1931: Massillon 20, Canton McKinley 6

Powerful Offensive Defeats Canton McKinley High 20-6
TIGER GRIDDERS PLAY BRILLIANT FOOTBALL TO DEFEAT OLD RIVAL

By LUTHER EMERY

WASHINGTON high school submerged Canton McKinley in the mud and water of Lakeside stadium, Canton, Saturday afternoon and carried off a 20-6 victory in as convincing a triumph as was ever chalked up by a Massillon football team over a Canton rival.

There was no luck in the Massillon victory. In fact the majority of the breaks went to Canton, but the Tigers showing the hidden power that has been buried in them all season, were so far superior to the red and black that they easily overcame the shortage of breaks falling to their lot and scored three touchdowns in the last two periods to decisively defeat the red and black for the 11th time in the last 19 games. Canton has won two games, two have ended in ties.

Fumbles Keep Score From Being Larger
McKinley, game as it was, can rejoice over nothing more than the satisfaction that it did not receive a worse beating. The Bulldog, tied securely in its kennel for another year, can scan the terrain of Lakeside stadium and that portion of the field around the north goal post and give thanks that it recovered three or four Massillon fumbles within the 25-yard line that halted prospective Tiger touchdown marches.

McKinley’s representative mascot with the battered nose while munching on its turkey day bones can also express delight that the referee’s whistle tooted when it did on a Canton fumble near the Massillon goal line else the red and black would have been whitewashed by the Tigers.

Yes, the breaks were against the Tigers and McKinley was fortunate that it scored on the local team, for the red and black fumbled on the 12-yard line and Williams recovered for Massillon. Though there was a diversity of opinion, Referee Shafer ruled that he had blown his whistle just as Doll fumbled the ball so Canton was given the pigskin at the point where Doll made his muff.

Dissention Cast To Winds
Anyone who had not seen the Washington high eleven in action before Saturday afternoon would have thought the Tigers unbeatable, for personal animosities and jealousies which were largely responsible for the disastrous season, were forgotten for the day, and the players imbued with the spirit of rivalry which goes with any Canton-Massillon game went out and played the kind of football they should have produced in all of the other nine games this season.

The line charged as it had never charged before, opening large holes for the ball carriers, Clendening and Williams, and when the holes didn’t open these two Tiger backs sank their cleats into the mud and drove wedges of their own into the red and black forward wall. With hands taped and heads lowered the gridders were off with the snap of the ball and so vicious were their assaults that one-half of the McKinley team and maybe an even greater percentage was exhausted and so battered up that it had to be replaced with reserve material. And some of the subs likewise went down before the rush of the Massillon gridders.

The first half score of 6-0 might indicate to the non-spectators that Canton outplayed the orange and black in the first two periods, but the fact of the matter was that Canton never had a chance. The red and black might have had a slight advantage in the first period, but from then on it was nothing but a parade of mud spattered orange and black toward the Canton goal line.

The only red and black offense of the day was uncorked in the closing minutes of the first period when McKinley after recovering a Massillon fumble in the danger zone made three successive first downs that netted a touchdown. J. Doll took the ball over on a spinner from the eight-yard line. Only one more first down was chalked up by the Bulldogs, that coming in the second half with the assistance of a five-yard penalty inflicted on the orange and black for offside.

Tigers Launch Attack
Canton’s touchdown instead of demoralizing the Tigers only served to bring out the best in the Massillon boys, for it was not until after the red and black had scored six points that the local gridders for the first time demonstrated the kind of football they could have played all season. They didn’t score in the second quarter but to the spectators it was a question of nothing more than how long the red and black could hold out against the Massillon attack and gain the breaks in the danger zone by recovering Massillon fumbles. Once the Tigers marched from their own 40-yard line to the Canton 25-yard line where Williams’ fumble was recovered by McKinley. After again gaining the ball on their own 40-yard line through a punt, they came right back to the Canton 25-yard line where another fumble was recovered by McKinley to end the threat. And once more before the half ended they worked the ball to the 18-yard line only to lose it on downs.

But fumbles couldn’t stop the Tigers when the second half opened up and they lost no time tying and taking the lead away from their Canton opponents. Williams returned the kickoff from the goal line to the 30-yard stripe. In two plays, Clendenign and Williams carried the ball to the Canton 45-yard line. Williams crashed through for a 12-yard gain to put the ball 33 yards from the goal. The going got a little harder but the orange and black kept plodding forward. Williams smashed for six yards, two yards and then a first down on the 16-yard line.

Clendening waded through on his next effort to the five-yard stripe. Canton took time out to talk it over but it was for naught for the Tigers were not to be stopped and “Horse” Williams was having a nightmare. On the next play over he went. He plunged across from the three-yard line for the extra point and Canton was beaten then and there.

Penalty Ends Threat
Just a while later the orange and black again advanced to the 30-yard line where a bad pass from center was recovered by Canton. Failing to gain, McKinley attempted to punt out of danger but the Massillon guards broke through and blocked the kick, Adams recovering for Massillon on the 30-yard line. Three plays netted a first down on the
19-yard line but a 15-yard penalty on the Tigers ended their threat.

Kester by virtue of two nicely placed punts kept the ball in Canton territory until the Tigers could secure it in a dry spot that would enable them to launch another offensive drive. It was in the fourth quarter and the locals took a punt on the 33-yard line. In two plays Williams hammered his way to the 15-yard line and in three successive attempts gave the local team a first down on the three-yard line. Clendening put it on the one-yard line and then cracked through for a touchdown. Williams again plunged across for the extra point.

The last parade had its beginning on the Canton 44-yard stripe where the locals secured the ball on a punt. In two plays Williams was down to the 30. Clendening tore off six yards and Williams narrowed the distance by four more for a first down on the 20-yard line. Three plays netted a first down on the nine-yard line from whence Williams, Singer and Kester carried the ball to the one-yard line. Then to equalize the scoring, Kester was given the ball and he weaved through left tackle for the touchdown. Williams this time was stopped when he attempted to carry the ball over for the extra point.

Line Shows Drive
While Williams and Clendening were the offensive stars of the day, the unseen and less flashy performances of the linemen made it possible for these backs to get loose. The Tigers for the most part found their success in straight football. The field was too heavy for their reverses and most of these plays failed to gain any ground. They only value was to diversity the attack.

While Canton made but four first downs one as a result of a penalty, the Tigers made the distance 21 times, an unusually large number of first downs for any football team and especially for a muddy field. But the Massillon gridders seem to like the mid. In fact, had they been forced to play on soggy gridirons all season their record might have a more impressive appearance. Their only other victory scored over Tiffin Junior Home was made on a muddy gridiron.

Only one forward pass was attempted Saturday, Canton trying an aerial heave in the closing minutes of the game. It was intercepted by Massillon.

The bands of the two schools gave the 4,000 spectators plenty of music but the drills they had practiced were saved for another year because of the muddy condition of the field. In this the Massillon band members were disappointed for they had rehearsed for the game last week as strenuously as the football team and were prepared to put on a pin wheel maneuver and an emblem drill.

The Canton girl boosters used red and orange cards form their position in the bleachers to make M’s and C’s as gestures of welcome to Massillon and Canton fans.

Summary:
Massillon Pos. Canton
Getz LE Pirolozzi
Krug LT C. Sturrett
Adams LG De Stefano
Hoyman C Billings
K. Monore RG Jones
Price RT J. Sturrett
Gump RE Ondrejas
Singer QB Gift
Knowlton LH Kopache
Kester RH H. Wilson
Williams FB J. Doll.

Score by periods:
Massillon 0 0 7 13 20
Canton 6 0 0 0 6

Substitutions:
Massillon – Clendening for Knowlton; Shrake for Gump; Brunker for Shrake; Buhecker for Singer; Heisler for Getz; Schott for Price; Getz for Heisler; Singer for Buhecker; Ripple for Monroe.
Canton – R. Doll for J. Doll; Rowe for Jones; Scholl for J. Sturrett; Miller for De Stefano; Shopbell for Billings; Myers for Kopache; Gottsheck for C. Sturrett; Jones for Rowe; Reifer for Miller; J. Doll for R. Doll; Kovesci for Myers.

Touchdowns:
Canton – Gift.
Massillon – Williams; Clendening; Kester.

Point after touchdowns:
Massillon – Williams 2 (carried).

Referee – Shafer (Akron).
Umpire – Howells (Sebring).
Head Linesman – Barrett (Akron).