Massillon Poised to Overtake Valdosta as America’s Top Football…

Massillon Poised to Overtake Valdosta as America’s Top Football Wins Leader

It was in the movie “For Love of the Game” that Detroit Tigers’ player Billy Chapel was apprising a new girlfriend about his high number of losses as a pitcher.  He said to her, “We count everything In baseball.  That’s all we do.”  And so it goes for all sports, even high school football.  In fact, many publications go beyond the basic team and player statistics and attempt to list what they believe are the top teams in the entire nation.  Some rankings are based on seasonal game performance.  Others by the perception of historical dynasty.  And then there are those that are ranked more objectively, using simply the sum totals of wins acquired throughout teams’ lengthy timelines.

It is the third method that is the subject of this story.  Currently, the nation’s top team in total wins is Georgia’s Valdosta Wildcats, with Ohio’s Massillon Tigers just one game behind.  While neither may be considered as the current best team in the land, both have had their fair shares of great teams and dynastic periods.  But in the present, they have been in a battle to grasp and then maintain the Number 1 position in total historical wins.  They even met on the field at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in a 2023 classic in order to determine if some level of bragging rights could be claimed.  In that one the Tigers came out on top, 28-17.

While Massillon previously led the nation in this category for many years thanks to the accomplishments of legendary coaches Paul Brown (Ohio State, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals), Chuck Mather (University of Kansas) and Leo Strang (Kent State University), they reluctantly surrendered the top spot to Valdosta in 1987.  What aided the Wildcats at the time was their opportunity to secure additional wins by taking advantage of Georgia’s extensive post-season playoff structure, whereas Ohio was late to the table and didn’t mirror Georgia’s format until much more recently.  Nevertheless, the Tigers have been pursuing the Wildcats ever since.  Only, that may be about to change.

For several years Valdosta has held a measurable lead in the race.  But they were recently forced to vacate some wins on account of employing ineligible players.  That, coupled with several forfeits from many years ago that have recently come to light, and suddenly the Tigers are just one game behind the Wildcats.  In addition, two Kentucky schools, Louisville Male and Mayfield, have also returned to the hunt, trailing Valdosta by just three and five games, respectively.  Here are the current standings:

1. 960 – Valdosta, Georgia
2. 959 – Massillon, Ohio
3. 957 – Louisville Male, Kentucky
4. 955 – Mayfield, Kentucky
5. 943 – Fort Thomas Highlands, Kentucky
6. 907 – Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania
7. 903 – Muskegon, Michigan
8. 900 – Highland Park, Texas
9. 886 – Easton, Pennsylvania
10. 882 – Canton McKinley, Ohio

One indicator that the dynamics are about to change are the win-loss trends over the past five years of the top four contenders, as shown below:

• Valdosta – 67 games played, including 17 playoff games. 36-21 record (.632) (not counting the four forfeits in 2020).
• Massillon – 70 games played, including 24 playoff games. 60-10 record (.857).
• Louisville Male – 64 games, including 14 playoff games. 51-13 record (.797).
• Mayfield – 64 games, including 14 playoff games. 55-9 record (.859).

The data shows that Valdosta has been clearly outshone by the other three teams over the past five years.  If these trends continue, then any one of the three could overtake the Wildcats as early as this year.  Ohio’s format for regional play now offers the prospect of winning four games and advancing to the state tournament, which entails another two games.  And Massillon has been simply dominating in a region that is stocked with more average programs, winning 18 of 20 games over this period of time.  Having these additional opportunities to increase the win count gives Massillon a decided advantage over the other three contenders.  This is something the Tigers didn’t have available to them during the playoff formats of earlier years.  And let’s not forget their consistent success in the regular season, where they own a 40-6 record during the five year period under the very successful Coach Nate Moore (110-25).

Another factor has also recently come to light.  A website that reports on Georgia high school football history has lowered Valdosta’s count by one win, which according to them now stands at 959.  If that number holds up it would mean that Massillon is in effect now tied for the lead, with both Louisville Male and Mayfield even closer to the top.

So, after a nearly 40-year drought, Massillon may once again stand above the rest of the country in total wins.  Then they, of course, would become the team that is being pursued.

2025 Lift-a-thon Results and Photos

2025 Lift-a-thon Results and Photos

The annual Steve Studer Memorial Lift-a-thon was held recently in the WHS gym .  It was surely an energetic and muscle-burning event, yet just one more step to the finish line as the Tigers prepare for the 2025 football season.  Once again, Strength Coach Dan Studer did a fantastic job of organizing and conducting the event.

Three lifts were performed by each participant: clean lift, bench press and squat. Each lifter selected his preferred weight for each lift and then attempted as many lifts as he could until his arms or legs gave out. A composite score was then used to determine the winner of each of eleven weight classes based on the total weight lifted and the number of reps (max. 10).  Achievement medals were then awarded to the top three lifters in each category. Here are the winners:

• 140 lb. weight class – Trimble
• 150 lb. weight class – Greg Corsale (Jr.)
• 160 lb. weight class – Chayce White (Jr.)
• 170 lb. weight class – Eli Moore (Sr.)
• 180 lb. weight class – Boshop Cupp (Sr.)
• 190 lb. weight class – Anthony Hoover (Jr.)
• 200 lb. weight class – Savior Owens (Jr.)
• 215 lb. weight class – Kavon Sankey (Jr.)
• 230 lb. weight class – Allen
• Heavy weight class – Owen Sirgo (Sr.)
• Super heavyweight class – Marcus Garner (Jr.)

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

140 lb. weight class – (1) Trimble (    ), (2) William Sampsel (So.), (3) Orr (    )

150 lb. weight class – (1) Greg Corsale (Jr.), (2) TJ Menches (So.), (3) Joshua Patterson (So.)

160 lb. weight class – (1) Chayce White (Jr.), (2) Jett Riley (Jr.), (3) Joshua Henderson (Sr.)

170 lb. weight class – (1) Eli Moore (Sr.), (2) Rasmus Haines (So.), (3) Jaxson Perry (So.)

180 lb. weight class – (1) Bishop Cupp (Sr.), (2) Christian Culler (Jr.), (3) Logan Thornsberry (So)

190 lb. weight class – (1) Anthony Hoover (Jr.), (2) Tra’yon Williams (Sr.), (3) Devaughn Williams (So.)

200 lb. weight class – (1) Savior Owens (Jr.), (2) Ke’Aun Fowler (Jr.), (3) Sebastian Harper (Jr.)

215 lb. weight class – (1) Kavon Sankey (Jr.), (2) Ja’Dyn Williams (Sr.), (3) Worth Hirning (So.)

230 lb. weight class – (1) Adrian Allen (    )

Heavy weight class – (1) Owen Sirgo (Sr.), (2) Joe Karder (Jr.), (3) Robert Blakely (Sr.)

Super heavyweight class – (1) Marcus Garner (Jr.), (2) Davionne Floyd (Jr.), (3) Zay-shawn Murray (Sr.)

Cy Rigler to be Inducted into the Massillon Wall…

Cy Rigler to be Inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions

 The Massillon Football Booster Club is proud to announce that Charles Cyrus “Cy” Rigler will be inducted this year into the “Massillon Wall of Champions.”  The formal ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Club’s Reverse Raffle event, which is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at the Eagles 190.

The Wall of Champions is reserved for Massillon grads who played a varsity sport and then went on to accomplish something remarkable later in life.  And no one meets that criterion better than Cy Rigler, who found his calling in professional baseball’s National League, where he spent thirty years umpiring games.

Rigler was born on May 16, 1882, in Massillon, Ohio, as the son a German immigrant fireman.  In 1899, now as a high school senior, he had an opportunity to join the Massillon High football team, which was re-forming after a 2-year hiatus.  Since he was one of the larger players in the team, his position was better suited for the offensive and defensive lines.  Massillon finished 3-3-1 that year with a squad comprised of just fourteen players.

After graduation, Rigler made his way into semipro baseball.  However, in 1903 he returned to the gridiron, this time playing right tackle for the Massillon Tigers professional team.  But a knee injury shortly into it curtailed that phase of his career.  Only, that was not the end of sports for Cy.

In 1905 Rigler was responsible for assembling the roster of the Massillon pro team for that year.  Then, due to his enormous size, now standing 6-foot tall and weighing 270 pounds, Rigler was asked to umpire industrial league baseball games in order to quell the frequent fights.  He enjoyed umpiring so much that in 1904 he parlayed that experience into a similar position in the Central League of minor league baseball.  It was there that he invented the call sign for a strike that is used by all umpires today; i.e., raising his right arm following the pitch.  It came in 1905 during a game in Evansville, Indiana.  The motion was apparently used to aid one of the players on the field who happened to be deaf.

His stint in the minor leagues lasted just two years, before he was promoted to the majors as a National League umpire.  He worked his first game (Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs) on September 27, 1906, at age 24, thereby becoming the youngest umpire in Major League history.  He remained there for thirty years (1906 thru 1935), umpiring 4,144 regular season games, a mark that was ranked fourth all-time when he retired.  He was also behind the plate for 2,468 of those games.  So well respected was Rigler, that he was also selected to umpire in ten different World Series, involving 65 games.  He also umpired in the first All-Star Game, in 1933.  Rigler’s last outing was on September 29, 1935.  Following the season. he was placed on the supervisory staff of the National League and named Chief of Umpires.  But unfortunately, he passed away before he could assume the role.

As an umpire, Rigler is remembered for calling a controversial catch in the 1925 World Series.  Earl Smith had hit a fly ball to the right field corner and Sam Rice caught the ball, but fell into the bleachers on the play.  Nevertheless, Rigler ruled that Rice had secured the ball and thus called Smith out.  But the debate of whether or not he really did catch the ball continued for the next fifty years, until Rice, upon his death bed, confirmed that he had in fact caught the ball.  So, Rigler had made the right call after all.

He was considered as a very fair umpire and rarely needed to argue with either a coach or a player.  But there was one particular exception in 1915 when he overruled another umpire’s call involving Reds’ Tommie Leach, who was caught off second base as the victim of a hidden-ball trick.  The field umpire called Leach safe.  Only Rigler, who from behind home plate had a better view of the play, called him out.  Reds’ manager Buck Herzog quickly left the bench and approached Rigler to argue, shoving Cy in his chest protector and spiking his foot.  So Rigler responded by putting Herzog on the ground with a single punch to the left eye.  That set off a riot involving both players and fans, necessitating a dozen policemen to restore order.  At the end of the day, both combatants found themselves in St. Louis Police Court and were fined $5.00 each.

In a few unusual feats:

• He was once wired to the stadium microphones so that fans could hear his calls of balls and strikes.
• In the initial days of major league baseball, the league commonly employed just a single umpire.
• Rigler was behind the plate when Chicago beat Philadelphia 26-23, the highest-scoring game in major league history.
• He was the umpire when the opposing pitchers in a Cincinnati vs. Chicago game pitched nine innings of no-hit baseball.

In the offseason Rigler would return home to North East, Pennsylvania, where he remained quite active.  Some of his gigs included the following:

• Policeman
• Fireman
• Golf course maintenance worker
• Machinist
• Supervisor in the gas and oil fields for a subsidiary of Standard Oil Co.
• Ballpark designer (including Cuba, Latin America and the one at the University of Virginia)
• Assistant baseball coach at the University of Virginia
• Athletic advisor to several colleges and universities

He also found time to work on a law degree and dabble in his vineyard.

Rigler died on December 21, 1935, in Philadelphia at age 53, two weeks after surgery for a brain tumor, leaving his wife Nellie and two stepchildren from Nellie’s previous marriage.  But his body was subsequently returned to his roots to be buried in Massillon Cemetery.

Congratulations to Charles “Cy” Rigler and his later descendants.

Special thanks to Frank Cicchinelli for discovering Cy Rigler.

Massillon Releases 2025 Football Schedule

Massillon Releases 2025 Football Schedule

Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore has recently released the schedule for 2025 Tigers.  The squad should feel quite at home this year with nine games slated for the friendly confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  The only road game is the annual Week Ten rivalry against Canton McKinley, which is just a short eight miles to the east, at Tom Bensen Hall of Fame Stadium.  There, Massillon enjoys a 4-0 record against the Pups.

The slate features five non-Ohio teams, including newcomers Rabun Gap from Georgia, Bennet from New York, Cornerstone Christian from Texas and Cardinal Ritter College Prep from Missouri.  In addition, Football North from Ontario returns from last year’s schedule.  For the opener, Massillon has scheduled Cleveland Glenville, which is coached by Ted Ginn.  With two recent Division IV championships on the belt Ginn has been jumping up and down for the opportunity to face the Tigers.  The opponents last year compiled an overall record of 81-40.

1. Cleveland Glenville – H
2. Canton GlenOak – H
3. Rabun Gap, GA – H
4. Bennett, NY – H
5. Lakewood St. Edward – H
6. Cornerstone Christian, TX – H
7. Football North (Clarkson), ONT – H
8. Cardinal Ritter College Prep, MO – H
9. Warren Harding – H
10. Canton McKinley – A

Moore will begin his 11^th year as head coach of the Tigers, where he has compiled an overall record of 110-25, broken down as follows:

• Regular season: 78-17
• Playoffs: 32-8
• Playoff regional finals: 6-2
• Playoff state finals: 1-3
• Ohio Public: 81-22
• Ohio Private: 15-9
• Out of State: 14-3
• Canton McKinley: 9-1
• Last seven years: 88-12

Last year Massillon finished with a record of 11-3, while losing 14-7 to Big Walnut in the regional finals. The season began with a trip to Oregon to play NFL Academy-London in an event that was sponsored by Nike.  The Tigers won that encounter, 35-20.  Later, they defeated 3-time defending Division I state champion Lakewood St. Edward, 31-21.  It was Massillon’s third consecutive win over the Eagles.  The regular season wrapped up with a 16-7 victory over McKinley.  In 2023 the Tigers captured the Division II state championship with a 7-2 victory over Akron Hoban.  It was Massillon’s 25^th state title overall.

For the 2025 season Massillon will rely on the defense to carry the team early, as the offense returns just two starters: an offense lineman and a wide receiver.  But the program is strong underneath and several good prospects are in position to step into the starting roles.  The defense, however, returns seven full-time and several part-time starters, including five of the front seven, a group that last year held opponents to a mere 2.8 yards per carry.  Fortunately, the schedule top-to-bottom does not appear as strong as last year’s, which was perhaps the stiffest slate of competition that the Tigers have ever faced.

Enjoy the following opponent breakdowns, plus an early preview of Massillon:

Week 1 – Cleveland Glenville – H

• League: Cleveland Senate Athletic League
• Playoff Division: DIV
• 2024 Overall Record: 13-3
• 2024 Playoff Results: 4-1; lost 13-11 in state semifinals to Sandusky Perkins
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 1 in Division IV; rated 44.0
• 5-Year Record: 48-11
• 5-Year Playoff History: 4 qualifications; 18-2; DIV state champions in 2022 and 2023
• Last Time vs. Massillon: In 2009 Glenville defeated Massillon 31-17 in the D1 state semifinals
• Historical Series Massillon vs. Glenville: 3-1
• Bonus: Returns offensive lineman Marquis Whipple (6’-3”, 290), 1^st Team All-Ohio, linebacker Cincere Johnson (6’-3”, 225), 1^st Team All-Ohio, Defensive Player of the Year, defensive back Aaron Scales (5’-9”, 180), 2^nd Team All-Ohio, and running back C.J. Newell (5’-10, 180) 3^rd Team All-Ohio.

Week 2 – Canton GlenOak – H

• League: Federal League
• Playoff Division: DI
• 2024 Overall Record: 1-9
• 2024 Playoff Results: Did not qualify
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 55 in D1; rated 5.0
• 5-Year Record: 15-36
• 5-Year Playoff History: 4 qualifications; 1-4 record
• Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost 45-0 to Massillon in 2024
• Historical Series Massillon vs. Canton GlenOak: 16-4
• Bonus: GlenOak has had only one winning season in the past eight years, that one coming in 2023 when they went 7-5.

Week 3 – Rabun Gap-Nacoochee, Rabun County, GA – H

• League: NCISAA Western
• Playoff Division: NCISAA IU
• 2024 Overall Record: 12-1
• 2024 Playoff Results: 3-1; state champion in North Carolina; defeated Providence Day, NC, 42-39
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 17 in Georgia; ranked No. 4 in North Carolina; rated 52.0
• 5-Year Record: 48-11
• 5-Year Playoff History: 4 qualifications; 7-3
• Last Time vs. Massillon: n.a.
• Historical Series Massillon vs: Rabun Gap: 0-0
• Bonus: Returns senior quarterback Gavin Owens (6’-4”, 198) (198-289-2,815, 35 TDs), senior wide receiver Walker Bryson (5’-11”, 170) (47-593, 7 TDs), senior wide receiver Joshua Buckhalter (5’-8”,165) (40-652, 9 TDs), senior defensive end Ryan Hassett (6’-3”, 230) (37 tackles, 7.0 TFLs, 13 QB sacks) and senior safety Zeke Marshall (6’-5”,180) (6 interceptions).

 Week 4 –Bennett, Buffalo, New York – H

• League: Section 6 AA
• Playoff Division: AA
• 2024 Overall Record: 7-2
• 2024 Playoff Results: Lost 28-16 in first round to Jamestown
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 78 in New York; rated 0.7
• 5-Year Record: 40-14
• 5-Year Playoff History: 5 qualifications; 12-4; won championship in 2022
• Last Time vs. Massillon: n.a.
• Historical Series Massillon vs. Bennet: 0-0
• Bonus: Lost 42-0 last year to St. John’s, D.C.  Returns Senior running back/safety Jimmy Valentine (5’-10”, 180) (rushed 51 times for 508 yards and 5 TDs; 44 tackles, 6 TFLs), senior wide receiver Jack Eskridge (5’-7”) (caught 26 passes for 281 yards and 8 TDs); senior linebacker Nyree Feaster (5’-8”, 206) (49 tackles, 4 TFLs); sophomore defensive end Jason Hargrove (5’-11, 210) (46 tackles, 8 TFLs).

Week 5 – Lakewood St. Edward – H

• League: None
• Playoff Division: DI
• 2024 Overall Record: 9-6
• 2024 Playoff Results: 4-1; lost 21-7 in the state semifinals to Olentangy Liberty
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 4 in D1; rated 49.8
• 5-Year Record: 60-11
• 5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; 23-2 record; state titles in 2021, 2022 and 2023
• Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost to Massillon 31-21 in 2024
• Historical Series Massillon vs. St. Edward: 6-4
• Bonus: Returns wide receiver Zach Hackleman (6’-1”, 170), 1^st Team All-Ohio, wide receiver Joseph Saffold (7’-0”, 170), HM All-Ohio, offensive lineman Mason Wilhelm (6’-4”, 290), HM All-Ohio and defensive back Brayden Thomas (6’-0”, 175), HM All-Ohio.

Week 6 – Corner Christian, San Antonio, TX – H

• League: None
• Playoff Division: None
• 2024 Overall Record: 5-5
• 2024 Playoff Results: n.a.
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 275 in Texas; rated 18.0
• 5-Year Record: 26-22
• 5-Year Playoff History: n.a.
• Last Time vs. Massillon: n.a.
• Historical Series Massillon vs. Corner Christian: 0-0
• Bonus: Finished 8-1 in 2020 and 6-3 in 2021.  Lost 34-16 in 2024 to Legacy School of Sport Sciences.  Returns senior quarterback I Gaitan (6’-0”, 170) (132-217-2,015, 19 TDs), wide receiver/athlete Davis McCray (6’-2”, 200) (32-639, 10 TDs; 38 tackles) and junior defensive lineman Cole Clark (8.0 TFLs).

Week 7 – Football North, Clarkson Secondary School, Mississauga, Ontario – H

• League: East Coast Power Prep League (plays exclusively teams from the USA)
• Playoff Division: n/a (game does not count in Harbin System)
• 2024 Overall Record: 8-3
• 2024 Playoff Results: n/a
• 2024 Calpreps.com: n/a
• 5-Year Record: 17-24 (no games in 2020)
• 5-Year Playoff History: n/a
• Last Time vs. Massillon: Massillon won 45-6 in 21-24
• Historical Series Massillon vs. North: 1-0
• Bonus: Returns to the schedule for the second consecutive year; may become a regular opponent.

Week 8 – Cardinal Ritter College Prep, St. Louis, Missouri – H

• League: AAA (Five parochial schools)
• Playoff Division: D5
• 2024 Overall Record: 10-2
• 2024 Playoff Results: 2-1; lost 30-18 to Lafayette
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 6 in Missouri; rated 44.7
• 5-Year Record: 49-13
• 5-Year Playoff History: 13-2; state champions in 2022 and 2023
• Last Time vs. Massillon: n.a.
• Historical Series Massillon vs. Cardinal Ritter: 0-0
• Bonus: Returns senior wide receiver De’shaun Stevenson (52-652, 3 TDs), junior linebacker Marshaun Ivy (6’-3”, 220) (71 tackles)

Week 9 – Warren Harding – H

• League: All-American Conference
• Playoff Division: DII
• 2024 Overall Record: 8-4
• 2024 Playoff Results: 1-1; lost 41-21 to Austintown Fitch
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 26 in DII; rated 23.8
• 5-Year Record: 26-29
• 5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; 8-5 record
• Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost 45-14 to Massillon in 2024
• Historical Series Massillon vs. Warren: 61-25-3 (second-longest series)
• Bonus: Returns junior backup quarterback James Jones (6’-3”, 200) (39-65, 415, 5 TDs) and senior linebacker Tyler Smith (6’-0”, 195) (86 tackles).

Week 10 – Canton McKinley – A

• League: Federal League
• Playoff Division: DI
• 2024 Overall Record: 8-5
• 2024 Playoff Results: Lost 31-0 to Mentor in Round 3
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 20 in DI; rated 34.1
• 5-Year Record: 36-23
• 5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; 8-5 playoff record
• Last Time Massillon vs. Massillon: Lost 16-7 to Massillon in 2024
• Historical Series vs. McKinley: 77-53-5; Massillon has won 13 of the last 14 games
• Bonus: Returns 4 starters on offense and 4 on defense.  The best player is 2-way senior starter Damere McClellan (5’-11, 173).  Against Massillon last year he recorded 6 tackles, including 2 TFLs.  Junior running back Isaac Brooks (5’-11”, 200) caught 3 passes for 18 yards and McKinley’s lone touchdown.

The Book on Massillon

• League: Independent
• Playoff Division: DII
• 2024 Overall Record: 11-3
• 2024 Playoff Results: Lost in the regional finals to Big Walnut, 14-7
• 2024 Calpreps.com: Ranked No. 5 in DII; Rated 50.5
• 5-Year Record: 61-10
• 5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; 22-4 record; advanced to the state finals in 2019, 2020 and 2023; won state championship in 2023; won regional championship in 2022
• Bonus: Returns 2 full-time starters on offense; returns 7 full-time plus 4 part-time starters on defense.  Returnees include:
  • Junior offensive tackle Marcus Garner (6’-1”, 285)
  • Junior offensive lineman Kevin Elliott Jr. (6’-0”, 265)
  • Junior wide receiver Deontay Malone (5’-11, 175)
  • Junior defensive lineman Isaac Maxheimer (6’-0”, 200)
  • Junior defensive lineman Dayvionne Floyd (6’-1”, 260)
  • Junior defensive lineman Joseph Russ-Karder (6’-4”, 215)
  • Senior defensive lineman Anthony Neal (6’-3”, 310)
  • Senior defensive lineman Zey’shawn Murray (6’-1”, 290)
  • Senior inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams (6’-1”, 200)
  • Senior inside linebacker Logan Allman (6’-1”, 215)
  • Junior outside linebacker R’Celle Hill (6’-0”, 190)
  • Senior cornerback Lennox Lemon (6’-1”, 175)
  • Senior cornerback De’Mari Clemons (5’-10”, 165)
  • Senior safety Tra’Yon Williams (5’-10”, 190)
  • Junior safety Braylon Gamble (6’-0”, 185)
  • Senior long snapper Francesco Salvino (5’-10”, 190)
  • Junior place kicker Mateo Herrera (5’-5”, 140)

Massillon Loses a Great One in Dave Sheegog

Massillon Loses a Great One in Dave Sheegog

Mention the 1964 Massillon football team to older Tiger fans and they will immediately recall the 20-14 comeback victory over Canton McKinley that sealed a state championship.  And they will fondly remember quarterback Dave Sheegog, the hero of the game.  Solemnly, we lost Dave recently, having passed away on January 18, 2025, at the age of 77.

Sheegog graduated from Massillon in 1966.  During his time there he was a 3-sport athlete, having participated in football, basketball and baseball.  But it was football in which he made his mark.  In the victory over the Bulldogs mentioned above both teams entered the game ranked undefeated and they were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in the Associated Press state poll.  With that setting, the game may have been a precursor to the modern-day playoff system that began just a few years later; i.e., to the winner goes the state title.

The Tigers were down 14-0 entering the fourth quarter, but managed to tie the score on short touchdown runs by Jim Lawrence and Bob Hewitt.  Only, quarterback Steve Kanner was forced to leave the field on account of an injury.  In came backup QB Dave Sheegog, tasked with engineering a final drive in hopes of grabbing a victory.  After completing a pass to a diving Will Foster at the 14, Sheegog dropped back to pass, but couldn’t find anyone open.  So, he tucked the ball and ran, while eluding several would-be tacklers, and was able to propel himself just over the goal line against two defenders for the winning score (see photo).  Pandemonium ensued as it was evident that the Tigers had just secured both the game and the state title.  Sheegog was indeed the hero of the moment.  He ended the day with six rushes for 39 yards, 3 of 4 passing for 41 yards and a punt return of 19 yards, while scoring on a 2-point conversion.

Sheegog played two years of varsity football under future Ohio State University head coach Earl Bruce, winning the state title both years.  In his junior year he was used sparingly at quarterback, but was the primary return specialist on both kickoffs and punts.  He did, however, toss three touchdown passes (two against Cleveland Benedictine) and scored twenty points.

The following year he was the starting quarterback and he led his team to a perfect record and a repeat state championship.  The team was also ranked second in the nation, to go along with a first-place finish in the All-American Conference.  For the season, he scored 59 points, rushed 106 times for 405 yards and completed 26 of 72 passes for 427 yards.  He also returned 9 kickoffs for 215 yards and 19 punts for 270 yards, including a 94-yard punt return for a TD against Mansfield.  That, to go along with two pass interceptions on defense.  Three times his team was behind at halftime and came back in the second half to win.  Those games were against conference foes Steubenville, Warren Harding and Canton McKinley, during which he contributed greatly with both his rushing and passing skills.

Following the season Sheegog received a scholarship offer from Kent State University, while he ended up playing for Mt. San Jacinto Junior College.

His awards include:

• 1966 – Inducted into the Negro Old Timers Hall of Fame.
• 2012 – Awarded a trophy by the Marines Great American Rivalry Series.
• 2016 – Inducted into the Massillon Football Hall of Fame.

Dave will be sorely missed by the Tiger nation.

Obituary link

2024 Post-Season Award Winners

Through the Roof Offensive Player of the Year – Ja’Meir Gamble

Through the Roof Defensive Player of the Year – Michael Wright Jr.

Next Man Up Award –

Leadership Award –

Nick Vrotsos Coach of the Year Award – Spencer Leno

Captain Awards –

Brandon Burlsworth Character Award – Gavin Kappes

John Pizzino, Sr. Academic Football $1,000 Scholarship – Braylyn Toles

Paul David Memorial Academic Award – Ransom Els

Bob Smith / Bill Snyder Sportsmanship Award – Michael Looney

Coach Lee Tressel Citizenship Award (Sideliners) – Chris Fair

Scout Team Player of the Year –William Hymes, Kavon Sankey and Ke’Aun Fowler

Offensive Player of the Year – Ja’Meir Gamble and Braylyn Toles

Defensive Player of the Year – Michael Wright Jr., Tyler Hackenbracht and Vito McConnell

Special Teams Player of the Year – Tyler Hackenbracht and Daylan Pringle

Carl “Ducky” Schroeder Outstanding Lineman Award – Nolan Davenport and Michael Wright Jr.

Lifter of the Year – Michael Wright Jr. and Chris Fair

Tom Harp Coaches’ Award – Jacques Carter and Deangelo Zimmerman

Most Valuable Player – Ja’Meir Gamble and Tyler Hackenbracht

Six Massillon Players Named All-Ohio

Six Massillon Players Named All-Ohio

The Division II All-Ohio Squad was well represented by six Massillon Tiger players, all of whom have played their final high school games.  They were members of a team that finished the season with an 11-3 record and advanced to the regional championship game.  The players include:

First Team

• Nolan Davenport – Davenport was a 2-year starter at offensive tackle, plus a sophomore tenure starting at tight end, playing at 6’-6”, 290 lbs.  During the season he helped his team rush for 163.5 yards per game at 6.3 yards per attempt, while scoring 34 rushing touchdowns.  In the passing game, the line surrendered just 13 quarterback sacks in 14 games.  After the season he was named All-Stark County and 1st Team All-District.  Next year Davenport will attend the University of Wisconsin.
• Michael Wright jr. – Wright was a 4-year starter as a defensive lineman, playing at  5’-11”, 285 lbs. and was perhaps the the most dominating player at that position that the Tigers have ever had.  For the season he produced 47 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss for 68 yards and 4 sacks for 26.5 yards.  The two TFL numbers are both Top 10.  After the season he was named All-Stark County and 1^st Team All-District.  Next year Wright will attend Youngstown State University.
• Tyler Hackenbracht – Hackenbracht was a 2-year starter at safety, playing at 6’-2”, 210 lbs.  During the season he led the team with 113 total tackles, including 63 assists, both marks of which are Top 10.  He also had 4 tackles-for-loss.  Hackenbracht had the uncanny ability to play down hill with speed on running plays and make physical tackles on the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage.  But he also made an impact on special teams.  Against Teays Valley he returned one kickoff and two punts for touchdowns, something rarely seen in a single game.  The kickoff return spanned 100 yards and is No. 2 in the record book for the longest return.  Hackenbracht set a new record for averaging 39 yards per punt return and tied a record with three punt returns for touchdowns in a single season, to go along with numerous other Top 10 marks.  After the season, he was named All-Stark County and 1^st Team All-District.  Next year Hackenbracht will attend the University of Toledo.

Second Team

• Ja’Meir Gamble – Gamble was a 2-year starter at running back, playing at 5’-10”, 190 lbs.  During the season he rushed 189 times for 1,636 yards and scored 20 touchdowns, while averaging 8.7 yards per attempt.  His yardage number is No. 4 all-time.  Against Legacy School of Sport Science he rushed for 290 yards (No. 3 all-time), averaged 19.3 yards per carry (No. 2 all-time) and scored five touchdowns (No. 5 all-time). Against Warren Harding he averaged 15.2 yards per carry, which is also in the Top 10.  With 4.3 second speed in the 40-yard dash, he was adept at breaking off runs toward the outside when the line was clogged.  In fact, 14 of his 20 touchdowns were of 20 yards or more.  After the season he was named All-Stark County and 1st Team All-District.  Next year Gamble will attend Mercyhurst University.
• Mylen Lenix – Lenix played running back on offense in 2023, but defensive outside linebacker was his primary focus this year, playing at 5′-10″, 205 lbs.  It was there that he had an  immediate impact with his aggressive play.  During the season he recorded 48 tackles, 28 assists, 15.0 tackles-for-loss (Top 10) for 62.5 lost yards and a team-leading 6.0 quarterback sacks (Top 10) for 36.5 yards.  He also had a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.  Against Legacy School of Sport Science he had 2.5 sacks, which is No. 5 in the record book.  After the season he was named 1st Team All-District.

Third Team

• Jalen Slaughter – Slaughter was a 4-year starter at quarterback, playing at 6′-0″, 170 lbs.  During the season he completed 175 of 279 pass for 2,363 yards and 22 touchdowns.  His best performance of the year was against NFL Academy-London when he connected on 29 of 44 passes for 403 yards, with all three marks in the record book Top 10.  He also passed for over 200 yards against Football North (Clarkson) and Canal Winchester.  Three times in a game he tossed three touchdowns.  He finished his career in fine company as one of the Top Four Massillon passing quarterbacks ever, along with Justin Zwick, Kyle Kempt and Aidan Longwell.  After the season he was named All-Stark County and 1st Team All-District.

It’s Early Signing Day for Seven Tigers

Seven Massillon football players recently committed to their respective colleges on Early Signing Day to further their academic and playing careers.  They comprise the largest ever group of Massillon players that confirmed their commitments on an Early Signing Day.  The 2024 team finished with a record of 11-3 and advanced in the playoffs to the regional finals.  They also defeated Canton McKinley for the ninth consecutive time and 3-time defending Division I state champion Lakewood St. Edward for the third consecutive time.  And let’s not forget that these the players were instrumental in the Tigers’ run to the Division II state championship of a year ago, during which they won all sixteen games.

Note: At the time of this story the 2024 All-Ohio team had yet to be released.

Jacques Carter – Carter will attend Southern Illinois University.  He was a 2-year starter at wide receiver, playing at 5’-10”, 160 lbs.  During the season he used his blazing speed to catch 29 passes for 560 yards and 8 touchdowns, at 19.3 yards per catch.  For his career he caught 80 passes for 1,356 yards and 15 touchdowns at 19.4 yards per catch.  His career number of receptions, yards and touchdowns are all Top 10 in the record book.  He was named All-County and 2^nd Team All-District.  In 2023 he was named Honorable Mention All-Ohio.

Nolan Davenport – Davenport will attend the University of Wisconsin.  He was a 2-year starter at offensive tackle, plus a sophomore season starting at tight end, playing at 6’-6”, 290 lbs.  During the season he helped his team rush for 163.5 yards per game at 6.3 yards per attempt, while scoring 34 rushing touchdowns.  In the passing game, the line surrendered just 13 quarterback sacks in 14 games.  After the season he was named All-County and 1st Team All-District.  In 2023 he was named 2^nd Team All-Ohio.

Ja’Meir Gamble – Gamble will attend Merceyhurst University.  He was a 2-year starter at running back, playing at 5’-10”, 190 lbs .  During the season he rushed 189 times for 1,636 yards and scored 20 touchdowns, while averaging 8.7 yards per attempt.  His yardage number is No. 4 all-time.  Against Legacy School of Sport Science he rushed for 290 yards (No. 3 all-time), averaged 19.3 yards per carry (No. 2 all-time) and scored five touchdowns (No. 5 all-time).  Against Warren Harding he averaged 15.2 yards per carry, which is also in the Top 10.   With 4.3 second speed in the 40-yard dash, he was adept at breaking off runs toward the outside when the line was clogged.  In fact, 14 of his 20 touchdowns were of 20 yards or more.  For his career, Gamble rushed 333 times for 2,611 yards and scored 25 touchdowns, while averaging 7.8 yards per attempt.  His yardage is No. 5, while his average is also in the Top 10.  After the season he was named All-County and 1st Team All-District.  In 2023 he was named Honorable Mention All-Ohio.

Tyler Hackenbracht – Hackenbracht will attend the University of Toledo.  He was a 2-year starter at safety, playing at 6’-2”, 210 lbs.  During the season he led the team with 113 tackles, a mark that is Top 10.  His 63 assisted tackles is also Top 10.  And he had 4 tackles-for-loss.  He finished his career with 158 tackles and 16 pass breakups (Top-10 all-time).  Hackenbracht had the uncanny ability to play down hill with speed on running plays and make physical tackles on the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage.  But he also made an impact on special teams.  Against Teays Valley he returned one kickoff and two punts for touchdowns, something rarely seen in a single game.  The kickoff return spanned 100 yards and is No. 2 in the record book for the longest return.  Throughout his career he was exceptional in the return game and now finds his name in the Top 10 of 13 different categories.  After the season, he was named All-County and 1^st Team All-District.  In 2023 he was named Honorable Mention All-Ohio.

Vito McConnell – McConnell will attend Miami of Ohio.  He was a 2-year starter at outside linebacker, playing at 6’-3”, 220 lbs.  During the season he recorded 59 tackles, 7 tackles-for-loss for 27 yards and a sack.  He also had 5 pass breakups and a pass interception.  For his career, he had 156 tackles. 11 tackles-for-loss for 41 yards, a pair of sacks, 8 pass breakups and 4 pass interceptions.  After the season he was named All-County and 2^nd Team All-District.

Steven Reinhart – Reinhart will attend Ohio Wesleyan University.  A backup inside linebacker, he played at 5’-8”, 200 lbs.  During his career he recorded 13 tackles, one tackle-for-loss and one pass breakup.

Michael Wright Jr. – Wright will attend Youngstown State University.  He was a 4-year starter as a defensive lineman, playing at  5’-11”, 285 lbs. and was perhaps the the most dominating player at that position that the Tigers have ever had.  For the season he produced 47 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss for 68 yards and 4 sacks for 26.5 yards.  The two TFL numbers are both Top 10.  For his career, Wright recorded 145 tackles.  But he is also the Massillon leader for tackles-for-loss and sacks.  His leaves with 48.5 TFLs for 258 yards and 23 quarterback sacks for 161 yards.  After the season he was named All-County and 1^st Team All-District.  In 2023 he was named 1^st Team All-Ohio and the same is expected this year.

Front row (l-r): Steven Reinhart, Michael Wright Jr., Ja’Meir Gamble and Jacques Carter.  Back row (l-r): Head Coach Nate Moore, Tyhler Hackenbracht, Vito McConnell and Nolan Davenport.

Massillon Playoff Run Ended by Big Walnut

Massillon Playoff Run Ended by Big Walnut

Statistics

Massillon’s dream of a consecutive Division II state championship came to a sudden end when they were upset by Columbus-area Big Walnut, 14-7, in the Region 7 finals.  The Golden Eagles returned a kickoff to start the second half for a touchdown to break a 7-7 tie and that ended up being the difference in the game on the scoreboard, although the statistics show a much different story.

The two teams played at Mansfield’s Arlin Field and they were met with a miserable night of weather.  The temperature was around 40 degrees and there was a 20 mile per hour wind howling along the length of the field, with rain coming down in sheets throughout the contest.  In spite of that, the Tigers were able to put up 378 yards of offense against 170 yards for Big Walnut.  In fact, Massillon running back Ja’Meir Gamble rushed for 184 yards (8.4 yards per carry), eclipsing the entire Eagle offense.  The Tigers even led in first downs, 16-10.  But they couldn’t translate that performance onto the scoreboard, as a slew of penalties prevented them from finishing drives.

The Massillon offensive line was whistled for an unprecedented nineteen false starts, at least one occurring during eight of their nine possessions.  In fact, one drive alone saw six flags thrown for that infraction.  From this writer’s vantage point there appeared to be two possible reasons for this and probably a combination of both.  The first was that the smaller Golden Eagle line needed to gain some advantage or else be blown off the ball on run plays by the larger Tiger line.  So, as a legal football ploy, many times Jalen Slaughter went into his snap cadence, the 3-man line in unison quickly shifted a half gap or a full gap to one side or the other.  That required the offensive linemen to rapidly readjust their blocking plan.  The Eagles did this on every play.  And it might have been too much for these young minds to handle.  But sometimes it might have been players reacting to the twitching movements.

The second was that the Big Walnut crowd was quite enthusiastic throughout the game and brought the noise every time Massillon had the ball.  It’s possible that the offensive line had difficulty hearing Slaughter’s cadence and they began to anticipate the snap.

Massillon received the opening kickoff and returned it to the 20  yard line.  They did advance to the 40, but a pair of false start penalties hampered the try and they were forced to punt.  Big Walnut returned the favor a few plays later and the Tigers this time started at their own 18, only to punt from the 44.  With anticipated difficulty in throwing against the wind they kept it mostly to the ground.  In other words, the goal  may have been  to get through that first quarter unscathed and then turn on the offense.

Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles, which had the wind at their backs, took over at their own 45 and proceeded on their lone scoring drive of the night.  They covered the distance in ten plays, with quarterback Eli Stumpf completing all four of his passes for 30 yards and short runs covering the rest.  The score came early in the second quarter when Stumpf, on third down and three, was able to elude a heavy pass rush and connect with Brody Hatfield for a diving catch just over the goal line.

With the field now reversed, the Tigers now had the wind.  From the 25, Slaughter went to play action pass on the first play and lofted a beautiful rainbow to a streaking Braylyn Toles.  He gathered the ball near midfield and raced untouched to the endzone.  It was a remarkable pass connection given the speed of the wind.  Nolan Hendrick’s kick was good and the score was tied.

Unfortunately, Massillon had only one other possession in the second quarter and this one stalled out at the Big Walnut 28.  They did have a fourth and one at the 18, but four consecutive false start penalties put that drive in the drawer.

The Golden Eagle dagger came when Nolan Buirley returned the second half kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.  Ironically, with wind at their back, the Tigers elected to kick short of the goal line and the low kick got there a bit too quickly for the coverage team to get into position to make the stop.

One quarter remained for the Tigers to take advantage of the wind before the field was reversed.  But the first attempt was squashed by a false start penalty.  Subsequently, they had Big Walnut stopped in their side of the field and would have had great field position, but they roughed the punter.  Two plays later they incurred an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.  By the time the Eagles punted they were at the Massillon 34 and downed the ball at the three yard line.

The Tigers tried to move out from the goal line, but were hampered by three false start penalties.  Fortunately, it was Big Walnut that now roughed the punter, giving Massillon new life.  They took advantage.  Aided by Gamble runs of 17 and 29 yards they advanced to the Eagle nine yard line, where they faced a fourth and two.  Mylen Lenix got the call this time and he dove high over the line for an apparent first down.  But he came up short the drive ended there.

The Tigers had three more tries in the fourth quarter, now operating into the wind, but never got out of their own territory.  Of course, there were three additional false start penalties during those drives.

But credit Big Walnut for playing good fundamental football and making sound coaching decisions.  The stunting by the defensive line appeared to be an effective technique in causing havoc for the Massillon line.  And they employed five pass defenders against three receivers to pressure the Tiger passing attack.  Nevertheless, they did only score one offensive touchdown, which is the norm for most of the games this year, so the Massillon defense did its job.

Slaughter ended up completing 7 of 18 passes for 163 yards, with the long one going for 75.  Dante Malone caught three balls for 66 yards and Toles had two for 76 yards and the score.  Linebacker Jadyn Williams led the defense with 11 tackles.

For Big Walnut, Buirley rushed 24 times for 92 yards (3.8 ave.) and Stumpf completed 11 of 16 passes for 67 yards (6.1 ave.) and the TD.  Four passes went to Owen.

The Tigers bow out with a fine record of 11-3 record and can look back at several big wins, including NFL Academy-London, Buffalo’s Canisius, Lakewood St. Edward (for the third consecutive year) and Canton McKinley.  For the Golden Eagles, they move on to the state semifinals to face Cincinnati Anderson.

Prior to the game; Chris Fair (52); Francesco Salvino (63)

Prior to the game.

Tyler Hackenbracht catches the opening kickoff.

Ja’Meir Gamble looks for running room; Gavin Kappes (57)

Ricardo Wells Jr. with the kickoff return; Judah Stewart (4)

Ja’Meir heads to the sideline; Judah Stewart (4)

Michael Wright Jr. sacks quarterback Eli Stumpf

Mylen Lenix with the carry; Logan Allman (13); Clint Stover (8)

Jalen Slaughter retrieves the errant snap in the end zone; Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

Tyley Hackenbracht is roughed following the punt

Ja’Meir Gamble is tackled; Michael Looney (75)

Pass to Jacques Carter broken up by Brody Hatfield (2)

Ja’Meir Gamble is chased by Big Walnut players; Will Clawson (36); Clint Stover (8); Landon Doan (34)

A dejected Chris Fair.

Post-game; James Wallace Jr. (50); Gavin Kappes (57); Francesco Salvino (63)