Fitch (4-1); finished the season 8-3 – Stats: 13 of 20 for 263 yards and 4 touchdowns – Score 42-14
• 2018 – Wadsworth (12-1); Division 2 regional finals – Stats: 17 of 25 for 305 yards and 4 touchdowns – Score 41-19
• 2019 – Akron St. Vincent (0-0); finished the season 8-3 – Stats: 20 of 23 for 322 yards and 2 touchdowns – Score: 44-14
• 2019 – Penn-Trafford, Harrison City, PA (4-0) – Stats.: 14 of 15 for 225 yards and 4 touchdowns – Score: 42-21
• 2019 – Massillon Perry (9-2); Division 2 playoffs – Stats: 19 of 26 for 337 yards and 5 touchdowns – Score 35-7

No. 3 – Matt Martin (2002)

• Opponent – Massillon Perry (10-1); Division 1 regional finals
• QB numbers – 21 of 29 for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns; 90% of the offense
• Key receivers – Devin Jordan (7), Stephon Ashcraft (4), Billy Relford (4)
• Final score – 23-21
• The story – Martin was on fire the entire night and he needed to be, because Perry had held Massillon on the ground to just 33 yards and owned a 21-20 lead late in the fourth quarter.  One more big completion was needed and it came on a bomb to Jordan, who secured a back-shoulder pass at the 25 yard line.  Then, with time running out, Max Shafer drilled a game-winning 35-yard field goal.  Matt completed six straight passes during the 57-yard drive.

No. 4 – Kyle Kempt (2012)

• Opponent – Austintown Fitch (6-0); finished the season 9-2
• QB numbers – 18 of 25 for 308 yards and 4 touchdowns; 57% of the offense
• Key receivers – Marcus Whitfield (6), Gareon Conley (5), Erne Baez (3)
• Final score – 34-14
• The story – Kempt threw four touchdown passes in the first half to help Massillon open a 27-7 halftime lead.  He then controlled the action the rest of the way to secure the win.  It was Fitch’s only regular season loss.

Other Great Kempt Performances

• 2012 – Steubenville (4-0); finished the season 9-3 – Stats 12 of 18 for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns – Score 24-7
• 2012 – Akron St. Vincent (7-1); Division 3 state champion – Stats: 14 of 22 for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns – Score 44-23

No. 5 – Justin Zwick (2001)

• Opponent – Canton McKinley (8-1); rivalry game; finished the season 8-3
• QB numbers – 16 of 25 for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns; 61% of the offense
• Key receivers – Devin Jordan (10)
• Final score – 29-26
• The story – Massillon led at half on the strength of two Zwick touchown passes.  The first was an 11-yarder to Stephon Ashcraft and the second a 36-yarder to Jordan.  But McKinley came back in the third quarter to lead 26-22 with 2:52 left in the game.  Justin then grabbed his moment in the sun by moving the team 72 yards for the game-winning score.  Along the way he completed both of his passes for 27 yards, setting up a final run by Robert Oliver.  An interception in the end zone by Craig McConnell on the Bulldogs’ final possession sealed the victory.

Other Great Zwick Performances

• 2000 – Akron Garfield (1-1); finished the season 8-2 – Stats: 29 of 43 for 375 yards and 2 touchdowns – Score: 51-26
• 2001 – Akron Garfield (1-1); finished the season 7-3 – Stats: 16 of 23 for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns – Score: 59-0
• 2001 – Mansfield (4-1); finished the season 7-4 – Stats: 24 of 37 for 231 yards and 0 touchdowns – Score: 17-14
• 2001 – Canton McKinley (8-2); playoffs second round – Stats: 24 of 33 for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns – Score: 35-19
• 2001 – North Canton (11-1); playoffs third round – Stats: 23 of 28 for 252 yards and 2 touchdowns – Score: 27-7

No. 6 – Zach Catrone (2020)

• Opponent – Massillon Perry (9-0); Division 2 regional finals
• QB numbers – 10 of 10 for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns; 70% of the offense
• Key receivers – Jayden Ballard (7)
• Final score – 43-13
• The story – Catrone couldn’t miss in this playoff game and engineered his team to a 43-13 victory over previously undefeated Perry.  In the first half he tossed a 72-yard bomb to Jayden Ballard, but that was Massillon’s only score and they trailed 7-6 while headed to the locker room.  In the second half, the Tigers caught fire and scored five times, including two TD passes to Ballard, of 15 and 33 yards, to win going away.  Massillon was held to just 102 yards on the ground for the game, but Zach made up for the deficit by completing all ten of his pass attempts.

No. 7 – Seth Blankenship (2015)

• Opponent – Massillon Perry (0-0); Division 2 state runner-up
• QB numbers – 15 of 20 for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns; 57% of the offense
• Key receivers – Keyshawn Watson (7); Austin Jasinski (5); Todd Fichter (3)
• Final score – 41-37
• The story – It was Nate Moore’s first game as a Massillon coach, against a favored Perry team.  But the Tigers jumped on the Panthers early.  In the first quarter Blankenship connected with Watson on a 52-yard touchdown pass to open a 20-0 lead.  Then in the third quarter, he extended the lead to 34-7 with a 33-yard TD pass to Jasinski.  But Perry mounted a fierce comeback and eventually took a 37-34 lead with 5:17  on the clock.  That’s when Blankenship led his Tigers on a 60-yard drive to secure the win, with Dakota Dunwiddie scoring from two yards out with just 3:34 left.

No. 8 – Dave Irwin (1999)

• Opponent – Massillon Perry (4-2)
• QB numbers – 18 of 25 for 273 yards and 3 touchdowns; 74% of the offense
• Key receivers – Joe Price (6); Rocky Dorsey (3); Anthony Battle (3)
• Final score – 35-14
• The story – The first half was a defensive affair and the two teams entered the locker room tied at seven.  But in the second half, the Tigers went to work behind the accurate arm of Dave Irwin.  After a Jesse Scott 5-yard run for the lead, Irwin tossed three touchdown passes.  The first came in the third quarter. a was a 22-yarder to Dorsey.  After a Perry score cut the margin to 21-14 in the fourth, Irwin capped the night by finishing off two scoring drives with touchdown passes of 43 yards to Dorsey and 9 yards to Price.

Other Great Irwin Performances

• 1999 – Canton McKinley (7-2); finished the season 8-4 – Stats: 12 of 130 yards and 3 touchdowns – Score 35-7

No. 9 – Robert Partridge (2009)

• Opponent – Warren Harding (4-2-1); finished the season 6-3-1
• QB numbers – 17 of 27 for 260 yards and 5 touchdowns; 67% of the offense
• Key receivers – Devin Smith (5); Bo Grunder (5); Brandon Pedro (3)
• Final score – 39-21
• The story – The first five Massillon touchdowns were courtesy of Partridge’s arm as the Tigers opened up a 32-14 lead late in the third quarter.  In the first half he connected for TDs with Smith for 32 yards, Justin Olack for 30 yards and Tyler Allman for 16 yards.  In the second half it was a pair of touchdowns tosses to Smith for 13 and 19 yards.  The final points were scored on the ground by Alex Winters from one yard out.  The five touchdown passes ranks second all-time.

Other Great Partridge Performances

• 2009 – Mentor (5-3); finished the season 6-4 – Stats: 14 of 20 for 233 yards and 3 touchdowns – Score: 28-20

Greatest Performance by a Massillon Quarterback in a Loss

Danny Clark (2013)

• Opponent – Austintown Fitch (6-0); finished season 12-1 and state semifinalist
• QB numbers – 16 of 23 for 358 yards and 2 touchdowns; 70% of the offense
• Key receivers – Marcus Whitfield (6); Reggie Rogers (5); Beau Huffman (3)
• Final score – 27-30
• The story – Down 30-14 with 4:45 left to play, Clark connected with Reggie Rogers on passing touchdowns of 80 and 72 yards to close the gap to 30-27.  After forcing Fitch to punt, Danny drove his team to the ten yard line, completing 5 of 8 passes for 60 yards.  But, following a procedure penalty that negated a touchdown, Clark’s run on the final play of the game was stopped at the four as time expired.

Greatest Victories of All Time

Massillon has been playing football since 1893 and has participated in over 1200 games covering 125+ years.  The question often asked is: what are the Tiger’s greatest victories?  But any response is sure to spur much debate.  Regardless, the selection criteria surely must cover several areas, including the significance of the game, the caliber of the opponent, the degree of challenge required to win, the excitement of the finish, and the lasting impact of the victory.

massillontigers.com has taken a detailed stab at this task and come up with what we believe to be Massillon’s greatest victories within each decade.  The lists can be accessed at the links shown below:

• The 2010s
• The 2000s
• The 1990s
• The 1980s
• The 1970s
• The 1960s
• The 1950s
• The 1940s
• The 1930s
• The 1890s to the 1920s

Finally, we have made our picks regarding the five greatest victories of all time:

1^st – The 100^th Massillon-McKinley game, which was played in 1994.  A 42-41 victory, this one checks all of the boxes.  It was played against the historical rival, both teams were enjoying outstanding seasons, the Tigers were the underdog, there was unbelievable hype prior to the game, it finished in overtime, and the Massillon community secured bragging rights for virtually forever.  Can you do any better?

2^nd – The 1964 game against Niles McKinley, won 14-6.  In front of over 30,000 fans at the Akron Rubber Bowl, Massillon broke Niles’ 48-game unbeaten streak and went on to win the state title.  And once again, unbelievable hype prior to the game.

3^rd – The 1974 game against Canton McKinley, won 20-15.  A huge underdog, Massillon scored on a 33-yard pass with just seconds left to defeat the undefeated Bulldogs and knock them out of the playoffs.

4^th – The 1964 game against Canton McKinley, won 20-14.  Two undefeated teams vying for the state title.  Down 14-0, the Tigers roared back in the fourth quarter to pull it out, scoring the winning points with less than a minute remaining, then holding off the Bulldogs’ final charge.

5^th – The 2005 playoff game against Lakewood St. Edward, won 21-17.  The Tigers came from two scores down to win in the final minutes and advance to the next week’s Division 1 state championship game.

Ed Molinski – Wall of Champions

Ed Molinski – Wall of Champions

Written by Keith Jarvis

Ed Molinski wanted to be a boxer and ended up a medical doctor.  But in between, he played some pretty good football, for both Massillon and the University of Tennessee.  But that almost didn’t happen, as his father had different thoughts.

“Massillon is where it all started,” said the now Doctor Edward Molinski.  Talking with the great Massillon sports writer Luther Emery, Molinski went on to say, “If you guys hadn’t persuaded dad to let me play football, I probably would be walking the streets with holes in my shoes.”  (The Emery Wheel, Massillon Evening Independent, ——, 1963)

After attending Longfellow Jr. High, it is believed that his father thought him to be a future champion boxer.  That turned out to be true.  To protect Ed from serious injury, Mr. Molinski forbad Ed from playing football.  On the other hand, Paul Brown saw Ed as an integral part of his Tiger football team.  Considerable negotiation ensued between father and Coach Brown and it was finally agreed that Ed could play football, but Brown would allow Ed to box in the off season.  It was indeed a good negotiated settlement.

And play football he did.  Although he continued to box in the off season, he put together three years of exceptional football, from 1933 to 1935.  He stood 5’-10” and weighed 182 lbs. and he spent his first two years at guard and linebacker. In his senior year he was moved to quarterback, which at that time was the lead blocker for the running backs in Coach Brown’s system. During Molinski’s three years with the Tigers they were 27-3, with the 1935 team capturing both the Ohio and National championships. But he continued to box in the off-season and became the Ohio state heavyweight Golden Gloves champion.

Ed wanted to attend Notre Dame after high school as he ambitiously desired more education.  Only, he could not afford the tuition and ND Coach Leahy was unresponsive to several townspeople urging him to give him a scholarship.  But Tennessee’s legendary coach Bob Neyland saw it differently and did offer that coveted award.  Ed accepted it and went on to become a beloved man in Tennessee for his many accomplishments, football being at the forefront.

Molinski played for the Volunteers from 1938-1940 as a hard charging guard with both speed and strength.  During his time there, he teamed with Bob Suffridge, which made a lethal combination of future All-American linemen.  Molinski was steady and strong, while Suffridge played with emotion and speed.  Both also played stalwart defense.  But Ed also possessed a tough demeanor and temper, which was evident by his ejection in the 1939 Orange Bowl (Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, University of Tennessee Athletic Dept.).

During his time at Tennessee, the Vols went 31-2 and won three Southeast Conference Championships, while being invited to play in a bowl game each year.  In 1938 they finished 11-0, with a 17-0 bowl win over Oklahoma, and were named National Champions. Meanwhile, the 1939 team was unscored upon in the regular season before losing to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 14-0.  In fact, they recorded fifteen consecutive shutouts from mid-1938 through 1939.

While all of this was taking place, Ed captained the university boxing team and again was a heavyweight Golden glove champion, this time in the state of Tennessee.

The combination of Molinski and Suffridge is renowned in Tennessee history and each went on to receive numerous awards.  In 1990 Molinski was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.  Suffridge gained that award at the same time and they were once again side by side as the great duo guards.  Molinski himself earned all of the following awards and inductions:

• 1^st Team All-American (1939)
• Grantland Rice Football HOF
• The Polish Football HOF
• The National Football Foundation HOF
• The Tennessee Football HOF
• The College Football HOF
• Massillon Tiger Hall of Fame (2016)
• Massillon Wall of Champions (1994)
• WHS Alumni Association Distinguished Citizens Award (2010)

But Ed Molinski was more than just about football.  From Longfellow Jr. High and afterward, he had many friends in Massillon including Augie Morningstar, Ducky Schroeder and Luther Emery. Interestingly, during the 1937 football season, since freshman were not allowed to play, Ed, with Coach Neyland’s approval, decided to return to Massillon as a student volunteer police officer.  He reported that a drive-by person fired a shot towards him and luckily missed.

After graduation from college Ed entered the Marine Corps and served as a 2^nd Lieutenant until he received a medical honorable discharge. With World War II over, he then went on to coach football and teach history at Memphis State and Mississippi State.  In 1951 he began studying medicine at Tennessee, after having already received his Master’s Degree there.  After becoming a doctor of medicine, Ed maintained his attachment to sports life by serving as the team doctor for the Memphis State football team and was also the professional fight doctor for the city of Memphis. To top off this exceptional career, Ed spent 35 years as a revered general medical doctor serving underprivileged communities in Memphis.  He died in 1968 at the age of 68.

Dr. Edward Molinski is surely someone this city has much to be proud of.  To learn more about this remarkable son of Massillon, Ed’s own son has a conversation on YouTube detailing much of his father’s life.

Steve Luke – Wall of Champions

Steve Luke – Wall of Champions

Steve Luke played many positions on the football field and to him it didn’t matter where he lined up.  He just wanted to be in on the action.  But that versatility paid off in a big way as he parlayed that experience into a stellar career, first at Massillon, then at Ohio State and Green Bay.  “Back in high school, I was a center, linebacker and tight end,” he said.  “I didn’t care where I lined up.  I just loved to play football.”

Luke was born in Massillon on September 4, 1953, and it didn’t take long to get bitten by the football bug.  “Our Sunday school teacher told us the world was going to end.  I said a prayer to God, ‘Please don’t let it end until I get to play for Massillon.’  I was about 8 or 9 years old.” (Scott Shook’s “Massillon Memories”)

High School

Steve would get his chance to play for the Tigers in 1968 as a sophomore center under Head Coach Bob Seaman and by the time he was a senior had worked his way into the varsity lineup playing linebacker and tight end under Head Coach Bob Commings.  He also teamed with his brother, Bill, who manned split end.  Together, they helped Massillon field one of its best squads ever: the 1970 state championship team that won all ten games and outscored the opposition, 412-29.

The season included six defensive shutouts along with a 28-0 victory over previously undefeated Canton McKinley.  Following the McKinley game, Tiger assistant coach Dale Walterhouse remarked, “We’re claiming the best linebackers in the state.  Steve Luke and Tom Cardinal can move and hit. McKinley has been claiming to have the best linebackers in the state.  I guess we proved it today.” – Canton Repository, Ken Sherer

Luke had good size for the time at 6’-2”, 186 lbs. and was a team co-captain, along with Mike Mauger, Tim Ridgley and Dennis Franklin.  Defensive statistics are not available for that year, but on offense Luke caught five passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yarder against Trotwood Madison and a 37-yarder against Steubenville.  He also grabbed a 13-yard pass against the Bulldogs.  All of the passes were thrown by Franklin, who Luke would later face as a foe when he was at Ohio State and Franklin at Michigan.

As a result of his outstanding performance for the Tigers, Steve was named 3^rd Team All-Ohio and received a scholarship to play for the Buckeyes.

College

Luke spent four years at Ohio State, playing football for the legendary Woody Hayes and graduating in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Athletics and Business.  While there, he experienced three Big 10 championships and started in three Rose Bowl games, one as an offensive center and two at defensive back.  His playing size was 6’-2”, 197 lbs.

In his sophomore year (freshmen weren’t eligible at that time), he was placed at center.  But that was about to change the following year.  “I missed my workout with the linemen one day and I came in and was working out with the defensive backs,” he recalled.  “A defensive backs coach saw me go through some drills and he came up and asked if I’d ever thought about playing defensive back.  I told him that I’d never played it before, but was willing to take a gamble and Coach Hayes was willing to let me go back and try it and it worked out.” – Independent.

Ohio State Results:

• 1972 – Tied Michigan for the Big 10 championship; regular season record, 9-1; lost to Michigan State, 19-12; defeated Michigan, 14-11; lost to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 42-17.
• 1973 – Tied Michigan for the Big 10 championship; regular season record, 9-0-1; tied Michigan, 10-10; beat Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 42-21.
• 1974 – Tied Michigan for the Big 10 championship; regular season record, 10-1; lost to Michigan State, 16-13; defeated Michigan 12-10; lost to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl, 18-17.

Following his senior season, Luke was named UPI All Big Ten and Family Weekly All American.  He also started in the All-American Bowl all-star game.

Professional

Luke was a childhood fan of the Green Bay Packers ever since their victory over Dallas in the “ice bowl game” (-13 deg.) and their wins in the first two Super Bowls, led by HOF quarterback Bart Starr.  Surprise to him, he was drafted by the Packers in the 4^th round (No. 88 overall), by whom other than newly hired head coach Bart Starr.  Although he played cornerback for the Buckeyes, his position changed to strong safety.  Luke would enjoy six years in Green Bay.

He initially reported to the Packer training camp weighing 215 lbs., thinking that he needed more muscle.  But they wanted him 195-200.  He was almost cut.  Soon he was back down to 197.

Special teams became his assignment for the first year, where returned six kickoffs for 91 yards.  But that was about to change during his second year when he was named a starter in the game against St. Louis.  “Steve has been improving all along and has impressed the coaches when he’s played,” Packer coach Bart Starr said.  “We thought this would be a good opportunity to start him.”  Starr called him one of the hardest workers in training camp and through preseason.  Luke would go on to start 75 consecutive games, while playing in 90 overall.

Known around the league as a hard hitter, he led the team in tackles in 1978, while breaking the team’s single season tackling record (133 solos and 17 assists).  He also led the team in interceptions in 1977, accumulating four of his ten career picks for 149 yards.  His longest return was 63 yards against Chicago, which went for a touchdown.  Add to those feats six fumble recoveries and six quarterback sacks.  So it comes as no surprise that he was rated among the Top 4 safeties in the NFL from 1977-1980.  And so respected was he that he was the Packers’ team captain during the latter time he was there.

In Year 6 he was hampered by an injury that occurred against Cleveland.  So at the end of the season he was traded to Atlanta, but was released before the start of the 1981 season.  Thus, pro football came with a cost; i.e., a fused neck and two hip replacements.

Post Football

After Green Bay, Luke became Vice President/Director of Account Services for Russell, Luke, Mercier Advertising Inc.  He also founded USAthletes Sports Agency, 1987-1996, representing Chris Spielman plus several Packer players.  And he was an investor/partner in Buckeye III Custom Home Builders.

But most of his energy assuredly went into several civic programs, including the following:

• Development Board of Children’s’ Hospital in Columbus
• Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America
• Board of Directors of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Telethon Chairman for the United Negro College Fund for Central Ohio
• Worked with both the Worthington and Columbus Public Schools in their tutoring and mentoring programs
• Started New Fun Learning (NFL) Math and Science Sports Camp, 1992

In 1982 he was named Outstanding Young American and in 2000 received the Ohio Award of Excellence.  He’s also listed as Who’s Who among Black Americans.

But it was Massillon that Luke credits for his achievements.  “Massillon made me who I am.  I’ve often said that Massillon taught me how to win.  Massillon taught me a good, strong work ethic and that never-say-die attitude.  If I didn’t have the success I had at Massillon, I would not have had the success I had at Ohio State or Green Bay.” – Independent

Luke was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions in 1994 as a charter member and the Tiger Hall of Fame in 2016, also as a charter member.

Joe Sparma – Wall of Champions

Joe Sparma – Wall of Champions

Massillon’s Joe Sparma went all the way, from high school football to collegiate football and baseball and eventually to baseball at the professional level.  Sparma was the ultimate athlete and success followed him at every stop.

Joe was born in Massillon on February 4, 1942.  After a stint at Jones Junior High, he began his football career at the varsity level in 1957 as a third string sophomore quarterback under Head Coach Lee Tressel.  He wasn’t initially a starter but, due to his prowess as a fastballer in baseball, he was able to get on the field when a long pass was needed.

That was certainly the case against Warren Harding in the infamous “clock game.”  Warren was ranked first in the state coming in, but the Tigers were able to open up a 14-0 halftime advantage.  Only, the Panthers stormed back in the second half to tie it up at 14 apiece in this evenly matched game.  There were just seconds left.  Massillon had the ball at midfield and the play called for a long desperation pass.  In comes Joe.  He dropped back and launched a 46-yard bomb toward the end zone, with Clyde Childers as the intended target.  Childers leaped high against the defender and tipped the ball into the air at the four yard line.  Then, after separating himself, he gathered the pigskin at the three and raced over the goal line for the win.  It was Sparma’s only pass of the game, but it put him on target for great things to come.

By season’s end Joe had passed for three touchdowns, the one against Warren and two against Canton McKinley in a 25-7 victory.  For the year, the Tigers finished 8-1, with a 2^nd place ranking in the final A.P. Poll.  The lone loss was to champion Cleveland Benedictine, 13-7.

The following year, with new head coach Leo Strang taking over from Tressel, Sparma became a full-time starter on a team that finished 8-1-1.   The only blemishes were a 6-0 loss to Warren and an 8-8 tie with Alliance.  For the season Joe completed 33 of 74 passes for 556 yards and nine touchdowns.  He also ran for another two.  In a 38-16 win over McKinley he was 6 of 9 for 106 yards and two touchdowns.  But he was also was a bit flamboyant.  When asked by WHBC’s Jim Muzzy who he thought was the best team the Tigers had played that year, Joe responded, “Our second team.” (Scott Shook’s “Massillon Memories”).

With Joe again at the helm in 1959 it all came together.  Massillon fashioned an undefeated 10-0 season, outscoring the opposition 431-46.  The only competitive game was a 14-0 win over Alliance.  At season’s end, the Tigers were ranked first in both the state and the nation and Sparma was named First Team All-Ohio.  He completed 28 of 85 passes for 660 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed 22 times for 54 yards and two TDs.  His best statistical game came against Canton Lincoln when he passed for 127 yards and four touchdowns.

Joe currently holds the Massillon record for 23.6 yards per completion over a complete season.  His 26 career touchdown passes ranks 7^th at the time of this story.  Although Sparma was not considered a great passer compared to modern day quarterbacks, he had a strong arm and was accurate for the day.  He was also a decent punter, booting 36.9 yards per attempt.  He wrapped up his high school career by leading his team to victory in the Ohio North-South All-Star Game.

“He was one of the finest athletes we ever had in Massillon,” said Carl “Ducky” Schroeder, Sparma’s baseball coach.  “He was captain of the baseball, basketball and football teams.  He was a good student.  I can’t say enough about him.  He’s been a real good friend through all the years.” (Scott  Shook’s “Massillon Memories”)

For the next level, he accepted a scholarship offer from Ohio State University.  It was considered an odd choice at the time as the Buckeyes under Head Coach Woody Hayes rarely threw the ball.  But the opportunity to also play baseball for OSU may have influenced his decision.  Joe was considered a good long thrower and the best technician among the Buckeye quarterbacks.

“Joe Sparma was a pure passer.  Just an outstanding pure pro passer.  That’s the reason I wanted him to go to  school where he could pocket pass.  But Woody Hayes was a hell of a salesman.  Woody didn’t want him to go to a school in the Big 10 and pass against him.  I don’t think there’s any doubt about it that Sparma could have been a great pro football  player.” – Leo Strang (Scott  Shook’s “Massillon Memories”)

“Joe Sparma was a helluva nice kid.  Handsome, good looking kid.  Had a great arm.  A lot of moxie.” – Bo Schembechler (Scott  Shook’s “Massillon  Memories”)

Freshmen didn’t play varsity in those days, so Sparma suited up initially in 1961.   The Buckeyes finished 8-0-1 that year and were champions of the Big Ten.  Meanwhile, Joe was a 3^rd string quarterback at 6’-1”, 194 lbs., but he did see some playing time.  For season, he completed 16 of 38 passes for 241 yards and six touchdowns, two each against Iowa, Indiana and Michigan.  Some of those passes went to leading receiver and future NFL Hall of Famer Paul Warfield.

In his junior year, Sparma was again a backup and completed 30 of 77 passes for 288 yards, with a score against UCLA and another against Wisconsin.  But he quit the team after the Indiana game and that would be the end of his football career.  Although in line to be the starter the following year, he apparently had differences with Hayes and left to pursue major league baseball.

Sparma initially had an opportunity to play for Cleveland, but selected Detroit owing to a higher paycheck and a $32,000 bonus.  He began with stints in 1963 for both the Knoxville Smokies of the old South Atlantic League and Duluth-Superior of the Northern League.  The following year, after returning for a short time with the Knoxville Smokies, now of the new Southern League, he was called up to pitch for the Tigers.  His numbers at Detroit and at his final stop Montreal were as follows:

• 1964 – Detroit: 5-6 record; ERA 3.00; KO 71
• 1965 – Detroit: 13-8 record; ERA 3.18; KO 127
• 1966 – Detroit: 2-7 record; ERA 5.30; KO 61 (a pre-season accident curtailed most of the season)
• 1967 – Detroit; 16-9 record; ERA 3.76; KO 153
• 1968 – Detroit: 10-10 record; ERA 3.70; KO 110
• 1969 – Detroit: 6-8 record; ERA 4.76; KO 41
• 1970 – Montreal: 0-4 record; ERA 7.06; KO 23 (released after 27 innings

Joe was the starting pitcher vs. the New York Yankees in 1964 on “Mickey Mantle Day”.  He approached Mantle before the first pitch and said, “You know, I’ve never had a chance to meet you in person, and I’ve always admired you.”  They shook hands and then Sparma proceeded to strike him out. – Bill Freehan, “Behind the Mask”

Joe ended up pitching in 183 games, starting 142, recording a 52-52 record and an ERA of 3.94 to along with 586 strikeouts.  At the plate he batted .119 over 309 appearances.  He also pitched in relief in the 1968 World Series game against St. Louis.  Following limited action with Montreal he was released.  His playing career over, he was offered a job as a minor league coach but declined.

Later, he was inducted into the Stark County Baseball Hall of Fame (1978), the Massillon Tigers Wall of Champions (1994) and the Stark County Football Hall of Fame (2011).

After baseball Joe worked in sales for Worthington Steel and made a home in Worthington, raising three children.  But he died young in 1986 at the age of 44 in Columbus after suffering a heart attack and undergoing heart bypass surgery.

Joe is remembered as the ultimate athlete and certainly made Massillon proud.