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Seven Tiger Players Named WHBC All-County

WHBC will hold their annual awards banquet on Thursday, November 15, at which time their Stark County All-Star team will be announced.  Unlike most all-star teams, this one is voted on by the area coaches.  This year’s honorees from Massillon include Jamir Thomas, Tre’von Morgan, Dean Clark, Aidan Longwell, Deon Williams, Kyshad Mack and Justin Gaddis.  There are certainly others off of this year’s undefeated team deserving of the award, but I guess you can’t select the whole group.  The county MVP and coach of the year will be announced at the banquet.

Jamir Thomas – Running Back.  It was a record-setting year for Thomas as he eclipsed Art Hastings’ mark for total career yards and Bob Glass’ mark for career touchdowns, and he continues to add to his record for career carries.  Through eleven games, Jamir has rushed 207 times for 1,602 yards, an average of 7.7 yards per carry.  In ten of those contests he rushed for 100+ yards.  But the 6′-1″, 215 lbs. Thomas is not limited to just offense, as he also sees time at linebacker.  On that side of the ball, Jamir has recorded 9 solo tackles and 5 assists, and has put great pressure on opposing quarterbacks with his blitzing, including a key 4th quarter stop against East St. Louis, IL.  Thomas has several D1 offers.

Tre’von Morgan – Wide Receiver.  Morgan has had a breakout year at his position with 27 receptions for 502 yards and nine touchdowns.  His longest catch was 72 yards, coming against Sun Valley, PA.  Tre’von also returns punts and is a member of the kickoff team.  Occasionally he finds himself at outside linebacker, where he has eight tackles and a pair of assists.  The 6′-6″ Morgan has several D1 offers.

Dean Clark – Defensive Back.  A Kent State commit, Clark is the quarterback of the Tigers’ outstanding defensive secondary, calling the alignments based on the many different offensive receiver formations.  Through eleven games, Dean is fourth on the team in tackles with 27 solos and 20 assists.  He also has one pass interception, nine pass breakups and eight passes defended.  With spot duty at receiver, Clark has caught three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown.

Aidan Longwell – Quarterback.  Big things were expected from Longwell, this being his second year as a starter and he certainly has produced.  Aidan has completed 116 of 188 passes for 25 TDs with just eight interceptions.  He is also one of the most efficient quarterbacks to ever play for the Tigers, with a rating this  year of 179.7, second highest in the record book.  Aidan has rushed for three touchdowns, including a key score in the first round playoff game against Columbus Walnut Ridge.  Possessed with a rocket arm, the junior currently holds a scholarship from Kent State to play pitcher on the baseball team.

Deon Williams – Offensive Lineman.  Williams is a 3-year starter and has played regularly on both sides of the ball.  On offense he is a key blocker, opening up gaping holes for the running backs, while protecting the quarterback from edge blitzes.  On defense he has also been a stalwart, recording nine tackles and 16 assists.  Expect 261 lb. Williams, who has a scholarship offer from Malone University, to play somewhere at the next level.

Kyshad Mack – LInebacker.  Mack uses his outstanding speed and football prowess to own the wide side of any offense.  Through eleven games, he has recorded 12 solo tackles and 15 assists.  He also leads the team with four pass interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.  Mack holds a scholarship offer from Malone University.

Justin Gaddis – Team Most Valuable Player.  Gaddis anchors a stellar offensive line that has propelled the team to an explosive running attack, while providing great protection for the quarterback.  To date, the offense has rushed for 240.1 yards per game at 6.6 yards per carry.  On many of these plays, while paying at the center position, Justin has called many of the blocking schemes.

Congratulations to all of these worthy Tigers.

Massillon Tigers Letter Logo News

2018 OHSAA Playoffs: Division 2 Region 7 Semi-Final

Massillon Playoff Ticket Information:

The next playoff game will be Friday, November 9th, 2018 at 7:00 PM at Mansfield Arlin Field

All tickets will be general admission @ $8.00 for adults and students.

CASH ONLY/NO PHONE ORDERS/NO ONLINE SALES – ALL SALES WILL BE AT THE WHS TICKET OFFICE.

Tuesday, November 6th: SALES AT WHS TICKET OFFICE FROM 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM FOR SEASON TICKET HOLDERS & TEAM/BAND/CHEERLEADER PARENTS ONLY – SEASON TICKET HOLDERS MUST PRESENT ORANGE PLAYOFF CARD – ONE CARD PER PERSON

Wednesday, November 7th: PUBLIC SALES AT WHS TICKET OFFICE FROM 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Thursday, November 8th: PUBLIC SALES AT THE WHS TICKET OFFICE FROM 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Friday, November 9th: PUBLIC SALES AT THE WHS TICKET OFFICE FROM 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Directions to Mansfield Arlin Field – DIRECTIONS 

Division 2 Region 7 Playoff Bracket

Division 2 Regional Semi-Final Breakdown

Division II – Games at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9

Region 5
1 Akr. Archbishop Hoban (11-0) vs. 5 Garfield Hts. (11-0) at Hudson Memorial Stadium
2 Maple Heights (11-0) vs. 6 Painesville Riverside (9-2) at Mayfield Wildcat Stadium

Region 6
1 Tol. Central Catholic (11-0) vs. 4 Avon Lake (10-1) at Sandusky Perkins Firelands Regional Medical Center Stadium
2 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (11-0) vs. 3 Avon (10-1) at Clyde  Robert J. Bishop Jr. Stadium

Region 7
1 Massillon Washington (11-0) vs. 5 Whitehall-Yearling (10-1) at Mansfield Arlin Stadium
7 Dresden Tri-Valley (10-1) vs. 3 Wadsworth (11-0) at Dover Crater Stadium

Region 8
1 Cin. Winton Woods (10-1) vs. 5 Morrow Little Miami (9-2) at Hamilton Virgil M. Schwarm Stadium
7 Cin. Anderson (8-3) vs. 3 Troy (10-1) at Miamisburg Holland Field

History

2018: Massillon 45, Columbus Walnut Ridge 14

Massillon pulls away in fourth to bury Walnut Ridge
Nov 02, 2018 10:35 PM

MASSILLON Kameron Simpson took the pass out of the air and took off running. By the time the senior linebacker crossed the goal line, he and his Massillon teammates were well on their way to Week 12.

That doesn’t mean Week 11 was as easy as Simpson’s 45-yard, game-sealing interception return for a touchdown on Friday. Yet, because of the Tigers’ ability to dominate the fourth quarter, they were able to pull away for a 45-14 Division II Region 7 quarterfinal win over Columbus Walnut Ridge at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

“They say Week 11 is the toughest bump,” said Simpson, whose pick-6 with 19 seconds left assured Massillon its seventh running-clock finish in 11 games. “So, to go out here and grind it out with my brothers, and for all of us to do our jobs and keep it going, it’s a great feeling. Four more weeks until Week 15. We plan on winning it all.”

The Tigers, who are 11-0 for the first time since 1982, will continue their quest to “win it all” in a regional semifinal contest next week against No. 5-seeded Columbus Whitehall-Yearling at a site to be announced by the Ohio High School Athletic Association on Sunday. The Rams, 10-1 on the season, upset No. 4-seeded Dover 38-31 in another opening-round game on Friday.

Massillon, the region’s No. 1 seed, made sure it wasn’t a third top-four seed in the Region 7 to suffer a setback thanks to a 28-0 run over the final 16:24 of the game. That includes a 21-0 fourth-quarter burst which started with an Aidan Longwell 2-yard run on the first play of the quarter, and ended with Simspon’s touchdown return on its next-to-last play.

The Tigers only held a 112-90 edge in fourth-quarter yards, as they finished with 351 total yards to the Scots’ 256. However, Massillon’s 3-0 edge in scores was more than enough.

“We found a way to get the win,” Tigers coach Nate Moore said. “I’m proud of the guys for grinding it out. It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll certainly take it.”

Massillon won on a night where its vaunted running game was held to 134 yards on 34 rushing attempts, the second-fewest yards in a game this season (Louisville, 123 yards). Leading rushing Jamir Thomas was held to just 40 yards on 17 carries, although it was his 1-yard run with 4:24 remaining in the third quarter which started the Tigers’ game-ending run.

Zion Phifer led Massillon, which was held to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, with 85 yards on 13 carries. Phifer gave the Tigers the lead for good at 10-7 on an 8-yard run with 6:03 left in the second quarter.

“You have to give credit to those guys,” Moore said of Walnut Ridge, which led 7-3 early in the second quarter on a blocked punt it recovered in the end zone. “They’re fired up on defense. They were playing really, really hard. They were giving us some shifts and some overloads and what-not.”

Massillon’s passing game came through to pick up the slack for the running game. Longwell completed 21-of-33 passes for 216 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Ballard with 2:47 remaining for a 38-14 lead.

The gaps were filled in by the Tiger defense, which held Walnut Ridge to just 27 rushing yards, which was 194 yards below its season average. The Scots did throw for 229 yards, 56 of those on a Isaiah Murphy-to-Qian Magwood touchdown which pulled them to within 17-14 with 9:04 left in the third.

Massillon, though, countered Walnut Ridge’s one touchdown pass with two interception returns for touchdowns. Kyshad Mack gave the Tigers a 17-7 lead with 5:48 left in the first half on a 36-yard pick-6.

“The defense played well,” Moore said. “We put them in some bad spots. They bowed up and got some stops. I’m really proud of them for that.”

GAME STATS

Reach Chris at 330-775-1128 or chris.easterling@indeonline.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingINDE

Massillon Tigers Letter Logo News

Booster Club Report – Week 11

Scores from last week:

  • Varsity defeated Canton McKinley, 24-17
  • Freshmen defeated Canton McKinley, 28-13.  Final record: 6-4

This week’s schedule:

  • Friday – Varsity vs. Columbus Walnut Ridge (9-1) at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7:00 pm

Last Saturday was a tremendous day for the Massillon football program in more ways than one. Not only did the Tigers defeat the Bulldogs, but Massillon also won the blood battle, the food drive and the pull-up challenge.  More than 2500 out-of-town fans paid $5.00 each to watch the game live on the internet, covering some 29 states and two foreign countries.

The effort to feature the tiger head blowup tunnel at each school during the week was a resounding success.  The kids were thrilled and many parents turned out to take photos.  Even the teachers got into the action.

This week’s first round playoff game against Columbus Walnut Ridge will start at 7:00 pm.  Parking passes for the west lot will be honored.  Tickets are available on Tuesday for season ticket holders and Wednesday through Friday for the general public.  Hours are 7:00 pm to 5:30 pm, although the office may close early on Friday.

Justin Gaddis (center) and Dean Clark (defensive back) were the guest players.  Over 25,000 social media followers watched the replay of Clark’s thrilling pancake of the McKinley running back.

The guest coach was J.P. Simon.  Simon said that the team trained in the off-season to maintain their intensity over a 4-quarter game and a 15-week season.  He noted that it was the main factor in defeating the Bulldogs.  Statistics-wise, McKinley ran just four plays and a punt in the fourth quarter to the Tigers’ 24.  “Physicality and toughness are our core values,” said Simon.  When asked about the sledge hammer he carries around during pre-game warmup, Simon said it was trophy that the linemen won during a summer camp at the University of Pittsburgh.  Called the “Big Man Challenge,” each of the 60+ teams competed in five events, including a tug-of-war at the end.  Not only did Massillon finish on top of the field, they won each of the five events.  “It was kind of cool to win that award,” he said.

Head Coach Nate Moore reviewed film of several plays from last Saturday’s game then turned his attention to Walnut Ridge.

General notes:

  • The Scots play in the Columbus City League
  • Their regular season record was 9-1, the loss being 26-20 to Eastmoor
  • They average 48 points a game and give up 8
  • Five times they scored over 50 points
  • Only two teams have scored more than once (Eastmoor and Marion Franklin)
  • Ten players go both ways
  • The quarterback and two wide receivers have received college offers (Valparaiso, Kentucky and Cincinnati)

Offense

  • The quarterback (6′-4″, 200 lbs.) has has thrown for 1,756 yards and 28 touchdowns.  He will run some, but not effectively.
  • The running back (5′-9″, 185 lbs.) is a sophomore.  He has rushed for 1,048 yards and 14 touchdowns.
  • The top wide receivers are both over 6-foot.
  • The offensive line averages 6′-2″, 238 lbs.  Two of the players are on the smaller size.
  • They operate out of the spread offense, with some jet sweep.  Run-pass ratio is 60:40.

Defense

  • 3-4 alignment
  • All three defensive linemen go both ways
  • The line averages 6′-4″, 225 lbs.
  • The Sam linebacker (who also plays receiver) is being recruited by Kentucky.

Go Tigers!

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large) History

2018: Massillon 24, Canton McKinley 17

Massillon edges McKinley 24-17 in 129th meeting of rivals
Oct 27, 2018 7:30 PM
Josh Weir
Canton Repository

MASSILLON While his teammates whooped it up Saturday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Massillon senior Jamir Thomas shed tears as he hugged his family.

Why this emotion in a time of celebration?

“Because this is the last Massillon-McKinley game I ever get to be a part of,” Thomas said.

He made the most of it.

Thomas ran for a career-high 269 yards to key Massillon’s 24-17 win against McKinley in the 129th meeting between the rivals.

A near-capacity crowd watched the Tigers hammer the ball on the ground on a rainy, cold afternoon. Fifty-three times Massillon ran it, with Thomas carrying it 35 times and scoring twice.

After Thomas did most of the heavy lifting to get Massillon down the field, it was junior Zion Phifer punching the ball into the end zone on a 1-yard run with 5:55 left to break a 17-17 tie.

McKinley went three-and-out on its ensuing possession, which turned out to be its final possession. Massillon ran the ball 11 straight times to eat up the final 4:52 of clock and complete the program’s first 10-0 regular season since 1999.

“It’s just playing like Tigers, which means playing hard, playing with discipline, playing with great effort, and doing that for eight months,” Massillon head coach Nate Moore said.

Phifer added 67 yards on 15 carries as the Tigers attempted only eight passes all afternoon. Massillon has won three straight and seven out of the last eight in the series against McKinley.

“We came out here expecting to pound the ball,” Thomas said. “I mean, they knew our plays. They were calling out our plays from their sideline. So we really just had to execute. That’s what we did.”
OHSAA playoff pairings will be announced Sunday, but it appears Massillon will host Columbus Walnut Ridge next week in Division II, Region 7, while McKinley will go to Solon in Division I, Region 1.

Down 17-10 at halftime, McKinley’s Kris Hunter recovered a pooch kick that Jayden Ballard couldn’t collect. Nine plays later, quarterback Alijah Curtis fought off at least three tackles before just breaking the plane of the goal line on a 4-yard TD run before the ball popped loose.

The game was tied and the Bulldogs had life. Soon Massillon was sucking it away.

McKinley ran seven offensive plays over the final 19:54 of game clock thanks to Massillon’s punishing run game.

“It was a quick second half,” McKinley head coach Dan Reardon said. “We’ve got to do a better job of getting them stopped. We had a couple of opportunities.”

Entering Saturday, only one of Massillon’s nine wins had come by less than 28. If the Tigers needed a test, they got it from McKinley.

Lameir Garrett ran for 104 yards on 19 carries to lead the Bulldogs. He added a 15-yard touchdown on a throwback screen in the first quarter that had McKinley up 7-3.

Curtis completed 7 of 13 passes for 90 yards and one interception as the Bulldogs dropped their second straight game after beginning the season 8-0.

“I thought our kids did a lot of good things,” Reardon said. “Rivalry games, big games, this game, everything is magnified. A missed tackle is magnified. A misalignment is magnified. A misread. Ultimately, they made more plays than we did.

“… I’m very proud of our kids. Our kids this year have done a tremendous job of getting so much better over the course of the year. The team we are today is a thousand times better than 10 or 12 weeks ago.”

Facing a fourth-and-6 at their own 37 on the first play of the fourth quarter, McKinley ran a fake punt. The play’s timing seemed to be disrupted and Matthew Reardon’s pass was picked off by Max Turner.

A Massillon unsportsmanlike penalty pushed the ball back to the Tigers’ 36, where it embarked on the game-winning drive. It included QB Aidan Longwell plowing forward to get a first down on fourth-and-1 from the 20.

“This game, it’s a slugfest,” Moore said. “It always is. Our kids stood tall.”

Tyree Broyles got an interception off a Kyshad Mack deflection in the second quarter to thwart any McKinley momentum after the Bulldogs got a turnover on downs. The Bulldogs finished with only 224 yards of offense.

Massillon junior nose tackle Emanuel McElroy was a force in the trenches. His stop of Garrett on third-and-goal from the 1 in the first quarter forced McKinley to settle for a 20-yard Ronald Pino field goal.

McElroy, a transfer from Tuslaw, is the son of former McKinley star Jamar Martin, creating an interesting dynamic for his family.

“It was nerve-wracking at first,” McElroy said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew what I was going to do. Whether they came for McKinley or Massillon is whatever they feel. I’m going to keep doing what I do for my team and help us go 15-for-15.”

With a weapon such as Thomas, anything is possible for Massillon. The Canton native, a mix of power and speed, highlighted his final McKinley-Massillon game with 78- and 16-yard touchdown runs.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Thomas said. “I just love my team, man.”

GAME STATS

or josh.weir@cantonrep.com

On Twitter: @jweirREP

Obie Logo (Large) News

It’s Another Great Day To Be a Tiger

A new McKinley Game tradition was started this week when the blowup tiger head tunnel made the rounds of all the Massillon City Schools.  Each student was given the opportunity to run through the tunnel and show their enthusiasm for the Tigers.  Even the parents showed up to take photos of their children standing at the tunnel entrance.  Starting with Whittier on Monday, it progressed on successive days to Gorrell, Franklin, the middle school and finally the high school.  The tunnel even made a stop at Smith to entertain the pre-school kids.  Enjoy below Booster Club President Ben Lieberman’s photo of the Tiger tunnel at the middle school with the sun about to rise from behind the building.

And that is how we do that.

 

WHS TV Logo News

WATCH LIVE: Tigers vs. Canton McKinley

Each Massillon varsity football home game will be live streamed by WHS-TV for the cost of $5.00. Click the link below and then click “Purchase Ticket.”  Then complete purchase information.

Live Internet Streaming Link

 

Note: Live Internet Streaming is a product of the Massillon City School District and is not available for viewers within a 30-mile radius of Massillon (except for the 2018 McKinley game).  The Massillon City School District is not responsible for purchases made within the geo-fenced radius.

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large) History

History of the Massillon-McKinley Rivalry

Introduction

No high school football rivalry in the nation can claim the extraordinary tradition of Massillon vs. Canton.  The rivalry has festered for over 100 years.  It’s bigger than a family feud and it’s more intense than a street fight.  In fact, it’s almost akin to going to war.  And the success or failure of each team is often based on its outcome.

Dave Sheegog scores the winning touchdown in the 1964 Massillon-McKinley game.

Click here for the whole story

Massillon Tigers Letter Logo News

Booster Club Report – Week 10

Scores from last week:

  • Varsity defeated Louisville, 41-0
  • Junior Varsity defeated Louisville via forfeit.  Final record: 9-0
  • Freshmen lost to Louisville, 18-14

This week’s schedule:

  • Wednesday – Freshmen vs. Canton McKinley at Canton’s Don Scott Field, 7:00 pm
  • Saturday – Varsity vs. Canton McKinley at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 2:00 pm

The Massillon Museum is staging a soft opening of the new Paul Brown Museum on Friday, October 26, from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.  All Tiger fans are encouraged to stop by.

The Beat McKinley Parade will begin at 7:00 pm on Friday.

The Tiger head tunnel is making the rounds at the various schools this week.  Students receive a Beat McKinley strip and an opportunity to run through the tunnel.

Tiger head tunnel at Gorrell

Massillon made national sports last Saturday when an avid fan held up a sign supporting the Tigers at ESPN’s College GameDay show.

The Booster Club meeting got off to a rousing start when the cheerleaders and senior band members entertained the crowd.  The senior football players then shared their thoughts on this week’s game.

“It’s really a good group of guys,” said Massillon head coach Nate Moore.  “They’re a lot of fun to be with.  I’m looking forward to them playing hard, tough, physical football against McKinley.”

The Bulldog offense is led by senior quarterback, Alujah Curtis (5′-9″, 184 lbs.), who is committed to Army.  A 2-year starter at the position, Curtis’ forte is passing the ball, having accumulated 1,965 yards and 15 touchdowns.  Moore said he throws a good ball and is fairly accurate.  He will also run some.  On the receiving end of most passes are senior Khyree Woody (5′-10″, 168 lbs.) and junior Jalen Ross (6′-2, 191 lbs.), both of whom possess good speed.  Woody has 45 receptions for 944 yards and eight touchdowns.  Ross has 34 receptions for 587 yards and three touchdowns.  Junior Lameir Garrett (5′-10″, 181 lbs.) took over the featured running back duties following dismal ground performances in the first three games.  He has rushed 146 times for 965 yards (6.6 yards per carry).  The offensive line averages 6′-0″, 253 lbs.

McKinley will normally align in a 4-receiver set, with an occasional empty backfield.  They have consistently run the ball 70% of the time in each game, but 60% of the yards are gained via the passing game.  Watch for a lot of jet-sweeps and bubble screens.  As a team, they have completed 66% of their passes.  Statistically, their passing game mirrors that of Massillon in terms of yards per attempt and yards per catch.  But schematically, they are completely different.

Defensively, the Bulldogs have changed their alignment from last year’s 4-front.  They now utilize a 3-front odd-stack, similar to GlenOak.  The strength of the unit is the linebacking corps, led by sophomore Cayman Williams (5′-11″, 200 lbs.).  Williams has 65 tackles, include five for loss.  The leading tacklers on the team are their free safeties (not a good stat to have), junior Chamber Stokes-Williams (5′-10, 182) and sophomore Brian Pinkney (5′-10, 174 lbs.).  Stokes-Williams has 70 tackles, while Pinkney has 74.  The defensive line averages 5′-11″, 252 lbs.

McKinley produces an average of 390 yards per game, while surrendering 321.  They give up 4.4 yards per carry and opponents have completed 53% of their passes for 150 yards a game.  Their average score has been 37-18.

For comparison purposes, Massillon produces an average of 482 yards per game, while surrendering 211.  They give up 3.6 yards per carry and opponents have completed 44% of their passes for 101 yards a game.  Their average score has been 51-11.

McKinley has a slight edge in strength-of-schedule, according to calpreps.com,  Massillon’s signature win this year was 46-40 against East St. Louis, Illinois.  McKinley’s is 28-14 over Warren Harding, a team the Tigers beat 51-21.

“It’s a good football team,” Moore said.  “They do a lot of things well.”

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo Massillon v. McKinley

BEAT McKINLEY WEEK EVENTS 2018

The following is a list of events taking place during Beat McKinley week. This is not a complete list of all events happening.

Monday:

Tiger Head tunnel at Whittier
Blood Battle Noon-7 – Massillon Rec Center
Buffalo Wild Wings fundraiser 4-9
Coach Moore Radio Show 5:30 @Buffalo Wild Wings
Booster Club Meeting 7:00pm (WHS Auditorium) Open to the Public – with MTSB, Players, Cheerleaders

Tuesday:

Tiger Head Tunnel at Gorrell
Blood Drive 7:30AM Auxiliary Gym @WHS
Touchdown Club 11:30 @Eagles 190

Wednesday: 

Tiger Head Tunnel at Franklin
Massillon/McKinley Prayer Breakfast 7:00AM @Canton Baptist Temple
Freshman Football at McKinley 7pm @McKinley Don Scott Field

Thursday: 

Tiger Head Tunnel at Massillon Middle School
WHS Open House 6:00-8:00
Tiger Swing Band concert 7:00 WHS Main Gym

Friday: 

Tiger Head Tunnel at WHS
Rotary Luncheon w/ Jim Tressel 11:30 @Eagles 190
Beat McKinley Rally 1:15 @WHS Main Gym
Paul Brown Museum “Soft Opening” 4-9pm @Massillon Museum
Beat McKinley Parade 7:00pm – Downtown Massillon

Saturday:

BEAT MCKINLEY 2:00pm