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2022 Booster Club Report – Week 2 – Post-GlenOak

August 30, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 2 – Post-GlenOak

Massillon (1-1) evened its slate with a 35-7 victory over Canton GlenOak and now leads the overall series 14-4. It was also a clean sweep at every level of the program. Next up is a road game against Mansfield Senior, with the kickoff slated for 7:00 pm at Arlin Field.

7th Grade (1-1): Defeated Canton GlenOak, 30-22. Plays Akron Armor (club team) at home (MJHS) on Tuesday, August 30, at 6:00 pm.
8th Grade (2-0): Defeated Canton GlenOak, 38-0. Plays Mansfield at home (MJHS) on Wednesday, August 31 a6 6:00 pm.
9th Grade (1-1): Defeated Canton GlenOak, 38-0. Plays Mansfield Junior Varsity at home (PBTS) on Saturday, September 3 at 10:00 am.
Junior Varsity (2-0): Defeated Canton GlenOak, 48-2. Plays at Canton McKinley on Monday, September 5 at 1:00 pm.

The Tigers made good strides in all facets of the game in handling GlenOak. Defensively, they kept the Eagles at bay nearly the entire game, surrendering a long touchdown pass with seconds left against the backups. Along the way, they registered 15 tackles-for-loss, which ties an all-time team record. On offense, the running game was simply pounding, with a few strategic pass completions thrown in for good measure. Willtrell Hartson rushed for over a 100 yards for the second consecutive game and tallied three touchdowns.

“We had a nice week with a victory over GlenOak,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club meeting.

The guest players were Christian Kring, D’Aire Pringle, Cody Fair and Sam Snodgrass. They collectively agreed that the Tigers played fairly good in the first half, but really stepped it up in the second. They were mostly concerned about the speed in the GlenOak backfield (the Burt brothers) with their draw and boot plays. But managed to control the game throughout. And winning 35-7 with three turnovers was satisfying.

Moore was also concerned with the potency of the Eagle offense. “I was worried going into the game,” he said. “I was surprised that we bottled them up like we did. The Burt kids are really fast. Our whole front seven had a lot of great clips. They brought the pressure on defense.”

The coach said that the first half was kind of a struggle at times, alluding to GlenOak being better than the final score indicated. But in the second half the Tigers dominated play. What helped on defense was a change in alignment. It was apparent that the Eagles were having difficulty throwing the ball, so Massillon changed the secondary from a 4-high to a 3-high, meaning that one of the free safeties was now playing closer to the line of scrimmage. That freed up one of the outside linebackers to blitz on every down. That appeared to rattle the GlenOak offensive line, as evident by the defensive linemen constantly breaking through to tackle the ball carrier in the backfield and harass the quarterback. Thus, the fifteen tackles-for-loss.

The offense was fairly consistent with their running attack, utilizing both inside and outside zone blocking schemes and the traditional power game with the pulling guard. And Hartson was, well, Hartson, aided by an offensive line that was simply overpowering.

Moore beamed that the kickoff return team continues to be a strength. Right from the start Zach Liebler returned the opening kickoff to midfield, setting up the Tigers’ first score. The kickoff cover team also did well, forcing the Eagles to start from their own 17 yard line on average. In addition, Nolan Hendricks pooched his initial kickoff to the GlenOak 30 yard line, where it was recovered by the Tigers.

Stats leaders:

Quarterback Jalen Slaughter: 5 of 13 for 102 yards, 1 interception and 0 touchdowns
Running back Willtrell Hartson: 23 carries for 158 yards (6.9), 3 touchdowns
Freddie Lenix Jr.: 9 carries for 49 yards (5.4)
Braylyn Toles: 4 receptions for 103 yards, 1 touchdown
Dorian Pringle: 6.5 tackle points
Cody Fair: 5.5 tackle points
Jaden Welch: 4.0 tackle points

This week marks the 53rd meeting between Massillon and Mansfield in a series that began in 1908. The Tygers run a multiple offense similar to that of the Tigers. They have great skill at wide receiver, but field one of the largest lines that Massillon will see this year, averaging 6′-3′, 293 lbs. The best player on the line is junior Ahmaan Thomas (6′-4″, 290 lbs.). He has good feet and power and does well with pass protection. The running back position features junior Zylon Brown (5’9″, 190 lbs.). Similar in size to Hartson, he has good speed and vision, but is not as powerful. The top receiver is junior Amarr Davis (6′-0″, 175 lbs.). He is a big threat with great speed and athleticism. The quarterback, Duke Reese (6′-4″, 205 lbs.), has very good size and flashes at times. But he also has a big arm and can scramble.

The defense uses a 3-4 alignment, also similar to Massillon. According to Moore, the entire defense plays hard and runs to the ball. The defensive line does not have great size, averaging 6′-1″, 228 lbs. The best lineman is senior Ricky Mills. He is strong and quick and makes a lot of tackles. Also, keep an eye on linebacker Mekhi Bradley (‘6-0″, 240 lbs.), who has an offer from Kent State. The corners will use a lot of press coverage. Best among these is senior Keontez Bradley (6’-3″, 195), who has an offer from the University of Kentucky.

But it should be noted that, like Massillon, Mansfield is a very young team in that they start just three seniors on offense and four on defense. Meanwhile, the Tigers start four seniors on offense and three on defense. So most of these players will get two cracks at each other.

2022 Co-Captains Angelo Salvino, Marcus Moore, Zach Liebler and Willtrell Hartson with Head Coach Nate Moore.

2022 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-Moeller

August 23, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

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.

2022: Cincinnati Moeller 49, Massillon 31

August 21, 2022August 21, 2022
by Don Engelhardt

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

2022 Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller Game Statistics

August 21, 2022August 23, 2022
by Don Engelhardt

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	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.

Photos From the 2022 Kickoff Rally

August 17, 2022August 17, 2022
by Don Engelhardt

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.

Big Week Ahead for Massillon Football

August 15, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

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 7^th Grade team will play at home against Akron Ellet. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 pm.

Wednesday

The 8^th 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.

A Look Back at Past Moeller Games

August 14, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

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 13^th 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.

Massillon vs. Akron Buchtel Scrimmage Results

August 12, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

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 (1^st 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

Touchdown Club to Begin Weekly Gatherings

August 8, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

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.

Massillon and Avon Begin Season Prep with an Opening…

August 6, 2022February 25, 2023
by Don Engelhardt

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: