What was once 12 quickly became 16 when the Ohio High School Athletic Association recently announced an expansion of the high school football playoffs. From 1999 through 2019, eight teams in each region qualified for the playoffs. Then it became 12. Now it is 16.
The OHSAA initially rolled out a scenario for the 2021 season whereby 12 teams would qualify, with the top four receiving byes in the first round. But there were also rumors at the time that it could move to 16 within the next few years. It turns out that the OHSAA, which was starved of funds last year during the pandemic, must have seen an opportunity to recoup some of those lost funds and elected to go all the way this year.
In the past, each school was allotted a percentage of the proceeds from ticket sales. But last year the OHSAA controlled all of the sales through an Internet portal and retained all the funds. The same sales method will probably be in place again this year.
“Last fall we received overwhelmingly positive feedback when we allowed every team to enter the football playoffs due to the shortened season because of COVID-19,” said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director. “We know there are some who want to keep the football postseason to a smaller number of schools, but the postseason tournament gives such a positive experience for our student-athletes, the schools and their communities that we felt strongly about giving that opportunity to more schools to make the playoffs. And football remains the OHSAA sport in which not every team automatically qualifies for the postseason.” – OHSAA website
According to the new format, in the first round the No. 1 seed will play the No. 16 seed, the No. 2 seed will play the No. 15 seed, etc., with the higher seeds hosting the games. The higher seeds of those winners will then host the second round games. Starting in the third round, all games will be played at neutral sites. The playoffs will begin on October 9 and finish on Sunday, December 5, encompassing six weeks of additional play.
For Division 1 schools, which have 18 teams in each region, only two teams per region will fail to qualify. So from that standpoint, it serves well to be a Division 1 school. Had the new format been in place following the 2019 season, the eight non-qualifiers from Division 1 would have been Newark (1-9), Canton GlenOak (1-9), Beavercreek (2-8), Toledo Bowsher (3-7), Columbus Mifflin (1-9), Sylvania Southview (1-9), Cincinnati Moeller (2-8) and Cincinnati Oak Hills (0-10).
The remaining divisions have approximately 25 teams in each region, which means that around 60% of those will qualify, still a sizeable percentage. For Division 2, 14 of the 17 teams that finished 5-5 would have qualified. Also, the worst record of the qualifiers would have been 3-7, which includes Boardman with wins over Poland Seminary (8-2), Garfield Heights (6-4) and Youngstown Ursuline (2-8), and Lima Senior with wins over Lima Central Catholic (9-1), Piqua (5-5) and Fremont Ross (1-9).
Massillon has been a high placer in recent years and as a result, if trends continue, those first round games may be extremely one-sided affairs. If the situation would have been in place during the past five years, the opponents would have been:
2016 – Columbus Walnut Ridge (6-4)
2017 – Columbus Franklin Heights (5-5)
2018 – Licking Heights (6-4)
2019 – Akron Ellet (5-5)
2020 – Licking Heights (2-3)
Not exactly a stellar group. But at least gives the Tigers an opportunity to regroup following the emotional game with Canton McKinley.
but another advantage of the new format, at least for independent schools like Massillon and some of the parochial schools, is that highly competitive schedules will probably not hurt their chances to qualify for the playoffs. So look for more of the St. Ignatius’s and St. Ed’s on the Tigers’ slate in the future. It beats playing Akron Firestone.
With 16 teams now qualifying and the first two game potentially at home, the ultimate goal of this new format then is to finish in the region’s Top 4. That would provide the best opportunity to play those first two games in the friendly confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Yet another graduating senior has used his outstanding experience and performance as a Massillon Tiger to springboard his career to the next level. Defensive end Mike Miller will join at Hocking College, which is located in New Lexington, Ohio, just southeast of Columbus.
Hocking College is registered with the National Junior College Athletic Association as an independent team. According to their website, “In the first five years of the program’s existence, approximately 50 Hocking College football student-athletes have moved on to four-year colleges to continue their academic and football careers.”
Miller played just one year for the Massillon, but he had a major impact in helping his team to a 10-2 record and a runner-up finish in the Division 2 state playoffs. He finished with 26 solo tackles and 35 assists, including 6.0 quarterback sacks (3rd all-time), 3 pass breakups and a team-leading 12.5 tackles-for-loss (6th all-time).
He was a one-man wrecking crew against Warren Harding when he led the team with five solo tackles and six assists, including four tackles-for loss. Mike also had a big sack in the game against Canton McKinley when he chased quarterback Elijah Wesley back toward the end zone for a 17-yard loss, eventually dropping him at the 3 yard line. As it was 3rd and long at the time, the Bulldogs were then forced to punt.
The list of players from Massillon’s 2020 Division 2 state runner-up team that have committed to play football at the next level continues to grow. Recently added to the rolls are Xavier Andrews and Nick Liebler. Andrews will attend John Carroll University and Liebler will enroll at Wittenberg University. Both schools participate at the NCAA Division 3 level.
Andrews was one of four players named as co-captain prior to the season and immediately evolved into one of the most vocal leaders on the team. A force on the field at inside linebacker, he recorded 30 solo tackles and 21 assists. Included in that was 8.5 tackles in the backfield, accounting for 33 lost yards and a pair of quarterback sacks. Xavier also broke up two passes. His most productive game came against North Canton Hoover, during which he had five solo tackles and four assists. He also had 2.5 tackles for loss against Warren Harding.
Liebler started alongside Andrews at middle linebacker. He was second on the team behind Isaiah Clark in total tackle points (54.0), including 29 solos and 50 assists, plus four tackles for loss. Against Perry in the playoffs Nick had a career day, recording 11 solo tackles and 12 assists for 17.0 tackle points. The single-game mark ranks 2nd all-time in the record book for the Tigers. Leibler also had a chance to shine on offense in the 35-7 victory over Canton McKinley. Starting running back Raekwon Venson was lost for the season in the previous game and was replaced by Liebler and and sophomore Willtrell Hartson, both of whom had little varsity experience at that position for the Tigers. But both responded admirably to the challenge. Nick finished the game with about a third of the carries and rushed 11 times for 69 yards, including a long run of 18 yards and a 1-yard touchdown at the end of the third quarter that gave Massillon an insurmountable 21-7 lead. His per carry average of 6.3 yards says it all.
Another challenging schedule awaits the Tigers for the upcoming football season, highlighted by games against Pickerington Central, Lakewood St. Edward, Canisius and Canton McKinley. It comes on the heels of three consecutive appearances in the Division 2 state finals, during which time Massillon compiled a 38-4 record.
Hopes are high that this schedule actually comes to fruition after the difficulties surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic last year. Two weeks before the 2020 season got underway, fearing that the spread of the virus would accelerate by Thanksgiving, the OHSAA canceled all existing contracts and shortened the season to just six games, with all teams automatically qualifying for the playoffs. In essence, the Tigers were forced to completely regenerate a new schedule just two weeks before the start of the season. They ended up with perhaps the most challenging schedule they had ever faced, with the likes of St. Edward, Cleveland Benedictine, Cleveland St. Ignatius and McKInley. But they did win five of the six games.
Incidentally, the 2021 season will start August 20, a week earlier than normal, in order to accommodate a sixth week of playoff games. Starting this year twelve teams qualify in each region instead of the traditional eight, with the top four having byes in the first round.
Here is the full schedule along with some key data:
Pickerington Central – H
League: Ohio Capital Conference
Playoff Division: 1
2020 Overall Record: 11-1
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 44-3 to Cincinnati St. Xavier in the state finals
5-Year Record: 62-8 (.886)
5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; state titles in 2017 and 2019; runner-up in 2020
Last Time vs. Massillon: No games played
Historical Series vs. Massillon: 0-0
Bonus: Returns wide receiver Lorenzo Styles, the Division 1 Offensive Player of the Year
Canton GlenOak – H
League: Federal League
Playoff Division: 1
2020 Overall Record: 0-8
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 42-0 to Lakewood St. Edward in Round 1
5-Year Record: 11-38 (.224)
5-Year Playoff History: 2 appearances; lost in Round 1 each time
Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost 55-13 in 2019
Historical Series vs. Massillon: Massillon leads 12-4
Bonus: Re-hired Scott Garcia as head coach
Reynoldsburg – H
League: Ohio Capital Conference
Playoff Division: 1
2020 Overall Record: 4-4
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 53-19 to Lancaster in Round 1
5-Year Record: 34-17 (.667)
5-Year Playoff History: 3 appearances; lost in Round 2 twice
Last Time vs. Massillon: No games
Historical Series vs. Massillon: 0-0
Bonus: Plays in the same OCC division as Pickerington Central; lost last year 38-13
Warren Harding – A
League: All-American Conference
Playoff Division: 2
2020 Overall Record: 6-4
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 35-6 to Hudson in regional semifinals
5-Year Record: 34-17 (.667)
5-Year Playoff History: 4 appearances; lost in regional finals in 2016
Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost 24-0 in 2020
Historical Series vs. Massillon: Massillon leads 57-25-3 (second-longest series)
Bonus: Return 3 starters on offense and 5 on defense
Lakewood St. Edward – H
League: None
Playoff Division: 1
2020 Overall Record: 6-2
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 35-31 to Medina in Round 3
5-Year Record: 50-12 (.806)
5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; state title in 2018
Last Time vs. Massillon: won 24-23 in 2020
Historical Series vs. Massillon: 3-3
Bonus: Returns 4 starters on offense and 7 on defense, including quarterback Christian Ramos
Austintown Fitch – A
League: All-American Conference
Playoff Division: 2
2020 Overall Record: 7-1
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 24-10 to Warren Harding in Round 2
5-Year Record: 31-18 (.633)
5-Year Playoff History: 2 appearances; only playoff win was in 2020
Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost 55-7 in 2019
Historical Series vs. Massillon: Massillon leads 18-8
Bonus: In games played at Fitch, Massillon leads the series 7-5
Euclid – H
League: Greater Cleveland Conference
Playoff Division: 1
2020 Overall Record: 5-3
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 30-20 to Cleveland St. Ignatius in Round 2
5-Year Record: 39-16 (.709)
5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; never won more than one game in each year
Last Time vs. Massillon: No games
Historical Series vs. Massillon: 0-0
Bonus: Defeated Medina 31-28 in the regular season last year; Medina beat both St. Edward and St. Ignatius in the playoffs
Canisius, NY – H
League: Monsignor Martin Athletic Association
Playoff Division: Ohio equivalent 2
2020 Overall Record: n.a.
2020 Playoff Results: n.a.
5-Year Record: 30-16 (.652)
5-Year Playoff History: 4 appearances; never won more than one game in each year
Last Time vs. Massillon: Won 49-35 in 2017
Historical Series vs. Massillon: Canisius leads the series 1-0
Bonus: Did not field a team in 2020
Wooster – H
League: Ohio Cardinal Conference
Playoff Division: 2
2020 Overall Record: 8-2
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 48-40 to Olentangy Berlin in Round 1
5-Year Record: 36-16 (.692)
5-Year Playoff History: 3 appearances; lost in Round 1 each year
Last Time vs. Massillon: Lost 53-0 in 1933
Historical Series vs. Massillon: Massillon leads 14-5
Bonus: Wooster has recently been the dominant force in the OCC
Canton McKinley – A
League: Federal League
Playoff Division: 1
2020 Overall Record: 5-3
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 27-14 to Brunswick in Round 2
Historical Series vs. Massillon: Massillon leads 73-53-5; Massillon has won 9 of the last 10
Bonus: Annually a leading contender to win the Federal League; returns 4 starters on offense and 6 on defense, including inside linebacker Mani Powell
The book on Massillon:
League: Independent
Playoff Division: 2
2020 Overall Record: 10-2
2020 Playoff Results: Lost 35-6 to Akron in the state finals
5-Year Record: 56-11 (.826)
5-Year Playoff History: 5 appearances; lost in the state finals in 2018, 2019 and 2020; regional champion in 2017
Bonus: Returns 3 starters on offense and 1 on defense, including running back Willtrell Hartson, offensive linemen Toddrick Lee and Jaiden Woods, and safety/wide receiver Austin Brawley
Coaches will tell you that there are three phases to the game of football: offense, defense and special teams. And to be a great team you need to have all three. Massillon has been fortunate to have that third one throughout the past past four years, particularly with punter / kicker Magnus Haines, who recently announced his intention to continue his academic-athletic career at Kent State University.
Magnus has been a punting specialist for the Tigers throughout his 4-year career and the go-to guy for kickoffs the last two. He currently holds all-time records for career punt attempts (119) and career total yards (4,405). His average over that span (37.0) ranks sixth all-time. Eight times his punts flew in excess of 50 yards, including a career-long of 60 yards, and 26 were downed inside the 20-yard line. Long hang time has also been a trademark. As a result, during last season only 9 punts were returned for 62 yards and in 2019 only 5 were returned for 9 yards, a 2-year average of just over 5 yards per return.
Haines was primarily responsible for kicking off during the past two years, kicking 169 times and averaging 53.4 yards per kick. Forty-one kicks went into the end zone. Although he was certainly capable of reaching the promised land on each kick, he was asked by the coaches to drop the ball inside the 5-yard line and between the hash mark and sideline to give the coverage team a better chance of tackling the returnee inside the 20. This he was masterful in doing.
Nine student-athletes from the 2020 Ohio Division 2 State Runner-up football team signed commitment letters on February 3 to continue their academic/football careers at their respective institutes of higher learning. They join three other teammates who last fall took advantage of Early Signing Day.
The signees are as follows:
Alex Bauer – Kicker. Committed to Baldwin Wallace College. Holds the career records for both PAT kicks made and PAT kicks attempted (205/213). In 2020, converted 46 of 47 PATs and 8 of 11 field goal tries, including a long of 42 yards. All-County. 2nd Team All-District.
Zach Catrone – Quarterback. Committed to Marietta College. Completed 93 of 168 passes for 1,574 yards and 12 touchdowns, with just 8 interceptions. Holds single-game records for completion percentage (10/10), yards per attempt (23.4) and pass efficiency (396). Honorable Mention All-District.
Isaiah Clark – Safety. Committed to Ashland University. Led the team in tackle points with 42 solo tackles and 40 assists. Also, recorded 4.5 tackles-for-loss and 5 pass interceptions, which he returned for 94 yards. 2nd Team All-District.
Dylan Garretson – Offensive lineman. Committed to Wheeling University. Multi-purpose lineman who broke into the lineup in 2019.
Martavien Johnson – Wide receiver/cornerback. Committed to West Virginia University. Caught 36 passes for 498 yards and 3 touchdowns, including the game-winner against Cincinnati LaSalle in the state semi-finals. Rushed 21 times for 124 yards (6.4 ave.) and one touchdown. On defense, recorded 23 solo tackles and 14 assists, including 7 tackles-for-loss and two pass interceptions. All-County. 1st Team All-District. 2nd Team All-State.
John Kouth – Offensive lineman. Committed to Walsh University. Anchored a line rushed for 5.0 yards per carry and surrendered just 13 quarterback sacks in 12 games. All-County. 2nd Team All-District.
JumaciusPortis – Inside linebacker. Committed to Alderson Broaddus University. Recorded 20 solo tackles and 22 assists, including 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 quarterback sacks. Honorable Mention All-District.
Darien Williams – Cornerback. Committed to Ashland University. Did not play in 2020 due to an injury. In 2019, he recorded 9 solo tackles and 8 assists.
Caiden Woullard – Outside linebacker/defensive end. Committed to Miami of Ohio University. Recorded 24 solo tackles and 19 assists, including 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks. No. 2 in the record book for both career tackles-for-loss (29.5) and tackle-for-loss yards (100). All-County. 1st Team All-District. 1st Team All-State.
Last fall, three players committed to their respective universities, including Jayden Ballard (Ohio State), Terrence Rankl (Pittsburgh) and Andrew Wilson-Lamp (West Virginia). All three are currently enrolled at the next level.
Also recently committing was offensive lineman Rager Els to Cleveland State University for wrestling. He was expected to be major contributor in 2020, but was lost for most of the season due to injury.
Following Signing Day, wide receiver/kick return specialist Eric Thurman committed to Marietta. Last season he caught five passes for 52 yards and returned six kickoffs for 133 yards (22.2 ave.).
Maxpreps.com, a high school sports website, includes in their archives a Top 50 all-time national team rankings. How good is their Top 50? Who knows. And who really cares. After all, for football junkies, it’s great stuff to talk about.
Over 14,000 high schools annually field football teams in a sport that has been ongoing for at least 125 years. Over that time, it’s conceivable that there have been over a million different teams. Creating a listing like this is certainly a tall task in that it recognizes just one out every 20,000+ schools. So it’s the rare team that would make a list like this.
A grain salt must be added in that any team on the list must have been good for the era of that time, not necessarily across all time. For instance, a top team from the mid-1900s would certainly not be expected to defeat a good team from the modern era. So that must be taken into consideration.
What brings traditionally strong Massillon into the discussion is that they placed four teams in the Top 50, at least as many as any other school. The Massillon teams include:
3rd – 1940. Coached by Paul Brown, Massillon finished 10-0, outscoring its opponents 477-6, with the lone defensive touchdown scored by Canton McKinley in a 34-6 victory. Along the way, the Tigers handed four teams their only loss of the season. Massillon was awarded both the state and national titles. Brown would leave after the season to become the head coach at Ohio State University. The 1940 team is the highest rated public school in the Maxpreps.com list.
31st – 1950. Coached by Chuck Mather, Massillon ran over all ten opponents, outscoring them 407-37. For the effort, the Tigers were named both state and national champions.
37th – 1936. Coached by Paul Brown, it was one of several great Brown teams. This one went 10-0 and topped its opponents 443-14. Single touchdowns were scored by Mansfield and Barberton in one-sided affairs. In the finale, the Tigers defeated unbeaten Canton McKinley 21-0 to capture the state and national crowns.
41st – 1953. Coached by Chuck Mather, it was his final team leading the Massillon eleven. The Tigers were unchallenged in each of their ten games, outscoring their opponents 399-55. Massillon was successful in defending its state and national titles from the previous year. Mather left after the season to become the head coach of Kansas University.
The Top 50 list is headed by California’s De La Salle, which placed their 2001 and 2003 teams in the Nos. 1 and 2 positions. The 2002 team extended De La Salle’s winning streak to 151 games. De La Salle also placed two additional teams: 1998 and 2004, placing 19th and 38th respectively.
Valdosta, Georgia, placed four teams on the list: 1961 at 18th, 1971 at 28th, 1986 at 36th and 1984 at 44th.
Both Cincinnati Moeller and Cleveland St. Ignatius were honored three times.
4 – 1976 Cincinnati Moeller. Defeated Gahanna Lincoln in the state finals, 43-5.
6 – 1980 Cincinnati Moeller. Defeated Massillon in state finals, 30-7.
15 – 1993 Cleveland St. Ignatius. Defeated Cincinnati Moeller for the state title, 38-20.
17 – 1982 Cincinnati Moeller. Defeated Massillon in state finals, 35-14.
43 – 1995 Cleveland St. Ignatius. Defeated Brunswick for the state title, 41-21.
46 – 1989 Cleveland St. Ignatius. Defeated Massillon the state semifinals, 42-21. Defeated Cincinnati Moeller for the state title, 34-28.
Bishop Gorman’s 2018 team was ranked 5th. Massillon was scheduled to open with the Nevada team in 2020, but the Covid Pandemic forced a cancellation.
From a state distribution, Ohio dominates the list with ten placings. Texas and California have six, Florida five and Georgia four. Thirty-three are public schools and 17 are private.
Thirty-two of the fifty teams were in the past 50 years. Nine were prior to the 1940s.
From the beginning of football through the mid-1930s the primary offensive focus was the run game. The best team during that period was Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1925. From then through the mid-1970s, teams were mostly focused on the run, but threw the ball 20% of the time. The best team in that group was Massillon in 1940. Onward through the 1990s the passing frequency increased to 30%. The best team during that time was Cincinnati Moeller in 1980. Finally, in modern spread offense football the pass is used 40% of the time. The best team in that period is De La Salle from California in 2001.
Massillon advanced to the Division 2 State Finals for the third consecutive year, but once again came up short in their quest for a first-ever playoff-era championship. Nevertheless, 2020 was still regarded as an immensely successful season, especially given the impacts felt from the Covid-19 Pandemic.
In a normal year the Tigers would begin off-season workouts in January with weight lifting, conditioning and instructional sessions by position group. Then during summer the players would participate in 7-on-7 passing contests and attend various college camps. But by the end of February the spread of the virus had rapidly intensified and government health agencies had shut all of this down. Students were sent home and provided daily instruction online, while all sports activities were curtailed. Thus, the team wasn’t together again as a whole until the beginning of August. As a substitute, coaches maintained contact with the players using Zoom Meeting. Also, a computer program was engaged for the players to use in recording their daily workout regimens as provided by the lifting coach. For those that didn’t have equipment, the Booster Club provided some help.
2020 Tigers enter the field
Safety of the players was of the utmost importance and the Ohio Department of Health took charge and it looked for a while that there wasn’t going to be a football season at all this year, given the seriousness of the disease. But the Ohio High School Athletic Association was able to work with the ODH to develop appropriate protocols that would enable sports to resume. But the question was to what extent would seasons be played.
In a compromise between the two organizations, the regular season was designed to start on time, but would be reduced in length to just six games. Also, there would be no pre-season scrimmages. And the playoffs would be open to any team that elected to participate. So with six weeks of regular games and seven weeks of playoffs, the entire season would be completed by Thanksgiving. This plan met the ODH’s requirement that all games be played by that date, fearing an increase in the spread of the virus as winter approaches.
Players and coaches were required to follow specific safety procedures, such as face coverings and social distancing while on the sidelines and frequent sanitation of equipment. There was also a provision for games to be canceled on account of a specific team’s exposure to the virus at the time of play.
Fan attendance was limited to immediate family members of players, cheerleaders and bandsmen, but not to exceed the lower of either 15% of stadium capacity or 1500. So a stadium the size of Massillon’s, with 16,000+ seats, was restricted to just 1500, but in actuality was held to much less when the family count restriction was brought into play. Also, bands were not permitted to travel. Fortunately, the Massillon City Schools did a great job making each game available via internet broadcasting.
With the lateness of the decision to proceed, schools had just two weeks to construct 6-game schedules. Naturally, leagues opted to stay exclusively within their own ranks, leaving independent teams like Massillon to schedule each other. Fortunately, Federal League member Canton McKinley was able to accommodate the Tigers on its schedule.
Massillon had originally been slated to open the season with Nevada Bishop Gorman in a Nike Classic to be held at Benson Stadium in Canton. But that event went away early. Gorman was replaced with Pickerington North in a game that would be played at PBTS and televised by ESPN. Only, that game was canceled too when the Ohio Capital Conference scheduled North to play Pickerington Central in Week 1.
Thus, the Tigers were about to face one of the most difficult regular season schedules they had ever encountered. It included the likes of Lakewood St. Edward and Cleveland St. Ignatius and Cleveland Benedictine and Warren Harding and Canton McKinley. But at least they had six games and, fortunately, they were able to get them all in without any cancellations. One positive was that all six games were at home.
Most Booster Club events, such as the Duncan Plaza Kickoff, McKinley game festivities and season ending banquet, were canceled or held on Zoom Meeting. For example, the Spring Kickoff was also held in this manner, where the guest speaker was Ryan Day, head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, participating from his home in Columbus.
For the playoffs, Massillon was assigned to Region 7, a Columbus-Stark region they had participated in during the 2018 season. This meant that a potential matchup with state-champ favorite Akron Hoban could wait until the state finals. And that’s exactly what happened.
The Regular Season
Lakewood St. Edward (home) – In a game that had the flavor of a first scrimmage, Massillon rolled up 396 yards of total offense, including 262 yards and two touchdowns passing by Zach Catrone. But the Tigers lost 24-23 on account of a kickoff return and a late trick play.
Columbus Bishop Sycamore (home) – Backup sophomore quarterback Jayvian Crable filled in admirably for the injured Catrone in leading the Tigers to a 35-0 victory. It was Massillon 900th all-time win.
Warren Harding (home) – Massillon continued its recent domination of the Raiders with a 24-0 victory. Catrone completed 21 of 31 passes, eight to Jayden Ballard and six to Martavien Johnson.
Cleveland Benedictine (home) – Johnson and Isaiah Clark combined for three pass interceptions to keep the Bennies at bay in a 28-10 victory.
Cleveland St. Ignatius (home) – Massillon recorded its second all-time victory over the Wildcats, 21-14. Iggy assumed a 14-6 lead late in the third quarter following an 80-yard pass interception return. But the Tigers came right back to tie the game on a Raekwon Venson 1-yard run. On the Wildcat’s next possession they failed to control a backward pass and Jaiden Wise pounced on the loose ball. Venson then ran it in on the first play from scrimmage to secure the win. Unfortunately, Venson was injured near the end of the game and was lost for the rest of the season.
2020 Tigers keep the bell following their 35-7 win over McKinley
Canton McKinley (home) – There were many heroes in this 35-7 victory. Sophomore Willtrell Hartson (8.5 yards per carry) and senior Nick Liebler (6.3 yards per carry) filled in superbly for Venson and rushed for a combined 257 yards and three touchdowns. Austin Brawley had eight solo tackles. But, all-in-all it was a great team effort. It was Massillon 5th win in a row over the Bulldogs and 9th of the last ten.
The Playoffs
Bye Week – Having a week off following the McKinley game re-energized the Tigers as they were about to initiate playoff competition. No hangover funk this year.
Columbus Walnut Ridge (home) – Massillon opened up a 42-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 56-0 victory.
North Canton (home) – The Hoover passing attack tested the Tigers secondary. But it wasn’t enough and Massillon rolled to a 48-23 win. Hartson rushed for 196 yards (15.1 yards per carry) and Catrone completed 9 of 10 passes. It was the local’s 500th all-time win at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Westerville South (home) – The Wildcats had the best quarterback-receiver combination in Division 2 and played a competitive game with the Tigers, losing just 45-36, after falling behind 42-9 after three quarters. Hartson set a new Massillon single-game record with 324 yards rushing. He also averaged 12.0 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns.
Massillon Perry (regional finals) (at Perry) – Up just 7-6 at the half over the region’s top seeded Panthers, the Tigers ran away in the second half to secure a 43-13 victory. Quarterback Zach Catrone completed all ten passes and recorded a pass efficiency rating of 396 to set new Massillon marks in those categories. He also racked up 234 yards and three touchdowns. Ballard had seven catches for 150 yards. Liebler became second all-time with 17.0 tackle points (11 solo, 12 assists). Clark had 11.0 tackle points.
Martavien Johnson out-races Cincinnati LaSalle’s Jaylen Johnson to the end zone to score the winning touchdown
Cincinnati LaSalle (at Marysville) – Massillon avenged the previous year’s state finals loss to the Lancers, winning 14-10. Down 10-7 late in the fourth quarter, Catrone connected with Martavien Johnson on a 24-yard touchdown pass with 2:44 left in the game and the Tigers then held on at the end to secure the victory.
Akron Hoban (state finals) (home) – The Knights showed why they were one of the top ten teams in the country by dominating the Tigers 35-6. They also gained revenge from their 2019 loss to Massillon.
The formula for success for the season was running the football and playing good defense. However, this was disrupted temporarily in Game 5 against Cleveland St. Ignatius when leading rusher Raekwan Venson (438 yards) was lost to an injury for the remainder of the season with the McKinley game looming the following week. But it was “next man up,” and sophomore Willtrell Hartson and senior Nick Liebler answered the bell. Hartson would finish the season rushing 138 times for 1,111 yards (8.1/att.) and 13 touchdowns.
You cannot have a stout running attack without a good offensive line. And this group did themselves proud, finding their way with the power run game. It might have been that much better, save for an injury to 320 lb. Rager Els, who was lost for the season in Game 1. His loss was severely felt against the stout front 7 of Akron Hoban.
On defense, in spite of returning just a single starter, Massillon was able to assemble one of the best groups on that side of the in many years. This is especially significant given the difficulty of the schedule. Credit the program the Tigers now have in place as all eleven players were keys to this success. When weighed against other Massillon teams that faced spread offenses (23-year period starting in 1998), the Tigers were able to produce the following defensive results:
Points per game – 14.3 (4th)
Rushing yards per game – 110 (2nd)
Total yards per game – 233 (3rd)
Yards per rush – 3.2 (3rd)
Yards per play – 4.1 (4th)
The Tigers finished the season with 909 wins and have now moved up to third in the national rankings. The 21-game regular season winning streak ended with the loss to St. Edward. Against public schools, the Tigers have extended their winning streak to 31 games.
Willtrell Hartson takes the handoff from Zach Catrone
Jayden Ballard set a new record for career pass reception yards (2,363) and touchdowns (37). He was also invited to participate in the Under Armour All-American All-Star game. Unfortunately, the game was canceled due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
In other records, kicker Alex Bauer established career marks for total attempts (213) and total conversions (205); he also tied the record for field goal percentage (77.8); punter Magnus Haines set new career records for punt attempts (119) and punt yards (4,405); Caiden Woullard tied the record for career quarterback sacks (8.5).
Eleven players were named to the Stark County All-Star Team. Sixteen were honored on the Division 2 All-Inland District Team, headlined by Jaeden Wise, who was named Defensive Player of the Year. Nine advanced to the Division 2 All-Ohio Team, including first teamers Jayden Ballard, Terrence Rankl and Caiden Woullard.
Three players took advantage of NCAA early signing: Jayden Ballard (Ohio State), Terrence Rankl (Pittsburgh) and Andrew Wilson-Lamp (West Virginia). Many other players will be signing later.
The state finals were originally scheduled to be played in Columbus at Fortress Obetz Stadium and it was in fact the site for the Division 1 game, which was played a week prior to the other divisions. But during the following week, the City of Columbus put further restrictions on sporting events and it needed to be relocated. In a late move, Massillon stepped up to the plate and hosted the remaining six games over a 3-day period to the relief of the OHSAA.
Let’s hope that in 2021 the football season returns to normal.
It was a season-ending banquet unlike any previous one on account of the Covid-19 Pandemic. With the team, coaches and families barred from gathering for a meal and award ceremony, this one was done on Zoom Meeting. In spite of this constraint, it came off without a hitch and was very professional.
Outgoing Booster Club President Eric Smith opened the event by thanking all of the support he received from the many club members throughout the year. He emphasized that the job is really time-consuming and takes away from one’s family and personal endeavors for an entire year. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. “This job as president is an honor,” he said. “I love this town. I love this team. And I never apologize for being a Tiger fan.” Eric then introduced next year’s president, Tim Boerner, who will be the 88th leader for a club that has been in existence since 1934. Finally, he turned the banquet over to Head Coach Nate Moore, who handled the rest of the night.
“It was an incredible year for the Massillon Tigers,” he said, referring to the entire football program. “I’m excited about 2021.” These are some of the many accomplishments the program enjoyed:
Varsity – Finished 10-2; state runnerup
Junior Varsity – Finished 6-3; defeated Lakewood St. Edward twice
Freshmen – Finished 8-3; beat Cleveland St. Ignatius and Canton McKinley
8th Grade – Undefeated 8-0 season with wins over McKinley and Mentor; outscored opponents by an average of 35-9
As much as Moore is looking toward the future, he said he will miss the 33 seniors that depart this year’s team. “It was an unbelievable season,” he said. “I’m proud of our guys. We made a good run in the playoffs. This is the strongest senior class we’ve had since I’ve been here.” In three years this class finished with an overall won-loss record of 38-4, including two undefeated regular seasons. They won three regional playoff championships and finished as the state runnerup each year. And they defeated Canton McKinley all three years, extending the winning streak over the Bulldogs to five games. They won revenge games over defending state champions Akron Hoban and Cincinnati LaSalle. And they were the second Massillon team to defeat Cleveland St. Ignatius. And don’t forget the dominating victories over Perry in the playoffs. They also got it done in the classroom, posting a 3.50 GPA. “What an incredible thing to be a part of,” remarked Moore. “I can’t think of a group I’d rather have. Great games are won by great seniors.”
Then it was time for the awards. First, the various assistant coaches announced individual awards within the position groups, such as letters and first and second-year honors, plus various participation momentos. Moore emceed the big awards, which were presented by selected players. These honors are:
Captain Awards – Xavier Andrews, Zach Catrone, Terrence Rankl and Andrew Wilson-Lamp
Brandon Burlsworth Character Award – Darien Williams
Thayer Munford ACT Award – Magnus Haines
John Pizzino, Sr. Academic Football $1,000 Scholarship – Isaiah Clark
Paul David Academic Award – Alex Bauer
Bob Smith / Bill Snyder Sportsmanship Award – Nick Liebler
Lee Tressel Citizenship Award – Zach Catrone
Lunch Pail Award – Jaiden Wise
Lifters of the Year – Andrew Edwards and Terrence Rankl
Tom Harp Coaches’ Award – Andrew Wilson-Lamp
Hardnose Award – Caiden Woullard
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year – Ra’Sean Card
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year – Andrew Edwards
Special Teams Player of the Year – Magnus Haines
Carl “Ducky” Shroeder Outstanding Lineman Award – Terrence Rankl and John Kouth
Co-Offensive Players of the Year – Jayden Ballard and Willtrell Hartson
Co-Defensive Players of the Year – Isaiah Clark and Caiden Woullard
Most Valuable Player – Martavien Johnson
All-County – Jayden Ballard, Terrence Rankl, John Kouth, Alex Bauer, Caiden Woullard, Mike Miller, Jaiden Wise, Andrew Wilson-Lamp, Martavien Johnson, Magnus Haines, Nick Liebler
All-District – 1st Team: Jayden Ballard, Andrew Wilson-Lamp, Terrence Rankl, Willtrell Hartson, Mike Miller, Caiden Woullard, Jaiden Wise (Defensive Player of the Year), Martavien Johnson, Magnus Haines; 2nd Team: John Kouth, Alex Bauer, Xavier Andrews, Isaiah Clark; Honorable Mention: Zach Catrone, Michael Billman, Jumacius Portus
All-State – 1st Team: Jayden Ballard, Terrence Rankl, Caiden Woullard, Jaiden Wise; 2nd Team: Mike Miller, Martavien Johnson, Magnus Haines; Honorable Mention: Willtrell Hartson, Andrew Wilson-Lamp
Several No. 1 performance records were set during the season, including:
Willtrell Hartson – Single game rushing yards – 324 vs. Canton McKinley
Zach Catrone – Single game pass completion percentage – 100% (10/10) vs. Perry
Zach Catrone – Single game yards per attempt – 23.4 vs. Perry
Zach Catrone – Single game pass efficiency rating – 396 vs. Perry
Jayden Ballard – Career receiving yards – 2,737
Jayden Ballard – Career receiving touchdown – 39
Alex Bauer – Career PAT kicks made – 205
Alex Bauer – Career PAT kicks attempted – 213
Alex Bauer – Career field goal percentage – 77.8 (21/27)
Magnus Haines – Career punt yards – 4,405
Magnus Haines – Career punt attempts – 119
Caiden Woullard – Career quarterback sacks – 8.5
Early NCAA signees were announced, including:
Jayden Ballard – Ohio State University
Terrence Rankl – University of Pittsburgh
Andrew Wilson-Lamp – West Virginia University
For those who entered the 900th win game ball raffle, it was won by George Elum.
The entire banquet can viewed at the following link:
Andrew Wilson-Lamp – Honorable mention wide receiver, senior
Massillon finished as the Division 2 playoff state runner-up for the third consecutive year, winning 10 of 12 games. They also during the season recorded their 900th all-time victory and currently rank 3rd in the nation in total wins. Over the past three years, the Tigers have compiled an outstanding 38-4 record and placed 24 players on the All-Ohio teams.
Hocking College is registered with the National Junior College Athletic Association as an independent team. According to their website, “In the first five years of the program’s existence, approximately 50 Hocking College football student-athletes have moved on to four-year colleges to continue their academic and football careers.”
