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2022 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Moeller

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Moeller

Massillon (0-1) opened the season with a 49-31 loss to Cincinnati Moeller, a team that was a Division 1 semifinalist in 2021, losing to Springfield, 22-21.  But the Crusaders did defeat eventual state champion Lakewood Edward in the regular season.  Next up is a road game against Canton GlenOak, with the kickoff slated for 7:00 pm.

  • 7th Grade (0-1): Lost to Akron Ellet combined 7th and 8th grade, 54-14.  Plays Canton GlenOak away on Tuesday, August 23, at 6:00 pm.
  • 8th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron Armor (private program), 21-20.  Plays Canton GlenOak at home (MJHS) on Wednesday, August 24 a6 6:00 pm.
  • 9th Grade (0-1): Lost to Cincinnati Moeller, 19-14.  Plays Canton GlenOak at home on Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 pm.
  • JV (1-0): Defeated Cleveland St. Ignatius, 13-7.  Plays Canton GlenOak at home on Saturday, August 26 at 10:00 am.

Former Washington Redskins (Commanders) Coach George Allen, who traditionally fielded older players on his squad, was once asked in a press conference when it was that a team with youth and vitality was good enough to beat a team with age and experience.  Allen responded that it happens when the team with youth and vitality has acquired enough age and experience.  And that about sums up last Friday’s game.  Moeller, a senior-laden team, was the one with the age and experience, while the Tigers were stacked with youth, and as a result they had those costly first-game errors.  This will be a very good team.  But first, they need to get some field time.

“We played a very good team, but had execution errors,” said head coach Nate Moore.  “We’re not happy with the loss.  We’re looking forward to getting better.  It (the game) exposed our weaknesses.”

Special teams and the defensive secondary had the most glaring issues.  But the passing game also had too few moments of glory. Massillon fumbled the opening kickoff, which led to a quick score by the Crusaders.  In effect, it was a 14-point  swing.  Had the ball been retained, the field was wide-open for a sprint to the house.  An extra point kick bounced off the upright, negating the try.  A punt rolled backward into the end zone for safety.  And a field goal attempt was blocked.  That play coming after a 3rd and goal at the six yard line that resulted in 23-yard loss due to a sack.

The secondary struggled with alignment and coverage and surrendered five long passes of at least 25-yards each, four of which went for scores.  And the Tiger passing game was effective only 37 percent of the time, with several passes being dropped.

But there were also several positives.  Special teams returned two kickoffs into Moeller territory, both of which kick-started touchdown drives.  The offensive line did an outstanding job in the run game, helping Willtrell Hartson to 126 yards and four touchdowns.  And the line only allowed one quarterback sack, that when the QB simply hung onto the ball too  long.  As a unit, the offense converted 8 of 15 3rd down situations for first downs.  And quarterback Jalen Slaughter did seem to get more comfortable in the pocket as the game went along.  Plus, the offense scored 31 points against one of the best teams in Ohio, which shows a lot of promise.  Defensively, they held Moeller’s potent rushing attack under 200 yards, at 4.8 yards per carry.

Moeller, on the other hand, played nearly mistake-free football, other than a few penalties. The two quarterbacks, Luke Dunn and Andrew Robinson, combined to complete 15 of 21 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns.  Seven of the passes went to Tennel Bryant, for 230 yards and three scores.  OSU-bound running back Jordan Marshall rushed for 139 yards at 8.2 yards a clip.  Those four players were pretty much all of the offense.

In spite of all that, the Tigers had an opportunity to really close the gap with seven minutes remaining and down 42-31.  That’s when kicker Vinnie Keller perfectly executed and recovered an onside kick.  But unfortunately the Tigers could only advance two yards and surrendered the ball on downs.

But with better execution on  Massillon’s side, the game would have certainly been much closer than the final score indicated.  The good news is that all of these mistakes are correctable and the team will improve as it gains more age and experience.

“I  was impressed with the way our kids played,” said Moore at the season’s first Booster Club meeting.  “They played hard.  And we have some good film on them.”

Stats leaders:

  • Quarterback Jalen Slaughter: 13 of 34 for 165 yards and 0 touchdowns
  • Running back Willtrell Hartson: 26 carries for 126 yards (4.6)
  • Ardell Banks: 4 receptions for 84 yards
  • Kyler Wiggins: 4 receptions for 48 yards
  • Dorian Pringle: 6.0 tackle points
  • De’Aire Pringle: 5.0 tackle points
  • Cody Fair: 4.0 tackle points

Next up for Massillon is a game against Canton GlenOak.  This is the 18th meeting between the two schools in a series that started in 1982.  The Tigers currently hold a 13-4 edge.  Coach Moore said that the Eagles are much improved from a year ago and will continue to get better, as they have a really good sophomore class.  Last week, the Eagles defeated Shaker Heights, 51-24.

GlenOak is led offensively by two brothers: sophomore quarterback Adrion Burt and junior running back Avantae Burt.  Avantae is a stud of a running back according to Moore.  He is as skilled as Moeller’s running back, although not as big, at 5′-8″, 165 lbs.  Adrion runs like a running back, with speed and power and has a big arm. It’s no secret, then, that the Eagles prefer the run to the pass, behind these two highly-skilled players.

Defensively, GlenOak aligns in a 3-4 and 4-3, with mostly cover-3 secondary.  Keep an eye on senior linebacker Jayden Gorman (6′-2″, 205 lbs.).   He is their best defensive player.

Guest players for the evening were Cody Fair, Freddie Lenix Jr., Dorian Pringle and Christian Kring.

The Booster Club is sponsoring a bus to the Mansfield game, scheduled for September 2.  The cost $30.00 and does not include a game ticket.  Sandwich and drink will be provided.  For tickets, contact Bill Brown at (330) 704-2548.

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2022: Cincinnati Moeller 49, Massillon 31

GAME STATS

Steve Doerschuk, The Repository

College coach puts Massillon-Moeller football opener on level of Notre Dame vs. Ohio State

 

MASSILLON − Friday night’s big opener drew grand notice.

The estimated 11,000 who watched Cincinnati Moeller outlast Massillon 49-31 made up what likely was Ohio’s largest crowd for a 2022 high school football opener.

Top dogs from all around tuned in, glad the roller-coaster game got played.

“These programs meeting head-to-head in the regular season is one of the finest things that can happen in high school football,” said Greg Gillum. “I would put it on the level of Ohio State and Notre Dame opening the season together.”

Gillum was a Tiger assistant 33 years ago when the first Massillon-Moeller regular-season game went down. Now he is chief of staff for the Cincinnati Bearcats, who spent last New Year’s Eve in college football’s national semifinals.

Gillum’s daring Ohio State-Notre Dame metaphor alludes to the big college opener in two weeks. The Buckeyes have offered a scholarship to Moeller running back Jordan Marshall, and you could see why.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound junior set a first-half tone with 92 rushing yards on just 11 carries. He stretched a second-half lead to 36-10 on a 56-yard TD catch-and-run.

It was a tough day, but one for Massillon player Zach Liebler to take stock in the program, which for him means “living up to certain things, pursuing expectations and values, and always remembering there’s a mountain to climb.”

Friday’s mountain became a 13-0 hole for Massillon before Liebler’s 62-yard kickoff return stirred the stands and set up an 11-yard Wiltrell Harston TD run. It was game on at 13-7.

A 44-yard sideline bomb to receiver Ardell Banks gave the Tigers a chance at the lead. They settled for a Nolan Hendricks field goal that made it 13-10 with 5:45 left in the first half.

A 39-yard run by Marshall followed by his TD run swung control back to Moeller, which led 20-10 at halftime.

Moeller surged to a 42-23 lead, but the Tigers still had life when they closed to 42-31 midway through the fourth quarter, and recovered an onside kick.

A stop by Moeller’s defense ended the rally.

The coin toss took on a Notre Dame feel with Gerry Faust and Mike Currence appearing as special honorees. They were the head coaches in the 1980 Division I state finals, the first of the 13 Moeller-Massillon meetings.

“These players look bigger than the ones back then,” Currence, who lives in Barberton now, said with a wry smile.

Immediately after Moeller won the 1980 game 30-7, Faust became head coach at Notre Dame, a la Paul Brown jumping from Massillon to Ohio State 40 years earlier.

“We lucked out when the 1980 title game landed in Cincinnati,” said Ted Bacigalupo, who was promoted from Moeller assistant to head coach when Faust left. “There were 30,000 in Nippert Stadium, and they were turning people away. Massillon must have brought 10,000 people.

“Mike’s team fought hard. We very much enjoyed playing them.”

There was nothing for the Tigers to enjoy 15 seconds into Friday’s game. After a fumble on the opening kickoff return, ace Moeller receiver Tennel Bryant caught a 20-yard TD pass on the first play from scrimmage.

It turned into a fight, although the Tigers stayed at arm’s length, down 20-10, when their long drive just before halftime ended with a blocked field goal.

Game build-up hit high gear Wednesday when current head coach Nate Moore helped unveil an 8-foot Obie the Tiger statue at the corner of Lincoln Way and First Street.

“It’s one of the games everyone gets excited about,” said Moeller head coach Mark Elder. “It’s not just the tradition. Both current rosters are very good.”

Moeller unleashed returnees from a 2021 team that reached the Division I state semifinals. The 2021 Tigers lost their opener 27-6 to Pickerington Central, went on an 11-1 run, then fell to Green in a Division II regional final.

The Tigers’ nine-game 2022 schedule takes them to GlenOak next Friday.

Moeller won in ’21 behind 6-foot-6 quarterback Noah Geselbracht, now at Ohio Dominican, and spent Friday alternating 5-11 junior Luke Dunn and 6-3 junior Andrew Robinson.

Sophomore Jalen Slaughter began his second season as Massillon’s QB, passing for 96 yards in the first half, staying poised in the second half after Moeller went up big.

“To play at the level he did as a freshman was pretty remarkable,” Elder said. “He’s a really good thrower. He’s also very skilled athletically, but when he scrambles, he tends to scramble to throw.”

Moeller improved its lead in the series to 11 wins against two losses. Jack Rose, the head coach who got the two Massillon wins, kicked off the week as a Touchdown Club speaker.

“Massillon people are pretty smart about football,” Rose said. “They enjoy watching good teams. They had a tremendous respect for the Moeller program, just like the McKinley program.”

Massillon’s Moore penned a Game 1 message to fans in the program, ending it with: ‘GO TIGERS, BEAT McKINLEY!!!”

This was the first Massillon-Moeller opener. The biggest thriller in the series played out in 1990, when the Tigers took a 23-17 lead into the final moments.

“I was defensive coordinator that year,” Greg Gillum said. “I sent in one cover-two too many. They sent the the tailback down the middle. It was a tailback divide. They got us for a long one.”

Carlos Collins’ 39-yard touchdown and the extra point that gave Moeller a 24-23 win came with 14 seconds left in that 1990 game.

“The outcome wasn’t what we wanted, but there were so many lessons learned,” Gillum said. “Football lessons. Life lessons. There were memories made that night.”

On the sideline before the game, the old Massillon coach, Currence, shared a moment with the current one.

As they parted, Moore told Currence, “I’d better get to work,” a thought that applies to the long run that remains.

Reach Steve at steve.doerschuk@cantonrep.comOn Twitter: @sdoerschukREP

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2022 Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller Game Statistics

MASSILLON WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

Cincinnati Moeller vs Massillon (Aug 19, 2022)

 

 

Scoring Summary

 

Scoring Summary (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Cincinnati Moeller vs Massillon (Aug 19, 2022 at Massillon, OH) Cincinnati Moeller (1-0) vs. Massillon (0-1)

Date: Aug 19, 2022 • Site: Massillon, OH  • Stadium: Paul Brown Tiger  •  Attendance:

Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score 
Cincinnati Moeller  13 7 16 13 49 
Massillon  0 10 6 15 31 
SCORING SUMMARY  MOELLER -MASS  
1st 11:45 MOELLER  Tennel Bryant 20 yd pass from Luke Dunn (Thomas Stines rush failed) 
      1 play, 20 yards, TOP 0:07 6 – 0 
 02:56 MOELLER  Jordan Marshall 1 yd run (Drew Mitchell kick) 
      9 plays, 61 yards, TOP 4:47 13 – 0 
2nd 11:47 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 11 yd run (Nolan Hendricks kick) 
      8 plays, 36 yards, TOP 3:09 13 – 7 
 05:45 MASS  Landon Smith 27 yd field goal 
      8 plays, 60 yards, TOP 3:25 13 – 10 
 02:04 MOELLER  Jordan Marshall 2 yd run (Drew Mitchell kick) 
      8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:41 20 – 10 
3rd 09:00 MOELLER  TEAM safety 
       22 – 10 
 08:25 MOELLER  Tennel Bryant 66 yd pass from Luke Dunn (Drew Mitchell kick) 
      2 plays, 62 yards, TOP 0:35 29 – 10 
 06:48 MOELLER  Jordan Marshall 55 yd pass from Luke Dunn (Drew Mitchell kick) 
      1 play, 55 yards, TOP 0:10 36 – 10 
 03:55 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 1 yd run (Nolan Hendricks kick failed) 
      4 plays, 35 yards, TOP 2:53 36 – 16 
4th 11:14 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 1 yd run (Nolan Hendricks kick) 
      10 plays, 73 yards, TOP 3:05 36 – 23 
 10:55 MOELLER  Tennel Bryant 70 yd pass from Luke Dunn (Drew Mitchell kick blockd) 
      1 play, 70 yards, TOP 0:19 42 – 23 
 06:58 MASS  Willtrell Hartson 3 yd run (Willtrell Hartson rush) 
      12 plays, 69 yards, TOP 0:00 42 – 31 
 02:04 MOELLER  Jordan Marshall 6 yd run (Drew Mitchell kick) 
      10 plays, 56 yards, TOP 0:20 49 – 31 
Kickoff time: 7:00 PM  • End of Game: 9:55 PM  • Total elapsed time: 2:55
Referee: Mike Dame  •  Umpire: Rocky Neale  •  Linesman: Andy Okulovich  •  Line judge: Bill Pelka  •  Back judge: Josh Jameyson  •  Field judge: Tim Maddocks  •  Scorer: Jim Barkan Sr  •
Temperature: 81 F  • Wind: light  • Weather: clear sky

 

 

Team Statistics

 

Team Statistics (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Cincinnati Moeller vs Massillon (Aug 19, 2022 at Massillon, OH)

 Team Totals MOELLER MASS 
FIRST DOWNS 16 21 
   Rushing 7 9 
   Passing 8 8 
   Penalty 1 4 
NET YARDS RUSHING 168 142 
   Rushing Attempts 35 36 
   Average Per Rush 4.8 3.9 
   Rushing Touchdowns 3 4 
   Yards Gained Rushing 176 170 
   Yards Lost Rushing 8 28 
NET YARDS PASSING 332 165 
   Completions-Attempts-Int 15-21-0 13-35-1 
   Average Per Attempt 15.8 4.7 
   Average Per Completion 22.1 12.7 
   Passing Touchdowns 4 0 
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS 500 307 
   Total offense plays 56 71 
   Average Gain Per Play 8.9 4.3 
Fumbles: Number-Lost 0-0 1-1 
Penalties: Number-Yards 14-129 2-40 
PUNTS-YARDS 3-95 4-88 
   Average Yards Per Punt 31.7 22.0 
   Net Yards Per Punt 30.0 21.2 
   Inside 20 0 0 
   50+ Yards 0 0 
   Touchbacks 1 0 
   Fair catch 0 1 
KICKOFFS-YARDS 8-380 4-218 
   Average Yards Per Kickoff 47.5 54.5 
   Net Yards Per Kickoff 25.8 31.8 
   Touchbacks 1 0 
Punt returns: Number-Yards-TD 1-3-0 1–15-0 
   Average Per Return 3.0 -15.0 
Kickoff returns: Number-Yds-TD 4-91-0 6-154-0 
   Average Per Return 22.8 25.7 
Interceptions: Number-Yds-TD 1-0-0 0-0-0 
Fumble Returns: Number-Yds-TD 0-0-0 0-0-0 
Miscellaneous Yards 42 0 
Possession Time 20:12 23:38 
   1st Quarter  6:49  5:11 
   2nd Quarter  6:32  5:28 
   3rd Quarter  4:17  7:43 
   4th Quarter  2:34  5:16 
Third-Down Conversions 7 of 13 8 of 15 
Fourth-Down Conversions 0 of 1 0 of 1 
Red-Zone Scores-Chances 3-4 5-6 
Sacks By: Number-Yards 1-23 0-0 
PAT Kicks 5-6 2-3 
Field Goals 0-0 1-2 

 

 

Individual Statistics

 

Individual Statistics (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Cincinnati Moeller vs Massillon (Aug 19, 2022 at Massillon, OH)

Cincinnati Moeller
Massillon
RUSHING No. Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg. 
Jordan Marshall 17 139 0 139 3 39 8.2 
Alec Weeder  14 37 5 32 0 6 2.3 
Andrew Robinson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 
Luke Dunn  1 0 1 -1 0 0 -1.0 
TEAM  2 0 2 -2 0 0 -1.0 
Totals… 35 176 8 168 3 39 4.8 
RUSHING No. Gain Loss Net TD Lg Avg. 
Willtrell Hartson 26 127 1 126 4 30 4.8 
Jalen Slaughter 8 41 27 14 0 17 1.8 
Kyler Wiggins  1 1 0 1 0 1 1.0 
Freddie Leniz Jr 1 1 0 1 0 1 1.0 
Totals… 36 170 28 142 4 30 3.9 
  
PASSING Cmp-Att-Int Yds TD Long Sack 
Luke Dunn  10-15-0 259 4 70 0 
Andrew Robinson 5-6-0 73 0 42 0 
Totals… 15-21-0 332 4 70 0 
PASSING Cmp-Att-Int Yds TD Long Sack 
Jalen Slaughter 13-34-0 165 0 44 1 
Willtrell Hartson 0-1-1 0 0 0 0 
Totals… 13-35-1 165 0 44 1 
RECEIVING No. Yds TD Lg 
Tennel Bryant  9 230 3 70 
Alec Weeder  2 20 0 16 
Ryan Mechley  2 18 0 15 
Jordan Marshall 1 55 1 55 
Benjamin Gruber 1 9 0 9 
Totals… 15 332 4 70 
RECEIVING No. Yds TD Lg 
Ardell Banks  4 84 0 44 
Kyler Wiggins  4 48 0 20 
Freddie Leniz Jr 2 16 0 11 
Zachary Liebler 2 11 0 6 
Willtrell Hartson 1 6 0 6 
Totals… 13 165 0 44 
PUNTING No. Yds Avg Long In20 TB 
Ethan Page  3 95 31.7 45 0 1 
Totals… 3 95 31.7 45 0 1 
  
PUNTING No. Yds Avg Long In20 TB 
Nolan Hendricks 3 88 29.3 33 0 0 
TEAM  1 0 0.0 0 0 0 
Totals… 4 88 22.0 33 0 0 
  Punts Kickoffs Intercept 
ALL RETURNS No Yds Lg No Yds Lg No Yds Lg 
Alec Weeder  0 0 0 1 21 21 0 0 0 
Karson Hobbs  0 0 0 3 70 34 0 0 0 
Conlin Daniel  0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 
TEAM  1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Totals… 1 3 0 4 91 34 1 0 0 
  
  Punts Kickoffs Intercept 
ALL RETURNS No Yds Lg No Yds Lg No Yds Lg 
Zachary Liebler 0 0 0 3 93 62 0 0 0 
Ja’Meir Gamble  0 0 0 1 19 21 0 0 0 
Mylen Lenix  0 0 0 1 37 37 0 0 0 
Dorian Pringle  0 0 0 1 5 5 0 0 0 
Zahnil Berry  1 -15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
Totals… 1 -15 0 6 154 62 0 0 0 
ALL PURPOSE Rush Rcv KR PR IR Total 
Tennel Bryant  0 230 0 0 0 230 
Jordan Marshall 139 55 0 0 0 194 
Alec Weeder  32 20 21 0 0 73 
Karson Hobbs  0 0 70 0 0 70 
Ryan Mechley  0 18 0 0 0 18 
Benjamin Gruber 0 9 0 0 0 9 
TEAM  -2 0 0 3 0 1 
Luke Dunn  -1 0 0 0 0 -1 
Totals… 168 332 91 3 0 594 
  
  
ALL PURPOSE Rush Rcv KR PR IR Total 
Willtrell Hartson 126 6 0 0 0 132 
Zachary Liebler 0 11 93 0 0 104 
Ardell Banks  0 84 0 0 0 84 
Kyler Wiggins  1 48 0 0 0 49 
Mylen Lenix  0 0 37 0 0 37 
Ja’Meir Gamble  0 0 19 0 0 19 
Freddie Leniz Jr 1 16 0 0 0 17 
Jalen Slaughter 14 0 0 0 0 14 
Dorian Pringle  0 0 5 0 0 5 
Zahnil Berry  0 0 0 -15 0 -15 
Totals… 142 165 154 -15 0 446 
FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS 
  
  
FIELD GOAL ATTEMPTS 
Landon Smith 2nd 05:45 27 yards Good 
Nolan Hendricks 2nd 00:14 36 yards Blocked 
KICKOFFS No. Yds TB OB Avg. 
Drew Mitchell  7 340 1 0 48.6 
Brandon Martin  1 40 0 1 40.0 
KICKOFFS No. Yds TB OB Avg. 
Nolan Hendricks 4 218 0 0 54.5 
  
FUMBLES: Cincinnati Moeller-None. Massillon-Ja’Meir Gamble 1-1.

 

 

Drive Chart

 

Drive Chart (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Cincinnati Moeller vs Massillon (Aug 19, 2022 at Massillon, OH)

  Drive Started Drive Ended Consumed   
Team Qtr Spot Time Obtained Spot Time   How Lost Pl-Yds TOP RZ 
MOELLER  1st M20 11:52  Fumble M00 11:45 * TOUCHDOWN 1-20 0:07   
MOELLER  1st C44 10:57  Punt M40 09:02   Punt 6-16 1:55   
MOELLER  1st C39 07:43  Punt M00 02:56 * TOUCHDOWN 9-61 4:47 # 
MOELLER  2nd C20 11:47  Kickoff C25 09:10   Punt 5-5 2:37   
MOELLER  2nd C35 05:45  Kickoff M00 02:04 * TOUCHDOWN 8-65 3:41 # 
MOELLER  2nd M43 00:14  Missed FG M47 00:00   End of half 1–4 0:14   
MOELLER  3rd C38 12:00  Kickoff M03 10:04   Downs 5-59 1:56 # 
MOELLER  3rd C38 09:00  Kickoff M00 08:25 * TOUCHDOWN 2-62 0:35   
MOELLER  3rd C45 06:58  Punt M00 06:48 * TOUCHDOWN 1-55 0:10   
MOELLER  3rd C45 03:55  Kickoff C48 02:19   Punt 4-3 1:36   
MOELLER  4th C30 11:14  Kickoff M00 10:55 * TOUCHDOWN 1-70 0:19   
MOELLER  4th C44 06:34  Downs C44 06:34   Possession 0-0 0:00   
MOELLER  4th C44 02:24  Possession M00 02:04 * TOUCHDOWN 10-56 0:20 # 
MOELLER  4th C27 01:55  Interception C24 00:00   End of half 3–3 1:55   
  
MASS  1st M22 12:00  Kickoff M20 11:52   Fumble 0–2 0:08   
MASS  1st M20 11:45  Kickoff M23 10:57   Punt 3-3 0:48   
MASS  1st M20 09:02  Punt M36 07:43   Punt 4-16 1:19   
MASS  1st C36 02:56  Kickoff C00 11:47 * TOUCHDOWN 8-36 3:09 # 
MASS  2nd M30 09:10  Punt C10 05:45 * FIELD GOAL 8-60 3:25 # 
MASS  2nd M35 02:04  Kickoff C29 00:14   Missed FG 11-36 1:50 # 
MASS  3rd M03 10:04  Downs M03 09:00 * SAFETY 3-0 1:04   
MASS  3rd M04 08:25  Kickoff M25 06:58   Punt 5-21 1:27   
MASS  3rd C35 06:48  Kickoff C00 03:55 * TOUCHDOWN 4-35 2:53 # 
MASS  3rd M27 02:19  Punt C00 11:14 * TOUCHDOWN 10-73 3:05 # 
MASS  4th M31 06:58  Kickoff C00 06:58 * TOUCHDOWN 12-69 0:00 # 
MASS  4th C46 06:58  Kickoff C44 06:34   Downs 4-2 0:24   
MASS  4th M35 02:04  Kickoff M35 01:55   Interception 1-0 0:09   
  1st 2nd 3rd 4th   1st 2nd     
Cincinnati Moeller  Qtr Qtr Qtr Qtr   Half Half   Total 
Time of possession  06:49  06:32  04:17  02:34    13:21  06:51    20:12  
3rd Down Conversions   2/4   2/3   0/2   3/4     4/7   3/6     7/13  
Average field position  M46   C37   C41   C33     C45   C38     C41  
4th Down Conversions   0/0   0/0   0/1   0/0     0/0   0/1     0/1  
  
  1st 2nd 3rd 4th   1st 2nd     
Massillon  Qtr Qtr Qtr Qtr   Half Half   Total 
Time of possession  05:11  05:28  07:43  05:16    10:39  12:59    23:38  
3rd Down Conversions   2/4   0/2   2/4   4/5     2/6   6/9     8/15  
Average field position  M31   M32   M24   M40     M31   M31     M31  
4th Down Conversions   0/0   0/0   0/0   0/1     0/0   0/1     0/1  

Drive Chart (By Quarter)

  Drive Started Drive Ended Consumed   
Team Qtr Spot Time Obtained Spot Time   How Lost Pl-Yds TOP RZ 
MASS  1st M22 12:00  Kickoff M20 11:52   Fumble 0–2 0:08   
MOELLER  1st M20 11:52  Fumble M00 11:45 * TOUCHDOWN 1-20 0:07   
MASS  1st M20 11:45  Kickoff M23 10:57   Punt 3-3 0:48   
MOELLER  1st C44 10:57  Punt M40 09:02   Punt 6-16 1:55   
MASS  1st M20 09:02  Punt M36 07:43   Punt 4-16 1:19   
MOELLER  1st C39 07:43  Punt M00 02:56 * TOUCHDOWN 9-61 4:47 # 
MASS  1st C36 02:56  Kickoff C00 11:47 * TOUCHDOWN 8-36 3:09 # 
MOELLER  2nd C20 11:47  Kickoff C25 09:10   Punt 5-5 2:37   
  
MASS  2nd M30 09:10  Punt C10 05:45 * FIELD GOAL 8-60 3:25 # 
MOELLER  2nd C35 05:45  Kickoff M00 02:04 * TOUCHDOWN 8-65 3:41 # 
MASS  2nd M35 02:04  Kickoff C29 00:14   Missed FG 11-36 1:50 # 
MOELLER  2nd M43 00:14  Missed FG M47 00:00   End of half 1–4 0:14   
MOELLER  3rd C38 12:00  Kickoff M03 10:04   Downs 5-59 1:56 # 
  
MASS  3rd M03 10:04  Downs M03 09:00 * SAFETY 3-0 1:04   
MOELLER  3rd C38 09:00  Kickoff M00 08:25 * TOUCHDOWN 2-62 0:35   
MASS  3rd M04 08:25  Kickoff M25 06:58   Punt 5-21 1:27   
MOELLER  3rd C45 06:58  Punt M00 06:48 * TOUCHDOWN 1-55 0:10   
MASS  3rd C35 06:48  Kickoff C00 03:55 * TOUCHDOWN 4-35 2:53 # 
MOELLER  3rd C45 03:55  Kickoff C48 02:19   Punt 4-3 1:36   
MASS  3rd M27 02:19  Punt C00 11:14 * TOUCHDOWN 10-73 3:05 # 
MOELLER  4th C30 11:14  Kickoff M00 10:55 * TOUCHDOWN 1-70 0:19   
  
MASS  4th M31 06:58  Kickoff C00 06:58 * TOUCHDOWN 12-69 0:00 # 
MASS  4th C46 06:58  Kickoff C44 06:34   Downs 4-2 0:24   
MOELLER  4th C44 06:34  Downs C44 06:34   Possession 0-0 0:00   
MOELLER  4th C44 02:24  Possession M00 02:04 * TOUCHDOWN 10-56 0:20 # 
MASS  4th M35 02:04  Kickoff M35 01:55   Interception 1-0 0:09   
MOELLER  4th C27 01:55  Interception C24 00:00   End of half 3–3 1:55   

 

 

Defensive Statistics

 

Defensive Statistics (Final)
Massillon Washington High School
Cincinnati Moeller vs Massillon (Aug 19, 2022 at Massillon, OH)

## Cincinnati Moeller  Solo Ast Total TFL/Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds BrUp Blkd Sack/Yds QBH 
46 Joe Ginnetti   6  1  6.5  1.0/4   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
5  Brandon Martin   2  3  3.5  1.0/23   .  .   .   .  .  1.0/23   . 
33 Alex French   2  3  3.5  1.0/1   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
7  Conlin Daniel   3  .  3.0  .   .  .   1-0   .  .  .   . 
21 Mitch McNulty   2  2  3.0  .   1  .   .   .  .  .   . 
36 Matthew Seliga   2  1  2.5  .   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
40 Kyler Paul   2  .  2.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
14 Isaiah Summerlin  1  2  2.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
1  Cap Davis   1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
8  Lamont Cox   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
96 Drew Mitchell   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
86 Andrew Currin   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
88 Peyton Wilp   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
18 Micah Hendrix-Pitts  1  .  1.0  .   .  1-0   .   .  .  .   . 
22 Benjamin Tinnemeyer  1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
55 Nick Monahan   .  2  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
32 Roman Mason   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
54 Jacob Cravens   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
4  Thomas Stines   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
15 Jewett Hayes   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
11 Rashad Glenn   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
16 Luke Dunn   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
3  Karson Hobbs   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
TM TEAM   .  .  .   .   .  .   .   .  2  .   . 
## Massillon  Solo Ast Total TFL/Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds BrUp Blkd Sack/Yds QBH 
34 Dorian Pringle   4  4  6.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
30 Deairre Pringle  4  2  5.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
33 Cody Fair   4  .  4.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
24 Tyler Hackenbracht  1  5  3.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
1  Jaden Welch   2  1  2.5  .   .  .   .   .  1  .   . 
45 M Wright Jr   2  1  2.5  1.0/1   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
96 Malachi Card   2  .  2.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
12 Brandon Carman   1  2  2.0  0.5/2   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
9  Maverick Clark   1  2  2.0  0.5/2   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
52 Marcus Moore   1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
10 Zachary Liebler  1  1  1.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
28 Mylen Lenix   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
15 Da’Mart Menard   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
8  Ma’Taeaun Frazier  1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
TM TEAM   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
19 Kyler Wiggins   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
13 Vito McConnell   1  .  1.0  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
17 Freddie Leniz Jr  .  2  1.0  .   .  .   .   1  .  .   . 
51 Evan Sirgo   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
14 Kalix Collins   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 
16 Ryan Page   .  1  0.5  .   .  .   .   .  .  .   . 

 

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Photos From the 2022 Kickoff Rally

WTIG’s Ray Jeske emceed the event.

Head Coach Nate Moore and Senior Co-Captain Marcus Moore

Nikolas Yannayon, Kyle Furbee, Chance O’Neill, Michael Looney and Lo’Quan Young

Jalen Slaghter, Michael Wright Jr., Da’Mari Menard and Bricen Pledgure

Jaden Welch and the unveiling of the Obie statue.

 

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Big Week Ahead for Massillon Football

Big Week Ahead for Massillon Football

It’s the opening week of the 2022 football season and as expected there are lots of happenings this week.  Here’s the schedule:

 

Tuesday

  • The Touchdown Club will hold its first weekly meeting starting at 11:30 am. The guest speaker will be former Massillon Head Coach Jack Rose.  Memberships will be available at the door.
  • The 7th Grade team will play at home against Akron Ellet. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 pm.

 

Wednesday

  • The 8th Grade team will play at home against Akron Armor. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
  • The Downtown Kickoff Rally will be held at Duncan Plaza.  The “Tiger Growl” will begin at 6:30 pm and the rally will begin at 7:00 pm. Ice cream will be served following the rally, courtesy of the Massillon Museum.
  • The Obie Statue will be unveiled in front of the football mural with the ceremony after the rally.

 

Thursday

  • The Sideliners will eat dinner with the players at 5:30 pm.

 

Friday

  • The Football Hall of Fame and Wall of Champion inductees will be recognized at 6:30 pm on the field prior to the football game.
  • The Massillon varsity will play at home against Cincinnati Moeller. Kickoff is schedule for 7:00 pm.  Note this year’s new start time for homes games.

Saturday

  • The Junior Varsity will play at home against Cleveland St. Ignatius. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 am.
  • The Freshmen will play away against Cincinnati Moeller. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

 

Monday

  • The first Booster Club meeting of the year will be held at the High School Auditorium at 7:00 pm.

 

Ongoing

  • The Massillon Museum is featuring an historical display of the Tiger Swing Band in the Paul Brown Museum.
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A Look Back at Past Moeller Games

A Look Back at Past Moeller Games

Massillon has been playing football since 1891, having compiled a win-loss record of 920-297-36, and owning the third most wins of any team in the country.  During that span they have faced 207 different teams and only nine hold a winning edge over the Tigers when at least two games have been played.  They include:

  • Cleveland St. Ignatius (2-12)
  • Cincinnati Moeller (2-10)
  • Massillon Ex-Highs (no longer exists) (2-5)
  • Lorain (0-4)
  • Toledo Scott (0-4)
  • Upper Arlington (2-4)
  • Lakewood St. Edward (3-4)
  • Akron (no longer exists) (0-3)
  • Toledo Whitmer (2-3)

It’s no surprise that Ignatius and Moeller, two Division 1 parochial school powers, are at the top of the list.  Of course, Massillon was never shy about scheduling these teams when they were also in Division 1.

This year’s opening game marks the 13th time the Tigers and Crusaders will face each other.  The first meeting came in 1980 when they met in the Division 1 state finals.  Mike Currence was the coach of the Tigers at that time and lost that one.  He then dropped two more in subsequent years, one of which was also in the D1 state finals.  Coach Lee Owens also tried his luck three times, but did not fair any better.  But his successor, Jack Rose did find some success, winning two of four.  The series continued under Coach Rick Shepas for one more year, yet it was another loss.  Finally, the Tigers were invited to Cincinnati for a classic and Coach Tom Stacey left on the losing end.

But it wasn’t like the games were indicative of the series record.  In most of those losses, Massillon was very competitive.  In fact, in five of the ten setbacks they were in the game going into the fourth quarter and three times still in it at halftime.  And two of those losses could have just as easily been wins.

Moeller achieved prominence under Coach Jerry Faust when they ran the table in 1975 and finished off their first state title with a 14-12 win over Lakewood St. Edward, which was led by Coach Mike Currence.  Currence left after that season and took over the head job at Massillon.  Incidentally, these two coaches will be the honorary captains for the coin toss prior to Friday’s matchup.

Moeller continued its success through the 1982 season, eventually capturing six state titles in a span of nine years.  In 2012 and 2013 they grabbed two more and in 2014 finished a respectable 10-4.  But then the Crusaders fell on hard times, compiling a record of just 24-37 through the 2020 season.  Last year, however, they recaptured the magic, going 11-4 and finishing as Division 1 runner-up, under second-year coach Mark Elder.  This season they hope to parlay that success into a state championship.

Meanwhile, Massillon has reached the state finals six times, three in Division 1 (1980, 1982 and 2005) and three in Division 2 (2018, 2019 and 2020).  They also hope to grab a trophy this year, in Division 2.  So, when these two great programs square off on Friday, it should make for a grand matchup, with another large crowd expected.

Here’s a look back at all the past Massillon-Moeller games.

 

  • Year: 1980
  • Records: Massillon (10-2-1), Moeller (13-0)
  • Coaches: Mike Currence, Gerry Faust
  • Venue: Cincinnati Nippert Stadium (22,751); Division 1 State Finals
  • Score: 7-10 L
  • Game Summary: The Crusaders opened up a 24-0 halftime lead and never looked back. They were led by 6’-2”, 220 lb. running back Mark Brooks, who carried the ball 33 times for 133 yards and scored all four of Moeller’s touchdowns.  While it was the Tigers’ first ever trip to the state finals, the Crusaders were wrapping their fifth title in the last six years.  It was also Coach Gerry Faust’s last game as head coach before heading to Notre Dame to become head coach.

 

  • Year: 1981
  • Records: Massillon (7-3), Moeller (12-1)
  • Coaches: Mike Currence, Ted Bacigalupo
  • Venue: Akron Rubber Bowl (23,950)
  • Score: 6-24 L
  • Game Summary: This one was supposed to be the first-ever meeting between these two schools, but the previous year’s playoff game kind of got in the way. Massillon was down just 10-6 at the half, but two second half touchdowns by the Crusaders put the game out of reach.

 

  • Year: 1982
  • Records: Massillon (12-1), Moeller (13-0)
  • Coaches: Mike Currence, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Ohio Stadium (31,409), Division 1 State Finals
  • Score: 14-35 L
  • Game Summary: Massillon had Chris Spielman and Jim Bushe, while Moeller countered with the speedy running back combo of Da’Juan and Hiawatha Francisco. In the end the Crusader high-powered offense made all the difference, as they rolled up 479 yards.  Although the Tigers were down just 21-14 at intermission, they couldn’t dent the scoreboard in the second half.

 

  • Year: 1989
  • Records: Massillon (10-3), Moeller (11-3)
  • Coaches: Lee Owens, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (16,764)
  • Score: 7-41 L
  • Game Summary: Once again Massillon was in it early, only to fall away in the second half. Massillon was down 14-7 at the half and 21-7 late in the third with a chance to score and close the gap to seven.  But they were stopped on downs deep in Moeller territory.  After that, the Crusaders put up 20 unanswered points and ran away with the win.

 

  • Year: 1990
  • Records: Massillon (8-4), Moeller (9-2)
  • Coaches: Lee Owens, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (16,764)
  • Score: 23-24 L
  • Game Summary: A first-ever victory in-hand was taken away by a blown referee call at the end of the game. The well-played contest was even throughout with Massillon owning a 23-17 lead with less than a minute remaining.  For Moeller, it was fourth down in their own territory and a desperation pass bounced on the ground ahead of the receiver.  Only, the referee ruled the pass complete and a close first down measurement gave the Crusaders new life.  So, they cashed in on the subsequent play with a 39-yard Hail Mary pass to tie the score.  The successful PAT then gave the Crusaders the win.

 

  • Year: 1991
  • Records: Massillon (10-3), Moeller (6-4)
  • Coaches: Lee Owens, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Mason Galbreath Field (10,600)
  • Score: 13-27 L
  • Game Summary: What started out as a stellar year with a 3-0 start, with Travis McGuire and Falando in the backfield, quickly turn sour during this crucial road game. McGuire scored first on a 42-yard run and then the Tigers forced Moeller to punt.  Massillon also had to punt on their next possession.  But the snap was fumbled and Moeller turned that miscue into a score.  It seemed to swing the momentum in the Crusaders’ favor.  Nevertheless, the Tigers held a 13-12 halftime lead and were down just 20-13 at the end of three.  But they just couldn’t make it all the way back.

 

  • Year: 1992
  • Records: Massillon (5-5), Moeller (7-3)
  • Coaches: Jack Rose, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (16,762)
  • Score: 14-24 L
  • Game Summary: Once again Massillon was in the game for three quarters only to lose it at the end. It was Moeller’s seventh win over the Tigers in as many tries.

 

  • Year: 1995
  • Records: Massillon (7-3), Moeller (5-5)
  • Coaches: Jack Rose, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (15,394)
  • Score: 21-18 W
  • Game Summary: Massillon finally got over the top with a victory. In the first half, Vinnie Turner scored two touchdowns, while his team held Moeller to just a field goal.  The third quarter played out evenly and the Tigers were now leading 21-11.  So, the question for everyone was: would Massillon once again fold against Moeller in the fourth.  Not this time!  The Crusaders were held to just one score.  Turner ended up rushing 25 times for 200 yards and scored three touchdowns, accounting for more than 75% of the Tigers’ total offense.

 

  • Year: 1996
  • Records: Massillon (9-2), Moeller (9-3)
  • Coaches: Jack Rose, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (13,102)
  • Score: 20-15 W
  • Game Summary: The Tigers were ahead 13-12 going into the fourth quarter, when Massillon’s Dave Hodgson ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers ahead 20-12.  The defense then stiffened, holding the Crusaders to a 46-yard field goal to end the scoring.

 

  • Year: 1997
  • Records: Massillon (7-3), Moeller (12-2)
  • Coaches: Jack Rose, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Cincinnati Nippert Stadium (6,074)
  • Score: 24-28 L
  • Game Summary: This is another one that got away. And the loss may have cost Jack Rose his job.  Massillon, playing on the road, opened up a 21-7 lead by the end of the third quarter and was completely dominating Moeller up to that point.  But the game turned quickly after that.  It started with a Crusader 77-yard touchdown pass and never got any better as the Tigers were outscored 21-3 the rest of the way.

 

  • Year: 1998
  • Records: Massillon (4-6), Moeller (7-3)
  • Coaches: Rick Shepas, Steve Klonne
  • Venue: Paul Brown Tiger Stadium (11,518)
  • Score: 10-35 L
  • Game Summary: A young Massillon team under new coach Rick Shepas kept it close in the first half, trailing just 8-7. But the better team prevailed in the second half.  It also convinced those in charge that a school whose enrollment was shrinking should not be playing those Division 1 parochial schools.  Thus ended the series at eleven games.  At least for eight years.

 

  • Year: 2006
  • Records: Massillon (7-5), Moeller (5-5)
  • Coaches: Tom Stacey, Bob Crable
  • Venue: Cincinnati Paul Brown Stadium (10,000) in the Cincinnati Prep Classic
  • Score: 14-48 L
  • Game Summary: Coming off a Division 1 state final appearance where they lost a close one to Cincinnati St. Xavier, Massillon was game for another shot at a big parochial school. But it turned into a rout early with Moeller up 24-0 after the first quarter.  The first two scores came via a 49-yard punt return and a 50-yard interception return.  In fact, the Tigers turned it over four times in this one.  And that was it for the series until this year’s opener.

 

 

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Massillon vs. Akron Buchtel Scrimmage Results

Massillon vs. Akron Buchtel Scrimmage Results

The Tigers and Griffins squared off in the second and final scrimmage prior to next week’s season opener, with Massillon coming out on top in one half of action, 14-2.  The JV teams then got after it in the second half and the Tigers prevailed, 21-0.  Game conditions were played throughout the four quarters of play.

Massillon scored on its opening possession by driving 65 yards, culminating in a 10-yard toss sweep TD by Willtrell Hartson.  Nolan Hendricks tacked on the extra point.  And that was all the scoring for the local team until the final minutes of the half when Jalen Slaughter connected with wide receiver Ardell Banks on a 34-yard touchdown pass.  In between the two scores, the offense sputtered with both the run and the pass during three consecutive possessions, which all ended in punts.  But give some credit to a much-improved, very athletic Buchtel defense that played inspired football all night.  Hartson ran the ball 12 times for 76 yards (6.3 ave.).  Slaughter completed 10 of 19 passes for 109 yards.

On the other side of the ball the Tiger defense was simply stifling, holding the Griffins to just 38 yards of total offense, 21 on the ground and 17 in the air, on 19 plays.  And Buchtel was forced to punt on each possession.  Of course, it didn’t help that the Griffin quarterback was off target most of the night and completed just two of twelve passes, including an errant throw to Massillon’s Adonis Marshall.

Buchtel’s lone score came after the Tigers mistakenly fair caught a punt at their own five yard line.  Hartson appeared to get his team out of the hole with a 15-yard run, but it was negated by a holding penalty.  That was followed by two consecutive jet sweeps.  Only, the first one lost ten yards when the runner tried to reverse his field and the second never made it out of the end zone, resulting in a safety.

The scrimmage also involved liberal substitutions, at least on the Massillon side.  And those player mistakes normally seen during scrimmages.  Nevertheless, the Tigers have lots to work on before they entertain Cincinnati Moeller in next week’s opener.  This is particularly true for the offense line, which will need to develop into a more effective unit in one week’s time.  And for the passing game, which misfired on many solid opportunities.

Statistics (1st half only)

Massillon – Akron Buchtel

  • First downs: 10 – 2
  • Rushing attempts: 23 – 7
  • Rushing yards: 126 – 21
  • Yards per rush: 5.5 – 3.0
  • Pass completions: 10 – 2
  • Pass attempts: 19 – 17
  • Pass yards: 109 – 17
  • Yards per pass completion: 10.9 – 8.5
  • Total plays: 42 – 19
  • Total yards: 235 – 38
  • Yards per play: 5.6 – 2.0

Scoring

Massillon

  • Willtrell Hartson 10-yard run
  • Ardell Banks 34-yard pass from Jalen Slaughter

Buchtel

  • Safety – tackle in the end zone

JV Scoring

  • Mylen Lenix 10-yard run
  • Peytton Mitchell 3-yard run
  • Bricen Pledgure 40-yard pass interception return
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Touchdown Club to Begin Weekly Gatherings

Touchdown Club to Begin Weekly Gatherings

The Touchdown Club is an open adult booster group that meets every Tuesday during the season at the Massillon Eagles Club. The club was formed in 1950 during the regime of Coach Chuck Mather.

The meetings are a lunchtime affair and members receive from the Head Coach reviews of past games and scouting reports of upcoming opponents.  Team captains are also in attendance to provide their own insight.  Occasionally, the meetings are enhanced with guest speakers.

At the end of the season, the club honors one of the players with the “Bob Commings Memorial Hardnose Award.”

The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 16, at 11:30 am with the speaker event beginning around noon. The guest speaker that week will be former Massillon Head Coach Jack Rose.

Membership for the season is $25.00 and the cost for lunch is $10.00 each week.  Guests are welcome for their first visit; following that they will need to pay the membership fee.

At the first meeting the club will feature a guest speaker.  Then Coach Moore will talk about the Massillon Tigers, plus give a preview of our Week 1 opponent, Cincinnati Moeller.

See you there.

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Massillon and Avon Begin Season Prep with an Opening…

Massillon and Avon Begin Season Prep with an Opening Scrimmage

The OHSAA permits three weeks of full contact practice before the first game and local teams are now just one week into that process.  Two scrimmages are allowed and Massillon’s first one, traditionally with the Avon Eagles, is now in the books.  Who knows what these teams will look like once the season gets underway, let along by the time the playoffs roll in.  But these two Division II powerhouses at least gave some indications as to what their strengths will be down the road.

For Avon, it is the passing game, which is usually the case.  And on this day, they got somewhat the better of the Tigers, moving the ball consistently down the field throughout the match.  Their quarterback was very accurate in hitting short and medium passes to receivers that were running their routes well.  And the Eagles also showed the poise of an experienced team.

Massillon, on the other hand, came out with a very balanced run-pass attack and substituted liberally.  Although they struggled early on both offense and defense, they seemed to find a better pace, at least offensively, as the scrimmage wore on.  Returning sophomore Jalen Slaughter showed improvement from last year with his handling of the quarterback duties, moving in the pocket well, hitting his receivers and knowing when to bail.  And that final trait may turn out to be a real asset down the road.  Willtrell Hartson is, well, Willtrell.  Except that he is a much more powerful runner this year, as demonstrated by his ability to break tackles throughout the scrimmage.  As did Dorian Pringle.  Wide receiver Ardell Banks also had a very good showing.  Defensively, the Tigers were stingy against the run, but pass defense was another story.  Of course, neither team was game-planning and again it was just the first scrimmage.  But the overall assessment of Massillon is that of a young but talented team that needs field experience before it will shine.  But it will shine.

The first part of the scrimmage involved the offense starting at its own 35 with ten plays in the pocket.  Avon’s possessions went like this:

  • Short touchdown pass.
  • 35-yard touchdown pass.

Massillon:

  • 55-yard pass completion to Banks to the five yard line.  One play left in the series.  Vinny Keller kicked a 21-yard field goal.
  • 25-yard “jail break” pass to Banks to the six yard line.  Mylen Lenix scored from the three.  Keller kicked the PAT.

In the second part each team ran several series starting at the opponent’s 25.  Avon:

  • 2-yard touchdown pass.
  • 32-yard field goal.

Massillon:

  • 21-yard screen pass to Willtrell Hartson for a touchdown.  PAT missed.
  • 19-yard field goal.

In part three, each team started at the opponent’s ten.  Avon:

  • 10-yard touchdown pass.
  • 3-yard touchdown pass.
  • 29-yard field goal.

Massillon:

  • 1-yard touchdown run by Dorian Pringle.  Keller PAT.
  • Another 1-yard touchdown run by Dorian Pringle.  Keller PAT.

The scrimmage wrapped up with  special teams punting and field goal practice.

Massillon on  defense.  No. 10 is Zach Liebler.  No. 52 is Marcus Moore.  No. 34 is Dorian Pringle.  No. 1 is Jaden Welch.

Jalen Slaughter passes down field.  No. 77 is Michel Mercurio.

Ardell Banks catches the long bomb and carries it to five.

Willtrell Hartson runs the outside zone for good yardage.  No. 75 is Michael Looney.  No. 52 is Marcus Moore.

Overthrown Avon pass.  Good coverage by the Massillon defender.

Ardell Banks on the “break pass” reception is headed for the end zone.

Vinny Keller connects on a 21-yard field goal  No. 14 is Kalix Collins.

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Football Is In the Air

Football Is In the Air

It’s full pads and hitting this week as the Massillon Tigers continue their preparation for their 2022 season.  In just two weeks time the Tigers will host Cincinnati Moeller in a high-powered opener.  But first they need to manage a couple of scrimmages, with both slated for the friendly confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  On Saturday at 11:30 am, Massillon will entertain Avon in a match that has become a tradition over the past few years.  Both teams have aspirations of winning their respective playoff regions and moving onto the state semifinals.  The following Friday at 7:00 pm Akron Buchtel will pay a house call as the Griffins they strive to regain the top spot in the Akron City Series.  Meanwhile, please enjoy the photos of Thursday’s practice.