Category: <span>History</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1966: Massillon 14, Altoona, PA 20

Bengals Lose 2nd Straight 20-14

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

It may have gone unnoticed in the wake of the unhappiness at Tiger stadium Saturday night. But the Massillon Tigers’ offensive unit gave its best performance to date.

Defense had been the strong part of the Bengals’ game heretofore. But the WHS gridders were little match for a powerful Altoona, Pa., eleven, falling 20-14.
* * *

Program Cover

IT WAS THE second straight loss for the Bengals and the first home defeat since 1962. The Bengals had also not lost 2 contests or 2 in a row since 1962. Their season slate now reads 3-2-1.

For Altoona, which stretched its slate to 5-1 in administering the first out-of-state loss to the Tigers in 29 years, it meant the continuation of a win streak to 4 games. The Mountain Lions had lost both of the 2 previous games between the Buckeye and Keystone rivals.

Altoona’s success story was written in superior line play and excellent ball-handling and deception in the backfield. The Mountain Lions’ superior weight opened up giant-sized holes in the Tigers’ defensive line. Quarterback Walter Beatty handed off and flipped out with the skill of a Houdini, mixing his plays well to take advantage of all of his backs. The faking of halfbacks Phil Witherspoon and Greg Campbell and fullback Gary Madden was perfect.

Seaman applauded his backs. “I was well pleased with them,” Seaman said. “They ran exceptionally well. Simon (Bill) was 1,000 percent improved and Maurer (Craig) is gaining confidence.”
* * *

SIMON, the left halfback, right half Tommy James and Fullback Will Foster also had some big holes to go through – but not as many as the Altoona backs. This time the Bengal runners found the holes, something they had failed to do with regularity all season.

The Tigers almost threw more passes Saturday night than they had all season, getting a touchdown via that route for the second time this fall. But Maurer also had an unfortunate bit of luck.

With the Tigers driving for what would have been a tying touchdown with just over 2 minutes remaining in the game and third and one on the Altoona 11, he and center Tim Senften miscued and a fumble occurred. Foster was short by inches through the center on the next play and Altoona had its victory, although having to fend off the Tigers following a short punt and pass to split end Jim Smith for 18 yards to the Lions’ 24. For awhile the scene resembled a Chinese fire drill the Bengals out of time outs and trying to get plays off quickly.

It was a game of other close calls, too, with Mountain Lions being stopped by a gnat’s eyelash from scoring in the first quarter after an 18-play, 76-yard drive all on the ground. Ron Ertle put the clincher to the Lions’ plans on the opening series by recovering Campbell’s fumble.

Campbell twice just managed to bring down Tiger ball carriers seemingly on the way to scores. He caught James on the Altoona 7 after a 26-yard run in the third quarter. He tripped up Foster on the Lions’ 20 after a 25-yard romp in the fourth.
* * *

THE TIGERS’ got the first score following a fumble recovery by Ron Muhlbach and Earl Beiter on the Altoona 33 with 1:12 left in the welcome quarter.

A Statue of Liberty play had gone awry. The Bengals got into pay dirt 12 plays later with 8:33 remaining in the second stanza.

Foster, continuing his fine second effort running, went in around right end on third down from the 3. He also got the conversion – one of the few of the season – over right guard.

Altoona came right back after the kickoff, going 68 yards in 10 plays with only the pay off maneuver going overhead. Beatty hit Speacht on the 5 with second down, 16, on the 17. Campbell slipped between left guard and left tackle, a spot the Lions picked on frequently, for the equalizing conversion.

The Tigers got into a big hole on the next kickoff, which came from the Tigers’ 45 following a personal foul stepoff. Safetyman John McFadden slipped in the mud, went down on the one and the Orange and Black had to give up the ball via a punt from the 24.

Both teams scored in the third quarter. Campbell tallied first for Altoona on a left pitchout on fourth down from the 3 following a 72-yard, 9-play drive on the opening series. Campbell missed the conversion on a sweep right. A 24-yard pass to Speacht and 24 and 10-yard runs by Campbell highlighted the push.
* * *

MASSILLON drove back 61 yards in 7 plays featured by a 29-yard kick runback by James, a 22-yard pass to split end Tim Moyer and the 26-yard right side, off tackle slash by James which Campbell just was able to abort. James caught a pass into the right corner of the end zone from Maurer on a fake to Foster. James missed the conversion over left tackle.

Altoona’s winning offensive came after Dale Gallion recovered a fumble on his 23 to halt a 44-yard drive. Maurer had a pass pilfered by Dave McGarth on the next play. Altoona moved in from the 21 in 7 plays. Beatty went through the center on fourth down from the one with 7:45 left in the contest and then fumbled on the conversion attempt.

“This loss was mine,” Seaman said later. “We threw after the fumble recovery. That was a mistake. I got too hoggish. We should have stuffed the ball down their throats like we were able to do all night.”
“This was a team victory,” Altoona Coach Earl Strohm said. “The kids did a job blocking. We had worked against their stack defense all along. We knew they didn’t pass much. I told the boys this was our best chance to beat them. We knew this was their weakest team in the 3 years we had played them, but they rank along with McKeesport and Pennsbury.”

A crowd of 15,810, largest of the season, sat in after a heavy rain had let up one-half hour before game time.

ALTOONA – 20
Ends – Conrad, McGrath, Cochran.
Tackles – Clark, Traficante, Askey, Potter, Parsons.
Guards – Carnicella, Kitt, Nedimyer, Turchetta.
Centers – Thompson, Bosso.
Quarterback – Beatty.
Halfbacks – Witherspoon, Campbell, Singer, Speacht.
Fullbacks – Madden, Launchi, Tyler.

MASSILLON – 14
Ends – Moyer, Smith, Liggett, Gallion, Richards, Griffin, Sterling.
Tackles – Ricker , Snowball, Campbell, Turley, Sherrett, Neago.
Guards – Ertle, Beiter, Hauenstein, Russell, Porrini.
Centers – Senften, Kraft, Skelton.
Quarterbacks – Maurer, Young, Henderson, Malinowski.
Halfbacks – James, Simon, Fenton, McFadden, Staples, Evans,
McDew, Muhlbach.
Fullback – Foster.
Punter – Krenzer.

Altoona 0 8 6 6 20
Massillon 0 8 6 0 14

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Foster (3-yard run); James (2-yard pass from Maurer).
Altoona – Speacht (16-yard, pass-run play from Beatty);
Campbell (3-yard run); Beatty (one-yard run).

Extra points:
Massillon – Foster 2 (run).
Altoona – Campbell 2 (run).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Jack McLain (Columbus).
Umpire – Tony Pianowski (Cleveland).
Head Linesman – Chet DeStefano (Canton).
Field Judge – Ken Newlon (Canton).

Attendance: 15,810

THE GRIDSTICK
Massillon Opp.
First downs – rushing 7 15
First downs – passing 1 3
First downs – penalties 0 0
Total first downs 8 18
Yards gained rushing 168 250
Yards lost rushing 9 14
Net yards gained rushing 159 236
Net yards gained passing 57 52
Total yards gained 216 288
Passes attempted 7 7
Passes completed 4 4
Passes intercepted by 0 1
Yardage on passes intercepted 0 17
Times kicked off 4 3
Kickoff average (yards) 41.0 48.3
Kick returns (yards) 68 39
Times punted 2 2
Punt average (yards) 35.5 24.5
Punt return (yards) 6 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 3 5
Lost fumbled ball 0 3
Penalties 7 2
Yards penalized 75 10
Touchdowns rushing 2 2
Touchdowns passing 0 1
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Total number of plays 45 64

Will Foster
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1966: Massillon 12, Niles McKinley 20

Tigers’ 32-Game Streak Ends

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

As the sense of feeling returns when the dentist’s shot of Novocain wears off, so the numbness in Tigertown has subsided today. Players and fans are back to reality.

The 32-game unbeaten streak is gone. Any chance for a third straight gridiron title has been considerably dimmed. So have chances for a fourth straight All-American High School league title.
* * *

Program Cover

TIGER GRIDDERS have started their preparation for this Saturday’s invasion by Altoona, Pa., knowing that despite a last quarter breakdown which cost them a 20-12 loss at Niles Saturday night, they played some excellent defensive football. The Bengals also know the REAL Tiger fans are still solidly behind them as they “Carry on for Massillon.”

There is still a lot of football left in 1966. The Washington high eleven still must uphold the honor of Ohio football against Altoona, still has a chance to play spoiler for such
still-undefeated teams as Upper Arlington and Steubenville.

As Coach Bob Seaman put it, “We lost the game but we didn’t deserve to get beat. Massillon is still the No. 1 team as far as I’m concerned. I wouldn’t want to be the next team to play Massillon.”

The game boiled down to a case of some breaks, some poor officiating mechanics and some short-comings on the part of the Tigers. With the season half over, it has become painfully apparent that the Bengal offense is not getting the job done, thereby putting added pressure on the defense. The Tiger defensive secondary is also having its troubles – with pass coverage.

The Niles McKinley Red Dragons took a page out of the Tigers’ comeback Saturday night before a capacity crowd of 12,500 at Riverside stadium. The Dragons must be given-credit for being a great team to execute the type of comeback they did.
* * *

THERE IS some question as to whether they actually won the game. Junior end John Ziegler made a desperation diving catch of senior quarterback Bob Leonard’s 34-yard down-the-middle pass at the goal line with 38 seconds left.

No official was near the play at the time. From the pressbox, it looked like the catch had been made, but several Tiger players charged field judge John Holzback, hotly debating his ruling of a touchdown.

Niles had taken over the ball on its 31 with 1:36 left. Two passes to Ziegler and an option pitch, which had given the Tigers trouble throughout the night, set up the winning play.

About 5 minutes earlier it had appeared the Obiemen were about to break a 7-year unbeaten home streak for Niles with a 12-0 victory.

Senior linebacker Will Foster and junior halfback Trevor Young had brought Niles senior halfback Martin Henry down on the Massillon one on fourth down after a 53-yard Dragon drive.

But disaster struck with first down on the 12. Tiger Foster fumbled and Niles defensive end Pat Ryan recovered. Leonard passed to senior end Dick Clapp at the goal post with 4:50 remaining. Senior end Lance Cullembine couldn’t catch Leonard’s pass on the conversion attempt.
* * *

NILES EXECUTED a perfect onside kick as Leonard booted instead of Clapp. Junior halfback Larry Trimbitas grabbed the ball out of the air on the Massillon 42.

Four plays later – after good runs off the option pitch and a handoff by Henry and senior halfback Bruce Simeone, senior fullback Gary Bletsch took another option pitch on first and 9 and went in around the left side with 3:48 showing on the clock. Ron Hallock, a senior reserve fullback, failed to convert on another pitch.

The Tigers could get no further than their 39 on the next series. Harley Dickinson punted out and then came the fateful Niles TD drive followed by Leonard’s keeper conversion.

Massillon got another chance on the kickoff but got no further than its 40 as the clock ran out while Bengal players tried frantically to call timeout with 7 seconds left and fans beginning to stream on to the field. The gridiron was the scene of a wild Niles victory celebration at the conclusion of the contest.

It is unfortunate that the Tigers couldn’t have capitalized on all of their 3-fumble recoveries in the first period. Sherrett picked one up on the Niles 20. Junior linebacker Ron Ertle got another on the 19 after which Foster capped a 9-play drive, going in over center on fourth and one but the Bengals were in motion and ran out of downs. Senior quarterback Craig Maurer set up the hoped for TD with a 10-yard pass to Sherrett on the right sideline.
* * *

SENIOR co-captain and “monster” back Ron Muhlbach got another Niles fumble on the 8. On the second play following, Foster went through the middle from the one after taking the ball to the one on a pitch right on first down. There was 1:27 left in the quarter as Maurer was unable to hit tight end Tom Liggett in the left corner of the end zone on the conversion attempt.

The Tigers didn’t get any further than their 31 until the third period when they punted from the Niles 35 on fourth down. Senior guard Greg Russell downed the ball on the Niles 2. Three plays later a Niles punt rolled dead on the Dragons’ 38.

Foster broke through the right side on first down, taking several would-be tacklers with him as he finally got in for the touchdown. Big Will, rapidly becoming one of Massillon’s all-time great backs, missed through the center on the conversion but his running

high-lighted the Tiger attack. The clock showed 2:47 left in the period as Massillon led
12-0.

The Tiger defense came to the fore several times in the second period, led by senior linebacker Hoyt Sketon. Senior end Jim Sterling picked up a Niles fumble on the Bengal 7 after senior end John Isoldi of Niles had partially blocked a Tiger punt. But Massillon fumbled right back with Ryan giving Niles control.

Senior end Mike Kraft covered a Niles fumble on the Massillon 19 during the second stanza. Foster intercepted a pass in the end zone and might have been off to the races except he slipped in cutting.
* * *

BOB SHAW, Niles coach, summed up his feelings with, “It was a great victory. I’m real proud of the boys. Bob Seaman deserves a lot of credit for bringing a team here that was supposed to get trounced but which played like the Tigers did. It’s a shame what they’re doing to him in Massillon.”

Massillon’s record is 3-1-1, Niles 5-0 and leads the All-American league with Massillon third.

AAHFL STANDINGS
W L
Niles 2 0
Warren 1 0
Massillon 0 1
McKinley 0 2

MASSILLON – 12
Ends – Smith, Liggett, Moyer, Gallion, Sterling, Griffin.
Tackles – Sherrett, Houser, Snowball, Ricker, Campbell.
Guards – Neago, Russell, Porrini, Beiter, Hauenstein, Ertle.
Centers – Senften, Kraft, Sketon.
Quarterbacks – Maurer, Young.
Halfbacks – James, Simon, Fenton, McFadden, Muhlbach, McDew.
Fullbacks – Foster, Moore
Punter – Dickinson.

NILES – 20
Ends – Mille, Clapp, Isoldi, Ryan, Cullembine, Ziegler.
Tackles – Rossi, Bottiglieri, McMahon.
Guards – Santangelo, Costarella, Law.
Centers – Johnson, Catlin.
Quarterbacks – Leonard, Kines.
Halfbacks – Simeone, Henry, Gayonski, Mawby, Trimbitas, Lenham.
Fullbacks – Bletsch, Hallock

Massillon 6 0 6 0 12
Niles 0 0 0 20 20

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Foster 2 (one and 36-yard runs).
Niles – Clapp (13-yard pass); Bletsch (9-yard run); Ziegler (34-yard pass).

Extra points – Niles – Ziegler 2 (run).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Ted Humphrey (Youngstown).
Umpire – Russ Kemper (Cincinnati).
Head Linesman – Al Wildman (Sharon, Pa.).
Field Judge – John Holzbach (Youngstown).

Attendance: 19,500

THE GRIDSTICK
Massillon Niles
First downs – rushing 3 8
First downs – passing 1 6
First downs – penalties 0 0
Total first downs 4 14
Yards gained rushing 143 151
Yards lost rushing 12 18
Net yards gained rushing 131 133
Net yards gained passing 13 159
Total yards gained 144 292
Passes attempted 3 15
Passes completed 2 8
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 8 0
Times kicked off 3 4
Kickoff average (yards) 58.3 39.5
Kickoff returns (yards) 53 28
Times punted 6 4
Punt average (yards) 24.8 18.0
Punt return (yards) 0 17
Had punts blocked 1 1
Fumbles 2 8
Lost fumbled ball 2 5
Penalties 4 1
Yards penalized 20 5
Touchdowns rushing 2 1
Touchdowns passing 0 2
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Number of plays 48 30

Will Foster
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1966: Massillon 24, Alliance 12

Tigers Have Scare But Beat Alliance 24-12
Pass First Test For Title-Comeback

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

The most irritating thing to a feline is a thorn in the paw. And for the Massillon Tiger there’s no thorn sharper than a Mel Knowlton-coached Alliance high grid team.

But as their namesake will work incessantly to rid himself of a thorn, so the Massillon Tigers kept at it at rain-soaked Harshorn stadium in Alliance Friday night until they had clawed out a 24-12 victory. The Bengals’ third win in a 4-game slate, marred only by a tie, meant the first step on the road back towards a third straight state title.
* * *

Program Cover

WITH THE MEAT of their schedule coming up in the 6 remaining weeks, the Bengals must not falter now. A loss coupled with the tie would lessen their chances.

Friday’s contest was typical of Knowlton, the former Tiger quarterback. He put the Bengals’ pass defense to a tough test before the 8,000 fans despite the constant rain.

And the Bengal secondary had its troubles against the tricky play-action passes. However, most of the aerials completed were of the short flat variety. None-the-less, they helped Alliance out-gain Massillon 263 yards to 243 and loosened up the Obiemen to help the Aviators’ running game.

However, Massillon had the best of it on the ground 233-79. Co-captains Tommy James, playing both halfback slots, and fullback Will Foster did some great off tackle and trap running with the help of good blocking. The Bengals got only 10 yards in the air to the Aviators’ 184.

The Bengals were helped in their victory by a big break in the fourth quarter. Midway through, punter, Harley Dickinson was roughed on fourth down. That, coupled with another 15-yarder for unsportsmanlike conduct on Knowlton following a hotly debated encroachment penalty on Alliance, gave Massillon first and 10 on the Alliance 30.
* * *

MASSILLON was temporarily set back by a 15-yard illegal use of the hands penalty. Two plays later junior halfback Bill Simon took a pitchout on second and 16, started right, found his way clogged and cut back to the left behind fine blocking and went 35 yards to end the night’s scoring with 2:49 left. A pass to sophomore end Jim Smith on the conversion attempt failed.

“The penalties helped put the icing on the cake,” Tiger Coach Bob Seaman said. “Our kids held-up to a tough challenge well. The roughing penalty hurt us,” Knowlton said. “There was no reason for it. That killed us because they had to punt.”

Alliance opened the scoring at 5:13 of the first quarter. The Tigers had moved from the Aviator 31 to the 24-yard line following a punt snap, but lost the ball on downs.

Five plays later Zupanic faked a handoff and jumped a second and 9 pass from his 35 to end Finis Dailey who scampered 60 yards straight through Massillon’s secondary for the score. Zupanic couldn’t get another jumper off on the conversion try.

Massillon had a drive fizzle at the Alliance 27 after a pass interception by Cliff Banks. Punter Jim Krenzer’s daring 2-yard sneak on fourth down at the Alliance 46 had kept the foray going.
* * *

THE ORANGE and Black got the equalizer with 5:06 left in the first half when Foster went over left guard from the one on third and 5 after an 11-play, 61-yard drive featuring the running of Foster and James. A Craig Maurer to James pitchout failed for the conversion.

The Tigers’ made it 12-6 when safety John McFadden returned the second half kickoff 85 yards up the center and cut it to the left side. James missed the conversion on a pitchout to the left.

A 14-yard runback by Dale Gallion gave Massillon the ball on its 34 after Alliance was stopped on the Massillon 49. The Tigers marched the distance in 8 plays with Foster and James doing most of the advancing. On first down from the 17, Maurer faked inside and handed to James who swept left for the tally at 4:32. Maurer tried to pass to Simon for the conversion with no success.

Alliance used up the remaining time in the third period and a couple of minutes in the fourth getting to the Massillon 3 where the Bengals stiffened and held them. Twice in the series, Zupanic got off fourth down passes on long yardage plays for first downs. One aerial went to halfback Bob Ramsey, the other to end Al Thigpen.

But disaster stuck in the next series. Kenzer had to punt from the end zone with a bad snap. Halfback Ray Muniz fell on the loose ball at the Tigers’ 21.
* * *

FIVE PLAYS later Ramsey went through the middle on second and 7 from the 8 with 6:39 remaining. A pass to end Emerson Young for the conversion backfired.

Then came the last score for the Bengals.

But Alliance wasn’t through. A Tiger fumble on their 40 recovered by junior Tom Ickes gave Alliance the ball on Massillon’s 45. Three plays later the clock ran out.

Knowlton thought his team was getting better each game. Their performance against the Tigers brought Alliance the most yardage gained by the Aviators this season. They had gained only 53 yards in the air previously.

Seaman said there were not drastic changes made at halftime. “We just blocked a little better and ran a little harder in the second half,” he said. “And that run of McFadden’s really kicked us off. He did a real good job. He’s got guts.
* * *

HE CONTINUED “Simon got off a nice run on his touchdown. He cut back beautifully and got by the pursuit.”

Both coaches thought the other had a fine football team.

The Tigers journey to Riverside stadium in Niles next Saturday, where the Red Dragons have been undefeated for 7 years. Massillon puts its 31 game unbeaten streak on the line in an All-American league contest.

MASSILLON – 24
Ends – Liggett, Smith, Sterling, Kraft, Gallion, Griffin, Moyer, Richards.
Tackles – Houser, Sherrett, Campbell, Snowball, Ricker, Turley.
Guards – Neago, Russell, Porrini, Beiter, Hauenstein, White, Somogy.
Centers – Senften, Kraft, Skelton.
Quarterbacks – Maurer, Henderson, Young, Malinowski.
Halfbacks – James, Simon, Fenton, McFadden, Muhlbach.
Punters – Krenzer, Dickinson.
Fullback – Foster.

ALLIANCE – 12
Ends – Dailey, E. Young, Thigpen.
Tackles – R. Young, Johnson, Harshman, Andreani.
Guards –Gaul, Thomas, McCoy.
Center – Koch.
Quarterbacks – Zupanic, Libis, Utterback.
Halfbacks – Ramsey, Lear, Muniz.
Punter – Sucacui.

Massillon 0 6 12 6 24
Alliance 6 0 0 6 12

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Foster (one-yard run);
McFadden (85-yard second half kickoff return);
James (17-yard run);
Simon (30-yard run).
Alliance – Dailey (65-yard pass-run play from Zupanic); Ramsey (8-yard run).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Octavio Sirgo (Canton).
Umpire – Carl Spennard (Cuyahoga Falls).
Head Linesman – John Cseh (Akron).
Field Judge – Carl Emmerich (Cuyahoga Falls).

Attendance: 8,000
THE GRIDSTICK
Massillon Opp.
First downs – rushing 11 8
First downs – passing 1 5
First downs – penalties 2 0
Total first downs 14 13
Yards gained rushing 233 114
Yards lost rushing 0 35
Net yards gained rushing 233 79
Net yards gained passing 10 184
Total yards gained 343 263
Passes attempted 3 18
Passes completed 1 10
Passes intercepted by 0 1
Times kicked off 5 3
Kickoff average (yards) 54.5 42.3
Kickoff returns (yards) 107 160
Times punted 1 3
Punt average (yards) 12.0 32.3
Punt return (yards) 45 0
Fumbles 2 0
Lost fumbled ball 1 0
Penalties 5 8
Yards penalized 45 60
Touchdowns rushing 3 0
Touchdowns passing 0 1
Miscellaneous touchdowns 1 0
Total number of plays 49 59

Will Foster
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1966: Massillon 0, Mansfield 0

Bengals’ Streak Ended But All Isn’t Lost
Mansfield Plays Familiar Role As Massillon Spoiler

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

The Massillon Tiger is a proud creature by tradition. He is not prone to put his tail between his legs and slink away in the face of adversity. Instead, he bares his fangs and fights back all the harder.

The Bengals have come back 3 times before after having win streaks stopped by Mansfield to win state titles. The scoreless contest Friday night before 10,000 at Arlin field in Mansfield need not be the end. It can be the beginning of another string of Orange and Black conquests.
* * *

Program Cover

THE 30-GAME win streak stretching back to 1963 and starting with a 38-0 win over Mansfield is gone. But the unbeaten skein is still there.

Paul Brown’s 1937 Bengals had a 20-game affair ended via 6-6 entanglement with Mansfield but went on to an 8-1-1 season and a state title. Bud Houghton’s 1941 Obiemen had a 38-game string stopped 6-6 by Mansfield but went on to a 9-0-1 season and a state title, winning 13 more games before bowing in the 1962 finale under Elwood Kammer.

Chuck Mather’s 1948 team won a state championship with a 9-1 record and his 1949 squad, after having a 10-game streak stopped 16-12 by Mansfield, went on to a 9-1 season and a state title. His 1951 team and Tom Harp’s 154 units won crowns with 9-1 records. Leo Strang got one with a 10-1 slate in 1960.

For Mansfield, which will start its league season against Fremont next week, its effort Friday could send the Tygers on to a Buckeye conference title.

“This is the greatest team effort I’ve ever seen from any team in the country,” Gary Prahst, Tyger mentor, said. “We’re real happy. We consider it a win. I thought our team was just an average one going into this game. But this will make us. Massillon is a great team!”
* * *

MASSILLON COACH Bob Seaman said, ‘We had enough yardage to win – 50 more than last week – but 20 less points. We did a good job both offensively and defensively. Mansfield played a good game. They shut us off when they had to. Their pursuit killed us.”

Seaman wasn’t one to offer alibis but when a team has only one first string back in top condition, its attack is somewhat blunted. Quarterback Craig Maurer was on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Halfback Greg Evans is scheduled for surgery on a knee injury Monday in Massillon city hospital. Halfback Tommy James played with his hip still sore from an injury.
* * *

MANSFIELD’S tailback and top scorer, “Butch” Jefferson also was out with an ankle sprain.

“With him we could have gotten outside better,” Prahst said.

The Tigers out-gained Mansfield 190-95. Neither team threw much, missing on 3 passes each. Mansfield intercepted 2 Tiger aerials both late in the game.

“We gained 143 yards the first half and seemed to be moving the ball well so I felt we didn’t have to throw,” Seaman explained.

“We had planned on throwing the ball more but our defense held them. (We didn’t want to take any chances throwing the ball),” said Prahst.
* * *

BECAUSE NEITHER team threw often, a lot of time was used up as the Obiemen’s Will Foster and Mansfield’s Floyd Davis and Mike Swarn took turns pounding the tackles and guards for short yardage. There were almost no long punt returns as Massillon’s Jim Krenzer and Mansfield’s Dave Hallabrin took turns putting their opponents in the hole.

The furthest the Orange and Black got into Mansfield territory was the 29 after a 20-yard run by Foster. But time ran out in the first half.

Mansfield got to the Massillon 28 with 25 seconds left in the game. Swarn’s field goal attempt was wide left.

The Tygers had gotten there largely through the efforts of Shawn Madison, defensive halfback. He intercepted a 32-yard pass by Foster to 6-7 tackle Mike Sherrett on a tackle-eligible play and ran back to the Massillon 37.

Tigertown quarterback Kevin Henderson tried a desperation heave to sophomore halfback Mark McDew, taking Evans’ place, on the game’s final play. But halfback Jeff Koroknay intercepted the 28-yarder.
* * *

THE TIGERS had 2 costly 15-yard penalties. Both came in the second quarter. One set the Tigertowners back to their 42 from the Mansfield 43 when it looked like the Bengals were gaining momentum. The other put them on their own 16 with 1:50 left. Both were clipping infractions and came after good runs.

Twice Mansfield fumbles rolled ahead up to 8 yards and were recovered by the Tygers for first downs. Once, however, tackle Tom Houser picked up a bobble on the Massillon 42 to stop a thrust by Mansfield which got out of its own territory only once in the first half and got no further than the Tiger 37 in the second, except on the pass interception.

Massillon got out of its homeland only once in the second half, but 3 of 4 times it had the ball in the first.

Next stop for the Tigers on the road schedule, which has 2 games remaining, is Hartshorn field in Alliance next Friday.

The Bengals’ record is 2-0-1, Mansfield’s is the same.

MASSILLON – 0
Ends – Moyer, Smith, Sterling, Liggett, Gallion.
Tackles – Campbell, Snowball, Houser, Sherrett, Ricker.
Guards – Porrini, Russell, Neago, Hauenstein, Beiter, Ertle.
Centers – Senften, Kraft.
Quarterbacks – Henderson, Young, Malinowski.
Halfbacks – James, Simon, Fenton, McFadden, Evans, Hannon,
Muhlbach, McDew.
Fullbacks – Foster, Moore.
Punter – Krenzer.

MANSFIELD – 0
Ends – Alexander, Fraley, Blakley.
Tackles – Davis, Socea, Adams.
Guards – King, Shulko, Lowe, Gorrell.
Quarterbacks – Hallabrin, Wright.
Halfbacks – Madison, Koroknay, Johnson, Swarn.
Fullback – Davis.

Massillon 0 0 0 0 0
Mansfield 0 0 0 0 0

OFFICIALS
Referee – Stan Orzech (Cleveland),
Umpire – Clyde Newell (Westlake).
Head Linesman – Bill Holzwarth (Louisville).
Field Judge – Andy Moran (Berea).

Attendance – 10,000

STATISTICS
Massillon Opp.
First downs – rushing 10 7
First downs – passing 0 0
First downs – penalties 0 2
Total first downs 10 7
Yards gained rushing 200 117
Yards lost rushing 10 22
Net yards gained rushing 190 95
Net yards gained passing 0 0
Total yards gained 190 95
Passes attempted 3 3
Passes completed 0 0
Passes intercepted by 0 2
Yardage on passes intercepted 0 18
Times kicked off 1 1
Kickoff average (yards) 32.0 26.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 0 38
Times punted 0 7
Punt average (yards) 31.2 35.0
Punt return (yards) 0 13
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 2 5
Lost fumbled ball 0 1
Penalties 3 1
Yards penalized 35 15
Touchdowns rushing 0 0
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Total number of plays 34 32

Will Foster
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1966: Massillon 20, Cleveland Benedictine 6

Tigers Show Determination In Win

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

“We may have found ourselves a football team!”

Who said those words makes no difference. Someone yelled them amidst the happy scene in the Tiger stadium pressbox after Saturday’s game. That anonymous person put his finger right on the reason why Massillon’s 10-6 victory over Cleveland Benedictine could be of great importance before this season is over.
* * *

IT TAKES A LOT of guts to go out and fight to a victory after being behind 6-0 at halftime to a great team like the Bennies who out-gained the Tigers. Some teams would have fallen apart after battling to a scoreless tie until the last second of the first half only to have the opposition cross the goal line.

The Bengals just never gave up, even in the face of such adversity as having 2 first team backs – senior signal-caller, Craig Maurer and junior scatback Greg Evans – out of action.

The Tigers will meet Mansfield Senior Friday. If they use the inspiration gained from the nod over Benedictine the rest of the year, it could be the lever that will push them into a
22nd and third straight state title.

Field position, one of the most important aspects of the game, was never more graphically shown than Saturday night.

The Tigers never got past their 43-yard line in the first half and therefore, were unable to open up their game.

Meanwhile, the Massillon defense stopped the Bennies in Tiger territory each time Benedictine got the ball.
* * *

LINEBACKER Ron Ertle stopped Jim Betts, Bennie quarterback, on the Massillon 10 on one occasion. On another, junior halfback Trevor Young, one of the Tigers’ “bantam rooster” set, hopped on a Betts fumble on the Orange and Black’s 20 to east the pressure.

Other small men like Earl (Stump) Beiter and Doug White had their nights. Kevin Henderson, considerably more diminutive than Maurer, filled in well for the ailing signal-caller.

Benedictine’s score came after a 10-yard punt return by Larry Zelina, recovering from a shoulder injury but still playing a whale of a game. The Bossumen drove from the Tigers’ 41 in 4 plays with 31 seconds remaining in the half.
On the final play, Jim Betts, a sure bet for many post-season honors, hit 6-4 split end Dave Petschauer in the right corner of the end zone. Petschauer, a senior and a basketball player only until this season, leaped up like a cager getting a lead pass for a tip-in and took the ball away from 2 Tiger defenders. A fumble on the ensuing snap halted the conversion try.

The Tigers came out fired up in the second half and took control of the game, holding Benedictine behind its 30 for the entire second half.

Harley Dickinson, still another of the Tigers’ little set – none stand over 5-9 or weight more than 157 – did some terrific punting to go along with senior fullback Will Foster’s booming kickoff’s. The defense kept Benedictine there, led by senior Co-Captains Dave Gallion and Ron Muhlbach.
* * *

OFFENSIVE Co-Captains Foster and senior halfback Tommy James put the oomph in the offense and Foster also played outstandingly on defense.

Foster drilled through the Benedictine line like an auger boring through the side of a mountain. He averaged about 4 yards a try unofficially, with Bennie players hanging all over him.

Foster, almost single-handedly, accounted for 2 Tiger TD’s. Will ran 8 of 10 plays in a TD drive, blasting over left guard from the one on fourth down with 5:09 left in the third period. Henderson faked to Foster and romped around the left end to put Massillon ahead 8-6.

Bill Simon, junior halfback filling in for Evans, helped the drive considerably when he took a handoff on a fake and circled right end for 16 yards to put the ball on the 6 with first down.

John McFadden, a senior safety, grabbed a Zelina punt 4 plays after the Tigers’ score and returned it 12 yards. Following a personal foul step-off to the Bennie’s 37, James hauled a pitchout to the 23, shaking off a couple of tacklers. Two plays later, on second down from the 10, Simon was all alone in the left corner of the end zone but Henderson overshot the mark.
* * *

ON THE FIRST play of the last stanza, it was “TJ for the TD.” Henderson, who did some fine belly faking during the night, pitched to James who scored from the 7 on third down. The clock showed 11:54 left as junior halfback Russ Fenton subbing for James who pulled a muscle running into the fence on the touchdown scamper, was short to the left with a pitchout on the conversion run.

Junior end Keith Griffin and senior halfback Howard (Skeeter) Hannon – still another diminutive Tiger – tackled Bill Rini on the 20 to keep Benedictine behind the 8 ball. On Massillon’s next punt, Dickinson and junior tackle Bill Snowball hit Zelina on the 14 to keep up the pressure.

Massillon got its final TD when Foster intercepted a pass on the Bennies’ 30 with 1:51 remaining and ran back to the 9 before being bumped out of bounds. Beiter had hit Betts with both senior tackle Mike Sherrett and senior end Mike Kraft tipping the pass.

Foster rammed to the 3 and one on successive plays then went off right tackle and in standing up for the final score with 40 seconds remaining. Fenton caught a pass to the right from Henderson but missed getting the conversion by a gnat’s eyelash.

Bossu summed up the Benedictine situation when he said, “We hurt ourselves in coming up with penalties which kept us from getting into field position in the second half. Massillon had a much harder running game in the second half. They’re a typical tough Tiger team.”
* * *

MASSILLON Coach Bob Seaman said, “We just got beat to the punch in the first half. At halftime I told the team I came here to win. We blocked well in the second half. Our tackles hit out better. We had field position in the second half but not in the first.”

When asked why he didn’t pass in the first half, Seaman explained, “I’m not going to put the ball in the air on our side of the 50.”

Seaman thought his defense did “an outstanding job.” He added, “This game helped us mentally.

Massillon has now won 2 straight this year and 30 in a row since 1963. Benedictine is 1-1 on the season and had a 10-game winning streak stopped.

The Tigers will make the first of 3 straight road trips Friday. The Mansfield trek will be followed by jaunts to Alliance and Niles.

BENEDICTINE – 6
Ends – Petschauer, Strazinsky, Smith, Grimm.
Tackles – Bucci, Forro, Roberson, Palsa, Mauser.
Guards – Bossu, Sejnowski, Czech, Mack, Okonek.
Center – Erlenback.
Quarterbacks – Betts, Ferko.
Halfbacks – Rini, Sadd, Russ, Zelina,
Fullbacks – Siracusa.

MASSILLON – 20
Ends – Moyer, Smith, Gallion, Liggett, Griffin, Sterling.
Tackles – Houser, Snowball, Campbell, Ricker, Sherrett, Turley.
Guards – Porrini, Russell, Neago, Ertle, Hauenstein, Beiter, White.
Centers – Senften, Skelton.
Quarterbacks – Henderson, Young.
Halfbacks – James, Simon, Fenton, Hannon, McFadden.
Fullbacks – Foster, Moore.

Benedictine 0 6 0 0 6
Massillon 0 0 8 12 20

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Foster 2 (both one-yard runs), James (8-yard run).
Benedictine – Petschauer (15-yard pass from Betts).

Extra Points: Henderson 2 (run)

THE GRIDSTICK
Massillon Opp.
First downs – rushing 7 5
First downs – passing 0 4
First downs – penalties 1 0
Total first downs 8 9
Yards gained rushing 152 103
Yards lost rushing 12 19
Net yards gained rushing 140 84
Net yards gained passing 0 82
Total yards gained 140 166
Passes completed 0-2 8-13
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 18 0
Times kicked off 4 1
Kickoff average (yards) 55.5 53.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 14 64
Punt average (yards) 6-33.2 6-37.3
Punt return (yards) 28 29
Fumbles 1 3
Lost fumbled ball 1 1
Penalties 3 6
Yards penalized 15 57
Touchdowns rushing 3 0
Touchdowns passing 0 1
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Total number of plays 52 52

OFFICIALS
Referee – Octavio Sirgo (Canton).
Umpire – Bobby Brown (Parma).
Head Linesman – Jerry Katheran (Cleveland).
Field Judge – Sam DiBlasi (Canton).

ATTENDANCE: 14,369

Will Foster
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1966: Massillon 32 vs. Canton Lincoln 14

Tigers Dump Lions 32-14 In Opener

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

Charles Dickens would have felt right at home at Tiger stadium Friday night. As he once said, ‘It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”

Massillon’s Tigers got off on the right foot in quest of a third straight state championship even if the step was a little shaky. The Bengals stopped Canton Lincoln’s Lions 32-14 before one of the largest opening night crowds ever, 13,431.
* * *

Program Cover

THE BATTLE of the felines was the second game of the first double bill ever presented at the stadium. Marion Catholic and Dover St. Joseph, 1965 state Class A powers, battled in the opener with Marion winning 8-6.

Massillon played turnabout ball, jumping ahead 20-0 at the half, and was outscored 14-12 in the second. Total yardage also went in the opposite direction: from 228-66 in Massillon’s favor before the intermission to 120-92 in Lincoln’s favor afterwards, as did the number of plays, 30-28 to 26-16.

Tiger Coach Bob Seaman making his debut as the Bengals stretched their win streak to 29, thought complacency might have had a great deal to do with the poor second half. “When you put points on the board with 4 seconds to go in the first half, you’re bound to relax a bit in the second.”

Lou Venditti, who might have his finest team in his 6 years at Lincoln, was “proud of the kids coming back after being down 20-0.”

Venditti thought his team was hurt by 2 bad mental errors and a fumble at the wrong time. There was one mental error and 3 bad breaks which hurt the Tigers, to say nothing of numerous penalties.
* * *

MASSILLON SCORED first when junior halfback Greg Evans went off left tackle from
33 yards out on second and 8 with 9:35remaining in the welcome quarter. The drive covered 74 yards in 5 plays after the opening kickoff. It featured 2 first downs and a big run by Evans over right tackle off a pitch, which carried from the Tiger 29 to the Lincoln 35.

Senior Craig Maurer, quarterback, missed on a rollout for the conversion.

The next time Massillon had the ball a 40-yard run by Evans was nullified by a clipping penalty.

Midway in the first quarter, Lincoln threatened following Jim Krenzer’s punt from the end zone after the Obiemen were put into reverse gear by motion and clipping penalties, 2 of 16 on the night for 115 yards.

On the first play following the punt, Lincoln’s senior signal-caller Tom Smith, who was to have a great second half, rolled out, scampered from the Tigers’ 34 to the 21 and fumbled. Gigantic Mike Sherrett, Massillon’s 6-7, 251-pound senior tackle, recovered, or as Venditti said, the game might have been different.

As the second quarter got underway, it appeared the Orange and Black were on the way for a second score. With second and
(line of copy missing)
Massillon 37 to the Lincoln 47 with the next punt and the Washington high eleven was on the way to its second score. Seven plays and 3 first downs later, senior fullback Will Foster went over left tackle from the 7 with 3:41 left. Foster made it 14-0 on the same play.

The Tigers scored again just as time ran out in the first half. Maurer threw the “bomb” to Evans on second and 5 from the 50 with 4 seconds remaining. The little jackrabbit grabbed the pigskin on the 5 and went in on the first of the Lion mental errors. Foster found the center too tough for the conversion.

Lincoln started on its comeback rampage immediately after the second half kickoff. Smith started to run wild on the keeper, spelled at intervals by junior halfback John Franzone and junior fullback Greg Wentz. The drive started on the Lions’ 33, carried for 67 yards and 5 first downs.

Franzone got the score with 7:17 left in the third canto. He shot off left tackle on first and 10 from the Tigers’ 28. Smith hit junior end Bruce Fowler in the left side of the end zone to make it 20-8.

As the quarter was about to come to an end, Krenzer dropped back from the Tigers’ 19 to punt and found his attempted boot blocked, giving Lincoln the ball on the 14. In 6 plays Bengal fans were starting to squirm.
* * *

WITH FOURTH and 2 on the 6, Smith hit senior end Scott Ricketts in the right section of the end zone with 10:03 ;left in the goodbye chapter. Seaman said a linebacker incorrectly heard the coverage call. Junior linebacker Hoyt Skelton, junior tackle Bill Ricker and senior middle Earle (Stump) Beiter brought Smith crashing to the turf short of the conversion.

A wounded Tiger is dangerous and the Obiemen poured on the steam. Evans ran back 33 yards. Tommy (Scooter) James, senior halfback, rode the wave of excellent blocking on power sweeps off the pitch on almost every play in the ensuing 6-play, 4-first down, 57-yard scoring drive.

“Tailspin Tommy” tallied from the 23 on second and 4. He took 2 steps to the right, shot back over left guard and it was “TJ for the TD.” Evans failed to get the conversion on a pitchout.

A once-in-a-lifetime occurrence cropped up next. Foster kicked off out of bounds on the one. His repeat boot after 5-yard penalty sailed into the end zone. A Lion back forgot to recover the ball and sophomore Marc Malinowski, up from Lorin Andrews junior high, pounced on the swinehide for a score.

Maurer missed the conversion on the keeper for the second time during the night.
* * *

BUT LINCOLN wasn’t through driving from the Massillon 43, after a short kickoff by Mike Gipp, to the Tigers’ 5, a distance of 52 yards.

There junior linebacker Ron Ertle brought Smith down on a fake pass and run on fourth and 6 to halt the scoring attempt. Franzone and Wentz were the big boys on the 3-first down drives.

A freak play cropped up along the way. Fowler caught a pass from Smith after it bounced around off several hands including those of at least 3 Tiger defenders. The play carried from the Lincoln 49 to the Massillon 26.

Massillon will play host to Cleveland Benedictine next Saturday.

LINCOLN – 14
Ends – Ricketts, Fowler, Sanderson.
Tackles – Christy, Hastings, Predisik.
Guards – Myers, McVehfl.
Center – Wernecke.
Quarterbacks – Smith, Best.
Halfbacks – Flinn, Franzone, Breslin, McCoul.
Fullbacks – Wentz, Behm.

MASSILLON – 32
Ends – Moyer, Smith, Sterling, Gallion, Griffin, Richards.
Tackles – Houser, Snowball, Ricker, Turley, Sherrett, Martin.
Guards – Hausenstein, Russell, Ertle, Beiter, Porrini, White.
Centers – Senften, Skelton, Kraft.
Quarterbacks – Maurer, Young, Henderson, Malinowski.
Halfbacks – James, Evans, Hannon, Fenton, McFadden, Muhlbach.
Fullbacks – Foster, Gipp.
Punter – Krenzer.

Lincoln 0 0 8 6 14
Massillon 6 14 0 12 32

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Evans (33-yard run and 35- yard pass from Maurer),
Foster (7-yard run),
James (23-yard run),
Malinowski (recovered kickoff in end zone).
Lincoln – Franzone (28-yard run), Smith (6-yard pass from Ricketts).

Extra points:
Massillon – Foster 2 (run).
Lincoln – Fowler 2 (pass from Smith).

Attendance: 13,431.

OFFICIALS
Referee – Jack McLain (Columbus).
Umpire – Bill Holzwarth (Louisville).
Head Linesman – Bud Shopbell (Canton).
Field Judge – John Dalrymple (Akron).

THE GRIDSTICK
Massillon Opp.
First downs – rushing 13 6
First downs – passing 1 3
First downs – penalties 0 2
Total first downs 14 11
Yards gained rushing 286 144
Yards lost rushing 1 6
Net yards gained rushing 285 138
Net yards gained passing 35 48
Total yards gained 320 186
Passes attempted 1 12
Passes completed 1 5
Passes intercepted by 0 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 0 0
Times kicked off 5 3
Kickoff average (yards) 47.0 41.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 41 58
Times punted 5 4
Punt average (yards) 26.5 37.5
Punt return (yards) 29 2
Had punts blocked 1 0
Fumbles 1 1
Lost fumbled ball 0 1
Penalties 16 3
Yards penalized 115 18
Touchdowns rushing 3 1
Touchdowns passing 1 1
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Number of plays 46 54

Will Foster
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1965: Massillon 18, Canton McKinley 14

Tiger Rally Repels Bulldogs 18-14
Real Champs Fight Back!

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

“That’s the mark of a real champion!”

Those words might have been uttered by a Massillon football fan. They might have been pronounced by a Washington high school coach. They might have been written by this reporter.

But they weren’t. That’s why they mean so much more today to one of the most terrific bunch of boys ever to wear the famous orange and black garb of the Tigers.

Following the Bengals’ 18-14 come-from-behind victory over Canton McKinley Saturday at Fawcett stadium in Canton before a standing-room only crowd of 22,326. Jim Smith, coach at Lake high school in Hartville, uttered the words which lead off this story. He paid the supreme compliment to the Obiemen through veteran assistant Carl (Ducky) Schroeder.

Program Cover

* * * * *
THE TIGERS convinced one outsider that they deserve to wear the Ohio high school crown. And maybe they convinced more around the state. Whether they did or not cannot be known until Tuesday when the final wire service polls come out.

But the Brucemen convinced all the Tiger fans watching at Fawcett that they deserved to wear a second straight crown. Any team which can be down 14 points at half time to a fired-up, superbly coached, hard-hitting team like McKinley and come back to win -–for the third time this season—certainly deserves to be called a champion.

The other 2 times the Orange and Black turned the tide was against equally tough Steubenville and Warren teams. This trio of feats will be etched in the memories of the Tiger faithful forever.

The 1965 season truly saw a superb team effort on the part of the players. Each did his part. Each came to the fore time and again during a 10-game slate, which had more pressure-packed moments than an old-time movie serial.

The win Saturday gave Massillon an undefeated season in 10 games, 28 consecutive victories, 9 in a row over McKinley and a third straight title in the All-American high school football league. The Bengals have not lost a league contest since the circuit’s inception in 1963.

For Coach Earle Bruce it was a 43rd straight unbeaten game, counting the August all-star game. He now has a 3-1 record at Fawcett, having split 2 games there with Canton Timken while at Salem.
* * * * *
FOR THE thousands of fans who watched via television Saturday, it must have been like seeing a replay of an old movie on the late-late show for this year’s game came close to being a carbon copy of last year’s. The Tigers beat McKinley 20-14 at Tiger stadium in 1964.

This time, however, the WHS eleven started its comeback earlier, not waiting for the last quarter to roll around. Quarterback Dave Sheegog, playing in his final high school game, got his mates started with a 24-yard run-back of the second half kickoff to his 34-yard line.

The Tigers moved in for a score in 11 plays, finally getting their deadly, ground-gobbling, time-consuming offense into high gear. “Sweet Walter” Lemon, another senior, picked up 16 yards in 5 plays on the drive with Sheegog and junior Tommy James also in on the effort.

The touchdown came after a first down procedure penalty had set Massillon back to the McKinley 39. Sheegog handed to James on the trip up the middle and “the Scooter” was “Gone With the Wind.” He cut back to his left and scurried for payoff territory, arriving with 6:05 left in the third period. A fumble nullified the conversion attempt.

With almost 6 precious minutes chopped off the clock in the scoring soiree, McKinley attempted to get a drive going following the kickoff. But 3 plays later it was “TJ for the TD” again.

Bulldog quarterback Larry Haines attempted a pass with second down on his 33. James intercepted on the 40, went down the left sideline and scored with 5:14 remaining in the period. Another fumble aborted the conversion try.

The Bengals forced a punt on the next series as linebacker Paul Marks threw Haines for a 10-yard loss on third down. Sheegog ran back 31 yards with the boot to the McKinley 24. But a penalty and 2 incomplete passes halted the drive on the 24.

It looked as if McKinley were about to come charging back. Their outstanding fullback Larry Clayton went booming off right tackle for 28 yards to the Massillon 48 with Paige making a desperation tackle to save a score. Four more plays put the pigskin on the 35.

* * * * *
THEN SHEEGOG intercepted another pass on what McKinley Coach Ron Chismar called the key play of the game. Massillon then drove 76 yards in 13 plays for the winning score. Most important about this drive was that it clipped 8 minutes off the clock allowing too little time for McKinley to rebound. This was about the umpteenth time that the Tiger trademark of 1965, possession ball, had paid off. It couldn’t have come at any better time.

Lemon, Sheegog, Foster and James all had a hand in the assualt. Lemon had an 8-yard run, Sheegog a pair of 8’s and Foster an 11.

It was Foster who came up with what Bruce thought was the key play and so did all of the Tiger fans. Massillon had fourth down on the 17. Sheegog was about to be trapped on a pass-run when (name unreadable) out a low clothes line. Foster made a swan dive on the 9 and came up with the ball. Umpire Tony Pianowski immediately signaled a legal catch.

Foster blasted through the middle to the 3 and over, off left tackle, in successive plays with 2 minutes remaining. Sheegog tried to hit Paige for the conversion but Rick couldn’t hold it.

But the heart-throbs weren’t to stop. McKinley, showing the great stuff it is made of, continued to fight, moving the kickoff to the 29 after a 23-yard runback by Mathews to the 25.

With third down on the 27, Haines hit end Ed Hinton on the 39. Then Haines faded to pass, slipped and went down on the 29 with Mike (Big Boy) Sherrett on top of him.

* * * * *

THE NEXT PLAY saw Haines fade again. This time Marks picked off the fourth McKinley pass of the day, more than in any other game for the Tigers. Massillon took over on the Bulldog 46 and ran out the clock.

Unlike in the second half, McKinley was in command in the first period. Hopped up like a horse on loco weed, the Pups rammed away for 2 quick TD’s before the startled Tigers knew what had hit them and it looked as if an upset were in the making.

Half Fred Mathews was the star here. He ran the opening kickoff back 44 yards to the Massillon 48. Although there is no intent to play down a fine performance by Mathews, it has to be stated that a couple of Tiger defenders slipped in the mud just about the time they were going to haul Mathews down.

He picked up 40 more yards on the drive, the payoff coming on a 32-yard pass-run combination with Haines on the propelling end. The down was third and the time remaining 9:40. Greek-born George Fronimo booted the extra point soccer style in stocking feet.

The Tigers got a 20-yard runback to the 30 by Sheegog. But then disaster struck Sheegog, passing into the teeth of a strong wind, saw his aerial hold up short. Mathews hauled down the errant toss on the McKinley 35 after a frantic effort by Paige to bat it away and
hot-footed it to the Massillon 43 for 22 yards on another fabulous return. Eight plays later the Bulldogs had their second score and it looked like curtains for the Bengals.

* * * * *
WITH CLAYTON carrying the ball 5 times and picking up 25 yards, the Bulldogs got their next TD with 4:15 left in the welcome frame as Haines sneaked in from the one. Fronimo again connected on a conversion kick.

Mathews had a key third down pass reception for 6 yards on the Tiger 21. Clayton brought the ball to scoring distances by bursting through the center on successive plays to shake off tacklers and travel from the 21 to the 3.

Sheegog ran back the kickoff to the Massillon 34, a distance of 24 yards. But on the first play, Bill Knucklos recovered a Bengal fumble on the Massillon 37.

The Brucemen then stopped the Bulldogs’ drive on the Massillon 32 and the Pups got into Massillon territory only once the rest of the game.

The remaining seconds of the first period and all of the second were a standoff. McKinley had the ball for only 9 plays in the second canto. Massillon’s deepest penetration was to the 21 just before the half ended.

The Obiemen had 2 drives going, one for 6:30 and the other for 4:15. Junior “monster” back Ron Muhlbach intercepted a pass to start one thrust. The Tigers failed to make it once on a fourth down play and got bogged down by 3 procedure penalties the other time.

Chismar said after the game that he thought Massillon had a “great football team.” He said the difference between the 2 halves of play was Bruce’s throwing ‘junk” at the Bulldogs in the first half and playing his normal game in the second.

* * * * *
BRUCE confirmed Chismar’s statement about using a lot of odds and ends in the first half. He felt that his team did a better job of rushing the passer in the second half, which helped cut down on the effectiveness of the Bulldogs’ passing.

When asked what it was he said at half time to fire up the Tigers, Bruce replied, “Go Get them!” He added, “That old Massillon tradition of coming back is hard to beat.”

Chismar commented on his passing in the second half by saying that broken patterns were involved when James intercepted for a TD and Sheegog pilfered to start the drive for the winning score.

“They wouldn’t have scored if it hadn’t been for that,” Chismar said.

Chismar, a fine sportsman, refused to say that the absence of speedster Darryl Rippey hurt. “Elbert Bradley did a fine job of filling in,” he said. “I cannot take anything away from him.”

Tiger defensive backfield Coach John Behling explained the reason for the Bengals’ trouble in covering passes in the first quarter. “The boys couldn’t hear their cover calls,” he said.

The Lineups. . .

MASSILLON – 19
Ends – Paige, B. Williams, McGuire, Gallion, Griffin.
Tackles – Hartley, Neago, Petroff, Sherrett.
Guards – Rose, Whitified, Kraft, Richards, Zorger.
Centers – Marks, F. Williams, Ehmer.
Quarterbacks – Sheegog, Doolittle.
Halfbacks – Lemon, James, Muhlbach, Smith, Healy, McFadden, McLendon.
Fullbacks – Foster, Manson.

McKINLEY – 14
Ends – Ring, Snell, March, Hinton.
Tackles, Scott, Adamski, Rushe.
Guards – Robinson, Hall, Nucklos, Shimek.
Centers – D’Antonio, McEwen.
Quarterback – Haines.
Halfbacks – Mathews, Bradley, Johnson.
Fullbacks – Clayton, Dickerson.

Score by Quarters:
Massillon ………….. 0 0 12 6 – 18
McKinley………….. 14 0 0 0 – 14

Touchdowns:
Massillon – James 2 (39-yard run and 40-yard pass interception return);
Foster (3-yard run).
McKinley – Mathews (23-yard pass-run from Haines);
Haines (one-yard sneak).

Extra points:
McKinley – Fronimo 2 (placekicks).

OFFICIALS:
Referee – George Ellis (Akron).
Umpire – Tony Pianowski (Cleveland).
Head Linesman – Branton Kirk (New Philadelphia).
Field Judge – Tom Ascani (Canton).

Attendance: 22,326

Statistics . . .

Statistics
Mass. McKin.
First downs—rushing 10 7
First downs—passing 3 3
First downs—penalties 0 0
Total first downs 13 10
Yards gained rushing 165 153
Yards lost rushing 2 29
Net yards gained rushing 183 124
Net yards gained passing 43 60
Total yards gained 226 184
Passes attempted 12 11
Passes completed 4 4
Passes intercepted by 4 1
Yardage on passes intercepted 42 27
Times kicked off 4 3
Kickoff average (yards) 45.0 49
Kickoff returns (yards) 65 63
Times punted 1 1
Punt average (yards) 40.0 29
Punt returns (yards) 28 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 1 2
Lost fumbled ball 1 0
Penalties 5 1
Yards penalized 25 15
Touchdowns rushing 2 1
Touchdowns passing 0 1
Touchdowns by interception 1 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Total number of plays 38 31

 

Dave Whitfield
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1965: Massillon 18, Eastlake North 0

‘Beat McKinley Week’ Kicked Off
Eastlake Sunk 18-0 By Bengals; Undefeated Tigers Coast to 9th Win

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

“Beat McKinley!”

The squad room in the Washington high dressing quarters at Tiger stadium was lined with signs which welcomed the Tigers in that manner as they came off the gridiron following Friday night’s game. Leaflets floated down from the roof at the end of the game with the same message.

And you know the Bengals were thinking ahead to next Saturday’s game at Canton when they closed their home season with an 18-0 “Dad’s Night” victory over Willoughby Eastlake North. It was expected there would be a letdown.

Program Cover

But even so when you pick up a total of 335 yards and limit the opposition to 133 and register 20 first downs to the foe’s 6, you’ve done a pretty fair night’s work. And when you score 5 touchdowns – even though losing 2 – while holding an opponent scoreless, there can’t be many complaints.

A CROWD of 11,141 watched the Orange and Black roll to its ninth straight victory and its 27th over a 4-season span. The Obiemen’s 22nd consecutive win at home gave the Bengals their third-longest win steak in their history.

For Coach Earle Bruce it was 42 victories without a loss, including the August all-star game. Bruce has been tied 3 times since his string started in 1960 at Sandusky.

The loss for Eastlake was its second in 9 games.

The Tiger victory came as the result of good possession football. The Tigertowners ate up a lot of real estate and a lot of time during the 3 drives in which they scored and the 2 in which they just missed the mark.

It was a game, which saw almost as many different backfields for the Earlemen as the locks on the dressing room lockers have combinations. In fact, Bruce said afterwards, “I was really confused. I was never sure of who was in the backfield and what play to run.”

The cause of the confusion was the absence of “Sweet Walter” Lemon, senior left half, who had a bad ankle. Bruce switched junior right half Tommy James to Lemon’s spot. Junior Will Foster moved from fullback to right half, Senior Tri-Captain Terry Manson was back at fullback after several weeks’ absence due to an injured knee.

Before the game was over, Bruce had used senior Rick Healy, who for the first time Friday didn’t have to punt, at left half – a position at which he started the year, before shifting to split end. He had also used junior John McFadden and sophomore Greg Evans in that spot and sophomore Bill Simon at fullback.

* * * * *
IT WAS EVANS who surprised. Playing his first varsity game, he scored 2 of the Bengals’ touchdowns and picked up quite a few yards, prompting Eastlake Coach Vic McIntire to tab him as “slippery” and Bruce to laud him for a job well done.

Bruce also was happy with Foster’s power running and McIntire said: “He really ran over us.” Foster carried unofficially 22 times for 154 yards which averages out to 7 yards a try. He “missed” 3 touchdowns.

The Obiemen took over after Eastlake’s first punt and scored on a 15-play, 65-yard drive, which almost was short-circuited before it got started but was helped along by a face mask penalty. Foster got 24 yards on the drive but James got the big romp of 23 fourth downs yards to the 2-yard line for a first down.

It took the Bengals the full 4 plays to score with Sheegog faking to Manson and circling left end for the score with 3:16 remaining after the 6-minute, 48-second drive.

Foster failed to run the conversion.

The Tigers held Eastlake at their 47 after some fine running by fullback Al Lunder and halfback Damon Infalvi. Sheegog ran the punt back 25 yards to his 35 but the Earlemen were guilty of clipping.

The WHS eleven then hammered out a 92-yard drive for their second score. A big play was a 44-yard charge up the middle by Foster on which he might have gone all the way but tripped over one of his blockers and fell at the Eastlake 39. He totaled 58 yards on this drive.

End Rick Paige caught a 14-yard pass on the Eastlake 23 to change a fourth down into first. Eight plays later Evans shot off right tackle from the 2 on first down to cross pay dirt with 6:10 remaining in the second stanza. A pass to Paige for the conversion misfired.

The drive took 11 plays and wiped 6 minutes off the clock after starting with 10 second left in the first period.

Infalvi ran the kickoff back 31 yards only to fumble on his 49. James hopped on the ball and the Tigers set sail for the golden shores again. But this push was to be ill-fated.

* * * * *
TWELVE PLAYS and 4:03 later Foster fumbled into the end zone from the one after picking up 20 yards on this drive. Eastlake junior safety Bill Kettunen recovered for a touchback.

Eastlake took over with 1:57 left in the half and drove to the Massillon 23 before being thrown back to the 29 on a broken pass play as time ran out. Two beautiful pass plays highlighted the quest. One was a pass-run combination from Kettunen to junior halfback Bob Terrill that went down the middle for 39 yards to the 50. The second was a 27-yarder to the left from the 50 with the same combination involved.

The Tigers took the second half kickoff and moved 71 yards in 16 plays with 8:22 going by the board and Foster picking up 26 yards. Evans started things off with a 27-yard runback to the Bengal 39.

Evans took a pitchout from Sheegog and rounded the left side on third down from the 6 for the score with 3:23 remaining in the third episode. Another pass to Paige on the conversion was incomplete.

Again Eastlake was forced to punt. Sheegog ran the Rangers’ offering back 28-yards to Eastlake’s 42. In 10 plays, Massillon almost scored again. Foster went over from the one but holding was detected setting the Orange and Black back to the 16 from where their effort was halted. Another 3:57 had ticked off with the game now 2 ½ minutes into the good-bye frame.

Eastlake was forced to punt again shortly thereafter. Massillon came back to the Ranger 39 but Foster fumbled. Terry Collins recovered and the Rangers went on their last safari of the evening on which Lunder got a big 16-yard trap run up the middle for a first down on the Massillon 34.

The Drive got as far as the 24 but was reversed to the 25 by Tiger defenders from where Massillon took over and ran out the clock.

* * * * *
AFTER THE GAME, Bruce felt his team didn’t “look sharp all around.” He admitted that “team morale was low” and didn’t think the blocking was real good. “You don’t get that many boys hurt when you’re hitting.” (The Bengals came out with a lot of bumps and bruises, which don’t appear to be serious.)

Bruce lauded James for “sacrificing for the team” by switching away from his normal right half slot to the left side.

The Tigers’ ringmaster praised Eastlake for being a “well-coached team” and doing a “real good job.” He thought Lunder did some outstanding work from his fullback position.

McIntire was unhappy with the work of the striped shirts, saying he thought they overlooked some of the little things.”

He said he didn’t think Sheegog had hurt the Rangers as much as he had other teams but admitted he “fakes you out of your pants.” McIntire was happy with the performance of Lunder although “I should have run him more but we didn’t have the ball enough.”
STATISTICS
Mass. Opp.
First downs—rushing 18 4
First downs—passing 2 2
First downs—penalties 0 0
Total first downs 20 6
Yards gained rushing 306 76
Yards lost rushing 4 19
Net yards gained rushing 302 57
Net yards gained passing 33 76
Total yards gained 335 133
Passes attempted 6 9
Passes completed 2 4
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 15 0
Times kicked off 4 1
Kickoff average (yards) 43.6 49
Kickoff returns (yards) 18 65
Times punted 0 4
Punt average (yards) 0 36
Punt returns (yards) 24 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 4 1
Lost fumbled ball 2 1
Penalties 2 2
Yards penalized 25 30
Touchdowns rushing 3 0
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Total number of plays 71 37

EASTLAKE – 0
Ends – Kirschensteiner, Spots, Collins.
Tackles – Carter, Flavin, Gilmour, Schimmelman.
Guards – Wank, Brendt, Yee.
Center – McGlew.
Quarterbacks – Kettunen, Kuchenbecker.
Halfbacks – Terrill, Beuhner, Haworth, Fawcett, Infalvi, Murton.
Fullback – Lunder.

MASSILLON – 18
Ends – Paige, McGuire, Gallion, Griffin.
Tackles – Hartley, Neago, Sherrett, Petroff, Campbell, Skelton.
Guards – Richards, Rose, Whitifield, Kraft.
Centers – Marks, F. Williams, Ehmer.
Quarterbacks – Sheegog, Doolittle.
Halfbacks – James, Foster, Healy, McLendon, McFedden, Evans, Smith.
Fullbacks – Manson, Reed, Simon.

Score by Quarters:
Massillon…………… 6 6 6 0 –18

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Sheegog (one-yard run); Evans 2 (2 and 6-yard runs).

Attendance: 11,141.

OFFICIALS:
Referee – John Dairymple (Akron).
Umpire – Russ Kemper (Cincinnati).
Head Linesman – Bill Makepeace (Cincinnati).
Field Judge – Chuck Lorenze (New Philadelphia).

Dave Whitfield
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1965: Massillon 16, Warren Harding 12

Alert Tigers Turn Back Warren
Fumble Recovery Halts Late Panther Drive; Massillon Wins 16-12

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

It was a couple of days early for Halloween but the Massillon faithful must have had the biggest scare Friday night since the “Headline Horseman” spooked Ichabod Crane out of Sleepy Hollow and into limbo.

But just when things looked the gravest, Tiger senior defensive tackle Dick Hartley became the “Wizard of Oz” for the Bengals, breaking the spell of the “Wicked Witch of the East.” Big No. 74 pounced on a Warren fumble, which hopped loose on an attempted second down reverse play on the Massillon 10, and stopped what looked like a winning touchdown drive for a tremendous Warren Harding Black Panther squad.

Hartley’s recovery gave the Washington high eleven a 16-12 victory at Tiger stadium. That play may have won the state championship for the Tigers and lost it for the Panthers as the season’s biggest crowd 19,567, looked on.

* * * * *

Program Cover

WARREN FANS will probably discuss Friday’s game as long and loud as they debated the famous “clock contest” which Massillon won here 20-14 in 1957. Two Warren coaches came charging onto the field after referee Bud Shopbell following his ruling that Massillon recovered the key fumble but there was no doubt or hesitation on Shopbell’s part.

Warren fans might debate their Coach Bill Shunkwiler’s reverse call. But as Massillon mentor Earle Bruce said, “It worked before but I can’t say it was the wrong call…I don’t know his club. I’m glad he ran it, though.”

When asked whether he thought Hartley had recovered the fumble, “Bruce said, “No. 74 was on the ball. That was the only thing I saw all night.”

It was top-ranked Masillon’s eighth straight victory of the season, 26th in a row, 21st straight at home and Bruce’s 41st consecutive win, counting the August high school all-star game. It was the first loss in 8 games for the third-ranked Panthers.

Massillon has now won 30 of 41 games played against Warren. One ended in a tie.

Shunkwiler had no comment afterward but it was certain he was not happy with the officiating.

Bruce, on the other hand, had plenty to say. First he praised his opponent highly. “Warren did a great job. They had some real clutch plays. They have a great passer in Wireman (Vern) and an outstanding receiver in Franklin (Marv). Wireman hurt us on his bootleg passes.”

Then the “Earle of Tigertown” turned to his own team. “We ran well but did nothing else well. Our pass defense was the worst it’s been all season. The play of the secondary was not good. I thought for sure it (the multiple win string) was gone tonight.”

WARREN had the best of it statistic-wise but not on the scoreboard where it counts. The Tigers out-rushed the Panthers 233-176 but Warren out-passed Massillon 144-0, completing 7 of 10 to the Tigers’ none for 2. Total yardage was 320-233 in Warren’s favor. The Panthers had 17 first downs to the Obiemen’s 12 although the Bengals’ first downs by rushing were 10 to Warrens’ 12.

It was a game of breaks for both sides. There were other fumbles besides the key fourth quarter miscue along with intercepted passes and penalties, which played a part in the outcome.

The Tigers have to be given a pat on the back for winning 4 games such as they have been called on to win during the last quartet of weeks. It isn’t often that a team beats three of the first five teams in the state and the best in Pennsylvania, all undefeated, one right after the other. It would be little wonder if the Orange and Black were exhausted physically.

Massillon scored only once in the first half but had several opportunities short-circuited on fumbles and intercepted passes. The first time the Bengals got their hands on the ball they drove from the Warren 46-yard line, following Dave Sheegog’s 14-yard punt runback, to the Panthers’ 38. But junior Frank Thomas recovered a fumble on the Panthers’ 33.

The Bengals forced the Panthers to punt and followed with their first score after fumbling Allen Anderson’s punt. It took the Obiemen only 9 plays to cross into pay dirt.

FULLBACK Will Foster had the big play a 50-yard romp through the center to Warren’s 17. Halfback Cesar Aulizio made a desperation tackle.

Foster then took a pitch to the left and rolled to the 5. Walter Lemon rammed to the one and Foster took the pigskin over after a fake to Lemon with 3:11 remaining in the first quarter. Sheegog tossed to “Sweet Walter” on a corner cut to the left for the conversion.

Following the kickoff, Warren moved to Massillon’s 34 but was forced to punt. Anderson got a bad snap from center, had to run and didn’t make it.

The Tigers went on the prowl again but with first down on Warren’s 30, the picture changed abruptly again as a Sheegog pass was intercepted by Nelveton Butler on the 4.

Bruce said of this pass, “They crashed 2 guys from the outside on us. We probably shouldn’t have thrown that one. Sheegog tried to hit his secondary receiver.”

Warren drove to its own 46-yard line with the help of 9 and 18-yard off-tackle runs by left halfback Jimmy Hill and a 10-yard off tackle slant by right half Anderson.

Then came the Panthers’ first score on a play as weird as some Halloween costumes. Wireman running to his right with his receivers covered, attempted to toss to Franklin. Tiger safety Rick Paige hit Franklin on what was adjusted interference.

The ball deflected off Franklin on the Massillon 45 and into the hands of junior Tom Daily, playing his first game on offense, and Daily raced to the promised land with 5:20 remaining in the second quarter. Wireman failed on a conversion run to the right.

Massillon came back strong again. Sheegog contributed a 31-yard kick runback to his 39. Lemon added a 10-yard end scamper to the Warren 46. Tommy Jones went off tackle for 7 to the 39. Then disaster reared its ugly face again as if there were goblins afoot.

ANOTHER Tiger fumble occurred, this one on the 32. Thomas was there again and Warren was on its way to its second score.

Wireman ran 15 yards around right end. Hill danced off right tackle for 18. Binko careened through the center for 14 yards and a first down on the Massillon 14. Wireman tossed to Daily on the one and scored with 37 seconds left. Binko tried the center for the conversion but failed and the Tiger Towners were behind by the longest margin of the season.

After a 20-yard kick runback by Sheegog, he tried a pass on second down from his 34. The ball was batted into the air. Tony Capers intercepted on the Massillon 39. But before he could try a field goal on the next play, the block ran out.

The drives of both teams had wiped many minutes off the clock in what was developing as a game of who could control the ball the longest

The second half saw Massillon control the ball most of the third quarter and Warren the majority of the fourth.

The Tigers drove to their 43 with the third period kickoff. Rick Healy punted and 3 plays later the Tigers had the ball back when Co-Captain Dave Whitfield recovered a fumble on Warren’s 38.

The Obiemen took 11 plays, survived a motion penalty from the 3 on a score by Foster and got the benefit of a personal foul call from the 7 before finally securing the winning TD with 2:19 remaining. Foster tallied his second 6-pointer of the night, again from the one, but over left tackle this trip. Sheegog went around left end after a fake to Foster to make it 16-12.

Massillon had the ball for 8 minutes of the period then it was Warren’s turn to control the clock, taking 6:55 off the ticker while reeling off 13 plays. After Daily’s 12-yard, kickoff runback, Warren began to mix passing with running. Anderson got 8 yards on one aerial, right end Greg Seagraves 13 yards on another.

A clipping penalty set the Panthers back to the Massillon 40. But Wireman threw to Franklin for a first down on the 11. Then Wireman was thrown for a 10-yard loss by Foster. Two plays later Paige intercepted Wireman’s throw from the 19 on the one and returned to the 13.

A motion penalty forced Healy to punt out. Warren started to move from its 33 with 4:55 remaining. Had the Tigers been able to hold the ball here, the dramatic finish might not have materialized.

Nine plays transpired before Hartley’s fumble recovery. Anderson got most of the yardage on the final drive, both on the ground and in the air. He picked up 21 yards in 3 running plays and 10 on a pass. Seagraves also got 17 yards on pass which gave Warren first down on Massillon’s 13. On the second play of this series, the big fumble occurred.

The Tigers ran out the clock.

WARREN – 12
Ends – Seagraves, M. Franklin, A. Franklin, Ingram, Daily, Metro.
Tackles – Capers, Clark, Yendrick.
Guards – Schumacher, Kermode, Camerino, Toda.
Center – Angelo.
Quarterbacks – Wireman, Thomas.
Halfbacks – Hill, Anderson, Aulizio, Butler, Perry.
Fullback – Binko.

MASSILLON – 16
Ends – Paige, McGuire, Healy, Griffin.
Tackles – Hartley, Neago, Petroff, Campbell, Sherrett.
Guards – Whitfield, Richards, Rose, Kraft, Zorger.
Centers – Marks, Ehmer, F. Williams.
Quarterbacks – Sheegog, Doolittle.
Halfbacks – Lemon, James, McFadden, Smith, Muhlbach, McLendon.
Fullbacks – Foster, Reed, Manson.

Score by quarters:
Warren……………… 0 12 0 0 – 12
Massillon…………… 8 0 8 0 – 16

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Foster 2 (one-yard runs).
Warren – Daily 2 (54-yard, pass-run play and 28-yard pass).

Extra points:
Massillon – Lemon 2 (pass from Sheegog); Sheegog 2 (run).

OFFICIALS:
Referee – Bud Shopball (Canton).
Umpire – Harold Rolph (Ironton).
Head Linesman – Mickey Earenfight (Canton).
Field Judge – Joe Romano (Mansfield).

The Yardstick

STATISTICS
Mass. Opp.
First downs—rushing 12 10
First downs—passing 0 6
First downs—penalties 0 2
Total first downs 12 17
Yards gained rushing 237 191
Yards lost rushing 4 15
Net yards gained rushing 233 176
Net yards gained passing 0 144
Total yards gained 233 320
Passes attempted 2 10
Passes completed 0 7
Passes intercepted by 1 2
Yardage on passes intercepted 13 0
Times kicked off 3 3
Kickoff returns (yards) 68 68
Kickoff returns (yards) 68 68
Times punted 2 2
Punt average (yards) 31.5 37
Punt returns (yards) 13 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 4 2
Lost fumbled ball 2 2
Penalties 4 2
Yards penalized 20 20
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 0 2
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Total number of plays 47 57

Dave Whitfield

 

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1965: Massillon 14, Altoona, PA 0

Tigers Ready For Panthers;  Warren Next As Altoona Falls 14-0

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

The “finest hour” is perhaps the best way to describe the Massillon Tigers’ performance at Altoona, Pa., Saturday night. But after the finest hour, off times come a stunning reversal of form.

Coming off a 14-0 win over one of Pennsylvania’s toughest, the Altoona high Mountain Lions, the Washington high eleven must guard against complacency. The Bengals will have another tough nut to crack Friday night when Warren Harding becomes the fourth straight to pit an undefeated record against Massillon this season.

The Obiemen took another big step in pursuit of a second straight state title Saturday night at Mansion Park before an estimated record standing room crowd of 16,000.
The Tigers got their 25th straight victory and gave Coach Earle Bruce his 40th in a row, including this year’s high school all-star game.

The Bengals’ running game operated to perfection. The blocks opened large holes in what must have been the finest up-front exhibition of the season for the Tigertowners. The backs did their best running of the season picking the holes just right. The defense hit about as hard as it ever has, diagnosing Altoona plays perfectly.

To do it, the Tigers had to beat a bigger team and one of the best they’ve played to date. The Lions battled down to the bitter end tenaciously but were thwarted at every turn by a gallant bunch of Ohioans determined to show the world that their brand of football is best.

The Orange and Black held the Altoonans to only 80 net yards rushing while picking up 255 yards themselves. Passing was almost even, 48-40. Total yardage 313 to 120 with first downs 18-7.

* * * * *

ALTOONA got only one threat going. That was at the start of the second period when the Lions took over on their own 24-yard line after a punt and drove to the Bengal 17. But junior “monster back” Dale Gallion picked off a Dick Frasca pass in the end zone after it had been batted into the air and a touchback resulted. Massillon then moved for its first score of the night.

Altoona had seemingly lost the ball on downs at the Massillon 45 – the only time the Lions got out of their territory the whole night – but on the first play of the quarter, Massillon jumped off side with fourth and five, Altoona got a life.

Dick Beard, one of Pennsylvania’s finest halfbacks, took a pitchout from Frasca with third and 13 on the 43, cut right and raced to the 29 for a first down. Seven plays later came Gallion’s interception.
The Bengals went 80 yards to score, after the touchback, in 12 plays, chopping 6:35 off the clock. Key plays were passes from quarterback Dave Sheegog to fullback-halfback, Will Foster, playing on the wing this time, and right end Rick Paige and runs by Sheegog and left half Walt Lemon.

Sheegog ran right end for 10 yards and a first down from the Massillon 24. The aerial to Paige came on third down and carried to the 50. The pass to Foster covered 20 yards to the Altoona 20. Lemon ran straight ahead for 6 yards to the Lions’ 8 on a night when he amassed 132 yards in 22 times. All picked up first downs except Lemon.

Sheegog scored 2 plays after Lemon’s run on a first down play from the 7 on the option left. He tossed to Foster for the conversions with the clock showing 2:10 left in the first half.

After the touchdown, Frasca tried 3 straight passes from the Altoona 36, one to end Kevin Stitt, who was wide open, but that Lion aerial was too long. The third was intercepted by Paige on his 26 and run back to the Altoona 45.

With the help of an 8-yard run by Lemon and a 10-yard pass to Paige, Massillon got as far as the Altoona 30 when the first half ended.

* * * * *
THE TIGERS had 2 promising drives stopped in the first quarter. They got a life on a fourth down, clipping penalty under a punt drive after the opening kickoff and drove to the Altoona 16 but ran afoul of holding and motion penalties.

After regaining the pigskin moments later following a punt, the Tigers got to the 50 but were slapped with a motion call.

In a touchdown drive, a procedure penalty set the Brucemen back 5 yards at one juncture.

Massillon’s other TD came early in the second half. The Tigers forced Altoona to punt after its first series. Paige ran back from the 40 to the Tiger 49, to start the drive.

The Obiemen took 8 plays and 4:45 to go the distance. Lemon got some more important yardage in this drive. “Sweet Walter,” having perhaps the finest night of his career, streaked off tackle for gains of 12, 11 and 14 yards, the last play taking the ball to the one from where Foster bulled over with 5:05 remaining. Sheegog faked to Foster, who had had a key, third down, 9-yard gain in the drive, and went left to make it 14-0.

The Tigers had a motion penalty during the drive, which looked like it was to have dire consequences. But then came Lemon’s run to the one.

Foster line-drived the kickoff into an Altoona player and recovered the rebound on the 50. However, Tony Lepore intercepted a pass on his 20 and returned to the 36.

On the second play from scrimmage, Paul Marks took his turn at intercepting, on the Altoona 40, and zipped down the sideline to the 25. Lemon came up with another sterling off-tackle run, this one for 7 yards. But Tommy James’ fourth down dive was inches short of a first down on the 4.

The fourth quarter saw only several changes of possession by both teams. Altoona came back from its 4 to its 38 after a Massillon drive fizzled, utilizing pass plays of 12 and 19 yards with Beard on the receiving end both times.

Late in the period, Mike Kraft grounded one of Rick Healy’s punts on the Altoona 5, putting the Lions deep in the hole. They got no runbacks at all off Healy’s fine punts, thanks to good coverage by the Tigers.

* * * * *
BRUCE SAID of his team’s play, ‘They put forth a real good team effort! They were up for this one and had to be because Altoona had a great team, a club with a lot of talent.”

He went on, “We were about as well prepared for this game as any all season. The coaching staff really did a job.”

As to Lemon’s performance, Bruce exclaimed, ‘He played a great game!”

Bruce said that the quick pitch hurt early but then his team adjusted. Before the acclimation, Beard reeled off gains of 29 and 14 yards.

A dejected Altoona coach Earl Strohm said, “We just didn’t have it tonight. They were better than we were. We got one touchdown behind and when you do that on a muddy field, you’re in trouble. If the field hadn’t been wet, it might have been a high-scoring game all the way.”

Strohm thought things also might have been different had Frasca connected with Stitt at the end of the first half, because the Lions undoubtedly would have been back in the contest.

He praised the 2-way performance of halfback and linebacker Beard. “He’s a real good kid,” Strohm said.

Massillon came up with one injury. Sheegog sustained a bloody nose.

MASSILLON – 14
Ends – Paige, McGuire, Gallion, Healy.
Tackles – Hartley, Neago, Sherrett, Petroff, Campbell.
Guards – Whitfield, Rose, Richards, Kraft, Zorger.
Centers – Marks, Ehmer.
Quarterbacks – Sheegog, Doolittle.
Halfbacks – Foster, Lemon, James, Muhlbach, McFadden, McLendon.
Fullback – Manson.

ALTOONA – 0
Ends – Stitt, McGrath, Steinbugle.
Tackles – Traficante, Showalter, Ebersole.
Gaurds – Jeffco, Nedimyer, B. Geis.
Center – Thompson.
Quarterback – Frasca.
Halfbacks – Beard, Neaffer, Lepore, Speacht.
Fullbacks – Launchi, Madden.

Massillon 0 7 7 0 – 14

Touchdowns: Sheegog (7-yard run); Foster (one-yard run).

Extra points: Foster 1 (2-yard pass from Sheegog);
Sheegog 1 (2-yard run).

Attendance: 16,000.

OFFICIALS:
Referee – Lee Moyer.
Umpire – John Solic.
Head Linesman – Tony Senapole.
Field Judge – William Goodfellow.

STATISTICS
Mass. Opp.
First downs—rushing 14 4
First downs—passing 3 2
First downs—penalties 1 1
Total first downs 18 7
Yards gained rushing 269 93
Yards lost rushing 14 13
Net yards gained rushing 255 80
Net yards gained passing 48 40
Total yards gained 313 120
Passes attempted 7 15
Passes completed 3 4
Passes intercepted by 3 1
Yardage on passes intercepted 45 11
Times kicked off 3 1
Kickoff average (yards) 37.6 31.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 0 30
Times punted 3 5
Punt average (yards) 34.3 40.6
Punt returns (yards) 14 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 1 1
Lost fumbled ball 0 1
Penalties 5 1
Yards penalized 35 15
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 0 0
Touchdowns by interception 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Total number of plays 61 45

Dave Whitfield