Tag: <span>Mario Manningham</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

2004: Massillon 12, Warren Harding 15

Tigers turning focus to Brinson, Bulldogs

Massillon playing for .500 season against rival after familiar nemesis dashes its playoff hopes

INDE STAFF REPORT

In their stirring 15-12 double overtime loss to Warren Harding at Mollenkopf Stadium on Saturday, the Massillon Tigers got a large dose of stellar Raider playmaker Mario Manningham, who scored both Warren touchdowns.

The Tigers, 4-5 on the season and with no chance to reach the playoffs, now have to brace for another of Ohio’s best all-purpose players in Ryan Brinson when the McKinley Bulldogs invade Paul Brown Tiger Stadium this coming Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff.

Manningham and Brinson are two different players with similar but not identical skill sets. However, Warren and McKinley each utilize their respective superstar at a variety of positions, and get the football in their hands in a variety of ways.

The Tiger defense, which was outstanding in limiting Warren to 223 yards of total offense and holding Manningham to 89 all-purpose yards, saw the Raiders use the 6-foot 178-pound senior as a kick and punt returner, as a wide receiver, on the halfback option pass and, finally, as a running back.

It was in the latter role that the University of Michigan-bound All-Ohioan ultimately did the Tigers in, scoring on a 20-yard off-tackle touchdown scamper on Warren’s first snap of the second overtime after MassilIon had taken a 12-9 lead on Steve Schott’s 21 yard field goal. McKinley was just as dependent on Brinson in defeating North Canton on Saturday night at Fawcett Stadium. The Bulldog senior scored on runs of 29 and 9 yards, and caught touchdown passes of 51 and 29 yards, finishing with 244 all-purpose yards against the Viking defense.

Brinson is within striking distance of McKinley’s single-season rushing record and would like nothing more than to achieve that mark against rival Massillon.

The Tigers, on the other hand, were stung by some of Brinson’s post-game comments following last year’s humbling season-ending setback at the hands of the Bulldogs and will likely make him the object of their displeasure when the teams meet for the 112th time on Saturday.

Massillon came oh so close to carrying a two-game winning streak and immeasurable momentum into the McKinley game, jumping out to a 6-0 lead over Warren and carrying a three-point advantage into the fourth quarter on a drizzly autumn evening.

The Tigers dominated first-half play, and scored on their third possession of the game when Quentin Paulik hit Wayne Gates with a six yard touchdown pass in the waning moments of the first quarter.

The score was set up by a clutch 11-yard pass reception by Brett Huffman on a third-and-10 play.

An interception gave Warren the short field late in the half and the Raiders tallied on a 25-yard Omar Omar field goal with less than 90 seconds to play in the second quarter to make it 6-3 at halftime.

Massillon forced Warren to punt on its first two possessions of the second half but the Raiders got something going on their third try, marching from their 27 to the Tiger 5 on six plays. On second and goal, Warren’s Roger Matlock lofted a pass into the end zone and Manningham (who else?) outfought tight coverage for the catch and a 9-6 Warren lead at 11:05 of the fourth quarter.

Massillon then sustained a 13-play drive, eating up half of the fourth quarter clock in the process. But an illegal procedure penalty after a time out transformed a third- and-5 into third-and-10, and when the Tigers failed to convert, Schott tied the game up at 9-9 with a 32-yard field goal.

Despite a questionable penalty that gave Warren new life near midfield, Massillon would not relent in the game’s final minutes, blocking the Raiders’ 30-yard field goal attempt with two seconds to play in regulation.

Both teams missed field goals in the first overtime before Manningham’s heroics closed out the Tigers.

Statistics can be deceiving but in this case the numbers reflect the close game. Massillon out gained Warren in total offense 226-223 and in rushing yardage 108-90. The Raiders had a 133-118 yardage edge in the passing game.

Tiger special teams held Manningham and his cohorts in check as Warren managed just 26 return yards.

But Warren got all the better of it. when the yellow flags began to fly. The Tigers compiled 77 penalty yards to their hosts’ 26.

Warren 15,

Massillon 12

Massillon 6 0 0 3 0 3 – 12

Warren 0 3 0 6 0 6 – 15

SCORING

M – Gates 6 pass from Paulik (Kick failed)

H – Omar 25 field goal

H – Manningham 5 pass from Matlock (Kick failed)

M – Schott 32 field goal

M – Schott 21 field goal

H – Manningham 20 run

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Massillon: Morris 11-55, Robinson 11-43, Kelly 11 -33.

Warren: Herron 14-47, Richardson 6-15, Matlock 4-15. Manningham 7-13.

Passing

Massillon: Paulik 14-24-118 1 TD, 1 INT.

Warren: Matlock 11-21-118 1 TD, Manningham 1-1-15.

Receiving

Massillon: Vanryzin 3-27, Kelly 3-23, Huffman 3-23, Jarvis 2-19, Robinson 1 – 11, Gamble 1-9, Gates 1-6.

Warren: Manningham 7-61, Richardson 2-47, Herron 2-10, Rucker 1-15.

GAME STATS


Kurt Jarvis

History

2002: Massillon 20, Warren Harding 21

Tigers come so close
Massillon loses in overtime on wide point‑after

By JOE SHAHEEN
Independent Sports Editor

High school sports can be a cruel, unforgiving endeavor, especially in the win‑or‑go‑home scenario of the playoffs. It is a fact of life to which the Massillon Tigers can attest today.

The Tigers fell to the Warren Harding Raiders 21‑20 in overtime at the Rubber Bowl in a Division I state semifinal game in front of an estimated 22,000 fans Saturday, and, they did so in heart‑rending fashion. The margin of victory ‑ a missed point after touchdown.

“There’s not a whole lot I can say to our kids right now,” Tiger coach Rick Shepas said amid a pack of reporters after the game. “They’ve got to learn from this kind of adversity.

“Sometimes you fall short but it doesn’t mean we didn’t work hard. It doesn’t mean the kids haven’t played hard.”

No one who watched this classic confrontation between two of Ohio’s traditional high school football powers could possibly say such a thing. The painful emotions of the gut‑wrenching defeat were etched on the faces of every player wearing the orange uniform and black helmet of the Tigers.

Shepas vowed in the days before the game his charges would leave everything on the field. They did that and more, and yet fate seemed to conspire to prevent this proud team from reaching the goal for which they have worked so hard for the past 11 months.

Even Warren Harding coach Thom McDaniels seemed reluctant to accept the victory the way the contest ended. “It was a classic,” said the former McKinley mentor. “It shouldn’t have ended that way.” Certainly, McDaniels could sympathize. His son missed a point after touchdown kick in the 100th Massillon‑McKinley game that cost the Bulldogs a one point overtime defeat.

The missed extra point, which sailed wide left, was eerily reminiscent of the Tigers’ 14‑13 defeat in the playoffs to St. Ignatius in 1991 when a Massillon extra point glanced off the goal post upright and fell away.

The defeat ends the Tiger season at 11‑3 and also spells the final chapter in what has to be considered one of the greatest defensive teams Massillon has ever produced in its proud gridiron history.

“This result doesn’t speak for the way our defense played the whole game,” Shepas said. “I want our defense to be remembered for the outstanding team they are. They are outstanding.”
It seemed Massillon might be bound for the state championship game when Ricky Johnson bolted around left end for a six‑yard touchdown with 1:11 to play, capping off a well‑conceived 12‑play, 62‑yard drive that featured several fine runs by Steve Hymes out of a WingT look the Tigers hadn’t deployed the entire game. Max Shafer’s point after was true and the Tigers led 14‑7.

What happened next must have seemed like a bad dream that just repeats itself over and over as Warren’s Mario Manningham returned the ensuing kickof f to midfield, giving the Raiders hope for overtime. It was Manningham’s two kick returns for touchdowns that helped Warren defeat Massillon 31‑27 in a week nine game at Warren.

And, befitting their regular season state poll champion status, the Raiders took advantage as Mike Kokal hit Treymayne Warfield with a 17‑yard touchdown pass with :17 on the clock. Joe Spain’s point after was good and the game went into overtime at 14‑14.

“We had a chance there at the end, but we just didn’t hang on,” Shepas said.

Warren tallied first in overtime but only after recovering its own fumble at the goal line. Kokal scored on the next snap after that miscue from a yard away. Spain’s conversion kick was good and the Raiders were up 21‑14.

Johnson gained 10 yards around left end on Massillon’s first play of overtime. Two plays later, Matt Martin made a clutch throw on third and goal to A.J. Collins in the right edge of the end zone and it was 21‑20.

On the fateful extra point, with the wind, blowing left to right, the football sailed left of the left upright to bring the game to an end.

“Our fans were great,” Shepas said just before leading his team to the locker room. “They stayed in the stadium. I’d like our fans to learn to be a little bit more positive with our kids all the time, which they’ve been. “We’ll keep going forward.”

Warren Harding drew first blood in a familiar fashion, converting a lengthy punt return into a touchdown.

Taking the opening kickoff, Massillon moved from its 20 to the Warren 37 on a short Martin to Relford pass that the play‑making junior transformed into a 52‑yard gain. The Tigers had an opportunity to get inside the Raider 20 but a dropped pass foiled the play and they were forced to punt.

Thaddeus Walker fielded Shafer’s punt at the Warren 12, found a seam and didn’t stop running until he was pulled down 54 yards later at the Massillon 36.

Three consecutive carries by Warren running back Richard Davis and a facemask penalty on the Massillon defense advanced the ball to the Tiger 11. Four plays later, Stephon Alexander appeared to be stopped on fourth‑and‑goal from the one but the line judge ruled he broke the plane of the end zone and signaled touchdown Warren. Spain added the point after and Warren Harding was up 7‑0 at 5:23 of the first quarter.

Massillon’s scoring drive began at 9:17 of the second quarter at the Tiger 20 yardline after Relford picked off a Warren pass in the end zone.

But the real story of the initial 24 minutes of play was the yellow blizzard of flags falling from the sky. In all, game officials penalized the two state semifinalists 13 times for 85 yards in the first half. Nine of the flags went against Massillon, costing the Tigers 55 yards.

Martin’s screen pass to Johnson picked up 13 yards. One play later, Martin found Johnson running alone down the right sideline for a 30‑yard completion to the Warren 36. An interference penalty against Warren pushed the ball to the Raider 21. A couple of five‑yard penalties pushed it back to the 31 but the Tigers gained it back and more on an 18‑yard screen pass from Martin to Terrance Roddy. Martin got another first down on a keeper, then hit Collins in the left corner of the end zone for the Tigers initial score of the evening. Shafer added the extra point and it was a tie game at 7‑7 with 3:40 to go in the half.

Massillon 20
Warren 21
M W
First downs rushing 4 8
First downs passing 5 7
First downs by penalty 1 0
TOTAL first downs 10 15
Net yards rushing 66 139
Net yards passing 181 125
TOTAL yards 247 264
Passes attempted 31 29
Passes completed 12 12
Passes intercepted 1 2
Punts 9 8
Punting average 34.3 33.5
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 1/0
Penalties 11 5
Yards penalized 61 35

Massillon 00 07 00 07 06 20
Warren 07 00 00 07 07 21

SCORING

W ‑ Alexander 1 yard run (Spain kick)
M ‑ Collins 9 yard pass from Martin (Shafer kick)
M ‑ Johnson 6 yard run (Shafer kick)
W ‑ Warfield 17 yard pass from Kokal (Spain kick)
W ‑ Kokal 1 yard run (Spain kick)
M ‑ Collins 11 yard pass from Martin (kick failed)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
MassilIon rushing: Hymes 5‑42, R. Johnson 12‑21, Martin 3‑7, Roddy 4‑1.
Warren rushing: Davis 19‑63, Phillips 7‑34 Kokal 5‑18, Massucci 5‑15.

Massillon passing: Martin 12‑31‑181, 2TD, 1 INT.
Warren passing: Kokal 11‑22‑118, 1 TD, Phillips 1‑7‑7, 2 INT.

Massillon receiving: Relford 2‑58, R. Johnson 4‑53, Jordan 2‑26, Collins 2‑20, 2 TDs,
Roddy 1‑18, Ashcraft 1‑6.
Warren receiving: Warfield 5‑65, 1 TD, Manningham 3‑31, Stella 1‑13, Johnson 1‑9, Alexander 1‑7.

“Our fans were great.
They stayed in the stadium.
I’d like our fans to learn to
be a little bit more positive
with our kids all the time,
which they’ve been.
We’ll keep going forward.”

Rick Shepas
Massillon coach

Shawn Crable
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

2002: Massillon 27, Warren Harding 31

Massillon can’t escape Warren with a win
Fourth‑quarter lead slips away for Tigers in tough 31‑27 loss

By JOE SHAHEEN
Independent Sports Editor

In the end the Massillon Tigers undoing was a player who had caught just two passes and returned one punt all season long.

Warren Harding sophomore Mario Manningham returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns in the first half, and caught two touchdown passes in the second half ‑ the second one with just :49 left to play ‑ to spark the undefeated and No.1 ranked Raiders to a heart‑pounding 31‑27 victory over the Tigers in front of 11,500 at Mollenkopf Stadium Saturday.

Warren coach Thom McDaniels, who is now 12‑5 all‑time against the Tigers, admitted Manningham’s performance caught him by surprise. “Very obviously he is a very talented kid,” McDaniels said. “We’ve been bringing him along slowly. Maybe I don’t need to bring him along as slowly as I have been.”

Everything seemed to point to a Massillon win on the post‑game stat sheet. The Tigers out gained Warren 348‑202, senior running back Ricky Johnson led all rushers with 107 yards in 20 carries and quarterback Matt Martin passed for over 200 yards and three touchdowns.

But Warren Harding compiled 147 yards on three kickoff returns and 78 yards on three punt returns to more than balance the scales.

“It was all about the kicking game,” said Tiger coach Rick Shepas. “They scored two touchdowns on our defense and our offense did a great job against them scoring 27 points. “It was just about the kicking game unfortunately and that’s the way it goes.”

Massillon took a 20‑17 lead with 2:54 to go in the third quarter when Martin dropped a perfectly thrown deep ball into the hands of Devin Jordan running a post pattern for a 49‑yard touchdown.

The Tigers appeared to have Warren on the ropes when junior running back Tuffy Woods ran through a gaping hole in the middle of the Raider defensive line and went 33 yards to pay dirt at 7:29 of the fourth quarter to make it a 27‑17 ball game. Zach Smith tacked on both PATs.

“Our offensive and defensive game plans were outstanding,” Shepas said. “We did exactly what we wanted to do in a big ball game. Our kids stayed level.” After having kicked off out of bounds the previous two times to negate Warren’s return game, the final Tiger kickoff of the evening found Rob Massucci, who returned it 54 yards to the Massillon 26. “We were trying to kick the ball out of bounds but it just didn’t happen,” Shepas explained.

Warren quarterback Mike Kokal found Tremayne Warfield for 14 yards on the first snap following Massucci’s return. One play later he hit Manningham in the right corner of the end zone from 13 yards out. Joe Spain tacked on the extra point and Massillon’s lead was down to 27‑24 with 6:29 to play.

Massillon went three‑and‑out on its next possession when a third‑and‑one run was stuffed at the line of scrimmage by the Warren defense.

After a 33‑yard punt, Warren set up shop at its own 35 and on first down Kokal hit Manningham over the middle for 27 yards to the Massillon 38. Five plays later, on second‑and‑three from the 12‑yard line, Kokal zipped a short pass to Manningham at the three and he squirted into the end zone to all but vanquish the Tigers 2002 playoff aspirations.

“We played hard,” remarked Tiger linebacker Shawn Crable, who made plays all over the field this night. “It’s kind of hard to lose a game like that. As hard as we played to just give up the last touchdown, it’s a bit hard to swallow.”

Asked if it just wasn’t meant to be, Shepas said, “I guess not and we’re going to have to figure out why that is. Warren Harding‑ opened the scoring in the opening seconds of the second quarter when Manningham fielded a low line drive punt at the Raider 32, cut to his left, found a seam and scooted 68 yards for a touchdown. Manningham had just one obstacle after crossing midfield, but used a juke move to buckle the potential tackler’s knees. Spain tacked on the extra point and Warren led 7‑0 at 11:45 of the second quarter.

The teams traded punts with the Tigers then taking over at their own 20 yard line with 8:12 until halftime.

On second down, Martin rolled left and found James Helscel open for a 12‑yard gain to the 35. One play later, Martin dropped a perfect 35‑yard rainbow pass into the hands of Relford at the Warren Harding 30. After two Johnson runs, Martin executed a perfect play action fake and found tight end A.J. Collins wide open at the 15. The senior tight end caught the ball and rambled untouched into the end zone. Smith’s point after kick was true and it was a 7‑7 game at 4:58 of the second quarter.

Relford got the ball right back for the Tigers with a grass‑top interception of a Kokal pass at the Massillon 44. The teams then exchanged punts with Massillon beginning its final first half possession at its own 35.

On second and 10, Martin operating out of the shotgun ‑ found Relford in one‑on‑one coverage and dropped a pass just over the defensive backs hands for a 37 yard completion to the Warren Harding28. Martin would pick up a key first down on a fourth‑and-one keeper play to the 15. On first down from there, Martin ran the same play that produced the Tigers first touchdown. Once again the play action fake freed up Collins, who pulled in Martin’s short pass and sauntered into the end zone. Smith’s kick made it 14‑7 with just :31 until the break.

But Warren Harding struck back like lightening bolt as Manningham fielded the ensuing kickoff at the Raider 18 and streaked up the middle for an 82‑yard touchdown return. Spain’s PAT made it a 14‑14 game at the band show.

Warren Harding 31
Massillon 27
M WH
First downs rushing 5 2
First downs passing 7 8
First downs by penalty 0 0
TOTAL first downs 13 10
Net yards rushing 144 36
Net yards passing 204 166
TOTAL yards 348 202
Passes attempted 20 26
Passes completed 9 14
Passes intercepted 1 2
Punts 7 6
Punting average 31.6 28.0
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 0/0
Penalties 5 3
Yards penalized 29 23

Massillon 00 14 06 07 27
Warren 00 14 03 14 31

SCORING

W ‑ Manningham 68 punt return (Spain kick)
M ‑ Martin 27 pass to Collins (Smith kick)
M ‑ Martin 15 pass to Collins (Smith
kick)
W ‑ Manningham 82 kick return (Spain kick)
W ‑ Spain 31 field goal
M ‑ Martin 49 pass to Jordan (kick failed)
M ‑ Woods 33 run (Smith kick)
W ‑ Phillips 13 pass to Manningham (Spain kick)
W ‑ Kokal 12 pass to Manningh am (Spain kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Massillon rushing: Johnson 20‑106, Woods 8‑52.
Warren Harding rushing: Davis 13-23.

Massillon passing: Martin 9‑20‑204 3 TDs 1 int.
Warren Harding passing: Kokal 9‑16‑91 1 TD 1 INT, Phillips 5‑10‑75 1 TD.

Massillon receiving: Relford 4‑100, Jordan 1‑48, Collins 2‑41, Heischel 1‑12.
Warren Harding receiving: Manningham 4‑68, Warfield 4‑29

Shawn Crable