News 
WTIG’s Ray Jeske emceed the event.
Head Coach Nate Moore and Senior Co-Captain Marcus Moore
Nikolas Yannayon, Kyle Furbee, Chance O’Neill, Michael Looney and Lo’Quan Young
Jalen Slaghter, Michael Wright Jr., Da’Mari Menard and Bricen Pledgure
Jaden Welch and the unveiling of the Obie statue.
News It’s the opening week of the 2022 football season and as expected there are lots of happenings this week. Here’s the schedule:
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Monday
Ongoing
News Massillon has been playing football since 1891, having compiled a win-loss record of 920-297-36, and owning the third most wins of any team in the country. During that span they have faced 207 different teams and only nine hold a winning edge over the Tigers when at least two games have been played. They include:
It’s no surprise that Ignatius and Moeller, two Division 1 parochial school powers, are at the top of the list. Of course, Massillon was never shy about scheduling these teams when they were also in Division 1.
This year’s opening game marks the 13th time the Tigers and Crusaders will face each other. The first meeting came in 1980 when they met in the Division 1 state finals. Mike Currence was the coach of the Tigers at that time and lost that one. He then dropped two more in subsequent years, one of which was also in the D1 state finals. Coach Lee Owens also tried his luck three times, but did not fair any better. But his successor, Jack Rose did find some success, winning two of four. The series continued under Coach Rick Shepas for one more year, yet it was another loss. Finally, the Tigers were invited to Cincinnati for a classic and Coach Tom Stacey left on the losing end.
But it wasn’t like the games were indicative of the series record. In most of those losses, Massillon was very competitive. In fact, in five of the ten setbacks they were in the game going into the fourth quarter and three times still in it at halftime. And two of those losses could have just as easily been wins.
Moeller achieved prominence under Coach Jerry Faust when they ran the table in 1975 and finished off their first state title with a 14-12 win over Lakewood St. Edward, which was led by Coach Mike Currence. Currence left after that season and took over the head job at Massillon. Incidentally, these two coaches will be the honorary captains for the coin toss prior to Friday’s matchup.
Moeller continued its success through the 1982 season, eventually capturing six state titles in a span of nine years. In 2012 and 2013 they grabbed two more and in 2014 finished a respectable 10-4. But then the Crusaders fell on hard times, compiling a record of just 24-37 through the 2020 season. Last year, however, they recaptured the magic, going 11-4 and finishing as Division 1 runner-up, under second-year coach Mark Elder. This season they hope to parlay that success into a state championship.
Meanwhile, Massillon has reached the state finals six times, three in Division 1 (1980, 1982 and 2005) and three in Division 2 (2018, 2019 and 2020). They also hope to grab a trophy this year, in Division 2. So, when these two great programs square off on Friday, it should make for a grand matchup, with another large crowd expected.
Here’s a look back at all the past Massillon-Moeller games.
News The Tigers and Griffins squared off in the second and final scrimmage prior to next week’s season opener, with Massillon coming out on top in one half of action, 14-2. The JV teams then got after it in the second half and the Tigers prevailed, 21-0. Game conditions were played throughout the four quarters of play.
Massillon scored on its opening possession by driving 65 yards, culminating in a 10-yard toss sweep TD by Willtrell Hartson. Nolan Hendricks tacked on the extra point. And that was all the scoring for the local team until the final minutes of the half when Jalen Slaughter connected with wide receiver Ardell Banks on a 34-yard touchdown pass. In between the two scores, the offense sputtered with both the run and the pass during three consecutive possessions, which all ended in punts. But give some credit to a much-improved, very athletic Buchtel defense that played inspired football all night. Hartson ran the ball 12 times for 76 yards (6.3 ave.). Slaughter completed 10 of 19 passes for 109 yards.
On the other side of the ball the Tiger defense was simply stifling, holding the Griffins to just 38 yards of total offense, 21 on the ground and 17 in the air, on 19 plays. And Buchtel was forced to punt on each possession. Of course, it didn’t help that the Griffin quarterback was off target most of the night and completed just two of twelve passes, including an errant throw to Massillon’s Adonis Marshall.
Buchtel’s lone score came after the Tigers mistakenly fair caught a punt at their own five yard line. Hartson appeared to get his team out of the hole with a 15-yard run, but it was negated by a holding penalty. That was followed by two consecutive jet sweeps. Only, the first one lost ten yards when the runner tried to reverse his field and the second never made it out of the end zone, resulting in a safety.
The scrimmage also involved liberal substitutions, at least on the Massillon side. And those player mistakes normally seen during scrimmages. Nevertheless, the Tigers have lots to work on before they entertain Cincinnati Moeller in next week’s opener. This is particularly true for the offense line, which will need to develop into a more effective unit in one week’s time. And for the passing game, which misfired on many solid opportunities.
Statistics (1st half only)
Massillon – Akron Buchtel
Scoring
Massillon
Buchtel
JV Scoring
History
Story written by Bill Porrini
Whether it be in sports, business or life, some people are just champions. Charlie Brown is one of those champions and more! Charlie is not only a member of the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame, he is also a member of the Wall of Champions. In addition, Charlie was named one of Massillon’s Distinguished Citizens in 2012. A natural born leader who has excelled in every phase of his life, he made his mark on the gridiron in high school, college, the NFL and the Canadian Football League. But even greater marks off the field in life and in his communities.
Brown’s road to success began here in Massillon where he played on teams that went 31-1 during his 3-year high school career, winning three state championships and two national titles. He was a co-captain and earned recognition in 1961 as All-Stark County and BOTH 1st Team All-Ohio running back and 2nd Team All-Ohio defensive back! He was also named a high school All-American.
He then went off to play college football at Syracuse University where he achieved the following honors:
After college Charlie was off to the pros. He was drafted by both the NFL Chicago Bears (5th) and the AFL San Diego Chargers (4th) and chose “Da Bears.” In an exhibition game, he played in The Hall of Fame game at Fawcett Stadium. Later, he joined the Buffalo Bills of the AFL. And then it was off to Hamilton Tiger Cats of The Canadian Football League. That’s where he had a 115-yard interception return for a TD for a team record. It was similar to a 100-yard interception return he had against Warren Harding for a TD in high school for the Tigers!
After football it was time to make his mark on the world. Charlie has served on the NFL Alumni Association of Chicago as President. He has served as Executive Director of Robert Taylor Boys and Girls Clubs in Chicago and is President of Bound for Glory. Charlie is also a member of the Canton Old-Timers Hall of Fame.
Back home in Massillon he was co-founder of One Tiger, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting Massillon’s youth. One Tiger is dedicated to early childhood literacy. Charlie along with his friends Joe Snively and Bob Clendenin wanted to capture “The Tiger Spirit” to prepare and create a passion in children for reading. Their goal is to create well-educated kids that will go onto college and become teachers, innovators and entrepreneurs who come back and invest in their community.
Thus, “Massillon Ready to Read” was born. He said, “You can’t get that Massillon feeling out of your system no matter what you do or where you play!”
Charlie Brown, a Champion from The City of Champions! Thank you!!
News At the end of the season, the club honors one of the players with the “Bob Commings Memorial Hardnose Award.”
The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 16, at 11:30 am with the speaker event beginning around noon. The guest speaker that week will be former Massillon Head Coach Jack Rose.
Membership for the season is $25.00 and the cost for lunch is $10.00 each week. Guests are welcome for their first visit; following that they will need to pay the membership fee.
At the first meeting the club will feature a guest speaker. Then Coach Moore will talk about the Massillon Tigers, plus give a preview of our Week 1 opponent, Cincinnati Moeller.
See you there.
History The OHSAA permits three weeks of full contact practice before the first game and local teams are now just one week into that process. Two scrimmages are allowed and Massillon’s first one, traditionally with the Avon Eagles, is now in the books. Who knows what these teams will look like once the season gets underway, let along by the time the playoffs roll in. But these two Division II powerhouses at least gave some indications as to what their strengths will be down the road.
For Avon, it is the passing game, which is usually the case. And on this day, they got somewhat the better of the Tigers, moving the ball consistently down the field throughout the match. Their quarterback was very accurate in hitting short and medium passes to receivers that were running their routes well. And the Eagles also showed the poise of an experienced team.
Massillon, on the other hand, came out with a very balanced run-pass attack and substituted liberally. Although they struggled early on both offense and defense, they seemed to find a better pace, at least offensively, as the scrimmage wore on. Returning sophomore Jalen Slaughter showed improvement from last year with his handling of the quarterback duties, moving in the pocket well, hitting his receivers and knowing when to bail. And that final trait may turn out to be a real asset down the road. Willtrell Hartson is, well, Willtrell. Except that he is a much more powerful runner this year, as demonstrated by his ability to break tackles throughout the scrimmage. As did Dorian Pringle. Wide receiver Ardell Banks also had a very good showing. Defensively, the Tigers were stingy against the run, but pass defense was another story. Of course, neither team was game-planning and again it was just the first scrimmage. But the overall assessment of Massillon is that of a young but talented team that needs field experience before it will shine. But it will shine.
The first part of the scrimmage involved the offense starting at its own 35 with ten plays in the pocket. Avon’s possessions went like this:
Massillon:
In the second part each team ran several series starting at the opponent’s 25. Avon:
Massillon:
In part three, each team started at the opponent’s ten. Avon:
Massillon:
The scrimmage wrapped up with special teams punting and field goal practice.
Massillon on defense. No. 10 is Zach Liebler. No. 52 is Marcus Moore. No. 34 is Dorian Pringle. No. 1 is Jaden Welch.
Jalen Slaughter passes down field. No. 77 is Michel Mercurio.
Ardell Banks catches the long bomb and carries it to five.
Willtrell Hartson runs the outside zone for good yardage. No. 75 is Michael Looney. No. 52 is Marcus Moore.
Overthrown Avon pass. Good coverage by the Massillon defender.
Ardell Banks on the “break pass” reception is headed for the end zone.
Vinny Keller connects on a 21-yard field goal No. 14 is Kalix Collins.
History It’s full pads and hitting this week as the Massillon Tigers continue their preparation for their 2022 season. In just two weeks time the Tigers will host Cincinnati Moeller in a high-powered opener. But first they need to manage a couple of scrimmages, with both slated for the friendly confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. On Saturday at 11:30 am, Massillon will entertain Avon in a match that has become a tradition over the past few years. Both teams have aspirations of winning their respective playoff regions and moving onto the state semifinals. The following Friday at 7:00 pm Akron Buchtel will pay a house call as the Griffins they strive to regain the top spot in the Akron City Series. Meanwhile, please enjoy the photos of Thursday’s practice.
News Some of the best high school football in Ohio this year will occur in Week 1, with many games involving some of the best teams in state, if not the country. Massillon typically, at least under Head Coach Nate Moore, has opened the season against a powerhouse. This time it’s Cincinnati Moeller. A huge crowd is expected and the game is sure to grab state-wide attention. Below is a rundown of this one and some of the other top games around the state.
Massillon at Cincinnati Moeller – The Tigers are one of the best teams in Division 2, while the Crusaders are one of the best in Division 1, so this one presents an intriguing matchup. Last year Massillon (11-3) finished as regional runner-up after playing in three consecutive state finals. But this year, with a wealth of skill talent on hand, the finals are once again within reach. Meanwhile, Moeller (11-4) has experienced a recent resurgence and they advanced last year to the state semifinals before losing to Springfield (13-2), 22-21. With a host of talent returning, their goal is surely to grab the top prize away from Lakewood St. Edward, a team they defeated on the road last year. The Crusaders own a 10-2 advantage over the Tigers in an on-and-off series that began in 1980. Twice they met in the state finals, 1980 in Cincinnati and 1982 at Ohio State Stadium, with Moeller winning both. The two Massillon wins came in 1995 (21-18) and 1996 (20-15) under Coach Jack Rose. The Tigers almost grabbed a third in 1990 under Coach Lee Owens. Unfortunately, an incomplete pass on fourth down was ruled a catch and the Crusaders scored the winning points on the very next play with just seconds left. This game is a chance for Massillon to make a statement about this year’s team, while Moeller can use a victory as a springboard to another successful campaign.
Canton McKinley at Mentor – The Bulldogs will play in a hostile environment for the first of six road games. Last year McKinley finished 8-5, with a 49-7 loss to the Cardinals (5-6), while working under a new coaching staff and system. But this Bulldog team is expected to be much improved. So, this time around the game may be much closer, if not go the other way.
Toledo Central Catholic at Lakewood St. Edward – Last year the Eagles (15-1) bested the Irish (11-3), 33-10. Can Central make a game of it this year and perhaps find that elusive signature win?
Springfield at Cleveland St. Ignatius – Springfield (13-2) got off to a fine start last year by defeating the Wildcats (8-5), 24-20. Then, they nearly ran the table, losing by one point to Miamisburg and 23-13 to St. Edward in the state finals.
Cincinnati St. Xavier at Lakota West – St. X has been dominating the Greater Catholic League of late, while West has been the force in the Greater Miami Conference. Last year these two met in the regular season opener and the Bombers (10-3) came out on top of their 11-2 opponent, 31-14. But in the playoffs, West turned the tables with a 12-2 victory, only to lose to Moeller 21-17 the following week.
Cincinnati LaSalle at Cincinnati Colerain – Both teams struggled through their seasons last year, with LaSalle finishing 7-6 and Colerain, 5-6. But this year is a chance for both teams to right the ship. Colerain hopes to reverse a 20-14 setback from last year.
Cincinnati Elder at Covington Catholic, KY – Last season the Panthers (6-6) defeated Covington (7-3), 28-6. But this time the game is in Kentucky.
Walsh Jesuit at Cleveland Benedictine – It took two overtimes last year to find a winner, with the Bennies (8-3) coming out on top of the Warriors (11-3), 35-34. Will this one be more of the same?
Other Games to Keep an Eye On:
History 
Jim Letcavits – Wall of ChampionsJim Letcavits, like most Wall of Champions inductees, distinguished himself as both an outstanding player and as a coach of young men. But what sets him apart from other inductees is that he always maintained his roots in Massillon and returned to his hometown right after wrapping up his professional playing career. There he became an assistant coach for the Tigers, a position he held for 27 years. In 1998, he was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Letcavits was born in Massillon on December 1, 1935, and joined the Massillon Tiger football team as a sophomore in 1951. There he played offensive end, defensive end and punter under Head Coach Chuck Mather. He also shared in the successes of those years, with his teams compiling a record of 29-1 and capturing three state and two national championships.
As a senior, Letcavits caught four touchdown passes from his split end position, including a 44-yarder against Canton McKinley in a 48-7 rout. Although he didn’t carry a large frame for football, he excelled, nonetheless. “He only weighed 160 pounds, but he was a very competitive player,” said Dave Putts, Letcavits’ position coach at Massillon. “He used his speed and was a very good receiver.” (1)
As an award for his outstanding performance, he was named 1st Team All-Ohio offensive end. The 3-sport letter-winner was also the Most Valuable Player in the Ohio North-South All-Star Football Game, which was played the following summer.
After high school Letcavits accepted a football scholarship to play for the University of Kansas, under new Head Coach Chuck Mather, who had departed Massillon following the 1953 season. There he played tight end, while completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education. “Jim was such a great player for me all through high school and college,” Mather said. “He seldom made mistakes. He was a football coach’s dream.” (1) As such, he was named All-Big Eight in 1956 and 1957.
1957 University of Kansas Football Team
The next stop was professional football. But he needed to choose between the NFL and the Canadian Football League, ultimately selecting the Edmonton Eskimos, where he played five seasons as a tight end and punter. “I thought I had a better chance to play if I went to Canada.” Letcavits said. “I really wasn’t that big. It was something new, and I made some great friends up there.” (1) Four times his team won second place.
With his playing career coming to an end, Letcavits returned to the local area in 1964 and was hired by Jackson as an assistant coach. But in 1969 he was lured away by new Massillon Head Coach Bob Commings. “When he came home during the offseason, he always was a substitute teacher,” Nancy (Jim’s wife) said. “When Bob Commings came here, he interviewed, and Bob Commings hired him on the spot.” (1) And the following year he became part of Massillon’s last state championship team.
Commings left after five seasons, but Letcavits stayed on and ended up coaching in Tigertown for 27 years, until 1995, while serving under six different head coaches. During that time, the Tigers compiled a record of 221-64-5, including nine playoff appearances during a time of limited team qualifications. In 1980 and 1982 Massillon reached the state championship game.
Letcavits was also the head track and field coach during that span. His best years came in 1983, when his team placed third in the state, and 1984, when they placed fifth.
He also served as Athletic Director in 1985 during the transition from Mike Currence to John Moronto. Meanwhile, his primary high school assignment was Coordinator for the Occupational Work Experience Lab.
Outside of Massillon he was president of the Stark County Coaches Association for two years and was later inducted into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.
Letcavits was married to Nancy, and they were the parents of four children. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2004 and died in Massillon on February 3, 2015, at the age of 77. Today, his memory is honored by “Team Tiger,” a group of Massillon residents that participate in the annual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk.
