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The Oregon Adventure Was Truly a Unique Experience

The Oregon Adventure Was Truly a Unique Experience

Oregon is one of the very few states that I had never visited.  So, I didn’t hesitate to undertake the long trip, accompanied by Gary Vogt and Linda Sasavicz, both fellow members of the Massillon Football Museum group, along with Linda’s husband, Harold.  What a great time we had, particularly when attending the Massillon vs. NFL Academy-London football game and touching base with the many recognizable Tiger fans.

Leaving on Wednesday, we took a 1-hour flight from Cleveland to Chicago Midway, and then two hours later a 4-hour flight to Portland, Oregon.  Along the way, I snapped a photo of Mount Adams, with the infamous Mount St. Helens looming in the background.  The travel was uneventful, although it seemed long, especially when a 400 lb. (I’m not kidding) person took the middle seat between Gary and myself.  That, of course, was a bit taxing.  But we did arrive safely.

Travel time to the Beaverton Comfort Inn was thirty minutes, but involved five different freeways.  We concluded that there is not a straight road in Oregon.  Thanks to Gary for driving, while I navigated.

Game day.  Up rather early, owing to the 3-hour time zone difference.  Then, a long wait until the 6:00 am hotel breakfast.  At 9:30 am we gathered in the parking lot, having donned much Tiger gear, only to hear the sounds of “TIG.”  Of course, we answered “ERS,” only to be met by Big Mike’s mother.  What a joyful lady she is.  After a few photos we headed for our morning destination, the Raptor Ridge Winery, which is located at the end of a very pleasant drive through the hills of Oregon.  Along the way we passed by hundreds of Hazelnut trees enroute to a 10:00 am reservation.  10:00 am?  Well, it’s 1:00 pm home time, so it’s surely acceptable to indulge at that time of day.  The wine was good, we had the place to ourselves and the view of the landscape was fantastic.  We were told that on sunny days, one can see Mount Rainier in Seattle, some 150 miles away.  Unfortunately, this day was overcast.

Before leaving Massillon, I inquired about seating at the Nike World Headquarters stadium and was disappointed to learn that very few seats were brought in for the game.  Thus, we were concerned enough that we arrived for the event at 1:15 pm for a 3:30 pm kickoff, with parking wherever one could find it.  That meant first sitting through the girls’ flag football game, between teams from Alaska and New Orleans.  Surprisingly, it was quite entertaining.

But back to the seating.  Our first choice was on the 20 yard line at the top row.  The top row meaning Row 2!  Might as well be sitting in the endzone, where they at least had three rows of seats.  We got the impression that Nike really didn’t want any spectators at the game, just media coverage.  Later, we discovered a section of around 60 folding chairs in an 8-row section at midfield.  However, half of these had restricted sightlines, since there were spotter towers blocking the view of the field on either side.  Again, not fan friendly.  Fortunately, I ended up in Row-3, with the rest of the party in the row behind and the view was OK.  Just the players to see over.  Nevertheless, it was fully packed with Massillon supporters.  The remaining twenty Tiger fans or so assembled where we began.  Word on the street was that around 220 Tiger fans were headed to the game.  And that estimate swelled to 600 later in the week.  However, in reality there were probably around 80-90 in total.

The event from start to finish lasted about six hours.  As such, the fans were sure to be hungry.  However, the only food available was a table of candy.  Very poorly planned.  Again, little consideration given to the spectators.

Regarding the game itself, Massillon looked good in their uniforms and played very well for an opener, except for the penalties, which undoubtedly prevented a running clock.  A blowout would have shortened the game and that is something that the promoters surely did not want.

Speaking of promoters, it was a Nike classic, but it was also funded partially by the NFL with a specific final goal; i.e., establish professional football in Europe.  They began this endeavor by fielding a quality high school football team in order to drum up interest in the sport within the continent.  In essence, they are using these European players as a public relations endeavor, while at the same time giving them opportunities to land football scholarships at American Universities.  Some do; most don’t.  But it was imperative that the team show well for the viewing audience.

Then there is Massillon.  While the coaching staff headed to Oregon with the objective of showing the world how great and wonderful the Tigers are, the theme of the event was entirely different.  That is, to promote football in Europe by showcasing the London team.  In other words, Massillon was that nameless opponent like the one that faces the Harlem Globetrotters in their exhibition basketball shows, the so-called team called the “Washington Generals.”  Except that in this situation the opponent was the better team.  That’s why it seemed that every time the Tigers got a 2-score lead, the penalty flags began to fly.

Nevertheless, it was personally a very enjoyable experience to be at the game, especially while watching it from ground level.  One receives a whole  different impression from that vantage point.  The speed and physicality of the game is really apparent.  Meanwhile, the players certainly had a great time during their three days on the Nike campus, one that they will remember for the rest of their lives.

As we exited the field proper, we passed several of the Academy players and wished a few well.  But they looked absolutely spent.  And I instantly recalled looking across the field after the third quarter, only to find the entire Acdemy defense sitting on the bench.  One player mentioned after the game that they had never been hit so hard.

Finally, we returned to the parking lot only to find that the exits to the public roads were closed to traffic.  One after another.  Only when we reached the main gate some distance away within this massive multi-building complex did we find a way out.  I guess the football game was small potatoes compared to the eleven thousand employees that work there.  And the day had come to an end for them by the time the 3-hour game was over.  So night security was now in charge.

Early the following morning we returned to Massillon, with a lasting memory of the shoutout from one of the Portland-to-Chicago flight attendants in support of the Massillon Tigers.  What will the next chapter of this football season bring?

Go Tigers!

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-NFL…

2024 Booster Club Report – Week 1 – Post-NFL Academy; Preview of the GlenOak Game

Massillon (1-0) defeated NFL Academy-London (0-2), 35-20.  It was the 100th win for Head Coach Nate Moore as a Tiger.  In addition, the program winning streak now stands at 17.   This week Massillon travels to Canton GlenOak (0-1).

Link to the NFL Academy Game Story

Link to the NFL Academy Game Statistics

Other scores:

• 7th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron Firestone, 14-0.  Plays home vs. GlenOak on Tuesday, August 27, at 6:00 pm.
• 8th Grade (1-0): Defeated Akron East (7&8), 46-24.  Plays at GlenOak on Wednesday, August 28, at 6:00 pm.
• Freshmen (1-0): Defeated Olentangy Berlin, 32-12.  Plays at GlenOak on Thursday, August 29, at 6:00 pm.
• Junior Varsity (1-0): Defeated Wadsworth, 22-8.  Plays home vs. GlenOak Saturday, August 31, at 10:00 am.

Review of the NFL Academy game

“What an incredible experience for our guys,” said Moore.  “The kids got to spend so much time together.  The week was incredible.”  They also were offered the Nike facility for use in final game preparation.  Moore thought they played with great effort, but will need to clean up the mistakes.  The offense and defense played well enough, but the special teams will need some polishing.

The guest players were outside linebacker Vito McConnell and running back Ja’Meir Gamble.  McConnell said that the momentum flipped a couple times during the game: once when the Academy tied the score 14-14 and another time when the Tigers regained the lead 28-14.  Gamble said that he enjoyed the experience of traveling with his brothers.  He also thought that the strength of the Academy was their offense.

Canton GlenOak Scouting Report

The Golden Eagles play physical ball, according to Moore.  They play with toughness and are well coached.  The did lose last week 42-7 to Cleveland St. Joseph, but they played with toughness.  They just didn’t match up athletically.  Nevertheless, this is a rivalry game and he expects that the Eagles will draw on past victories for motivation.

The offense runs through 2-year returning starter, senior quarterback Adrion Burt (6′-1″, 190) and returning starter,  senior running back Jerome Cox (6′-0″, 225).  The group runs a lot of power and counters behind a line that averages 6′-0″, 248 lbs.  McConnell thought GlenOak’s quarterback was good and will run a lot.  So, the Tigers will need to box in the run game.  They do appear to run better than they pass.

The defensive line has good size, averaging 5′-11, 250 lbs.  Keep and eye on junior nose tackle Donell Hampton (5′-11″, 260), returning starter, senior safety Quincy Jones (5′-9″, 165) and 2-year returning starter, senior Nasjier Corner (5′-11″, 175).  They utilize a lot of odd fronts.  Gamble noted that they are physical up front, which is the strength of the defense.

Go Tigers!

2024: Massillon 35, NFL Academy-London 20

Massillon Defends American Turf with Opening Game Victory

Game Statistics

It was the 3^rd Annual Nike Football Kickoff Classic and the Tigers were honored to be invited to participate and represent the United States.  The opponent was NFL Academy-London, an all-star team representing Europe and Africa and mentored by selected NFL coaches.  The event was held at Nike World Headquarters, which is located in Beaverton, Oregon.

Massillon came out of the game on top 35-20, but it could have been much, much worse.  Consider this: three near-miss passes (hands on the ball) at the goal line on separate drives.  Two touchdown passes called back on account of penalties.  Several questionable officiating calls on line blocking within the tackles that halted drives deep in the opponents’ territory (I guess the rules in Oregon are different!).  On defense, the Mylen Lenix just couldn’t secure a pick-six pass interception, while another pass to the ten was also nearly taken away.  Plus, a drive-stopping fumble recovery that was negated by the referee, resulting in multiple penalties for protesting the call that moved the ball inside the ten.  And that’s not considering those 5-yard technical penalties that often occur in an opening game.  Nevertheless, those items did keep the score close to the delight of the broadcast announcers.  The last thing they wanted was a running clock that affected the time slot.

Massillon jumped on the Academy early by scoring on each its first two possessions.  After holding the Academy to negative six yards on their opening try and forcing a punt, the Tigers went on an 8 play 60-yard drive that culminated in a 3-yard stretch play touchdown run by Ja’Meir Gamble.  The key play was a 22-yard pass from quarterback Jalen Slaughter to Braylyn Toles that advanced the ball to the Academy seven.  Two plays later, and following the PAT kick by Mateo Herrera, the Tigers were up 7-0, .

Again, the Academy was held to a 3-and-out and Massillon was on the move again, this time from the 30 yard line.  It took just three plays to cover the distance.  First, Slaughter connected with Ricardo Wells Jr. for 50 yards over the middle.  Wells had split the safeties and hauled in the pass in stride and unopposed.  Slaughter next hit Jacques Carter to the 12 and Gamble did the rest on a 12-yard run.  Score, 14-0.

The quick scores seemed to shock the Academy, giving the message that if they wanted to compete in this game, they would need to raise their defensive level of play in terms of response to keys and the level of physicality.  Only, they did just that.  For the remainder of the game they were much more aggressive and matched Massillon with their effort.  They were stingy against the run, with blitzes up the middle and quick secondary responses to the edges.  However, they didn’t have a match for the speed the Tigers had at the wide receiver positions and were forced into cover-3, with the second safety pulled up near the inside linebackers to aid the linebacker blitz.  So Slaughter, who managed the pocket quite well with his scrambling, took full advantage of it.  By game’s end, he had completed 29 of 44 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns and all three marks are now in the Massillon record book for single game passing:  The 29 pass completions ties Kyle Kempt and Justin Zwick for first, the 44 pass attempts ranks fifth and the 387 yards ranks second.

Following an exchange of punts, the Academy finally found the scoreboard, on a 70-yard bomb from quarterback Michael Szabo to Seb Harris, who had beaten his defender by two yards along the sideline and received the ball in stride.

Late in the second quarter, following a missed 36-yard field goal by the Tigers, the Academy struck again.  This time the speedy Justus Seelig broke through the middle of the Tiger line, reversed direction across the field and outraced the secondary to the end zone for a 46-yard score, tying the game at 14 apiece.  It became Seelig’s best run of the day, while his other 18 carries netted just 61 yards, owing to good run defense.  The score came with just 2:44 left before halftime.

Massillon fumbled the ball inside its own territory on its next possession, but managed to stop the Academy on downs and take over the ball at its own 25, now with just 1:18 left.  Managing the clock perfectly, the Tigers methodically moved down the field.  A 6-yard completion to Deonte Malone.  A 21-yard pass to Wells.  A 15-yards shovel pass to Gamble.  Another shovel pass to Gamble for 12 yards and suddenly the ball was at the Academy 21 with 25 seconds left.  Slaughter then wrapped it up with a perfectly thrown pass to Carter in the right corner of the end zone, giving his team a 21-14 lead going into the locker room, a lead that they did not relinquish for the rest of the game.

The coup de gras came on Massillon’s first possession of the second half.  After Wells returned the kickoff to the 45, the Tigers marched 55 yards in just four plays and tallied when Slaughter hit Carter on a 40-yard strike.  With the score now at 28-14, Massillon had assumed better control of the game.

That’s until later in the quarter when Tyler Hackenbracht stripped the Academy runner of the ball at the Massillon 38 and Garner secured it.  Only, the referee ruled the runner down by contact.  That set off a massive protest by both the players and the coaches.  Interestingly, the NFL game broadcast showed that it was clearly a fumble and a Massillon recovery.  The result of the mayhem was multiple penalties against the Tigers, which advanced the ball to the eight yard line.  From there, Szabo fired a swing pass to Seelig for a score, aided by two missed tackles.  That made the final score 35-20.  Szabo ended the game with 15 completions out of 32 attempts for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

Later in the quarter, Massillon put the final points on the board when Slaughter sent a short pass to Toles on a crossing pattern and Toles did the rest for a 44-yard score.

The Academy did threaten one more time, in the fourth quarter, but a 9-yard pass was intercepted by Lenox Lemon when he stepped in front of the receiver and returned it to the 24 yard line.

After that, the sportsmanship deteriorated somewhat, with the Tigers being assessed several penalties.  This will surely be addressed by the coaches.  But the chippiness from withing both teams was going on for most of the game and the referees just didn’t take control of it early.  Eventually, it led to this.

Nevertheless, the Academy showed they are a fine team that plays serious football and very much look the part.  Their players took the loss hard, and rightly so.  But they also earned the respect of the many Tiger fans that traveled to Oregon.  Spectators saw a team that has excellent size and positional speed and is well-coached.  They would certainly compete well against most of the teams in this country.  In addition, they showed marked improvement from their close loss of a week ago to a team from Edgewater, Florida.  Finally, having played in this high-level physical game, they may also grasp what it takes to move to the next level.  The future looks good for this program.

For the Tigers, those first-game technical penalties are now out of the way and they too can get down to playing sounder football.  The passing game is at a high caliber, the running game has great potential and the run defense is very stingy.  However, play in the secondary against the pass will need some polishing.  However, based on their game performance in this one, Massillon has shown that they are going to be a VERY good football team.

Massillon led in first downs 20-13 and total yards 504-346.  But they were also assessed 18 penalties for 189 yards, a couple of which negated potential scoring opportunities.  The Academy punted eight times to the Tigers’ six.  Toles caught 9 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, Wells caught 7 passes for 113 yards and Carter caught 4 passes for 76 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Gamble rushed 10 times for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns.  He also caught four passes for 69 yards.  Save for the passing near misses, Slaughter would have certainly re-written the record book.

Next week Massillon travels to Canton GlenOak.  The Academy will host De La Salle from Los Angeles on October 8^th and IMG Academy on November 8.

Massillon to Open the 2024 Season Against NFL Academy-London

Massillon to Open the 2024 Season Against NFL Academy-London

The scrimmages are over and it’s time for the regular season to get underway.  The first order of business is a long road trip to Oregon, for a game against NFL Academy-London.  This is an intriguing matchup of two teams across the pond from each other, something that the Tigers have never done before, let alone few other American teams.  It is also a great opportunity for the players to experience the travel logistics normally afforded to just college and professional teams.

The Nike Football Classic, which is a joint venture of the Nike Corporation and the National Football League, will be held on Thursday, August 22, beginning with a girls’ flag football game, followed by the Massillon-Academy game.  For Nike, it’s a chance to promote their company brand, while the NFL hopes to increase football participation in Europe at the high school level.  As such, the game will receive national television exposure.

“The Nike Football Kickoff Classic brings fresh excitement to the start of the high school football season. For the third consecutive year, Nike has given us something to look forward to as the season begins,” said Roman Oben, Vice President of NFL Football Development. “This year, we’re adding an international twist with the NFL Academy facing off against Massillon. The experience these teams will share will be unforgettable. Congratulations to all the high school football players this year.  The collaboration between Nike and the NFL continues to amplify the kickoff of the high school football season and allows each of the participating boys and girls’ high school teams to play in one of the most unique experiences in the country. The experience at Nike also allows student athletes to learn about the history of Nike and its relationship with the NFL. Student athletes will get an opportunity to hear from former Nike/NFL Ambassadors about why they love football and learn about professional development from some of the best in sports, touring one of the most robust campuses in the world.” – Ref. Play Football

The flag football game will begin at 1:30 pm, pacific time, and feature De La Salle High School of New Orleans, Louisiana, against South Anchorage High School of Alaska.  Massillon and the Academy will follow at 3:30 pm.  The venue is Renaldo Soccer Field, which is located at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton.  Although the stadium does not presently have any permanent seating, Nike will erect portable bleachers to accommodate the crowd, which is expected to include some 250 Massillon fans.

NFL Academy-London is a traditional boarding high school, located in the UK.  Over a thousand high students from across Europe try out for the Academy each year, with the goal of earning football-related scholarships to American universities and eventually finding their ways to the NFL. Eighty will secure spots on the team.  There, they receive a heavy education in American football, along with taking a full load of high school-level academics.  The school also adheres to the age limits that American schools use for playing eligibility.  Coaches are American-bred and selected by the NFL.

The Academy opened their fall season last week by hosting Edgewater, Florida, which is rated nationally No. 57 by Play Football and No. 161 by calpreps.com.  While it is considered an official game by the Academy, it was the final scrimmage for Edgewater, which opens their regular season this week.  The game was a high-scoring affair, with a final point tally of 51-45 in favor of Edgewater, which led for the entire game.  Obviously, not a lot of defense was on display from start to finish in a game that featured outstanding offensive athletes by both teams.  However, neither tackled well and the Academy scored most of their points when missed open-field tackles led to long scores.  It’s also possible that Edgewater substituted liberally, this being a scrimmage.  The Academy does have some fast skill players on the roster, with good high school size on the lines.  What they lack, however, is game experience.  But the coaching appears to be sound and they do resemble a decently skilled high school football team.

The Massillon-Academy game be televised live on the NFL YouTube Channel and the NFL Network the following Saturday.

The Tigers are expected to travel on Tuesday and have a short practice upon arrival.  A full practice is scheduled for Wednesday, along with a tour of the Nike facility.  They will return on Friday.

As far as the computer calculations are concerned, the contest does not figure in and the Tigers will receive a seasonal average of Harbin points the same as having an open date.  For those fans concerned about Massillon having sufficient games to qualify for the playoffs, this item has already been discussed by the OHSAA and Coach Nate Moore and there are no issues with the makeup of the schedule and the number of “Harbin games” as it stands today.

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Cincinnati Moeller

Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore is not shy about scheduling some very good teams for pre-season scrimmages.  That’s because these teams will certainly expose the Tigers’ weaknesses before the regular games get underway.  Last Saturday it was Avon, the dominant power in Division II, Region 6, and on Thursday it was Cincinnati Moeller, the Division I, Region 4 champion in each of the past three seasons.  It doesn’t get much better than that.

Talk before official practice got underway was that Moeller is primed this year with enough talent to possibly unseat 3-time defending Division I champion Lakewood St. Edward.  And they certainly showed why against Massillon by fielding a stellar defense and an excellent quarterback to boot.  In the first half it was all Crusaders as they out-did the Tigers in first downs, 9-1.  However, they only led 7-3 at the break on account of a Massillon ground defense that was just as stingy.

Moeller scored in the first quarter when they drove the ball 60 yards on their second possession and finished with a 2-yard TD pass to the tight end.  In the second quarter they were stopped on downs at the Tiger nine, and later at the Massillon twenty, when Michael Wright caused and recovered a fumble.  A third scoring drive was negated when, with 16 seconds left, a 44-yard field goal attempt was missed wide to the left.

For Massillon, however, it was one 3-and-out after another.  Five in a row.  Only, after taking over the ball following the missed field goal, quarterback Jalen Slaughter finally completed a pass, of 68 yards, to the speedy Jacques Carter, which advanced the ball to the 17 yard line with 6.5 seconds left.  A subsequent pass was dropped in the back of the end zone, but Mateo Herrera was able to connect on a 33-yard field goal as time expired, making the score 7-3 in favor of the Crusaders.  During that half both Slaughter and Eli Moore held the reigns at the QB position.

In the Tigers’ sole varsity possession of the second half, they went to the air and drove 65 yards for a touchdown, with Slaughter completing 4 of 8 passes for 48 yards, including a 5-yard toss to Braylyn Toles for the score.  The drive was aided by a pass interference penalty on Moeller.  That made the final varsity score 10-7 in favor of Massillon.

Moeller struggled most of the time to move the ball effectively on the ground, but had good success with the passing game.  But they had difficulty finishing drives.  Meanwhile, the Tigers did have a few good runs, but just couldn’t convert first downs on account of missed passes and dropped balls.

The JV team lost their end of the scrimmage, four touchdowns to one.  The lone Tiger score came on a 15-yard pass from Sherraad Bennard to Javon Merriweather.  It was a 6-play drive, all passes, as Bennard completed 3 of 6 for 83 yards.

Massillon travels to Beaverton, Oregon, next Wednesday to open the season with a game against NFL Academy-London.

A big thank you goes out to Matt McBeth for providing live details of the scrimmage.

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Avon

Scrimmage Report: Massillon vs. Avon

The first scrimmage of the 2024 season is in the books and neither Massillon nor Avon looked anywhere near like the teams that captured their respective regional championships a year ago.  But that’s no surprise at this early stage.  There was a lot of sloppy execution, limited play calling and ongoing substitution.  But, two weeks from now it will be for real as the Tigers travel to Oregon to face NFL Academy-London and the Eagles visit Cleveland St. Ignatius.  And they have just that limited amount of time to become some semblance of competitive teams.

One bright spot for Avon was 6’-2”, 205 lb. senior quarterback Nolan Good.  He played just in the first series, but was simply outstanding and may just be one of the best quarterbacks in the state this year.  He has a big arm and is extremely accurate.  Meanwhile, Massillon starter Jalen Slaughter showed a lot of pocket poise, quickness in rollouts and throwing accuracy, as long as he had time to throw.  Protection needs a bit of work, but this happens every year.  And it will get much better with time.  Nevertheless, it’s no secret that success this year will hinge on the play of the quarterback.

In the first part of the scrimmage, each team had two 10-play possessions, starting at its own 35, with down-and-distance.  Avon had the ball first and Good took his team right down the field, converting a 44-yard touchdown pass on a crossing pattern midway through the series.  With a few plays left, the Eagles then drove to the Massillon 14 and scored again, this time on Play No. 10, with a 31-yard field goal.  The Tigers are breaking in eight new starters on defense and although they have good athletic talent and tackled well, it will take some time for the secondary to jell.  Of course, neither team really game-planned for the other’s offense.

Massillon advanced to its own 47 and punted and then to their own 45 and punted again.  It’s going to take some time for the Tigers to break in their new offense, which features one and two-back formations, and a 50:50 combination of outside zone runs (in lieu of the power run game seen in past seasons) and short passes.  In this scrimmage, the outside running game just never kicked in.  And the quarterback was under pressure in the pocket half time, with Avon blitzing on every play.  Slaughter could have escaped multiple times, but the rules of the event prohibited this.

With Avon playing their backup quarterbacks the rest of the scrimmage, their offense lacked the explosiveness necessary to move the ball.  They picked up six yards on their first possession and zero yards on their second.  The third did a bit better but ran out of plays at the Tiger 35.

Massillon got on the board during their second possession when Slaughter connected in the end zone with a wide-open sophomore Deontay Malone for a 35-yard score.  It capped a 5-play, 65-yard drive.

In the second part of the scrimmage the teams started at the opponent’s 25 and were permitted three plays, followed by a field goal try.  Avon failed to move on its first try and missed a 44-yard field goal attempt.  On the second try they gained five yards and converted a 37-yard field goal.

Massillon lost five yards on account of a blitz and then missed a long field goal.  On the second try they gained ten yards and then converted a 32-yard field goal.

The varsity wrapped up the session with field goal practice.

The JV units got in four 10-play series each, starting at the opponent’s 35-yard line.  Massillon scored on its second series when running back Nehemiah Stone broke a couple tackles and ripped off a 60-yard run.  The Tigers then came right back and were in position to score again after quarterback Eli Moore completed a long pass at the two yard line.  But the subsequent walk-in touchdown run by Avery Blake was called back on account of holding by a wide receiver away from the play.  Avon never threatened.

The Tigers will be on the road next Thursday against Cincinnati Moeller at 3:00 pm for the second and final scrimmage.

Photos by Rob Engelhardt

Deontay Malone catches the touchdown pass

Running back Mylen Lenix picks up yardage around end

Demari Clemons in on the tackle

The 2024 High School Football Season is Fast Approaching

The 2024 High School Football Season is Fast Approaching

Eight months ago the Massillon Tigers defeated Akron Hoban 7-2 in the Division II state playoffs to claim their first state championship in 53 years.  Now, for the first time in 53 years, Massillon will have an opportunity to defend a state title, starting with an opening game in Oregon against NFL Academy-London.  In preparation for that event, pre-season practice is in full swing, as the coaching staff installs their offensive and defensive schemes and tests the players to determine which ones will be in the starting lineup once the curtain lifts.  It’s also a busy time right now for the next few weeks in Tigertown as shown in the schedule below.

Tuesday, August 6 – Media Day at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Group photographs of the varsity and freshmen teams and individual photos of all players will be taken by the website staff, the local media and commercial firms.  Freshmen at 5:00 pm and varsity at 6:00 pm.  Open to the public.  Photos will appear in this website shortly thereafter.

Saturday, August 10 – First scrimmage, vs. Avon, at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Game time is 11:30 am.  Avon participates in the playoffs in Division II and has dominated Region 6, winning six regional championships in the past seven years.  Only, the six subsequent games in the state semifinals resulted in five losses to Hoban and a 2019 loss to Massillon.  They are led by long-time coach Mike Elder.

Thursday, August 15 – Second scrimmage, at Cincinnati Moeller.  Game time is 2:00 pm.  The Crusaders have won Region 4 in each of the past three seasons.  But they also each time came up short in the semifinals, losing to Springfield, which then lost to Lakewood St. Edward in the finals.  They are led by second-year coach Bert Bathiany

Saturday, August 17 – Football Booster Club Golf Outing at the Massillon Elms Country Club.  The 18-hole, shotgun start begins at 1:00 pm.  Dinner will follow golf.

Sunday, August 18 – First Sideliners meal at the Knights of Columbus.  Player pickup at the stadium at 5:00 pm.  The Sideliners is a group of Massillon supporters that act as “Big Brothers” for the varsity players.  The members interact with the players on a weekly basis throughout the season and are also accessible to the players for help anytime in helping to resolve any personal problems that they might have.

Monday, August 19 – Season Kickoff Rally at Duncan Plaza.  The Tiger growl is scheduled for 5:30 pm and event begins at 6:00 pm.  Greet the team.  Enjoy entertainment provided by the Tiger Swing Band and cheerleaders, followed by ice cream in the Massillon Museum.

Thursday, August 22 – Varsity football opener vs. NFL Academy-London at Nike Headquarters in Eugene, Oregon.  Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 pm pacific time.  The game will be aired live on the NFL YouTube channel and on delay broadcast on the NFL Network on Saturday, August 31.

Thursday, August 22 – Freshmen football opener vs. Akron St. Vincent at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.  Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 pm.

Monday, August 26 – First Booster Club meeting, at Washington High School’s auditorium on the first floor, starting at 7:00 pm.  Open to all Booster Club members (minimum membership is $10.00, which can be purchased within this website or at the door).  Listen to Coach Nate Moore review the past game along with game film and preview the next opponent.

Tuesday, August 27 – First Touchdown Club meeting of the season.  The event is held weekly at Eagles 190 at 11:30 am.  The meetings are a lunchtime affair and members receive from the Head Coach reviews of past games and scouting reports of upcoming opponents.  Team captains also provide nsight.  Occasionally, the meetings are enhanced with guest speakers.  At the end of the season the Club honors one player with the Hardnose Award.  Memberships can be obtained within this website or at the door.

Lee Owens Inducted Into the Tiger Football Hall of…

Lee Owens Inducted Into the Tiger Football Hall of Fame

 On Thursday, July 18, 2024, Lee Owens, along with Troy Ellis, Rollie Layfield, Eric Wright and Alex Wood, was inducted into the Tiger Football Hall of Fame.  He received a plaque during the event commemorating the honor and a duplicate plaque will be mounted in the high school sports hall in the space reserved for past Hall of Fame inductees.  In addition, he will be recognized on the field during the first home football game.

The Tiger Football Hall of Fame, a vision of Mr. David Weaver, opened in 2015.  The Hall has been recognizing those individuals that have made contributions to the Tiger football experience, whether it be a player, coach, band director, booster club member or just a person who has influenced the program in a positive way.  Inductees are selected by a group of 25 Massillon football supporters.  With the current induction class, the Hall currently has 121 members

Lee Owens was the head coach of the Massillon Tigers for four years, 1988-91, when he compiled a record of 35 wins and 14 losses.  That, coming after the program had fallen on hard times, with substandard records, a 4-game losing streak to McKinley and a 3-year ban from the playoffs.  Owens, however, was an immediate success and Tiger fan favorite.  He went on to win three of four games against the Bulldogs and had a 6-3 record in the playoffs, including two regional championships.  In 1991, his team advanced to the Division 1 state semifinal game, but fell in the final minute to Cleveland St. Ignatius, 14-13.  Many fans thought that team was good enough to have captured the state title, boasting the running-back duo of Travis McGuire and Falando Ashcraft, along with a stingy defense.

While at Massillon, he also spearheaded an effort to install at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium the first ever artificial playing surface, along with making many other improvements.

Following Massillon, he was an assistant coach at Ohio State for three years, parlaying that experience into a head coaching position at the University of Akron, a post he held for nine years.  In 2000 the Zips finished first in the MAC East and in 2003 they were second.  But his greatest achievement there might surely have been making an immediate impact on player graduation rate, improving it from a paltry 18% to a remarkable 83%.

His next eighteen seasons were spent leading the Ashland University Eagles of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  His overall record there was a very fine 123-44, with his teams capturing four league championships and six NCAA Division II playoff qualifications.  Four times he was named Conference Coach of the Year.

And this year he was inducted into the Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

But he never forgot about his time at Massillon.  And even while at Akron he found time to resurrect the Massillon Wall of Champions program into the format that exists today.  And, he made many good friends there.