Conversion pass trips Tigers 8-7 In hard-hitting contest with Golden Bears
By DENNY HIGHBEN
The Massillon Tigers and the Upper Arlington Golden Bears battled Friday night in one of the hardest hitting games seen at Tiger Stadium in recent years and as Tiger Coach Chuck Shuff said, ‘We came out on the short end of the stick.”
Over 12,000 spectators watched Arlington win, 8-7.
It was a shame somebody had to lose.
FOR THE most part the game was a brutal defensive struggle – resulting in three incapacitating injuries and several other lesser injuries.
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Arlington’s star halfback and punter Kyle Mercer suffered a broken leg and will be sidelined for the rest of the season. Massillon’s Jeff Lab received a leg injury and will be out for the next few games. Arlington end Bob Sorrell injured an already weak knee and will probably need several weeks to recover.
“Losing Mercer is a terrible blow to our offense,” Bears Coach Pete Corey said following the game. “We were thin in experienced backs already.”
Mercer was carried off the field on a stretcher, as were Lab and Sorrell.
Mercer made an outstanding punt from inside the Bears’ 30-yard line in the second quarter and most fans watched the ball sail down to the Massillon 18. On that play Mercer was injured and the game was delayed several minutes until he was carried off the field. During that period Corey went onto the field and argued with Referee James Keffer because there was no penalty for roughing the kicker.
COREY SAID he was told the punter’s momentum carried him into the rushing defenders. He quit arguing with Keffer and talking to the Bears’ trainer about the injury when Keffer interrupted, Corey said.
“I told him to shut up and he said ‘I don’t have to take that’ and he called a technical on me for 15 yards,” Corey stated.
Shuff said his understanding of the play was that the Tiger defender was blocked into Mercer’s path as he kicked the ball.
In the locker room after the game Shuff expressed pride in the over-all performance of the Tigers.“The kids played good football. That was the best hitting in two years…There were a few mistakes that hurt us, but it was a spectacular effort,” he said.
EVEN THOUGH Massillon lost, Shuff was obviously more pleased with the Tigers’ performance against Arlington than he was with the team’s performance against Nordonia last Friday.
“We spotted a weakness in the secondary,” Corey said and that’s how Arlington won
Quarterback Scott Immell completed 6 of 11 passes, one for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter and one for the two-point conversion that gave the Bears the 8-7 edge.
Corey said his staff noticed the Tiger secondary was making more tackles on rushing plays than it should, getting out of position, “So we passed.”
Shuff said of the Arlington scores, “We expected the pass and signaled to the kids, but they didn’t respond.”
The first half ended scoreless. Arlington got inside Massillon’s 40-yard line once in that half, on a fumble recovery at the Tigers 37. The Tiger’s got inside the Arlington 40 once in that half, driving the ball from their 37 to the Bears’ 26, where an illegal procedure penalty halted the drive.
MASSILLON’S scoring drive in the third quarter started at the Tiger 35-yard line. Bill Harmon took the ball up the middle for a couple yards and then Jay Harper, a 5-5, 147-pound junior, ran through the line and scampered to the Bears’ 39.
Quarterback Todd Keller pitched back to Harper on the next play, but the ball went past Harper and he jumped on it at midfield. After he jumped on the ball some over-eager Arlington defenders jumped on Harper, and a 15-yard penalty was stepped off against the Bears.
Harmon carried twice and then Harper took the ball again, but the only thing he gained was a headache. After a crunching tackle Harper stood up, fell down and was assisted off the field.
Tom Grizzard split through the right side of the line next and got to the 17. Harmon ran for one yard and a first down and when the pile of players was unscrambled, Sorrell remained on the turf and had to be carried off.
Grizzard ran to the two-yard line and Harmon took the ball to the goal when Massillon was caught on another procedure infraction. Grizzard went from the five to the one and then Harmon pushed over the goal with 1:47 left in the third quarter. Keith Harmon’s kick was good and the score was 7-0.
IN THE FOURTH period, a punt by Mercer’s replacement David Webb, rolled to the Massillon one-yard line and the Tigers ran the ball out to the 21 before punting it back. Arlington started at the Tiger 43 after the punt return and in 10 plays the Bears’ crossed the goal.
Bill Piccinini, who was playing only defense until Mercer’s injury, ran for 15 yards on first down and was tackled hard by Tom Grizzard on the next play and left the game. He returned on fourth-and-two and picked up the first down at the 17, fullback Ben Tenita went to the 12 and Piccinini ran to the six.
On third down at the five, Immell faked to Tenuta up the middle, rolled to his right and lofted the ball to end Duke Dahlen, who was all alone and caught the pass for six points. Immell did the same thing for the conversion, except the receiver who was all alone was halfback Larry Self, another Mercer replacement. He caught the pass and the score was 8-7 with 1:47 left to play.
Seconds later Keller completed a 23-yard pass to Keith Harmon and on second-and-10 at the Massillon 43 Keller threw to tight end Mark Matie. The ball left Matie’s hands at the Arlington 47, the Bears recovered the ball and ran out the clock for the victory.
The pass to Matie caused some discussion in the locker room. “It was an incomplete pass, no doubt about it,” Shuff said. Matie had to turn around to catch the ball and never had possession when he dropped it, Shuff explained. But it was ruled a fumble and Arlington’s coverage killed the Tigers’ last chance.
“BUT ONE PLAY doesn’t make a ball game,” Shuff said, “there were so many plays that came so close…”
Corey said Massillon was the toughest team the Bear’s have faced and will probably remain so through the rest of the season. As for his athletes, he said, “This was the truest team victory I’ve ever been associated with. It was reminiscent of the 1967 game.” (Arlington also won that contest by a single point, 7-6).
Summing up, Shuff said the Tigers know they did their best and “they’ll definitely be ready” for Niles McKinley next week.
U. Arlington 0 0 0 8 8 Massillon 0 0 7 0 7
SCORING SUMMARY Massillon – B. Harmon, 1 yard run (conversion kick by K. Harmon). U. Arlington – Dahlen, 5 yard pass from Immell (conversion pass from Immell to Self).
MASSILLON – 7 Ends – Arner, Conley, Chovan, Bammerlin, Matie. Tackles – Genet, Drobney, Easter, Mike Lauber. Guards – King, Schumacher, Christoff, Bettilyon. Center – Nagle. Quarterback – Keller. Running backs – B. Harmon, K. Harmon, Stewart, Warthen, Simpson, Harper, Lab, A. Grizzard, T. Grizzard, Ellis, Parson, Dorsey, Martin.
OFFICIALS Referee – James Keffer. Head Linesman – Roger Thompson. Back Judge – Ronald Giacomo. Umpire – Jack Werkowitz. Field Judge – Hugh Davis.
GRIDSTICK M UA First downs-rushing 8 9 First downs-passing 1 3 First downs-penalties 1 0 Total first downs 10 12 Yards gained rushing 181 141 Yards lost rushing 22 33 Net yards gained rushing 159 108 Net yards gained passing 32 52 Total yards gained 191 160 Passes attempted 8 11 Passes completed 2 6 Passes intercepted by 0 0 Yardage on passes intercepted 0 0 Times kicked off 2 2 Kickoff average (yards) 53.0 56.5 Kickoff returns 9yards) 20 21 Times punted 5 7 Punt average (yards) 35.6 39.1 Punt returns (yards) 18 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Fumbles 2 0 Lost fumbled ball 2 0 Penalties 4 4 Yards penalized 35 60 Touchdowns rushing 1 0 Touchdowns passing 0 1 Touchdowns by interception 0 0 Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0 Total number of plays 47 68 Total time of possession 19:53 28:07
The next time someone quips “Nordonia who?” no Massillon football fan will laugh.
Over 11,000 spectators at Tiger Stadium found out exactly who Nordonia was. Some of them already knew, but most didn’t.
THE NORDONIA Fighting Knights came to Tigertown Friday night and made the “Tiger” look like it had four left paws. The contest ended in a 6-6 tie, but the statistics proved Nordonia outplayed the Tigers from the opening kickoff until the final gun.
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Nordonia’s points came on field goals of 30 and 34 yards kicked by quarterback Dwight Bungo. Bungo was one of many Knights who never lost poise or coolness throughout the full 48 minutes of action.
Play after play Bungo performed like football was his profession instead of an after school game, hitting on eight of 14 passes. Two of his passes were intercepted, but his confidence remained intact. Teammate Dave Swift made some remarkable runs and Nordonia’s running-passing combination kept the Massillon defense loose all night.
“I feel super,” Nordonia Coach Tom Dorman exclaimed after the game. Earlier in the week Dorman talked like his players would be lucky not to get knocked right out of their equipment and after the game he still sounded disbelieving.
“That’s the best we’ve ever looked and we didn’t do anything unusual. We told the kids they had to run what they knew and if it wasn’t good enough the heck with it,” Dorman said.
The Nordonia mentor said he knew what the Tigers would do and Chuck Shuff knew what Nordonia would do. Dorman served under Shuff as an assistant for five years at Fremont Ross.
Dorman couldn’t credit any particular players with outstanding work. “They were all great,” he said.
Shuff will attest to that.
“They beat us everywhere but on the scoreboard and they darn near beat us there,” Shuff said in the Tiger locker room following the game.
“We tried to tell them (the Tigers) and the community all week that this was a good, well-coached team,” he added.
THE KNIGHTS were just that – well disciplined, well coached and determined. By no stretch of the imagination were they intimidated by the Massillon reputation.
After exchanging punts, Nordonia took possession on its own 18 and junior fullback Mark Dennison charged straight up the middle for 13 yards. Two plays later Bungo, a junior, hit end George Westrich with a pass for 12 more yards.
Tailback Swift lost one of the four yards that were subtracted from his rushing total on the next play and then Bungo dropped back and connected with wingback Mike Brown in Tiger territory. Brown was on his way to a TD when he was caught from behind by the Tigers Don Stewart on the 20.
The going became difficult through the Tiger line, so on fourth-and-two Bungo booted the ball through the uprights from the Tiger 20, making it 3-0 with 3:53 left in the opening quarter.
The Tigers got the ball, ran three plays and punted on a fourth-and-one situation. Nordonia took over at its own 25 and passed and ran its way to a first down on the Massillon three-yard-line. The Tigers rose to the occasion, with Bill Harmon leading a charge that tackled Bungo on the six-yard line on second down and then at the 16 on third down.
Dennison took the snap for Nordonia, put the ball down on the24 and Bungo kicked it through the uprights for another three points with 6:46 left in the second quarter.
NORDONIA kicked off and Massillon’s Willie Conley fumbled the ball and the Knights recovered at the Tiger 35. Bungo threw a pass on the next play and defensive back Todd Ellis intercepted the ball on the 26. Runs by Harmon, Jay Harper and Keller took the ball down to Nordonia’s 18, where wingback Jeff Lab took the handoff and charged into the end zone, only to have the touchdown nullified by an illegal procedure penalty.
The ball went back to Nordonia’s 23 and on fourth down, 6-2 Bammerlin and 5-8 Chris Maduri battled for a Keller pass and it was knocked down by the defender.
On the second play of the third quarter the ball w as knocked out of Harmon’s arms and Nordonia recovered. The Knights got to the Massillon 18 when Willie Conley took what would have been a sure six points away from Nordonia receiver Mike Brown at the goal line and ran the interception back to the Massillon 40.
The Tigers drove to the enemy nine-yard stripe, where Tom Grizzard turned a fourth-and-four into a first-and-goal at the five. Grizzard got the call on the next four plays but couldn’t punch through the Knights defense and Massillon lost possession inside the one-yard line.
Nordonia gained 35 yards before punting the ball away, with the Tigers getting it at their 39. Two yards were lost on two plays and on third-and-twelve Keller rolled in his right and hit Lab for a first down on Nordonia’s 45.
THE TIGERS gained four yards and on fourth down, Bammerlin got open at the 15 and took Keller’s pass, cut in and out ran his pursuers for a Tiger TD with 7:59 left in the game. Keith Harmon was set to kick the conversion, but the snap was a snafu and by the time Harmon got to kick the ball he was staring at Nordonia face masks.
The Knights took the kickoff and combined good passing and running to get to the Tiger 18. Their drive was stalled there when Bill Harmon tackled Swift (who netted 97 yards rushing during the night) behind the line of scrimmage.
Conley and Harold Dorsey made game-saving plays during that drive. Conley batted down a pass that was right on Brown’s number 15 and a few plays later Brown took off a reverse from the Tiger 47 and Dorsey caught up with him at the 19.
On fourth down with 2:30 left Bungo was to kick a field goal but the holder, Dennison, couldn’t handle the snap and the Tiger defense swarmed him at the 28.
MASSILLON couldn’t get going and had to punt. Nordonia did its best to get into field goal position again but time ran out as Bungo scrambled while looking for a receiver and the last pass fell incomplete.
“Our problem was mental – in capital letters,” Shuff said. “We weren’t ready to play a tough team,” he added.
Nordonia 3 3 0 0 6 Massillon 0 0 0 6 6
SCORING SUMMARY Nord. – Bungo, 30-yard field goal; Nord. – Bungo, 34-yard field goal. Mass. – Bammerlin, 41-yard pass from Keller (conversion kick failed).
MASSILLON – 6 Ends – Arner, Conley, Chovan, Matie, Bammerlin. Tackles – Mark Lauber, Genet, Drobney, Easter, Mike Lauber. Guards – Brand, Schumacher, Ramsey, Christoff. Centers – Nagle, Border. Quarterbacks – Keller, Traylor. Running backs – Stewart, Warthen, Harper, B. Harmon, K. Harmon, Lab, Ellis, T. Grizzard, A. Grizzard, Dorsey, Toles.
OFFICIALS Referee – Arthur Cirelli. Umpire – Robert Steward. Head Linesman – Henry Mastriann. Field Judge – J. Donald Miller. Back Judge – Clyde Shankle.
PAID ATTENDANCE – 11,021.
GRIDSTICK Mass. Nord. First downs-rushing 7 9 First downs-passing 2 5 First downs-penalties 0 0 Total first downs 9 14 Yards gained rushing 149 154 Yards lost rushing 8 18 Net yards gained rushing 141 136 Net yards gained passing 61 129 Total yards gained 202 265 Passes attempted 6 14 Passes completed 3 8 Passes intercepted by 2 0 Yardage on passes Intercepted 40 0 Times kicked off 2 3 Kickoff average (yards) 53.5 34.6 Kickoff returns 9yards) 38 19 Times punted 3 2 Punt average (yards) 30.3 37.0 Punt returns (yards) 0 7 Had punts blocked 0 0 Fumbles 2 0 Lost fumbled ball 2 0 Penalties 2 2 Yards penalized 10 20 Touchdowns rushing 0 0 Touchdowns passing 1 0 Touchdowns by interception 0 0 Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0 Total number of plays 42 60 Total time of possession 19:55 28:05
MASSILLON – As the skies unleashed a mighty downpour, the Massillon Tigers unleashed fullback Bill Harmon, leaving the Mentor Cardinals both wet and defeated 20-2 Friday night at Tiger stadium.
Leading Massillon with 16 carries for 161 yards, Harmon rolled for three touchdowns. Two came on runs of 33 and 28 yards in the second quarter, but not without the aid of costly Cardinal turnover.
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Late in the first quarter, Mentor quarterback Mike Yutzy fumbled on the Tiger 27 and Massillon recovered. Harmon and tailback Tom Grizzard ground out 40 yards rushing before the senior fullback sprung for his 33-yard gallop.
In the second stanza, Yutzy again bobbled the ball, this time on the Mentor 34-yard line. Two plays later, Harmon carried for 28 and a Tiger score.
“Massillon has a terrific offensive line,” Mentor Coach Frank Domokos said after the game. The trenchmen repeatedly opened holes for Harmon, Grizzard and tailback Jay Harper.
And it’s good for Massillon that the line came through, since quarterback Todd Keller attempted only four passes without a completion.
It was a different story for Yutzy, who connected on five of 16 aerials for 81 yards. Sharing the Mentor offensive chores with Yutzy was fullback Joel Payton, who led the Cardinals on the ground with 55 yards on 14 carries.
But it was the defense that put Mentor’s only tallies on the scoreboard. In its second possession of the first quarter, Massillon elected to punt on a fourth-and eleven situation on their own 20-yard line.
Punter Keith Harmon jumped, but missed a high snap from center. As Harmon chased the skittering ball into the end zone, the Mentor defense chased Harmon, crushing him for a safety.
The Tigers wound up the game’s scoring in the third quarter by rolling for another touchdown. Massillon took possession on the Mentor 40-yard line after a Cardinal punt. Harper carried the brunt of the moving chores, rushing four times for 22 yards before fullback Harmon got the call from four yards out and bulled his way to the goal.
In the extra-point department, Massillon tried to run in each situation, but only after the second did Grizzard find the distance for two points.
All the while, rain drenched Tiger Stadium, causing blockers to bumble and runners to fumble.
“Weather like this takes the game out of the hands of the coach,” Tiger mentor Coach Chuck Shuff said after the game.
“With a drier field, we could have put the ball up in the air more,” Domokos said. “As it was, we had a breakdown in pass protection.
“I was not really displeased,” the Cardinal Coach continued. “We’re not going to be a bad team before this year is over.”
Amidst a post game locker room full of happy Tigers, Shuff found a lot of time for grinning. “We can’t argue about a little success from our backs,” he said.
MASSILLON Offense Ends – Bill Bammerlin (6-2, 170, Sr.); Mark Matie (6-1, 220, Sr.). Tackles – Mike Lauber (6-0, 205, Sr.) Sylvester Drobney (6-1, 220, Sr.); Guards – Todd Schumacher (6-1, 200, Sr.); Carl Christoff, (5-9, 180, Sr.). Center – Dan Nagle (6-0, 225, Sr.). Quarterback – Todd Keller (6-1, 185, Sr.). Halfbacks – Tom Grizzard (6-0, 180, Sr.); Jeff Lab (6-1, 195, Sr.). Fullback – Bill Harmon (6-1, 237, Sr.). Defense Ends – Keith Harmon (6-1, 195, Sr.); Lauber. Tackles – Steve Easter (6-2, 205, Sr.); Nagle. Middle Guard – Jesse Toles (6-0, 195, Jr.). Linebackers – Lab; Grizzard. Secondary – Glenn Arner (6-1, 175, Sr.); Harold Dorsey (6-1, 190, Sr.); Don Stewart (5-10, 160, Sr.); Willie Conley (6-0, 175).
GRIDSTICK Mass. Men. First downs rushing 14 2 First downs passing 0 3 First downs penalties 0 1 Total first downs 14 6 Yards gained rushing 286 75 Yards lost rushing 33 31 Net yards gained rushing 253 44 Net yards gained passing 0 81 Total yards gained 253 125 Passes completed 0-4 5-16 Passes intercepted by 0 0 Yards on passes Intercepted 0 0 Kickoff average (yards) 5-33.2 1-47.0 Kickoff returns (yards) 22 91 Punt average (yards) 4-33.2 6-29.1 Punt returns (yards) 0 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Lost fumbled ball 2-4 3-4 Yards penalized 4-40 6-30 Touchdowns rushing 3 0 Total number of plays 51 55 Total time of possession 25:26 22:34
TIGERS STUN BULLDOGS 20-15 Final-Seconds Aerial Blasts Rally by Pups
By BOB STEWART Repository Sports Editor
MASSILLON – At a few moments past the hour of four o’clock Saturday afternoon, an inflated brown leather ellipsoid floated downward from the sky.
It nestled in the arms of a young man by the name of Edward Bell, an 18-year old who is enrolled at Washington High School here and who just happened to be jogging about in an area of real estate known as Tiger Stadium.
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His specific location was a plot known as “The End zone” – an appropriate name, for his simple act of catching the ball “ended” many things. 79th IN CLASSIC SERIES It was the end of the scoring in this 79th scholastic football classic which has pitted the young warriors of Canton McKinley and Massillon Washington high schools since 1894 (flu scratched a game during World War I), put the 79th episode into the books reading Massillon 20, McKinley 15.
It ended the Canton McKinley undefeated record this season at nine, blasting hopes for the first 10-0 season since 1956.
It ended the McKinley Bulldogs’ dreams of a berth in the Ohio High School Athletic Association championship playoffs. New Philadelphia High will represent Region 3. COMEBACK FAILS It ended the dramatic and brilliant McKinley comeback, which saw the Pups’ Roch Hontas kick a 25-yard field goal for a 15-14 lead only 73 seconds before the game clock was due to run out.
Game Action 1974 vs. McKinley
It also will mean the end, no doubt, of McKinley’s No. 1 ranking in the wire service polls. The Pups were attempting to win the mythical wire service title for the first time since 1955 and 1956, when they won back-to-back championships with 20 straight wins over two seasons.
Bell was catching the beautiful, crisp, clear, sunny afternoon’s second TD pass thrown by teammate and quarterback Greg Wood, a youngster much maligned but now vindicated. TIGERS SMELL UPSET Wood hit halfback Mark Streeter with a 24-yard scoring strike when the game was but nine-and-one-half minutes old, and the Tigertowners smelled an upset.
Game Action 1974 vs. McKinley
Massillon’s first score was no fluke, as the Tigers drove the ball 71 yards in 12 plays after stopping McKinley on fourth down and a foot.
The Bulldogs’ Mike Kolbs pounced on a Massillon fumble on the third play of the game, but McKinley couldn’t cash in.
Trailing 7-0 McKinley got on three yards on three plays after the kickoff and Hontas punted to the Tigers’ 36, from where Wood engineered his second scoring drive. WHIPPING BOY NO MORE Wood, who was one of the whipping boys for the boo-birds and boosters when Massillon lost three of its first four games this season, again whipped his team down the field and in a dozen plays had used up three minutes, 50 seconds of playing time, covered 63 yards and put another seven points on the board.
Wood himself did the honors, diving the final two yards over the right side.
Game Action 1974 vs. McKinley
Hontas got the Pups moving, finally, as he began hitting his aerials. PUPS SCORE ON PASS The Pups scored on a 36-yard pass from Hontas to end Ruben Floyd. But when Jonathan Moore, McKinley’s leading rusher and scorer, failed to make the three yards for the two-point conversion, the Pups were a long eight points behind.
The drive was 77 yards in 13 plays, but was kept alive by a major Massillon mistake, a roughing-the-kicker penalty on a fourth-and-14 Hontas punt at the Bulldogs 19.
Massillon with 237-pound fullback Bill Harmon and slippery scatback Tom Grizzard (both juniors) roaring through massive holes opened by a rejuvenated Tiger offensive forward wall, mounted yet another threat.
The Tigers tidal wave trundled down the turf to the McKinley 28 before ebbing. From there, Dave Dowd, who kicked the two PATs, missed a field goal try from the 35.
But the short chip shot hit like a nine iron on the five yard line and McKinley was 95 yards away from the equalizer and the fourth quarter was two plays old.
Hontas retreated into his own end zone and flipped a screen pass to wingback Bob Armstrong, who got out to the 13, and the McKinley march was on.
Massillon linebacker Dennis Bricker made what looked like a drive-stopping tackle on a screen to Floyd at the Bulldogs own 21, setting up a fourth-and-two situation. BULLDOGS MARCH 95 But faint heart never won a football game and Moore got eight on a sweep and the march continued for 95 yards in 18 plays, capped by fullback Bob Lombardi’s three-foot blast to pay dirt with 3:37 left in the game.
Hontas’ pass to Lombardi was incomplete and the Tigers still prevailed by a pair, 14-12.
The ensuing on-side kickoff bounced into a mass of Massillon and Canton players and McKinley’s Eric Llewellyn came up with the football and the Pups were born again.
Hontas quickly completed a pair of passes to Tom Grafton and Ray Ellis and Lombardi got nine yards in three tries to set the state for what the Canton backers would love to have settled for.
With Bill Poulos holding, Hontas kicked a 25-yarder right through the middle of the uprights, putting three points on the McKinley side and joy in the hearts of Canton fans.
The clock read 1:13.
Then came the dirge, tolled by the “Bell”.
Wood threw the ball three times and Bell caught all three on down-and-out patterns for 12, 9 and 12-yard gains.
He missed one and then got sacked and the ball was at the McKinley 34 with 13 seconds remaining.
Bell lined up on the right side, blew downfield and started another cut to the outside, but then suddenly flew for the goal.
He was all alone past the goal line when Wood’s toss settled into his arms. The clock showed there were six seconds remaining.
It was Massillon’s 43rd win in the long series against 31 losses. There have been five ties.
It put Warren and McKinley in a tie for the All-American Conference title for the second year in a row. Last year, the two shared it with Massillon also.
The victory gave Massillon a 6-4 season record and today in Tigertown nobody even remembers those four losses that happened such a “long time ago sometime this season.”
Massillon 7 7 0 6 20 McKinley 0 0 6 9 15
SCORING SUMMARY Mass. – tb Mark Streeter, 24 pass from qb Greg Wood (g Dave Dowd kick). Mass. – Wood, 2 run (Dowd kick). Mck. – e Ruben Flloyd 36 pass from qb Roch Hontas (run failed). Mck. – fb Bob Lombardi, 1 run (pass failed). Mck. – Hontas, 25 FG. Mass. – se Eddie Bell, 34 pass from Wood (pass failed).
Tigers Score On Desperation Pass Massillon Stuns McKinley
By LARRY BRECKENRIDGE Beacon Journal Staff Writer
MASSILLON – “If I live to be a 100,” said one veteran sportswriter, “I’ll never see a football game as exciting as that one.”
The gentleman was referring to Saturday’s clash between Massillon and Canton McKinley in which the Tigers scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass with only five seconds remaining to shock the previously undefeated Bulldogs 20-15 before 21,754 at Tiger Stadium.
Massillon ends 6-4 and McKinley 9-1.
The victory was especially disappointing to McKinley because it probably cost the Bulldogs a spot in the Class AAA computer playoffs.
The Bulldogs held a 14-point lead over New Philadelphia in Region 3 of the latest computer poll but the Quakers beat previously undefeated Dover Friday night which should give them enough points to overtake McKinley.
The two players mainly responsible for the Tigers’ victory were quarterback Greg Wood and split end Eddie Bell.
It appeared McKinley had won the game with 1:13 left when the Bulldogs Roch Hontas kicked a 25-yard field goal to put McKinley ahead 15-14.
But following the ensuing kickoff which Massillon returned to its own 35-yard line, Wood and Bell teamed up for three straight pass completions to move the ball to the McKinley 31.
Wood was then dropped for a three-yard loss but on the next play Bell slipped behind the McKinley secondary and Wood lofted a perfect pass which Bell gathered in over his shoulder in the corner of the end zone.
“EDDIE ran a beautiful patter,” Wood said. “I just laid the ball up there. I knew he was going to catch it as soon as I threw it.”
“I heard the McKinley coaches yelling to watch for the deep pass,” Bell explained. “But the McKinley players must not have heard them. That was probably the biggest catch I’ll ever make.” Late Score Keys Massillon Massillon coach Chuck Shuff said, “I couldn’t believe it when I saw Bell in the open.” And neither could McKinley’s John Brideweser.
“We were in a prevent defense,” he explained. “And the one thing that is NOT supposed to happen is a deep pass. But those things happen.”
The Tiger defense shut out McKinley’s high scoring offense for the first 24 minutes in limiting the Bulldogs to only four first downs and 84 yards.
Massillon’s ball-control offense, on the other hand, was equally impressive as it scored 14 points in the first half and rolled up 12 first downs and 203 yards.
Massillon, which did not punt once, took a 7-0 lead with 2:35 remaining in the first quarter when Wood hit Mark Streeter with a 24-yard touchdown pass and David Dowd kicked the first of two conversions. The drive covered 71 yards in 12 plays and took almost six minutes.
FOLLOWING a McKinley punt, Massillon drove 67 yards in 11 yards to increase the margin to 14-0 with 9:59 left in the half. Wood got the touchdown on a fourth-and-goal situation from the two.
The Bulldogs pulled to within 14-6 following the second half kickoff by driving 70 yards in 12 plays. The touchdown came on a 36-yard pass from Hontas to Ruben Floyd. The conversion failed when tailback Jonathan Moore was stopped short of the goal. After stopping a Massillon drive at the Bulldog 13, McKinley fullback Bob Lombardi scored on a one-yard run with 3:53 remaining to cap a 95 yard, 17-play drive. A pass for the conversion failed and Massillon led 14-12.
McKinley followed with an onside kick and the Bulldogs Eric Llewellyn recovered tat the Massillon 46. Eight plays later Hontas kicked the apparent winning field goal.
MASSILLON 7 7 0 6 20 McKINLEY 0 0 6 9 15
MASSILLON – Streeter, 24 pass from Wood (Dowd kick). MASSILLON – Wood, 2 run (Dowd kick). McKINLEY – Floyd 36 pass from Hontas (run failed). McKINLEY – Lombardi, 1 run (pass failed). McKINLEY – Hontas 25 FG. MASSILLON – Bell, 34 pass from Wood (pass failed).
Shuff Officially Accepted in Tigers’ Lair
By MIKE ZEMELKA Repository Sportswriter
MASSILLON – This proclaimed scholastic football capital of the United States has added another full-blooded Tiger to its lair.
“I’m a Tiger now!” exclaimed a shell-shocked Chuck Shuff when the first-season Massillon Washington coach finally wormed his way into his office – some 30 minutes after his Tigers (6-4), unbelievable 20-15 conquest of arch-rival Canton McKinley (9-1) before a Tiger Stadium throng of 21,754 football fanatics Saturday afternoon.
The storybook finish is unparalleled .
“I JUST COULDN’T believe it when I saw Eddie Bell in the open,” Shuff said of the 34-yard pass the 5-foot-10, 154-pound senior split end caught (in the end zone) from classmate Greg Wood. It came as the Tigers merely were driving for field position to give placekicker Dave Dowd a shot at a field goal attempt.
“I don’t think we could call for another ounce of energy out of any of our boys,” Shuff said of the physically drained coaches and players.
“We stopped their running game as far as the big play and that type of defensive effort took a lot of noise,” he said.
The McKinley loss assured Behling’s 9-0-1 Quakers a berth vs. Upper Arlington in this week-end’s Ohio Class AAA playoff semifinals.
“I thought it was all over,” Behling said of the Hontas field goal, “but that’s the Tiger spirit.”
“Never any worry,” former Massillon and Kent State University coach Leo Strang told Shuff, but it was Strang who appeared worried at half time. He’s the guy who had his fingers crossed as he wandered through the stands to say hello to his Tigertown friends. – : – “IT’S THE GREATEST victory I’ve ever been in,” shouted long-time Tiger aide Nick Vrotsos before he and his fellow coaches took what each proclaimed as “the best one (shower) I’ve ever had” when the players escorted their coaches to the drink.
“Hey guys, we don’t have to walk the alleys. We can walk the streets,” Vrotsos shouted to his fellow coaches from the showers.
One-time McKinley standout L.C. Young, the Massillon superintendent of schools, embraced Shuff and said, “Just keep it going.”
“Something good had to happen,” Young said. “We lost the levy (Tuesday) and these boys and coaches just went through hell.” – : – AMONG THOSE who probably were in the rocker room were two former Massillon players – Phil Garcia and Nick Pribich – who Friday sent Behling and the Quakers a telegram and assured them: “If you beat Dover (New Philly did, 7-0), we’ll do our part tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon and come Monday you’ll be No. 1.”
AND that’s the main reason Behling left the office he once worked in proud as a peacock – and with the Massillon-Upper Arlington game film in his grasp.
It’s ironic how this series has been a thorn in the side of what is supposed to be the favored team.
However, the intense rivalry is what makes this classic so great. It was only 12 months ago the Bulldogs knocked the Tigers out of a play-off berth.
21,754 Fans Jam Tigers’ Lair For Thrilling Clash of Old Foes
By FREDERICK J. BALL Repository Staff Writer
MASSILLON – There are rumors the world does not revolve around the annual McKinley-Massillon football game.
That may be true, but you’ll never convince thousands of rabid fans on both sides of the traditional rivalry.
And they were out in force Saturday – 21,754 strong – at Tiger Stadium to watch the Massillon Tigers smash their way past McKinley’s Bulldogs to rack up a final-seconds 20-15 victory. Like a Movie Thriller The final Massillon touchdowns – with six seconds showing on the clock – looked like the plot clincher in an old 1940s college football movie.
In fact, the entire game had a certain “scripted” appearance to it.
Weather was perfect for the big climax to both schools’ schedules, with bright sun and temperatures in the low 60s to warm spectators, but just enough breeze to keep players from becoming uncomfortable.
Near Massillon’s city limits, incoming Canton fans traveling bumper-to-bumper found crepe-paper-covered cars along the roadway, their sides and trunks plastered with giant “Beat McKinley” signs.
Such vehicles were greeted by jeers and groans from west-bound autos displaying a different kind of sign – “Beat Massillon.”
Approaching the stadium the noise was the first thing that hit arrivals.
A calliope, blended with honking horns and clanging cowbells, provided an overlying pattern of high-pitched accents, while shouts, cheers and jabber of the crowd produced a back ground buzz that increased in intensity as people filled the stadium.
There were shouts of players – clear and strong during warm-up exercises but lower and harsher as they began to pound each other during the game. Above all was the blare of the loudspeaker. Hot Dogs and Pizza There was plenty to keep the other senses busy, too.
The air was filled with the smell of popcorn, hot dogs and pizza. You could smell the aroma of recently rain-moistened earth, too, and there was just a hint of smoke.
The eyes, too, were attracted to splashes of color that dotted the stands, with oranges and reds of the two schools livened by the bright November sun.
There was food and drink to appease taste buds, as well, and as for touch – well, who says the field is the only place at a football game where there is contact?
Saturday, Massillon and McKinley fans were squeezed into Tiger Stadium like a Size-12 foot in a Size-10 shoe. Activity at the concession booths under the grandstand at halftime was really something else, too.
You’d think someone over 6 foot tall who weighs in at 210 pounds could hold his own against a bunch of 10-year-olds at the hot dog stand, wouldnt you?
Well, forget it. Those kids squirm and push their way to the front of the line like first-string fullbacks running through a second-string defensive line. Game Takes Over But once the game got underway, no one paid much attention to anything but what was happening on the gridiron.
Less than a minute into the second quarter, with The Tigers only one touchdown ahead, Paul Akers of 425 15th Street NW, president of the McKinley Alumni Booster Club, still was confident.
With the Bulldogs putting on a defensive stand at their own four-yard line, Akers said, “I know the Pups are going to come through for us.”
“C’mon, Bulldogs! You can hold’em!” he shouted, jumping to his feet. The McKinley defensive unit held. It was fourth down and four yards for a touchdown. The Dream Dies “We’re going to show Massillon who’s NO. 1. I tell you, we’re going to come back,” Akers declared.
He jumped up again as play resumed and a Massillon ball carrier rammed his way across the goal line. A shout died on Aker’s lips and he stood with his arms at his side, a dejected expression on his face.
A few yards away, Phyllis Kobie of 2855 Thackeray Drive NW, Massillon, was every bit as excited as Akers was upset.
“I think it’s just fantastic! Massillon’s going to win this game!” she shouted over the blare of the nearby McKinley band.
Harmon paces Tigers over Alliance Scores 3 touchdowns picks up 140 yards
By CHUCK HESS, JR. Independent Sports Editor
Chuck Shuff unleashed the behemoth and “Grendal” did his job well Friday night behind some outstanding blocking – especially in the interior line – to lead the Tigers to a 39-12 victory over the Alliance Aviators.
Junior fullback Bill Harmon (6-2, 237) picked up 140 yards in 13 carries for a 10.8 average, scored three touchdowns and also contributed some fine blocking to pace the Orange and Black to their fifth victory in nine outings. Alliance lost its eighth straight contest after losing its opener.
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THE GAME was an All-American Conference affair with the Tigers’ record jumping to 2-2 and the Aviators’ state falling to 0-4.
Another pleasing aspect to the game was that Tiger quarterback Greg Wood hit on six of nine pass attempts for three touchdowns, one to tailback Mark Streeter and two to split end Eddie Bell. The Tigers added 102 air yards to go with 349 net rushing yards for a 451 total.
Alliance, out-manned but sticking in there all the way, scored twice via the airwaves – once with the Tigers’ second defensive unit in with 51 seconds left in the game – and added 177 yards overhead (eight for 14) to 143 net on the ground for a 326 total.
The Aviators got their hands on the ball nine more times than the Tigers did. The Orange and Black scored two quick touchdowns after a pass interception and a fumble.
“I thought our blocking was great end to end,” Shuff, the Tigers’ head coach said. “Bill really bulled up in there with his runs and our passing game was the most effective it has been this season.”
HARMON WHO picked up his nickname “Grendal” from his teammates who figure he resembles the monster of the Beowulf epic, commented, “For the first time tonight I saw my blockers in the secondary. I had been running outside a lot before.”
Harmon scored all three of his touchdowns in the first half and picked up 85 of his rushing yards prior to the intermission. He capped an 85-yard first quarter drive, on which he carried five times for 34 yards, with a three-yard blast off guard.
Streeter’s 42-yard option run to the Alliance 19 set up the score and Harmon took three plays to finish the job. Bill threw a big block to get “Streets” around the end, Streeter picked up 82 yards in five carries for a 16.4 average on the night.
Keith Herring recovered a second quarter fumble on the Alliance 32 and took off over guard on the next play for the score.
Chris Rich knocked a ball loose later in the period and Jeff Lab pinned it to the ground on the Alliance nine. Harmon ran the next two plays and bulled over the middle from the three for the score. Tailback Tommy Grizzard ran the conversion over tackle.
HARMON RAN the ball on the Tigers’ first three plays in the second half and Shuff decided “The Big Bear: had had enough. He picked up 23, 27 and five yards and got the Tigers off on a 92-yard TD drive.
Four plays later Wood sprinted right from the 11 and hit Bell who made a nice catch in the corner. Dave Dowd kicked the only other conversion scored and the Tigers’ scoring was finished.
Shuff started putting the reserves in with 2:12 left in the third quarter.
Bell’s other score came in the second quarter after he had intercepted a pass on the Alliance 45. Wood hit Eddie on the 22 on the next play and Bell carried it in.
The Tigers drove 59 yards for a second quarter score after Mark Pifer’s 20-yard runback Grizzard added 14 and 10-yard drives and then Wood, passing from the 11, found Streeter on the three and Mark leaped over a man into the end zone for the score. Mark ran from the swingback slot.
“I THOUGHT our receivers ran good patterns tonight and the protection was good, “Wood said.
The Tigers came close to a score at the beginning of the second quarter, but a fumble and a holding penalty intervened and Tim Gutshall’s 34-yard interception return was wasted.
After the Tigers’ fourth touchdown, Alliance moved the ball 78 yards for a score, following sophomore Dick Scott’s 15-yard punt return. The TD was set up by Scott Distefano’s 33-yard pass to senior end Joe Gaffney and his 21-yard pass to sophomore end Brad Jae.
Distefano went overhead again for the score, from the five, with junior end Brad Seifke making the catch. Streeter hit Distefano, causing his conversion pass attempt to Gaffney to miss its mark.
Gaffney also scored the Aviators’ final TD on 59-yard pass-run to Gaffney who gathered in the ball on the Tigers’ 40 and galloped the rest of the way.
“OUR BOYS” didn’t give up tonight and they haven’t given up all season,” Alliance head coach Don Graham said. “I was proud of the way Tremoulis came in in the second half to run the club after Distefano had suffered a head injury.”
It was later found that Distefano, the AAC’s leading passer, has a slight concussion. The stage is now set for the big one next Saturday afternoon at Tiger Stadium when the powerful Canton McKinley Bulldogs come in for the traditional season ender. The Pups knocked off the Tigers in the 1973 finale, keeping them out of the playoffs. The Tigers hope to repay the compliment this year.
GRIDSTICK M A First downs – rushing 14 7 First downs – passing 4 6 First downs – penalties 1 0 Total first downs 19 13 Yards gained rushing 361 166 Yards lost rushing 12 23 Net yds. gained rushing 349 143 Net yds. gained passing 102 177 Total yards gained 451 320 Passes completed 6-9 8-14 Passes intercepted by 2 0 Yardage on passes intercepted 34 0 Kickoff average (yards) 7-50.4 3-38.7 Kickoff returns (yards) 34 98 Punt average (yards) 4-38.8 3-38.3 Punt returns (yards) 9 40 Lost fumbled ball] 0 2-2 Yards penalized 4-50 1-5 Touchdowns rushing 3 0 Touchdown passing 3 2 Total number of plays 46 55 Possession time 20:21 27:39
‘Superman’ Richburg does in Tigers Panthers run away with game in the second half ALL-AMERICAN CONFERENCE Warren 3-0; McKinley 3-0; Niles 2-1; Massillon 1-2; Steubenville 0-3; Alliance 0-3.
By CHUCK HESS, JR. Independent Sports Editor
They’ve got John Henry Ziegler and he’s super, but on Friday night Jim Richburg proved to be just as super in his own way and turned the game around for the Warren Harding Black Panthers.
Down 10-8 going into the third period after the Tigers had played great football in the first, Harding head coach Ed Glass turned Richburg loose for 81 net yards, a touchdown and a conversion on electrifying bootleg runs. Richburg, a senior quarterback, got Ziegler, a senior tailback, going and the Panther literally ran away with the Washington High team 35-10 before a packed house of 12,600 at Mollenkopf Stadium in Warren.
THE WIN gave Harding, the state’s No. 1 ranked team by the Associated Press and Region 1 computer leader, an 8-0 record and 3-0 All-American Conference slate. Massillon dropped to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the AAC.
The Tigers do not have the team speed to cope with a team like the Panthers and few teams do. With Richburg racing around the ends and Ziegler darting either off tackle or around the corner with equal speed, the Orange and Black were left as helpless as a cat without claws.
Richburg ended with 102 yards in 10 carries and Ziegler 195 or 211 in 28 carries – depending upon whose statistics you cared to use. The dynamic duo gained either 297 or 311 for the Panther’s ground total.
Ziegler, at 2,062 yards for his career, is 49 yards short of the all-time Harding three-year mark set by Paul Warfield. At 1,414 yards he is 80 yards short of Dave Rogers’ one-season record and is expected to eclipse both marks next Friday against Canton McKinley.
The performance of Ziegler and Richburg enabled Warren to chalk up the most points it ever had against the Tigers in 49 games and the most points any team had posted against the Orange and Black in the 10-year history of the All-American Conference.
“THERE’S NO doubt Richburg turned it around,” Harding head coach Ed Glass said. “We felt we could come outside with Richburg after the first half. We went to a pro formation with a wide flanker and a wide split end and got them spread out and then cracked back. We went to a tight set with an eight-man line and we also ran some balanced line with a split end left which they hadn’t seen before.”
Glass felt it was also a question of when the Panthers decided they were ready to play, they played.
“And when we decide we’re going to play, I don’t think there is anybody as good as we are, Glass said. “We have 24 kids out of 55 who run a 4.9 forty or better. It makes for a lot of team offense and defense.”
Glass also felt that the Tigers played well during the first half, putting the Panthers in the hole for the first time this season, but tired during the second half. However, Tiger head coach Chuck Shuff didn’t agree that they tired.
“We knew they would come in here ready to play,” Glass said. “I think Shuff did a great job with his kids. We played 35 people – as we have done every game and that takes its toll. If you look at our scores and what we’ve done in the third and fourth quarters, this year, it’s fantastic. Once you get people tired the holes open up.”
Glass then reminded Massillon fans that Shuff has done a tremendous job while not having the “super athletes” to work with. He also pointed out that Shuff, knowing that the Tigers did not have good speed to get around the Panthers, used a pair of split ends in order to get better blocking so that the Tigers could run the ends.
“WARREN IS A real fine football team,” Shuff said. “I thought our kids came out and hit well and I think had we been able to put another one in, in the first half, it would have made a real difference for us. They came back and got one in there and tightened it down and that made it real tough.
They have the speed you have to have and a real fine offensive line in front of Richburg and Ziegler. Richburg turned it around alright.”
Shuff agreed that once the momentum starts to slide the other way it’s hard to stop.
“We’ll bring it back,” Shuff a former Harding assistant said. “We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”
The Tigers rolled 65 yards with the opening kickoff but settled for a 22-yard field goal by Dave Dowd when Harding held on third down. They came close to scoring on a Greg Wood to Eddie Bell pass when Bell made a great catch but landed out of bounds.
Harmon reeled off 21 yards during the drive, the longest run any Harding opponent has gotten this year. He picked up 80 yards in 13 carries, not losing any during the night, as Shuff ran “The Big Bear” more than Glass had expected.
The Tigers’ only touchdown came after a bad Harding snap on fourth down. The Orange and Black took over on the Warren 22-yard line and in four plays had a touchdown when Mark Streeter rolled around end on a pitchout on fourth down from the 14. Dowd’s kick was good.
THE PANTHERS took the ensuing kickoff and rolled 60 yards after Tyrone Hicks’ 39-yard runback, for a score. The drive took five plays and included Richburg’s 23-yard run to the Tigers’ 33, Ziegler’s 13-yard run to the 20 and Richburg’s bullet-like pass, sprint on the next play, to Jackie Hudson. Richburg ran the conversion.
In the second quarter the Tigers lost the ball on downs on the Harding 40 and the Panthers drove to the Massillon 21. Richburg was hit by Jeff Lab on a fourth down pass. Tim Gutshall intercepted on the one and returned to the 19.
Hudson ran back the second half kickoff for 23 yards to the 27, Richburg dashed for 25 more and two plays later took off on a bootleg, got caught on the sidelines, reversed his field and ran 44 yrds for the Panthers’ go-ahead touchdown with 10:21 left in the third quarter. Richburg’s conversion run was halted by Mark Matie.
Keith Ellison intercepted a Tiger pass on the Orange and Black’s 45 and in four plays Harding had scored again with Jim Valentine blasting over from four yards out. Ziegler ran the conversion.
Near the end of the third quarter Warren held the Tigers on fourth down on the Panthers’ 31. In 11 plays Harding had another score.
VALENTINE BULLED over through the center on fourth down from the one. Hicks’ conversion run was short.
The Panthers’ final score came with 6:51 left in the game, following a 41-yard, five play drive, started by Hicks’ 33-yard punt runback, during which he got away from three tacklers who had him cornered on the sidelines and aided by a personal foul walk off. Guard Tom Zambelli pounced on Ziegler’s fumble into the end zone and Richburg kicked a conversion.
With the first team still in, Harding rolled again, this time after Ray Amos had recovered Wood’s snap fumble on the Harding 21. Ziegler skirted end for 30 yards during the drive but the clock ran out three plays later with the ball on the Massillon 15.
WARREN – 35 Ends – B. Shunkwiler, J. Hall, Candella, Hudson, J. Shunkwiler. Tackles – Ennis, Amos, Moshuris. Guards – Zambelli, Yavorsky, Farah. Centers – Day, Sporich. Quarterbacks – Richburg, Wiebusch, S. Porter. Halfbacks – Ziegler, Machuzak, Adgate, R. Hall, Hicks, Freeman, Ellison, Cassucakis, Angel, R. Robinson. Fullbacks – Valentine, Dansler, White.
Massillon 10 0 0 0 10 Warren 8 0 14 13 35
SCORING SUMMARY M – Dowd, 22 field goal; M – Streeter, 4 run (Dowd kick); W – Hudson, 20 pass from Richburg (Richburg run); W – Richburg 44, run (run failed); W – Valentine, 4 run (Ziegler run); W – Valentine, 1 run (run failed); W – Zambelli fumble recovery (Richburg kick).
OFFICIALS Referee – Chuck Lorenz. Umpire – Brenton Kirk. Head Linesman – Jim Perryman. Field Judge – Bill Paolisso. Back Judge – Wilson Murry.
ATTENDANCE – 12,600.
GRIDSTICK M WH First downs – rushing 10 16 First downs – passing 2 1 First downs – penalties 0 2 Total first downs 12 19 Yards gained rushing 190 369 Yards lost rushing 16 16 Net yds. gained rushing 174 353 Net yds. gained passing 34 20 Total yards gained 208 373 Passes completed 4-12 1-3 Passes intercepted by 2 1 Yardage on passes intercepted 18 1 Kickoff average (yards) 3-56.7 6-46.2 Kickoff returns (yards) 107 34 Punt average (yards) 3-18.3 0 Punt returns (yards) 0 33 Had punts blocked 1 0 Lost fumbled ball 3-4 2-5 Yards penalized 5-57 1-15 Touchdowns rushing 1 4 Touchdown passing 0 1 Miscellaneous 1 0 Total number of plays 51 52 Possession time 24:5 123:09
It was “The Night of the Long Run” for the Tigers as they put together four of them for touchdowns of 34 yards or more, combined the effort with some terrific blocking, great defensive work and generally kicked the devil out of hapless Columbus Marion Franklin.
The spell could have been woven for an even greater count than the 48-0 final had Tiger head coach Chuck Shuff elected to keep his first string in beyond the point of 1:22 left in the first half. However, Shuff doesn’t play that way.
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“I’M GRATEFUL,” said losing coach Jim Harper of Franklin. “I told you on the telephone Wednesday that your team had too good talent to stay down for long. I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong with our team.”
Massillon’s non-league victory got the Orange and Black above the .500 mark for the first time this season at 4-3 and was a perfect tune-up for next week’s big clash at Warren Harding. The Tigers’ third straight victory, second consecutive shutout and third whitewash job dropped the Red Devils to 3-4.
Junior tailback Tom Grizzard, subbing for injured senior tailback and co-captain Mark Streeter ran for touchdowns of 43, 34 and five yards. Senior quarterback Greg Wood darted 41 yards, senior tailback Keith Herring dashed 76, junior fullback Bill Harmon blasted for 14 and junior tailback Harold Dorsey dashed for two for another.
Senior Dave Dowd kicked five conversions and junior Enzo Fatigati one.
Two of Grizzard’s touchdowns came on option plays. Grizzard’s other score came on a pitch inside end as did Dorsey’s. Wood did some daring running when trapped to get his TD and pitched to Herring when trapped on an option to give Herring his score. Harmon just plain bulled his way off tackle.
GRIZZARD gained 132 net yards in nine carries for a 14.7 average in the first half, most of that yardage in the first quarter. Harmon now called behemoth in the Beowulf epic, totaled 67 yards in six carries for an 11.2 average, also all in the first half.
The Tigers totaled 321 net yards, including 279 rushing in the first half, converting four of five third-down attempts. The Orange and Black defense held Franklin to 33 yards, including 20 rushing and allowed the Devils to convert none of six third-down attempts, putting the game on ice after the first 24 minutes.
Tiger pursuit and rushing was outstanding and tackling vicious. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Grizzard had a reported 10 tackles.
Cornerback Dorsey recovered a Franklin fumble on the Massillon 42 in the second quarter to stop the Red Devils’ longest first half advance and start a touchdown drive. Safety Eddie Bell picked up a Devil fumble on the Massillon 24 in the third period, one play before Herring took off on his TD drive.
The Tigers’ first-team blocking was stupendous, including key hits by Harmon on Grizzard’s long TD runs, bringing hope that the spirited play will continue against the Region 2 computer leader, Harding, next week.
THE TIGERS kept the Devils in the hole with a 52.3-yard kickoff average by Dowd and Keith Harmon and a 51-yard punting average by Todd Keller.
“It helped out a lot to have those long kicks and long runs,” Shuff said. “The defense was real good. They had hardly any yardage the first half.”
“I hope that was a good tune-up for Harding,” Shuff said. “It’s going to be a real head knocker.”
Shuff pointed to Tom Grizzard’s and Bill Harmon’s running.
“Grizzard ran the off-tackle hole very nicely and broke several tackles,” Shuff said. “The Big Bear” broke one on his TD run, took one guy by Bill’s shirt tail and two hanging onto his back into the end zone. Grizzard was just fantastic.
The skipper pointed out that Wood did some fantastic reverse field running and darting in and out between would-be tacklers on his six-point journey.
“We passed much more tonight because they practically had a nine-man line on us at the beginning of the game,” Shuff said. “The Devils had a linebacker up on the line which forced us to go up inside tackle more. We had more speed that their defense. Eddie Bell took out two people on one of our option plays.
Massillon 28 7 6 7 48 C. Marion Franklin 0 0 0 0 0
SCORING SUMMARY M – Harmon, 14 run (Dowd kick); M – Grizzard, 43 run (Dowd kick); M – Grizzard, 34 run (Dowd kick); M – Wood, 41 run (Dowd kick); M – Grizzard, 5 run (Dowd kick); M – Herring 76 run (kick failed); M – Dorsey, 2 run (Fatigati kick).
OFFICIALS Referee – Warren Jones. Umpire – Kermit Blosser. Head Linesman – Dr. Phil Davidson. Field Judge – Hugh Davis. Back Judge – Ron Giacomo.
GRIDSTICK M F First downs – rushing 14 2 First downs – passing 3 1 First downs – penalties 2 1 Total first downs 19 4 Yards gained rushing 396 104 Yards lost rushing 6 21 Net yds. gained rushing 390 83 Net yds. gained passing 57 33 Total yards gained 447 116 Passes completed 5-11 3-10 Passes intercepted by 1 0 Yardage on passes intercepted 6 0 Kickoff average (yards) 8-53.3 1-30.0 Kickoff returns (yards) 29 127 Punt average (yards) 1-51.0 6-35.8 Punt returns (yards) 8 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Lost fumbled ball 1-4 2-2 Yards penalized 6-80 6-70 Touchdowns rushing 7 0 Total number of plays 53 42
Tigers of old defeat Big Red 33-8 ALL-AMERICAN CONFERENCE Warren Harding, 2-0; Canton McKinley, 1-1; Niles McKinley, 1-0; Massillon, 1-1; Alliance, 0-2; Steubenville, 0-2.
By CHUCK HESS, JR. Independent Sports Editor
“We wanted it real bad and went out and got it,” senior Tiger Co-Captain Greg Wood said. “Massillon is coming back!”
It was the Tigers of old whom we saw annihilate the Steubenville Big Red 33-8 before 11,275 Tiger stadium fans Friday night. The licking could have been worse had Washington High coach Chuck Shuff not taken his first string out with one minute left in the third quarter.
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THE TIGERS put together a tremendous combination of interior blocking and the running of senior tailback and Co-Captain Mark Streeter, junior fullback Bill Harmon and junior tailback Tom Grizzard to get their third victory in six starts. Steubenville dropped to 4-2.
The win gave the Orange and Black a 1-1 All-American Conference record and put them in fourth place. Steubenville, with an 0-2 mark, dropped into the cellar.
Steubenville coach Tom Gardner had been afraid of the Tigers’ outside running. Shuff had not thought the Orange and Black could control the line of scrimmage as they d id against the bigger Steubenville hordes and neither did Gardner.
“I don’t know what to say to our kids,” Gardner said. “Massillon wanted it worse than we did. You doubled us on the wing, ran the sweep inside and outside and we didn’t adjust well.”
The Obiemen scored 27 of their points in the first half. Streeter scored on a pair of four-yard pitch runs inside tackle, picked up 157 yards in 15 carries and sat out the second half. Harmon tallied on a one-yard off tackle blast, a 10-yard run up the middle and picked up 80 net yards in 13 carries.
JUNIOR TAILBACK Tom Grizzard scored on a three-yard pitch around end and picked up 96 yards on six carries.
Senior Dave Dowd kicked one conversion and quarterback Wood passed for the other to senior split end Eddie ‘Tinker” Bell.
“We had the desire all season long, but we didn’t put it together until tonight,” Streeter said. “A six-year-old could have run through the holes we had.”
“We had good practices this week,” Shuff said. “It pays off when you’ve got them going out there and really wanting it. The second efforts tonight were tremendous. I didn’t know that we would be able to control the line of scrimmage as we did. They gave us several defensive adjustments and we picked them up real well.”
Shuff was, of course, happy with the running of Streeter and Harmon and the downfield and crossfield blocking which he said started to come last week.
“TO BEAT a strong team like Steubenville should really give us some momentum,” Shuff said.
“We finally started to execute on the offensive line like the way we’ve been trying to do since the start of the season,” said tackle Coach Chuck Utterback. “The kids wanted it pretty bad.”
“Everybody really wanted the game,” Harmon, who also did some fine blocking, said. “They gave me the holes this week. That’s all I need.”
“Each of us tried to go out and get an extra-effort block,” senior center Dan Nagle said.
“We had a great effort,” senior Co-Captain Tim Gutshall said. “I wish we could have put it together before.”
THE TIGERS dominated the statistics, rolling up 242 net yards to Steubenville’s 53 in the first half and converting four of five third-down situations to Steubenville’s two of six. They picked up 215 net yards to Steubenville’s 136 in the second half, converting one of three third-down situations to the Big Red’s two of six.
Streeter carried six times on the Tigers’ first touchdown drive, an 81-yard, 11-play job in the first quarter. Included was a 28-yard pitch sweep.
The second drive was a 51-yard, five-play affair, following a short first period Steubenville punt after the Big Red had been put into a hole by the first of junior Keith Harmon’s 50.5 average kickoffs.
Streeter raced 32 yards on a pitch inside tackle to the Steubenville 14 to set up the score which came 37 seconds inside the second stanza.
Streeter’s 27-yard option run to the Steubenville 17 and five carries set up the third score which came on a 59-yard, nine-play drive.
GUTSHALL PICKED off a Big Red pass on the Steubenville 37 and the Tigers were off on a four-play 33-yard TD jaunt, punctuated by Keith Harmon’s 11-yard pass catch and 10-yard run through the center.
The final TD came on a 76-yard, three-play drive late in the third quarter. Grizzard took a pitch around and rambled for 62 yards before he was brought down by Senior tackle Steve Trbovich on the Steubenville 10. Harmon blasted through the center on the next play for the score.
Steubenville was led by senior fullback Keith Steward who picked up 55 net yards in 15 carries, but didn’t figure in their only score. Junior quarterback Gary Williams, subbing for senior Andy Bryan who played only part of the time because of a knee injury suffered last week against Toledo Woodward, passed 16 yards to senior split end Dave Brockway. He lateralled to junior tailback Eric Byron on the 25 and Byron scored. Williams hit senior split end Bruce Fraser for the conversion.
Bryans absence also brought into play substitute punter senior Doug Jarvis.
Tigers jar Steubenville
By Hymie Williams Plain Dealer Bureau
MASSILLON – Reminiscent of Massillon teams of old, the Tigers dismissed their early season problems and routed Steubenville’s Big Red, 33-8, Friday night at Tiger Stadium in an All-American Conference game before 11,275.
The victory hoisted the Tigers’ season mark to 3-3 and it may be now the Tigers are prepared to make a robust finish to the campaign, with yet some of the season’s most important games in the offing.
Steubenville, which hasn’t defeated Massillon since 1962, never had a chance against the Bengals. The Big Red, now 4-2 tallied its lone touchdown late in the final period on a 41-yard pass play.
Massillon 170-pound tailback Mark Streeter came into his own Friday night with a sparkling running display, which must have buoyed Massillon hopes that the rest of the season will be better.
Streeter, who did not play offensively in the second half, played key roles in the first three Massillon touchdowns as the Big Red defenders were futile in their efforts to repel his rushes. Streeter scored twice and had 147 yards.
Fullback Billy Harmon, a brawny 230-pound senior, shared the rushing fireworks with Streeter as he scored three touchdowns.
Massillon drove 84 yards for its first touchdown which came at 3:19 of the opening stanza. Harmon and Streeter collaborated in running blasts, with Streeter gaining the final four for the touchdown.
The Bengals, with their best performance of the season, tallied again in the second period on a 50-yard march. Key play was a 40-yard dash by Streeter, with Streeter finally taking the ball across from the four. An aerial from quarterback Greg Wood to end Eddie Bell was good for the PAT.
Streeter, who collected 148 yards in the first half with some exciting running, carried five times in the seven plays it required for the next touchdown.
Harmon climaxed the drive with a blast through the middle from the two.
GRIDSTICK M S First downs – rushing 18 5 First downs – passing 2 3 First downs – penalties 1 2 Total first downs 21 10 Yards gained rushing 438 140 Yards lost rushing 12 19 Net yds. gained rushing 426 121 Net yds. gained passing 31 68 Total yards gained 457 189 Passes completed 3-10 3-8 Passes intercepted by 2 0 Yardage on passes intercepted 13 0 Kickoff average (yards) 6-50.5 5-32.5 Kickoff returns (yards) 21 76 Punt average (yards) 0 5-32.2 Punt returns (yards) 19 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Lost fumbled ball 2-4 1-4 Yards penalized 6-75 5-60 Touchdowns rushing 5 0 Touchdown passes 0 1 Total number of plays 61 44 Possession time 24:55 23:05
Tigers outside game beats Bennies Shaky start but the ending turns out okay
By CHUCK HESS, JR. Independent Sports Editor
The end was okay but the start was a little shaky Friday night at Tiger Stadium as the Tigers took step number one on their way back to respectability.
An uninspired Orange and Black team shut out an unusually poor Cleveland Benedictine team 24-0 before 8,989 fans, the season’s smallest crowd, to raise their record to 2-3 and break a two-game losing steak. Benedictine, defending Blass AA state champion, dropped to 1-4.
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THE TIGERS had problems moving the ball in the first half and looked listless, but head coach Chuck Shuff had a few well chosen words for his crew at halftime and they played better football in the third quarter. The reserves were in for most of the fourth stanza.
“We told the fellows they had to go out and play better football,” Shuff said. “We were not up for the game and we played like we practiced. Our workouts were mediocre this week, not spirited. I would hope that we didn’t look at this game as one against a team with a 1-3 record because we were only 1-3.”
The Tigers were too quick around the ends for the Bennies with options and pitch sweeps. With Benedictine playing a 6-1 defense it opened the way for 34 and 32-yard pass catches by senior split end Eddie “Tinker” Bell and a 14-yarder by senior tight end Thee Lemon which set up two of the touchdowns and Lemon’s eight-yard touchdown catch.
“We had good sweeps and options tonight and hit Harmon inside a couple of times in the second half and kept them honest,” Shuff said. “With Benedictine playing six linemen and only one linebacker we wanted to try to get the ball in the air a little more. I thought we hit more than five of 13, but we got our highest yardage of the season.”
One of the things which made the option plays go so well was senior quarterback Greg Wood’s faking at attackers, springing senior tailback Mark Streeter and junior tailback Tom Grizzard effectively.
“OUR DEFENSE came along real well and held them to 118 yards on 46 attempts,” Shuff said. “That’s pretty good.”
Because the Tigers moved the ball so well, they had 18 more plays than the Bennies. That always helps.
Augie Bossu, veteran Benedictine mentor, agreed, “The Tigers were quicker than we were and hurt us around the ends. Harmon kept us honest up the middle. You also hurt us with your passes and were quicker than we were.”
Senior middle guard Gary Waldrop picked off a Benedictine fumble at the Bennies’ 29-yard line in the first quarter and four plays later the Tigers had a TD, set up by Streeter’s 15 and 11-yard pitch runs. Junior fullback Bill Harmon bulled over the one but Dave Dowd’s conversion kick was wide.
Near the end of the quarter junior punter Todd Keller’s fumble gave Benedictine the ball on the Massillon 38. Two plays later senior line backer Tim Gutshall pounced on senior fullback John Colagiovanni’s fumble at the 40 and the Tigers were off for what looked like another TD drive.
STREETER GALLOPED 33 yards around end on a pitch to the Benedictine 33, but misplayed a pitchout from the seven on the first play of the second quarter, senior halfback Bruce Kniola recovered for the Bennies.
Bell intercepted a Herb Wilborn aerial on the Tigers’ 29 later in the second quarter to put the Orange and Black on the prowl again. In five plays the Obiemen had their second score as Bell and Lemon handled the aforementioned pass receptions and Wood added a 15-yard end run. Greg tried to hit junior swingback Keith Harmon for the conversion after Lemon’s TD catch but senior halfback Tome St. John knocked the ball down.
Lemon almost got the Tigers a TD on the final play of the first half when he intercepted a pass on the Benedictine 26 and run back to the one.
The Tigers took over on their 17 after a third quarter punt and in 11 plays had their third TD. Bill Harmon’s 17-yard run through the center and Bell’s 32-yard pass reception on the three were keys. Streeter scored three plays later from the nine after an offside penalty had robbed Harmon of a TD. “Streets’” run featured a beautiful second effort to him into the end zone on the pitchout.
St. John knocked down Wood’s pass for Lemon on the conversion try.
THE TIGERS gained possession later in the stanza after a poor punt gave them the ball on their 42. Harmon went off tackle for 18 yards to the 40 and Streeter 20 yards on an option during the seven-play drive. Wood sneaked in from the one for the score but Dowd’s kick attempt was wide.
In the fourth quarter senior linebacker Brandon White hopped on Wilborn’s fumble at the Benedictine 31. Six plays later the Tigers lost the ball on downs at the Benedictine eight.
The Tigers stopped a Benedictine threat at the Orange and Black 42 in the fourth quarter, Shuff put in the reserves with 9:30 left and that was it.
SCORING SUMMARY M – B. Harmon, 1 run (kick failed); M – Lemon, 8 pass from Wood (pass failed); M – Streeter, 9 run (pass failed); M – Wood 1 run (kick failed).
OFFICIALS Referee – Fred Vicarel. Umpire – Bill Kulich. Head Linesman – Jack Werkowitz. Field Judge – Dick Creed. Back Judge – Tim Murray.
ATTENDANCE – 8, 989.
GRIDSTICK M B First downs – rushing 16 4 First downs – passing 4 1 First downs – penalties 0 1 Total first downs 20 6 Yards gained rushing 316 94 Yards lost rushing 53 23 Net yards gained rushing 263 71 Net yards gained passing 106 47 Total yards gained 369 118 Passes completed 5-13 4-14 Passes intercepted by 2 0 Yardage on passes intercepted 31 0 Kickoff average (yards) 5-41.6 1-43.0 Kickoff returns (yards) 22 42 Punt average (yards) 3-38.3 6-36.8 Punt returns (yards) 35 0 Had punts blocked 0 0 Lost fumbled ball 2-6 3-3 Yards penalized 4-40 3-31 Touchdowns rushing 3 0 Touchdowns passing 1 0 Total number of plays 64 46 Possession Time 24:58 23.02
Tiger coach Chuck Shuff put it another way, as his charges alighted Saturday night from the busses which returned them from Niles.
“KEEP YOUR heads up,” the Tiger skipper said. ‘You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
The Orange and Black indeed have nothing to be ashamed of. “Tiger Pride” is still there and Shuff has every reason to believe that it will bring the Obiemen back from one of their worst starts ever. Not since 1907 have the Massillon gridders had three losses in their first four games.
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The 1974 Tigers’ third defeat came before 13,000 Saturday night at Riverside Stadium in Niles as Steve Ziegler raced 88 yards with the kickoff following the Tigers’ go-ahead touchdown to score the Red Dragons’ winning tally.
Massillon has won only one game. Niles is 4-0.
The game was the All-American Conference opener for both teams and the loss puts the Tigers in the cellar with Alliance and Steubenville.
The Obiemen have lost two of five games played at Riverside and both times a Ziegler was responsible. John scored the winning TD on a pass reception in the waning seconds of 1966. He is no relation to Steve.
SATURDAY’S WINNING tally came with less than 2:50 remaining in the game, according to back judge Dr. Larry Glass of Youngstown. Because the Riverside Stadium clock was inoperable in the second half, Glass kept the time on the field and said his watch showed 2:50 when Keith Harmon booted the ball.
“I had no thought of having Keith squibb kick the ball,” said Shuff. “We would have run a high chance of kicking it out of bounds. That would have given him the ball on the 40.”
“There are times when you wonder what you have to do to win,” Shuff said. “Our kids gave us an all-out gutty performance. When they put two-point conversions in when they had to, they sure deserved more than they got in playing against a fine Niles team.”
Shuff thinks the Tigers will be all right morale-wise.
“These kids are Massillon Tigers,” Shuff said. “It takes an awful lot to take the pride out of a Tiger.” THE FIRST test will be if the Orange and Black can start to swing the pendulum the other way Friday night when Cleveland Benedictine (1-3) comes to the “House of Champions.”
“Massillon did a great job offensively and defensively and we were lucky to pull it out,” said Niles coach Tony Napolet. “I credit a great runback by Ziegler. I remember seeing a boy on the 20-yard line who I thought was going to put him down, but Steve out ran him and got to the end zone.”
Zielger was spun around on the 40 on his trek downfield.
Shuff wasn’t the only one crediting the Tigers with some real gutty play. Napolet called it “taking a lot of nerve” when the Tigers gambled on a third and five situation on their 68-yard, first quarter touchdowns drive and a fourth and two situation on their 87-yard fourth quarter drive.
The Tigers got a 12-yard runback from junior Jeff Lab following Niles’ kickoff after its second quarter TD and used eight plays to go the distance. Senior Keith Herring, son of the famous Edgar “Echo” Herring, subbing tailback for senior co-captain Mark Streeter who had a pulled groin muscle, skirted end for 15 yards on a pitchout, to get a first down on the Niles 36.
SENIOR SWINGBACK Mark Pifer followed with a counter run for 26 more to the 10 and two plays later junior fullback Bill Harmon powered over off tackle from the five. Senior quarterback Greg Wood slanted off tackle for the conversion.
In the fourth quarter it was fourth and one on the Tigers’ 45 when Wood hit senior split end Eddie “Tinker” Bell with a 10-yarder for a first down on the Niles 45. The Orange and Black then picked up the second of two personal foul penalties for a first down on the 29. After a motion penalty, Streeter picked up 10 to the 24 and Wood cut loose with a corner pass to Bell who stumbled, made the grab and went into pay dirt.
Grizzard made a great second-effort run on a pitchout for the conversion.
Niles scored at the beginning of the second quarter with sophomore tailback Phil Chelsea (89 yards in 25 carries) whom Napolet called the greatest back he’s ever coached, blasting off tackle from the one. The eight-play drive was a 55-yarder which came after a 30-yard interception return by Greg Joseph for a first down on the Niles’ 45.
Denny Severin kicked the conversion.
THE DRAGONS scored at the beginning of the fourth quarter on a 19-play, 80-yard drive following a Tiger punt. Chelsea went through the center from the one on fourth down.
Senior Dirk Abernathy, switched back to quarterback from tailback to make use of his speed, option ability and passing, hit Severin for the conversion. The Tigers later stopped Dirk’s effort to add two points to Ziegler’s game-winning TD, but his passing helped to keep both Niles TD drives going.
Ziegler’s Kickoff Return Powers Red Dragons To Win Over Tigers
NILES – Nearly 13,000 spectators watched Steve Ziegler return a kickoff 88 yards with about 3:00 left in the game Saturday night as Niles McKinley defeated Massillon Washington 21-16 in a seesaw All-American Conference scholastic football game.
The loss was Massillon’s third in four games – the worse Tigers’ start since 1907 when that year’s club tied its opening game foe before dropping four successive games. The win upped Niles’ record to 4-0.
Ziegler’s return came in the wake of Massillon’s uphill struggle to take the lead for the second time when swingback Ed Bell took a 24-yard pass from quarterback Greg Wood and tailback Tom Grizzard added the bonus points.
Greg Joseph set up Niles’ first TD when he picked off a Wood pass and the Red Dragons drove 85 yards. Fullback Phil Chelsea went over from the one early in the second quarter to end a drive Niles started in the first period.
Massillon gained an 8-7 halftime edge when fullback Bill Harmon tallied on a five-yard run and Wood kept for the two points.
Niles launched an 80-yard march late in the third canto and went ahead 15-8 as Chelsea again went over from the one and this time Denny Severin took a pass for the extra points. Severin had converted by placement after the Dragons’ first TD.
Niles finished with a 54-45 advantage in total plays, but Massillon showed a 227-193 margin in total offense, with the Tigers’ edge coming via a 192-119 difference in rushing yards.
Massillon completed four of 12 passes for 35 yards and Niles was 7-for-17 for 74 yards.
Massillon was penalized nine times for 114 yards and Niles six for 63 in a game in which the scoreboard clock was out of order in the second half.
NILES McKINLEY 0 7 0 14 21 MASSILLON 0 8 0 8 16
SCORING SUMMARY N – fb Phil Chelsea 1 run (Denny Severin kick). M – fb Bill Harmon 5 run (qb Greg Wood run). N – Chelsea 1 run (Severin pass from qb Dirk Abernathy). M – sb Ed Bell 24 pass from Wood (fb Tom Grizzard run). N – Steve Ziegler 88 kickoff return (run failed).
OFFICIALS Referee – Steve Nagy. Umpire – Brenton Kirk. Head Linesman – Tom Coleman. Field Judge – Fred Vicarel. Back Judge – Dr. Larry Glass.
GAME STATISTICS M N First downs – passing 2 5 First downs – penalties 3 1 Total first downs 11 13 Yards gained rushing 205 136 Yards lost rushing 13 17 Net yds. gained rush. 192 119 Net yds. gained pass. 35 74 Total yds. gained 227 193 Passes com. 4-12 7-17 Passes inter. by 1 2 Yd. on passes inter. 18 32 Kickoff ave. (yds.) 3-41.0 4-37.0 Kickoff ret (yds.) 43 126 Punt ave. (yds.) 4-41.3 5-32.0 Punt ret. (yds.) 5 4 Had punts blocked 0 0 Lost fumbled ball 1-1 0 Yds. penalized 9-114 6-63 Touchdowns rushing 2 2 Miscellaneous 0 1 Total no. of plays 45 54
To the Editor of The Evening Independent It’s amazing how one’s perspective changes when you’re a parent of a Tiger team member. Maybe it’s because you are aware of the hours of blood, sweat and tears that go into football and the respect that the boys have for their coach, Chuck Shuff. Or maybe it’s because you know that this coach is not only a teacher of skill, but a character builder, which is of equal importance in a young man’s life. These boys are giving all the ability and God-given talent they have to offer.
Win or lose – get on their side and off their backs, Tigertown. Your example is so very important to these boys – they deserve your encouragement and support. Please don’t let them down.
Proud Tiger Mom Massillon, Sept. 30.
To the Editor of The Evening Independent A week or 10 days before the opening of the local football season, a mother of a Washington High School football player wrote a Letter to the Editor in which she extolled the virtues of the new football coach. She praised the coach’s feeling and consideration for the spirits and well-being of each individual player.
That letter prepared me to accept without shock the results of the 1974 season to date.
Nice guys do not produce championship football at Washington High School.
L.F. Milligan Massillon, Sept. 29
Hard times for Tiger footballers
By GEORGE STRODE
COLUMBUS (AP) – Mighty Massillon has fallen on hard times.
The Tigers, 13 times champions of Ohio high school football, are off to their worst start since 1907. They have won but one game in four.
CHUCK SHUFF, the new Massillon coach, had been in rebuilding phases in his first seasons at Oak Harbor and Fremont Ross.
“I came into Massillon anticipating a good start because of its tradition. It’s very disappointing,” said Shuff, a Mount Vernon native and University of Cincinnati graduate.
Shuff blames the slow start on injuries and inexperience.
“We had 15 lettermen, but only four of them were regulars,” he said via telephone.
And two of the regulars, Co-Captains Joe Studer and Tim Gutshall, are out with injuries. Studer, a center-defensive end, has a heart murmur, Gutshall, a two-year linebacker, knee problems.
MASSILLON DROPPED its opener 14-6 to Youngstown Ursuline. Then came a 67-0 rout of Cleveland East, followed by losses to Upper Arlington 31-14 and Niles McKinley 21-16.
With such a start, Tiger faithful have grumbled.
“Sure, there is some unhappiness,” said Massillon Independent sports Editor Chuck Hess, Jr., a team chronicler for 14 years. “But the fans have treated Shuff pretty well.”
Shuff, who doubles as the school’s athletic director, is working on a three-year contract. Therefore, he isn’t reaching for the panic button.
“The coaches have told our seniors we are not giving up on them,” Shuff said. “In a lot of situations like this, coaches will go with younger players. We’re sticking with out seniors.
“I think we have our kids in pretty good mental shape for the rest of the season,” he said.
MASSILLON’S SCHEDULE may be the roughest in the state each season. Remaining in 1974 are games with Cleveland Benedictine, the 1973 state playoff champions; Steubenville, Columbus Marion-Franklin, Warren Harding, Alliance and Canton McKinley.
One thing in Shuff’s favor: He knows adversity in the first season at a school.
His opening 1965 team at Oak Harbor went 5-7. Two years later, it was 8-2.
In his first season at Fremont Ross, Shuff posted a 1-9 mark. The last three teams all compiled 9-1 records before Shuff departed for Massillon, replacing Bob Commings, now at the University of Iowa.
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