2024 Booster Club Report – Week 8 – Post-Legacy…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 8 – Post-Legacy Sport; Preview of the Warren Harding Game

Massillon (6-2) defeated Legacy School of Sport Sciences, a team from Spring, Texas (3-4), 41-0.  It was historical win No. 954.  This week Massillon travels to Warren Harding (6-2).

Link to the Legacy Sport Game Story

Link to the Legacy Sport Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (3-5): Lost to Canton, 14-8.  Season finished.
• 8th Grade (6-2): Lost to Canton, 30-0.  Season finished.
• Freshmen (3-5): Lost to Akron Hoban, 35-8.  Plays home against Warren Harding on Thursday, October 17, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (3-1-2): The game against Ironton was canceled.  Plays home against Warren Harding on  Saturday, October 18, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Legacy Sport game

Massillon used a devastating running attack along with a crushing defense to shut down Legacy School of Sport Sciences, 41-0.  Ja’Meir Gamble had a career night, rushing 15 times for 290 yards and five touchdowns.  His 290 yards is 3rd in the Tiger record book, while his 19.0 yards per carry is second.  Meanwhile, the defense held the Titans to just 41 yards rushing and twice turned the opponent away scoreless in the red zone.  Tyler Hackenbracht recorded nine tackles, while Mylen Lenix had seven, along with 2.5 quarterback sacks and 4.5 tackles-for-loss.  Unfortunately, the game was marred by 25 penalties, fifteen by Massillon and ten by Legacy.

“We had a lot of great things on the field,” said Tiger head coach Nate Moore.  “Our defense played really, really well.  They (Legacy) had three really good receivers.  But we really made the quarterback uncomfortable.  The offensive line had their best game of the year. They executed really well.”  That, he said, was what led to Gamble’s big night.  He also mentioned that Tyler Hackenbracht showed great effort punting, with his two kicks going 64 and 48 yards.  Finally, he singled out the play of inside linebacker Logan Allman, whom he said had his best game of the year.  He played more physical.

The guest players were offensive tackle Nolan Davenport and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr.  Davenport said it was a good night for the offense, also noting that Ja’Meir had a great game.  “We’re trying to get better this week,” he added.

Warren Harding Scouting Report

Harding enters the game with a fine 6-2 record, although none of the six wins were against strong competition.  Their season to date:

• Canton McKinley (6-2): 19-26 L
• Akron Buchtel (3-5): 20-18
• Massillon Perry (3-5): 15-9
• Akron St. Vincent (1-7): 26-0
• Youngstown Ursuline (7-1): 0-35 L
• Solon (2-6): 24-0
• Boardman (5-3): 19-14
• Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (2-6): 20-6

Last season Warren finished with a 5-7 record, including a 48-14 loss to Massillon, and lost in the second round of the playoffs to Hudson, 24-21.  Their 5-year record is 25-29 and they qualified for the playoffs four times in that span.  The series with Warren is the Tigers’ second longest and stands at  60-25-3 in favor of Massillon.  The Tigers have also won the last eight meetings.

Moore liked that Massillon is playing an Ohio team this week.  “It’s like being in the playoffs,” he remarked.  “It will feel strange to have someone familiar.  It’s been a strange schedule.”

The Warren offense, which returns three starters, operates out of both the spread and pro formations with multiple 12 and 21 personnel.  The focus is on senior quarterback Chaz Coleman (6′-5″, 230).  He is a 3-star recruit with an offer from Penn State, among others.  Against Massillon last year he completed 9 of 20 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns.  This season he has completed 34 of 54 passes (63%) for 411 yards and four TDs and, as also the leading ball carrier, rushing 103 times for 500 yards (4.9 ave.) and five scores.  “He is a good thrower, really good runner,”  said Moore.  A lot of called quartertback runs.  Wright said that the game plan is the same as last week; i.e., get after the quarterback.  Look for a lot of power reads,  iso and draw plays.  At times Harding will insert the backup quarterback and Coleman will line up at wide receiver.

The running back is senior B.J. Coleman (5′-1-“, 200).  He hits the hole hard and is a good runner, according to Moore.   The most targeted receiver when Coleman is not at QB is Marcus Crum, who has caught 18 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.  Also keep an eye on senior Airiz Coleman-Bey (5′-10″, 165).  Two of  their lineman have shown good football prowess, including senior Kenneth Byrd (6′-1″, 249) and senior Anthony Simpson (6′-2″, 265).

This is a much improved offense from earlier in the season.  They want to power it up the middle, but will use their speed at times to get to the edges with jet sweeps and screens.  They will also test the secondary with deep throws.  Per game, Warren averages 168 yards rushing (4.8 ave.) and 70 passing for a total of 238 (5.1 ave.).  Their run/pass ratio is 75%.

The 3-4, cover-4 defense returns five starters, including Chaz Coleman, who has also been pressed into also playing defense this year.  But it also comes as no surprise that he is their best defender.  He lines up at outside linebacker and will be standing upright on the edge of the line for most plays.  Watch for his spin move on the pass rush to defeat blocks.  Coleman has been in on 53 tackles, including 13 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback sacks and three pass interceptions.  Junior inside linebacker Rai’Twan Hill (5′-9″, 195) leads the team with 65 tackles.  He plays bigger than he is and is a good tackler.  He is also the primary blitzer.  Linebacker mate Junior Tyler Smith (6′-0”, 200) has recorded 33 tackles.  He is very good at filling holes and tackling.  Both of the offensive lineman mentioned above also start on the defensive line, where they appear to be much more effective.

Go Tigers!

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 7 – Post-Football…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 7 – Post-Football North; Preview of the Legacy Game

Massillon (5-2) defeated Football North (Clarkson), ONT (4-2), 45-6.  It was also historical win No. 953.  This week Massillon hosts Legacy School of Sports Sciences (3-3), from  Texas.

Link to the Football North Game Story

Link to the Football North Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (3-4): Lost to Austintown, 28-14.  Plays home (PBTS) against Canton Tuesday, October 8, at 6:00 pm.
• 8th Grade (6-1): Defeated Austintown, 32-18.  Plays home against Canton on Wednesday, October 9, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (3-4): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 40-6.  Plays home against Akron Hoban on Thursday, October 10, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (3-1-2): Tied Cleveland Glenville, 22-22.  Plays home against Ironton on  Saturday, October 11, at 1:00 pm.

Review of the Football North game

Football North, a high school all-star team from Ontario, certainly had the size, speed and coaching to compete with most teams in the U.S.  But Massillon is on a different level than the five teams they played previously.  And in this match-up they couldn’t stop the Tigers’ big-play offense, nor run effectively against the its stout defense.  As a result, they trailed 31-6 at the half and eventually lost the game, 45-6, with a running clock in effect for nearly the entire second half.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter had another great night, completing 8 of 12 passes for a whopping 205 yards and a pair touchdowns, while mixing those passes among six different receivers.  His 13.1 yards per pass attempt enters the Massillon Records Top 10 for that category, as does the team’s 11.5 yards per play.  On defense, inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams was simply a monster, coming up with seven solo tackles and two assists.  He also caused a fumble.

The guest players were offensive lineman Chris Fair and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr.  “Both of these guys played really well,” said Tiger head coach Nate Moore.  “The offense had its best game of the year.  The defensive played really well.  The Canadian team was as a good football team.  Big up front.  Good skill players.”  Moore said the defense got after the quarterback and that was a big factor in the win.  “I’m really proud of these guys,” he added.

Legacy Scouting Report

Legacy School of Sports Science is located in Spring, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston.  The trip to Massillon will be the farthest they have ever traveled for a game.  Legacy is a state accredited charter elementary/secondary school that serves grades six through twelve and focuses on both sports and education, while intertwining the two in the course curriculum.  It would be similar to the football-focused NFL Academy-London, which the Tigers played in Oregon this year.  To date, they have a record of 3-3, including a 2-point loss and an overtime loss.

“This team has some really good pieces, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” said Moore.  The quarterback is rated as the No. 1 junior in Texas and is the best QB the Tigers have seen this year, according to the coach.  There are two great receivers.  One offensive lineman has an offer from Texas A&M.  “It’s a good team,” Moore stated.  “Top 500 in the country.  Top 100 in Texas.  They score a ton of points.”

The offense aligns mostly in 10 personnel (one split end with everyone else tight) in their spread offense.  They want to throw the ball first, especially trying for the big play.  But don’t sleep in the running back, who has breakaway speed.  The offensive line is huge, averaging 6′-2″, 314 lbs.  On run plays they prefer zone read.  The best players are:

• Junior quarterback Keisean Henderson (6′-4″, 185); 4-star recruit; committed to the University of Houston; can throw with great accuracy; has a big arm; scramble threat to run, but he wants to throw the ball first.
• Junior running back Landon Binford (5′-10″, 190); hits the hole hard; good speed; screen pass target.
• Junior wide receiver Michael Brown (6′-1″, 175); 3-star recruit; Ohio State offer; favorite target; quick change of direction; good  hands.
• Senior wide receiver Joseph Smith (6′-0″, 170); 3-star recruit; Arizona State commit; deep threat.
• Senior wide receiver Kameron Williams (5′-11″, 170); deep threat; good speed.
• Senior offensive center Joshua Moses (6′-3″, 315); 3-star recruit; Texas A&M commit; best offensive lineman; one of the best centers Massillon has seen this year.

The defense mostly aligns in a 4-2 with cover-1.  But they sometimes shift into a 5-down alignment on short yardage.  They also at times will use cover-4 in the secondary.  Like the offense, this side of the ball also has some good players.

• Senior defensive end Jayvon Dean (6′-1″, 260); best defensive lineman; explosive off the ball; plays strong and fast; lines up wide off the edge.
• Senior outside linebacker Mexhi Campbell (6′-1″, 200); Air Force commit.
• Senior cornerback Joseph Smith (6′-0″, 170); plays wide receiver on offense; best secondary player on defense; covers well and tackles well in open space.

“It’s another great test for the defensive line,” said Wright.  “They have a big line.

“They have a couple of good defensive lineman,” added Fair.  “They are big.  We’re working on our tempo in order to run plays quicker.”

Go Tigers.

3 receiving targets – 1, 4, 7

Tigers Overwhelm Canada’s Football North with Big-Play Offense

Tigers Overwhelm Canada’s Football North with Big-Play Offense

Game Statistics

Massillon (5-2) returned to its winning ways with a 45-6 rout of visiting Football North (Clarkson) (4-2), a team that hails from Toronto suburb Mississauga, Ontario.  The Tigers used a balanced attack in scoring early and often and took the game into a running clock situation with their first touchdown of the second half.

North is not your typical Canadian team.  Rather, they are an all-star group of Ontario-area athletes that participates in a league comprised of U.S.  teams.  In fact, they play exclusively American teams and are trained to play American-style football, similar to that of the NFL Academy-London.  They have a huge offensive line, a very aggressive defensive line, multiple speed players and quarterbacks with big arms that are adept at finding open receivers.

But Massillon was clearly the better team in this encounter, rolling up 415 yards of offense, while holding North to just 49 yards on the ground.  On offense the 3-headed backfield monster of Ja’Meir Gamble, Mylen Lenix and Peyton Mitchell combined for 146 rushing yards, 46 receiving yards and a touchdown.  Even Big Mike Wright Jr. got into the action with 24 rushing yards and a score.  In the air, Jalen Slaughter had another great night, completing 8 of 12 passes for a whopping 205 yards and a pair touchdowns.  And he mixed those passes among six different receivers.  He was also adept at avoiding a ferocious pass rush from North’s four down lineman.  On defense, inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams was simply a monster, coming up with seven solo tackles and two assists.  In addition, Tyler Hackenbracht was all over the field, as he recorded four solos, three assists and a pass interception.

With little yardage available on the ground, North went to the air with two signal callers.  Winston Chapman completed 7 of 11 for 110 yards and a touchdown, that coming on a 77-yard bomb on the second possession of the game.  On the receiving end of that score was Lucas Weir, who also caught four other balls.  Quarterback Jacob Mueller added 47 yards on an 8 of 19 effort.  But it was still a struggle, since in passing situations linebackers Williams and Logan Allman were coming hard and flew through the big North line.  Although the QBs were only sacked twice, they were severely pressured and often took hard beatings on hits just after pass releases.

On North’s first possession they elected to go for it on a 4^th and 1 at their own 31.  Only, while attempting to sweep the right end, the running back was stuffed in the backfield by a hard rushing Tiger defense, led by Lenix.  After that, it took Massillon just four plays to cover the necessary yards, with Wright “speeding” around the left side for an 8-yard score.  It was on North’s subsequent possession that they hit the big pass play, only to have the PAT attempt blocked.

The Tigers came right back, but the 11-play drive ended a bit short.  Mateo Herrera then enter the game and, with Francesco Salvino snapping and Savior Owens holding in perfect execution, easily drilled a 20-yard field goal, upping the score to 10-6.

Massillon tallied three times in the second quarter to essentially put the game away.  The first was on a 64-yard burst through the middle of the North line by Lenix, who outraced three defenders to the end zone.  The second was a 22-yard pass from Slaughter to Deontay Malone, who eluded the defender and found himself  wide open and standing in the end zone waiting on the ball.  The third score came with just 43 seconds on the clock when Slaughter threw another long pass to Malone, who caught the ball at the five and finished the play for a 44-yard TD.  So, the Tigers took a 31-6 lead into the locker room.

Massillon got the ball in the third quarter and Slaughter immediately threw long to a wide-open Jacques Carter for a 73-yard score.  And that was it for the first unit.  Six touchdowns, one field goal and only a single punt.

But the second unit also wanted a piece.  First, quarterback Mandwell Patterson launched a bomb to a well-covered Richard Harris, who executed a back shoulder catch to the delight of the crowd.  Patterson finished it on the next play with a lob pass in the corner of the end zone to Gio Jackson Jr. for his first of many varsity touchdowns to come, making the final score 45-6.

Massillon will be at home again next week when they face Legacy School of Sports Science, from Texas.  Football North will travel to Lakewood St. Edward.

Go Tigers!

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

Jordan Jones (58)

Vito McConnell (3), Mylen Lenix (5), Jalen Pringle (6), Logan Allman (13) and Ja’Dyn Williams (9) following the 4th down stop.

Peyton Mitchell after the catch.

Ja’Meir Gamble tries to elude a pair of tackles.

Gavin Kappes (57)

Ricardo Wells Jr. (11)

Mylen Lenix enroute to a 73-yard score.

Deontay Malone with his first touchdown.

Braylon Gamble with the near interception.

Maxwell Tanner (67), Tyler Hackenbracht (24), Michael Looney (75), Coach J.P. Simon, Gavin Kappes (57), Ayden McElroy (79), Van Hawkins (29) and Reymir Jackson (81).

Vito McConnell celebrates the victory.

2024: Massillon 14, DeMatha Catholic, MD 20

Massillon Edged by Maryland’s DeMatha Catholic

Game Statistics

In a matchup of two nationally ranked high school football teams, parochial school power DeMatha Catholic (3-1) came out on top of Massillon (4-2) 20-14 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Simply put, although the Tigers played to their capabilities, the Stag were bigger, stronger and faster, and they used those assets to control the game from start to finish.

When on offense, DeMatha was inclined to hand the ball to 4-star running back Bud Coombs (Maryland), who followed his 295 lb. offensive line to tune of 171 yards and a touchdown in 24 carries.  The Stag also took advantage of a short field on three of their four scores.  But the Tiger defense never quit and kept the game score under control.

DeMatha was equally effective on defense, keying on running back Ja’Meir Gamble the entire night.  Gamble netted just 38 yards in 14 carries.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter did complete 15 of 25 passes, but for just 104 yards.  He struggled all night to find receivers open against DeMatha’s extremely fast secondary and was left with screen passes and sideline tosses.  It was commendable that the Tiger offense was even able to score.  On a positive note, the Tiger offensive line did a great job against DeMatha’s constant blitzing and surrendered just two quarterback sacks.

DeMatha received the opening kickoff and began at their own 40, owing to a Massillon offsides on the first kickoff attempt and a kick out of bounds on the second.  Following a 5-play, 69-yard drive that stalled at the Tiger 22, Alex Amaya kicked a 39-yard field goal.

Following an exchange of punts, with DeMatha’s punt coming after a 26-yard penalty for intentional grounding, Massillon fumbled on its own 33.  It then took the Stag seven plays to cover the necessary yards for Elijah Lee’s 1-yard touchdown run.  That made the score 10-0.

On the Tigers’ next possession, they were forced to punt from their own 37.  Tyler Hackenbracht is a great punter, but in this game his long punts were a detriment as were going beyond his team’s coverage.  With the speed possessed by the Stag return players it caused serious problems.  In this instant, his 45-yard punt was returned 39 yards to the to the Massillon 43.  From there, hampered by a series of offensive penalties, DeMatha ultimately failed on a 56-yard field attempt.

Finally, starting at their own 22, the Tigers were able to put together a meaningful drive.  Going mostly to the air, they covered the 78 yards in ten plays.  The key plays were a 19-yard pass to Deontay Malone and a 22-yard run by Slaughter, during which he scrambled from the pocket and eluded several tackles on the way to the end zone.  So, at halftime, the score was 10-7.

DeMatha responded in the third quarter when Hackenbracht’s 43-yard punt was returned 74 yards to the Massillon seven.  Two plays later they were in the end zone.  Score: 20-7.  The Tigers did come back with a nice drive a bit later.  Mylen Lenix was inserted at running back and he carried the ball five times for 43 hard gained yards.  But the drive stalled at the Stag 33 with two incomplete passes, followed by a fourth down quarterback sack.

The game might have ended quietly at 20-7, except that with 3-1/2 minutes left the DeMatha punter mishandled a punt snap that gave the Tigers the ball at the six.  Lenix then did the honors from the one.  Subsequently, with 2:43 left, Nolan Hendricks attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by DeMatha, effectively ending the game.

DeMatha led in first downs 15-13, total yards 288-195 and rushing yards 210-91.

The stag might have left a good impression on the Massillon fans based on their superior play, but it was lost in the constant chirping and extracurricular activities following the whistle, something that the referees were disinclined to address.  It also didn’t help that they committed 16 execution penalties.

With the loss, Massillon will now need to focus on winning their final four games in order to grab a favorable ranking in the very flawed Harbin computer poll.  It will begin with a home game next week against Football North (Clarkson), Ontario.  DeMatha will host Life Christian Academy, from Virginia.

Tyler Hackenbracht (24), Marcus Garner (60)

Vito McConnell (3)

Jalen Slaughter (2)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21), Deontay Malone (80)

Deontay Malone (80)

Andrew Brumfield (51), Mike Looney (75), Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

DaMatha fumbles the punt snap.

Mylen Lenix (5), Michael Wright Jr. (45), Mike Looney (75)

Massillon Fills Week 8 with Charter School from Texas

Massillon Fills Week 8 with Charter School from Texas

Week No. 8 on the Tiger schedule has been a difficult one to fill and lately fans have resigned themselves to the premise that it would be an open date.  But, after several false starts, it has finally been filled.  The opponent is Legacy School of Sports Sciences, which is located in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston.  This is the first time Massillon has played a team from the Lone Star state.

This is sure to be a unique experience for the players at Legacy, as they have never traveled this far for a game.  Mostly, they compete in Texas, with an occasional game in Louisiana.

Legacy is a state accredited charter elementary/secondary school that serves grades six through twelve and focuses on both sports and education, while intertwining the two in the course curriculum.  It would be similar to the former Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education (CAPE) from back in the 1970s and 80s.  Also similar to the football-focused NFL Academy-London, which the Tigers played in Oregon this year.  And it would have a correlation to Cleveland’s Ginn Academy, while their athletes participate in sports at Cleveland Glenville.

Legacy has a limited capacity in their facility, so they conduct a lottery among those students that desire admission.  No tuition is charged.  They offer a variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, flag football, scholastic football, soccer, softball and volleyball.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the school this year has 447 students in grades 6 through 12.  Per U.S. News and World Report, 70% are boys, 95% are minority students and 69% are economically disadvantaged.  The student-teacher ratio is 13:1.

Based on the number of students distributed throughout seven grades, the number of boys in the top three grades may be around 190.  That would conceivably place it in Ohio’s Division V for computer playoff calculations.  Therefore, a win over Legacy would net Massillon 4.5 first level points and the same number for each opponent that Legacy defeats throughout the season.

Legacy began playing football in 2018 and has compiled an overall record of 33-25, including 8-1 marks in both 2018 and 2023.  This year they are 1-3, although all three losses were by a touchdown or less.  Calpreps.com has them ranked No. 159 in Texas with a rating of 24.2.  That would place them 18^th in Ohio’s Division II.  For comparison purposes, Massillon is rated 64.8 and ranked first in Ohio among all schools.

The Titans do not play in a league.  According to Maxpreps.com, they have 36 players on the roster.

The game is not included in the season ticket packet.  Therefore, tickets for the game must be purchased through the WHS Ticket Office.

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-Canisius;…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 4 – Post-Canisius; Preview of the Lakewood St. Edward Game

Massillon (3-1) defeated Canisius, NY (1-1), 41-7.  Massillon now leads the series 3-1.  It was also historical win No. 951.  This week Massillon travels to Lakewood to face the St. Edward Eagles.

Link to the Canisius Game Story

Link to the Canisius Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (2-2): Lost to Madison, 12-8.  Plays at Warren on Thursday, September 19, at 5:30 pm.
• 8th Grade (4-0): Defeated Madison, 22-8.  Plays home (MJHS) vs. Warren on Wednesday, September 18, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (2-2): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 56-14.  Plays home vs. Lakewood St. Edward on Thursday, September 19, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (3-0-1): Tied Cleveland Glenville, 20-20.  Plays home vs. Lakewood St. Edward on Saturday, September 21, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Canisius game

The Tigers opened a 35-0 lead by halftime and cruised to their third win in four starts, 41-7.  In fact, the entire second half was played under running-clock conditions.  The scores were multiple and came in the form of three offensive touchdowns, two via the run and one via the pass, a pass interception return, a fumble return and a punt return.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter completed 10 of 12 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown.  Jacques Carter caught four of the passes for 91 yards and one TD.  Meanwhile, the first team defense held the Crusaders under 40 yards of total offense throughout the three quarters they were on the field.

“It was a great team win,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore.  “Anytime we score in all three phases, we’re pretty happy.  Canisius was a good team.  Our style of play was the difference in the game; physicality and effort.  I’m  proud of our guys.”

The guest players were linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams and running Ja’Meir Gamble.  Williams thought that the defense played really, while Gamble believed the same of the offense.  In regards to St.  Edwards, the focus for the defense will be on the run, per Williams.  Gamble said that the Tigers should have an edge in the passing game.  Not that the Eagle secondary isn’t good, but the Massillon receivers have an edge in speed.

Lakewood St. Edward Scouting Report

St. Edward is the 3-time defending Ohio Division I state champion.  Last season they compiled a record of 15-1, defeating Springfield 31-21 in the state finals.  That was the third consecutive year that they faced Springfield in this venue.  Their lone loss came at the hand of Massillon by the score of 15-13.  The Tigers also defeated the Eagles the previous year, 31-28.  St. Ed owns a 61-7 record over the past five years, with a 21-2 mark in playoff games.  Massillon leads the overall series, 5-4.

This year the Eagles have a record of 3-1, with victories over Pickerington North (3-0), 28-0, St. Joseph Prep, PA (1-1), 35-21, and Cincinnati Elder (3-1), 24-17.  Their loss came two weeks ago at home against Doyle County, KY (4-0) by the score of 38-21.  Doyle is a 7-time Kentucky state champion.  St. Edward is currently ranked 44th in the country by Calpreps.com.  Massillon is ranked 47th.

The Eagles return 3 starters on offense and 5 on defense, plus backup quarterback senior Casey Csanyi (6’-2”, 190).  Against Massillon last year as the starter Csanyi completed 14 of 29 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns.  An Ashland commit, he has a good arm and can hit receivers with great accuracy in tight windows.  He also runs of the read option when the play calls for it, which is very often.  His favorite receiver is junior Zach Hackleman (6′-1″, 170), who likes to run come-back routes on the hash.  But all of the receivers are good.

The starting running back appeared to be 2-star recruit, junior Brandon White.  But he is believed out with a knee injury that he suffered in the St. Joe game.  In his place is junior Tyrese Buchanan (5′-10, 175), also a strong runner, with a quick burst through the hole.

The offense utilizes the spread, but wants to run the football, especially with the quarterback.  The line is the strength of the team and averages 6′-2″, 284 lbs., nearly as large as last year.  The best players are the two tackles.  Senior Sawyer Prementine (6′-3″, 290) has an offer from Ashland.  He is really good at pass protection and has good footwork.  Junior 2-star recruit Mason Wilhelm has an offer from Toledo.

The defense aligns in a 4-3 even front, but will game plan when the opponent calls for it, like they did against the Tigers last year.  The secondary is in mostly cover-3, with some cover-1 and press coverage of the wide receivers.  They also like to blitz from and edge, particularly on long yardage plays.  The line averages 6′-0″, 246 lbs.  The best players line up in the middle and include senior Jaden Woods (6′-0″, 275) and junior Diondre Taylor (6′-1″, 265).  Woods is  the most physical of the line group and has a high motor.  Taylor is considered by Moore as the best player.

The linebacker corps is led by 3-star recruit, senior Nate Gregory (6′-0″, 230), who is  committed to Coastal Carolina.  Gregory is a 3-year starter and has received 15 offers to Division 1 schools.  He reads keys well and makes plays.  Moore said that as a linebacker “he is as good as it gets.”  At outside linebacker is 1-star recruit, senior Bradley Eaton (5′-9″, 170), who has an offer from Bowling Green.  He is also a 3-year starter.  The best player in the secondary is junior cornerback Makhi Boone (6′-0, 165).

This is a very good team across the board.  Very well coached.  “This is a great matchup,” said Moore. “They play the game the  right way.  They have a great team again this year.  The offensive line is the most outstanding part.  They are still big, still physical, and come off the ball well.  The best team is going to win.”

Massillon’s Season to Date

Passing

• Jalen Slaughter – 69 of 108 passing (64%) for 859 yards (12.5 ave.) and 7 touchdowns, with one interception.

Receiving

•  Braylyn Toles – 18 receptions for 109 yards (10.7 ave.) and 1 TD.
• Jacques Carter – 12 receptions for 232 yards (19.3 ave.) and 4 TDs.
• Ricardo Wells – 11 receptions for 183 yards (16.6 ave.) and 1 TD.
• Ja’Meir Gamble – 11 receptions for 94 yards (8.5 ave.) and 0 TDs.

Rushing

• Ja’Meir Gamble – 44 carries for 339 yards (7.7 ave.) and 6 TDs.
• Peytton Mitchell – 12 carries for 25 yards (2.1 ave.) and 1 TD.
• Mylen Lenix – 5 carries for 43 yards (8.0 ave.) and 1 TD.

Scoring

• Ja’Meir – 36 points
• Jacques Carter – 24 points
• Mateo Herrera – 21 points

Defense

• Jadyn Williams – 16 solos, 16 assists – 32 tackles, 2.5 TFLs
• Mylen Lenix – 13 solos, 10 assists – 23 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks
• Tra’Yon  Williams – 14 solos, 6 assists – 20 tackles, 1 pass interception
• Tyler Hackenbracht – 10 solos, 10 assists – 20 tackles
• Logan Allman – 6 solos, 13 assists – 19 tackles
• Lennox Lemon – 2 pass interceptions
• Vito McConnell – 1 pass interception

Go Tigers!