State-Level Induction Awaits Former Massillon Coach Lee Owens
Former Massillon Coach Lee Owens has been selected by the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association to be inducted into their Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held at Hilton Easton in Columbus on June 14, with a social hour at 6:00 pm, followed by the dinner and ceremony at 7:00 pm. For those wishing to attend, banquet tickets and hotel rooms at a discount can be purchased at ohsfca.net.
Owens was the head coach of the Tigers in 1988-91 and compiled a record of 35 wins and 14 losses. During that time, he qualified for the playoffs three times, won six of nine playoff games and captured two regional championships. And he won three of four games against the Bulldogs. He also spearheaded an effort to install the first ever artificial playing surface at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and was instrumentation in making many other stadium 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 have been making an immediate impact on player graduation rate, improving it from 18% to 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 securing six NCAA Division II playoff qualifications. Four times he was named Conference Coach of the Year.
When the final gun sounded, it seemed as if Steve Studer was shot out of it.
Within seconds of the finish of Saturday’s 42‑13 Massillon victory over McKinley, Studer, the Tigers’ strength coach had sprinted across the field and seized the victory bell that goes to the winner.
He and a pack of cheerleaders wheeled the bell across the Fawcett Stadium grass, to the Massillon side. It took the cheerleaders about 30 seconds to paint the bell orange and black.
“Let’s haul that baby home,” exclaimed Jeff Thornberry, president of the Tiger Sideliners amid general approval of a celebrating Massillon mob.
Thornberry had been in charge of the “Beat McKinley” parade Friday night. He said it drew a record number of entries. He heaved a sigh of relief after the parade was over. It had taken a lot of work.
Beating McKinley and making the state playoffs pumped a big second wind into him.
“I’ll have another parade,” he said.
The Tigers rained down a parade of points on the Bulldogs.
It was the biggest point spread in the classic battle in 31 years, dating to Massillon’s 42‑0 victory in 1960.
Even Paul Brown’s six Massillon teams that beat McKinley never did so by as many as the 29 points that separated the Tigers and Bulldogs Saturday.
Travis McGuire 302 Rushing Yards and 5 TD’s.
Saturday’s game was a page out of the Chuck Mather playbook. Mather, who attended Saturday’s game, was head coach of the Tigers when they beat McKinley 33‑0 in 1950, 40‑0 in 1951, 41‑8 in 1952 and 48‑7 in 1953.
The effort of Massillon’s offensive line and running back Travis McGuire was second to none.
McGuire scored five touchdowns and rushed for a school record 302 yards. Tiger statistician Richie Cunningham turned in the figure at 299 yards at the end of the game, then went home to review the videotape. He found three more yards and adjusted the figure. It is 302 that will go into the official record books, surpassing the previous record of 263 by Homer Floyd in 1954 ‑ against McKinley.
Game Action vs. Canton McKinley
Tiger head coach Lee Owens improved his record against McKinley to 3‑1.
“Not as good as 4‑0,” he said.
But not too shabby, either.
McKinley’s Thom McDaniels now is 5‑5 against Massillon.
Massillon linebacker Eric Wright, in his third
year as a starter, is 2‑0 against McKinley at Fawcett Stadium. Afterward, he demonstrated a quality that has made him a team captain the last two years. He did not pat himself on the back for another smashing game. Asked to identify the turning point of the game, he credited a teammate.
“The two interceptions by that man right there,” he said, pointing to junior defensive
Game Action vs. Canton McKinley
back Eric Woods, back in Massillon, in the Tiger locker room.
Season holders get first shot at tickets Akron Ellet will be the Massillon Tigers’ opponent in the first round of the Ohio high school football playoffs.
Ellet, 9‑1, will take on Massillon, 8‑2, at 7 p.m. Saturday in Fawcett Stadium, where the Tigers mauled McKinley 42‑13 two days ago.
Game manager Dan Brooks of Canton City Schools said Sunday that the only tickets sold early in the week will be reserved seats.
“Last year, when Massillon played Jackson (in a Division I playoff tilt at Fawcett), we gave both schools 11,000 tickets,” Brooks said. “I can’t imagine that Ellet will need that many.”
All tickets will be $5, Brooks said, adding there will be no discount for students.
Tickets will go on sale Tuesday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium for season ticket holders who display their green card only. Hours will be 7:30 a.m. through 9 p.m.
Woods helped render McKinley’s passing game almost harmless.
“We were a little surprised by how little they passed,” he said. “We thought they would pass most of the time.”
Instead, McKinley’s junior quarterback Joe Pukansky completed just six of 13 passes for 40 yards.
“Give credit to our line” for putting some heat on Pukansky, Woods said.
Woods’ first interception stopped McKinley’s first possession of the third quarter and led to a Tiger touchdown that broke open a 21‑13 game. Woods made the pickoff after teammate Jason Woullard tipped a Pukansky pass headed for tight end Paul Popko.
McKinley had looked like a serious threat to the Tigers early in the game, scoring on its first possession.
“We were too aggressive on their first series,” Woullard said. “We were over‑running the tackles.”
The Bulldogs gained 80 yards on their first possession. They picked up just 87 more yards the rest‑of the game.
“We played our base coverages most of the game,” Woullard said. “We just played it well.”
Woullard played a full game at “Rob” defensive end after missing most of the previous week’s contest with a bruised shoulder.
“Beating McKinley beats a little pain any time,” he said.
Massillon’s offensive line gave the Bulldogs a beating.
“I think everyone on the line had his best game today,” said Ryan Orr, a card‑carrying member of “The Wrecking Crew,” as the line calls itself. “We stayed low and did a good job executing.”
Orr hopes the Tigers can blow a few more teams out of the water.
“It’s just one game at a time, and everybody pulling together, trying for a four‑game winning streak,” he said.
Four more wins would make the Tigers state champions.
The Tiger Booster Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Washington High gym, and not in the school auditorium where the meetings usually are held.
Studer boys give line a lift, get kick out of pounding of McKinley
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
Nobody enjoyed Saturday’s 42‑13 Massillon victory over McKinley more than Joe Studer.
“It was as great a win as any I’ve ever been a part of as a coach,” said Studer, who gave up the head coaching job at Triway High after the 1990 season to become offensive line coach of the Massillon Tigers.
Triway was 8‑2 in Studer’s last year there, but trading in status as a successful boss for a job as an assistant made sense to him. He was a senior on the 1974 Massillon team and he bleeds Tiger orange.
Now he knows what it’s like to beat McKinley as a Tiger player, and as a Tiger coach. What’s more fun?
“That’s a tough one,” Studer said. “My senior year McKinley was 9‑0 and we beat them on a last‑second pass from Greg Wood to Eddie Bell. That was the McKinley team with Jap Jeter and Jonathon Moore. That’s a good memory.”
Outstanding play by the Massillon offensive line will be a memory that will last for many who saw the 1991 win over McKinley.
“It was a nice game for the line,” Studer allowed. “We came off the ball well and we were able to move their line. My hat is off to the young men.
“Of course, there’s always room for improvement.”
In what areas?
“There was one play for minus yardage against McKinley,” Studer said.
Another good game by the line would come in handy Saturday when the Tigers face Akron Ellet in the first round of the playoffs Saturday.
Ellet has one of the best defensive fronts the Tigers will have seen.
“Their tackles are real big so we have to make sure we play low and come off the ball low and gets under their pads,” Studer said.
How does Ellet’s defensive front wall stack up to the best the Tigers have seen?
“In terms of overall scheme, talent and quickness, Moeller was the best,” Studer said. “For flat‑out physical size, Walsh was No. 1. Of course, Akron St V was real strong, too.”
Studer took a quick look at the Massillon unit that calls itself “The Wrecking Crew.”
Center Scott Chariton (5‑10 215, Sr.) ‑ “His biggest asset is balance. He keeps a low center of gravity.”
Strong guard Ryan Orr (S‑10, 250, Sr.) ‑ “A great down blocker, and very consistent … a lot of hip strength.”
Strong tackles Brandon Jackson (6‑4, 300, Jr.) and Mark Miller (6‑0, 245, Jr.) ‑ “Both of them have come a long way since having to step in for Chris (Dottavio). It left us with a big hole when Chris got hurt and these guys have done the job.”
Quick guard Matt Williams (6‑1, 215, Sr.) and quick tackle Steve Miller (6‑0, 215, Sr.) ‑”Both have overcome the fact they aren’t the size of someone you’d visualize as an offensive lineman. Both have come a long way. They have quick feet and they’re technicians with good football sense.”
Tight end Greg Paul (6‑3, 215, Sr.) ‑ “When Travis (McGuire) has run the counter Greg has been at the point of attack putting a good block on a guy who’s usually bigger than him.”
Senior Dan Sciury (6‑2, 250, Sr.), an all‑county performer on defense, started on the offensive line last year. Sciury still plays some on offense. He was in there against McKinley when the Tigers used an unusual three‑tackle set.
“Dan means so much to our defense that we’ve used him sparingly on offense,” Studer said. “He’s a great student of the game.”
Two other seniors have been part of the line’s success, behind the scenes.
“Seth Aegerter has backed up at tight end and he’s on the kickoff return team,” Studer said. “Jason Crites backs up at guard and he’s also on the kickoff return team. Both of them have put in a lot of hard work.”
Studer has received more than a little help from assistant coach Tim Daniels and strength coach Steve Studer.
The Studers, who are brothers, and Daniels all were offensive line starters in college. Steve and Joe hogged the starting center position at Bowling Green for six straight years during the 1970s. Daniels was a big tackle for the Tennessee Volunteers in the early 1980s.
“The strength program has been real important in what we’ve done on the line,” Joe Studer said. “Steve put these guys through a lot of hard work in the off‑season.”
“The training techniques I used at Triway I got from Steve,” Joe Studer said. “When I came back to Massillon to coach Steve and I were pretty much on the same page right from the start.
“One thing we’ve done this year that has helped has been maintain and even build our strength as this season has progressed. A lot of times, a football player will lose strength during the season.”
Studer said the key to his unit’s progress this year has been quite simple: hard work.
“The way these guys apply themselves as a group is impressive,” he said. “They’ve been so consistent in their effort. They also have a lot of football sense. You don’t have to tell them a lot of things twice.
MASSILLON 42 McKINLEY 13 MA Mc First downs rushing 22 6 First downs passing 0 2 First downs by penalty 0 0 Total first downs 22 8 Yards gained rushing 408 140 Yards lost rushing 4 13 Net yards rushing 404 127 Net yards passing 3 40 Total yards gained 407 167 Passes attempted 3 13 Passes completed 1 6 Passes int. by 2 0 Times kicked off 7 3 Kickoff average 41.3 48.0 Kickoff return yards 78 132 Punts 1 4 Punting average 32.0 26.0 Punt return yards 16 5 Fumbles 1 1 Fumbles lost 1 1 Penalties 3 5 Yards penalized 11 40 Number of plays 63 43 Time of possession 23:17 24:43
MASSILLON 14 7 14 7 42 McKINLEY 7 6 0 0 13
SCORING SUMMARY M ‑ Eric Wright 18 run (Jason Brown kick) Mc ‑ Don Martin 1 run (Jack Vincenzio kick) M ‑ Travis McGuire 14 run (Brown kick) M ‑ McGuire 11 run (Brown kick) Mc ‑ Ron Burr 3 pass from Joe Pukansky (kick failed) M ‑ McGuire 6 run (Brown kick) M ‑ McGuire 1 run (Brown kick) W ‑ McGuire 79 run (Brown kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING (Massillon) McGuire 36‑302, Wright 6‑46, Mike Danzy 5‑18, Dan Seimetz 3‑10, Falando Ashcraft 3‑7, Nick Moasides 1‑6, Eugene Copeland 3‑5, Marc Stafford 1‑3; (McKinley) Pukansky 6‑45, Martin 7‑35, Che Bryant 6‑27, Bruce Richards 9‑24, Tremaine McElroy 1‑1.
Owens hopes ‘right Massillon team’ shows up after 20‑7 loss to McKinley
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
A great season may still await them.
But there is only one way to attain it, one of the Massillon Tiger football captains said after Saturday’s 20‑7 loss to McKinley.
“The only thing that can help us get over this,” senior cornerback Chad Buckland said, “is if we go all the way.”
“All the way” means a four‑game winning streak against competition that will get nastier each week.
The Tigers are one of 16 teams in the Division I playoffs. The one that wins the next four weekends will be state champ.
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Right now, though, the Tigers are a 7‑3 team needing just one win to get over a loss to their arch‑rival.
Two months ago, the Tigers were a play away from beating mighty Cincinnati Moeller. Now they are a team that must prove itself all over again.
“Can we come back?” said Tiger coach Lee Owens, repeating a question put to him. “We didn’t do a good job of it the last time we were in a similar situation (losing in Austintown a week after falling to Moeller). I hope we do better than we did the last time.
Owens senses it will be easier to rebound this time. He noted the Tigers didn’t seem crushed by the McKinley loss the way they were after getting nipped by Moeller.
But the team needs a spark, he said.
Game Action from Canton McKinley 1990
“Some of the fans have been saying, , Which Massillon team will show up today?’ And I see their point,” Owens said. “There have been times when we’ve been good enough to play with any team in Ohio. There have been other times when we could be defeated by any one of the teams entering the playoffs.
“It will depend on which Tiger team shows up. I hope it’s the right one.”
Were the Tigers lacking fire in their bellies against McKinley because they knew a playoff spot was locked up?
“I don’t think so,” Tiger defensive tackle Ron Humphrey said. “I hardly even thought about the playoffs all week. I was just thinking about McKinley.
“There’s nothing you can say or do to change what happened today. We lost. It’s over.
“We’ve got to get our sulking out of the way in one day and get back to work.”
“We have to get this one behind us as soon as we can,” agreed senior wide receiver Steve Brown.
“We can’t hang our heads,” echoed tight end Chris Roth.
“We have to forget McKinley and regroup,” said junior linebacker Eric Wright. “We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to play hard in the playoffs and try to win all our games.”
“We’ve got to keep our heads up and not make a big deal out of the McKinley game,” said running back Falando Ashcraft.
Every Tiger interviewed gave the Bulldogs their due.
“I knew they were capable of playing like this,” Buckland said. “I thought all along they were going to explode. Unfortunately, they did … against us.
“On the positive side for us, McKinley has to sit home. It’s a lot better knowing you’re going to get to play again.”
Owens learned Sunday that his team will face Jackson in the first round of the playoffs Saturday at Fawcett Stadium. He had little to say on the matter, in keeping with the tight ship he says will be run this week.
“It does not matter who we play this week,” the coach said Sunday night at 8 from his office.
“We’re just glad to be in the playoffs.” His only comment on Jackson: They must be a good team, having won nine games. When a team loses only once you assume they’re a fine team.”
Owens had been through a busy Sunday already. He wasn’t finished.
“It’s going to be a long one,” he said.
MASSILLON 7 McKINLEY 20 Ma Mc First downs rushing 3 10 First downs passing 4 7 First downs by penalty 1 1 Totals first downs 8 18 Yards gained rushing 68 183 Yards lost rushing 20 19 Net yards rushing 48 164 Net yards passing 113 143 Total yards gained 161 307 Passes attempted 22 22 Passes completed 8 14 Passes int. by 1 3 Times kicked off 2 4 Kickoff average 57.5 47.3 Kickoff return yards 42 16 Punts 6 2 Punting average 30.2 42.5 Punt return yards 2 13 Fumbles 3 3 Fumbles lost 1 1 Penalties 3 7 Yards penalized 45 70 Number of plays 46 70 Time of possession 17.21 30.39 Attendance 16,741
McKINLEY 0 7 7 6 20 MASSILLON 0 0 7 0 7
McK ‑ Martin 28 pass from Henry (Curtis kick) Mas ‑ Roth 38 pass from Burick (John kick) McK ‑ Curtis 1 run (Curtis kick) McK ‑ Kaiusin 3 run (kick failed)
Most of the pre game know‑it‑alls had Saturday’s 95th McKinley‑Massillon high school football game figured out before the 21,000 fans filed into Fawcett Stadium.
They said McKinley’s ground game was too quick for Massillon’s defense. They also said Massillon’s offense was good, but not good enough to outplay McKinley’s quick defenders.
Boy, were they wrong.
Final score: Massillon 24, McKinley 7.
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The victory gives Massillon an 8‑2 record, a 52‑38‑5 advantage in the McKinley‑Massillon series and a berth in the state playoffs for the first time since 1982. Massillon held its top spot in Region 3, while McKinley (7‑3) fell from the fourth and final playoff spot.
The Tigers, by virtue of their top spot in Region 3, most likely will host either Akron Garfield or Walsh Jesuit in Saturday’s opening round of the Division I playoffs. The final computer standings and the opening round pairings will be released by the Ohio High School Athletic Association tonight.
Massillon proved the know‑it‑alls wrong by doing what few thought they could. The Tigers held the Bulldogs to 45 yards rushing and 179 total yards.
The McKinley running game, which has featured 13 backs this season, was field to a 2.3‑yards‑per‑carry average on 20 carries and four first downs. The Bulldogs’ leading ground‑gainer on the season, Darnell Clark, had nine yards on 10 carries.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1989
“This is the best defense we’ve played all season, especially against the run,” said Massillon defensive coordinator Dan Boarman. ‘We didn’t do anything difference as far as design. We just played a lot harder and were able to shut down their running game.”
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Massillon led 14‑0 before McKinley’s offense was brought onto the field.
After kick returner Donnie Blake returned the opening kickoff 39 yards to the McKinley 47, the Tigers drove the rest of the way on seven plays and scored on a six‑yard run by Ryan Sparkman. Gary Miller added the first of three extra‑point kicks to give Massillon a 7‑0 lead with 9:39 left in the first quarter.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1989
McKinley’s offense had to stay on the sideline when kick returner Kirk Moore fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Massillon’s David Whitfield recovered at the McKinley 18. The turnover was the first of four for McKinley.
Six plays later, Sparkman followed tackles Torn Menches and Ray Kovacsiss over the right side of the line for a two‑yard TD to put Massillon two TDs ahead with 7:20 left in tire first quarter.
When McKinley finally got the ball, the Bulldogs seemed to abandon the run, calling four straight pass plays and six in their first seven snaps.
“I think our offense took a lot of heat off our defense by scoring those two quick touchdowns,” Boarman said. “I think maybe we changed their game plan somewhat.”
McKinley head coach Thom McDaniels insisted the Bulldogs didn’t stray from their original game plan.
“We planned to come out and throw like we did,” McDaniels said. “(The touchdowns) did not change that. The situation was not out of hand at that point, by any means.”
McKinley climbed back into the game following a 29‑yard punt to the Massillon 49. The Bulldogs, with the help of a pass interference call on third‑and‑10 that put the ball on the Massillon 32, scored with 1:30 left in the quarter.
Three plays after the interference, junior quarterback Ryan Henry (9‑of‑23, 134 yards) fooled the entire Massillon defense into thinking he was going to run after scrambling away from Mike Martin’s rush. Instead, Henry threw a 32‑yard TD pass to Ron Szerokman who was wide open in the end zone.
Massillon, however, put McKinley in a huge hole when quarterback Lee Hurst lofted a perfectly thrown 12‑yard TD pass to senior Rameir Martin with four seconds left in the half. Martin used every inch of his 6‑4 frame as he leaped between two defenders, bobbled the ball and tucked it away before falling just inbounds.
“That probably was the play of the game,” said Massillon head coach Lee Owens. “Rameir is such a talented kid. And Lee is a gutsy kid for tossing the ball in there like he did.”
Hurst became Massillon’s record‑holder in single‑season pass completions and passing yards with a first half that saw him complete 12‑of‑20 passes for 166 yards. With his final statistics reading 12‑of‑ 22 for 166 yards, Hurst finished the regular season with 111 completions in 208 attempts for 1,485 yards and 10 TDs.
Martin caught all nine of his passes in the first half for 110 yards.
With the lead in hand, Massillon turned the ball over to senior running backs Ryan Sparkman and. Lamonte Dixon. The two combined for 117 yards rushing in the second half, and set up a 27‑yard field goal by Miller late in the third quarter.
Sparkman ended with a game high 105 yards on 25 carries.
Overall, Massillon rolled up 335 total yards and 20 first downs. The Tigers’ offense also didn’t turn the ball over.
“It was a case of its playing good defense and errorless football in the first half, and then wearing out McKinley in the second half,” Owens said. “I think it’s safe to say we pretty much controlled the game the entire way.”
Which is something the know‑it‑alls never would have guessed. ***** Massillon offensive line coach Nick Vrotsos was coaching in his 33rd McKinley‑Massillon game, not his 31st as was reported Thursday.
Overlooked were the 14‑6 victory over McKinley in the 1980 playoffs and the Tigers’ first victory over McKinley in 1963 (the teams played twice that year because McKinley was suspended from play in 1962). Vrotsos is 22‑11 vs. McKinley.
Massillon 14 7 3 0 24 McKinley 7 0 0 0 7
Mass ‑ Sparkman 6 run (G Miller kick) Mass ‑ Sparkman 2 run (G. Miller kick) McK ‑ Szerokman 32 as, iron, Her,, (Woj kick) Mass ‑ Martin 12 pass from Hurst (G. Miller kick) Mass ‑ FG G. Miller 27
‘Dogs down; Tigers stalk Walsh Owens: Massillon’s back, you can’t keep us down
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
It’s a something old, something new, something borrowed kind of Monday for the Massillon Tigers.
* The old (even ancient) ‑ The Tigers beat up the McKinley Bulldogs 24‑7 Saturday at Fawcett Stadium to take a 52‑38‑5 lead in a series that started six years before the Canton school’s namesake became a U.S. president in 1900.
* The new ‑ Massillon and Walsh Jesuit have never played each other. They will collide at 7 p.m. Saturday in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in a first‑round Division I playoff game.
* The borrowed ‑ Sonny Spielman, whose son Chris was a junior the last time the Tigers made the playoffs, in 1982, declared, “The title will ride on Tiger pride.” Didn’t somebody say that somewhere along the line?
It all adds up to this: Sun’s up in Tigertown after a second straight victory over the Dastardly ‘Dogs.
What’s it all mean?
“The focus,” said 33‑year‑old Massillon head coach Lee Owens, who is 2‑0 against McKinley and 15-5 as the top Tiger, “is Massillon.
“I was proud of our school. I was proud of our city. I was proud of our players. I was proud of our coaches.
“Massillon is back. You can’t keep us down. The first year we were eligible to be back in the playoffs, we made it back.
“We aren’t satisfied with just being back in the playoffs, either. As hard as it is to get emotionally up for another game after beating McKinley, we will find a way to do that. We will find a way to establish the consistency needed to advance in the playoffs.”
Who’s going to argue with the man?
His team founds way to dominate potent Austintown‑Fitch a week after losing 41‑7 to Cincinnati Moeller (which, incidentally, will take on unbeaten Cincinnati Elder in another Saturday playoff battle). It found a way to dominate favored – just ask 90 percent of the out‑of‑town media – McKinley a week after a stunning defeat to Cleveland St. Joseph.
Saturday’s game, played on an August‑meets‑October afternoon with temperatures in the 70s, came at the end of a hair‑raising week.
Lose and the Tigers’ season would end bitterly. Win and they would make the playoffs.
The Tigers struck early and let their thousands of followers let their hair bang down.
Massillon led 14‑0 with less than five minutes gone in the game. They stormed into the fourth quarter on top by the 24‑7 final score.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with half the Massillon crowd chanting “T‑I‑G” and the other half roaring back “E‑R‑S,” red rivers of Bulldog boosters streamed toward the exits.
Massillon got it done with a complete package: offense, defense, special teams and crowd support.
The offense scored on the game’s first series and amassed 335 yards against a ballyhooed defense.
The defense was both lucky (McKinley dropped several passes) and good, making numerous crunching hits and keeping the Bulldogs from getting outside. McKinley finished with just 179 total yards.
The special teams got along kick return from Donnie Blake to start the game and a big fumble recovery by David Whitfield minutes later.
The coaching staff came up with an offensive blocking scheme that took McKinley by surprise.
The crowd was large enough and loud enough to negate McKinley’s home‑field advantage ‑ an estimated 8,000 of the crowd of 20,000 ‑ official figure remained unavailable this morning ‑ rooted for the Tigers.
The offense used an unbalanced line in which the two biggest Tigers, Tom Menches and Ray Kovacsiss, lined up side by side.
”We recognized it as coaches,” said McKinley mentor Thom McDaniels. “But coaches recognizing it and adjusting to it and players doing so can be two different things.
They hadn’t done that in anything we’d seen in scouting them.”
Owens said his staff agreed the unbalanced look would throw McKinley’s angle defense off stride.
“We’ve used it during the season in goal‑line situations, but not all over the field as we did today,” he said.
Added Tiger tackle Tom Menches, “I think we had McKinley fooled.”
Senior running back Ryan Sparkman benefited from the well executed plan. He scored two touchdowns and rushed 25 times for 105 yards.
Quarterback Lee Hurst and split end Rameir Martin also had particularly outstanding games.
Hurst completed 12 of 22 passes for 166 yards. Martin caught six passes for 110 yards, including a leaping 12-yard touchdown catch with four seconds left in the first half in which he outwrestled three McKinley defenders for position and landed on his back clutching the ball.
The hard‑hitting contest left the physical status of a few Tigers in doubt heading into the Walsh Jesuit game.
Senior lineman Tom Menches suffered a badly sprained left ankle during a third‑quarter drive in which the Tigers scored the only points of the second half on a field goal.
Senior defensive back Eddie Williams suffered a knee injury in the first half. Stacy said the injury probably won’t require immediate surgery but that Williams won’t play Saturday.
Sparkman aggravated a hamstring injury that has cost him playing time this season but he probably will play Saturday, Stacy said.
Defensive lineman Mark McGeorge, bothered by nagging injuries late in the year, had to be helped off the field during the McKinley game. His status is uncertain.
MASSILLON 24 McKINLEY 7
Me Mc HALFTIME TOTALS First downs rushing 3 2 First downs passing 7 2 First downs penalty 1 1 Total first down 11 5 Net Yards rushing 39 30 Net Yards Passing 166 52 Total net Yards 205 82 Passes attempted 21 12 Passes completed 12 3 Passes intercepted 0 0 Fumbles/lost 0‑0 1‑1 Punts 3 4 Punting average 30.7 36.3 Penalties 3 3 Yards penalized 31 22
FINAL TOTALS First downs rushing 12 4 First downs passing 7 6 First downs penalty 1 1 Total first 20 11 Net Yards rushing 169 45 Net Yards passing 166 134 Total net yards 335 179 Passes attempted 23 23 Passes completed 72 9 Passes intercepted 0 2 Fumbles/lost 1‑0 3‑2 Punts 5 6 Punting average 31.0 36.7 Penalties 3 3 Yards penalized 31 22
Ma ‑ Sparkman 6 run. Miller kick Ma ‑ Sparkman 2 run. Miller kick Mc ‑ Szerokman 32 pass from Henry. Wojcik kick Ma ‑ Martin 12 pass from Hurst. Miller kick Ma ‑ Miller 27 field goal.
Here is a drive‑by‑drive account of Saturday’s Massillon-McKinley game, won 24‑7 by the Tigers. MAS ‑ Donnie Blake returns opening kickoff 37 yards to McKinley 47 Ryan Sparkman scores on 7‑yard run on seventh play, Key play: 16‑yard Lee Hurst to Troy Manion completion to 32 on first down. Gary Miller’s P.A.T. kick good at 9:39 of first quarter. Tigers 7, McKinley *** McK ‑ Kirk Moore fumbles during kickoff return. David Whitfield, recovers for Massillon. MAS ‑ Start on McKinley 18. Score in six plays on 2‑yard run by Sparkman. Key play: 7‑yard Hurst to Rameir Martin pass to 11 on first down. Miller P.A.T. kick good at 7:20 of first quarter. Tigers 14, McKinley 0 *** McK ‑ Start on own 20 after touchback. Drive to Tiger 49. Punt. MAS ‑ Start on own 16. Three plays. Punt. McK ‑ Start on Tiger 49. Score on third play, a 32‑yard pass from Ryan Henry to Ron Szerokman. Wojcik kick good at 1:38 of first quarter. Tigers 14, McKinley 7 *** MAS ‑ Start on own 23 after kickoff. Drive nine plays to 20 Hurst’s 38‑yard field goal attempt wide right at 9:42 of second quarter. Key play: 36‑yard Hurst to Martin sideline pass. McK ‑ Start on own 20. Four plays to 37. Punt. MAS ‑ Start on own 11. Six plays to own 48, including 30‑yard sideline pass to Doug Harig. Punt. Mck ‑Start on own 25 with 3:13 left in first half. Three plays. Punt., MAS ‑ Start on own 36 with 2:00 left in half. Drive 64 yards in 10 plays for TD, 12‑yard pass from Hurst to Martin in left corner of end zone. Key plays: 9‑yard run to 45 by Sparkman on first down; 8‑yard reception by Martin followed by late hit penalty to 12. Miller’s P.A.T. kick good at 0:04 of first half. First half expires on ensuing kickoff return. Tigers 21, McKinley 7 *** McK ‑ Start on own 6 after bobble of kickoff return. Three plays. Punt. MAS ‑ Start on McKinley 40. Six plays to 12. Hurst’s 38‑yard field goal attempt wide right at 6:36 of third quarter. McK ‑ Start on own 20, Three plays. Punt. MAS ‑ Start on own 47. Seven plays to 8‑yard line. 27‑yard field goal by Miller good at 1:27 of third quarter. Tigers 24, McKinley 7
McK ‑ Start on own 45 after kickoff return. Seven plays to Tiger 3. Keith Rabbitt rips ball away from Bulldog pass receiver Dorey Irven MAS ‑ Start on own 3. Seven plays to 43. Punt. McK‑ Start on own 25 with 5:53 left in game. Drive inside Massillon territory but lose ball on interception by Chad Buckland that virtually ends game.
MASSILLON ‑ It looked like plain old mud wrestling, but Massillon defensive tackle Bob Dunwiddie said it had a name.
“It’s called our sci‑fi stomp,” he said after the Tigers’ dramatic 10‑7 overtime high school football victory over McKinley Saturday before 17,000 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Program Cover
After McKinley’s Akram Alzught missed a 38‑yard field goal on the last play of the game, Massillon’s players sprinted to the 50-yard line and began rolling around in the mud. They got up for a little dancing, and then it was back down in the muck for more celebrating.
But even the guy who has to wash the jerseys had to be smiling. The victory snapped a four‑game losing streak for the Tigers against McKinley, and some say it could even make the difference Tuesday when Massillon voters decide whether they want a new high school.
“I won a state championship (at Galion in 1985), but this is bigger, “ said Massillon coach Lee Owens. “This community has been down, and we needed it. This is just an unbelievable win.”
The deciding points came on a 23‑yard field goal by junior Lee Hurst on Massillon’s first series of overtime. It was Hurst’s first field goal of the season.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1988
As if the way he won it wasn’t spectacular enough, Hurst almost won the game in more dramatic fashion. With 2:07 left in regulation, his 47‑yard field goal attempt was wide right by about two feet.
“That was frustrating because I thought I had it, and it just went, wide,” said Hurst, who pounded the turf in agony after the kick. “But I was able to get it out of mind quickly.
McKinley (6‑4) won the overtime toss, and e!ected to let the Tigers (7‑3) have the first possession. Beginning at the McKinley 20, Massillon got one first down, but the drive stalled at the 7, and Hurst booted the go‑ahead field goal.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1988
In the first half, a driving rain and severe winds hampered the kicking game. But, fortunately for Hurst, there was no rain and little wind when the game was on the line.
On the second play of McKinley’s overtime possession, Bulldogs quarterback Ryan Henry threw the ball into the end zone to a wide‑open Alfred Hill, but the ball slipped through Hill’s hands.
“When I saw him wide open, my heart missed one full beat,” Owens said. “When I saw we were still alive, I said to myself, ‘Thank God, we finally got a break this season.”
Two plays later, Alzught squibbed his field‑goal attempt to the left, and pandemonium erupted.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1988
While it was one of the most dramatic endings in the 94‑year old rivalry (Massillon leads the series 51‑38‑5), much of the game matched every cliche uttered by the two coaches all week. It was hard‑hitting and intense. Nobody literally left their heart on the field, but some players came very close.
Both touchdowns were scored in the second quarter. With 7:40 left in the half, McKinley halfback Derrick Gordon, who gained 77 yards on 22 carries, scored on a one‑yard run, and Alzught added the extra point.
With 2:09 left before intermission, Jamie Slutz hit Doug Harig with a seven‑yard TD toss, and Hurst kicked the extra point. Slutz is the Tigers’ backup quarterback, but he was in the game thanks to the latest surprise from Owens.
Game action vs. Canton McKinley 1988
While the chains were being moved for a first down, Owens sneaked Slutz into the game as a running back. Before McKinley had a chance to react, quarterback Hurst had handed the ball off to Slutz, who flipped the ball to a wide‑open Harig.
“Coach put that in a couple of weeks ago, but we didn’t want to use it until then,” Slutz said. “We were saving it for McKinley.”
“I recognized it right away, and I was yelling to the players,” said McKinley coach Thom McDaniels. “But it’s hard when you’re 30 yards away and 17,000 people are screaming.
The story in the second half was defense. When McKinley got down to the Massillon 9 late in the third quarter linebacker David Lewell smashed Lamuel Flowers for a one‑yard loss on fourth‑and‑1.
Led by the running of Jason Stafford, who gained 123 yards on 21 carries, Massillon twice advanced inside the McKinley 40‑yard line. But twice McKinley’s defense forced fumbles.
By the fourth quarter, the Tigers’ defense was frustrating McKinley to such a degree that McDaniels felt he needed to take a huge gamble.
With 5:53 left and the Bulldogs facing fourth‑and‑2 at the 50, McKinley tried a fake punt. The ball was snapped to up‑back Darnell Clark, but he was stopped a half‑yard short of the first down.
McDaniels said he thought it was a “win or lose” gamble, but it was neither after Hurst’s 47‑yarder just missed on Massillon’s ensuing possession.
Tiger back: Defense ‘ ‘main factor’
Key plays in overtime hidden factors in victory vs. McKinley
MASSILLON 10 McKINLEY 7 MAS MCK Total first downs 13 11 Rushing attempts 42 43 Net yards rushing 197 138 Net yards passing 38 119 Total yards gained 235 257 Passes attempted 13 19 Passes completed 4 8 Passes Int. by 0 1 Punts 5 4 Punting average 33.0 32.8 Fumbles 3 2 Fumbles lost 1 2 Penalties 1 3 Yards penalized 10 19 Attendance 17,750
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing (Mas) Stafford 21‑123, Dixon 6-48, Hurst 10‑9, Dunwiddle 4‑18 (McK) Gordon 22‑77, Flowers 11‑42, Henry 2‑15, White 4‑7.
Receiving (Mas) Stafford 2‑24, D. Harig 1‑7, Spencer 1‑7. (McK) Flowers 3‑27, Hunter 3-52, Hedrick 1-15, White 1-13.
McKINLEY 0 7 0 0 0 7 MASSILLON 0 7 0 0 3 10
McK ‑ Gordon 1 run (Alzught kick) Mas ‑ D. Harig 7 pass from Slutz (Hurst Kick) Mas – FG Hurst 23
Key plays in overtime hidden factors in victory vs. McKinley
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
If they had a draft of Stark County’s high school football players Jason Stafford might be the first pick in the whole thing.
Stafford did his usual thing Saturday, rushing for 123 yards in the Massillon Tigers’ 10‑7 overtime victory over the McKinley Bulldogs.
Yet, Stafford’s view of the glorious day was that, if there was a draft of high school players and he was picking, he’d say, “I’ll start with defense … and I’ll take those Massillon guys.”
“The defense played great Stafford said in a mud‑caked locker room after the Tigers sealed a 7‑3 season and froze McKinley’s final ’88 mark at 6‑4.
“The defense,” Stafford said, “was the main factor in the game.”
Sure, it was Lee Hurst’s clutch 23‑yard overtime field goal that put the Tigers ahead 10‑7. And it was a missed 38‑yard field goal by McKinley’s Akram Alzught that ended the game.
But it was the defense that kept McKinley from winning the game in regulation.
And it was the defense that made it so Alzught’s final field goal attempt was 38 yards ‑ a mile by high school standards, especially on the muddy field the Paul Brown Tiger Stadium gridiron became as a result of Friday/Saturday cloudbursts.
“We came together when we had to come together,” said nose guard Steve Harlan, who played despite a torn shoulder. “They broke through a couple of times, but we sucked it up.”
Late in the third quarter, with McKinley driving toward what could have been a killing touchdown, the Bulldogs elected to go for a first down on fourth‑and‑one from the Tiger 10. Bulldog fullback Lamuel Flowers had been playing with fire all day, and the give went to him. Tiger linebacker David Ledwell also went to him, smashing Flowers into a standup position, The Tiger line drove him backward and Massillon got the ball on downs.
“They tried to run off tackle and we stuffed it,” said Tiger end Steve Snodgrass, who was in on the play.
Now the game was in overtime. Both teams got a chance to line up at the 20 and try to score.
The Tigers, losing the coin toss and having to go first, rammed inside the 10 before settling for Hurst’s field goal.
Hurst’s heart leaped when the snap was slightly off line, but Todd Porter managed to make a clean spot.
“I have to do it,” is what Hurst ,said he was thinking. He did, with his first field goal of the season.
Now McKinley had a chance to counter, getting the ball on first down at the 20.
Chad Buckland and Jason Relford slammed tailback Derrick Gordon for a yard loss. Then came the play that made 17,750 hearts jump. McKinley quarterback Ryan Henry rolled right and looked to the end zone. At the last minute he unleashed a bullet toward tight end Alfred Hill, wide open in the end zone. Hill didn’t get in front of the ball and it zipped by his fingers.
Most fans were locked in on the wide‑open Hill. Many missed the fact Henry was pummeled by Tiger tackle Trace Liggett as he threw. Without Liggett’s rush, Henry would have been able to case the ball to Hill. Instead, he had to fire a rocket shot that was ever so slightly off line. With the ball as slippery as it was, ever so slightly can be ever so much.
The Tigers survived. On the next play, senior defensive back Mike Pritchard made a superb play in knifing in front of Gordon and knocking away what could have been a critical completion at the 7.
Now McKinley had to try a long field goal. The attempt did not come close, being kicked on a low line far short of the uprights. The Massillon part of the crowd ‑ which was the vast majority ‑ erupted while the ball was in the air.
McKinley’s four‑game winning streak against Massillon was over. The Tigers had won.
The game was played on a roller coaster, both in terms of the action and the weather.
Rain that started during the previous night and gained momentum as the game approached left the field soaked. The contest started in a drizzle, but, in the second quarter, that turned to one of the heaviest downpours the series has seen.
First‑year head coach Lee Owens has brought a lot of good things to Tigertown. One, of them nobody knew about was PAM.
Tiger equipment manager Keith Herring said PAM ‑ a slick vegetable spray ‑ was used liberally on the bottoms of the Tigers’ spikes.
“It really helped keep the mud off our shoes,” said running back Lamont Dixon.
The Tigers mounted an outstanding ground attack late in the first half and through most of the second half.
The rain subsided by the third quarter and the sun actually broke through the clouds early in the fourth.
It was McKinley breaking through first on the scoreboard. The Bulldogs won the battle of field position early and, on their third possession, had to drive only 37 yards following a punt for a touchdown.
Henry’s fourth‑and‑three bootleg run worked to perfection and gave McKinley first and goal at the 8. On fourth down at the 1, McKinley called time out, then sent Gordon, who finished with 77 yards in 22 carries, over the left side for a touchdown. Alzught’s kick made it 7‑0 with 7:40 left in the first half.
A deflected pass and interception gave McKinley the ball back moments later, but the Pups lost a promising series when Tiger linebacker Tom Mattox pounced on a Flowers fumble at the Massillon 35. From there, Stafford and junior running back Lamont Dixon followed the Tiger line down the field.
Stafford gained 8 yards and Dixon stormed for 10. An 8‑yard bootleg run by Hurst put the ball on the McKinley 37, then Hurst connected with Stafford on a wide‑open screen pass for 30 yards to the 7.
Owens then sent in one of the secret plays the Tigers were saving for the McKinley game. Jamie Slutz, a senior who has performed well all year in the role of backup quarterback/trick play artist, sprinted into the game and lined up at “A‑back,” which usually is Dixon’s position.
“We’ve practiced that for three weeks,” Slutz said. “We were saving it for this game.”
McKinley’s defense didn’t have a chance to react to Bulldog coaches screaming from the sidelines. Slutz took a handoff from Hurst, backed up a step, and spotted junior Doug Harig breaking free in the end zone. Slutz gently lofted a perfect pass over the only McKinley defender in the neighborhood and Harig made an over‑the‑shoulder catch. Hurst’s kick made it 7‑7 with 2:07 left in the half.
Momentum had shifted.
“It was a 949 special,” Harig said. “The ball looked like a pea when it was coming to me. But I figured I’d better catch it, or just keeping running to the locker room.”
McKinley controlled much of the first half, but the Tigers dominated the second half after McKinley’s big third‑quarter drive was stopped at the 10.
A 19‑yard scramble by Hurst got Massillon out of the hole, and a 31-yard sideline scamper by Stafford put the Tigers in scoring position at the McKinley 34. Dixon made a nice run to the 22 but fumbled and the Bulldogs took over.
The Massillon defense forced a three‑and‑out series and the Tigers drove again, this time to the McKinley 38 before Hurst and Stafford missed a handoff and the Bulldogs recovered at the 41 midway through the fourth quarter.
McKinley gambled on fourth down on its resulting possession, when a run on a faked punt was stopped near midfield.
Hurst wound up trying a 47‑yard field goal with 2:07 left.
When it was over, Jeff Harig, Doug’s brother, wore a huge grin that shone through a face hidden by mud.
“They had a lot of people going both ways, and maybe we were a little fresher at the end,” said Jeff, who was on the field as a blocker, as was Doug, in the double tight end set the Tigers used to run the ball into position for Hurst in overtime.
“We won. That’s all that matters.
McKinley streak goes ‘poof’
Tiger tight end Harig says he was helped by a cream puff
By MIKE KEATING Independent Correspondent
Doug Harig enjoyed a post‑game hotdog moments after the Massillon Tigers devoured some ‘Dogs on the football field Saturday.
The tight end offered some food for thought on the significance of the Tigers’ 10‑7 overtime victory over arch‑rival Canton McKinley.
“We finally got our pride back,” said, Harig. “This win offsets our three losses.”
Sure, the setbacks to Austintown Fitch, Akron St. Vincent‑St. Mary and Warren Harding hurt. The last second defeats at Fitch and at Warren were especially heartbreaking. But a fifth consecutive loss to McKinley undoubtedly would have exceeded all those combined.
Backyard bragging rights were at stake Saturday afternoon and there hasn’t been anything for Tiger fans to hoot and holler about in this rivalry since the days of Chris Spielman, Brian Dewitz, Tom Gruno, Craig Johnson and Company.
Lee Owens understood. The first year Massillon head coach was extremely emotional after his team’s seventh and unquestionably most important victory of the season.
“This town has been hungry the last four years and this win was for the entire Massillon community,” he said.
No added incentive was needed for Massillon. But Harig said he had a personal one after a surprise package was delivered to his home earlier in the week.
“There was a cream puff in it with a note,” he explained. The note read: Dear Jeff, you’re the only cream puff bigger than this. Feed it to your brother too.
“We didn’t eat it. We don’t know who sent it, but whoever did, thank you. It fired us up.”
Jeff Harig, the senior tight end, was held without a pass reception Saturday. But he concluded the year with 26 catches for 259 yards, and three touchdowns – hardly cream puff kind of numbers.
His younger brother snagged a Jamie Slutz toss as easily as catching a cream puff in the second quarter. The seven‑yard touchdown catch whetted the Tigers’ appetite that set up the dramatic win.
Jeff finished his high school career at Massillon on a winning note. Doug, a 6‑1, 173‑pound junior, can’t wait for 1989.
“This win will carry over to next year and we need some momentum because we play Moeller and Middletown early,” he said .
Starting free safety Joe Pierce had a touchdown‑saving tackle in the fourth quarter. The 6‑0, 161pound junior echoed Harig’s sentiments.
“This is a big win for the juniors and will make it easier to work harder (in preparation) for next season,” said Pierce.
Of course, the victory also meant a lot to the seniors. It was their last McKinley game. Defensive tackle Trace Liggett couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“I don’t think I’ll ever play in as big a game, unless it’s the Super Bowl,” said Liggett, who is regarded as a major college prospect. “It was a great win and a great way to end the season.”
Last May 13, Owens was hired as the new football coach. Liggett attended the press conference where Owens was introduced. He was impressed with the youthful coach then and even more so after playing for him.
“He is an inspiration to us. He is a good teacher and made practice fun. The players wanted to work hard for him,” said Liggett.
“This win is a big springboard to next year,” said Owens. “I feel that we would have had to start all over (with the program) if we had lost.”
As it worked out, cream puffs ‑and victory ‑ never tasted better.
Expectations fulfilled
Hurst’s winning field goal puts finishing touch on Tigers’ year
By CHRIS TOMASSON Repository sports writer
MASSILLON ‑ When your quarterback’s passing percentage is better than your kicker’s extra point percentage, it usually means you’ve either got a great quarterback or a lousy kicker.
That is, except in Massillon. Tigers’ coach Lee Owens says he has a great quarterback and a great kicker.
Lee Hurst handles both jobs for the Tigers. He’s done an excellent job at quarterback all season. As far as his kicking performance is concerned, until Saturday, the less said about it the better.
But in Massillon’s 10‑7 overtime victory over McKinley at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Hurst showed that Owens knows what he’s talking about.
Hurst, who had made only 11‑of-21 previous extra points and had not made a field goal all season. made his only extra‑point attempt and he kicked a 23‑yard field goal in overtime that gave the Tigers the win.
“I never lost confidence in Lee,” Owens said. “He’s been taking a lot of heat all season, but he did the job.”
Hurst’s most impressive kick was actually one that he missed. With 2:09 left in the game, Massillon faced fourth‑and‑13 from the McKinley 30. A field goal from there would have to travel 47 yards, one yard shorter than the Massillon record.
“I asked Lee if he could make a field goal from the distance, and he said, ‘I can make it,” Owens said. “He almost did.”
Hurst’s kick had plenty of distance, but it was wide right by about two feet.
After the game, while being hugged by most of the population of Massillon, Hurst dedicated the victory to the Tigers’ seniors.
“I’m only a junior, so next year will be my year, ” Hurst said. “But this year belongs to our seniors.”
The seniors are the players who have suffered the most at the hands of McKinley. The Bulldogs had defeated the Tigers four straight times, the most consecutive victories for a McKinley team since the early 1900s.
“This game meant everything to our season,” said senior running back Jason Stafford, who rushed for 123 yards on 21 carries. “I didn’t care if we started out the’ season 0‑9 as long as we beat McKinley.”
“This is just a great feeling,” said senior defensive tackle Trace Liggett, who spearheaded a Massillon defense that held the Bulldogs to 117 yards and no points in the second half and overtime. “I can’t even describe how I feel right now, To beat McKinley is what it’s all about.”
Interestingly, in 1983, the last time Massillon beat McKinley, Tigers’ defensive tackle Bob Dunwiddie was pulling for the Bulldogs.
“Sure, I was cheering for McKinley,” Dunwiddie said. “I lived in Canton and attended Souers Junior High through the seventh grade, Then in the eighth grade I moved to Massillon and became Tiger.”
Owens said beating the Bulldogs meant everything to the Tigers’ season.
“If we had lost it would have been just like starting over,” Owens said. “But winning means that we’ve achieved the type of season we wanted. It’s rubber stamped the season. And it’s also a building block for next year.”
The Tigers finished the year 7‑3, one game better than last season. Massillon lost its three games by a combined margin of nine points.
WHS-Warren rivalry may be over Coach Owens enraged at referees as Tigers fall 25-22
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
WARREN: Today is Sweetest Day for lovers.
Friday was Bitterest Day for Tigers.
The Tigers’ high school football series with Warren Harding has lived long and prospered. It may have died Friday night at Mollenkopf Stadium, when the Black Panthers were awarded a controversial touchdown with 30 seconds left that gave them a 25‑22 victory.
If it is dead, the coffin will be draped with a giant yellow flag.
Massillon head coach Lee Owens believed the Tigers were, to put it bluntly, homered.
“It’s not fair to our kids to have happen what happened here tonight,” said Owens, referring to the officiating. “As long as I’m the head coach in Massillon, we’ll never schedule them again.”
Owens was enraged by the volume of penalties against his team ‑ 12 for 149 yards ‑ and the timing.
Two yellow hankies bothered him the most.
One was a 15‑yard personal foul against fullback Jason Stafford, who leaped out of a pile thinking he had scored, but was informed he had been stopped short of the goal line.
Stafford, who had rushed for 120 yards to that point in the fourth quarter, was ejected from the game with the Tigers trailing 19‑14 and facing second and goal from the 16 ‑ after the penalty ‑ with 4:55 left in the game.
After a five‑yard encroachment penalty against Warren, quarterback Lee Hurst rolled right and threw left to tight end Jeff Harig, who caught the ball in the end zone.
Surprise, no flags. Touchdown.
Defensive tackle Bob Dunwiddie, suddenly a running back in a Tiger surprise called the “Bull Offense,” carried for the two‑point conversion and Massillon led 22‑19 with 4:29 left.
Several Clayton Waite completions, a pass interference panelty and a personal foul infraction later, Warren had the ball a few inches short of the goal stripe on fourth down.
Warren head coach Frank Thomas, a former Massillon assistant, called for a quarterback sneak during a timeout. Waite drove over center into a huge Massillon, pile and bedlam ensured while the 6,000 fans waited for the official call. After a five‑second delay, the referee’s hands went up. Touchdown.
Interestingly, Massillon lineman T.R. Rivera had the ball when the touchdown was signaled. “Half my body was over the goal line,” Waite said. “I’m sure it was a touchdown. The Massillon camp disagreed.
“I talked to our players and 11 guys told me it wasn’t a touchdown,” Owens said. “Waite hit the pile and was stopped. When he realized he was stopped he reached ahead and while he did that the ball came loose. T.R. recovered the fumble.”
The Tigers have not been a heavily penalized team this year. They were averaging 48 penalty yards against them per game heading into Friday.
Did they suddenly turn into a team of Jack Tatums‑gone-berserk? Or was there another explanation? Namely, that Warren’s reputation as a homer palace has been built on actual hose jobs?
Thomas, whose team was penalized eight times for 71 yards, rejected the “homer” theory.
“I have to believe the officials are ‑ there because they like athletes and they like kids,” Thomas said. “Whether you’re talking about Warren, Steubenville or Massillon, I don’t believe high school officials purposely try to take a game away from a team. I feel strongly about that.”
Informed of Thomas’ comment, Owens said, “I disagree.
“I’ve never complained to a newspaper about the officiating,” he said. “But I have to say something tonight. I’ve never seen anything like this as long as I’ve been coaching. If beating Massillon is so important that circumstances like this are created, I can’t accept that.
There is no question beating Massillon was important to the Black Panthers.
“I didn’t care if we went 1‑9 this season as long as we beat Massillon,” said Waite, a 6‑foot‑3 senior who completed 19 of 36 passes for 195 yards, rushed seven times for 28 yards, and intercepted three passes, two coming one play after clipping penalties against Massillon.
“We never beat Massillon, and that goes all the way back through my junior high days. This isn’t just at the top. It’s at the tippy top.”
Gerald Simpson, a 6‑foot‑4 senior who missed most of the season with a broken arm, was a big factor Friday, catching seven passes for 92 yards and running 33 yards for a touchdown.
He credited the victory, however, to Waite.
“In my opinion, Clayton is the best quarterback in the country,” Simpson said of Waite, who says he will play college football at Michigan or South Carolina.
The victory pushed Harding’s record to 5‑2 and reduced Massillon’s lead in the all‑time series to 44‑17‑3. The Panthers, however, owns a 7‑6-2 lead in games played at Mollenkopf since 1960.
Owens, whose team dropped to 4-3 with its third straight loss, was not sure if there is a contract to play Warren next year in Massillon, but he talked about the possibility of voiding it if there is.
Warren and Massillon first faced each other in 1921.
The first time the Tigers touched the ball Friday, they moved to midfield but were stalled when Hurst was sacked for a three‑yard loss, followed by a five‑yard encroachment penalty and a 15‑yard clipping foul.
Three punts later Massillon had the ball at its own 45 but quickly lost it right there on a fumble. Harding overcame a 10‑yard holding penalty against a Panther linemen that set up a second and 20. Waite scrambled 16 yards and, on third down, passed for 17 yards to Simpson. Moments later, Simpson made a leaping catch in the end zone on a 10 yard scoring play. The P.A.T. kick gave the Panthers a 7‑0 lead with 1:29 left in the first quarter.
Massillon struck back quickly. Lamont Dixon’s 49‑yard kickoff return put the ball at the Warren 41. Two plays later the Tigers were hit with another clipping penalty but that was negated two plays later still by a personal foul against Harding. On first down from the 17, Hurst took off around left end on a bootleg run and maneuvered his way through traffic for a touchdown as the first quarter expired. The point‑after kick failed and the Harding kept the lead,,7‑6.
Warren took over at its 27 after the kickoff and, on second‑and‑10, moved to the 42 on a pass interference call. Two Waite completions advanced the ball to the 33, where on third and two Simpson swept right and seemed to be caught in the backfield. He bounced off the pack, however, and sprinted left, breaking into the clear and scoring. The kick failed, and Warren led 13‑6 with 8:56 left in the second quarter.
Massillon drove 57 yards to the Warren 15 before running out of downs on its next possession but soon got the ball back on an 11‑yard punt that rolled dead on the Harding 31. A 19‑yard sideline pass to Jeff Harig put the ball at the 12, and three runs by Stafford setup fourth-and‑two at the 4.
That’s when the Tigers sent in their “bull offense,” featuring Dunwiddie (6‑3, 225) and his fellow defensive lineman Trace Liggett (6‑3, 268) in the offensive backfield.
Liggett and Dunwiddie had run through the pre‑game hoop together and with more than the usual gusto, so one might have guessed they were up to something.
Their presence made an impact the first time the “bull offense” hit the field, with Liggett throwing a block that helped spring Dunwiddie for a three‑yard touchdown run. Hurst passed to Stafford for a two‑point conversion and the Tigers led 13‑12 with 1: 39 left in the half.
The Panthers, however, struck quickly and scored an important touchdown with seven seconds left in the half. A 70‑yard drive featured a 22‑yard scramble by Waite, two completions for 25 yards, and a third‑down run of five yards for the touchdown. The conversion run attempt failed and Warren settled for a 19‑14 halftime lead.
The Tigers spent most of the second half in scoring range. Tom Mattox’s interception on the second play of the third quarter gave Massillon possession at the Warren 33, but on second and eight from the 12, another clipping penalty put the Tigers in a hole. Waite’s intercepted Hurst on the next play.
Waite put Warren on the move again but Massillon linebacker David Ledwell intercepted him at the Massillon 41.
This time, Warren’s defense stopped the Tigers, who ran out of downs at the Panthers 31. Warren eventually punted and Massillon threatened again when Hurst, fooling the Panthers on third‑and‑one, found Harig all alone deep. The play might have gone for more than 39 yards but Hurst had to throw with a Harding defender tugging at his leg and Harig had to come back for the ball. Stafford ran five yards to the 20, then an apparent Tiger touchdown run on the next play was called back by still another clipping penalty. Again, Waite intercepted Hurst on the next play, with 10:34 left in the game.
Again, the Tigers forced a punt, getting the ball at midfield. They drove to the 12, where it was fourth and five, and they lined up to go for it. This time, it was Massillon helped by a penalty, as Warren lined up offsides, giving the Tigers a first‑and‑goal at the 7.
The “bull offense” re‑appeared, but this time Dunwiddie lined up at fullback, Liggett was beside him at wingback, and Stafford was the tailback. Stafford followed the big bulls for six yards to the 1, and followed them again to what he thought was a touchdown, but at that point found out his carry was not ruled a score, and was subsequently ejected for his reaction.
The ball was marched 15 yards backward, and then five yards ahead when Warren encroached on the next play. Hurst then hit Harig with the go‑ahead TD, and Dunwiddie, again lining up in the “bull,” carried for the two‑point conversion.
Massillon led 22‑19 with 4:29 left.
Warren had trouble with the kickoff and set up on its own 7. Waite passed the Panthers to the 20 but faced second and 10. He passed again, long down the right sideline. the ball was nearly intercepted by safety Joe Pierce but pass interference was ruled and Warren had another first down. Waite clicked for big passes of 27 and 17 yards to Keith Jordan, with the latter play having a half‑the‑distance penalty tacked on when Chad Buckland, was ruled for leading a tackle with his helmet ‑ another call that upset Owens greatly.
“That play never gets called … and to call it there,” Owens said.
Eventually, it was fourth and inches, and Waite was ruled in for the touchdown.
The Tigers now must try to rally for a battle next Saturday at Cleveland St. Joseph, which fell to 5‑2 Friday by losing to Cleveland St. Ignatius.
WARREN 25 MASSILLON 22 W M First downs rushing 7 6 First downs passing 6 11 First downs by penalty 3 3 Totals first downs 16 20 Yards gained rushing 192 136 Yards lost rushing 12 15 Net yards rushing 180 121 Net yards passing 158 195 Total yards gained 338 316 Passes attempted 26 36 Passes completed 13 19 Passes int. by 2 3 Times kicked off 4 5 Kickoff average 47.0 40.4 Kickoff return yards 77 49 Punts 2 5 Punting average 22.0 25.6 Punt return yards -2 0 Fumbles 2 0 Fumbles lost 1 0 Penalties 12 8 Yards penalized 149 71 Number of plays 60 63 Time of possession 21.51 26.09 Attendance 6,000
The Massillon Tigers ran and booted and made the crowd’s heart race.
Quarterback Lee Hurst’s heart was racing before he put on his boots.
Coach Lee Owens’ creative concoction ‑ the run‑and‑boot offense ‑ lived up to advance bill Friday night when the Massillon Tigers outslugged and outran the Cuyahoga Falls Black Tigers 28‑6 in a high school football season opener seen by a paid house of 10,724 in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Hurst, a junior starting his first varsity game, didn’t let it show, but he was “sluggish” according to Owens, and for a very specific reason.
“He’s under medication and he may have had a little too much of the medication tonight,” Owens said of the man who had just completed 13 of 20 passes for 138 yards.
He didn’t have the energy he normally would have.”
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“I’ve had a problem with a racing heart,” Hurst explained. “The medication is for that. They’ve made it stronger for football season. I may have had too much of it.”
Massillon had too much of everything for Falls.
“I thought we did really well on offense,” Hurst said. “The backs ran well and the linemen did a super job blocking.”
Fullback Jason Stafford did a lot of the outrunning and outslugging. The 5‑foot‑9, 165‑pound speed burner rushed 18 times for 103 yards.
He never quite could get his 4.39 second 40‑yard dash speed out in the open, but, as he put it, “I was close to breaking it all the way on every play.”
Hurst and Stafford were well known names last year. Lamont Dixon was not. Dixon opened a few eyes, though, when he rushed six times for 98 yards out of the “A-back” position, as Owens calls it.
Ryan Sparkman, who played despite an upper‑leg injury, had been ticketed for starting duty at the “Aback” spot. Dixon played as though he would like the job, running over anything that was in his way.
Speaking of surprises, the Tigers set the tempo for the evening by pulling off a big one.
On the sixth play of the game, facing fourth‑and‑three from the Falls 46‑yard line, the Tigers lined up to punt.
Three Tigers lined up five yards behind center. The man on the right was senior Jamie Slutz, who spent training camp battling for the starting quarterback job.
“The coach told me to check outside to see if Joe (Pierce) was covered,” Slutz said. “When I saw that he wasn’t, I called for the snap to come to me.”
It did. Slutz rolled out, “just looking to get the ball to somebody.” He saw a linebacker pop in front of the streaking Pierce. Pierce broke behind the linebacker and Slutz fired a strike.
The 16‑yard completion gave the Tigers a first down at the 30. The inspired Tigers gained 6, 5, 7, 5 and 5 yards to set up a 1‑yard plunge into the end zone by Sparkman.
The point‑after kick failed, but the gamble had succeeded.
“With all the buildup about our offense, it would have been hard for us to punt there,” said Owens who has said frequently that he looks at punt as “a dirty word.”
The Tigers sputtered at times the rest of the way but managed to make their offense look like they have an Indy car to tune up the rest of the season.
They led 28-0 before Falls scored on a bomb with 55 seconds left in the game.
“There were a lot of times when we out‑athleted ”em,” said Owens, smiling at the word he invented.
“I’m disappointed in a lot of things. We’ll have to be a lot better tomorrow. But I don’t want to take away from the victory earned by the players and the coaching staff. it was a great one.”
Falls is not among the top names on the Massillon schedule. The Black Tigers loomed as a team that might improve on last year’s 7‑3 campaign before a car crash last winter killed two boys, paralyzed two others and led another to transfer from Falls to another school district. All would have been starters this year, including one of the boys who was killed, 6‑7 quarterback Kevin Humble.
“I know a couple of Falls guys and I know they dedicated the whole season to the guys in that crash,” said Massillon middle guard Bob Dunwiddie. “They came in on a bubble. After a couple of hard hits, they came back to earth.”
Dunwiddie was pleased with the Massillon defense, which allowed only 131 yards until Falls beefed the total up to 208 on its last possession.
“We pulled together as a team instead of being individuals ” he said
Coach Bill Humble was not at all displeased with his team, which leads one to believe he sees Massillon as a powerhouse.
“Our kids played hard,” he said. “I thought we played pretty good football.”
Massillon’s early success on the faked punt “really hurt us,” Humble said. “That was a real key play.
There would be others.
Midway through the second quarter, Dixon exploded for 49 yards on a play that highlighted an‑84‑yard scoring drive.
“It was the old Redskin play, a counter gap,” said Owens. “I thought it worked well tonight.”
Dixon’s run was sandwiched between two Hurst‑to‑Marlon Smith completions. The touchdown came on a 6‑yard run by Stafford, who swept left, was caught at the three, spun away and reached the football barely over the goal line as he hit the turf.
Hurst’s point‑after kick boomed through and Massillon led 13‑0 with five minutes left in the half.
Falls went three‑and‑punt and Massillon got the ball back on the Black Tigers’ 45. A 12‑yard reception by Smith put the ball on the 20. On the next play tight end Jeff Harig ran a post pattern and Hurst led him with a high‑arcing pass to the back of the end zone. Harig dove and snagged the ball with his fingertips, pulling it in and hanging on as he crashed to the ground with a touchdown.
Harig did it again on the point after try, grabbing a tipped ball for a two‑pointer that gave the Tigers a 21‑0 halftime lead.
Falls staged a mild threat late in the third quarter. With the score still at 21‑0, the Black Tigers drove to the Massillon 22 where it was second‑and‑six. Pierce flew from his free safety position to break up what briefly appeared to be a touchdown pass on second down. Monte McGuire, playing with an air cast on his left ankle, stuffed 205‑pound fullback Jim Kearns for no gain on third down. A fourth‑down pass fell incomplete and the threat was over.
The Tigers drove 78 yards in 10 plays for an insurance touchdown. Sparkman went over left tackle and exploded for an 8‑yard touchdown run with 11:06 left in the game. Hurst’s kick made it 28‑0.
Falls’ touchdown drive was capped by a 41‑yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Jim Ballard to junior split end Jim Otis.
The Tigers were disappointed that the shutout got away. As the defense returned to the bench, Owens said, “Keep your heads up.”
The heads were up in the locker room afterward.
“We could have been a little more intense, but we did pretty well,” Pierce said.
GlenOak had riddled the Tigers for 14 completions in 20 attempts in a scrimmage the previous Friday. The Tiger linebackers’ timing was off that night, as they were not making the drops that would take away passes over the middle.
“The linebackers did a real good job tonight,” Pierce said. “They helped out the defensive backs a lot.”
Pierce said losing the shutout was a disappointment. McGuire agreed, but he didn’t look very disappointed.
“I feel good,” he said. “A win is a win.”
MASSILLON 28 CUY.FALLS 6 M CF First downs rushing 13 5 First downs passing 7 3 First downs by penalty 0 1 Totals first downs 20 9 Yards gained rushing 237 102 Yards lost rushing 17 11 Net yards rushing 220 91 Net yards passing 154 117 Total yards gained 374 208 Passes attempted 211 19 Passes completed 14 12 Passes int. by 1 0 Times kicked off 5 3 Kickoff average 55.8 30.31 Kickoff return yards 44 184 Punts 2 6 Punting average 32.5 30.3 Punt return yards 47 14 Fumbles 0 1 Fumbles lost 0 0 Penalties 5 3 Yards penalized 77 15 Number of plays 57 47 Time of possession 21.20 26.40
MAS ‑ Sparkman 1 run (kick failed) MAS ‑ Stafford 6 run (Hurst kick) MAS ‑ Harig 20 pass from Hurst (Harig pass from Hurst) MAS ‑ Sparkman 8 run (Hurst kick) CF ‑ Otis 41 pass from Ballard (pass failed)
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