2024 Booster Club Report – Week 11 – Post-Licking…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 11 – Post-Licking Heights; Preview of the Canal Winchester Game

Massillon (9-2) defeated Licking Heights (4-7), 41-6.  It was historical win No. 957.  This week Massillon is at home for Week 2 of the playoffs against Canal Winchester (8-3).

Link to the Licking Heights Game Story

Link to the Licking Heights Game Statistics

Review of the Licking Heights game

Massillon opened defense of their 2023 Division II state title with a 41-6 victory over Licking Heights.  The Tiger offense struggled early to take control of the game against a run-focused Heights defensive front, but eventually pulled away in the second half, with a running clock underway for the entire fourth period.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter had another fine outing, completing 13 of 17 passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns, one to Jacques Carter and another to Braylyn Toles.  Running back Ja’Meir Gamble carried the ball 18 times for 164 yards and two TDs.  Meanwhile, the defense completely shut down the Hornet rushing attack and they abandoned it early in  favor of the pass.

“I thought our defense played really well, said Massillon head coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club meeting.  “Our offense played well in spots.”  He emphasized that regardless of the performance level, the most important point is to just get the win and move on.

The guest players were defensive back Daylan Pringle and linebacker Vito McConnell.  “The defense gave up a few big plays, but we will get that corrected,” said Pringle.  McConnell added that, “the defense did a really good job.”

Canal Winchester Scouting Report

Canal Winchester enters the game with an 8-3 record.  Their season to date:

• Worthington (0-10): 38-13 W
• Hilliard Davidson (7-4): 15-36 L
• Worthington Kilbourne (5-6): 31-7 W
• Reynoldsburg (4-7): 20-14 W
• Pickerington Central (9-2): 23-51 L
• Newark (7-4): 31-7 W
• Teays Valley (7-4): 30-10 W
• Logan (1-10): 42-0 W
• Lancaster (3-8): 27-24 W
• Groveport Madison (7-4): 27-29 L
• Westerville South (5-6): 17-7 W

The Indians had a signature win over Newark, with losses to Hilliard Davidson,  Pickerington Central and Groveport Madision.  Last week in Round 1 of the playoffs they defeated Westerville South, 17-7.  They average 27 points per game and only two teams have held them below 20 points.  On defense they give up 18 per game.  Canal Winchester is seeded 6th in Region 7 by Harbin, but are rated as the 5th best team by Calpreps.com and 4th best by Drew Pasteur’s Fantastic 50.  Their trip to Massillon this week will be the farthest they have traveled for a game in two years, as virtually all of their opponents are located in the Columbus area.

The Indians participate in the Buckeye Division of the Ohio Capital Conference, which is located in the Columbus area.  Over the past five years they have compiled a 38-20 overall record, including a 6-4 mark in the Division II state playoffs.  Their best finish in that span was 11-2, which occurred in 2023.  In 2022, the lost to Massillon in the second round of the playoffs, 34-0.  In that game they were held to four first downs and 62 yards of total offense, against 19 first downs and 378 yards of offense for the Tigers.

Canal Winchester has moved away from the Wing-T since the Tigers played them last, but still want to run the ball first, with a run-pass ratio of 70%, and mix in the deep pass.  They like to use the tight end in most formation and will normally align in 11, 20 and  21 personnel.  The strength of this unit is the offensive line.

The defense utilizes a 4-4 (new to Massillon this year), cover-3, with some cover-0 and cover-1.  It is an attack-style defense.  On third downs they like to change to a 3-man front.  They will often blitz, usually from the edge.  The strength of this unit is the front four.  They also have a solid kicking game.  Here are the players to keep an eye on:

• Senior offense tackle Landen Ward (6′-3″, 300) – Physical and will block until the whistle is blown.  His goal is to pancake the defensive lineman.
• Senior offensive tackle Lucas Flynn (6′-1″, 240) – Moves well in pass protection.
• Senior wide receiver Iverson Klusmann (6′-0″, 170) – Favorite target.  Good speed with a long stride.  Good hands.  Likes the comeback route.  Also plays some safety.
• Senior running back Corey Howard (5′-9″, 190) – Power back.  Has good vision and follows his blockers well.
• Junior backup running back Toreion Brooks (6′-1″, 195) – Fastest running back and likes to bounce to the outside with his breakaway speed.
• Senior defensive end Hayden Paschke (5′-10″, 195) – Plays with a high motor.  Athletic and gets to the ball from the edge.
• Junior defensive tackle James Dove (6′-2″, 265) – Good a taking on the blocker.
• Senior defensive tackle Eli Spruill (6′-0″, 250) – Best overall lineman.  Explosive off the ball.
• Senior cornerback / safety Ausar Imani (6′-0″, 180) – Best defensive back.  Can run with most receivers.

Pringle said that Canal Winchester is a better team than Licking Heights.  They have a lot of athletes.  McConnell added that they quarterback tends not to scramble much, so the Tigers need to bring the pressure in the passing game.  They have pretty good running backs.  “We will get the job done,” he said.  “It’s another step in the process.”

Tickets for the game must be purchased through the OHSAA website, which can be accessed through this massillontigers.com link.

Massillon Defeats Licking Heights in Round 1 Playoff Game

Massillon Defeats Licking Heights in Round 1 Playoff Game

Statistics

The Tigers opened defense of their 2023 Division II state title with a 41-6 victory over Licking Heights on a crisp fall evening at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  But it was no easy task, as they struggled to secure early control of the fray.  Perhaps it was a post-McKinley game hangover.   Or maybe just the environment of the playoffs.  For it’s win or go home in the post-season.  And the Hornets were not intent on fading quietly into the night.

Everyone knows that Massillon with Nate Moore in command likes to run the ball.  And it was expected to go well in this game.  And why not.  They have 1,000 running back Ja’Meir, plus some very capable backups.  And they were an overwhelming favorite.  But it appeared that Licking Heights was well aware of this and geared their defense to stop the run by playing man-to-man against the receivers and committing the remaining players solely to the run.  Something like the Bulldogs did last week.  They even mixed it up by alternating the line play with odd and even fronts.  The result was that the Tigers gained just 87 yards on the ground in the first half and couldn’t break free for any big gainers.  In addition, they were constantly placed in passing situations.

Only, just like that as in the McKinley game, the Tigers are not a one-dimensional team.  So, quarterback Jalen Slaughter went to work in the first half, completing 11 of 14 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.  That in spite of being sacked three times and throwing what was his third interception of the season.

Fortunately, the rushing performance was much better in the second half, as Massillon pulled away with three touchdowns and a fourth that should have counted, which sent the game into a running clock for the entire fourth quarter.

Defensively, the Tigers completely shut down the Hornet rushing attack.  In fact, Heights put that part of their offense in the drawer for the entire second half and just passed the ball.  Heights, however, did have a goodly number of athletic players to use in the passing game and this area went fairly well.  Quarterback JJ Shackleford was extremely adept at escaping the pocket against constant blitzing by the Massillon defense and in several cases was able to find an open receiver.   On a few scrambles he just ran the ball for good gains.  Shackleford finished the game with 13 completions out of 22 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for another 15.  He was sacked four times.  The Hornets were stopped on downs four times in Tiger territory.

Massillon received the opening kickoff and immediately drove 68 yards in eight plays for the initial points, which came on a 33-yard pass into the end zone to a well-covered Jacques Carter.  Mateo Herrera’s PAT kick was good and the Tigers led 7-0.  They had a chance for another score on their third possession, but a pass was intercepted at the Hornet 40 and returned to the Massillon 44.

From there it took Licking Heights just five plays to find the end zone.  On fourth and one from the Tiger 35, Shackleford faked the handoff on a read option and sped around the right end all the way to the 17.  Then on the next play, he found Josiah Ayers for the score.  On the PAT Massillon was called for encroachment, which prompted the Hornets to go for two.  Only, the running back was quickly put down in the backfield.

Slaughter then went to work, completing 5 of 5 passes for 37 yards, moving the ball to the Heights ten yard line.  Two Peytton Mitchell runs later the Tigers had a 14-6 lead.

That might have been the halftime score.  But with under two minutes left in the half, the Hornets gave the ball right back with a fumble at the ten.  This time Lenix did the deed on a fourth and one play with a 16-yard run around the right side of the line.  So, the two teams headed to the locker room with Massillon up, 21-6.

The second half went much better.  In the third quarter, Ja’Meir Gamble scored from eight yards out to cap a 7-play, 42-yard drive and then Slaughter connected with a wide-open Braylyn Toles for a 28-yard score, covering 63 yards in just three plays.  Finally in the fourth Gamble was able to break free for a long run, of 64 yards, down the left sideline.

After that, a running clock was in effect with the backups in the game.  Quarterback Mandwell Patterson did throw a 9-yard touchdown pass into the end zone to Gio Jackson, but the referee ruled it incomplete.  A replay shows a successful catch, however.

Gamble finished with 18 carries for 164 yards and two touchdowns, while catching another four balls for 33 yards.  Slaughter completed 17 of 23 passes for 159 yards and two scores.  Toles caught seven passes for 50 yards and one TD.  The defense came up with eight tackles-for-loss and four quarterback sacks, spread among six different players.  Lucas Shertzer had a fumble recovery that was forced by Mylen Lenix.

For the Hornets, Ayers caught five passes for 94 yards the TD.  Reese Powell recorded ten tackles and Jake Popinto had nine, plus the interception.

The Tiger led in total yards, 360-177.

With the win, Massillon (9-2) advances to the second round of the Region 7 bracket and will face Canal Winchester in a game next Friday at home.  Canal Winchester, a previous Tiger playoff opponent, knocked off Westerville South, 17-7.  Licking Heights closes out with a 4-7 record.

Ja’Meir Gamble (21) avoids the tackle; Jake Lopinto (45)

Braylyn Toles with the reception.

Mylen Lenix (5) forces the fumble; Michael Wright Jr. (45); Alijah Ferguson (52)

The referees hudl with the rules book to get the call right; eventually reversed; Richard Harris (23); Jacques Carter (7); Logan Allman (13)

Mylen Lenix (5) sprints to the end zone; Michael Looney (75); Christian Watson (88)

Mylen Lenix celebrates the touchdown

Mylen Lenix gets a lift from Nolan Davenport.

JJ Shackleford feeling the heat from Vito McConnell (3), Logan Allman (13) and Michael Wright Jr. (45)

Gio Jackson with the overruled touchdown catch; Sebastian Harper (31)

Camden Lynch (12), Avery Blake (41); Josiah Ayers (1)

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 10 – Post-Canton…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 10 – Post-Canton McKinley; Preview of the Licking Heights Game

Massillon (8-2) defeated Canton McKinley (6-4), 16-7.  The Tigers now lead the overall series, 77-53-5.  It was also historical win No. 956.  This week Massillon is at home for Week 1 of the playoffs against Licking Heights (4-6) as they embark upon defense of their Division II state title from a year ago.

Link to the Canton McKinley Game Story

Link to the Canton McKinley Game Statistics

Other scores:

• Freshmen (5-5): Defeated Canton McKinley, 18-12.  Season finished.

Review of the Canton McKinley game

Massillon defeated Canton McKinley 16-7 in the 135th renewal of this great rivalry, with all of the points being scored in the first half.  The Bulldogs came into the game as an overwhelming underdog, which was uncharacteristic for this event. And it would have played out that way had they not made any adjustments to the defense in order to hamper the well-balanced Tiger attack. So, they elected to load the box to stop the run and take a risk by playing man-to-man against the wide receivers. At times, even the free safeties crept toward the box to aid in the effort, thereby placing up to nine players in that zone. The ploy worked, at least against the run. Massillon never got untracked with their ground game, holding 1,000-yard rusher Ja’Meir Gamble to just 49 yards on 19 carries. Only, Massillon quarterback Jalen Slaughter was on the mark, completing 12 of 17 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. He was also named by the Great American Rivalry Series as the Player of the Game.  The defense blitzed early and often, putting great pressure on quarterback Kam Montgomery, who was the catalyst of the Bulldog offense. And they held the McKinley rushing attack to almost nothing until near the end of the game.  In the second half, the Tigers reverted to the game plan used in last year’s 7-2 state championship victory over Akron Hoban. That is, run the ball to burn up the clock and leave it to the defense to bring it home; i.e., play sound fundamental football against the rush, blitz sparingly and keep the receivers in check. It worked. The Bulldogs had the ball only three times in the second half.

“It was a hard fought victory,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore at the weekly Booster Club meeting.  “We thought we would score more touchdowns.  But you have to give credit to McKinley.  They played hard.  We had trouble blocking them.  If we could have run better, we would have scored more points.  We were disappointed in all the penalties.  We need to clean that up.”  But he said that the Massillon crowd was definitely a factor in the win, especially on third down.  In spite of being disappointed that they didn’t score more points, Moore said that the field goal at the end of the first half was big, as it gave the Tigers a 2-score lead.  That changed the way the second half went.  Final kudos went to the defense.  “All eleven players were Players of the Game,” he said.

Moore noted that the seniors never lost to McKinley, from the seventh grade on.  Finally, he stated that the players handled all of the festivities and distractions during the week leading up to the game quite well.

The guest players were middle linebacker Vito McConnell and offensive lineman Nolan Davenport.  “Last week was a very hard fought win for us,” said McConnell.  “We came out strong and we wanted it more.”  Davenport agreed with McConnell and said that they can’t take Licking Heights lightly, as the team continues to move toward the goal of winning a state championship.  It’s a step in the process.

Licking Heights Scouting Report

Heights comes into the game with 4-6 record.  Their season to date:

• Newark (7-3): 21-31 L
• Tri-Valley (10-0): 0-31 L
• Sheridan (6-4): 27-7 W
• Buckeye Valley (6-4): 15-16 L
• Lakewood (1-9): 41-0 W
• Licking Valley (9-1): 22-28 L
• Granville (9-1): 0-21 L
• Mount Vernon (2-8): 14-7 W
• Watkins Memorial (3-7): 18-36 L
• Zanesville (0-10): 40-0 W

The Hornets participate in the Licking County League.  Over the past five years they have compiled a 21-30 overall record, including a 1-3 mark in the Division II state playoffs.  Their best finish in that span was 5-6, which occurred in both 2020 and 2021.  In 2022, at 5-6, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to North Canton Hoover, 38-7.

The Heights offense operates out of the spread behind a good-sized line that averages 6′-2″, 266 lbs.  The line best players are the two tackles, junior Fred Saunders (6′-3″, 285) and junior Matthew Schmitz (6′-3, 265).  The Hornets have a big running back in senior Jake Lopinto (6′-1, 215), who is committed to Robert Morris.  He runs hard and is a power runner.  He also has good vision and follows his blockers well.  The quarterback duties have been shared between two players, depending in the injury situation at the time.  Senior Reese Powell (5′-10″, 170) is more of the runner and will have designed run plays for him.  He is very shifty.  Junior JJ Shackleford, the passer, throws a nice long ball and is a good scrambler.  Their targets are a pair of good wide receivers in senior Josiah Ayers (5′-7″, 155) and senior Jaedin Edwards (5′-8″, 150).  Ayers is the deep ball threat, while Edwards is the speed guy and is often seen on the jet sweeps.  The Hornet offense tends to run first, but throw deep.

The base for the defense is an odd front.  But they will play some even.  the secondary aligns most often in cover-3, but they will mix it up at times.  They are not a big blitzing team, but it is in the package.  The best player on this side of the ball is Lopinto (the running back), who plays middle linebacker.  Heights wants to get him involved in every play.  And he does make plays.  Another good player is freshman Sam linebacker Robert Talbert (6′-0″, 175).  He is very athletic and covers well in space.  The defensive line averages 6′-1″, 259 lbs.  The best player in that group is senior Ahmed Ulaba Samura (5′-9″, 280).  He will explode off the ball and is solid against double teams.

Tickets for the game must be purchased through the OHSAA website, which can be accessed through this massillontigers.com link.

Go Tigers!

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 9 – Post-Warren…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 9 – Post-Warren Harding; Preview of the Canton McKinley Game

Massillon (7-2) defeated Warren Harding (6-3), 45-14.  It was historical win No. 955.  This week Massillon is at home against Canton McKinley (6-3).

Link to the Warren Harding Game Story

Link to the Warren Harding Game Statistics

Other scores:

• Freshmen (4-5): Defeated Warren Harding, 30-6.  Plays at Canton McKinley on Wednesday, October 23, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (4-1-2): Defeated Warren Harding, 43-0.  Season finished.

Review of the Warren Harding game

Massillon traveled to Warren Harding and came away with a 45-14 victory.  Ja’Meir Gamble led the Tigers by rushing 10 times for 152 yards and three touchdowns, and receiving a pass for a fourth.  Massillon scored on four of six first half possessions and took a 24-7 lead into the locker room.  Gamble’s 80-yard touchdown run in the third quarter sent the game into a running clock situation.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter completed 11 of 19 passes for 177 yards and two scores, with Braylyn Toles catching five aerials and Jacques Carter four.  Massillon as a team rolled up 411 yards with just 40 plays.  Meanwhile, the Raiders were limited to 74 yards on the ground, while suffering five quarterback sacks.

Canton McKinley Scouting Report

McKinley comes into the game with 6-3 record, having lost last week to Massillon Jackson, 20-7.  However, they still managed to finish in a first place tie for the Federal League championship.  Their season to date:

• Warren Harding (6-3): 26-19 W
• Avon (9-0): 14-21 L
• Detroit Cass Tech, MI (6-2): 3-20 L
• Canton GlenOak (1-8): 35-6 W
• Massillon  Perry (4-5): 38-7 W
• Green (6-3): 26-17 W
• North Canton (6-3): 28-21 O.T. W
• Uniontown Lake (5-4): 35-21 W
• Massillon  Jackson (6-3): 7-20 L

Last season the Bulldogs compiled a 9-4 record, including a 35-0 loss to Massillon.  In the playoffs they defeated Strongsville and Cleveland St. Ignatius, before losing to eventual Division I state champion Lakewood St. Edward, 41-17.  Their 5-year record is 37-21 and they qualified for the playoffs each time in that span.  The series with the Bulldogs is the Tigers’ longest and currently stands at 76-53-5 in favor of Massillon.  The Tigers have also won 12 of the last 13 meetings, including the last eight.

McKinley returns seven starters on offense and five on defense including the following:

• Senior quarterback Kam Montgomery (6′-5″, 210) – 120 of 185 (65%) for 1,534 yards and 12 touchdowns; has a decent arm with good accuracy and throws a nice ball when he has his feet set.
• Senior running back Nino Hill (6′-0″, 205) – 2-star recruit; 129 carries for 759 yards (5.9 ave.); good player; rushed 8 times for 2 yards in last year’s game.
• Senior running back Jamar Johnson (5′-11″, 185) – 5.1 ave.; good player; GlenOak transfer; rushed 13 times for 81 yards for GlenOak in  last year’s game.
• Senior wide receiver Keith Quincy (6′-2″, 190) – 2-star recruit, 14.9 ave.; good player; 4 pass receptions for 35 yards and 3 tackles in last year’s game; 2023 2nd Team Division 1 All-Ohio.
• Junior wide receiver Darius Hill – 25 receptions for 426 yards (17.0 ave.); good player.
• Senior defensive lineman K’Vuone McNeal (6′-3″, 235) – 13 tackles-for-loss; 7 sacks.
• Senior defensive lineman Dior Garner (6′-4″, 280).
• Senior linebacker Dante McClellan (6′-2″, 210) – 4-star recruit; Missouri offer; 11 tackles-for-loss; 38.3 ave. on punts; 9 tackles and 2 sacks in last year’s game; 2023 2nd Team Division I All-Ohio.

Offensively, McKinley operates mostly out of the spread with some pro and empty sets.  The run-pass mix is balanced.  Defensively, they are mostly in an odd front and frequently in cover-1 with man-to-man coverage.  The strength of this unit is the defensive line.

“This game is so special,” said Massillon head coach Nate  Moore.  “The rivalry is so special.  All the guys that came before!  We understand that on Saturday you have a great responsibility to play this game the right way and bring home a victory.”

The event was attended by all of the varsity football players.  Each of the seniors was asked to recall his greatest moment in a Massillon-McKinley game.  “This is really a great senior class,” said Moore.  “I’ve seen  these guys play football since the 7th grade.  I really like  watching these guys grow.”

Massillon Season Statistics To-Date

Rushing

• Ja’Meir Gamble: 113 carries for 1,029 yards (9.1 ave.) and 16 TDs
• Mylen Lenix: 26 carries for 269 yards and 4 TDs
• Peytton Mitchell: 21 carries for 43 yards (2.0 ave.) and 1 TD

Passing

• Jalen Slaughter: 123 of 195 for 1,550 yards and 13 TDs

Receiving

• Braylyn Toles: 31 receptions for 349 yards (11.3 ave.) and 3 TDs
• Jacques Carter: 23 receptions for 393 yards (17.1 ave.) and 5 TDs
• Ja’Meir Gamble: 21 receptions for 207 yards (9.9 ave.) and 1 TD
• Deontay Malone: 19 receptions for 182 yards (9.6 ave.) and 2 TDs
• Ricardo Wells Jr.: 16 receptions for 267 yards (16.7 ave.) and 1 TD

Defense

• Tyler Hackenbracht: 74 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, 1 interception
• Ja’Dyn Williams: 65 tackles, 10 TFLs, 4.5 sacks
• Mylen Lenixs: 44 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4 sacks
• Logan Allman: 41 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1.5 sacks
• Vito McConnell: 17 tackles, 3 TFLs, 0.5 sacks, 1 interception
• Trayon Williams: 33 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 interception
• Michael Wright Jr.: 26 tackles, 7 TFLs, 0.5 sacks
• Daylon Pringle: 24 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 interceptions
• Lennox Lemon: 21 tackles, 2 interceptions
• Bishop Cupp: 1 interception

Kicking

• Tyler Hackenbracht: 32 punts for 38.3 ave.
• Mateo Herrera: 39 of 40 PATs, 4 of 5 field goals

Go Tigers!

Tiger tunnel at Gorrell

Massillon Continues to Dominate Warren Harding

Massillon Continues to Dominate Warren Harding

Game Statistics

It might be with 89 games played Massillon’s second longest rivalry in their illustrious history, but of late it has been extremely one-sided, particularly on the scoreboard end of things.  In fact, the Tigers have won the last nine meetings, including Friday’s 45-14 whipping at Warren’s Mollenkopf Stadium.  However, even with a new coach in place this year, the Raiders are still considered to be a formidable opponent.  Just not as talented as Massillon.  With the win, the Tigers now have a record of 7-2, while Harding falls to 6-3.  Massillon also maintains an edge in the series, 61-25-3.

The other story is Tiger running back Ja’Meir Gamble, who for the consecutive week had a great outing, rushing 10 times for 152 yards (15.2 ave.) and three touchdowns, while catching a pass for a fourth.  In addition, his 80-yard touchdown run at the end of the third quarter pushed him over the 100-yard mark for the fourth time this year and also sent him past the 1,000-yard mark for the season.  Meanwhile, the defense held Warren’s rushing attack to a mere two yards per carry.

The Tigers received the opening kickoff and set up shop at their own 45 yard line.  With the cornerbacks playing ten yards off the wide receivers, the run-pass option called for tag screens.  A throw to the left.  Dropped!  A throw to the right.  Also dropped!  Not a great start to a big game on the road.  So quarterback Jalen Slaughter looked down the field instead and launched a perfectly thrown bomb down the center to a wide open Braylyn Toles, who gathered it in at the Warren 22 and danced his way to the end zone.

Next, it was time to play field position.  Following a kickoff by Nolan Hendricks into the end zone, Sebastian Harper stripped Raider quarterback Chaz Coleman of the ball and Lennox Lemon secured it for his team.  That turnover resulted in a 29-yard field goal by Mateo Herrera, giving the Tigers an early 10-0 lead.

Again, Harding was deep in its own territory and was forced to punt from the ten.  Only, Massillon gave it right back with a fumble.  Finally, Warren was able to mount some offense when sophomore backup quarterback James Jones entered the game.  Four successive completions put Warren at the Tiger 12, but the defense stiffened and Harding was forced to settle for a field goal attempt.  Only, the try resulted in a knuckle ball that was missed wide left.

Now it was time for Massillon to get to work and get firm control of the game.  It started with an 8-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Gamble’s first touchdown, a 31-yard screen pass.  That was followed by a 4-play, 53-yard drive, culminating in a 24-yard TD run by Gamble.  Suddenly, the score had ballooned to 24-0 and a running clock was imminent.

However, Warren was able to cut the deficit near the end of the half when Coleman connected with a wide-open Ariz Coleman-Bey on a 30-yard wheel route with eleven seconds remaining.  The drive started at their own 37 with 1:24 left in the half.  With little time left, the Tigers opted to engage with a nickel-back defense (5 DBs).  Only, the alignment lacked overall effectiveness as Coleman was several times able to abandon a pass attempt and run for good gains owing to a lack of edge defenders.

Warren’s production in the third quarter mirrored that of the start.  It began with three plays and a punt from deep in their own territory.  But Daylan Pringle return the punt 26 yards to the Raider 22.  From there, Massillon scored on its second play on a 22-yard run by Gamble.  Score, 31-7.   Warren tried coming back, but was stopped on downs at the Massillon 29.  That was followed on the next attempt by field goal attempt that clanged off the upright.  Finally, near the end of the third quarter, Gamble broke through the line off left tackle, eluded a few would-be tacklers, and took it 80 yards to the house to finish his work for the night and send the game into a running clock situation.

After that, the Tiger backups had a go at the Warren starters.  Each team scored once during the fourth quarter.  Coleman tallied on a quarterback sneak following a muffed punt at the three.  And Savior Owens sped around left end for a 55-yard touchdown.

Massillon ended up with 411 yards of offense, 228 on the ground (11.4 ave.) and 183 in the air.  Slaughter completed 11 of 19 for 177 yards and two touchdowns.  Five passes were caught by Toles and four by Jacques Carter.  In a contrast to last week, the Tigers committed just four penalties for 35 yards.

Warren garnered 215 total yards of offense, 74 on the ground (2.1 ave.) and 141 in the air.  Penn State commit Coleman ended up having a rough night.  He did complete 10 of 16 passes for 72 yards, but he was also sacked four times.  And, as his  team’s season leading ball carrier, he rushed for a net 47 yards, losing 29 on account of the pressure.  The backup, Jones, showed good form, completing 4 of 8 for 72 yards, with one sack.

It was clear in this game that the Tigers were not looking ahead to next week’s matchup against their No. 1 rival, Canton McKinley.

Warren Stadium

Warren is in the midst of some major improvements to their stadium.  In the south end zone they recently constructed a beautiful indoor facility in the south end zone, which also houses the locker rooms for both teams, while moving the band into a new shell in the corner.  On the north side, they installed a new scoreboard with a large video screen and state-of-the-art sound system.  And following the season will finally replace the deteriorating seats on the visiting side and hopefully the antiquated rest rooms.

But they still have a couple of issues to address.  The first is the lighting.  The stadium field illumination is entirely inadequate for a football game, making it extremely difficult to even read the numbers on the player jerseys, let alone have a crisp look at the play.  The second issue was having speakers at the scoreboard north end with the indoor facility located to the south.  As seen in the photo below, the building wall was made almost entirely of glass.  The result was an echo retort off the glass anytime the speakers were being used.  And of course, the speakers were cranked up well beyond what was needed.  Relocating the speakers to the south end zone would fix this.  Nevertheless, the overall facility is indeed impressive.

The following photos are by Rob Engelhardt

Jacques Carter with the catch while Donovan  Salero-McCoy (17) looks on.

DJ Zimmerman (4) blocks Chaz Coleman (1) while Jalen Slaughter (2) hands off to Ja’Meir Gamble (21).

Jalen Slaughter (2) is chased by Deshawn Wynn (7).

Jacques Carter (2) with the catch with Mathew Richardson (11) defending.

Tyler Hackenbracht attempts to elude Aiden Allen (11) and Elijah Phillips (14) during the punt return.

Ja’Meir on his way to the end zone.

There’s no room for Jacques Carter against Deshawn Wynn (7) and Tyler Smith (3).

Chaz Coleman (1) is sacked by Vito McConnell (3), while Michael Wright Jr. (45) closes in.

Chaz Coleman (1) is sacked again.  This time by Michael Wright Jr. (45) and Logan Allman (13).

Daylan Pringle (6) is brought down by Matthew Richardson (1) and Donovan Salero-McCoy (17).  In the background is Richard Harris Jr.  (39).

Ja’Meir Gamble (21) turns the corner and is off to the end zone, escorted by Braylyn Toles (1).

Braylon Gamble (30)

Week 8 Computer Poll Projection

Week 8 Computer Poll Projection

We’re down to the final two weeks of the regular season and Massillon’s playoff stock continues to rise.  Barring upsets, the Tigers have a great chance of finishing in second place in Region 7 by winning the final two games.  And they could push to first if Lakewood St. Edward can defeat both Cincinnati Moeller and Akron Hoban.  However, the Tigers will need to win both games to assure themselves of a Final-4 finish, which also awards home games in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Should all games across the board go as predicted, then it could set up a playoff run for Massillon something like this: Worthington Kilbourne (4-6), Teays Valley (6-4), Big Walnut (9-1) and Columbus DeSales (8-2), with the latter two games at neutral sights, presumably Mansfield.

Below is a detailed look at each of the top seven teams, shown by projected order of finish.  Also included are their win/loss records to date, the current Calpreps.com ratings (note: the ratings shown in parentheses are negative numbers) and the projected computer rating.

Columbus Walnut Ridge (8-0) – 11.6 – 30.95 pts.

• Columbus Briggs (5-3) – (3.4)
• Columbus Independence (3-5) – (17.9)

Opponent W/L record: 8-8; favorite to win both games; currently No. 2; should finish No. 1.

Massillon (6-2) – 60.2 – 29.43 pts.

• Warren Harding (6-2) – 25.8
• Canton McKinley (6-2) – 35.7

Opponent W/L record: 12-4; favorite to win both games; currently No. 7; should finish No. 2, benefiting from the win/loss records of the remaining opponents.

Big Walnut (7-1) – 32.3 – 28.05 pts.

• Dublin Scioto (1-7) – (6.4)
• Columbus Westland (7-1) – 25.5

Opponent W/L record: 8-8; favorite in both games; currently No. 1; should finish No. 3; however, a loss to Westland would drop them to No. 5.

Ashland (8-0) – 28.7 – 25.96 pts.

• Wooster (2-6) – (6.5)
• Lexington (4-4) – 4.1

Opponent W/L record: 6-10; favorite to win both games; currently No. 5; should finish No. 4.

Columbus DeSales (7-1) – 28.8 – 23.13 pts.

• Cincinnati Northwest (2-6) – (16.5)
• Columbus Watterson (8-0) – 46.3

Opponent W/L record: 10-6; favorite this week, but underdog to Watterson; currently No. 3; should finish No. 5; a win over Watterson would move them to No. 3.

 Canal Winchester (6-2) – 22.8 – 21.05 pts.

• Lancaster (3-5) – (0.2)
• Groveport Madison (4-4) – 22.1

Opponent W/L record: 8-13; favorite to beat Lancaster, but the game against Groveport is a tossup; currently No. 5; should finish No. 6, regardless of the outcome in the Groveport game.

Teays Valley (5-3) – 15.7 – 17.60 pts.

• Pickerington Central (6-2) – 32.9
• Logan (1-7) – (12.1)

Opponent W/L record: 7-9; big underdog to Pickerington Central this week; favorite in the finale; should finish No. 7.

The remaining nine teams would finish as follows:

8. Columbus Northland

9. Westerville South

10. Columbus St. Charles

11. New Albany

12. Massillon Perry

13. Columbus Briggs

14. Licking Heights

15. Worthington Kilbourne

16. Woooster

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!