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Massillon’s Unbeaten Streak Halted by Texas Team

Massillon’s Unbeaten Streak Halted by Texas Team

Massillon’s 7-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt when visiting Cornerstone Christian, from San Antonio, Texas, left town with a 35-21 victory.  Although the Warriors finished with a slim edge in total yards, they used their speed advantage to simply make more big plays than the Tigers.

Massillon running backs Savior Owens and Gary Yeager were stifled throughout most of the game.  That put quarterback Rasmus Haines in the spotlight.  In spite of facing a fierce rush on nearly every attempt, he managed to throw for 250 yards and two touchdowns.  But it was the penalties that were the real culprit.  Time and again, good gains were brought back on account of holding.

On the other side of the ball, the Tiger defense seemed out of sync.  Perhaps it was not playing a game the week before on account of the Farrell, PA, forfeit.  Or it might have been that several key starters were not available, resulting in some backups in the game and some regulars playing out of position.  Regardless, most evident was that the tackling was certainly not up to par.  But much credit must also go to speedy Cornerstone running back Jaylen McKane.  He accounted for most of his team’s 208 rushing yards, in addition to scoring three touchdowns, two of the breakaway, long-run variety.

Massillon must now regroup and get comfortable with personnel changes, while they prepare for the home stretch against Warren Harding and Canton McKinley.

The Tigers received the opening kickoff and drove to the Warrior 16.  But they were stopped on downs and missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt.

On Cornerstone’s first try they went right to the air, throwing a 15-yard pass to the right sideline.  Only, the Massillon cornerback missed on the tackle, allowing the receiver to take the ball to the endzone on a 72-yard score.

On the Tigers’ third possession they drove 53 yards for a score, when Owens, who was doing most of the work up to that point, raced 12 yards around the left side of the line for a touchdown.  Mateo Herrera’s PAT tied the score at seven apiece.  That’s the way the first half ended, but not before the Warriors had driven to the Massillon 12, only to be thwarted by multiple penalties.

Massillon received the second half kickoff, but disaster struck when Haines’ attempt at a center screen went awry and was intercepted.  The end result was a 14-yard TD run by McKane.

Not to be outdone, the Tigers came right back. It began when Deontay Malone returned the kickoff to the Massillon 49.  Owens did score from the 24 yardline several plays later, but the TD was called back due to a holding penalty.  However, on fourth down from the 24, Haines lofted a perfect rainbow into the endzone to a double-covered Gio Jackson Jr. for a touchdown, tying the score once again.

In the fourth quarter McKane first got off a long run to the Massillon 11 and then scored his second TD on a fourth down run from the three.

Only, the Tigers once again came back.  Haines, after being flushed from the pocket at his own 27, scrambled to his right and found Malone slightly open near the middle of the field.  Haines then fired a desperation pass to a leaping Malone.   Malone then shed two potential tacklers before racing to the endzone to finish off a 73-yard touchdown pass for the tying points.

But not to be outdone, Cornerstone threw another sideline pass, the cornerback whiffed once again and the Warriors had a 50-yard TD to go up 28-21 with just over five minutes remaining in the game.

The Tigers did manage to move to the Cornerstone 47, but multiple holding penalties killed the drive.

The Warriors then finished it off with a meaningless touchdown when McKane scored his third TD on a 53-yard run.

 

Statistics (Mass-Corn)
First Downs: 17-14
Rushing: 108-209
Passng: 250-191
Total: 358-400

Photos by Marlene Kanipe

Senior Night.  Brayton Feister (18) and Brydon Feister (8)

National Anthem.

 

Rasmus Haines (13) hands the ball to Savior Owens (1)

Worth Hirning (62), Savior Owens (1), Marcus Garner (60)

Savior (1) Owens scores.

Deontay Malone (6), Aamir Jones (81)

Micah Walker (78), Landon Barnhart (72), Davionne Floyd (52), Rasmus Haines (13)

James Gatsios (61), Savior Owens (1), Marcus Garner (60)

Deontay Malone (1) catching a pass and then scoring.

Braylon Gamble (5), Da’Shun Williams (84), Anthony Hoover (25), Geovonni Vinson (24)

Anthony Hoover (25) making the tackle.  Joe Karder (94), De’vaughn Williams (23), Braylon Gamble (5)

 

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Top Games for Week 8

Top Games for Week 8

Cornerstone Christian, TX (4-2) at Massillon (7-0) – Unbeaten Massillon defeated Division I power Lakewood St. Edward by two points.  St. Eds defeated once-beaten St. John’s College, the No. 1 team in D.C., by one point.  And last week, St. John’s defeated twice-beaten Cornerstone by a touchdown.  This should be another great test for the Tigers.

Canada Football North (3-2) at Lakewood St. Edward (6-1) – Football North has two losses, to Massillon and Cleveland Glenville, plus a win over Akron Hoban, as they continue their march through Ohio.  Meanwhile, the Eagles are coming off a one-sided win over rival Cleveland St. Ignatius, the following opponent for Football North.

Cincinnati Moeller (5-2) at Cleveland St. Ignatius (4-3) – Moeller grabbed a big last-minute, 35-28 win over Cincinnati Elder, the team that was predicted to win the GCL, if not the state.  Moeller is now the league champ.  Ignatius needs to rebound after being handled easily last week by St. Edward.

Cleveland Glenville (5-2) at Akron Hoban (3-4) – This is an intriguing late-season matchup.  Both have played challenging schedules. Glenville has losses to Massillon and Bishop Watterson, with a big win over Olentangy Liberty.  Hoban lost their first four games to teams that have a combined record of 22-2.  But they appear to have righted the ship by defeating Cardinal Gibbins of North Carolina (4-2) and then blasting regional favorite Walsh Jesuit, 30-0.  Massillon could use the computer points, but the needle probably points to Hoban in this one.

Youngstown Ursuline (5-2) at Walsh Jesuit (5-1) – Ursuline apparently has recovered their program following the problems of the previous year.  Last week they beat a good Steubenville team, 44-40.  Walsh has wins over Medina Highland, Toledo Central Catholic and Cleveland St. Ignatius.  Then, there is that blowout loss to Hoban.  This game could swing either way.

Hudson (6-1) at Wadsworth (7-0) – Hudson lost to Nordonia (6-1) earlier in the season, but could gain at least a tie for the Suburban League championship with a win in this one and a win in Week 10 over Medina Highland (6-1).  Wadsworth has had it easy so far, but finishes with Hudson, Medina Highland and Nordonia.  Lots of excitement in the Suburban League.

Berea Midpark (8-1) at Olmsted Falls (7-2) – This is the game for second place in the Southwestern Conference.  Midpark lost 52-21 to No. 1 Avon 52-21, whereas Olmsted Falls lost 58-33 to Avon.  Expect a shootout.

Oregon Clay (7-0) at Perrysburg (7-0) – Oregon Clay looks good in the win-loss column, but they have yet to beat a solid opponent.  Perrysburg has also found it easy so far.  After this one, both play what could be the No. 1 team, Toledo Whitmer.  The Northern Lakes League championship will be sorted out shortly.

Columbus St. Charles (7-0) at Columbus DeSales (5-2) – Surprise, surprise.  St. Charles is undefeated after seven games.  Only, their opponents have a combined 14-35 record.  Expect them to meet a wall against Columbus DeSales, which owns a win over Youngstown Ursuline (5-2).  The two losses are to Columbus Watterson and Cleveland St. Joseph.

Cincinnati Elder (5-2) at Highlands, KY (6-1) – Previously ranked as the No. 1 team in Division I, Elder has dropped their last two games, to Cincinnati St. Xavier (29-31) and Cincinnati Moeller (28-35).  Can they turn it around this week?  Highlands is ranked fifth in the country in total number of wins.  Their only loss is to the No. 3 team in Kentucky, Frederick Douglass (6-0).  Another good one in the making.

 

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2026 Booster Club Report – Week 8 – Cornerstone…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 8 – Cornerstone Christian Preview

Massillon (7-0) defeated Farrell, PA (4-2), 1-0. Farrell decided to forfeit the game a few weeks ago rather than play, citing “injuries.”  In the Harbin system, the Tigers will be awarded points for each Farrell win.  This week Massillon hosts Cornerstone Christian, TX (4-2).  Last season the Tigers came out on top, 45-20.

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (7-0): Defeated Akron Buchtel, 32-0.  Plays at home against Canton on Tuesday, October 6, at 5:00, at PBTS.
  • 8th Grade (5-1): Defeated Akron Garfield, 28-8.  Plays at home against Canton on Wednesday, October 7, at 6:00 pm, at PBTS.
  • Freshmen (1-5): Did not play.  Plays at home against Akron Buchtel on Thursday, October 8, at 6:00.
  • Junior Varsity (2-4): Did not play.  Plays at home against Avon on Saturday, October 10, at 10:00 am.

The guest players were senior safety Braylon Gamble, senior defensive lineman Joe Karder and senior offensive lineman Landon Barnhart.

  • Gamble – We all know what happened last year (against Football North following an open date).  They matched up well against St. John’s College last week (St. Edward defeated St. John’s by one point).  They are not the same team we played last  year.  This is a good team and we need to be ready.
  • Karder – Monday practice was good.  They are bigger, but we are faster.  We’re not afraid.
  • Barnhart – We need a good week of practice.

Preview of the Cornerstone Christian Game

Cornerstone scores to date:

  • Autonoma de Neuvo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico: 62-21 W
  • IMG Academy, FL (National No. 1) (6-0): 10-59 L
  • Center, TX (Texas No. 709) (0-5): 51-14 W
  • Parish Episcopal, Dallas, TX (Texas No. 108) (5-2): 42-16 W
  • Lake Travis, Austin, TX (Texas No. 40) (2-1-1): 48-35 W
  • St. John’s College, DC (D.C. No. 1) (5-1): 28-35 L

Cornerstone continues to build their program, apparently with goal of achieving the status of a national power.  Last year they finished 6-4, while their 5-year record is 25-25.  The Warriors return six lettermen on offense and five on defense.  Included in that group is running back Jaylen McKane, who rushed 13 times for 48 yards and a TD against Massillon last year.  He also caught six passes for 61 yards.  Also back is safety Elijah Fayall, who recorded eleven tackles and has committed to Arizona.

“This is a great matchup for this week,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore.  “They return some good players from last year.  A really good team.  Well coached.  The style is a little different.  Wide open on offense.  Lots of spread.  We had a good Monday.  We need to keep that moving.”  In the state of Texas the Warriors are ranked No. 24 by maxpreps.com and No. 26 by hsratings.com (computerized ranking system).

The offense aligns mostly in spread, some with tight end, some empty.  They play two quarterbacks: senior Seth Shuler (6′-3″, 205), who is primarly a passer, and senior Rogan Parson (6′-1″, 200), who likes to run the ball.  The running back, junior Jaylen McKane (5′-9″, 190), is perhaps the best player on offense.  He is extremely fast, can break tackles and is someone Moore calls, “twitchy.”  He is a threat every time he touches the ball.  According to Moore, the entire receiving corps is athletic and fast.  The Tigers have faced some really big lines this year, but this one is simply monstrous, averaging 6′-5″, 321 lbs.  Included in that are a couple of tall bookend tackles in junior 4-star recruit Jaistrorm Knight (6′-9″, 340) and senior Joseph Games (6′-10″, 385).  “It will be a great challenge for our defense,” said Moore.

The Cornerstone defense shows four linemen and three linebackers, but the preferred alignment is 4-2-5.  The strength of the unit is the line, featuring senior Ahzan Bacote (6′-3″, 270).   Moore said he is a good as anyone the Tigers have faced this year.  Across the line, it averages 6′-3″, 255 lbs.  Behind are a couple of really good linebackers in senior Dominique Moore (6′-1″, 215) and senior Malcolm Carter (6′-0″, 200).  Both play downhill.  But they don’t seem to blitz a lot.  The Warriors return both starters from last year at safety.  The secondary uses a lot of man-to-man coverage, with some cover-3.

The kicker is good and they have a good return team.

Go Tigers!

 

 

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Massillon Tigers Football Mid-Season Report Card

Massillon Tigers Football Mid-Season Report Card

With no game this past week for the Tigers on account of the forfeiture of the Farrell, Pennsylvania, game, perhaps it’s a good time to assess the performance of the 2026 team as compared to past teams of this caliber.

Prior to the season the expectation of success was extremely high, based on the number of returning starters and the number of stellar athletes at key positions.  In fact, many pointed to Massillon as being perhaps the best team in state.  And so far, they appear to be right on track, based on their perfect 7-0 record and Top-25 national ranking.  But it’s always interesting to compare them to past Tiger teams.

The peers for this study are head coach Nate Moore’s five previous regional championship teams, considered as the best from among his previous eleven seasons.  These include:

  • 2018 – 10-0 in the regular season; signature win: East St. Louis (46-40); defeated Cincinnati Winton Woods 41-20 in the regional finals. Featured quarterback Aiden Longwell (2,642 yards), running back Jamir Thomas (1,918 yards), linebacker Ben Krichbaum (10.5 TFLs) and cornerback Max Turner (6 picks).
  • 2019 – 10-0 in the regular season; signature win: Canton McKinley (24-14); defeated Akron Hoban 17-14 in the regional finals. Featured quarterback Aidan Longwell (2,604 yards), running back Terrence Keyes (1,592 yards), wide receiver Jayden Ballard (1,202 yards), wide receiver Andrew Wilson-Lamp (1,049 yards) and defensive end Caiden Woullard (6 sacks, 18 TFLs).  Perhaps Moore’s best-ever offense.
  • 2020 – 6-0 in the regular season (Covid year); signature win: Cleveland St. Ignatius (21-14); defeated Perry 43-13 in the regional finals. Featured quarterback Zach Catrone (1,574 yards), running back Willtrell Hartwell (1,111 yards), wide receiver Jayden Ballard and several outstanding defensive players.  Perhaps Moore’s best-ever defense.
  • 2022 – 9-1 in the regular season; signature win: Lakewood St. Edward (31-28); defeated Uniontown Lake 24-6 in the regional finals. Featured quarterback Jalen Slaughter (2,043 yards), running back Willtrell Hartson (2,042 yards), wide receivers Braylon Toles and Kyler Wiggins, and linebacker Dorian Pringle (21.5 TFLs).
  • 2023 – 10-0 in the regular season; signature win: Valdosta, GA (28-17); defeated Union Green 31-6 in the regional finals; defeated Akron Hoban 7-2 in the state championship game. Featured quarterback DaOne Owens (2,868 total offensive yards), running back Ja’Meir Gamble, wide receivers Braylyn Toles and Jacques Carter, linebackers Dorian Pringle (24.5 TFLs) and Cody Fair (86 tackles), and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr. (10.5 sacks).  Certainly, Moore’s best-ever team at Massillon.

Some basic game statistics are used to make the assessment of the 2026 team, as shown in the table below.  Note that the statistics are derived only from those of “competitive” games in order to balance the variances in “strength of schedule.”

Offense – The 2026 team features two stellar running backs in senior Savior Owens (Michigan State) and sophomore Gary Yeager (12.6 ave.).  It also returns offensive linemen Marcus Garner and Davionne Floyd, plus newcomers Micah Walker on the line and Da’Shun Williams at tight end, both of whom have Division 1 offers.  Although junior quarterback Rasmus Haines is still gaining varsity experience, he is effective in moving the chains and is very good at managing the offense with his check downs at the line of scrimmage.  Haines is supported by two outstanding receivers in Giorgio Jackson Jr. (Miami of Ohio) and Deontay Malone (Ohio State.)  So, it comes as no surprise that the Tigers want to run the ball first, which they do two-thirds of the time.  But in order to win a state championship, the passing game will need to become a more integral part of the offense.  The stat comparison shows that the 2026 team performs in the middle of the group in each category.  Therefore, the offense receives a positive rating.

Defense – The 2026 team returns most of the players from last year’s squad and has added a few impact players via the transfer route.  The strength of the unit is the front-7, which is built around senior linebacker Brayton Feister (Oregon) and junior defensive end Brydon Feister.  Senior lineman Joe Karder and senior linebackers Isaac Maxheimer and Christian Culler also return from last year.  In the secondary are returning starters Malone at cornerback and senior Braylon Gamble (Boston College) at safety.  The stat comparison shows that, just like the offense, the defense performs in the middle of the group in each category.  Therefore, the defense also receives a positive rating.

Overall – The Tigers own some big wins this season, the high point being a 23-21 road win over previously unbeaten Lakewood St. Edward, one of the favorites to win the Division I state title.  Other notable victories came against Cleveland Glenville, NFL Academy-Europe and Canada’s Football North.  The strength of the team appears to be defensive front-7.  But the team also brings a level of physicality to the game that few opponents can match.  When combining the offense with the defense, the 2026 team ranks 5th out of the six teams.  But this is also 5th among all eleven Moore teams.  So, it is certainly in the ballpark when compared to the peer group and receives a passing grade.  Plus, they surely have the look of a legitimate Division II state title contender.  Now, it’s up to the players to see if they can capture the region and then challenge for another playoff state championship.

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Massillon Defeats Farrell, Pennsylvania, Team by Way of Forfeit

Massillon Defeats Farrell, Pennsylvania, Team by Way of Forfeit

Farrell is one of the more successful small-school programs in Pennsylvania.  In fact, last year they posted a record of 12-3 and advanced to the state finals in Class 2A (Class 6A is the highest).  In addition, they have lost just 14 games over the last five years.  Perhaps, in an attempt to test the waters, they elected to schedule a game against the nationally-ranked Tigers.

However, a few weeks ago Farrell backed out of the game citing, according to media releases, a number of injuries.  Possibly, the reason was the expectation of injuries that might arise in a game of that level, given their lack of depth.  Regardless, the game was canceled and later ruled as a forfeit in Massillon’s favor, by the official score of 1-0.  The implications are as follows:

  • Massillon’s record improves to 7-0, while Farrell’s falls to 4-2.
  • Massillon’s historical number of wins improves to 975.
  • In terms of Harbin points, Massillon will receive the full benefit of each Farrell win, both those already earned and those going forward. However, given that Farrell is equivalent to an Ohio Division VII team, the benefit will be minimal.  That’s because the Tigers will gain just 3.5 points in the first level and just 3.5 points in the second level for each Farrell win.  Fortunately, Farrell is predicted to have a record of 7-2 by the end of Harbin point counting.

Next week Massillon will host Cornerstone Christian, Texas (4-1), a team that the Tigers defeated last year, 45-20.  However, the Warriors continue to build their program and are much improved this time around.

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Top Games for Week 7

Top Games for Week 7

Lakewood St. Edward (5-1) at Cleveland St. Ignatius (4-2) – St. Edward is coming off a big 22-21 “come from behind” victory over St. John’s College, DC (4-1).  They also own a 17-14 win over Akron Hoban.  St. Ignatius defeated Pickerington North (5-1), arguably the best team in the 33-team Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) based on comparative scores, with losses to Avon in the opener by one point and Hoban by seven points.  This classic matchup is clearly one of the two top games in the state this week.

Steubenville (5-1) at Youngstown Ursuline (4-2) – Steubenville’s only loss was to a really good Indian Valley team, which is favored to win the Division 4 state championship.  Ursuline has a win over Louisville (4-2) and last week handed Farrell, PA, (4-2) their only loss, by the score of 24-13.  Should be a good one.

Worthington Kilbourne (6-0) at Big Walnut (6-0) – This one is for the the league trophy.  Big Walnut is the second best team in the OCC, only they have yet to play a solid opponent.  Kilbourne, which is ranked 7th, is surely an improvement.  But, they also haven’t played a good team.  An upset by Kilbourne would help Massillon in the computer standings, but don’t count on it happening.

Upper Arlington (5-1) at Olentangy Liberty (3-3) – The only reason this game in listed is because Liberty is ranked 5th in the OCC and lost by just three points to St. Edward in the opener.  They also lost to Cleveland Glenville (4-2) and unbeaten No. 3 Gahanna Lincoln in overtime.  No. 4 Upper Arlington lost to No. 9 New Albany (5-1) by a touchdown, but blasted Avon (4-2), 43-22.  A good game for comparing scores.

Lakota West (5-1) at Middletown (4-2) – Three teams are vying for second place in the Greater Miami Conference: Lakota West, Lakota East and Middletown.  Each has one league loss, that coming at the hands of No. 1 Cincinnati Princeton.  This games provides an opportunity for some separation.  Middletown’s other loss was to Cincinnati Elder.

Vandalia Butler (5-1) at Troy (5-1) – This one may also be a battle to see who is second best in the ECC.  Butler’s loss was to Tippecanoe, the current No. 1 team.  Troy has a loss to the Pickerington North, the best team in the OCC.

Cincinnati Elder (5-1) at Cincinnati Moeller (4-1) – Also one of two top games in state this week, which has been to Dayton’s Welcome Statium.  Could there be a 3-way tie at the top of the GCL when the clock expires on Friday?  Moeller beat St. Xavier (3-3) in Week 5, 30-15, and St. X beat Elder last Friday, 31-29.  An Elder win would even the slate, with Cincinnati LaSalle at the bottom  of the heap.  Both teams have impressive resumes.

Cincinnati St. Xavier (3-3) at Louisville Trinity, KY (5-1) – St. X is coming off of a big win over Cincinnati Elder (5-1), which was picked recently to win the Division I state title.  Trinity is the best team in Kentucky, with wins over Cincinnati Anderson (59-13), Christian Brothers, MO, 52-21, Moeller (31-14) and Louisville St. Xavier (44-0).  The lone loss was to national power Baylor, TN, 35-27.  Might be a long night for the Bombers.

 

 

 

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2026 Booster Club Report – Week 7 – Post-Football…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 7 – Post-Football North

Massillon (6-0) defeated Canada Football North (3-2), 31-8.  The game this week against Farrell, PA, has been forfeited in Massillon’s favor.  The score will be registered as a 1-0 win.  Next week the Tigers will host Cornerstone Christian, TX (4-1).

Link to the Football North Game Story

Link to the Football North Game Statistics (later)

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (6-0): Defeated Youngstown United, 50-8.  Plays at home against Akron Buchtel on Tuesday, September 29, at 5:30.
  • 8th Grade (4-1): Defeated Youngstown United, 21-6.  Plays at home against at Akron Garfield on Wednesday, September 30, at 6:00 pm.
  • Freshmen (1-5): Lost to Football North.  Plays at home against South Range on Thursday, October 1, at 6:00.
  • Junior Varsity (2-4): Lost to Football North, 34-14.  This week’s game against Farrell, PA, has been canceled.

Review of the Football North Game

In yet another hard-fought game, Massillon used a strong defense along with big plays on offense to upend Canada Football North, 31-8.  It was historical win No. 974, which is ranked No. 2 in the country.  Throughout the game, each team’s running backs had little success on the ground, aside from some big gainers by Savior Owens.  But Massillon was just that good defensively with their front-7, particularly brothers Brayton and Brydon Feister.  In the air, Tiger quarterback Rasmus Haines had enough completions to move the chains.  However, the greatest difference between the two teams was the Tigers’ ability to finish drives.  In fact, after failing to advance on their first two, they scored on each of the next five.

Massillon head coach Nate Moore had praise for all three aspects of the Tigers’ performance.  “We had a lot of good play on Friday,” he  said.  Got a lot of good film.

Special teams – Good coverage on kickoffs.  Almost returned a kickoff to the end zone.  Mateo Herrera converted a 27-yard field goal and booted several kickoffs into the end zone.

Defense – “Pretty good job against the run all game.  This was a problem has year.”  Had praise for Brydon Feister, who was in on several quarterback sacks.  “He is so strong.”  Maxheimer had a great game.

Offense – Quarterback Rasmus Haines was instrumental in the win with his ability to audible at the line to give his team the best advantages.  He also received his first Division 1 offer: Miami of Ohio.  Gio Jackson Jr. had a big game.  Savior Owens had some big runs.  Great blocking was provided by Da’Shun Williams.

The players were off on Monday, while the bye week gives them a chance to heal up.

Go Tigers!

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Big Play Massillon Upends Canada’s Football North

Big Play Massillon Upends Canada’s Football North

It was another hard-fought game for the Tigers.  That, after coming off a big win over Lakewood St. Edward the previous week.  This time it was against a very athletically talented Football North team, one that came into this one averaging 41 points a game had handily defeated Massillon last year.  But the Tigers had more in the tank this time around and pulled away with a convincing 31-8 victory, aided several big running and passing plays.

Brydon Feister

Throughout the game, each team’s running backs had little success on the ground, aside from a few big gainers by Savior Owens.  Massillon was just that good defensively with their front-7, particularly brothers Brayton and Brydon Feister.  Meanwhile, North stacked the box and pulled the safeties up to help their cause.  In the air, Tiger quarterback Rasmus Haines had enough completions to move the chains.  In contrast, North quarterback Brandon Bailey was very accurate early, but struggled in the second half when Massillon tightened up the coverage.  However, Baily was a very good scrambler and ended up accounting for most of his team’s rushing yards.

The biggest difference, then, was the Tigers’ ability to finish drives.  In fact, after failing to advance on their first two, they scored on each of the next five.

Massillon took the opening kickoff and immediately lined up in an empty backfield set.  But they failed to gain a yard after two incomplete passes and a run for no gain.  North responded and moved right down the field, advancing from their 25 to the Massillon 14.  But a Deontay Malone sack off a corner blitz on fourth down ended the threat.

Da’shun Williams

After an exchange of punts, the Tigers finally found the end zone when Haines escaped a strong pass rush by sprinting to his right and found Da’Shun Williams wide open at the back of the end zone for a 16-yard score.  Mateo Herrera’s kick made it 7-0, midway through the second quarter.  The play that set it up was a 46-yard bomb from Haines to Gio Jackson Jr. that moved the ball to the North 13.

North again moved effectively down the field.  Then, on fourth down from the Tiger 45, they attempted an innovative play involving consecutive backward passes to a pair of running backs.  Only, the second back could not find an open receiver and had to eat the ball.

Two minutes before halftime, Massillon scored again on a 43-yard run by Owens.  In this one, he broke through a pile of defenders, juked out a lone defensive back and sprinted to the end zone.  Score 14-0.

North opened the third quarter with a bang.  On the first play, Bailey connected on a 42-yard pass to the Tiger 32.  He then used his legs to will his team into the end zone for a score, which came at the end of an 11-yard scramble.  Interestingly, North went for two and converted it with pass from Bailey.  Score: 14-8.

Only, the threat didn’t last long.  On third and nine from the 21, Owens took a dump-off pass in the backfield from Haines.  He appeared to be initially bottled up by four defenders, but he broke free to the right as Da’Shun Williams took out two defenders on the edge, turned the corner, picked up a block from George Rivera, and was gone on a 79-yard touchdown pass.  Score 21-8.

Mateo Herrera

Following a North punt, Massillon drove to the opponent 14 and was good a Herrera 27-yard field goal, after just missing connection on a 3rd down TD pass.  Score 24-8.

If there was ever a chance for North to get back in the game, it was squashed when on the first play Bailey fumbled the ball away at end of a quarterback draw.  A 28-yard pass to Jackson Jr., a 17-yard run by Owens and a 7-yard TD run by Owens was all it took to put the game away.  Final score: 31-8.

Massillon (6-0) is off next week since Farrell, PA, elected to forfeit the game.  The Tigers will return to action the following week against Cornerstone Christian, TX.  North (3-2), heads to Beacon Hill, VA, next week.  Later they will travel to both St. Edward and Cleveland St. Ignatius.

Photos by Marlene Kanipe

Gio Jackson Jr (21) catching the long bomb.

Chayce White (0)

Brayton Feister (18) with the sack; Brydon Feister (8)

Savior Owens (1) looking for running room; Marcus Garner (61)

Da’Shun Williams with the touchdown catch; Savior Owens (1)

Savior Owens (1), Landon Hose (22), Da’Shun Williams (84), Deontay Malone (6)

Mateo Herrera (7) kicking the field goal.

Savior Owens (1), Davionne Floyd (52), Gio Jackson Jr. (21), Rasmus Haines (13).

Savior Owens (1) scoring.

Pass reception by Gio Jackson Jr. (21); Landon Barnart (72).

Rasmus Haines (13) retrieving the high snap; James Gatsios (61), Marcus Garner (60).

Players with the formation boards.  Kadrian Alexander (91), Jeff Riley (14), Greg Corsale (16), unknown (?2)

 

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Top Games for Week 6

Top Games for Week 6

Canada Football North (3-1) at Massillon (5-0) – Massillon defeated Lakewood St. Edward last week, 23-21 to remain undefeated.  They also own wins over Cleveland Glenville and NFL Academy-Europe.  North lost to Glenville in Week 3, 37-21.  Last year North defeated Massillon, 34-2.

St. John College, D.C. (4-0) at Lakewood St. Edward (4-1) – St. Edward is coming off a hard-fought 23-21 loss to Massillon.  This week they are right back into the fire against St. John, the No. 1 team in D.C.  St. John has victories Maryland No. 4 Archbishop Spalding (21-18) and Florida No. 6 West Boca Raton,(15-14).  St. John played Massillon in 2023, losing 28-7.  Next week they host future Massillon opponent Cornerstone Christian, TX.

Akron Hoban (1-4) at Walsh Jesuit (5-0) – Hoban finally got on the win track last week with a 19-14 victory over North Carolina No. 10 Cardinal Gibbons.  Have they turned the corner?  Walsh owns wins over Medina Highland (4-1), Toledo Central Catholic (4-1) and Cleveland St. Ignatius (3-2).

Berea Midpark (4-1) at Avon (3-2) – If high-scoring Midpark can solidify their defense this week they have a chance to upend Avon.  Midpark has a loss to Brunswick.  Avon lost to Cleveland St. Ignatius (3-2) by one and Upper Arlington (4-1) by 21.

Toledo Central Catholic (4-1) at Lumen Christi, MI (5-0) – Toledo is No. 1 in Region 6 and hopes to hold onto that ranking with a win over a team from up north.  They are favored by 17.

Detroit Catholic Central (4-0) at Toledo St. John’s (3-2) – Perhaps a tall order for St. John’s against the No. 1 team in Michigan.  Last Week Detroit defeated Toledo Central Catholic, 45-14.

Columbus DeSales (4-1) at Columbus Watterson (5-0) – This is a battle of two contenders in Region 7.  DeSales lost 20-17 to a good Cleveland St. Joseph team.  Watterson owns a 35-13 win over Cleveland Glenville.

Upper Arlington (4-1) at Hilliard Bradley (4-1) – The two best teams in this Ohio Capital Conference division will battle it out.  Upper Arlington defeated Avon 43-22, but lost to New Albany, 28-21.  Bradley looked terrible in a 32-7 loss to Big Walnut, but has since won four straight.

Big Walnut (5-0) at Ironton (5-0) – The first real test for Big Walnut.  But, don’t let records fool you.  Big Walnut could roll in this one.

Cincinnati St. Xavier (2-3) at Cincinnati Elder (5-0) – It’s GCL week with the 4-team conference in full action.  St. X lost 30-15 to Cincinnati Moeller last week.  Elder is a contender for the Division I state title and should win big.

Cincinnati Moeller (3-2) at Cincinnati LaSalle (3-2) – A Moeller win sets up a big Moe vs. Elder game next week.  However, LaSalle may be surging after last week’s 27-14 victory over Hamilton Badin (4-1).

Cincinnati Princeton (5-0) at Lakota East (4-1) – A good match against two top-level teams in the Greater Miami Conference.  Both have played Lakota West, with Princeton winning 27-24 and East losing, 48-18.

Lebanon (4-1) at Kings  (3-2) – Two upper echelon teams in the ECC.  Both have played Cincinnati Anderson.  Lebanon lost 52-13 in Week 4 and Kings lost 49-33 last week.  It remains to be seen how good Cincinnati Winton Woods (4-1) is.  They beat Kings, 35-0 and will play Anderson in Week 9.

Indianapolis Cathedral (3-2) at Trotwood Madison (4-1) – An intriguing matchup for independent school Trotwood.  Cathedral’s losses were to two excellent teams in Ben Davis and Loyala.  They also beat Cincinnati St. Xavier, 30-21.  Trotwood lost 27-9 in the opener to Toledo Central Catholic, but beat a good Springfield team, 25-9.  Should be a good one.

 

 

 

 

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2026 Booster Club Report – Week 6 – Post-Lakewood…

2026 Booster Club Report – Week 6 – Post-Lakewood St. Edward; Preview of the Football North Game

Massillon (5-0) defeated Lakewood St. Edward (4-1), 23-21.  This week Massillon plays at home against Canada Football North (3-1).

Link to the St. Edward Game Story

Link to the St. Edward Game Statistics

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (4-0): Defeated Warren, 36-0.  Plays at home against Chardon on Wednesday, September 23 at 6:00 pm.  Game moved to PBTS.
  • 8th Grade (3-1): Defeated Warren, 27-8.  Plays at home against Youngstown United on Tuesday, September 22, at 5:00 pm.
  • Freshmen (1-4): Lost to Lakewood St. Edward, 33-14.  Plays at home against Canada Football North on Saturday, September 26, at noon.
  • Junior Varsity (2-2): Lost to Lakewood St. Edward, 47-20.  Plays at home against Canada Football North on Saturday, September 26, at 10:00 am.

Review of the St. Edward Game

Gary Yeager (now wears No. 20)

In a game played at Baldwin Wallace’s Finney Stadium, Massillon held off a late charge by Lakewood St. Edward to come away with a hard-fought 23-21 victory.  Sophomore running back Gary Yeager led the offensive attack by rushing 16 times for 232 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Savior Owens also scored a touchdown, while Mateo Herrera added a 30-yard field goal.  On offense the Tigers stayed mostly to the ground for the entire game. For St. Edward, they had difficulty running the ball against the stout Massillon defense and relied on an aerial attack to move the ball.  The Tigers led throughout most of the game, but needed to defeat a Hail Mary pass from the Eagle quarterback to the goal line as time expired to secure the win, Massillon’s fifth straight in the series.  No other team in the last fifty years owns a winning streak this long against St. Edward.

“Eds is a great team,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore.  “A good program.  I’m just really proud of our team.  They played really well.  They played really hard.  A lot of really good stuff.  Everybody was on the same page.”

Moore had a lot of praise for the backups that stepped up to fill spots vacated by players with injuries or other issues.  He particularly cited the play of Gary Yeager at running back, Wyatt Porter at nose tackle and Worth Hirning at center.

The coach also had good words for defensive lineman Joe Karder.  “Karder became a man,” he beamed.  “He had a great game.”  In fact, the entire offensive line was discussed in length.  “It was the best performance I’ve ever seen,” he said of the line.  In fact, Moore spent a lot of time showing film and discussing the solid techniques used by the linemen against the huge Eagle players, and the holes they were able to open up for the running backs, resulting in several long gains.

Rasmus Haines

Then he talked about quarterback Rasmus Haines.  Although he didn’t throw a lot of passes, his check downs prior to the snaps played a huge part in the victory.  “He got us out of a lot of stuff,” Moore said.

The kicking game also received some kudos.  Good, accurate boots (except the last punt and the blocked PAT).  Great coverage.  Mateo  Herrera’s kickoffs were spot on and he converted a 30-yard field goal attempt, which proved to be the winning margin.

And he didn’t forget the remarkable performance of sophomore running back Gary Yeager.  Moore said that he didn’t know a lot about him when he came into camp.  But once he got into the games, his talent really showed up.  “Gary runs bigger than he is,” said Moore.  “He’s not afraid of contact.  A great player.  A great kid.”

Finally, he thanked the outstanding, boisterous Massillon crowd that attended the game.  “It provided us a lot of energy,” said the coach.

Preview of the Football North Game

North scores to date:

  • Hewlett Sports Academy, MD (1-4): 65-0- W
  • Propel / Imani co-op, PA (1-2): 44-20 W
  • Cleveland Glenville (3-2): 21-37 L
  • St. Francis Academy (Regional), MD (0-1): 33-6 W

Massillon hopes to reap revenge this Friday, after last season’s 34-2 disaster.

Once again, the Tigers will be facing a team with huge lines.  The North offense averages 6′-2″, 286 lbs., while the defense averages 6′-2″, 266 lbs. or 6′-2″, 250 lbs., depending on which group of four is in the game.  Incidentally, Massillon averages 6′-3″, 282 lbs. on offense and 6′-2″, 252 lbs. on defense.

The offense is run-first.  But they will also throw the ball around at times off of play action and RPO.

Best players:

  • Senior quarterback Brandon Bailey (6′-1″, 195).  Good player.  39 of 52 (79%) for 860 yards and 11 TDs.
  • Senior running back Peyton Mansfield (5′-11″, 205).  Good player.  Good speed.  81 attempts for 674 yards (8.3 ave.) and 6 TDs.
  • Junior wide receiver Stefan Ptascek (6′-2″, 200).  16 receptions for 310 yards (19.3 ave.)and 3 TDs.
  • Junior wide receiver Gabriel Tabora (6′-3″, 190).  10 receptions for 250 yards 25.0 ave.) and 2 TDs.
  • Senior right guard Matteo Capilongo (6′-2″, 275).  Returning 2-year starter.

North has used as many as twenty different starters on defense throughout the season.  However, the strength of the unit is the front group in their 4-2-5 alignment.  There is a lot of size there and the players are very active.  It is a good group.  They will mix in some odd front on the line, and cover-3, cover-1 and cover-0 in the secondary.

Best players:

  • Senior linebacker Ben O’Hara (6′-2″, 190).  35 tackles.
  • Junior linebacker Zade Eliason (6′-3″, 225).  33 tackles.
  • Senior defensive lineman Khalil Felix (6′-3″, 230).  Returning 2-year starter.
  • Senior defensive back Bryan Davaies (6′-2, 205).  22 tackles, 3 interceptions.
  • Junior safety Asher Abrams (6′-1″, 195).  Good player.
  • Senior cornerback Sean Shook-Falomi (6′-3″, 190).  Best defensive back on the team.

The kicking game is also solid.

Go Tigers!