Some Big Games On Tap for the Week 1…

Some Big Games On Tap for the Week 1 Slate

Valdosta, GA at Massillon – The Nation’s No. 1 winningest team, Valdosta, vs. No. 4 at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  It doesn’t get any better than this.  Last year the Wildcats finished 8-3, losing in the first round of the playoffs.  However, they did beat their local rival, Lowndes, 13-6.  Massillon posted a 12-2 record and a spot in the Division 2 state semifinals.  Big wins came against Lakewood St. Edward, 31-28, Austintown Fitch, 49-28 and Canton McKinley, 23-13.  Both Massillon and Valdosta are loaded with returning talent.

Lakewood St. Edward vs. Center Grove, IN – Last year the Eagles finished 15-1 and captured the
Division 1 state championship with a 28-14 victory over Springfield.  Their lone loss was 31-28 to Massillon in the regular season.  But they defeated Division 2 champion Toledo Central, 23-20, Cincinnati Elder, 17-14, and Cincinnati Moeller, 6-0.  Center Grove recorded a 12-2 mark and finished in their 5-round playoffs as the best team in Indiana.  Both teams are early favorites to repeat as state champions.

Ben Davis, IN at Cincinnati Moeller – Always strong Ben Davis is coming off an uncharacteristic 6-4 season, with a 35-34 loss to state champ Center Grove.  The Crusaders, having rebounded from several substandard years, finished 13-2, with two victories over Cincinnati St. Xavier, 20-17 and 28-7, a 42-14 win over Elder and a 38-20 victory over Lakota West.  The regular season loss was 6-0 to Lakewood St. Edward.  Their season came to an end in the Division 1 state semifinals with a 28-24 loss to Springfield.

Lakota West at Cincinnati St. Xavier – Lakota West, the top team in the Greater Miami Conference, was unbeaten through thirteen games last year, including wins over Cincinnati St. Xavier, 16-13, and Cincinnati Elder, 30-10.  But the run ended in the regional finals where they lost 38-20 to Moeller.  St. Xavier lost 28-7 to Moeller in Round 2 of the playoffs.  Last year Lakota West prevailed in this game 16-13.

Pickerington North at Cincinnati Elder – It’s the Ohio Capital Conference versus the Greater Catholic League in this intriguing matchup.  North finished 8-4 last year, defeating Upper Arlington in the regular season, 18-13, but losing 28-20 to Pickerington Central in the playoffs.  Elder finished 10-4, with wins over Pickerington Central, 17-7, and St. Xavier, 42-10.  In the playoffs, they lost 30-10 to Lakota West.

Hudson at Medina Highland – This is a battle of D2 teams from opposing divisions of the Suburban League.  Both finished the regular season last year undefeated.  In the playoffs Hudson defeated a good Walsh Jesuit team, 34-7, and a rising Painsville Riverside, 16-14, but ended up losing 41-7 to Akron Hoban in the regional finals.  Meanwhile, Highand lost 42-6 in Round 2 to eventual state champ Toledo Central.

Cincinnati Colerain at Cincinnati LaSalle – Neither of these teams has been playing up to par of late, but a win for one of them may provide a kick start to better times.  Last year Colerain finished 4-7 and LaSalle ended up 2-9, with LaSalle winning the season opener against these two teams, 17-13.  The big money this time around is on Colerain.

Mansfield at Akron St. Vincent – The Tygers last year recorded a 10-3 record with a 42-7 shellacking of North Canton Hoover coupled with a 33-0 loss to Massillon, both in the regular season.  In the Division 3 playoffs they lost 17-16 in Round 3 to Cleveland Holy Name.  The Irish finished 8-4, posting a 21-14 win over Austintown Fitch before losing 47-7 to Akron Hoban in the 3^rd round of the Division 2 playoffs.

Cleveland St. Ignatius vs. Springfield – Last year’s game was rained out, but the Wildcats may wish this one will be rained out as well.  Ignatius is very young this year, with a new coach, and is just not the same team they were a few years ago.  But they can still be competitive.  In 2022 they finished 7-4 with a 24-21 win over St. Xavier and a 28-7 loss to St. Edward in Round 3 of the playoffs.  Meanwhile, Springfield, at 14-2, with two wins over Centerville and a win over Huber Heights Wayne, advanced to state finals for the second consecutive year, before losing to St. Eds 28-14.

Steubenville at Youngstown Ursuline – Steubenville finished 12-3 in 2022, with a 32-20 loss to Cincinnati Wyoming in the Division 4 state semifinals.  Ursuline was 10-3, losing 33-25 in Round 3 of the Division 3 playoffs to eventual state champ Canfield.

 

 

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Massillon traveled to Cincinnati Moeller for the second of two scrimmages in preparation for the Tigers’ 2023 season opener next Friday against Valdosta, Georgia, the winningest team in the U.S.   Moeller is coming off a 2022 season during which they compiled a 9-1 record and won the Division 1 Southwest Region in the playoffs.  This year they are ranked second in Ohio D1 behind Lakewood St. Edward and 35^th in the nation per maxpreps.com.  Meanwhile, Massillon also finished 9-1 last year and captured their region in Division 2.  The Tigers are currently ranked 3^rd in D2 behind Akron Hoban and Avon, a team they scrimmaged and defeated last week.

The Crusaders struck first on the second play of their initial possession with a long bomb.  But their offense was completely stymied the rest of the way.  Meanwhile, the Tigers put up three scores to win 21-7.  The first came at the end of a long drive when Mike Wright powered the ball into the end zone from four yards out.  Vinnie Keller then converted the first of three PAT attempts.  In the second quarter Daone Owens connected with Braylyn Toles for a 35-yard score.  VIDEO.  Toles beat the defender down the left sidelines and grabbed the ball touched his foot down in the end zone just inches away from the line.  That upped the score to 14-7.  Massillon’s first possession of the third quarter also went to paydirt when Jalen Slaughter hit Ja’Meir Gamble on a 35-yard strike.  With the score sitting at 21-7, the starters vacated the field in favor of subs.

Moeller won 14-7 with the backups in.  The Tigers’ score occurred when Eli Moore completed a 30-yard pass over the middle to Ricardo Wells, who made an acrobatic catch.  VIDEO.

The freshmen won 21-6.

Videos courtesy of Becca Moore.

Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Parking

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Avon

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Avon

Massillon and Avon, two perennial contenders to capture their respective Division II regional championships, locked horns Saturday in their annual scrimmage.  This match-up has been ongoing for several years and has always been productive, in that it was a chance, albeit with just a few practices under their belts, for these teams to get some snaps in for perspective starters and, more importantly, evaluate all the talent looming underneath.  The final score is simply a secondary outcome.

In the first part of the scrimmage, each team started at its own 35 and ran ten plays, with down-and-distance, in each of two possessions.  Avon had the ball first and advanced on a nice drive to the Massillon 15 before running out of downs.  Their attack was almost exclusively in the air.  The Tiger defense was pretty basic with a 3-man front and blitzed only sparingly.

Then it was the Tigers’ turn.  Daone Owens was the first under center and then was replaced halfway through the ten plays by Jalen Slaughter.  This alternating routine they did for the entire scrimmage.  Starting at the 25, Massillon advanced to the Avon 46, but was stopped on downs.  The Tigers used a balanced attack, with modest production on the ground, but not much in the air, owing to the constant linebacker blitzing from the Eagles, which gave the quarterbacks little time to set up.  Keep in mind that there is minimal game-planning for a scrimmage, whereas for a regular season game certain schemes would be employed to offset the blitz.

Now, many starters were being replaced.  On Avon’s next possession they first lost two yards and punted.  Then they gained seven yards and punted.  Finally, they gained five yards and by that time consumed their ten plays.  Massillon gained eight yards and punted.  Then they ran out of plays without gaining a yard.

In part two the teams started at the opponent’s 25.  Avon was intercepted at the goal line by Kyler Wiggins.  Restarting, the Eagles lost seven yards and punted.  Again restarting, they were intercepted by Tyler Hackenbracht.  Starting once more, they ran out of downs at the Tiger 25.  At this point, with the apparent starting defense on the field, the Tigers began to dominate.

Massillon scored on its first try from the 25 when sophomore Jaydyn Williams went over from the one.  Vinny Keller’s PAT was successful.  The next try went for two yards and was stopped on downs.

Part three involved each team starting at the opponent’s ten.  Avon scored twice in two possessions, once on a 2-yard run and once on a 10-yard pass.  Massillon also scored twice.  Williams picked up his second TD on a 10-yard run and Ricardo Wells caught a 10-yard pass from Owens.  Keller kicked both extra points.

After that the punt and field goal units got in some work.

The junior varsities each ran two series and tied 1-1, with quarterback Eli Moore crossing the goal line from five yards out.

The Tigers will be back in action next Thursday when they travel to Cincinnati to scrimmage Moeller.  Game time is 2:00 pm.  All of this in preparation for the season opener one week later when Massillon hosts Valdosta, Georgia.

Opening Game: The Valdosta Perspective

Opening Game: The Valdosta Perspective

The following is a reprint of a story from the Valdosta Daily Times Newpaper announcing the football game between Massillon and Valdosta.  It was written by Clint Thompson and published on February 9, 2023.

 

Valdosta to open against national power to start ’23 season

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta Wildcats’ mantra is they do not back down from playing anybody. That includes one of the top football programs in the country in the Washington Tigers (Massillon, Ohio).

The two prestigious programs will kick off next season on Friday, Aug. 18 at Massillon’s Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. It is one of four games that comprise the inaugural Northeast Ohio vs. America Showcase.

Valdosta head coach Shelton Felton talked about the opportunity that awaits his Wildcats.

“It’s very exciting,” Felton said. “The opportunity to play in the Showcase game, an out-of-state game with two of the best programs in the nation from day one, it’s a great opportunity. It’s very exciting to be leading the Wildcats with an opportunity to play the game.”

Felton said Valdosta and Massillon have always wanted to compete against each other. The promoter for Ohio contacted Felton with the proposal.

“At the time, we had a game scheduled but they canceled. We jumped on board with the opportunity to play,” Felton said.

Valdosta ranks first in the country in high school football wins, while Massillon ranks fourth. Valdosta has 944 wins compared to Massillon’s 932. Valdosta finished 8-3 last season and third in Region 1-7A. Massillon finished 12-2.

The trip northward not only provides Valdosta a great opponent and electric atmosphere to start this season, it also provides Felton’s players a chance to see a part of the country they may not have seen before. That experience will be just as invaluable.

“Some of these kids won’t leave Valdosta after graduation. They’ll stay here and work, be great young men, great citizens. To be able to use football to see the world and see something different is an awesome opportunity,” Felton said. “There’s more stuff in the world than Valdosta, Georgia.”

 

Football Season is Finally Here for the Tiger Nation

Football Season is Finally Here for the Tiger Nation

The long-awaited 2023 football season is finally here.  It should be an exciting year, as a challenging schedule awaits a talented Tigers team that is stocked with a wealth of returning starters.  But first, there are several events to be enjoyed, all leading up to the opening game against Valdosta, Georgia.

Monday, July 31 – First official day of football practice.  Massillon will utilize both Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and the Paul L. David Athletic Training Center, located at Washington High School.

Wednesday, August 2 – Media Day at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Group photographs of the varsity and freshmen teams and individual photos of all players will be taken by the website staff, the local media and commercial firms.  Freshmen at 5:00 pm and varsity at 6:00 pm.  Open to the public.  Photos will appear in this website prior to the first game.

Saturday, August 5 – First scrimmage, vs. Avon, at Avon Football Field Mark Walberg Chevrolet Stadium.  Game time is 11:30 am.  Avon participates in the playoffs in Division 2 and has achieved five regional championships and one runner-up over the past six years.  Their 10-year record is 111-17.  Last year the Eagles finished 12-2, losing in the regional finals to eventual state champion Toledo Central Catholic.  They are led by long-time coach Mike Elder.

Sunday, August 6 – Sideliners Picnic at Washington High School, starting at 12:00 n.  The Sideliners is a group of Massillon supporters that act as “Big Brothers” for the varsity players.  The members interact with the players on a weekly basis throughout the season and are also accessible to the players for help anytime in helping to resolve any personal problems that they might have.

Thursday, August 10 – Second scrimmage, vs. Cincinnati Moeller, at a site in Cincinnati to be determined.  Game time is 2:00 pm.  Moeller opened with the Tigers last season and went away with a 49-31 victory.  Having resurged in recent years, the Crusaders won the championship in their Division 1 region in each of the last two seasons.  They are led by first-year coach Bert Bathiany, who recently coached at Lexington Catholic in Kentucky.

Saturday, August 12 – Football Booster Club Golf Outing at the Massillon Elms Country Club.  The 18-hole, shotgun start begins at 1:00 pm.  Dinner will follow golf.

Tuesday, August 15 – First Touchdown Club meeting of the season.  The event is held weekly at Eagles 190 at 11:30 am.  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 also provide nsight.  Occasionally, the meetings are enhanced with guest speakers.  At the end of the season the Club honors one player with the Hardnose Award.  Memberships can be obtained in this website or at the door.

Wednesday, August 16 – Season Kickoff Rally at Duncan Plaza, beginning at 6:00 pm.  Greet the team.  Enjoy entertainment provided by the Tiger Swing Band and cheerleaders.

Thursday, August 17 – Valdosta Game Tailgate Party at Duncan Plaza, sponsored by Downtown Massillon Association and City of Massillon-City Hall.  6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.  Games, live music and food trucks.

Thursday, August 17 – Freshmen football opener vs. Lake St. Edward at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 pm.

 Friday, August 18 – Varsity football opener vs. Valdosta, Georgi,a at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:07 pm.  The game is part of the NE Ohio vs. America Showcase.  Valdosta, with an historical record of 944-262-34, is the No. 1 team in the USA in terms of total wins, while Massillon, a former USA No. 1 with a record of 932-299-36, is currently 1^st in Ohio and 4^th in the nation.  Last year, the Wildcats finished 8-3, with a loss in the first round of the playoffs.  They are led by third-year Head Coach Shelton Felton.

Note: Parking will be a premium due to the construction of the new elementary school in the east parking lot.  There will be no parking in the east lot.  The tailgate lot and upper and lower lots west of the stadium require a permit.  Non-permit fans are encouraged to park at Target and take the shuttle bus to the stadium.  Buses are scheduled to begin their runs at 5:00 pm.

Monday, August 21 – First Booster Club meeting, at Washington High School’s auditorium on the first floor, starting at 7:00 pm.  Open to all Booster Club members (minimum membership is $10.00, which can be purchased in this website or at the door).  Listen to Coach Nate Moore review the past game along with game film and preview the next opponent.

Gary Vogt Will Enter the Massillon Tiger Football Hall…

Gary Vogt Will Enter the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame

For nearly fifty years Gary Vogt has been a mainstay in the Massillon Tiger Football Booster Club, never shy in lending a helping hand, regardless of the endeavor.  This summer he will be deservedly honored as an inductee into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.

Vogt graduated from WHS in 1966 and was a member of the varsity basketball team.  In 1976, after receiving his college degree from Kent State University and serving four years in the U.S. Air Force, he returned to Massillon and joined the Football Booster Club, an organization that has been around since the time of Paul Brown.  Now, some 47 years later, he can look back at a career during which he held several major club positions and was involved in many significant activities.

In 1986 Vogt was appointed Chairman of the Tiger Sideliners, which is a group of Massillon supporters that act as “Big Brothers” for the varsity football players.  In that role, the members become accessible to the players throughout the season for help in resolving any personal problems that they might have.  In many cases, these associations evolved into long-term relationships.  Under Vogt, fellow Sideliner Rollie Layfield was instrumental in founding the Reverse Raffle, a major fund-raising event for the Booster Club.

Two years later Gary was selected as a Booster Club Vice President and then the following year he was elected President.  In that position, he was instrumental in leading several major stadium projects, including installation of:

• Omni Sand turf, replacing the grass playing surface
• A sports cluster lighting system
• A new state of the art sound system
• A rubberized running track

The Sand Turf project was the most intriguing of all.  After the grass surface became nearly unplayable toward the end of previous season, Head Coach Lee Owens, in conjunction with the Booster Club, presented to the school board the idea of replacing the grass with an artificial surface with the goals of (1) having a dedicated practice field, with consideration that the new high school was overtaking the existing field, (2) providing a consistently safe playing surface for the team, and (3) securing the state finals playoff games.  The proposal was accepted, provided that no school funds were involved.  Fortunately, the Massillon community, led by the Booster Club, provided generous contributions amounting to over $400,000.

Various designs were explored and the “Turf Committee,” led by Vogt, settled on Omni Sand Turf, which was considered state-of-the-art at the time.  “The driving force was to select a player friendly surface,” said Vogt.  “At the time the prominent artificial surface was Astro Turf which was not a very forgiving surface to play on.  Lee Owens checked with our team Orthopedic Doctor, Bob Erichson, as to the safety of the Sand Turf product.  Dr. Erichson gave his okay, so Coach Owens selected the Sand Turf surface.”

Installation involved laying a 1-inch thick rubber shock pad, followed by the ½”-high grass-like turf.  Then a 1-inch layer of sand was infused between the grass fibers to produce a generally beach-like surface with strands of artificial grass protruding through the sand to provide traction for the players.

But before all that, the existing grass needed to be removed.  Never one to lose a fundraising opportunity, the committee offered strips of grass to the general public for a modest fee.  So, several hundred feet of turf found its way to memorable spots in the lawns and gardens of various Tiger fans.  Some even went to a cemetery in Chicago.  But the most interesting purchase was a hundred feet going to former Massillon head coach Augie Morningstar.  After leading Massillon in 1945, he left to become the head coach of the Mansfield Tygers.  In 1949 he brought his team to Massillon and upset the Tigers 16-12.  So, he took a sizeable amount of turf, extracted from the end zone where the winning Tyger touchdown was scored, back to Mansfield and distributed it among the players involved in that game.

Now it was time to get down to work.  First, a new drainage system was installed, compatible with sand turf, which drained any rain through the porous turf as opposed to flowing to the sidelines.  Then the field was graded relatively flat.  Finally, the turf was installed, with the local fire department hosing in the sand.  In the end, it was one of the first artificial surfaces to be installed in any Ohio school stadium.  And just in time to host the state All-Star game.  And it met the goals of having a practice field, improving safety for the players and hosting the 1989 state finals games.

Another committee Vogt chaired was quite unique.  After losing to Cincinnati Moeller in 1989, several members felt that something was needed to get the fans re-energized and more involved in the game.  So, a group was formed to develop several cheers to try out during the next contest.  But the first trial came off so well that the others were not needed.  It was simple, rather elementary, in fact.  But highly effective.  And it is still in use today.  The fans on the stadium’s east side yelled “TIG.”  Then the fans on the west side responded with “ERS.”  And back and forth it went, louder and louder.  Surely, a form of intimidation directed at the opponent.  Interestingly, at the time when the cheer was first introduced, the Tigers were behind Austintown Fitch at the end of the first quarter, 6-3.  After that, Massillon outscored the Falcons 20-7 and won going away.  Credit the cheer?  Who knows.  But it makes for a great story.

In 1994 Gary spent a year as the Touchdown Club Chairman.  This group meets weekly for lunch to rub elbows with other fans and hear the coach review the past game.

Currently, Vogt is the Booster Club Historian, an officer position he has held for the past fourteen years.  In that role, he is primarily responsible for maintaining the long history of Massillon football by continuing the collection of related documents originally assembled by Junie Studer.  Currently, the collection resides at the Massillon Museum.  Gary regularly searches the media for stories involving Massillon football or past players and chronicles them in indexed binders for quick reference, focusing on both current and historical information.  Of course, Gary still remains active in many fundraising activities.

Congratulations to Gary Vogt on his induction into the Massillon Football Hall of Fame.

 

Pre-Season Kickoff Event Has Tiger Faithful Excited for the…

Pre-Season Kickoff Event Has Tiger Faithful Excited for the Season

Tiger football is alive and well!  Last season Massillon, a team comprised of mostly underclass players, fashioned a 12-2 record and advanced to the playoff regional finals where they lost to Akron Hoban.  Now, a year later, these underclassmen have matured and are ready to produce what is believed to be one of the Tigers’ better teams in several years.

The recent Summer Kickoff Event gave a good crowd of Massillon supporters an early look at the talent many have been talking about throughout the winter months.  “We’ve had a really nice offseason,” said Head Coach Nate Moore.  Beginning in January the players have been working hard in the weight room developing mass and strength and have now added speed drills to their routines.  As 7-on-7 and Big Man competitions enhance the effort the team is beginning to round into a solid football group.  “We are preparing guys to play a football game,” said Moore.

Last Saturday the skill players traveled to West Virginia for a 7-on-7 competition.  In round robin play they won five matches and tied a sixth.  Following that was tournament play where the Tigers won their first two, but then lost to U.S. Top 25 team Good Counsel out of Maryland.  Moore thought his players and coaches took a lot away from that contest.

The linemen also had their moment a couple of days later, at the University of Pittsburgh.  After being seeded 8^th from among a group of thirty other teams it was time for the final event, the tug-of-war.  Having won the sledgehammer trophy the last two years, their reputation was on the line.  But first, they needed to knock off the No. 1 seed, Gonzaga, D.C., which they did easily.  Then, following another victory, it was off to the finals.  The opponent?  Surprise!  Canton McKinley.  It was a struggle for the first few seconds, but then the Tigers “pulled them right off the carpet,” according to Moore.  Massillon now has one more Pittsburgh hammer in its possession.

Booster Club President Rob Maylor opened the event with remarks regarding the upcoming season.

The assistant coaches briefly described their individual player groups.  Nearly all of these coaches have been with the Tigers for several years, which creates great synergy within the program.  With eight starters returning on each side of the ball, the Tigers are expected to round into shape much earlier than last year.  They will be bigger and faster and stronger, and ready to face a formidable schedule.  Here are a few of the takeaways:

• The inside linebacker position is a senior-laden group, led by Dorian Pringle (All-Ohio), Cody Fair and Shon Robinson. Coach Spencer Leno, who is also the defensive coordinator, is looking for this group to read keys, be tough and stop the run first.  They need to “win on first down, win on third down and provide relentless effort on every play.”
• The defensive line under J.P. Simon returns five players, including returning starters Chase Bond, Michael Wright Jr. and Malachi Card. Expect this group to be bigger and stronger this year.
• Dave Weber’s outside linebacker corps is a little thin, with just three proven players returning to man the two positions, including Maverick Clark, Brandon Carman and Vito McConnell. So, it will be important for them to learn both short-side and wide-side techniques.
• Safeties are coached once again by Dan Hackenbracht. Several will be available to choose from, including returning starter Ryan Page and first-game starter Tyler Hackenbracht.  This group has added weight and speed.  Given the strength of the front-7, opponents may struggle to move the ball on the ground.  So, it will be imperative that the safeties minimize the big plays.
• There are several prospective corners for Coach Bo Grunder, led by returnee Zach Liebler. Grunder describes his group as having “a lot of athleticism.”
• Jarrett Troxler will handle the quarterbacks and is also offensive coordinator. Two QBs will man the position, including returning starter Jalen Slaughter and newcomer Daone Owens.  Slaughter is maturing at the position, while Owens is really physical and big.  Backups include Eli Moore and Jacques Carter, both of whom are developing nicely.  With no tall receivers and several underclass running backs, Troxler said that the offense will be “very personnel driven.”  But it will still be important to be great in the run game.
• The offensive line is blessed to have John Mazur and Chip Robinson as coaches. Mazur said their group will have great mentality across the board.  Up to twelve players could receive playing time when the game is on the line.  But they would like to limit the rotation to eight, noting that making that list will not be easy.  There is a lot of experience returning, including Evan Sirgo (All-Ohio), Sam Snodgrass, Michael Looney, Brady Jones and Seth Voshel.  Nolan Davenport is also expected to move to tackle, a position for which he is being recruited by various colleges.
• Look for several sophomores and juniors to vie for the running back position under Coach Travis McGuire, with no starters returning at this position.  But all are extremely talented and ready to pick up the torch.  It will be “running back by committee”, rather than featuring a single player.
• Jason Jarvis handles the tight ends and fullbacks. He has several players available in these spots that are physical, fast and nasty, and can cause havoc.
• A host of talented players will man the wide receiver spots under Coach Cale Miller. Many are highly experienced and possess tremendous speed.  In fact, Miller said that they are two deep at every position.  Returning starters include Kyler Wiggins and Braylyn Toles, with Ja-Meir Gamble and Liebler also seeing some action.  It will be important for them to put pressure on the defensive backs on every play.

Following the reports from the assistant coaches, Nate Moore reviewed the schedule, offering these comments:

• It’s a really exciting schedule with eight home games.
• Valdosta, GA – One of the all-time great matchups. No. 1 in all-time wins vs. No. 4 in all-time wins.  To be aired by ESPN+ and Spectrum.  Part of a 4-game classic, also including Lakewood St. Edward, Akron Hoban and Cleveland Glenville.
• Lakewood St. Edward – U.S. Top 25 team. Defending Division I state champion.  Was a great win last year by Massillon.
• Middletown, DE – Had an unbelievable experience last year. Called us to come back.
• John’s College, D.C. – U.S. Top 25 team. Loaded.
• Austintown Fitch – Will be a tough game; a good test on the road.
• Canton McKinley – America’s greatest rivalry in high school football.  Road game.

“We’re looking forward to a tough schedule,” said Moore.  “This is Massillon.  That’s what we want.  We couldn’t be more excited about our schedule.”

Upcoming events:

• Tuesday, July 11, 12:30 pm – 7 on-7 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium
• Thursday, July 20, 6:00 pm – Sideliners’ Reverse Raffle / Hall of Fame and Wall of Champions Induction at Eagles 190
• Wednesday, August 2, 6:00 pm – Media Day at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium
• Saturday, August 5, 11:30 am – Scrimmage vs. Avon, away
• Sunday, August 6, 12:00 n – Sideliners Picnic at Washington High School
• Thursday, August 12, 2:00 pm – Scrimmage vs. Cincinnati Moeller, away
• Wednesday, August 16, 6:00 – Downtown Kickoff Rally at Duncan Plaza
• Thursday, August 17, time TBD – Pre-game rally event
• Friday, August 18, 7:00 pm – Opening game vs. Valdosta at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium

Go Tigers!

Devin Smith to Join the 2023 Massillon Hall of…

Devin Smith to Join the 2023 Massillon Hall of Fame Induction Class

In this age of specialization most high school students focus on a single sport and concentrate on it for the entire year in order to position themselves to excel once the season gets underway.  A few try a second sport and even less a third.  But it is the rare one that chooses three sports and excels exceptionally in each one.

For Massillon, one of those rare athletes was Devin Smith, who participated in varsity athletics for the Tigers in 2009 through 2011.  He selected football, basketball and track, but he was so gifted that he most likely could have excelled in most any other endeavor.  He was all-state in football, all-county in basketball and captured first place medals three times in state track meets.  To top it off, he parlayed that success into an outstanding football and track career at Ohio State and eventually into the NFL.  Now he is being inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.

High School

Smith burst onto the Massillon football scene as a junior wide receiver in 2009, playing under Head Coach Jason Hall.  There, he helped his team to a 10-4 mark and a spot in the Division 1 state semifinals, where his team was ousted by Cleveland Glenville, which was quarterbacked by future Buckeye starter Cardale Jones.  Smith led the team that year with 50 receptions for 989 yards, an average of 19.8 yards per catch.  Fifteen of those grabs went for touchdowns.  He also returned punts and kickoffs.  Four times he had multiple touchdowns in a single game.  Against Cleveland St. Ignatius he caught six balls for 135 yards, including an 82-yard TD, which stands in the Massillon record book in the No. 4 position.  Twice (vs. Warren Harding and Mentor) he scored three times, which is tied for 5^th in the record list.  For his performance Smith was named 1^st Team All-Ohio.

His personal stats only got better the following year, now as a 6’-1”, 185 lb. team captain, when he caught 60 passes for 1,130 yards and 9 touchdowns, at 18.8 yards per catch.  His 60 receptions ranks as 4^th best all-time and his 5.5 receptions per game also ranks 4^th.  In eight of eleven games he accumulated at least 100 receiving yards, with a high of 144 against Akron Buchtel and 135 against Canton McKinley (seven receptions).  Against Canton GlenOak he scored the winning touchdown in a 28-27 victory on a pass reception of 45 yards from quarterback Brody Tonn.  Again, he was the primary returner on punts (14.4 ave.) and kickoffs (24.8 ave.).  Unfortunately, Massillon lost to Toledo Whitmer in the first round of the playoffs and they finished season 7-4.  But Smith did repeat as 1^st Team All-Ohio.

For his career he is ranked in the Massillon records Top 4 in receptions (110), yards (2,119), receptions per game (4.4) and receiving touchdowns (24).

During his senior year of basketball he averaged 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.  He also had 28 blocked shots and 30 steals.  At the end of the season he was honored as All-County.

Devin expressed his feelings about the induction in a recent Instagram post: “I’ve always wanted to wear that orange and black with the leaping tiger on the side and run out under that tunnel and the announcer says ‘heerrreees the tigers.’  I wore that uniform with pride and always understood that I was representing something bigger than myself.  The legendary players and coaches who came before me, the tradition of the town, history of the team!  To all my teammates, coaches in all 3 sports I participated in, to all my teachers I had and crossed paths with I thank you so much for the love and support and welcoming me with open arms!”

Track also favored Smith.  During his junior year he captured the state championship with a 22’-10” distance in the long jump.  Then he defended his crown the following year extending that mark to 24’-7”.  He also became the fastest runner in the state with a 10.74 seconds in the 100 meter dash.  In both years he placed in the high jump with leaps of 6’-6”.  His personal bests came in the regional meet with a 100 meters time of 10.56 seconds and a high jump of seven feet.

Rounding all that out was twice being named All-Stark County in basketball.  Then it was off to Ohio State.

College

Smith immediately broke into the ranks of on-field players as a freshmen based on his speed and uncanny ability to track down a 60-yard bomb and make the difficult catch.  If a deep ball was needed, then Smith was the man.  For the season he caught 14 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns.  Interestingly, the 14 receptions was the best on the team, which finished 6-7 that year.  Twice in a game Smith caught the winning touchdown pass.  The first was against Wisconsin on a 40-yard grab with 20 second remaining.  The second came vs. California on a 72-yarder with 3:26 left.

Ohio state rebounded in 2013 with a 12-0 record, but was ineligible for a bowl game due to events that occurred during the previous season.  Smith caught 30 passes for 618 yards and scored six times.  The following year the Buckeyes finished 12-3 with Smith improving his stats to 44 catches for 660 yards and 8 TDs.  Included was the spectacular nation-grabbing one-handed catch of 23 yards for a touchdown against Miami of Ohio.

Finally in 2015, as a senior, Smith got to experience the thrill of a national championship by first defeating Alabama in the playoff semifinals and then ousting Oregon 42-20 in the finals.  Against the Crimson Tide he caught a 47-yard touchdown pass to give his team a lead that they did not relinquish.  For the season, Smith caught 33 passes for 931 yards and 12 touchdowns, including three scores against Wisconsin, while playing with his former high school foe, Cardale Jones.  His 28.2 yards per catch is a single-season record at Ohio State that still stands today.

Thus, for his career he caught 121 passes (15^th all-time) for 2,503 yards (6^th all-time) and 30 touchdowns.  He also returned 13 kickoffs and scored 180 points.

Not settling with just football, Smith also ran track during his first three years.  In 2014 he cleared 7’-0.25” in the high jump, placing second in the Big-10 outdoor championships.

Professional

The New York Jets secured Smith in the second round of the 2016 draft (37^th overall).  But he would be plagued by knee problems throughout his pro career, which hindered his playing time.  His various stops included the rosters of New York (2015-2018) and Dallas (2019-2020) and the practice squads of four other teams.  For his career he caught 15 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns.

Congratulations to Devin Smith.