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Week 8 Computer Poll Projection

Week 8 Computer Poll Projection

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

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

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

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

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

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

Massillon (6-2) – 60.2 – 29.43 pts.

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

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

Big Walnut (7-1) – 32.3 – 28.05 pts.

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

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

Ashland (8-0) – 28.7 – 25.96 pts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

The remaining nine teams would finish as follows:

8. Columbus Northland

9. Westerville South

10. Columbus St. Charles

11. New Albany

12. Massillon Perry

13. Columbus Briggs

14. Licking Heights

15. Worthington Kilbourne

16. Woooster

 

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2024 Booster Club Report – Week 8 – Post-Legacy…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 8 – Post-Legacy Sport; Preview of the Warren Harding Game

Massillon (6-2) defeated Legacy School of Sport Sciences, a team from Spring, Texas (3-4), 41-0.  It was historical win No. 954.  This week Massillon travels to Warren Harding (6-2).

Link to the Legacy Sport Game Story

Link to the Legacy Sport Game Statistics

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (3-5): Lost to Canton, 14-8.  Season finished.
  • 8th Grade (6-2): Lost to Canton, 30-0.  Season finished.
  • Freshmen (3-5): Lost to Akron Hoban, 35-8.  Plays home against Warren Harding on Thursday, October 17, at 6:00 pm.
  • Junior Varsity (3-1-2): The game against Ironton was canceled.  Plays home against Warren Harding on  Saturday, October 18, at 10:00 am.

Review of the Legacy Sport game

Massillon used a devastating running attack along with a crushing defense to shut down Legacy School of Sport Sciences, 41-0.  Ja’Meir Gamble had a career night, rushing 15 times for 290 yards and five touchdowns.  His 290 yards is 3rd in the Tiger record book, while his 19.0 yards per carry is second.  Meanwhile, the defense held the Titans to just 41 yards rushing and twice turned the opponent away scoreless in the red zone.  Tyler Hackenbracht recorded nine tackles, while Mylen Lenix had seven, along with 2.5 quarterback sacks and 4.5 tackles-for-loss.  Unfortunately, the game was marred by 25 penalties, fifteen by Massillon and ten by Legacy.

“We had a lot of great things on the field,” said Tiger head coach Nate Moore.  “Our defense played really, really well.  They (Legacy) had three really good receivers.  But we really made the quarterback uncomfortable.  The offensive line had their best game of the year. They executed really well.”  That, he said, was what led to Gamble’s big night.  He also mentioned that Tyler Hackenbracht showed great effort punting, with his two kicks going 64 and 48 yards.  Finally, he singled out the play of inside linebacker Logan Allman, whom he said had his best game of the year.  He played more physical.

The guest players were offensive tackle Nolan Davenport and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr.  Davenport said it was a good night for the offense, also noting that Ja’Meir had a great game.  “We’re trying to get better this week,” he added.

Warren Harding Scouting Report

Harding enters the game with a fine 6-2 record, although none of the six wins were against strong competition.  Their season to date:

  • Canton McKinley (6-2): 19-26 L
  • Akron Buchtel (3-5): 20-18
  • Massillon Perry (3-5): 15-9
  • Akron St. Vincent (1-7): 26-0
  • Youngstown Ursuline (7-1): 0-35 L
  • Solon (2-6): 24-0
  • Boardman (5-3): 19-14
  • Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (2-6): 20-6

Last season Warren finished with a 5-7 record, including a 48-14 loss to Massillon, and lost in the second round of the playoffs to Hudson, 24-21.  Their 5-year record is 25-29 and they qualified for the playoffs four times in that span.  The series with Warren is the Tigers’ second longest and stands at  60-25-3 in favor of Massillon.  The Tigers have also won the last eight meetings.

Moore liked that Massillon is playing an Ohio team this week.  “It’s like being in the playoffs,” he remarked.  “It will feel strange to have someone familiar.  It’s been a strange schedule.”

The Warren offense, which returns three starters, operates out of both the spread and pro formations with multiple 12 and 21 personnel.  The focus is on senior quarterback Chaz Coleman (6′-5″, 230).  He is a 3-star recruit with an offer from Penn State, among others.  Against Massillon last year he completed 9 of 20 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns.  This season he has completed 34 of 54 passes (63%) for 411 yards and four TDs and, as also the leading ball carrier, rushing 103 times for 500 yards (4.9 ave.) and five scores.  “He is a good thrower, really good runner,”  said Moore.  A lot of called quartertback runs.  Wright said that the game plan is the same as last week; i.e., get after the quarterback.  Look for a lot of power reads,  iso and draw plays.  At times Harding will insert the backup quarterback and Coleman will line up at wide receiver.

The running back is senior B.J. Coleman (5′-1-“, 200).  He hits the hole hard and is a good runner, according to Moore.   The most targeted receiver when Coleman is not at QB is Marcus Crum, who has caught 18 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns.  Also keep an eye on senior Airiz Coleman-Bey (5′-10″, 165).  Two of  their lineman have shown good football prowess, including senior Kenneth Byrd (6′-1″, 249) and senior Anthony Simpson (6′-2″, 265).

This is a much improved offense from earlier in the season.  They want to power it up the middle, but will use their speed at times to get to the edges with jet sweeps and screens.  They will also test the secondary with deep throws.  Per game, Warren averages 168 yards rushing (4.8 ave.) and 70 passing for a total of 238 (5.1 ave.).  Their run/pass ratio is 75%.

The 3-4, cover-4 defense returns five starters, including Chaz Coleman, who has also been pressed into also playing defense this year.  But it also comes as no surprise that he is their best defender.  He lines up at outside linebacker and will be standing upright on the edge of the line for most plays.  Watch for his spin move on the pass rush to defeat blocks.  Coleman has been in on 53 tackles, including 13 tackles-for-loss, five quarterback sacks and three pass interceptions.  Junior inside linebacker Rai’Twan Hill (5′-9″, 195) leads the team with 65 tackles.  He plays bigger than he is and is a good tackler.  He is also the primary blitzer.  Linebacker mate Junior Tyler Smith (6′-0”, 200) has recorded 33 tackles.  He is very good at filling holes and tackling.  Both of the offensive lineman mentioned above also start on the defensive line, where they appear to be much more effective.

Go Tigers!

 

 

 

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Massillon Shuts Down Legacy Sports from Texas

Massillon Shuts Down Legacy Sports from Texas

Game Statistics

Each week at the Booster Club meeting Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore distributes to the members a detailed scouting report on the upcoming opponent.  For Legacy School of Sport Sciences it showed that the Titans had a boatload of Division 1 athletes on offense, but was a bit lacking on defense, particularly in the front seven.  So, he firmly believed that the Tigers could have some success running the ball.  And that they did, to the tune of 385 yards.  Coming up big in that category was running back Ja’Meir Gamble, who had a career day, rushing for 290 yards on just 15 carries.  He also scored five touchdowns.  In addition, the defense had another fine outing, particularly against the run, holding the visitors to just 41 yards on the ground.

The Tigers led 21-0 at the half and 34-0 at the end of the third enroute to a 41-0 victory.  A running clock was in effect for the entire fourth quarter.  With the win the Tigers have improved their record to 6-2, while averaging 34 points per game and giving up 13.  In their six wins they have averaged 40 points per game, while giving up 9.

Massillon On Offense

Ja’Meir Gamble

Gamble, who runs a blistering 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash, scored three touchdowns in the first half on runs of 22, 24 and 34 yards.  He then added a couple more in the second half on runs of 68 and 77 yards.  Once he gets into the secondary, he is a hard player to stop.  Gamble has a tendency to bounce his runs to the outside and was effective doing that in this game.  But the offensive line was also able to exploit their counterparts on many long runs, with the defensive end on Massillon left side lining up wide to aid his pass rush.  So, guard Michael Looney and tackle Nolan Davenport took full advantage, opening gaping holes for Gamble.

In the passing game, quarterback Jalen Slaughter was under duress most of the night for his few passes, owing to a strong pass rush by the Titan front-4.  However, he did manage to complete 6 of 9 passes for 99 yards, including a 41-yarder to a wide open Ricardo Wells Jr. on a 3rd and 20 and a 33-yarder to a well-covered Braylyn Toles.  But the remaining passes were of the short yardage variety, as Legacy played very good man-to-man coverage with their cover-1 alignment, taking the deep routes mostly away.

In the fourth quarter running back Peytton Mitchell finally got some meaningful carries, rushing 4 times for 17 yards, including a nifty run 12-yard run to the one, followed by the TD.

Legacy On Offense

The Titans were led by 6’-4” Keisean Henderson, who is rated as the top junior quarterback in Texas and has committed to play next year for the Houston Cougars.  In the first half he completed 14 of 19 passes for 109 yards, but all of the completions were for short yardage.  In the second half he was just 3 of 8 for 13 yards.  He was also pressured the entire night by blitzing Tiger linebackers, who managed to get to him three times for sacks.  Wide receiver Michael Brown, who has an offer from Ohio State, caught six of the passes for 55 yards.  But two passes were picked off; one by Daylan Pringle and one by Braylon Gamble.  And  Lucas Shertzer recovered a fumble when Henderson mishandled a snap.

Meanwhile, the running attack gained just 41 yards and averaged just 1.9 yards per attempt.  Of course, the sack yardage figured into this number.  The Tigers recorded nine tackles-for-loss for the night.  The one consistent bright spot for the Titan offense was running back Landon Binford, who carried the ball 13 times for 71 yards (5.5 ave.).

Special Teams

Tyler Hackenbracht

Mateo Herrera handled all of the kicking duties and did a great job of moving his kickoffs around the field.  However, his long streak of 54 consecutive extra points came to an end.  On the punting end, Tyler Hackenbracht only had two attempts, but made the most of them with boots of 64 and 48 yards.

The Record Book

Gamble’s 290 yards now occupies the third spot in the single game rushing category, behind Willtrell Hartson’s 324 against Westerville South in 2020 and Travis McGuire’s 302 against Canton McKinley in 1991.  His 19.0 yards per carry average occupies the second spot, behind Mike Mauger’s 20.0 ave. against Cleveland Benedictine in 1970.

Mylen Lenix’s 2.5 quarterback sacks enters the fifth position in that category.

Unfortunately, Hackenbracht’s 64-yard punt was just one yard shy of the Top Ten.

The Penalties

The one glaring downside to the game was the number of penalties.  A total of 25 were dropped: fifteen on Massillon ten and Legacy.  So, the head coaches were in the faces of the referees throughout the contest, causing several delays.  But most of the flags were probably deserved, with the Tigers penalized eight times for five yards, three times for ten yards and four times for fifteen yards.  They were also off-sides on every kickoff, but fortunately were called on that only once.

Next Game

Next week Massillon (6-2) will travel to Warren (6-2) for a renewal of that long rivalry.  Legacy (3-4) will hit the road again, this time to LaPlace, Louisiana, to face St. Charles Catholic (1-4).

Go Tigers!

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

Tyler Hackenbracht returns the opening kickoff; Savior Owens (25); Francesco Salvino (63).

Ja’Meir Gamble is halted by the referee!

Ja’Meir Gamble (21).

Blocked punt attempt by Ja’Dyn Williams (9), Mylen Lenix (5) and Vito McConnell (3).

Jacques Carter is stopped on the tag screen play.

Lennox Lemon breaks up a potential touchdown pass.

Legacy player Omari McNeil (14) loses his hat against the bigger Nolan Davenport (61); Jacques Carter (7).

Ja’Meir Gamble enroute to the end zone for one of his five touchdowns.

Ja’Meir Gamble is congratulated by Michael Looney (75); Deangelo Zimmerman (4).

Peytton Mitchelll (32) scores for the Tigers; Camden Lynch (12); Mandwell Patterson is in the background.

Pass breakup.

Savior Owens (25) tries his luck around end; Andre Robinson (62); Mandwell Patterson is in background.

Editorial

Week 7 Computer Poll Projection

Week 7 Computer Poll Projection

With three weeks to go in the regular season we are now in the home stretch.  A look at the current computer poll for Division II, Region 7 shows that the Top 7 teams have separated themselves from the remainder of the field.  And those seven teams should finish as a group, but not necessarily in the order they are at present.  While most of the remaining games for these teams have clear favorites identified, per Calpreps.com, there are still a couple of potentially close games that could affect the order.  Specifically, Big Walnut vs. Columbus Westland and Canal Winchester vs. Groveport Madison.

As it stands right now, barring upsets Massillon should find itself in the No. 3 position at the end.

Below is a detailed look at each of the seven teams, along with their win/loss records to date and the current Calpreps.com ratings (note: the ratings shown in parentheses are negative numbers):

Columbus Walnut Ridge (7-0) – 7.1

  • Columbus Eastmoor (4-3) – (9.4)
  • Columbus Briggs (4-3) – (5.2)
  • Columbus Independence (3-4) – (18.7)

Opponent W/L record: 11-10; favorite in all remaining games; currently No. 2; should finish No. 1.

Big Walnut (6-1) – 29.6

  • Westerville North (4-3) – 20.9
  • Dublin Scioto (1-6) – (7.9)
  • Columbus Westland (6-1) – 24.1

Opponent W/L record: 11-10; favorite in all remaining games; currently No. 1; should finish No. 2; however, a loss to Westland would drop them to No. 4.

Massillon (5-2) – 58.1

  • Legacy School of Sport Sciences (3-3) – 30.9
  • Warren Harding (5-2) – 24.7
  • Canton McKinley (5-2) – 33.9

Opponent W/L record: 13-6; favorite in all remaining games; currently No. 7; should finish No. 2, benefiting from the win/loss records of the remaining opponents.

Ashland (7-0) – 24.0

  • West Holmes (4-3) – 6.4
  • Wooster (1-6) – (10.5)
  • Lexington (4-3) – 5.6

Opponent W/L record: 9-12; favorite in all remaining games; currently No. 5; should finish No. 4.

Columbus DeSales (6-1) – 26.2

  • KIPP Columbus (1-6) – (12.8)
  • Cincinnati Northwest (1-6) – (17.6)
  • Columbus Watterson (7-0) – 44.6

Opponent W/L record: 9-12; favorite in the next two games; underdog to Watterson; currently No. 3; should finish No. 5; a win over Watterson would move them ahead of Massillon to No. 3.

Teays Valley (5-2) – 18.5

  • Newark (4-3) – 4.0
  • Pickerington Central (5-2) – 29.9
  • Logan (1-6) – (13.2)
  • Opponent W/L record: 10-11; favorite in Weeks 8 and 10; underdog to Pickerington Central; currently No. 4; should finish No. 6.

 Canal Winchester (5-2) – 20.8

  • Logan (1-6) – (13.2)
  • Lancaster (3-4) – 0.0
  • Groveport Madison (4-3) – 21.1
  • Opponent W/L record: 8-13; favorite in the next two games; underdog to Groveport; currently No. 6; should finish No. 7; a win over Groveport would keep them at No. 7.

 

News

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 7 – Post-Football…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 7 – Post-Football North; Preview of the Legacy Game

Massillon (5-2) defeated Football North (Clarkson), ONT (4-2), 45-6.  It was also historical win No. 953.  This week Massillon hosts Legacy School of Sports Sciences (3-3), from  Texas.

Link to the Football North Game Story

Link to the Football North Game Statistics

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (3-4): Lost to Austintown, 28-14.  Plays home (PBTS) against Canton Tuesday, October 8, at 6:00 pm.
  • 8th Grade (6-1): Defeated Austintown, 32-18.  Plays home against Canton on Wednesday, October 9, at 6:00 pm.
  • Freshmen (3-4): Lost to Cleveland Glenville, 40-6.  Plays home against Akron Hoban on Thursday, October 10, at 6:00 pm.
  • Junior Varsity (3-1-2): Tied Cleveland Glenville, 22-22.  Plays home against Ironton on  Saturday, October 11, at 1:00 pm.

Review of the Football North game

Football North, a high school all-star team from Ontario, certainly had the size, speed and coaching to compete with most teams in the U.S.  But Massillon is on a different level than the five teams they played previously.  And in this match-up they couldn’t stop the Tigers’ big-play offense, nor run effectively against the its stout defense.  As a result, they trailed 31-6 at the half and eventually lost the game, 45-6, with a running clock in effect for nearly the entire second half.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter had another great night, completing 8 of 12 passes for a whopping 205 yards and a pair touchdowns, while mixing those passes among six different receivers.  His 13.1 yards per pass attempt enters the Massillon Records Top 10 for that category, as does the team’s 11.5 yards per play.  On defense, inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams was simply a monster, coming up with seven solo tackles and two assists.  He also caused a fumble.

The guest players were offensive lineman Chris Fair and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr.  “Both of these guys played really well,” said Tiger head coach Nate Moore.  “The offense had its best game of the year.  The defensive played really well.  The Canadian team was as a good football team.  Big up front.  Good skill players.”  Moore said the defense got after the quarterback and that was a big factor in the win.  “I’m really proud of these guys,” he added.

Legacy Scouting Report

Legacy School of Sports Science is located in Spring, Texas, which is a suburb of Houston.  The trip to Massillon will be the farthest they have ever traveled for a game.  Legacy is a state accredited charter elementary/secondary school that serves grades six through twelve and focuses on both sports and education, while intertwining the two in the course curriculum.  It would be similar to the football-focused NFL Academy-London, which the Tigers played in Oregon this year.  To date, they have a record of 3-3, including a 2-point loss and an overtime loss.

“This team has some really good pieces, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” said Moore.  The quarterback is rated as the No. 1 junior in Texas and is the best QB the Tigers have seen this year, according to the coach.  There are two great receivers.  One offensive lineman has an offer from Texas A&M.  “It’s a good team,” Moore stated.  “Top 500 in the country.  Top 100 in Texas.  They score a ton of points.”

The offense aligns mostly in 10 personnel (one split end with everyone else tight) in their spread offense.  They want to throw the ball first, especially trying for the big play.  But don’t sleep in the running back, who has breakaway speed.  The offensive line is huge, averaging 6′-2″, 314 lbs.  On run plays they prefer zone read.  The best players are:

  • Junior quarterback Keisean Henderson (6′-4″, 185); 4-star recruit; committed to the University of Houston; can throw with great accuracy; has a big arm; scramble threat to run, but he wants to throw the ball first.
  • Junior running back Landon Binford (5′-10″, 190); hits the hole hard; good speed; screen pass target.
  • Junior wide receiver Michael Brown (6′-1″, 175); 3-star recruit; Ohio State offer; favorite target; quick change of direction; good  hands.
  • Senior wide receiver Joseph Smith (6′-0″, 170); 3-star recruit; Arizona State commit; deep threat.
  • Senior wide receiver Kameron Williams (5′-11″, 170); deep threat; good speed.
  • Senior offensive center Joshua Moses (6′-3″, 315); 3-star recruit; Texas A&M commit; best offensive lineman; one of the best centers Massillon has seen this year.

The defense mostly aligns in a 4-2 with cover-1.  But they sometimes shift into a 5-down alignment on short yardage.  They also at times will use cover-4 in the secondary.  Like the offense, this side of the ball also has some good players.

  • Senior defensive end Jayvon Dean (6′-1″, 260); best defensive lineman; explosive off the ball; plays strong and fast; lines up wide off the edge.
  • Senior outside linebacker Mexhi Campbell (6′-1″, 200); Air Force commit.
  • Senior cornerback Joseph Smith (6′-0″, 170); plays wide receiver on offense; best secondary player on defense; covers well and tackles well in open space.

“It’s another great test for the defensive line,” said Wright.  “They have a big line.

“They have a couple of good defensive lineman,” added Fair.  “They are big.  We’re working on our tempo in order to run plays quicker.”

Go Tigers.

 

 

3 receiving targets – 1, 4, 7

 

 

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Tigers Overwhelm Canada’s Football North with Big-Play Offense

Tigers Overwhelm Canada’s Football North with Big-Play Offense

Game Statistics

Massillon (5-2) returned to its winning ways with a 45-6 rout of visiting Football North (Clarkson) (4-2), a team that hails from Toronto suburb Mississauga, Ontario.  The Tigers used a balanced attack in scoring early and often and took the game into a running clock situation with their first touchdown of the second half.

North is not your typical Canadian team.  Rather, they are an all-star group of Ontario-area athletes that participates in a league comprised of U.S.  teams.  In fact, they play exclusively American teams and are trained to play American-style football, similar to that of the NFL Academy-London.  They have a huge offensive line, a very aggressive defensive line, multiple speed players and quarterbacks with big arms that are adept at finding open receivers.

Jalen Slaughter

But Massillon was clearly the better team in this encounter, rolling up 415 yards of offense, while holding North to just 49 yards on the ground.  On offense the 3-headed backfield monster of Ja’Meir Gamble, Mylen Lenix and Peyton Mitchell combined for 146 rushing yards, 46 receiving yards and a touchdown.  Even Big Mike Wright Jr. got into the action with 24 rushing yards and a score.  In the air, Jalen Slaughter had another great night, completing 8 of 12 passes for a whopping 205 yards and a pair touchdowns.  And he mixed those passes among six different receivers.  He was also adept at avoiding a ferocious pass rush from North’s four down lineman.  On defense, inside linebacker Ja’Dyn Williams was simply a monster, coming up with seven solo tackles and two assists.  In addition, Tyler Hackenbracht was all over the field, as he recorded four solos, three assists and a pass interception.

With little yardage available on the ground, North went to the air with two signal callers.  Winston Chapman completed 7 of 11 for 110 yards and a touchdown, that coming on a 77-yard bomb on the second possession of the game.  On the receiving end of that score was Lucas Weir, who also caught four other balls.  Quarterback Jacob Mueller added 47 yards on an 8 of 19 effort.  But it was still a struggle, since in passing situations linebackers Williams and Logan Allman were coming hard and flew through the big North line.  Although the QBs were only sacked twice, they were severely pressured and often took hard beatings on hits just after pass releases.

On North’s first possession they elected to go for it on a 4th and 1 at their own 31.  Only, while attempting to sweep the right end, the running back was stuffed in the backfield by a hard rushing Tiger defense, led by Lenix.  After that, it took Massillon just four plays to cover the necessary yards, with Wright “speeding” around the left side for an 8-yard score.  It was on North’s subsequent possession that they hit the big pass play, only to have the PAT attempt blocked.

The Tigers came right back, but the 11-play drive ended a bit short.  Mateo Herrera then enter the game and, with Francesco Salvino snapping and Savior Owens holding in perfect execution, easily drilled a 20-yard field goal, upping the score to 10-6.

Deontay Malone

Massillon tallied three times in the second quarter to essentially put the game away.  The first was on a 64-yard burst through the middle of the North line by Lenix, who outraced three defenders to the end zone.  The second was a 22-yard pass from Slaughter to Deontay Malone, who eluded the defender and found himself  wide open and standing in the end zone waiting on the ball.  The third score came with just 43 seconds on the clock when Slaughter threw another long pass to Malone, who caught the ball at the five and finished the play for a 44-yard TD.  So, the Tigers took a 31-6 lead into the locker room.

Massillon got the ball in the third quarter and Slaughter immediately threw long to a wide-open Jacques Carter for a 73-yard score.  And that was it for the first unit.  Six touchdowns, one field goal and only a single punt.

But the second unit also wanted a piece.  First, quarterback Mandwell Patterson launched a bomb to a well-covered Richard Harris, who executed a back shoulder catch to the delight of the crowd.  Patterson finished it on the next play with a lob pass in the corner of the end zone to Gio Jackson Jr. for his first of many varsity touchdowns to come, making the final score 45-6.

Massillon will be at home again next week when they face Legacy School of Sports Science, from Texas.  Football North will travel to Lakewood St. Edward.

Go Tigers!

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

Jordan Jones (58)

Vito McConnell (3), Mylen Lenix (5), Jalen Pringle (6), Logan Allman (13) and Ja’Dyn Williams (9) following the 4th down stop.

Peyton Mitchell after the catch.

Ja’Meir Gamble tries to elude a pair of tackles.

Gavin Kappes (57)

Ricardo Wells Jr. (11)

Mylen Lenix enroute to a 73-yard score.

Deontay Malone with his first touchdown.

Braylon Gamble with the near interception.

Maxwell Tanner (67), Tyler Hackenbracht (24), Michael Looney (75), Coach J.P. Simon, Gavin Kappes (57), Ayden McElroy (79), Van Hawkins (29) and Reymir Jackson (81).

Vito McConnell celebrates the victory.

Editorial

Week 6 Computer Poll Projection

Week 6 Computer Poll Projection

The Harbin Computer Poll is used to select and seed Ohio high school football teams for post-season play.  Teams are distributed among seven different championship divisions based on enrollment, with each division divided into four regions.  In the largest division teams are assigned a value of 6.5, whereas in the smallest it is 3.5, with the values in the remaining divisions graduated between.  Computer points are thereby earned through direct victories and through victories attained by defeated opponents.  No points are awarded for losses.  Currently, sixteen teams qualify for the playoffs in each region, with the Top 8 teams earning a home game in the first round.  Top 4 teams can also earn a second home game with a first-round win.

Massillon is currently in 8th place in Division 2, Region 7, having compiled a record of 4-2.  Not a great placement at this time for a team that traditionally leads the field.  But it’s best to look at it from a full season perspective.  Of course, this would involve predicting the winners of the remaining games.  Fortunately, Drew Pasteur’s Ohio Fantastic 50 does a good job of this, as does Calpreps.com.

After meticulously calculating the numbers for all potential qualifiers, it appears that should the Tigers win their final four games they will finish in fifth place, behind Columbus Walnut Ridge, Big Walnut, Ashland and Teays Valley.  Indeed, Harbin can pick the top teams, but it sure can’t seed them properly.  Nevertheless, a 5th place finish earns just one home game.  The next game would be at the home field of the No. 4 team, presuming they win their opening game, with the following two games on neutral fields, unless the OHSAA decides to add a third home game this year, which is the rumor.

The problem with Massillon’s placement stems not from their expected final winning percentage (.800) nor lack of high-level competition (Bergen Catholic, Canisius, Lakewood St. Edward and DeMatha Catholic), but from the opponents.  And as long as Harbin fails to incorporate a strength-of-schedule component into their program, this problem will continue to exist.  Regarding the opponents, here are the issues:

  • Canton GlenOak – They will most likely finish with a 1-9 record, not too much different than taking a loss.
  • Lakewood St. Edward – They have the potential to finish 5-5, with future games against Cincinnati Moeller and Akron Hoban. This was not as expected for the 3-team defending Division I state champions.
  • Football North – They have been classified as Division IV. Therefore, every non-Ohio school they defeat is also classified as Division IV.
  • Legacy School of Sports Science – Based on their enrollment, they will most likely be classified as Division V, as will all of their opponents.
  • That leaves just Canisius, Warren Harding and Canton McKinley to provide the bulk of the points. The Tigers will receive an average of all points earned for the NFL Academy-London game.

So, based on the predicted results at this moment in time of all potential qualifiers, Massillon would host Perry in a first-round game.  No. 4 Teays Valley is expected to defeat No. 13 Licking Heights and would therefore host the next game vs. the Tigers (assuming they lose in Week 9 to Pickerington Central; if they win, it would be Ashland).  It should be noted that Teays Valley’s stadium seats a paltry 3,300 fans.  In the third round Massillon could be matched up with Canal Winchester and in the fourth Big Walnut, both familiar opponents.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season winds down.

History

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 6 – Post-DeMatha…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 6 – Post-DeMatha Catholic; Preview of the Football North Game

Massillon (4-2) lost to nationally-ranked DeMatha Catholic, MD (3-1), 20-14.  This week Massillon hosts Football North (Clarkson) (4-1).

Link to the DeMatha Game Story

Link to the DeMatha Game Statistics

Other scores:

  • 7th Grade (3-3): Lost to Brunswick, 44-20.  Plays home to Austintown Fitch on Wednesday, October 2, at 6:00 pm.
  • 8th Grade (5-1): Defeated Memorial (South Euclid/Lyndhurst), 16-14.  Plays home to Austintown Fitch on Wednesday, October 2, at 7:30.
  • Freshmen (3-3): Defeated Gilmour Academy JV, 14-7.  Plays home to Cleveland Glenville (JV?) on Thursday, October 3, at 6:30 pm.
  • Junior Varsity (3-1-1): The Uniontown Lake was canceled.  Plays home to Cleveland Glenville on  Saturday, October 5, at 10:00 am.

Review of the DeMatha game

Michael Wright Jr

In a matchup of two nationally ranked high school football teams, parochial school power DeMatha Catholic (3-1) came out on top of Massillon (4-2) 20-14 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Simply put, although the Tigers played to their capabilities, the Stag were bigger, stronger and faster, and they used those assets to control the game from start to finish.  The Stag also took advantage of a short field on three of their four scores.  But the Tiger defense never quit and kept the game score under control.

“Obviously, we didn’t like taking the loss,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore.  “Our defense played incredibly.  They stood tall.  Mike Wright had a great game.  We were right there with a chance to win at the end.”

The guest players were defensive back Tyler Hackenbracht and defensive lineman Michael Wright Jr.  “They had a lot of really good skill players,” said Hackenbracht.  “But we kept going.  We  kept coming back.  That shows our improvement.”  Wright added that the defense “really showed up.”  He said that the defense could have given up.  But they didn’t.

Football North Scouting Report

Football North, which is affiliated with Clarkson Secondary School, is located in Mississauga, Ontario, just west of Toronto.  Their goal is to educate students while also focusing on American-style football in order to create academic/athletic opportunities at American universities.  As such, they play exclusively American competition.  They are also a member of the East Coast Power Prep League, along with Life Christian Academy (VA), Mt. Zion Prep (MD), St. Francis Regional (MD) and Virginia Academy (VA).  They currently have a 4-1 record, as shown below:

  • Impotep Charter, PA – Lost 38-20
  • Life Christian Academy – Won 36-6
  • Virginia Academy – Won 41-13
  • Mt. Zion Prep – Won 50-0
  • Ironton – Won 28-27

Last year the Chargers finished with a record of 3-3, with a 35-15 loss to Lakewood St. Edward and a 24-21 loss to Cleveland St. Ignatius.  In 2022 they defeated Mentor, while losing to Akron Hoban, St. Edward and St. Ignatius.  They also have a 5-year record of 9-21.  Massillon has never played Football North.

This is not your typical Canadian team, one that would lose 50-0.  Think of them as Ontario’s all-star team and they are good enough to defeat most American football teams.  They play fast and physical and correct mistakes from the previous weeks.  “They’re big.  Maybe, the biggest line we’ve seen all year.  They have good skill with speed.  A good quarterback.  He does a nice job of running the offense.”

The offense aligns in 10 and 11 personnel (one or two wide receivers).  They run plays similar to the Tigers, although there is an element of rawness to the unit.  Nevertheless, they are all good players, both on the line and in the skill positions.

It starts with the offensive line, which appears to be the strength on that side of the ball.  Behind that beef, North tries to establish the run first.  Afterwords, they aim to get the ball to their receivers in space, using primarily tag screens and corner routes.  But they are also not shy about chucking it deep.  Below is a breakdown of the offensive line:

  • Senior left tackle Dejan Guzina (6′-7″, 354); 2-star recruit; University of Maine offer; massive and mean.
  • Senior left guard Tamarley Smith (6′-5″, 295); 3-star recruit; Eastern Michigan commit; huge body.
  • Senior center Owen Taylor (6′-4″, 290); Mercyhurst offer.
  • Sophomore right guard Matteo Capilongo (6′-2″, 285); 2-star recruit.
  • Junior right tackle Owen Richardson (6′-6″, 280); University of Maine offer.

The quarterback is senior Winston Chapman (5′-10″, 195).  He can pass and run equally well, often in set pieces.  Consider him a run threat.  But he can also throw into tight windows.  So it will imperative to get pressure on him.  Behind the QB is senior running back Lucas Shannon (5′-11″, 210).  Moore calls him a “bruiser.”  He has good vision and will get vertical.  All of the receivers have good size and speed.

The defense aligns mostly in an even front, with 4-2 and 4-3 looks.  The secondary utilized a lot of cover-4, with some cover-2 and man-to-man mixed in.  Often, they will walk down a linebacker and present a 5-1 look.  The line has good size, averaging 6′-2″, 240 lbs.  The best player in this group is sophomore Graham Harburn-Welburn (6′-2″, 240).  He is quick off the ball and gets off blocks.  He also has a big motor.  Senior inside linebacker Brock Schaubel (6′-1″, 205) is also very good.  He can shed blocks and make plays.  Senior strong safety Kash Grewal (6′-1″, 185) is perhaps, according to Moore, the most athletic player in the secondary.  He has great speed and drives on the ball.  He also holds an offer from Maine.

The game does not count in the Harbin System.  As such, the Tigers will receive an average of the total season points earned.

Go Tigers!

 

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2024: Massillon 14, DeMatha Catholic, MD 20

Massillon Edged by Maryland’s DeMatha Catholic

Game Statistics

In a matchup of two nationally ranked high school football teams, parochial school power DeMatha Catholic (3-1) came out on top of Massillon (4-2) 20-14 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Simply put, although the Tigers played to their capabilities, the Stag were bigger, stronger and faster, and they used those assets to control the game from start to finish.

When on offense, DeMatha was inclined to hand the ball to 4-star running back Bud Coombs (Maryland), who followed his 295 lb. offensive line to tune of 171 yards and a touchdown in 24 carries.  The Stag also took advantage of a short field on three of their four scores.  But the Tiger defense never quit and kept the game score under control.

DeMatha was equally effective on defense, keying on running back Ja’Meir Gamble the entire night.  Gamble netted just 38 yards in 14 carries.  Quarterback Jalen Slaughter did complete 15 of 25 passes, but for just 104 yards.  He struggled all night to find receivers open against DeMatha’s extremely fast secondary and was left with screen passes and sideline tosses.  It was commendable that the Tiger offense was even able to score.  On a positive note, the Tiger offensive line did a great job against DeMatha’s constant blitzing and surrendered just two quarterback sacks.

DeMatha received the opening kickoff and began at their own 40, owing to a Massillon offsides on the first kickoff attempt and a kick out of bounds on the second.  Following a 5-play, 69-yard drive that stalled at the Tiger 22, Alex Amaya kicked a 39-yard field goal.

Following an exchange of punts, with DeMatha’s punt coming after a 26-yard penalty for intentional grounding, Massillon fumbled on its own 33.  It then took the Stag seven plays to cover the necessary yards for Elijah Lee’s 1-yard touchdown run.  That made the score 10-0.

On the Tigers’ next possession, they were forced to punt from their own 37.  Tyler Hackenbracht is a great punter, but in this game his long punts were a detriment as were going beyond his team’s coverage.  With the speed possessed by the Stag return players it caused serious problems.  In this instant, his 45-yard punt was returned 39 yards to the to the Massillon 43.  From there, hampered by a series of offensive penalties, DeMatha ultimately failed on a 56-yard field attempt.

Finally, starting at their own 22, the Tigers were able to put together a meaningful drive.  Going mostly to the air, they covered the 78 yards in ten plays.  The key plays were a 19-yard pass to Deontay Malone and a 22-yard run by Slaughter, during which he scrambled from the pocket and eluded several tackles on the way to the end zone.  So, at halftime, the score was 10-7.

DeMatha responded in the third quarter when Hackenbracht’s 43-yard punt was returned 74 yards to the Massillon seven.  Two plays later they were in the end zone.  Score: 20-7.  The Tigers did come back with a nice drive a bit later.  Mylen Lenix was inserted at running back and he carried the ball five times for 43 hard gained yards.  But the drive stalled at the Stag 33 with two incomplete passes, followed by a fourth down quarterback sack.

The game might have ended quietly at 20-7, except that with 3-1/2 minutes left the DeMatha punter mishandled a punt snap that gave the Tigers the ball at the six.  Lenix then did the honors from the one.  Subsequently, with 2:43 left, Nolan Hendricks attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by DeMatha, effectively ending the game.

DeMatha led in first downs 15-13, total yards 288-195 and rushing yards 210-91.

The stag might have left a good impression on the Massillon fans based on their superior play, but it was lost in the constant chirping and extracurricular activities following the whistle, something that the referees were disinclined to address.  It also didn’t help that they committed 16 execution penalties.

With the loss, Massillon will now need to focus on winning their final four games in order to grab a favorable ranking in the very flawed Harbin computer poll.  It will begin with a home game next week against Football North (Clarkson), Ontario.  DeMatha will host Life Christian Academy, from Virginia.

Tyler Hackenbracht (24), Marcus Garner (60)

Vito McConnell (3)

Jalen Slaughter (2)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

Ja’Meir Gamble (21), Deontay Malone (80)

Deontay Malone (80)

Andrew Brumfield (51), Mike Looney (75), Ja’Meir Gamble (21)

DaMatha fumbles the punt snap.

Mylen Lenix (5), Michael Wright Jr. (45), Mike Looney (75)

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Massillon Fills Week 8 with Charter School from Texas

Massillon Fills Week 8 with Charter School from Texas

Week No. 8 on the Tiger schedule has been a difficult one to fill and lately fans have resigned themselves to the premise that it would be an open date.  But, after several false starts, it has finally been filled.  The opponent is Legacy School of Sports Sciences, which is located in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston.  This is the first time Massillon has played a team from the Lone Star state.

This is sure to be a unique experience for the players at Legacy, as they have never traveled this far for a game.  Mostly, they compete in Texas, with an occasional game in Louisiana.

Legacy is a state accredited charter elementary/secondary school that serves grades six through twelve and focuses on both sports and education, while intertwining the two in the course curriculum.  It would be similar to the former Cincinnati Academy of Physical Education (CAPE) from back in the 1970s and 80s.  Also similar to the football-focused NFL Academy-London, which the Tigers played in Oregon this year.  And it would have a correlation to Cleveland’s Ginn Academy, while their athletes participate in sports at Cleveland Glenville.

Legacy has a limited capacity in their facility, so they conduct a lottery among those students that desire admission.  No tuition is charged.  They offer a variety of sports, including baseball, basketball, cross country, flag football, scholastic football, soccer, softball and volleyball.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the school this year has 447 students in grades 6 through 12.  Per U.S. News and World Report, 70% are boys, 95% are minority students and 69% are economically disadvantaged.  The student-teacher ratio is 13:1.

Based on the number of students distributed throughout seven grades, the number of boys in the top three grades may be around 190.  That would conceivably place it in Ohio’s Division V for computer playoff calculations.  Therefore, a win over Legacy would net Massillon 4.5 first level points and the same number for each opponent that Legacy defeats throughout the season.

Legacy began playing football in 2018 and has compiled an overall record of 33-25, including 8-1 marks in both 2018 and 2023.  This year they are 1-3, although all three losses were by a touchdown or less.  Calpreps.com has them ranked No. 159 in Texas with a rating of 24.2.  That would place them 18th in Ohio’s Division II.  For comparison purposes, Massillon is rated 64.8 and ranked first in Ohio among all schools.

The Titans do not play in a league.  According to Maxpreps.com, they have 36 players on the roster.

The game is not included in the season ticket packet.  Therefore, tickets for the game must be purchased through the WHS Ticket Office.