Tag: <span>John Kester</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1930: Massillon 0, Akron East 6

AKRON EAST GIVES HIGH SCHOOL TIGERS THIRD CONSECUTIVE 6-0 DEFEAT
LAST QUARTER DRIVE BRINGS VICTORY TO VETERAN ORIENTALS

By KEN HARTWICK

The third time is the charm. At least everybody claims it is. The varsity football team of Washington high school proved that it is the exception which proves that rule as well as others when it took its third consecutive 6-0 defeat from gridders representing Akron East in the season’s opener on the local athletic field, Saturday afternoon.

Playing practically even ball with their opponents during the first three quarters of the game despite the fact that East had a large edge as far as first downs were concerned, the Tigers saw their hard work go for nothing in the last few minutes of play when the Rubber City squad made a determined march almost the entire length of the field to score the only touchdown of the afternoon.

It was a punt that carried the ball a mere foot over Akron’s line which put the pigskin on the Oriental’s 20-yard line from where it was carried by the East gridders to the Tigers’ goal.

March 80 Yards for Score
Several times before East had the ball much closer to the Massillon line and nothing had happened but this time things were different. With 80 yards separating them and victory, the Orientals started their march. And what a march it was. Five consecutive first downs, the gaining of which brought forth most of the tricks known to the popular game, carried the ball to Massillon’s 20-yard line. An off tackle play was tried by East and then Fessler circled left end for the remaining distance. The Akronites narrowly missed gaining an extra point when their kick for goal hit the left side of the goal post.

That march down the field looked more like a steam roller putting an end to a tough job than a group of high school football players going after a victory. Stopping a cattle stampede would have been about as easy as stopping those East gridders once they got started in the right direction and it is doubtful whether any team in the state could have accomplished the trick.

The wearers of the orange and black tried valiantly to thrust back the Orientals as they had done several times before but the strain of playing three quarters of mid-season ball in weather better suited for swimming than football, coupled with the fact that they were up against a much more experienced team proved too much.

Misses Try For Goal
The Tigers narrowly missed scoring against East in the early minutes of the final quarter on a try for a placement kick. Getting the ball on Akron’s 40-yard line the Tigers carried it to the 25-yard line on a succession of plays, one of them, a pass from Singer to Hess being good for 12 yards. With five yards gained on three plays, Kester dropped back for the kick. For a moment it seemed like Massillon was to get the first points of the day, the ball heading directly for the center of the goal post. However, the kick was a trifle short, the ball missing the cross bar by inches.

East started off like a flash in the first quarter, marking up several first downs on the first few plays. The visitors worked the ball into Massillon territory several times but the new Tiger line, somewhat weak when the ball was near the center of the field, always tightened up when the Massillon line was in danger of being crossed and held the Orientals back where they belonged. Nearly all of the play was in Massillon territory the first quarter.

Kester Hold Punting Edge
The Tigers reversed things in the second session, keeping the pigskin on East’s side of the field a larger part of the time. Most of the time during that quarter the ball was in the air, Kester and Fessler putting on a punting duel with Kester holding an edge due to the fact that although his distance was about the same as East’ punter he nearly always placed the ball where he wanted it – over the edge near the Akron line.

Despite the fact that East got 13 first downs to five for the Tigers, the Massillon line looked rather good. Holding an experienced and veteran squad like East has to that many first downs and only one touchdown would do credit to any line in the state. Except in that final drive all of East’s first downs came near midfield, the Tiger line stopped the Orientals dead when they approached Massillon’s end of the field. Worthington and Hess looked well on ends with Willison and Hoyman showing up well at tackle and center respectively.

The Tigers’ veteran backfield didn’t look as well as it did during several of its games last year. The boys seemed to be unable to get started soon enough to get very far. An inability to get East’s defensive stars out of the way soon enough was what prevented the orange and black wearers from gaining much ground.

Few Substitutions
Fessler showed up best for the visitors. Time and time again he crashed through the Tigers’ line or circled end for nice gains. Fontaine and Ostravitch, two men who helped East defeat Massillon last year, also aided the Akron cause a lot. Their spin delay which they also used last year resulted in several nice gains. Appleby played a clever game at right end for the visitors.

Despite the fact that it was the first game of the season for both squads there was little rough playing, East getting the only 15 yard penalty for that. East was set back 10 yards and the Tigers went 10 yards in the wrong direction, all because of their over-anxiousness except in the one instance for East.

Substitutes were few, Coach Elmer McGrew making two changes on right guard and the East coach changing only at half.

The weather was unsuited for football. Except for a light breeze during the second half there was nothing which made the weather anything that desired for football. A fairly large crowd saw the game, about 1,500 fans filling the stands.

First Quarter
Fontaine kicked off for Akron, Massillon getting the ball on its own 40-yard line. Two line plunges by Clendening netted five yards. Kester punted to Akron’s 25-yard line. Fontaine circled right end on Akron’s first play for 10 yards and a first down. Ostravitch went through Massillon’s line for two yards. Fontaine crashed through for 10 more yards, giving Akron another first down. Ostravitch and Fessler got another first down on successive line plunges. Ostravitch was thrown for a two yard loss. He made four yards around left end on the next play. Gray went around right end for 12 yards, putting the ball on Massillon’s 18-yard line.

Massillon’s line was working hard but Fessler, Ostravitch and Fontaine gained eight yards on three tries. Fontaine passed to Fessler but the play did not give them enough gain and it was Massillon’s ball on its own 10-yard line. Williams made six yards through the line before Kester punted to the 50-yard line. Ostravitch gained a yard. Fessler added eight more and Ostravitch got two more for another first down. Fontaine went around right end for seven more yards. Ostravitch got five more and another first down. Fontaine and Ostravitch got three yards on two line plunges as the quarter ended with the ball on Massillon’s 23-yard line.

Second Quarter
Fontaine went through the line for two yards. A pass was no good, Massillon taking the ball on its own 21-yard line. Clendening was thrown for a yard loss. Kester’s punt was returned 10 yards to Akron’s 45-yard line. Ostravitch made five around right end. Akron received the first penalty of the game, five yards, on the next play, the ball being on Akron’s 25-yard line. Fessler got away on a long end run and had a clear field with the exception of Clendening. Clendening crashed into him and downed him on Massillon’s 40-yard line after he had gained 15 yards. An Akron man fumbled and Massillon recovered.

Clendening went through for two yards. Williams lost a yard. Kester punted to Akron’s 23-yard line, Fessler returning the ball on a punt to Massillon’s own 40-yard line. Massillon got its first five-yard penalty on its first play. Kester’s pass was unsuccessful. Kester punted but Akron got another five-yard penalty on the play, Massillon keeping the ball. Kester made one yard through before East got another five yard penalty. Williams crashed the line for four yards and a first down. Three plays gave Massillon eight yards. Kester punted to Akron’s 10 yard line. Fessler returned the punt, putting the ball on his own 38-yard line by kicking it over the line. Williams got one through the line. Kester dropped the ball but recovered it with a one-yard loss. Singer’s pass was unsuccessful. Kester punted, placing the ball on Akron’s 15-yard line. Fessler punted, the ball being placed on Massillon’s 46-yard line.

Kester’s pass was unsuccessful. Williams got a yard through the line. Clendening punted, Akron getting the ball on its own 20-yard line. Akron got another five yard penalty. Fessler and Fontaine marked up another first down before the quarter ended.

Third Quarter
Williams kicked to Akron’s 20-yard line, an East man returning the ball to the 30 yard marker. Two plays gave East another first down. Fontaine made two yards and Gray lost one. Fessler punted, Clendening returning the ball 24 yards to Massillon’s 44-yard line. Kester went around end for four yards. Williams got two through the line. Massillon was penalized five yards. Kester punted to Akron’s 15-yard line, the ball being returned five yards. After a five-yard gain, Fessler punted to Massillon’s 45-yard line. Kester fumbled and an Akron man recovered on Massillon’s 44-yard line. Gray and Fessler got another first down, the ball being on Massillon’s 31-yard stripe. Ostravitch made a yard and Fontaine lost one. Fessler went through for two. Fessler punted, Massillon getting the ball on its own 20-yard line. Williams got one through the line and lost two on the next play. Kester punted but Akron was penalized 15 yards, putting the ball on Massillon’s 35-yard line. Two tries at the line netted two yards. Kester punted, Akron taking the ball on its own 10-yard line. Fessler returned the ball on a punt to his own 40-yard line as the quarter ended.

Fourth Quarter
Williams got a yard around right end. He added two more on the next try. Singer completed a pretty pass to Hess which netted 12 yards, putting the ball on Akron’s 25-yard line and giving Massillon another first….SOME COPY IS MISSING.

It was Akron’s ball. Fontaine was thrown for a four yard loss. He gained five around right end. Fessler punting, Clendeing returning the ball to the 50 yard marker.

Singer made three around right end. Williams got two through the line. Kester’s pass to Clendening was just a little wide. Kester punted, the ball seemingly dropping a yard short of the line as a Massillon man dropped on it. The officials ruled it had crossed the line and gave Akron the ball on their own 20-yard line. The decision did not please the Massillon fans. Fontaine got 11 yards on two tries for a first down. Akron was penalized five yards. Ostravtich made no gain. Gray got away on a long right end run which netted 14 yards. Fessler added two more for another first down. Fontaine went through for five yards. Fessler added yard for another first down with the ball on Massillon’s 48-yard line. Ostravitch got 12 yards on a long end run for another first down. Fontaine got two around right end and Fessler crashed through the line for three more, putting the ball on Massillon’s 31-yard line. Fontaine’s pass to Appleby was good for 11 more yards and another first down, putting the ball on Massillon’s 20-yard line. Fessler took the ball on a run around right end and cleared the Massillon players for the touchdown. Fontaine’s kick for the extra point was unsuccessful when the ball hit the post.
Score: Akron East, 6; Massillon, 0.

Fessler’s kick was over the line and Massillon took the ball on its own 20-yard line. Kester’s pass was too wide. Williams made seven yards through. Kester added four for a first down. The game ended just as the next play started.

Line up and summary:
Massillon Pos. Akron East
Worthington LE Appleby
Willison LT Whittaker
Snodgrass LG Bennett
Hoyman C Schentz
Foster RG Vosper
Price RT Owens
Hess RE Padelka
Kester QB Fontaine
Singer LH Gray
Clendening RH Ostravitch
Williams FB Fessler

Score by periods:
East 0 0 0 6 6

Substitutions:
Massillon – Roderick for Foster; Mudd for Roderick.
East – Lindsey for Gray.

Touchdown:
East – Fessler.

Officials:
Referee – Sellers (Youngstown).
Umpire – Rang (Akron).

John Kester
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1929: Massillon 41, Dover 0

Washington High Scores 41-0 Win Over Dover
LIGHT CRIMSON LINE YIELDS TO POWERFUL OFFENSE OF TIGERS

By LUTHER EMERY

The ball was on the 47-yard line. Clendening dropped back as the teams lined up, and with the snap of the ball was off on a run around left end. Dover thought he would whip a lateral pass to Kester, but instead he suddenly cut across the line of scrimmage, and although twice apparently tackled, broke away and raced across the Crimson goal line.

The clouds that occasionally spat raindrops on the fans were no more sullen Saturday afternoon than the Dover football team after that run of Clendening’s. One previous touchdown had been made, on straight football, but whatever hope Dover had of winning after the first score, was crushed to earth with this feature dash of the day. Broken in spirit the Crimson gridders yielded yards easily to the touchdown thirsty Tigers and by the end of the game the score was 41 to 0.

Dover Never Threatened
Forty-one to nothing. That is a new record for the orange and black this season and represents the highest score a Washington high team has made since the middle of the 1926 season when Akron Garfield was defeated by half a hundred points.

Forty-one points tells the strength of the Tigers offense Saturday and it might have been a dozen or so greater had they elected to make it such. “Nothing” bespeaks the power of the forward wall, and even had the Massillon goal been moved up 27 yards for Dover to shoot at a big zero would still have been the visitors score, for never did the Crimson squad get any nearer the Tigers’ goal line than the 27-yard stripe.

Admittedly outweighed by their Tiger opponents, the Dover boys were completely outplayed in every department of the game The Massillon attack flashed brilliantly at the start of the game, and after rolling up four touchdowns in quick succession was at its peak when in the middle of the second period, Coach Elmer McGrew sent in his shock troops, thus putting an end to the scoring and placing the teams on a more even basis in a matter of strength. Two more touchdowns were scored in the second half when the regulars went back into the game.

Team Shows Strength
Clendening made the feature runs of the afternoon, but his play was no more brilliant than the line plunging of Williams, the all around ability of John Kester, and the blocking of Worthington, the fourth member of the backfield. The Tiger line as a whole seldom wrinkled under the thrusts of the Dover backs, and its ability to push back the front ranks of the visitors, gave the Tiger ball carriers a broken field for their running.

Standing head and shoulders above their teammates, Baker, Foutz and Rees were the shining lights on the Dover squad. Followed closely by the orange and black, Baker, groomed as the big threat of the Crimson, failed to make an impressive showing until late in the second period, when with many Massillon substitutes on the field, he reeled off a series of end runs that gave his schoolmates the only thing they had to rejoice over all afternoon. However, his play was marred with slugging on his part and he was ejected from the game in the fourth period by Referee Lobach. Foutz, was the visitors’ chief ground gainer on the plunges while Jimmy Rees was the greatest menace on the Dover line to Tiger ball carriers.

Clendening Shines
Clendening with runs of 47, 30 and 19 yards for touchdowns was the Tigers’ chief scorer for the day. In addition to his long runs he kicked five extra points from placement after touchdowns, giving him a total of 23 points for the day. Williams, Kester and Worthington, each contributed six points to the Massillon collection.

The first touchdown was made by John Kester in the middle of the first period on a straight march of 77 yards. The second came in the closing minutes of the period on Clendening’s 47-yard run.

The second quarter had no more than opened until Worthington bucked through left guard for four yards after a parade of 65 yards up the field. The fourth set of points was another of those scintillating dashes of the colored boy this time from the 30-yard line. The fifth scored in the middle of the third period was the direct result of the terrific line plunging of Glenn Williams during which he carried the ball three out of four times while driving the Dover team backward 55 yards across its goal line. Clendening scored the sixth and final touchdown in the fourth period on a 19-yard wiggle and snake run.

15 First Downs
In a matter of first downs, the local team had 15 to Dover’s six. The Tigers tried two passes and both failed. Dover completed four out of eight throws for a gain of 24 yards, having four incomplete passes. Massillon was penalized 45 yards and Dover the same distance.

If Dover had anything to boast about it was its band, and the generous support of its fans. The Dover band outnumbered and outplayed the Massillon musicians, and drilled on the field between halves. If a count had been made it probably would have been found that Dover had as many fans in the stands as Massillon which means that approximately 1,000 attended the game from the Tuscarawas county city.

To the surprise of many spectators, as well as reporters, the first kickoff was made 12 minutes earlier than the time given to the newspapers for announcement Friday. As a result many of the fans who chose to watch the progress of the World Series baseball game until a few minutes before the start of the football contest found the first period nearly half over when they reached the high school field. Officials fearing that darkness would not permit completion of the game started it ahead of schedule and the late arriving spectators were the losers.

Baker kicked off toe Kester who returned to the 13-yard line. Williams made six yards in two plunges. Kester punted to his own 46-yard line. Riefensnyder and Baker failed to gain and a pass Teglo to Lahmers was good for but three yards. Baker punted to Clendening who returned to his 25-yard line. Williams made a first down in three plays on his own 40-yard line. A lateral pass, Clendening to Williams gained five yards and Clendening reeled off five more for a first down in midfield. Kester ripped off another first down on the Dover 40-yard line and Williams and Worthington plunged for another on the 30-yard line. Williams slipped through for a gain of seven yards and Kester found a hole for eight more and a first down on the 15-yard line. The Tigers were penalized 15 yards but Kester got off to a 23-yard run and Clendening made it a first down on the four-yard stripe, Kester took it over on his second attempt, a run around right end. Clendening place-kicked the extra point.

Kester kicked to Dover on the 35-yard line, and when three plays netted but seven yards Baker punted short to Clendening on the 48-yard line. Worthington made a yard and on the next play Clendening slipped around left end for a run of 47 yards and a touchdown. His place kick was wide of the goal posts. Score: Massillon 13; Dover 0.

Kester was downed with Dover’s kickoff on the 35-yard line. Williams made seven yards and Clendening two, but Massillon was penalized five yards. Williams made up for the loss by hitting center for a first down on his own 45-yard line, as the quarter closed with the local team leading 13-0.

Second Period
Clendening broke away for a run to Dover’s 30-yard line. Williams picked up nine yards and Worthington made it a first down on the 18-yard line. Williams rammed center for five yards and then made a first down on the four-yard line. He fumbled but recovered without gain. Worthington slipped through left guard for the third touchdown and Clenedning place-kicked the extra point. Score: Massillon 20; Dover 0.

Kester kicked to Baker who was downed on Dover’s 26-yard line. Thomas, Baker and Teglo picked up but seven yards and Baker after getting a poor center pass punted quickly, almost laterally and out of bounds on his own 30-yard line. On the next play Clendening broke away for a touchdown, and place kicked the extra point. Coach McGrew then began shooting his subs into the fray. Score: Massillon 27; Dover 0.

Massillon kicked to Dover on the 35-yard line. Thomas made two yards but Baker lost three around right end. When Thomas failed to gain, Baker punted short to his own
42-yard line. Kester got five yards but the Tigers were penalized the same distance. Clendening slipped through for five and Rice made 10 yards but a penalty of 15 yards was inflicted on the locals for failing to halt on a shift play. Kester then punted 55 yards over the Dover goal line. Dover took the ball on the Massillon 20-yard line. Thomas and Foutz each gained three yards and Thomas picked up but one more after which Baker punted out of bounds on his own 45-yard line. The game was delayed frequently through the substitution of players. Kester made four yards, Singer a yard, but Little lost a yard. Mudd punted over the Dover goal line, and Dover was given the ball. Foutz failed to gain, but Baker got away for his team’s first down, carrying the ball to his own 38-yard line. Foutz gained six yards in two attempts and Thomas picked up a yard. Baker slipped through the Massillon line for a first down on the local’s 34-yard line. Foutz made two yards and Baker five more but the ball was called back and Dover penalized 15 yards. Fourtz passed to Smith for a gain of seven yards and Baker was held without gain. Houriet blocked Foutz’s pass and the visitors surrendered the ball on downs. Bordner fumbled on the next play but recovered as the first half ended with the locals leading 27 to 0.

Massillon tried a short kick but Dover covered on its own 45-yard line. Thomas fumbled and the local team recovered on the 49-yard line. Williams and Clendening made eight yards. Kester fumbled but recovered for a loss of two. Kester punted out of bounds on the 18-yard line. Thomas got a yard but Baker lost two. Baker punted short to Kester on the 35-yard line who returned to the 25-yard line. Rice failed to gain and the Tigers were penalized five yards. Two passes were incompleted bringing a five-yard penalty and Kester punted over the goal line. With the ball on the 20-yard line, Foutz and Riefensnyder plunged for a first down on three plays. Three more plays failed to gain more than three yards and Baker punted out of bounds on the Massillon 45-yard line Williams gained nine yards on two plunges and Kester waded through for a first down on the Dover 40-yard line. Rice stumbled and lost three yards but Williams plunged for a first down in two drives at the line, stopping at the 21-yard stripe. He was hurt on the play but continued in the game. Kester made a yard and a cross pass, Kester to Clendening brought a first down on the
10-yard line. Williams took the ball over in four plays, and Clendening added the extra point from placement. Score: Massillon 34, Dover 0.

Kester kicked off to Thomas who returned to the 26-yard line. Foutz carried for eight yards as the quarter ended.

Fourth Quarter
Foutz plunged for a first down on his own 38-yard line. Thomas got a yard, Baker six, Foutz a yard and then Foutz slipped through for another first down in mid-field. Baker failed to gain but Teglo passed 13 yards to Lahmers for a first down on the Massillon 37-yard line. Dover was penalized five yards and a pass was incomplete. A second pass Teglo to Baker gained but two yards and a third pass went for naught. Baker punted to Kester, and was caught slugging a Massillon player who was running interference for Kester. Baker was ejected from the game and Dover penalized half the distance to the goal line, giving the Tigers the ball on the 24-yard line Kester found a hole for four yards and Clendening took the ball from Williams and ran 19 yards for the last touchdown of the game. He kicked goal. Score: Massillon 41, Dover 0.

Kester kicked off to the Dover 34-yard line. Foutz gained but four yards in two plays and Kester returned a Dover punt from his 15-yard line to the 35-yard line. Williams and Rice gained six yards and Clendening was stopped in his tracks. Kester punted out of bounds on Dover’s 28-yard line. Foutz failed to gain and Teglo’s pass was grounded. He gained two yards at center. Kester took the return punt on the Massillon 40 yard line and was held without return. Kester was thrown for a loss of three yards. The game ended soon after.

Line up and summary:
Massillon Position Dover
Toles LE Sauers
Willison LT Rausch
Pfister LG Horn
Lewis C Rees
Herman RG Davis
Blatz RT Schlelper
Houriet RE Lahmers
Kester QB Riefensynder
Clendening LH Baker
Worthington RH Teglo
Williams FB Thomas

Score by periods:
Massillon 13 14 7 7 41

Substitutions:
Massillon – Rice, rh; Snodgrass, lg; Getz, le; Price, rg; Mudd, fb; Knowlton, lh; Hoyman, c; Little, lh; Bordner, rh; Hoagland, rt.
Dover – Foutz, rh; Smith, re; Godfrey, lg; D. Godfrey, lt.

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Kester; Clendening 3; Worthington; Williams.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Clendening 5 (placekick)

Referee – Lobach.
Umpire – Clark.
Head Linesman – Weise.

Time – 12 minute halves.

Alfred Lewis