Tigers Rip Akron South For 21-0 Win On Soggy Field Cavaliers Display Tough Defense As Bengals Open Before Crowd Of 15,000
By FRED J. BECKER
If you ask Augie Morningstar and his Washington high school Tigers they’ll tell you that the weatherman is a contrary cuss and apparently “agin’em” but despite the weatherman’s lack of cooperation Augie’s 1945 edition of the famed Massillon Bengals ushered in their fall campaign Friday night on a sloppy, slippery battlefield at Tiger stadium by conquering Akron South’s doughty and rugged Cavaliers 21 to 0. At least 15,000 fans braved rain laden skies to be on hand for the lid lifter. It did not rain during the game but it came down plenty Friday afternoon.
During their four week’s training program, the Tigers had to put up with all kinds of torrid weather and a practice field baked hard by the sun’s searing rays. Only once prior to last night did they go through a workout in the rain and on a wet field. Drenching Downpour Soaks Field But last night it was different. A drenching downpour struck Massillon early Friday afternoon and continued until early evening. It turned the Tiger stadium gridiron into a soggy, slippery mass of mud and grass. So the Massillon gladiators, in addition to fighting off opening night nerves, also were forced to handle a ball that was as slippery as an eel and run on anything but a solid footing. The tarpaulin had not been spread on the field Thursday night.
Although they lacked a consistent offense and were hampered offensively as badly as the Tigers by the wet field, South’s fighting Cavaliers lived up to their reputation of being a tough defensive ball club. They made the Tigers fight for every inch of ground they gained during that muddy battle and Coach Franck (Doc) Wargo trotted out a big, husky line that gave Massillon’s forward wall a ding-dong battle all night. Cage Shines for South Paced by the brilliant Louie Cage, Akron South’s captain and all-city tackle in 1944, the invading Cavaliers were hard to push around. Cage played a stellar defensive game until he was injured in the third quarter. He’s a lot of football player, is that big, rangy colored boy.
Massillon tallied points in every quarter, scoring touchdowns in the first, third and fourth periods and tallying two points in the second heat on an automatic safety. South never threatened but that didn’t keep the visiting lads from being hard to handle when Massillon was in possession of the pigskin. Still showing some rough spots, but getting better as the game progressed the Tigers presented a well knit ball club that will improve as it gains experience.
Several times during the first half it looked as if the Tigers were rolling but each time their drive bogged down, either through penalties or difficulties in handling the slippery ball. They showed marked improvement in the second half with their offense several times clicking for sustained marches down the field.
In the matter of statistics the Tigers held the edge in all department. They made eight first downs to one for South. The completed three of seven passes for 33 yards while South completed two of seven, winding up with a net loss of two yards. One of South’s passes was good for nine yards. On the other they lost 11. Tigers Hold Edge In total yards gained from all types of play the Tigers had a gross of 208 with a loss of 31 for a net of 177 yards. South had a gross of 37 and lost 37, winding up a yard to the red on net gain.
The Tigers fumbled seven times and recovered five of them. South fumbled seven times and came up with the ball three times.
Massillon scoring was well divided between Bert Webb, Ray Zorger and Dick Richards with Virgil Cocklin, a sophomore, making one of four attempts to gather points on placement kicks after touchdowns.
It was fleet footed Bert Webb who started the Tigers off on their 1945 scoring by clicking off a 51-yard sizzler on a punt return for Massillon’s first set of counters about midway through the first quarter. It was a beautiful run by Webb who was given some fine assistance along the way by his blocking teammate.
South gained possession of the ball on its 18 when Webb’s attempt to pass to Richards failed. After Captain Fred Bonk had tossed Frank Delorenzo for a four yard loss Cage punted to Webb who speared the ball on Massillon’s 49. Off like a flash Webb weaved his way through the South team, streaking straight down the middle of the field. So well did he pick his spots and so well did the blocking in front of him function that he scampered the last 25 yards without a South man being within yards of him. Cocklin came in and booted the extra point from placement.
It was pretty much of a see-saw battle the remainder of the quarter. Morningstar began to run Alex Giloff and Don McGuire into the game to relieve Webb, Richards and Zorger.
Two Points On Safety
The second quarter was well advanced when McGuire punted to Bob Atchinson who fumbled on his 29, Bill Piper covering for Massillon. McGuire, Richards and Giloff hacked away on off tackle plays to the seven yard line where the slippery oval got away from Giloff and Eli Joyce covered for South. Bernie Green, Bob Waltz and Bonk tossed Fred Jesser around with gusto and without gain in his two smashes into the line and Cage dropped behind his goal line to punt.
The pass was low and Cage had no chance to get away a kick as the Tigers came surging in. So he dropped on the ball back of his goal line, giving the Tigers two points on an automatic safety.
After a punting duel to start, the third quarter, the Tigers were favored by a break that paved the way for their second touchdown. Charles Brown, South fullback ,fumbled and Virgil Edie pounced on the leather on South’s 15. Cage was hurt on this play and forced to leave the game but he was in and out from then on.
The Tigers then turned loose a determined drive for a touchdown. Richards hit for two. McGuire and Webb picked up five in two tries and Zorger made it a first down to South’s eight. McGuire hit for three, Webb picked up three and then lugged the ball to the one and with fourth down coming up Zorger lunged through the middle and across the goal line for the second set of counters.
Cocklin’s toe failed him this time and the score was 15-0 Massillon.
The finish of the third period and the start of the fourth saw the Tigers uncork their best and most sustained offensive punch of the game.
The Tigers had the ball on their 45 when the final period opened. With second down coming up Webb went five to the 50 for a first down. Edie squirmed through right tackle for five more. Webb then broke loose through right tackle and headed for the sidelines, picking up 13 before being nailed. Richards made five and Giloff rammed for a first down to South’s 15. Webb made four more but with Cage back in the game South’s defense stiffened and the Tigers were stopped on the eight.
Steve Kirkbaumer fumbled for South and recovered on his four and a South penalty took the ball back to the one from where Jesser punted to Richards who ran from South’s 25 to the 18 before being tackled. Richards Scores On Next Play This set up the Tigers third and final touchdown. Webb’s attempted pass to Richards was batted down by Kirkbaumer but Webb then picked up five at right end getting to the 13. On the next play Richards roared through a nice hole at left tackle and then reversing his field dashed the remaining yards for the third set of counters. It was a neat and well timed bit of offensive work. Once again Cocklin failed to negotiate the extra point.
With the clock running out, Coach Morningstar sent in his reserves and they drove deep into south territory with Don Byelene, Bill Gutchall and Milan Chovan spearheading the attack before they lost the ball on a pass interception by Kirkbaumer just as the game ended. Wet But Happy Massillon 21 Pos. Akron South 0 Zeller lc Joyce Green lt Gage Waltz lg Brown Darrah c Zakich Brooks rg Jordan Krisher rt Oldfield Bonk re Becker Edie qb Gates Webb lh b Jesser Richards rh b Delorenze Zorger fb Kirkbaumer
Referee – McGhee. Umpire – Boone. Head Linesman – Graf. Field Judge – Peabody.
Statistics Mass. South Total first downs 8 1 Yards gained by rushing 173 23 Yards lost by rushing 31 37 Net yards gained by rushing 144 -12 Forward passes attempted 9 7 Forward passes completed 3 2 Yards gained by passes 33 11 Total net yardage, 177 -1 Passes had intercepted 1 0 Number of punts 3 6 Average distance of punts 33 31 Number of kickoffs 3 3 Average distance of kickoffs 30 46 Number of fumbles 7 7 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 4 Number of penalties against 8 3 Yards lost by penalties 50 12
Smith And Pujazon Shine As Bulldogs Rip Tigers 27-0
LOCAL WARRIORS GO DOWN FIGHTING
Powerful And Speedy McKinley Eleven Tallies 4 Times In Annual Classic To Inflict Third Defeat Of Season On Massillon Gridders
By FRED J. BECKER A golden anniversary in football but not so golden from a Massillon viewpoint was celebrated out at Tiger stadium Saturday afternoon when a power-laden Canton McKinley Bulldog outfit battered its way to a 27-0 victory over a Washington high school Tiger team that was on the short end in everything but courage.
And what courage those Massillon kids displayed!
The records will show in cold figures what will appear to be a rather lopsided victory for one of the most powerful aggregations ever fielded by Canton McKinley but the raw courage and fight those badly outmanned Tigers exhibited out there on the gridiron last Saturday afternoon will live long in the memory of the more than 21,000 fans who jammed Tiger stadium to witness this annual schoolboy classic, one of the greatest in the nation.
50th Anniversary Game Team Captains & Head Coaches
Defeated But Not Outfought Defeated, yes, but not outfought were those Massillon youngsters who had some apparent shortcomings all fall but lack of intestinal fortitude was not one of them. No football team in Massillon history ever fought their hearts out against greater odds than did those gallant little youngsters last Saturday.
In defeat they rose to their greatest fighting performance of the season and even though they lost they need not hang their heads in shame. They put up a brilliant fight against odds that were too great for them to overcome with sheer courage alone and they will always be remembered as the team that went into their season’s biggest game with everything against them and came out of it heroes in defeat.
Tigers Never Quit Even partisan Canton McKinley fans who went wild with glee as their superb and powerful Bulldogs ripped their way to 4 touchdowns through the use of driving power and dazzling speed had to stop in the midst of their cheering to pay tribute to the great fighting spirit displayed by the Tigers. Those Massillon kids came out fighting at the opening whistle and they were still fighting their hearts out at the final bell, even though nearly all the breaks of the game went against them, breaks which would have taken the fight out of a team imbued with less fighting spirit than the Tigers possessed Saturday.
The victory is yours, Canton McKinley. You deserved it because you had the team – a great team in every way. We give you all the plaudits and praise that rightfully belongs to a victor. Your Bulldogs did a masterful job, a great exhibition of what a team can do when it is big, experienced and strong in every department with 2 such phenomenal performers in the backfield as Joe Pujazon and Hank Smith, All-Ohio scholastic performers without a doubt.
We gave you every credit, Canton McKinley, except this one – your powerful Bulldogs didn’t outshine our little kids when it came to courage – but courage alone could not win that ball game Saturday against a team like the Bulldogs – a team that packed too many guns and made the most of the power, speed and weight it possessed.
Last Saturday’s game marked the 49th combat between Massillon and Canton McKinley teams in the last 50 years, the first game having been played in 1894. McKinley’s triumph last Saturday now gives it a 2-game victory margin over the Tigers, the Bulldogs having won 24 of the 49 engagements with Massillon having won 22 while 3 others ended in ties.
That 27-o trouncing the Bulldogs inflicted on the Tigers was Massillon’s third defeat of the 1944 campaign, the orange and black this fall losing more games in a single season than any other Tiger team since 1932. Other outfits to conquer the 1944 Tigers were Cleveland Cathedral Latin 6-0 and Warren Harding 32-12. Brilliant Bulldog Season By defeating the Tigers Saturday in the golden anniversary classic Canton McKinley completed one of the most brilliant season’s in its history, winning 9 and losing but one, that to Warren Harding by a single point, 27-26.
A brilliant decade of Tiger football ran afoul of some bad breaks this fall and for the first time since 1934 an orange and black team finished far down in the list of outstanding Ohio scholastic outfits but the Tigers of 1944 need not feel too badly about this because the defeats they suffered were inflicted by aggregations which held great advantages over them in manpower, size and experience. In each of their 3 defeats they went down fighting before teams which excelled them in practically all departments of the game and the defeats would have been greater had not the Tigers possessed that superb fighting spirit which kept them in there battling to the finish, even though they were outclassed.
Although Washington high school lost 3 games this fall it still had a great and shining record on the gridiron which no other school in Ohio can match and which very few throughout the country can equal. In 100 games played since 1935 the Tigers have recorded 93 victories against 5 defeats and 2 ties. Canton McKinley has inflicted 2 of these defeats winning 35-0 in 1942. Newcastle, Pa., handed the Tigers a 7-0 reverse in 1937 and Cathedral Latin and Warren Harding joined the list of Tiger conquerors this season. The 2 ties came in games with Mansfield’s Tygers in 1937 and 1941, both by 6-6 scores.
There is this one consolation for the 1944 Tigers and local supporters of the orange and black. The Tigers will come roaring back – and before very long – to avenge the defeats sustained this year. Just keep an eye on the Tigers for the next year or two and see what happens.
No two backfield stars laden with more power and speed than Joe Pujazon and Hank Smith put on display Saturday have ever been seen in action here. Operating behind a big and powerful forward wall that outweighed the Tiger line by nearly 20 pounds to the man, the McKinley stars had nothing to do but run and how they ran! This pair of Canton aces divided the scoring honors, each tallying twice.
There was nothing particularly deceptive about the Bulldog attack. For the most part one could tell what type of play the east enders were going to use. It was either Pujazon or Smith running off the tackles or wide to the right or left ahead of powerful interference which shook them loose for frequent and brilliant long dashes down the field.
Once Smith and Pujazon were out in the open it was a man-sized job to halt them. The Tigers for the most part did a great job of smacking them down with spectacular and fierce tackling but they just couldn’t catch them all the time.
Pujazon and Smith closed their scholastic careers against the Tigers in a blaze of glory and deserve plenty of praise for the brilliant performance they put on tap. Without them the Bulldogs, even with their great advantage in weight, would have been taken apart by the Tigers as they played Saturday but Pujazon and Smith spelled the differences between victory and defeat.
Aiding and abetting Pujazon and Smith were Herm Lombardi, who did a great job backing up the line, Bob Tucci, Bob Parks, Jack Belding and Jim Rawers, towering husky pillars of strength on the line. They were big and good, these fellows and they packed too many guns for the badly outweighed Tiger line which fought tooth and nail against them all afternoon and came off second best, simply because they did not have the weight and strength to battle on even terms with the rugged Canton gains.
In all the previous games the Bulldogs, in addition to the brilliant running of Pujazon and Smith, depended to a large extent on a highly capable aerial attack to score points but forward passing availed the Cantonians nothing Saturday. The Tigers saw to that by playing a strong defensive game against aerials, covering Canton receivers like a swarm of bees and rushing Pujazon so much he had no time to display the uncanny accuracy which had characterized his passing all fall. Thus the Tigers became the first team to bottle up the Canton air attack.
There were plenty of heroes in the Tiger camp Saturday. Every boy who got into the game distinguished himself by his fierce and courageous playing but the great work of Massillon’s sturdy co-captains Bill Gable and Glenn Keller stood out prominently. Few better exhibitions of defensive playing have ever been seen than that put on tap Saturday by tow-headed Bill Gable. He smashed McKinley interference and tackled like a demon all afternoon. Keller also did a great job of backing up the line and punting.
Others standing out prominently in the Tiger performance were little Francis Cicchinelli, 135 pound guard, who hit with the force of a 200-pound battering ram, Tom Brooks and Gene Krisher, sophomore linemen, Bert Webb, Don Sedjo, Junie Pedrotty and Don McGuire who spearheaded the Massillon offensive threats, and Wilmer Luke who did a grand job of covering big Jim Rawers, who all season had been on the receiving end of most of Pujazon’s passes. Jim didn’t catch any aerials Saturday.
Breaks of the game and one or two errors in judgment hurt the Tigers and set up at least 2 Canton touchdowns and also robbed the orange and black of some fine opportunities to score. Had these breaks been in the Tigers’ favor it might have been a different ball game, despite McKinley’s apparent great advantage.
The errors the Tigers committed were plain to be seen but they were errors which any team might make and the Tigers do not rate too much censure for these blunders. Those who are inclined to criticize might well stop and ponder for a moment what they would have done under similar circumstances, particularly in the heat of such a tense battle as that one was Saturday. After all the lads who made those mistakes are just kids and their errors might have gone almost unnoticed had they been on the winning end instead of the losing.
It’s easy to find flaws when things are not going your way.
The statistics show just how powerful a ground gaining outfit the Bulldogs were Saturday. They only shaded the Tigers 11 to 8 in first downs but that does not begin to tell the story. Where Bulldogs Held Edge Canton McKinley’s vast superiority is revealed in the yards gained, the Bulldogs finished their afternoon’s chores with a net yardage of 345 as compared to only 132 for the Tigers. The Bulldogs had a gross yardage of 366 with a loss of 21 while the Tigers had a gross of 163 with a loss also of 21.
The orange and black gained more yards through the air than the Bulldogs but tried more than twice as many passes as the east enders. Coach Elwood Kammer’s lads tossed 18 aerials during the progress of the battle, completing 6 for 74 yards and had 3 intercepted. Canton tried 7, completing 2 for 31 yards and had 2 intercepted. Pujazon, however, was not on the tossing end of either of Canton’s completed aerials. Smith tossed both of them, one to Harold McCoy in the second quarter and the other to Bill Messenheimer late in the game.
As had been the case so often this season the Tigers found themselves in a hole early in the game and had to wage a desperate but not too successful battle in an effort to keep the Bulldogs out of pay territory.
McKinley received and on the first play of the game Pujazon running wide around his left end broke into the clear and dashed 32 yards to the Massillon 26 before being pulled to earth. The Tigers braced and Pujazon took to the air, his first attempt to hit Rawers being batted down. On his second try, which was fourth down, he tossed a long one toward Rawers but Luke leaped high into the air and grabbed the ball instead of batting it down. This was the first costly Tiger mistake as Luke was tackled on his 6 yard line. Had the ball been batted down the Tigers would have gained possession on their 27 yard line.
Then a 5-yard penalty for offside did not help them and Keller punted from behind his goal line to Pujazon who came roaring back to the Massillon 30 before being halted by this same Keller. Bill Gable dropped Smith for a loss of 6 but Lombardi crashed through the Massillon line and rambled to the 19 before being stopped. Pujazon made it a first down on the Massillon 17 but once again the Tigers stiffened and held. Then came the first of Pujazon’s 2 touchdown dashes. Taking the ball from center Joe faded back looking for a pass receiver. Finding none he set out toward the east side line and running like a scared rabbit dashed down the sideline and across the Massillon goal for Canton’s first touchdown. Several times it seemed as if a Tiger tackler would nail him but they all missed. Smith plunged across for the extra point. Poor Judgment The Tigers received and Keller ripped off a 15-yard gain through right tackle. Webb made 3 and Sedjo smashed for 6 but with third down coming up the Tigers gambled on a pass instead of a ground play and it failed. The decision to attempt to pass seemed like poor judgment, particularly at that stage of the game when their line plays were clicking.
Then with a yard to go it looked as if they were going to gamble on a plunge but Coach Kammer immediately sent in a substitute with instructions to punt. All season the Tigers have gambled on making that last yard on fourth down and all season they have lost. Kammer was not ready to give Canton the ball at midfield Saturday if he could help it.
Keller then punted and Pujazon was downed on the Canton 30. A short time later the Tigers got a break when Lombardi fumbled and Dick Ielsch pounced on the ball on Canton’s 20. The Tigers worked their way to Canton’s 25 and with fourth down coming up the locals took to the air and this time they ran into a bad break. McGuire pitched a perfect strike to Webb who was out in the open but the little Tiger halfback could not hold the ball and it fell to the ground. Had he held it, it might have resulted in a touchdown.
Early in the second quarter Keller had the experience of having a punt blocked for the first time this season. Bob Parks crashed through to block the kick and McCoy covered the ball on the Massillon 13.
A Canton chance to score, however, was wiped out when Korosedes fumbled on the second play and Cicchinelli covered on his 17. The Tigers offensive was checked and Keller then punted to Smith who was dropped in his tracks on Massillon’s own 47. Canton drew a 15-yard penalty for holding, putting the ball back on McKinley’s 41 but Pujazon tossed a lateral to Smith, and the dusky Bulldog flash broke into the clear and raced to Massillon’s 24 for a 35 yard gain. Pujazon made 8 in two plays. Lombardi fumbled but recovered and then Pujazon made it first down on the Massillon 12. Pujazon’s attempted pass to Rawers was batted down but Massillon was handed a 5 yard penalty for being offside. But once again the Tigers braced and took the ball on their 6.
Again Keller punted, Pujazon being downed on the Massillon 30. Two plays later he was injured and left the game. It was then Smith tossed a pass to McCoy good for 17 yards, taking the ball to the Massillon 8. Lombardi smashed for 3 and then Smith, running wide around his right end went over by a scant few inches for Canton’s second touchdown. Canton’s attempt to run the ball over failed and the Bulldogs were leading 13-0. Tiger Bid For Score Fails The Tigers, however, refused to concede a thing and late in the quarter again were within scoring distance when Korosedes fumbled and Brooks covered on the Canton 27. With time running out McGuire passes successfully to Gable for 7. A Keller to Gable pass failed and then Webb tossed to McGuire for 14 yards taking the ball to the Canton 6. Keller was turned loose on a dash at right end but was thrown for a 4 yard loss as the gun sounded, ending the half.
The Bulldogs threatened to turn the game into a rout in the third period by scoring twice in quick succession, their third touchdown coming on an unbroken march of 85 yards. Getting the ball on their 30 after a Keller punt the Bulldogs were handed a 15-yard penalty for clipping. Pujazon picked up 3 yards and then Smith turned loose another of his dazzling runs, breaking into the clear and streaking down the east side line to the Massillon 40 for a gain of 42 yards before being nailed by Gable. Pujazon and Korosedes picked up 6 in 2 plays and once again Smith went into high and this time raced around his right end to the Massillon 21 for 14 yards. Pujazon and Korosedes made 9 yards in 2 tries and then Pujazon tucked the leather under his arm and sprinted around his left end for 7 yards and the third Canton touchdown. Rawers placekicked the extra point. Just one play was needed for Canton’s fourth and last touchdown.
Once again the Tigers gambled in an effort to make a yard and first down and failed, the Bulldogs getting the ball on Massillon’s 49. And once again Mr. Smith went to town in a big way with the day’s most dazzling run for 49 yards and a touchdown.
Starting out around his right end, the Bulldog ace squirmed and fought his way into the open, shaking off a flock of Tiger tacklers. Then reversing his field he darted toward the west side of the gridiron and out sped the Tigers in a sizzling dash across the goal line. Again Rawers made good on his placekick to boost the Canton total to 27. Not So Golden Massillon, 0 Pos. McKinley, 27 Gable LE McCoy Ielsch LT Tucci Cicchinelli LG Belding Heltzel C Lilly Brooks RG Cobett Krisher RT Parks Luke RE Rawers Keller QB Lombardi McGuire LH Smith Webb RH Korosedes Sedjo FB Pujazon
Score by quarters: Bulldogs 7 6 14 0 27
Touchdowns: Bulldogs – Pujazon 2; Smith 2.
Points after touchdowns: Bulldogs – Smith (plunge); Rawers 2 (placekick).
Referee – Mobach. Umpire – Gross. Head Linesman – Brubaker. Field Judge – Shafer.
Statistics Mass. Can. Total first downs 8 11 Yards gained by rushing 89 335 Yards lost by rushing 21 21 Net yards gained rushing 68 314 Forward passes attempted 18 7 Forward passes completed 6 2 Yard gained by passing 74 31 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 142 345 Passed had intercepted 3 2 Number of punts 6 3 Average distance of punts 36 22 Number of kickoffs 2 6 Average distance, kickoffs 27 40 Number of fumbles 1 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 1 Number penalties against unreadable Yards lost on penalty unreadable
Last Meeting Of Tiger Boosters
The final regular Tiger Booster club meeting of the 1944 football season will be held this evening at 8 o’clock in Washington high school auditorium.
Coach Elwood Kammer’s report on the Tiger-Bulldog battle last Saturday will highlight the program.
The annual Tiger banquet and show will be held at Washington high school Tuesday, Dec. 5. Clark Shaughnessy, Pittsburgh Panther coach, will be the principal speaker.
Tigers Turn Back Akron Central 13-7 In Muddy Battle
KELLER AND WEB SHINE ON OFFENSE
Don McGuire Does Good Job Of Tossing Aerials As 16,000 Brave Rain To See Rubber Bowl Clash; Wildcats Tally On Pass Late In Game
By FRED J. BECKER
Mired in the mud and set back on their haunches by a determined and plucky foe when within sight of pay dirt in the first half, the Washington high school Tigers Friday night unleashed sufficient power in the last 2 periods to tally twice to conquer the Akron Central Wildcats in a rain-soaked battle in the Akron Rubber Bowl. And it’s a good thing Coach Elwood Kammer’s warriors managed to smash into the Promised Land twice because the never-say-die Rubber City lads uncorked a spectacular aerial attack in the dying minutes of the combat to score. The final count was 13 to 7 in favor of the orange and black.
Playing in the rain and on a muddy, slippery field for the first time this season, the Tigers, by dint of hard plugging, emerged triumphant in their ninth combat of the 1944 campaign and come up to their final battle of the season with Canton McKinley here next Saturday with a record of 7 wins against 2 losses. Second Tiger Teams to Play In Bowl A crowd of more than 17,000 persons braved threatening weather and then sat through a hard downpour during the second period and part of the halftime intermission to watch the Tigers and Wildcats stage their ding-dong battle and to cheer the Akronites for the determined and plucky fight they waged against the Massillon invaders.
It was the second time a Washington high school team has played in Akron’s spacious Rubber Bowl. In 1940 the Tigers walloped Alliance’s Aviators on the Rubber City battleground before more than 26,000 spectators. Wildcats Prove Tough Although they out-gained their opponents by a wide margin and held command of the battle at all stages with the exception of the brief point-producing flurry the Wildcats uncorked near the close of the game, the Tigers found it mighty hard to cover ground once inside Akron Central’s 20 yard line and not until the third quarter were they able to carry the ball across the Wildcats’ goal line.
Twice Co-Captain Glenn Keller planted the ball behind the Wildcats’ goal line once in the third period and again early in the fourth quarter. Both times he negotiated the scores on wide sweeps around his left end.
Akron Central’s touchdown came late in the game on a forward pass from Drumm to Liddle from the 1-yard line after 2 brilliantly executed aerials had taken the ball from Massillon’s 42 to the 5 with the Akronites uncorking the touchdown pass on fourth down with a yard to go.
The crowd was the largest ever to see an Akron high school football team perform in Akron and the fans, particularly those from the Rubber City, had plenty to cheer about as the Wildcats turned back all Tiger scoring attempts in the first half and then came back with a drive of their own in the closing minutes that produced Central’s lone touchdown and made the duel a much more closely contested affair than most of the fans thought they would see when they braved last night’s inclement weather to journey to the Rubber Bowl.
Rolling up 11 first downs to 4 for the Akronites, Coach Kammer’s lads held a wide edge on the Wildcats in ground gained. The Tigers had a gross yardage of 226 with a loss of 14 for a net of 212 yards. They rolled up 148 yards in the first half but never got nearer to scoring than the 12 yard line. Akron Central had a gross yardage of 107, with a loss of 24 for a net of 83 yards.
In forward passing the Wildcats amassed more yardage than the Tigers, completing 6 tosses out of 11 for 72 yards. The Massillonians tried 8 aerials, completed 5 for 58 yards and had on intercepted.
Despite the muddy field and wet ball, fumbles were not numerous, the Tigers dropping the leather 4 times and recovering 3 of their bobbles, while Akron fumbled but once, the Tigers recovering. Darrah Replaces Bonk A last-minute switch in the Tiger lineup because of the inability of Fred Bonk, regular orange and black center to play, forced Coach Kammer to send Merle Darrah, a sophomore, in at center and the youngster turned in a fine job after a rather wobbly start. He played a bang up defensive game and his passing from center improved steadily throughout the combat.
The Tiger line outplayed the Akron Central forward wall consistently, particularly when the local team was on defense, halting most of Akron’s ground gaining attempts but on offense the orange and black forwards were bothered quite a lot by the determined fight put up by the Wildcats.
Offensively Glenn Keller and Bert Webb carried the mail for the Tigers with the big Massillon co-captain doing an exceedingly good job of advancing the ball for long gains on wide sweeps around the Akron flanks. Webb also flashed to some good yardage on end sweeps. Don McGuire showed improvement in tossing forward passes and was on the starting end of several well executed Massillon aerials.
Charles Drumm, Akron Central’s All-Akron halfback and one of the team’s veteran backfield aces, was the standout performer for the Wildcats. He did a good job of plowing through the mud and was on the pitching end of Central’s aerial attack that gave the Wildcats their lone touchdown.
The Tigers twice were turned back in the first half when it seemed they were bound for touchdowns. In the first quarter Keller punted to Drumm who fumbled and Bill Gable and Bob Heltzel pounced on the ball on Akron’s 35. Keller and Webb lugged the ball to the Akron 12, Keller making 20 on an end sweep but there the Massillon attack bogged down and the Tigers surrendered the ball. Tigers Checked On 12 Getting the ball on the Akron 46 after Joe Bearer had punted for Central, the Tigers started another march late in the first quarter and early in the second period were again on the Akron 12 but once again they were destined to lose the ball when the Wildcats dug in and stopped Keller inches short of a first down.
Then Bearer got away a beautiful quick kick which sent the ball back to Massillon’s 28 but once again the Tiger offense functioned and the Bengals moved back deep into Akron territory. This advance was featured by a 20 yard dash by Webb and a 19-yard Cary to Gable pass that put the ball on Central’s 22. Don Sedjo clipped off 5 to the 16 but time expired before the Tigers could get any farther.
It did not take the Massillonians long to smash into the scoring column in the third period. After an exchange of punts the Tigers took the ball on their 43 yard line. Webb skirted left end for 7 and the Tigers picked up 15 additional yards when Central drew a penalty for unnecessary roughness, putting the ball on Akron’s 36. From here Coach Kammer’s lads began an unbroken march that was to produce their first touchdown in 10 plays.
McGuire dashed around right end for 3 and then tossed a pass to Sedjo for 11 yards. Keller and Sedjo picked up 8 yards in 3 plays and then Webb breezed around left end for a first down to Akron’s 12. Sedjo made a yard on a line plunge but was injured and replaced by Junie Pedrotty. A McGuire to Keller pass picked up 6 yards and put the leather on the Akron 5. Pedrotty went off left tackle for a yard and Keller, running wide at left end, steamed across the goal line for Massillon’s first points. A McGuire to Pedrotty pass brought the additional point. Keller Scores Again The second Massillon touchdown came much more quickly, only 2 plays being required to carry the ball across from the 20 yard line. Bearer punted from behind his goal line and Webb took the ball on Akron’s 40 and lugged it back to the 20 on a neat return. McGuire again unlimbered his pitching arm and tossed a pass to Webb, good for 9 yards and on the next play Keller tucked the ball under his arm and sprinting wide around left end never stopped until he had battered his way across the Wildcat goal line. Keller’s attempted placekick failed.
Thirteen points behind and with time running out fast, the Wildcats continued to battle with all they had and their plucky fight finally was rewarded with a touchdown.
When Jim Widican intercepted a McGuire pass on the Massillon 42 the stage was set for Central’s touchdown drive. Drumm flipped a pass to left end Jim Dyer for 8 yards and Bearer smashed through the line for a first down. Then the Wildcats who had flashed tricky offensive formations several times during the game, uncorked their best scoring threat of the contest. Drumm took the ball from center and fading back, very cleverly pulled the entire Tiger team to one side of the field. While this was going on quarterback John Stierl slipped far out into the open on the opposite side of the gridiron and Drumm heaved a long aerial that nestled in his arms. With a clear field ahead of him Stierl set out for the Massillon goal line but was finally overhauled on the 5 yard stripe. The aerial was good for a 25 yard gain and put the Wildcats in scoring position for the first time during the battle.
Three plunges into the line took the ball to the 1 yard line and then Drumm uncorked a nigty pass which Liddle snared behind the Tiger goal line for Central’s set of counters. Drumm added the extra point on a successful placekick.
The game ended a few seconds later with Massillon in possession of the ball on the Tiger 45. Bulldogs Next Massillon, 13 Pos. Central, 7 Gable LE Dyer Ielsch LT Simpson Heltzel LG Buehrle Darrah C Jacquet Cicchinelli RG Fletcher Krisher RT Warren Luke RE Liddle Keller QB Stierl Cary LH Drumm Webb RH Haury Sedjo FB Bearer
Score by quarters: Massillon 0 0 7 6 13 Central 0 0 0 7 7
Touchdowns: Massillon – Keller 2. Central – Liddle.
Points after touchdowns: Massillon – Pedrotty (pass). Central – Drumm (placekick).
Referee – Boone. Umpire – Long. Head Linesman – Rupp. Umpire – Graff. Statistics Mass. Cen. Total first downs 11 4 Yards gained by rushing 168 35 Yards lost by rushing 14 24 Net yards gained rushing 154 11 Forward passes attempted 8 11 Forward passes completed 5 6 Yards gained by passing 58 72 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 212 82 Passes had intercepted 1 0 Number of punts 3 8 Average distance of punts 39 29 Number of kickoffs 3 2 Average distance kickoffs 35 26 Number of fumbles 4 1 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 1 Number penalties against 4 3 Yards lost by penalties 20 25
Tiger-Bulldog Game A Sellout
Here’s a bit of information for football fans who would like to see next Saturday’s Tiger-Canton McKinley Bulldog game at Tiger stadium and as yet have no ticket.
It will do you no good to go to Tiger stadium next Saturday. The ticket windows will not be opened because there will be no tickets to sell. All ducats for the game were sold 2 weeks ago and every available inch of seating space is gone. The only chance you have to see the game is to pick up a ticket from someone who, at the last minute, will be unable to attend.
All service men and women in uniform will be admitted free. They are to enter the stadium at gate 2.
Incidentally, Faculty Athletic Manager E.S. Ackley and Faculty Ticket Manager Russell B. Zepp are going to have pretty much of a holiday next Saturday for the first time this fall. With no tickets to sell they will have the afternoon to themselves and hope to be able to see a game from start to finish, something that happens only once in a long time.
Washington High’s Gridders Score First Points Of Season On Aerial Heaves As They Conquer Sturdy Foe; Keller Shines As Punter
By FRED J. BECKER The Tiger is still alive, believe it or not.
He took quite a kicking around a week ago from Warren but he bounced back off the ropes Friday night out at Tiger stadium and, uncorking a few knockout drops, bowled over Canton Timken’s Trojans 26-7 for his sixth triumph of the 1944 campaign against 2 defeats. It was Timken’s third reverse in 8 battles. 1943 Attendance Mark Passes
Program Cover
The visiting gladiators discovered early that Coach Elwood Kammer’s Washington high Tigers still have quite a wallop left and a rather surprisingly large outpouring of fans, estimated at over 12,000, learned that the Tigers may be knocked groggy one week but still can snap out of it and come bounding back to administer punishment to a foe which had been nursing the idea it might take its place alongside Cleveland Cathedral Latin and Warren as conquerors of the orange and black.
The big turnout Friday night is convincing evidence that the fans must like the Tigers stadium show and with 8 games under their belts the Tigers already have attracted more spectators than they did in 10 games a year ago and still have 2 games to go.
Timken Proves Sturdy Foe In taking the measure of Timken’s Trojans for the second straight year, the Tigers marched to victory over and through a rugged, hard fighting aggregation, a team that never quit trying and which late in the game saw its determined efforts to score rewarded with a touchdown. Once before, in the second quarter, the Trojans had made a bid for a touchdown, working the ball to the 3 yard line but their hopes went glimmering when the Tigers intercepted a pass.
Showing an improvement in their tackling and with the line showing decidedly more prowess, both on offense and defense, than it did a week ago against Warren’s Presidents, the Tigers last night held a decided advantage over the Trojans in all departments of the game except one. The visitors were about even with the orange and black in forward passing but the Tigers last night accomplished something they had not been able to do before this season – score points on a forward pass. Last night they made 2 of their touchdowns via the aerial route.
In addition to installing Gene Krisher, young sophomore, at right tackle, Coach Kammer also made a change in his defensive lineup, sending Co-Captain Glenn Keller from linebacker to right end and pulling Bob Heltzel out of the line and installing him as a linebacker. The switch worked well with both Keller and Heltzel playing bang up defensive games. Co-Captain Bill Gable, Tom Brooks, another sophomore, Fred Bonk Dick Ielsch and Krisher also played strong defensive games. Wilmer Luke, in the secondary on defense, also did a good job in breaking up a lot of Timken’s passes.
Offensively Keller, Bert Webb, Don McGuire, Don Sedjo and Junie Pedrotty were consistent ground gainers with Webb scoring one touchdown and being on the tossing end of the aerial heaves that produced 2 others, Luke and Pedrotty being the receivers who scampered across the goal line after taking Webb’s tosses. Paul Cary scored Massillon’s first touchdown in the opening quarter.
The Trojans came to town last night with a boy in their lineup by the name of Calvin (Red) Moore, who in addition to his other qualifications as a football star, was labeled one of the best high school punters in the state.
Well, Moore does right well as a kicked but when it come to booting he has to take his hat off to Massillon’s sturdy southpaw hoofer, Glenn Keller. Keller never expected to become a punter but when Vic Turkall sustained an injured ankle in the Alliance game the job fell to the Tiger Co-Captain and ever since he has been doing a swell job. Last night he punted 3 times and his kicks averaged slightly better than 50 yards, which is not bad punting in anyone’s league. Some Punt Keller’s best kick came in the second quarter when the Tigers stopped Timken on their 3 yard line. Standing behind his own goal Keller got away a beautiful kick that went to Canton’s 29-yard line.
It traveled 68 yards from the line of scrimmage and the kick was good for almost 80 yards from the point where Keller applied his foot to the leather.
The statistics gave the Tigers a wide margin over the Trojans in everything except forward passes. The orange and black made 14 first downs to 6 for the visitors. The Tigers had a gross yardage gain of 367 with a loss of 24 for a net of 343 yards while Timken had a gross of 162 with a 10-yard loss for a net of 152.
The Tigers tried 14 passes and completed 5 for 118 yards, 2 of them producing touchdowns. One Massillon pass was intercepted. Timken tossed 12 aerials, completing 5 for 101 yards with 1 intercepted. A long pass set up Timken’s touchdown in the final quarter.
The Tigers knocked twice at the touchdown door early in the first quarter before gaining admission. With Timken kicking off Kammer’s lads hammered the ball down the field to the Trojan’s 14 yard line only to lose it when Cary missed a first down by 6 inches.
A holding penalty set the Trojans back to their 5 from where Moore punted to Cary on the 50 and the Tiger halfback lugged the ball back to the 40 before being tackled. Then Cary slipped around his right end on a neat run for 18 yards and Webb followed with a dash around left end good for 9 before he was run out of bounds. This put the ball on Canton’s 13 from where Cary hit the line for a first down to the 12. A 5-yard penalty for man in motion pushed the Tigers back but Cary skirted right end for 9 to the 6, Sedjo cracked the line for 3 and with fourth down coming up Cary went through right tackle and across for the first Massillon touchdown. He added the extra point on a dash through the visitors.
A few minutes later the Tigers were back on the Canton 20 but lost the ball on downs when Cary with 2 yards to pick up, was tossed for a 5-yard loss. Timken got nowhere in its offensive attempts and Moore punted to Cary who was downed on the 40. A Webb to Cary pass netted 18 yards and put the ball on Canton’s 22 but here the Tiger machine sputtered and miss fired on 4 straight attempts to score through the air and Timken took over the ball. Timken Checked on 3 Yard Line Starting from their own 28 yard line, Timken launched its first determined drive for a touchdown moving the ball deep into Massillon territory. Stan, Neago and Kraft alternated in lugging the ball and then Stan heaved a long pass to Kraft which was good for 31 yards and took the ball to the Massillon 12. A series of line plays and a Stan-Logan pass put the ball almost on Massillon’s goal line but the Trojans were penalized 5 on a substitution play for delaying the game. Stan then attempted a short pass over the line but McGuire pulled it down on his 3 yard line to end the Timken scoring threat.
It was then that Keller got away his spectacular punt for 68 yards and Canton again found itself deep in its own territory. Moore punted to McGuire who was downed on the Massillon 47. McGuire then tossed a pass to Pedrotty good for 15 but the play was called back because Pedrotty caught the ball after Bill Gable, the intended receiver, had touched it first but failed to hold it. This however did not stop the Tigers and the next play produced one of the highlights of the game as well as Massillon’s first touchdown of the season on a forward pass.
Webb dropped back and shot a long pass toward Luke, well down the field. Kraft hit the ball in an attempt to break up the pass but, much to his disgust, he helped set the stage for the Tiger score. Kraft knocked the ball into the air and when it came down toward earth there was tall, lanky Luke running for dear life toward the Timken goal. All Mr. Luke had to do was to wrap his hands around the ball, which he promptly did, and without slowing down a bit continued his touchdown romp unmolested. The gain was good for 53 yards. Keller added the extra point on a placekick.
The third Massillon touchdown came early in the third quarter and the Tigers traveled 34 yards to 4 plays. Gaining possession of the ball on the Canton 34, Webb made 2 at left end after Dan Byelene and Featheringham had failed to connect on a forward pass attempt. Then McGuire tossed a good one to Gable which netted 12 yards and took the ball to the Canton 20 from where Webb set his educated dogs into motion and on a sweep around left end ran the remaining 20 for the touchdown. Massillon’s attempt to convert on a pass failed.
Late in the third quarter the Tigers were again touchdown bound. Keller and Pedrotty on sweeps and line plays along with a Webb-McGuire pass for 14 yards took the ball to Timken’s 8 but here Keller fumbled and Piatt covered for the Trojans. Pedrotty Scores On Pass The visitors, however, were forced to punt and once again the Tiger scoring machine moved into high gear. Getting the ball on Massillon’s 45 Keller clipped off 18 on a neat end run and Webb followed suit with another end sweep good for 16 yards to put the ball on the Canton 20. Here Webb and Pedrotty combined forces on an aerial. Bert tossed to Junie who took the ball out in the clear and scampered 20 yards for Massillon’s fourth set of counters. Cary’s attempted place kick failed.
A pass interception late in the period paved the way for Canton’s lone touchdown. Tomsho pulled down Cary’s pass on his 40. Meolo who had replaced Neago when the latter was injured, tossed to Stan for 20 yards, putting the ball on the Massillon 40. Then Moore tried a heave to Logan, which Luke knocked down. Moore, however, came right back to try another and this time he uncorked a long one which Stan and 2 Tiger players battled for right on the goal line. Stan came out the winner. He grabbed the ball as the Tigers attempted to knock it down and then held on to it as a Tiger vainly attempted to pull it out of his hands. Stan was downed a half yard from the line and the play was good for 37 yards. On their third attempt to pierce the Tigers line Stan went over from Timken’s lone touchdown and Moore added the extra point from placekick. The Right Way Massillon, 26 Pos. Timken, 7 Gable LE Moore Ielsch LT Leppka Heltzel LG Sweitzer Bonk C Tomsho Brooks RG Pont Krisher RT Van Horn Luke RE Logan Keller QB Colaner Cary LH Kraft Webb RH Stan Sedjo FB Neago
Referee – McAfee. Umpire – Long. Head Linesman – Lobach. Field Judge – Shafer. Statistics Mass. Timken Total first downs 14 6 Yards gained by rushing 249 51 Yards lost by rushing 24 10 Net yards gained, rushing 235 41 Forward passes attempted 14 12 Forward passes completed 5 5 Yards gained by passing 118 101 Total net yardage rushing and passing 243 152 Passes had intercepted 1 1 Number of punts 3 7 Average distance of punts 54 36 Number of kickoffs 4 2 Average distance, kickoffs 23 25 Number of fumbles 3 1 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 1 Number penalties against 6 2 Yards lost by penalties 50 20
Powerful, Speedy Trumbull County Outfit Packs Too Much Stuff For Heavily Outweighed Massillonians’ 20,000 See Contest
By FRED J. BECKER
It was again safe to walk the streets of Massillon this morning – those big, bad Presidents of Warren high school had left town and returned to their haunts over in Trumbull county. We took a look at those big fellows from eastern Ohio Friday night when they were turned loose in Tiger stadium and we hope we don’t have to look at them again for a long, long time. Gosh, now we know why chills run up and down the spines of Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs and their followers every time some one mentions the name Warren. Awful feeling, isn’t it?
Those big, bad fellows from Warren didn’t do right by our little Washington high school Tigers last night. They messed up our Tigers something terrible and transformed them from a snarling, ferocious jungle cat into a meek, badly mauled little pussy cat. Capacity Crowd Sees Tigers Lose They just can’t do that to our Tigers, we said, but they did to the tune of 32-12 inflicting on the orange and black its worst defeat since the close of the 1942 season when the Canton Bulldogs came to Massillon and chalked up a 35-0 triumph. It was Massillon’s second reverse of the 1944 campaign, Cleveland Cathedral Latin’s Lions humbling the local lads 6-0 in the second game of the season.
More than 20,000 fans jammed their way into every available inch of seating space in Tiger stadium last night. It was the biggest crowd to see an Ohio high school football game this fall. And what a football team they saw in action – meaning those big, rugged, speedy Presidents. Warren Has Power Coach J. O. (Henie) Beck’s gridders invaded Massillon with a record of 4 victories, a defeat and a tie.
And after watching them do a workmanlike job of taking the Tigers apart we wonder how any team ever tied the Presidents, let alone defeat them. Campbell Memorial tied Warren 13-13 just a week ago and early in the season Cleveland East Tech scored a 13-7 victory over them. The Presidents must have been well fed and in a rather playful mood those 2 nights. They were anything but playful last night and Coach Elwood Kammer’s Tigers didn’t have what it takes to stop a team as good as the Presidents were last night.
Big and powerful, with speed that was amazing, those Trumbull county gridders scattered Massillon’s badly outweighed but game as they make’em little youngsters all over the gridiron as easily as a tornado knocks over everything in its path.
Smashing through and around the Tigers with the speed of lightning and the power of a block buster, the Warren aggregation rolled to 5 touchdowns, scoring in every quarter, once in the first, twice in the second ,and once in each the third and fourth periods. It was not until the fourth quarter that the Tigers even came near the Warren goal and in that final hectic stanza they punched out a pair of touchdowns for themselves to gain some measure of consolation out of the rout.
In sweeping to that 32-12 conquest of the Tigers, Warren scored its first points against a Massillon team since 1937 and chalked up its first victory in the Tiger-President rivalry since 1932. Warren has experienced many long, lean years since way back in 1932 but this victory they scored last night makes up for all the pushing around they have taken in recent years.
This year is also the first time since 1933 that Massillon has lost more than one game in a season. Back in 1933 Barberton and Canton McKinley inflicted defeats on the Tigers. The orange and black lost one game in 1934, that to Canton McKinley and then went undefeated until 1937 when New Castle, Pa., turned the trick and Mansfield was able to gain a tie. From then on until 1941 the Tigers had nothing but victories but in that season Mansfield again managed to tie the locals and in 1942 Canton McKinley chalked up its resounding 35-0 triumph. Now comes 1944 and in 7 games the Tigers find themselves on the short end twice with the annual duel with the Bulldogs still 3 weeks away. Four Defeats In 97 Games Since 1935 the Tigers have played 97 games and 93 of them have been Massillon victories. The record shows but 4 defeats and 2 ties over that span of years.
A good big fellow is always better than a good little fellow and that was the case out at Tiger stadium last night. The Warren Presidents were the good big fellows and the Tigers were the good little fellows and there wasn’t much anyone could do to avert the beating the orange and black soaked up. They were just outclassed. The President’s had just too much stuff. The Tigers made a fight of it al the way but they needed many more pounds of weight and speed that was comparable to that unleashed by the fleet-footed, hard driving Presidents.
You can’t take anything away from the Warren gridders. Any team that plays football the way they played it last night deserves to win. They had everything and they were a much more formidable looking ball club than Cathedral Latin’s Lions who blasted out a 6-0 verdict over the Tigers earlier in the campaign.
With a hard, fast charging line that ripped the Tiger forward wall to shreds, particularly in the first half, Warren’s speedy, hard hitting ball toters had nothing to do but race through the holes they found in Massillon’s defense and keep on running until some member of Massillon’s secondary caught up with them and finally succeeded in bringing them down.
Warren’s line spelled the difference between victory and defeat. It gave a great exhibition of how a line should perform and out played the Tiger forwards at most every stage of the game. Outstanding for the Presidents were Dan Bevan and John Stocz, a pair of giant tackles and Jack Polena at center. Star Ball Luggers And don’t forget those Warren ball luggers, Leonard Corbia, giant Negro end, who runs with the speed of the wind once he’s out in the open, twice breezed by the Tigers as if they were standing still on long romps across the Massillon goal. He was ably aided and abetted by Captain Ed Kvesich, a rugged, smashing fullback, seldom stopped without gain and Don Spencer, a crafty halfback who knows how to pick’em up and lay’em down and who can shit and dart like nobody’s business.
The only thing the Tigers had last night that prevented the contest, from becoming a shambles was a forward passing attack which was better than any they have shown at any other time this season. Without that aerial threat the Presidents might still be running up touchdowns.
After a bad showing in the first half, the Tigers pulled themselves together and made it a ballgame in the last two periods.
But Warren with a 3 touchdown lead, amassed in the first two quarters, was too far ahead and too rugged for the orange and black to overcome.
The Tigers tried hard and gave everything they had but just didn’t have enough ammunition to halt the invaders. If the Tiger line could have played on more even terms with Warren’s big forwards and if the orange and black’s tackling had been better it might have made some difference on the final result. Massillon’s interference and blocking also was conspicuous by its absence. Warren’s big forwards came roaring through the line before the Tigers could even form any sort of protection for their ball carriers.
Although the Tigers were handed a crushing defeat the statistics do not show them too badly outplayed not nearly as badly as the score would indicate.
Warren made 14 first downs to 10 for the Tigers. The invaders had a gross gain of 382 yards from all types of plays with a loss of 14 for a net of 368 yards. The Tigers had a gross yardage of 225 with a loss of 27, leaving them a net of 208. Tiger Aerial Game Clicks The Tigers tried 15 passes and completed 7 for 124 yards with 2 intercepted, one of the interceptions giving Warren a touchdown. Warren tried but 3 passes and completed 2 for 18 yards.
The first time Warren secured possession of the ball it was plain to be seen that the Tigers really had something on their hands in trying to stop that withering Warren running attack.
The first Warren touchdown came about midway in the opening quarter and the Presidents moved 44 yards without a break in only 6 plays.
Gaining the ball on Massillon’s 44 following a punt, Kvesich lugged the leather to Massillon’s 10 in 3 plays. An offside penalty set the Presidents back to the 15 but Kvesich smashed to the 9 and then smashed right through center and over for Warren’s first set of counters. Spencer missed the try for extra point from placement.
Warren’s second touchdown came much quicker than the first, only one play being required, that an end around sweep he dashed into the open behind fine interference and then outraced the Tigers in a sizzling romp of 45 yards and a touchdown. This time Spencer made good on his placekick and Warren was leading by 13 points. Turning Point Of Game What might be considered the turning point of the ball game occurred just as the second quarter ended. Another fumble by Williams gave Massillon the ball on its 32. The Tigers made a first down and then Paul Cary tossed an 18 yard pass to Wilmer Luke to put the bal on Warren’s 25 but here the Tiger attack bogged down and Warren gained possession of the ball. The orange and black this time managed to check the Warren charge and Spencer punted to Massillon’s 47. Cary tossed a pass to Webb for 19 yards putting the ball on Warren’s 34 and then tried it again but this time his heave was wide of the mark.
Spencer intercepted the ball on his 5 and running craftily behind hastily formed but effective interference raced 95 yards down the west sideline and across the Massillon goal for Warren’s third touchdown. Again Spencer failed to convert.
The play was one of those important breaks which often spells the difference between victory and defeat. Had Cary’s pass gone to Webb, its intended receiver, it would have meant a touchdown for the Tigers because Bert was well out in the open and only a few yards from pay dirt. As it was the pass was intercepted by Spencer and he converted it into a touchdown for Warren.
The third quarter was unusual in that Massillon had possession of the ball for only one play but still managed to keep the Presidents from scoring more than one touchdown. The invaders, however, were in Massillon territory most of the time. A Warren touchdown was averted when Luke intercepted a pass on his goal line and Keller kicked out from behind the line but the Tigers couldn’t keep Warren away from pay dirt all the time and late in the period the Presidents traveled 58 yards in 8 plays for their fourth score, the points coming when Spencer tossed a short pass to Williams from the 10 yard line with Williams going over. Spencer again failed to convert. Tigers Finally Score The fourth quarter finally saw Massillon break into the scoring column. Trailing by 25 points the Tigers still fought a ding dong battle with the giant Presidents and when Coggins, a substitute back, fumbled on his 4 yard line Bill Gable pounced on the ball and Massilon was on the way to its first touchdown. Don Sedjo, who had replaced Pedrotty in the second quarter and who hammered out some consistent gains through the Warren line, was called upon to carry the ball and he rammed through right tackle and across for the Tigers first points. He failed, however, on a plunge for the extra point.
But Warren was not yet through scoring, particularly the fleet-footed Mr. Corbin. Getting the ball on their 36 yard line after the kick off which went out of bounds the Presidents moved 64 yards in 4 plays. Spencer and Kvesich picked up a first down and then Kvesich was tossed for a 4 yard loss. On that next play Corbin was given the ball on his specialty, an end around and how he went around that end just like something shot out of a cannon and the next time the Tigers caught up with him he was back of their goal line. The run was good for 58 yards.
But the Tigers came right back to score their second touchdown. They took the kickoff on their 44 where it went out of bounds and showed the fans still remaining in the stands they also could march, traveling 56 yards in 6 plays for a touchdown.
Webb flipped a pass to Sedjo for 14 yards. Cary tossed one to Luke for 31 yards, Luke going to the 8 before being downed. Sedjo and Cary then alternated in ramming the Warren line and on the fourth play Cary went over from the 6-inch line for the score. Webb’s attempt to run the ball over for the extra point failed and the score stood 32-12 Warren. This One Hurts Massillon, 12 Pos. Warren, 32 Gable LE Corbin Green LT Bevan Heltzel LG Cupples Bonk C Polena Brooks RG Blakely Gibson RT Stocz Luke RE Nadar Keller QB Bollas Cary LH Spencer Webb RH Williams Pedrotty FB Kvesich
Referee – Lobach. Umpire – Rupp. Head Linesman – Groff. Field Judge – Shafer,
Statistics Mass. Warren Total first downs 10 14 Yards gained by rushing 101 364 Yards lost by rushing 27 14 Net yards gained by rushing 74 350 Forward passes attempted 15 3 Forward passes completed 7 2 Yards gained by passing 124 18 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 198 368 Passes had intercepted 2 0 Number of punts 4 2 Average distance of punts 37 35 Number of kickoffs 3 5 Average distance, kickoffs 25 22 Number of fumbles 3 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 3 Number of penalties against 4 11 Yards lost by penalties 20 85
Glenn Keller Dashes Over For Touchdown Inflicting First Defeat On Tygers; Goal Line Stands Feature Thrilling Battle
By FRED J. BECKER
There are no longer any Ohio scholastic football championship dreams in Mansfield.
The mighty Richland county Tyger was knocked off its lofty perch among the state’s undefeated teams Friday night by the mightier Tiger from Washington high school, Massillon, by a 6-0 count before a tense, shouting mob of nearly 10,000 in the Mansfield stadium.
The battle between these gridiron Goliaths was everything it was expected to be – hard fought from start to finish, nerve-tingling, spectacular and replete with brilliant individual performances – a game that had the spectators on the edge of their seats every minute and one which might have flared into a wild conflagration at any moment but, fortunately, did not. Players, Fans Keyed to High Pitch That ball game last night had plenty of explosive qualities but the fuse was never touched off. Keyed to a high pitch by days of preparation for this all-important contest, players on both teams went into action with a do-or-die spirit and the result was one of the hardest fought and most tensely waged battles seen on any gridiron in a long time.
The spirit which imbued the players of both aggregations also manifested itself among the spectators and many a heart throbbed harder and faster than it has for a long time and many a nervous system was on the verge of complete collapse. Players and spectators alike were rather limp and weak when the tumult of battle ended. Big Assignment For Tigers Coach Elwood Kammer’s once-defeated Tigers invaded Mansfield last night to tangle with a vicious, hard hitting, clever Mansfield Tyger that had chalked up 5 straight victories and had become Ohio’s No. 3 schoolboy aggregation. It was the second important game away from home for the Tigers, in as many Friday nights, their first invasion being a week ago when they traveled to Alliance and knocked off the Aviators 27-0.
Trotting out upon the gridiron last night was the greatest high school team Mansfield has fielded in many a year – a team that possessed individual stars galore, a team that had weight, speed, deception – in fact everything, a first class football outfit should have. It had proved its prowess by running rough shod over 5 opponents. In Mansfield it was hailed as a potential champion but standing in its path to that coveted honor was an old and respected opponent – the Tigers of Massillon – and the hurdle proved too big for the Richland county boys. So today their dream of a state title was shattered and they were back in the also ran class – a mighty good team but still not good enough to be a champion.
Mansfield’s hopes for a state crown were blasted by what is probably the greatest fighting team in Washington high school’s history – an aggregation of just about the most courageous and plucky lads any coach would ever want – a team that does not know the meaning of the word defeat. And in addition to all these lion-hearted qualities the Tigers have something else – they are getting better every time they take the field.
Four weeks ago this Tiger team ran into a great Cathedral Latin outfit from Cleveland and lost 6-0 after a torrid scrap. The Tigers looked rather bad in spots in that encounter but their fighting spirit was always in evidence. The following week they bounced back from that loss to trim Canton Lincoln 12 to 0. They showed improvement over their play against Latin.
The next week they took on Steubenville and forged a 19-6 conquest. Again they showed improvement. A week ago they trimmed Alliance 27-0 and again their performance was better than the week before.
But last night these sturdy, fighting Tigers were better than at any time this season and they were rewarded with their greatest victory of the campaign – a 6-0 victory over a hitherto unbeaten Mansfield Tyger. And those Massillon kids just had to be better than at any other time this season. Had they not they probably would have been on the losing end for an aroused Mansfield team, seeing an opportunity to knock over the Massillonians for the first time in 9 years shot everything in its arsenal in a desperate but futile try for victory. Tigers Catch Fire In a ding-dong battle that saw each team in a brilliant goal line stand in the first half – Massillon early in the first period and Mansfield just before the gun sounded the end of second quarter – the old rivals fought up and down the gridiron without any decisive results but late in the third period the Tigers caught fire and began a brilliant and steady march toward the Mansfield goal – a march that was to reach its climax early in the fourth period when the orange and black smashed through the Mansfield defense to score the game’s only points.
That touchdown decided the issue in Massillon’s favor but there were many hectic moments between that time and the end of the game as a desperate and still hard fighting Mansfield team fought its heart out in a last ditch but futile effort to cross the orange and black goal line.
A great Mansfield team went down to its first defeat, conquered by a greater Massillon team. That Tiger outfit really played football last night – every minute of the way. No greater performance could be seen anywhere than that given by the Tiger line. It really came through when the chips were down and every boy on that forward wall deservers a hero’s status today. It took a mighty fine line to stop Mansfield’s brilliant backs and its clever and deceptive ball handling and the Tiger forwards were that kind of a line last night.
True the Tiger line did not stop all of Mansfield’s offensive thrusts. No line is good enough to stop a guy like Mike Zivkoff, Mansfield’s speed demon, all the time but when Mike blasted his way by the Tigers first line of defense there was the secondary and it arose to the occasion every time it was called upon and brought the elusive Zivkoff to earth before he could get into the open where he would have been mighty hard to catch. This Tiger secondary also did a swell job of stopping Mansfield’s aerial attack, so swell in fact that the Tygers completed but one lone forward pass during the entire game.
Offensively the Tigers found it a mighty difficult task to gain ground consistently against the rugged Mansfield defense which successfully blocked all Massillon’s offensive efforts until that third and fourth quarter march which found the Tigers putting everything they had into a drive that was to pay off in a well-deserved victory.
But there was one lad in the Massillon lineup last night who sparked the Tigers to their great victory. Mansfield has its Zivkoff – and he’s a mighty sweet performer – but we’ll put our money on a dark haired, slightly built youngster by the name of Paul (Chick) Cary, a Tiger sophomore. Cary Sparks Victory March All season there has been talk about the potential brilliance wrapped up in this little, quiet spoken chap. However, it never flared into the open until last night but it came at a time when the Tigers needed it most and it paid off in a handsome dividend. It was Cary, who sparked the Tigers in their touchdown march. He’s a lot of football player, is this lad. If you don’t believe it just ask Mansfield. He was in the Tygers hair aplenty and his great offensive performance stood out head and shoulders over the best Mansfield could offer.
Fast and a hard runner, Cary time after time blasted his way right through the center of the Mansfield line for sizeable gains when carrying along 3 or 4 Tyger tacklers for several yards before being brought down. Cary went into the game in the first quarter replacing Vic Turkall when Vic’s bad ankle was wrenched again and he was forced to leave the game. And from then on he was poison to the Tygers.
Ably supporting little Chick were Co-Captain Glenn Keller who scored Massillon’s winning touchdown but who was knocked out in doing so and forced to leave the game, Bert Webb, another great little competitor if there ever was one who performed in great style in a defensive role and Junie Pedrotty, Keller sustained a severe bump on the back of the head as he lunged across the Mansfield goal and had to be assisted from the field. He was O.K. however, when the game was over.
On the line Co-Captain Bill Gable, Bob Heltzel, Fred Bonk, Jim Gibson, Dick Ielsch and Wilmer Luke distinguished themselves by their great playing. Gene Krisher, with his left arm in a cast because of a broken bone sustained in the Alliance game, played most of the contest but his injury reduced his effectiveness.
An injury forced Ielsch out of the contest late in the game and his place was taken by Bernie Green and here was another lad who distinguished himself in the short time he was in the battle. We’ll wager Mr. Green will be heard from again before the season is over. If statistics decided ball games then Mansfield would have won last night’s game but its’ points they pay off on and the Tigers had the points. Mansfield can have the edge on statistics if that’s any consolation to the Tygers. Mansfield Lead In Statistics The first half in particular saw the Richland county lads pile up a great margin on the orange and black in first downs and yardage. The battle, however, took on a more even aspect in the second half as the Massillonians more than held their own with their western Ohio foes.
Mansfield chalked up a total of 9 first downs to 5 for Massillon. The Tygers had a gross yardage of 211 with a loss of 23 for a net of 188 yards. The Tigers had a gross of 150 with a loss of 14 for a net of 136.
The Mansfield outfit tried 12 forward passes and completed but one for 5 yards. They were supposed to be exceptionally strong in this department but their ace passer, Ollie Cline, a slim Negro lad, was not hitting any bulls eyes last night. Massillon tried 9 passes and completed 5 for a total of 33 yards.
It was a game marked by numerous penalties as officials sought to keep the battle under control. Criticism of the officials was heard from both the Massillon and Mansfield camps and the penalties they inflicted halted marches by both teams on numerous occasions. Mansfield hired only 3 officials and the game again indicated that such a contest as the one last night needs 4 officials if it is to be properly handled. We believe they tried to do a good job and some of the lapses of which they were accused might have been averted had another official been on the field.
A total of 18 penalties were called by the officials, 5 against Massillon for a total of 70 yards and 10 against Mansfield for a 90 yard total.
Massillon fumbled 3 times and recovered twice. Mansfield had 5 bobbles and recovered 3 of them.
The Tigers’ march which brought victory to the orange and black started late in the third quarter and saw the Massillonians rushing the ball 47 yards without a break and across the Mansfield goal.
Bill Dent, Mansrfield back, punted to Bert Webb who took the leather and raced it back 18 yards to Mansfield’s 42. On the first play following the punt Massillon was penalized 5 back to the 47 for being offside. Tigers In High Gear Then the Tiger machine moved into high gear with Cary at the throttle. Cary smashed through the center of the line for 10 and came back on the next play for 4 more. Pedrotty slashed off right tackle and a first down on Mansfield’s 27.
Webb hit the line for 4 and Cary picked up another 4 but the officials ruled a Massillon back in motion and the Tigers were set back 5 yards. With second down and 11 to go Cary tossed a pass to Pedrotty for 6 yards. Webb skirted left end for 3 and then Cary lugged the leather right through the Mansfield team and down to the 13 yard line for a first down. He came right back with another smash good for 8 yards to put the ball on Mansfield’s 6 as the quarter ended.
It was second down coming up with 2 to go. Cary picked up one of these yards at right tackle and then Glenn Keller tucked the leather under his arm and running wide at left end behind good interference raced the remaining distance for the touchdown, going over in the corner of the field. He was hurt on this play and Alex Giloff replaced him. Cary’s attempted placekick was blocked by Dominic Musille and covered by Ivan Wallington, Mansfield left end.
Then began the most hectic period of the game as Mansfield turned loose everything in its bag of tricks in a final desperate effort to at least tie the score. Only the stout hearted playing of the orange and black prevented the Tygers from achieving their goal.
Late in the game Zivkoff ripped off a brilliant 19 yard gain that took the ball to the Massillon 22 from where the Tygers drove to the Massillon 6. But here Jim Hahn, hard hitting Mansfield fullback, fumbled on a smash into the line and Bob Heltzel pounced on the leather on Massillon’s 14 yard line and the Tyger scoring threat was erased.
Right at the outset of the game Mansfield opened up with a devastating running attack, spearheaded by the fleet Zivkoff, that drove the Tigers right back to the shadow of their goal line. But the Tigers had what it takes and repelled the threat. It was no new experience for Kammer’s lads. They have faced similar situations before.
This courageous Tiger stand was really the turning point of the game. Mansfield put everything it had in thus offensive thrust and when it was smashed by the Massillonians it proved to the Tygers that they were up against something they had never faced before this season.
The Tygers took a punt by Vic Turkall on their own 42 and marched it right down the field with Zivkoff, Cline and Musille steadily slashing their way through the Tigers’ defense. Finally Zivkoff made it a first down for Mansfield on the Massillon 4. Here it was the Tigers dug in and repelled the next 4 Tyger attempts to cover the coveted 4 yards. Tygers Halted On 4 Musille rammed through for 2 but Cline’s attempted pass to Johns failed. Zivkoff tried left end but was promptly tossed for a yard loss by Luke. Then Cline’s attempted short pass over the line fizzled and the Tigers took the ball on their own 4.
But the Tigers were to face a similar experience late in the second period. With 2 minutes to go before halftime Hahn fumbled and Cary and Gibson covered on the Mansfield 45. With fourth down coming up and still 6 yards to go, Cary dropped back and shot a beautiful pass to Webb who raced to the Mansfield 15 before being over-hauled. It was a gain of 25 yards and put Massillon in scoring position for the first time in the game.
Pedrotty picked up 3 yards at right tackle but with the clock fast running out, the Tigers took to the aerial game in an effort to score but failed. Cary attempted a pass to Luke which failed, then he tried another to Pedrotty. It also failed. On fourth down Cary tossed another to Luke who was in the end zone. The ball hit Luke in the stomach and fell to the ground. The Tiger end claimed his arms were pinned to his sided by a Mansfield player but the officials said they saw no interference and the scoring chance ended. Now For Warren Massillon, 6 Pos. Mansfield, 0 Zeller LE Wallington Ielsch LT Hartig Heltzel LG Majoy Bonk C McBride Gable RG Hemperly Gibson RT Marth Luke RE Johns Keller QB Cline Turkall LH Zivkoff Webb RH Adams Pedrotty FB Musille
Referee – Kreiger. Umpire – Compton. Head Linesman – McAfee.
Statistics Mass. Mans. Total first downs 5 9 Yards gained by rushing 117 206 Yards lost by rushing 14 23 Net yards gained by rushing 103 183 Forward passes attempted 9 12 Forward passes completed 3 1 Yards gained by passing 33 5 Total net yardage Rushing and passing 136 211 Passes had intercepted 0 0 Number of punts 6 4 Average distance of punts 40 31 Number of kickoffs 2 1 Average distance , kickoffs 19 53 Number of fumbles 3 5 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 2 Number of penalties against 8 10 Yards lost by penalties 70 90
Tigers Score Impressive 27-0 Victory Over Alliance
TALLY 4 TIMES IN TORRID DUEL
Sturdy Aviators Handed Shellacking Before 10,000 Spectators; Victory, However, Costly For Massillon With 4 Players Hurt
By FRED J. BECKER
Well, Alliance will have to wait another year before it can dream again of a football victory over the Tigers of Washington high school – a dream which may eventually become a reality but which, for this year at least, is nothing more than a dream – and perhaps a lot of wishful thinking.
Deeds speak louder than words and if the Aviators of Alliance high school visit Mount Union stadium today they will find scattered about the field the pieces of their dream of conquest so rudely shattered Friday night by Coach Elwood Kammer’s Tigers who blasted their way to a 27-0 triumph over the Alliance gridders, recording their most important and impressive victory of the 1944 campaign. A Surprise Party for Alliance Fans There must have been a lot of surprised people among the 10,000 spectators who jammed every inch of space around the Mount Union gridiron last night. For some time prior to Friday night they had been told that Massillon’s famous Tiger was no longer the ferocious beast of old. They had been told that Washington high school’s gridiron jungle cat, the mere mention of whose name once upon a time caused mothers to call their children into the house, bar the doors and pull down the shades, this year was just a shadow of his former self.
The Tiger had been pictured as a decrepit, worn out old fellow blind in at least one eye, or maybe both with stiffened muscles and creaking joints – in fact so far gone that one more good sock on the whiskers would finish him and then the remains could be interred in some lonely spot and others might climb to the heights which the Tiger in his younger and more prosperous days, had occupied and held against all challengers. Poor Old Tiger In fact there might have been found among the spectators last night a few of the more kind hearted who came with tin cups and lead pencils. They had been touched by all the stories they had read of how this famous old jungle king had been shorn of his strength and they wanted to hang a tin cup around his neck, shove a flock of lead pencils into his paw and set him out on some street corner where other kind hearted individuals might toss him a dime now and then and thus make his passing a trifle easier and free of want.
Imagine their surprise then when instead of a washed up old animal they saw an up and coming young monarch of the jungle roam up and down the gridiron and slash into ribbons their Aviators who they had come to believe would administer the coup de grace to Massillon’s old moth-eaten warrior.
What they found was a Massillon Tiger who is fast becoming of age and not a worn out old monster. They also discovered that liberties may be taken with a Tiger cub but that as he grows older his claws become sharper and he is less inclined to stand for any frivolity.
The Tigers Friday night rode to their 12th triumph in as many years over the Alliance Aviators in a rip snorting exhibition of power that must have left the supporters of Coach Marcus Covert’s gridders a bit breathless and sent to bomb proof shelters some sports writers and radio announcers who had been rash enough to predict an Alliance victory.
The Tigers had it last night – everything they needed to fashion a resounding victory over the Aviators – courage, fighting spirit and ability. They conquered a mighty good ball club and in so doing they gave their most impressive performance of the 1944 campaign.
The Alliance team which the Tigers conquered last night was far from a weakling. It was a hard fighting, desperate outfit which wanted so badly to win but, when pitted against the speed and driving power the Tigers put on display was hopelessly outclassed and badly shellacked. Tigers Score 4 Times Four times the Tigers drove through the Aviators for touchdowns, once in the opening quarter, twice in the second period and again in the fourth stanza.
Several other times the orange and black lost golden opportunities to tally points because of penalties and fumbles – or shall we say some expert ball stealing on the part of the Aviators.
Only twice during the entire battle did the Aviators threaten to score. Once in the first half they drove inside Massillon’s 15 yard line. Once in the second half they worked their way inside the Tigers 10 yard stripe but each time an aroused gang of Massillon kids dug their cleats deeper into the sod and rose to the occasion and turned back their eastern Stark county foes.
It was Massillon’s fourth victory in 5 games. The defeat was the second for Alliance in the same number of contests. The victory was Massillon’s second over a Stark county rival, the orange and black having disposed of Canton Lincoln 12-0, 2 weeks ago.
It was a hard fought battle from start to finish with Alliance going all out in its bid for victory. The Tigers, who have improved steadily since their 6-0 loss to Cathedral Latin 3 weeks ago, gave every indication last night that as they gain experience they are gaining power and ability.
But the resounding defeat the Tigers plastered on the Aviators may prove a costly one and impair the team’s chances of victories in coming combats. At least 4 members of the squad sustained injuries in the torrid battle that may be sidelined for some time.
Junie Pedrotty, midget fullback who plays a lot of football for his size, was severely shaken up in the third quarter in a head on collision with an Aviator and forced from the game with a neck injury. He was taken to the Massillon city hospital after the game for observation. Krisher May Have Broken Wrist Gene Krisher, versatile sophomore who last night played his first game at left end and did a masterful job, may have a fractured left wrist, sustained in the fourth quarter. He also was taken to the hospital for an x-ray examination.
Vic Turkall, regular left halfback had his left ankle twisted late in the game and limped off the field. Francis Cicchinelli, substitute guard, sustained a deep gash in his lower lip and several stitches may be required today to close the wound.
These casualties are evidence of the type of battle which was waged. It was slam bang from start to finish, with both teams tossing everything they had into the traces.
The Tigers, however, were not to be denied and they drove to victory in a convincing fashion. Every player who got into the melee performed in a hero’s role. Offensively the brilliant running and plunging of Pedrotty, Co-Captain Glenn Keller, Vic Turkall, Bert Webb and Don Sedjo stood out head and shoulders over the best Alliance could offer. On defense the Tiger line stood firm through every crisis with some able assistance from the secondary and Alliance’s vaunted aerial attack and razzle dazzle, for the most part was held in check by the alert and hard hitting Massillonians.
Statistics reveal a decided superiority for the Tigers. Coach Kammer’s lads made 14 first downs to 9 for Alliance, gained 315 yards net to 133 for the Aviators, having a loss of only 6 yards to 23 for their opponents. The Tigers tried 9 forward passes, completed 2 for 29 yards and had none intercepted. Alliance went in for the aerial game in a big way, attempting 18, 6 of which were completed for a total gain of 61 yards and 3 were intercepted.
Massillon fumbled 6 times and recovered only twice. Alliance fumbled 4 times and recovered 3 of them. Penalties totaling 65 yards were assessed against the Tigers while Alliance drew a total of 25 yards in penalties.
The fans hard hardly become comfortably settled in their seats before Alliance was knocking at Massillon’s goal line. The Aviators received and a fine punt by Donald Lawther which went out on the Massillon 6 put the Tigers in hot water early. Turkall got off a nice punt back to Massillon’s 36 but the Aviators began a drive that was not checked until the Tigers held for downs on their 11. Then with their first opportunity of the game to show their offensive power the Tigers went to town in a big way and in 7 sizzling plays marched 89 yards and across the Aviators’ goal for their first points. A Sizzling Tiger Turkall carrying the ball on Massillon’s first offensive thrust of the game dashed off right tackle and scampered 19 yards before being downed on his 30. Webb breezed around left end on the next play for 20 yards to Alliance’s 40 before being nailed. Pedrotty drilled through the center of the line for 7. Turkall whipped around left end for 15 more to the Alliance 15 and Alliance fans began to say to themselves this was not the kind of a tiger they had come out to see. Pedrotty again cracked through the line for 7 to the Alliance 8. Turkall went off right tackle for 6 and Webb then drove across the goal line from the 2 for Massillon’s first touchdown. Turkall added the extra point on a dash through the line.
A fumble by Pedrotty a short time later gave Alliance the ball on Massillon’s 34 but the Aviators’ threat was wiped out when Keller intercepted Jack Robinson’s pass on the Tiger 34. Again the Massillon steam roller went into action but the drive was halted when Keller fumbled and Alliance covered on the Massillon 49. This occurred early in the second quarter.
Using a deceptive offensive with the generous use of passes and laterals the Aviators worked the ball to Massillon’s 23 but here their aerial games went haywire and paved the way for the Tigers’ second touchdown.
Robinson dropped back and cut loose with another aerial. But this one never came near its intended receiver. Streaking across the field was little Junie Pedrotty who snared the leather on his 30 and running behind splendid interference dashed 70 yards down the sideline and across the goal for Massillon’s second touchdown. It was a spectacular dash and a fine block by Co-Captain Bill Gable cleared the last Aviator from Pedrotty’s path and Junie did the rest as he outran the entire Alliance team in a race for the goal line. Turkall’s attempted place kick failed.
Another Massillon touchdown was to be recorded before the second quarter ended but penalties almost frustrated the local teams’ drive for points. The points finally came, however, and Keller was the lad who held the spotlight this time as he dashed through and around the bewildered Aviators for a flock of sizeable gains.
An Alliance punt gave the Tigers the ball on the Aviators’ 45. Keller ripped through left tackle for 16. A pass play failed and then Keller blasted through right tackle to the 24. On the next play the husky Massillon back drove around left end and down to Alliance’s 4 but Massillon was set back to the Alliance 37 on a holding penalty. Alliance held and Massillon surrendered the ball on the 26., Turkall, however, again gave the Tigers the leather when he intercepted an Alliance pass on the 47 and ran it back to the 19.
Keller then steamed around left end and across the goal line behind fine interference but again he lost a touchdown when the officials ruled the Tigers guilty of clipping and penalized them 15 yards back to the Alliance 24. This Time Keller Scores Turkall again passed to Krisher who picked up 16 yards to the Alliance 8 from where Pedrotty smashed through to the 1-yard line. Again Keller romped over the goal line and this time it was good. Turkall’s place kick sailed over the bar and the Tigers were leading 20-0.
The third quarter was a ding dong battle with Alliance making an early threat to score but losing the ball on downs on the Massillon 24. Late in the quarter a fumble by Sedjo gave the Aviators the ball on their 38 and from here the Alliance lads launched a determined drive which early in the fourth period carried to Massillon’s 11. But when Don Strait fumbled on a lateral Turkall pounced on the ball on the Tiger 8. Keller, turning loose the best punt of the game, booted the leather from behind his own goal line down to the Alliance 36 to wash out the Aviators’ scoring threat.
An Alliance punt gave the Tigers the ball on their 31 yard line and in 5 plays the Massillonians picked up 69 yards and their fourth touchdown. Sedjo started the march when he crashed through the line on a spinner and romped 32 yards to the Alliance 27. It was on this play that Krisher was injured. Webb reeled off a first down around left end to the 16. Sejo in 2 smashed drove to the 4 yard line from where Don McGuire, who had replaced Turkall when he injured his ankle, romped through right tackle and over for the touchdown. Keller booted the extra point from placement.
Both Kammer and Covert used substitutes freely. Alliance held a weight advantage over the Tigers, particularly in the backfield. Atta Boy, Tiger! Massillon – 27 Pos. Alliance – 0 Zeller LE Thompson Ielsch LT Penney Heltzel LG Stivers Bonk C Rosler Gable RG Pucci Gibson RT Post Luke RE Krahling Keller QB Lawther Turkall LH Strait Webb RH Bench Pedrotty FB Robinson
Referee – Gross. Umpire – McFee. Head Linesman – Boone.
Statistics Mass. All. Total first downs 14 9 Yards gained by rushing 292 95 Yards lost by rushing 6 23 Net yards gained by rushing 286 72 Forward passes attempted 9 18 Forward passes completed 2 6 Yards gained by passing 29 61 Total net yardage rushing and passing 315 133 Passes had intercepted 0 3 Number of punts 3 7 Average distance of punts 40 28 Number of kickoffs 5 1 Average distance kickoffs 24 40 Number of fumbles 6 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 4 1 Number of penalties against 7 3 Yards lost by penalties 65 25
Keller And Pedrotty Romp To Touchdowns As Improved Orange And Black Aggregation Chalks Up Third Victory of 1944 Campaign
By FRED J. BECKER The Tiger is on the prowl again.
And once again he’s that victory-hungry Tiger, stalking his prey on a chalk-lined gridiron and striking with a deadly attack reminiscent of that Tiger of other years.
A Tiger imbued with a new-born fighting spirit roamed up and down the gridiron at Tiger stadium Friday evening and another near capacity audience of almost 16,000 watched him batter his way to a 19-6 conquest of the Big Red of Steubenville Wells high school. Third Triumph For Tigers In subduing a big, husky aggregation from the banks of the Ohio river, the orange and black of Washington high school last night recorded its third victory in 4, 1944 engagements, its lone reverse coming 2 weeks ago at the hands of a powerful, smooth working outfit from Cleveland Cathedral Latin. It was Steubenville’s second trimming in 4 engagements, East Liverpool inflicting a 20-7 defeat on the Stubbers 2 weeks ago.
In conquering the Big Red Friday night, Coach Elwood Kammer’s boys ran Washington high’s string of victories over the eastern Ohio school to 8 in a row with Steubenville having but 2 triumphs to show for 10 duels with the Tigers, those victories coming way back in 1930 and 1931. Heat Bothers Players It was a warm balmy night out at the stadium last night, much too warm for this time of the year and the heat and heavy atmosphere made the going rather tough for the boys on the gridiron but despite this handicap the Tigers looked different last night – they looked more like the team that ran roughshod over Akron West in the season’s opener for a 60-7 triumph.
There was something in the general atmosphere around the stadium last night, which was different but familiar. It was that old air of confidence. One felt it just as soon as the Tigers trotted out on the field. They were the same boys who trotted out 2 weeks ago against Cathedral Latin and a week ago against Canton Lincoln but somehow they were different. Once again they seemed to have that old Tiger spirit – that spirit to win and before the evening was over they proved it by upsetting a husky foe, powerful but not too well versed in gridiron strategy.
Three times the Tiger took off his gloves and struck with deadly efficiency to score touchdowns. On 2 other occasions he lost points, once when a rugged Steubenville line gave an heroic exhibition of stonewall qualities and stopped the Tiger on the 2 yard line and once when a penalty robbed the orange and black of a touchdown after a thrilling 49-yard canter by little Bert Webb.
Although only in Massillon territory twice during the contest the Stubbers made one of those forays count for their lone touchdown, that coming late in the fourth quarter when Preston Robinson intercepted a pass tossed by Tiger Don McGuire and raced 45 yards in a clear field for the visitors’ only score. The tally was registered against the second team and was almost a pure gift but it kept the Big Red from being shutout, something which has not occurred this season.
That the Tigers were on the prowl is indicated clearly by the statistics which showed 15 first downs for Coach Kammer’s gladiators to 6 for Steubenville.
As expected both teams resorted frequently to the aerial game in their efforts to advance the ball but neither was very successful. The Tigers tried 10 passes, completing 3 for 61 yards and having two intercepted, one interception giving the Stubbers their lone touchdown. Steubenville tried 10 aerial heaves with big Joe Gilliam doing the pitching and completed but 2 for 26 yards with the Tigers intercepting 3. Big Advantage In Ground Gained In yards gained the orange and black held a wide margin over the invading Big Red. The Massillonians had a net gain of 269 yards as compared to only 70 for Steubenville.
The Tigers had a gross yardage of 273 with a loss of only 4 yards. Steubenville had a gross of 87 with a loss of 17.
Fumbles again were prevalent, the Tigers dropping the leather 5 times and recovering on 3 occasions. The Big Red fumbled 3 times and recovered twice.
Defensively the Tigers played a bang up game with their performance being an improvement over what they showed a week ago against Canton Lincoln. The forward wall was much too tough for the invaders on defense and effectively halted most of Steubenville’s attempts to gain ground either through the line or around the wings. About three-fourths of the Big Red’s offensive burden was carried by big Joe Gilliam who did all of the visitors passing and most of their line plunging and end running. Joe took quite a pounding but without him Steubenville wouldn’t have had much of an offense.
Every man on the Tiger line did a good job last night, both on offense and defense, with Dick Ielsch, Jim Gibson, Bob Heltzel and Bill Gable getting into a lot of plays. Glenn Keller and Junie Pedrotty did a fine job of backing up the line while Webb, Wilmer Luke and Vic Turkall took care of busting up Steubenville’s aerial attack in fine style. Offensively the Tigers showed a much improved running and line smashing attack with Keller and Pedrotty carrying the mail with dispatch and effectiveness, Keller scored 2 of the Tigers touchdowns while Pedrotty tallied the third. Keller raced around the Big Red’s ends and through the line for consistent gains and Pedrotty, a stocky, energetic young man, put on tap his finest performance of the season with many brilliant slashes through the line until forced to the bench in the third period with an injured ankle.
That the Tigers had something on the ball last night is shown by the yardage they picked up in scoring their touchdowns. The first Massillon set of counters came early in the first period, the Tigers moving the ball 47 yards in 9 plays for a touchdown.
The second tally came early in the second period on an unbroken march of 85 yards with only 8 plays being required to travel nearly the entire length of the field. The third touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a march of 54 yards in 11 plays.
The Tigers won the toss and received but on the first play Pedrotty fumbled on the visitors 44 and Steubenville covered. But Junie made up for his slip a minute later when he pulled one of Gilliam’s passes out of the air on the Big Red’s 47. First Touchdown March Immediately the Tiger machine swung into action and started off on a touchdown march. Webb ran wide around left end and was run out of bounds after a 12 yard gain. Turkall crashed off right tackle for 7 more. Steubenville, however, was offside and the Tigers took the 5 yard penalty which made it first down and 5 to go. Webb was stopped without a gain at left end. Keller then breezed around left end for 4 and Pedrotty rammed the line for a first down on Steubenville’s 22. Keller again sprinted around left end for 9. Turkall tried the same place but picked up only half a yard before being forced out. But on the next play Vic, on a reverse to the left, rammed his way to the 4 yard line and Keller, running wide around left end scampered over the goal line for the first Massillon touchdown. Turkall’s attempted placement was wide.
A short time later Gilliam in another attempt to heave a long one to Jim Robinson saw Turkall pull the ball down on the Massillon 28 but the Tiger attack was stalled and Vic punted to Pete Polovina who was downed on his 41. Once again Gilliam took to the air and once again the Tigers were on the job, this time Webb pulling down a Steubenville pass on Massillon’s 15.
This time the Tiger machine did not stall and set off on a drive that was to cover 85 yards and pick up another touchdown. Keller hammering around his left end picked up 10 and a first down. Then Pedrotty crashed through a hole at left tackle with battering ram force and raced 20 yards before being floored.
Webb fumbled on the next play but recovered with a loss of 6. An attempted Webb to Zeller pass failed to click but on the next play Webb tossed a beautiful shot to Wilmer Luke who reached up to smother the leather in his big hands and race to the Big Red’s 34 before being nailed. It was an overall gain of 26 yards. Keller picked up 7 yards in a dash around right end and once again Pedrotty found that hole at left tackle and rammed through for 15 from a “T” formation play to put the ball on Steubenville’s 12 as the first quarter ended.
On the first play in the second period Pedrotty on a spinner went through right tackle and scored standing up to raise the Tiger total to 12. Turkall again failed in his placement kick. Tigers Lose 2 Touchdowns Now the Tigers were destined to run into a bit of bad luck and a stiffened Steubenville defense and it cost them 2 touchdowns. Again an intercepted pass set the Tigers in motion, Webb pulling in another Gilliam pass on the Massillon 40 and running it back to midfield. A steady Tiger march carried the ball to Steubenville’s 16 where Pedrotty was forced from the game with an injured ankle. Don Sedjo took over the fullback duties and in 3 smashes carried the ball to the 3 but here the Big Red braced and Webb and Sedjo were unable to advance into pay territory, the Stubbers taking the ball on their 2 yard line.
Harold Gibbs got off a swell punt from behind his goal line down to his 43. Don McGuire, in for Turkall who was relieved because of an ailing shoulder, tried a pass which was intercepted by Jim Robinson. Again Gibbs punted, this time McGuire taking the ball on his 30 and returning to the 38 where the Tiger launched their third touchdown march.
Keller smashed through the line for a first down to Steubenville’s 49. On the next play Webb, running from punt formation, raced through right tackle and out into the clear. Reversing his field the little Tiger merchant dashed toward the left side and breezed past6 the Big Red secondary and on across the goal without a hand being laid on him but the officials, darn’em detected a Tiger back in motion and called the ball back inflicting a 5 yard penalty on Massillon and nullifying Webb’s brilliant sprint, the most thrilling dash of the game.
However, the Tigers were not stopped and proceeded to make the touchdown the hard way. Sedjo hit the line for 6 and Webb, again running from punt formation, picked up 8 yards. Keller made it a first down on the Steubenville 39. Webb picked up 3. A Tiger pass failed but Keller smashed through right tackle for another first down to the 29. McGuire tossed again and this time Luke made a good catch for a 17 yard gain to the visitors’ 12. McGuire was stopped without a gain at right end. Turkall, coming back into the game, ripped off 7 on a reverse, going to the 5. Sedjo smashed to the 3 and then Keller against swept around left end and across for the third Tiger touchdown. This time Turkall made good on his kick from placement.
A short time later Kammer pulled out all his regulars with the exception of Sedjo and Gene Krisher at center and shoved his second stringers into the fray. McGuire, attempting a pass, tossed a perfect strike – but instead of hitting a Tiger receiver the ball landed in Preston Robinson’s outstretched hands on the Tiger 45. With a clear field ahead of him Robinson galloped unmolested for Steubenville’s only touchdown, Gilliams’ attempted placement failed.
Kammer then yanked his second team and put in the third string of all sophomores and they registered a first down before the game ended. Like Old Times Massillon – 19 Pos. Steubenville – 6 Zeller LE Gibbs Ielsch LT Carducci Heltzel LG Porter Krisher C Lawrence Gable RG Domanico Gibson RT Barsuk Luke RE J. Robinson Keller QB Roe Turkall LH Gilliam Webb RH Polovani Pedrotty FB Wagner
Touchdowns: Massillon – Keller 2; Pedrotty. Steubenville – P. Robinson.
Point after touchdown: Massillon – Turkall (placement).
Statistics Mass. Steub. Total first downs 15 6 Yards gained by rushing 212 61 Yards lost by rushing 4 17 Net yards gained by rushing 208 44 Forward passes attempted 10 10 Forward passes completed 3 2 Yards gained by passing 61 26 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 269 70 Passes had intercepted 2 3 Number of punts 2 3 Average distance of punts 38 33 Number of kickoffs 4 2 Average distance, kickoff 37 35 Number of fumbles 5 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 2 Number of penalties against 2 6 Yards lost by penalties 10 50
Improved Tigers Hand Canton Lincoln 12-0 Shellacking SECOND WIN FOR LOCAL GRIDDERS Overflow Crowd Of 17,500 Watches Washington High Gladiators Tally 2 Touchdowns In Hard Fought, Spectacular Clash
By FRED J. BECKER
Back again on the 1944 Football Victory train are those Tigers of Washington high school. Knocked off a week ago by the Cleveland Cathedral Latin Lions Coach Elwood Kammer’s gridiron gladiators Friday night climbed aboard the Football Victory express at Fawcett stadium, Canton, by mauling the Canton Lincoln Lions 12 to 0 before an overflow crowd of 17,500.
A lion – Cleveland variety – smeared the Massillon Tiger 6-0 a week ago. Last night another lion – Canton variety – waged a desperate battle in an unsuccessful effort to duplicate the feat of the Clevelanders. The Lincoln Lions, a powerful opponent, caught the Massillon Tiger on the rebound and the orange and black made the Cantonians their victims as they proved that a Massillon Tiger can take a lacing one week and come back stronger than ever the next. Hard Fought, Spectacular Duel In a hard fought and spectacular contest in which no quarter was asked and none given, the Tigers last night proved superior to the Cantonians for the second straight year. In 1943 the Massillonians edged the Lincoln Lions 15-0. The largest crowd to see a scholastic gridiron duel in Canton this season jammed Fawcett stadium to overflowing and was treated to a highly interesting battle as the Tigers proved to both Massillon and Canton fans alike that they have it when the chips are down and that they profited immensely from the bitter experience of defeat.
For Lincoln it was the first defeat in 3 games, the Lions having conquered Lima South and Akron Buchtel in previous duels. For Massillon it was the second triumph in 3 encounters, the Tigers lacing Akron West in their inaugural and then losing to Cathedral Latin last week. Two Paying Forays Three times the Tigers struck across the Canton goal line and into the heart of the Lincoln Lions stronghold.
Twice these forays paid off in points. The other time the touchdown was lost because of a 15-yard penalty inflicted on Coach Kammer’s lads for clipping.
On at least 3 occasions the Lincoln Lions struck deep into Tiger territory but on at least 2 of these attempts the Massillonians had what it takes to repel their adversaries when their goal line was threatened. On the other the Lions wiped out their own chances of scoring by failure to complete a forward pass, the Canton receiver dropping the pigskin right on the Massillon goal line.
A much-improved Tiger machine checked the victory march of Coach Junie Ferrall’s Lions last night – a Tiger machine that really functioned on defense with a hard charging line that smashed its way through the Canton forwards and, except for Lincoln flurries late in the third period and again early in the fourth quarter, overwhelmed the Canton adversary so thoroughly Lincoln found it virtually impossible to get its offensive attack rolling.
The most outstanding thing in Massillon’s play last night was its improved defense. A week ago the Tigers were torn apart by Cathedral Latin’s powerful smashes. Last night the Tigers smothered the best offensive attempts of a formidable Canton team, which in many respects was the equal, it not superior, of the Cleveland outfit.
Don’t think for a minute that the Tigers did not conquer a hard fighting and worthy foe last night. The Lions, yearning for victory and for the first time in 2 years seeing a chance to accomplish that goal, were in there fighting every inch of the way but pitted against an aroused Tiger they found themselves lacking the punch to drive across points and wound up on the losing end after a hectic encounter that was not in the bag for the Tigers until the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. Tiger Aerial Game Off Offensively the Tigers also showed improvement. Their running attack, which bogged down against Cathedral Latin, was again functioning with the elusive Bert Webb and the hard driving Vic Turkall carrying the brunt of the Massillon ground gaining drives. One phase of the Massillon offense, however, was not up to its early season standard. That was the forward passing department. The Tigers had plenty of opportunities to register gains in an aerial assault but most of the time the passers and receivers had difficulty establishing contact.
Shining in a defensive role was the entire Tiger forward wall which gave a vastly improved performance over that of a week ago. Standing out prominently was the improved play of big Jim Gibson at tackle and the steady and brilliant performance of Center Fred Bonk who had a hand in stopping almost every smash the Lions aimed at the line. Jack Zeller, sophomore end, who replaced the injured Bob Clark also did a good job, along with Co-Captain Bill Gable, Dick Ielsch and Bob Heltzel, Wilmer Luke, Webb, Turkall, Co-Captain Glenn Keller, Junie Pedrotty and Don Sedjo did a fine job in the secondary and Gene Krisher, another sophomore, rushed in for a defense role when the Lions became troublesome in the third and fourth periods, had a lot to do in checking the Cantonians and keeping them away from pay dirt.
Both Tiger touchdowns were scored by Vic Turkall. The first came in the second period, the Tigers marching 38 yards on 5 plays after recovering a Canton fumble and the second coming early in the third period when the Tigers took the kickoff and marched 66 yards down the field in 8 plays.
The Tigers held a 9-5 edge on the Lions in first downs, the Cantonians failing to make the necessary yardage at any time in the first half so stout was the Massillon defense. The Lions made their best offensive showing in the last 2 periods when the Tiger defense bogged down for a bit but each time the orange and black had what it takes when it was necessary to dig in and throw back their opponents to keep them away from scoring territory.
The Tigers had a net gain of 163 yards as compared to 93 for the Lions and completed 5 of 13 aerial attempts for 36 yards, having 2 intercepted. Lincoln tried 11 passes, completing 2 for 8 yards and having 1 intercepted.
Both teams had difficulty holding on to the ball, the Tigers fumbling 3 times and recovering only one while the Lions fumbled 4 times and recovered but once. The Tigers drew a total of 50 yards in penalties while Lincoln’s penalties added up to 40 yards.
Right at the outset of the game the Tigers defense had a chance to prove its mettle and did so with flying colors, turning back the Lions after a pass interception had given them the ball on the Massillon 7. It was Lincoln’s best opportunity of the game to score but an aroused Tiger rose up in all its might and smashed 4 straight attempts by Lincoln to carry the ball across the Massillon goal. Keller Overhauls Permar The Tigers kicked off to Lincoln and the Lions were held. Jack Permar punting to Massillon’s 38. Webb dashed wide at left end for 8 yards and Pedrotty rammed the line for a first down. Turkall failed to gain in an attempted end sweep. On a flanker play with Webb running out wide, Turkall passed to the little Negro halfback who sprinted down the field for 8 yards. On the next flanker play Turkall attempted a pass to Webb but the midget Massillonian fell in turning to receive the ball and the pigskin nestled into Jack Permar’s arms and the Lincoln halfback, with an almost clear field ahead, set out under full sail for the Tigers goal line from his 40-yard line.
It looked like a Lincoln touchdown for a few seconds as Permar shot by the entire Massillon team but racing across the field to cut him down – and we mean racing – was Glenn Keller and the Tiger co-captain caught up with Permar near the sidelines, lunged at him and pulled him down from behind on the Tiger 7 yard line. Permar had stepped off 53 yards before being overhauled by Keller and the Canton fans were in a state of wild enthusiasm.
Here it was, they said to themselves. Here was that Lincoln touchdown coming up – but they counted their points too soon – because the Tigers felt entirely different about the whole thing and in the next minute or two proceeded to prove it by smashing the Lions right into the earth as they attempted – and failed to score. Tigers Halt Lincoln Splurge Robertson, Lincoln fullback, rammed into the Tiger forward wall and gained exactly nothing. Permar also hit the line and picked up a yard before being set down by Dick Ielsch. Permar then tried his right end only to come smack up against Fred Bonk and down he went again, after gaining a yard. This brought up fourth down with the ball on Massillon’s 5. Here the Lions tried some masterminding. Coach Ferrall sending in Bob Horner, a big, fleet-footed halfback. Horner dropped back far out on the blank. Permar took the ball from center and attempted a lateral to Horner who dropped the ball and Luke covered on his 11 and it was Massillon’s ball and Lincoln’s bid for a touchdown had fizzled.
Early in the second quarter the Tigers got a break and struck quickly for a touchdown which was wiped out when a clipping penalty on Massillon nullified the score.
Turkall, whose punting throughout the game was splendid, kicked from his 32 yard line. The ball hit the ground and bounded against Ronie Bowers, Lincoln tackle. Before a Canton Lincoln player could get to the ball Bill Gable pounced on it on Canton’s 35 and the Tigers for the first time were deep in Lincoln territory. Turkall’s attempted pass to Luke failed but then Vic tossed a lateral to Webb and the dusky Massillon speedster ran and squirmed his way through the Lions and across the goal line on a brilliant run only to see his efforts go for naught when the officials spied a Tiger clipping on the 35 yard line, calling the ball back and inflicting a 15 yard penalty on Massillon, putting the leather back on 50.
Again the Tigers took to the air. Turkall tossed a long lateral to Chick Cary, playing for the first time since the opening game, out on the flank and Cary heaved a pass to Luke who made a valiant attempt to hold the ball but it slipped out of his grasp and into the waiting hands of Bruce Beatty, Lincoln end, on Canton’s 24.
After making 2 at left end, Permar fumbled when hit hard by Keller and the Massillon co-captain covered on Lincoln’s 24. Sedjo smashed through right tackle for 6 but Massillon lost another scoring opportunity when again guilty of clipping on the next play and the 15-yard penalty took the ball back to the 30 and 3 attempts to advance the leather failed with the Lions gaining possession on their 48.
But once again, a Canton fumble gave the Tigers another chance and this time they took full advantage of their opportunity and did not stop until they had scored a touchdown, their first of the game. Webb In 24 Yard Dash On the third play after regaining the ball, Horner fumbled and Bob Heltzel covered for Massillon on Canton’s 38. On the final play the Tigers brought the old Statue of Liberty play out of moth balls and Webb, taking the ball from Turkall, poised as if to pass, raced wide around his left end and 24 yards down the field before being forced out of bounds on Lincoln’s 14 yard line. It was a nifty piece of stepping by the Tiger halfback.
Turkall then smashed through left tackle for 7 to the Lincoln 7. Webb picked up 2 more through the same spot and then Turkall raced around his right end and down to the 2 before being nailed. On the next play he bowled through right tackle and over for the first points of the game. Turkall’s attempted place kick was blocked by the Lions.
In the closing minutes of the second quarter Lincoln made a belated effort to score and covered a fumble by Turkall on the Canton 43. With the quarter about over Permar attempted a pass to Beatty but the Canton end dropped the ball with a clear field ahead as the gun sounded.
Coming out for the third period the Tigers received and without any wasted motion marched right down the field 66 yards for their second touchdown.
On Lincoln’s first kickoff the Tigers were offside and the ball was brought back with Oberlin kicking off a second time from the 45 yard line. Sedjo took the ball on his 16 and rammed it back to the 34 before being downed. Turkall swept left end for 4 and Sedjo cracked the line twice for a first down to his 45. Turkall breezed through left tackle for 8 and Webb dashed around left end for another first down to Lincoln’s 32. Turkall hit down to Lincon’s 32. Turkall hit right tackle for 4 and then Webb in the game’s most sensational display of open field running, dashed around left end and squirmed and sidestepped his way to the Lincoln 8 before being tackled, a gain of 20 yards on a splendid run.
Turkall took the ball on the next play and for a second it looked as if he was trapped far back of the line of scrimmage, but he ducked successfully out of reach of Bowers, Lincoln tackle, and set sail for the sideline, racing around his right end and across the goal line, shaking off several would-be Canton tacklers in his successful jaunt. Again his attempted place kick was wide when partially blocked by Canton. Lincoln Bid Is Checked Trailing by 2 touchdowns the Lions took the kickoff and uncorked their best offensive splurge of the game. Gable kicked to Pellegrino who returned 25 to the Lincoln 43. With Fullback Robertson doing most of the line battering the Lions clipped off 3 first downs and carried the ball to the Tiger 26.
Krisher was rushed into the Massillon secondary, replacing Sedjo in an attempt to bolster the Tiger defense and the Massillon sophomore was the right boy for the job. The Lions hammered their way to the Tiger 17 but here Bonk and Keller nailed Robertson on fourth down and halted the Lincoln march, the Tigers gaining possession of the ball when the Lions failed to make the required yardage.
After an exchange of punts, Webb fumbled early in the fourth quarter and Bill DeGarmo, Lincoln center, covered on the Massillon 42. Once again the Lions made a desperate try for points, making a first down to the Massillon 30. But once again the Tiger defense stiffened and Permar took to the air, hurling a beautiful long pass to…..REST OF ARTICLE MISSING.
More Like it Massillon – 12 Pos. Canton L. – 0 Zeller LE Beattty Ielsch LT Wilkins Gable LG Zettler Bonk C DeGarmo Heltzel RG Bowers Gibson RT Oberlin Luke RE Bing Keller QB Kindig Turkall LH Permar Webb RH Pellegrino Pedrotty FB Robertson
Referee – Lobach. Umpire – Rupp. Head Linesman – Boone. Field Judge – Welsh.
Statistics Mass. Lin. Total first downs 9 5 Yards gained by rushing 154 113 Yards lost by rushing 27 1 Net yards gained by rushing 127 112 Forward passes attempted 13 11 Forward passes completed 5 2 Yards gained by passing 36 8 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 190 121 Passes had intercepted 2 1 Number of punts 6 6 Average distance of punts 33 32 Number of kickoffs 3 1 Average distance of kickoffs 35 40 Number of fumbles 3 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 3 Number of penalties against 6 6 Yards lost by penalties 50 40
Powerful Cathedral Latin Lions Trounce Tigers 6-0 TOUCHDOWN COMES IN FOURTH PERIOD Massillon Winning Streak Snapped By Speedy Hard Driving Cleveland Team; Third Orange And Black Loss In 92 Games
By FRED J. BECKER When the other fellow packs more of a wallop than you do, you generally wind up on the losing end and that’s what happened out at Tiger stadium Friday night when the husky, hard driving Lions of Cleveland Cathedral Latin high school invaded Massillon and planted a convincing 6-0 kayo on the Washington high school Tigers. A near capacity audience of about 17,000 spectators sat in on the kill.
Program Cover
Cathedral Latin’s one touchdown margin of victory, however, does not begin to tell the story of how thoroughly the boys from Ohio’s metropolis on Lake Erie mauled the daylights out of the Tiger. The cold statistics of what actually happened out there on the gridiron last night reveal just how thorough a job the Lions did in tearing into bits the hitherto formidable Massillon Tiger. Huge Crowd Sees Tiger Downfall Of course the more than 16,000 fans who were jammed into the stands saw what happened with their own eyes. They need no statistics to tell them the story. They witnessed the overthrow of the famed orange and black football juggernaut and they came away from the scene of carnage convinced that Cathedral Latin’s team Friday night was just about the greatest to ever appear against any Washington high school aggregation at Tiger stadium.
The Lions scored the touchdown that brought them the most cherished victory in the school’s history in the fourth quarter after an uninterrupted march of 34 yards in which they tore and slashed their way through the Massillon defense almost with the ease a hot knife slips through butter. They threatened 3 times prior to that victory march and twice breaks of the game – fumbles recovered by the Tigers – halted them and on the third occasion an intercepted pass kept them away from pay dirt. Fumble Hurts Tigers A fumble also robbed Massillon of its best scoring chance, the Tigers taking the leather to Latin’s 16-yard line in the second quarter only to lose the ball and see its best scoring opportunity blown away on the breeze when Vic Turkall fumbled and Bill Eline, Cleveland center pounced on the ball.
The victory Cathedral Latin scored over Washington high last night was not an upset. It was too convincing for that. The Lions won because they were by far the better ball club. They won because they had the stuff that brings victories. They overpowered the Tigers both offensively and defensively throughout most of the game. They had what it takes to win. The Tigers last night did not.
There was nothing flakey about Latin’s triumph. It could have been a victory by a margin of 3 or 4 touchdowns. Why it wasn’t is a glowing testimonial to the gameness and intestinal fortitude of a bunch of kids who, although almost hopelessly outclassed, never for a minute gave up and battled with everything they had to the last second.
It was a case of experience against inexperience and Latin had the experience – a veteran ball club that knew what it was all about and had the strength and power to make the most of its superior experience and ability.
Cathedral Latin had been waiting a long time – 6 years – for the opportunity which came its way last night and when the opportunity presented itself the Lions made the most of it. They won the Cleveland scholastic championship last season by knocking off Cleveland Lincoln 18-12 after Lincoln had won 29 straight games.
They looked the part of champions last night as they knocked off the Tigers and brought to an abrupt end a Massillon winning streak that had mounted to 11 straight – 10 in 1943 and a 60-7 triumph over Akron West a week ago to open the 1944 campaign.
In 4 contests prior to Friday night’s shindig the Cathedral Latin Lions had been duck soup for the Tigers, being on the short end of lopsided scores in 1939, 1940, 1941 and 1942. The teams did not meet on the gridiron last season. Lions Have Poise And Power But last night the Lions had what it takes, a great team with poise and power, and as a reward gained a great victory. Their victory was richly deserved and if they continue to play the remainder of the campaign as they did here the Lions are going to finish up next November as one of Ohio’s outstanding schoolboy aggregations.
The defeat the invading Clevelanders plastered on the Tigers Friday night was the third a Massillon team has soaked up in 92 contests, dating back as far as 1935. Other teams to turn back the orange and black were New Castle, Pa., 7-0 in 1937 and Canton McKinley 35-0 in 1942. During all those years only one other team came close to up-setting the Bengals. That was Mansfield high which gained ties with the Tigers in 1937 and 1941, both battles ending in 6-6 scores.
This leaves the Tigers a record of 87 victories, 3 losses and 2 ties over more than a 9-year stretch. There’s hardly another school anywhere that can point to that kind of an achievement but last night’s defeat, however, puts quite a dent into the 1944 championship aspirations of the Tigers and only the future will tell how good a team the Tigers are this year.
Coming contests will prove if Coach Kammer’s boys, after tasting defeat, can bounce back and, profiting by experience, become a better ball club. There’s still plenty of time between now and November for the orange and black to wipe out the stain of that reverse last night and to again establish themselves as a power in Ohio scholastic circles.
To the victor belongs the spoils and to Cathedral Latin goes all the plaudits and superlatives for the great game it played. No one can say anything that would take away from the Clevelanders any of the honor due them for the almost flawless performance they put on tap last night as they crushed the Tigers and swept on to a rich reward and well deserved victory. To attempt it would be unsportsmanlike, to say the least.
But in justice to the Massillon lads it must be said that the Tiger team which went out to do battle with Cathedral Latin last night was not the team which romped so merrily over Akron West a week ago. The orange and black had none of the fire and dash which characterized its performance in the opening game. Lacking was the precision and team play, both on offense and defense, which made Akron West look so poor and the Tigers so great. Tigers Sluggish All during this week Coach Kammer and his assistants tried to snap the Tigers out of an apparent sluggishness which made its appearance last Monday. They didn’t succeed and it’s hard to tell how Friday night’s game might have ended had the Tigers been the same team they were a week ago.
In their first game the Tigers turned loose a dazzling offense that had Akron West running around in circles. They displayed a defense that smothered every Akron attempt to gain ground. Last night, with the exception of a few brief instances, the Tigers offense looked woefully weak and their defense must have been locked up in the club house, so dismally did it fail in its efforts to halt the beautifully executed Cathedral Latin offense, powered by a smooth working backfield that plunged through and ran around the Tigers behind a line that performed in truly brilliant fashion.
True the masterful performance staged by the Clevelanders was bound to make the Tigers look bad but we still believe the Tigers are a better ball club than they looked last night.
Coach Kammer told his team and local fans all week that Cathedral Latin had a big, powerful ball club and the Lions proved it last night. Speed was expected to play a prominent role in the outcome of the game and it did – Latin in addition to having the power and experience, also had the speed and how they used it as they ran the orange and black right into the ground.
Depending almost entirely on a ground offense, Latin operating from a “T” during most of the game and then in the later stages shifting to a single wing, put on tap an offense that was beautiful to watch. Seldom did the Tigers stop it. The powerful Latin line manhandled the Tiger forward wall and tore great, gaping holes in it time after time. Only some great work by the Massillon secondary checked the Latin ball toters and kept them away from scoring territory until that fatal fourth quarter when the inspired Lions no longer could be denied their share of glory.
Offensively, the Tigers were stopped cold. Their running attack which looked so sharp a week ago, was just not there last night. As a matter of fact the fast changing Cleveland forwards roared through the Tiger line like a cyclone and clipped the Massillon offense before it could get under way. Only in the aerial game did the Tigers display any superiority over the visitors, completing 3 of 7 attempts for 64 yards while Latin failed to connect in 7 tries and had one pass intercepted. Tigers Badly Outplayed The statistics show just how wide a margin the invaders held on the Tigers. The Lions made 18 first downs to 5 for Massillon. The Clevelanders roamed over the gridiron almost at will every time they gained the ball. In yards gained the Lions had a net yardage of 282 as compared to 130 for the Tigers. The visitors fumbled 6 times and recovered the ball twice. Massillon fumbled 4 times and failed to recover on any of the miscues. Those figures tell the story – they show without any doubt why the Tigers finished on the short end of the score.
Outstanding in the Cleveland backfield were 2 boys – Cliff Oliver, the lad who scored Latin’s winning touchdown – and Leo Hyland, a pair of big, rangy lads who had speed and power to burn. They made life miserable for Coach Kammer’s boys all night and it generally took a flock of orange and black tacklers to bring them to earth and for the most part they were brought to earth only after clipping off good sized gains. Seldom were they stopped without picking up yardage. Bill Feldkircher was another Cleveland back whose performance was not far behind that shown by Oliver and Hyland.
The entire Cathedral Latin forward wall played a superb game, outclassing the Massillon line throughout most of the contest. Performing in yeoman like fashion for the Lions were such stalwarts as Capt. Bill McKeen and Frank Gaul at the tackles, and Bill Eline at center.
Its offense stopped dead in its tracks Massillon showed little in the way of individual offensive ability but shining like a beacon light in a defensive role was little Bert Webb, Negro halfback, who in his position in the Massillon secondary, tackled like a demon and more than once brought to earth Cleveland ball toters who had flashed through the Massillon line and seemed headed for extensive gains until stopped by the midget Tiger halfback. Co-Captain Bill Gable, also stood out prominently in a defensive role. It took a lot of hard, sharp tackling to stop the pile driving Cleveland backs and the Tigers did not have that kind of tackling last night.
Massillon received and right from the start the surging Lions began to smother the Tiger’s offensive attempts in a very emphatic manner. Early in the game the locals were backed up to their 11-yard line on a Latin quick kick but Turkall kicked the Massillonians out of danger with the game’s most beautiful kick – a punt that traveled well over 50 yards and put the ball on Latin’s 27.
After another exchange of punts the Cathedral Latin offense began to roll and one began to get a glimpse of what was in store for the Tigers.
Turkall punted to Feldkircher who signaled for a fair catch near midfield. Gable, apparently not seeing the signal, crashed into the Clevelander and the Tigers drew a 15-yard penalty putting the ball on their 29. Oliver made 6 on a slash through the line but what looked like a Cleveland touchdown drive was halted when Hyland fumbled on the next play and Webb covered for Massillon on his 21-yard line. Hyland was hit hard by Jim Gibson and the ball slipped from his grasp.
But not in the least daunted by this break, the Lions smothered Massillon’s attempts to gain and again Turkall punted, this time to the Latin 34. Once again the Cleveland machine began to clip off yardage in a steady march toward the Tiger goal. The Lions reeled off a 3 first downs and were on Massillon’s 27 yard line when once again they fumbled, this time Feldkircher dropping the leather and Wilmer Luke and Don Sedjo covering for Massillon on the Tiger 19.
Now came the Tigers only real bid for a touchdown during the entire game. Turkall and Keller found the Latin line like a stonewall and picked up a yard in 2 tried but Sedjo battered his way through on the third attempt for 8 and then plunged again to give the Tigers a first down, their first of the game, on Massillon’s 30. Keller picked up 2 around left end and then Webb tossed a pass to Luke which netted 17 yards and took the ball to Massillon’s 49.
Sedjo hit for 2 and then took a lateral from Webb and picked up 5 more. Once again the Webb-Luke aerial team went into action and Luke made a beautiful catch of Webb’s pass, almost getting into the clear. The Tiger end stumbled as he turned after taking the ball and before he could get on an even keel again he was mowed down by Latin tacklers. The play, however, netted 23 yards and took the ball to Cleveland’s 19. Turkall tried a pass to Luke, which failed and then Massillon’s best and only bid for a touchdown went glimmering when Turkall fumbled on the next play and Eline pounced on the ball for Latin on his 16 yard line.
Again the Cleveland machine went into high gear and the Latin backs drove their way down the field to the Massillon 21 before the Tigers succeeded in slowing the advance. Then Joe Petkovic, unlimbered his passing arm and tossed a long one toward the Tiger goal but the ball never reached its intended receiver. Turkall intercepted the pass deep in Massillon territory. He stepped out of bounds on the 5 yard line and here the Tigers put the ball in play, once again halting a threatened Latin touchdown march.
But Latin was not getting all the bad breaks. After making 9 yards in 2 plays Turkall broke through on a plunge off right tackle and streaked down the field to his 36 where he again fumbled when hit hard and Eline again covered for Latin. The half ended, however, before Latin could get its offensive machine into motion again.
But the Clevelanders had just too much power to be kept away from pay dirt all night.
Near the end of the third quarter Turkall punted to Hyland who was tackled on Massillon’s 34 by Webb. Here the Latin machine really began to travel in high gear. Feldkircher smashed off right tackle for 8 before being stopped by Gable. Oliver cracked the line and made it a Latin first down on the Tiger 22. Feldkircher was nailed for a 2 yard loss by Glenn Keller but Oliver picked up that loss and more on a sweep around left end to the 14. He then hit the line for a first down to the Tiger 10. Feldkircher picked up 4 on a dash at right end as time expired. Oliver Goes Over Play began in the fourth period with the ball on Massillon’s 6. On the first play in the quarter Oliver again crashed through the line to the 3 yard line and on the next play hammered his way through the Tiger forwards and across the goal line for the points that were to decide the battle. Hyland tried to plunge the ball over but failed. The Lions marched 34 yards in 8 plays.
The Tigers made a desperate last-ditch fight of it but Latin, now out in front, put a damper on every Massillon effort and kept play, for the most part, in Tiger territory. The Tigers had one chance to go places but again a fumble robbed them of their opportunity. This break came when Luke fumbled on Latin’s 46 after taking a pass from Webb. And once again Bill Eline came up with the ball for Latin.
The Clevelanders had driven deep into Massillon territory and were just 6 yards from the Tiger goal in the closing seconds. But they lost their chance to score again when a bad pass from center got away from Feldkircher and rolled back to the 17 before he recovered it. Just one more play followed before the game ended.
Statistics Mass. Latin Total first downs 5 18 Yards gained by rushing 76 305 Yards lost by rushing 10 23 Net yards gained by rushing 66 282 Forward passes attempted 7 7 Forward passes completed 3 0 Yards gained by passing 64 0 Total net yardage, Rushing and passing 130 282 Passes had intercepted 0 1 Number of punts 5 4 Average distance of yards 38 34 Number of kickoffs 1 2 Average distance of kickoffs 25 37 Number of fumbles 4 6 Times ball lost on fumbles 4 4 Number of penalties against 3 3 Yards lost by penalties 25 25
History 
