Chris Easterling – The Independent Sep 08, 2017 10:11 PM
WARREN Massillon and Warren Harding have engaged in more than their share of shootouts over the last two or three seasons. While the faces may have changed, that trend didn’t change on Friday night as they renewed acquaintances at Mollenkopf Stadium.
There were no Austin Jasinskis or Lynn Bowdens on the field. However, players such as Jamir Thomas and Kayron Adams were, both of whom had a hand in what ultimately became a 31-21 Massillon win on “Throwback Night” in Warren.
“First off, (Warren’s) a good football team with some good running backs,” said Massillon coach Nate Moore, whose team is 2-1 heading into Week 4’s home game with Ursuline. “We had a hard time tackling those guys, plain and simple. You just swing harder. You just swing hard and keep playing hard.”
The biggest hammer the Tigers were able to swing was Thomas, who rushed for 148 yards and a score – which gave Massillon a 14-7 first-quarter lead – on 27 carries. He helped Massillon rush for 209 yards on 45 carries as a team, with Zion Phifer adding 61 yards on 14 carries.
Those rushing numbers helped the Tigers offset a Warren offense which gained 276 yards of its own on the ground in the game.
Of those, 202 yards and all three touchdowns came from Kayron Adams. However, 66 yards came on the Raiders’ lone second-half score, a third-quarter touchdown that cut it to 28-21 with 3:50 remaining in the quarter.
“We were vastly improved from Week 1,” said Warren coach Steve Arnold, whose team – which was paying tribute to the old Warren G. Harding Panther teams – falls to 0-2. “We threw the ball better. We’re going to be able to run the ball all year; I don’t think that’s going to be an issue.”
For Massillon, it was a case of never having to play from behind. That meant from the opening seconds of the game.
Game action vs. Warren Harding
Anthony Ballard drew up the perfect start to the game for Massillon. Ballard took the opening kickoff at his own 16, found a crease in the blocking and raced virtually untouched to the end zone for a touchdown just 12 seconds into the game.
“We wanted to kick the ball down the numbers and we kicked the ball down the middle,” Arnold said. “That’s not what we practiced all week. So, consequently, you kick it down the middle on a shift, we have an overload on one side.”
Game action vs. Warren Harding
Almost like a starter’s gun at a track meet, Ballard’s kickoff signaled the start of an early shootout between the two long-time rivals. Four consecutive combined possessions between the teams would result in four combined touchdowns, the last of which was a 15-yard pass from Aidan Longwell to Austin Kutscher with 7:46 remaining in the first half to give Massillon a 21-14 lead.
The two would also hook up for a 37-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter which made it 28-14 Tigers. Longwell finished 8-of-11 for 120 yards, while Kutscher had four catches for 82 yards.
Adams had both first-half touchdowns for Warren: a 7-yard run to tie it at 7-7 and a 15-yard run to even things up at 14-14. The last came with 8:52 remaining in the half.
Adams added a 66-yard touchdown run one play after the second Longwell-to-Kutscher touchdown pass, cutting the Massillon lead to 28-21. Warren would get inside the Tiger 20 only once more after that, while Massillon would tack on a 21-yard Klay Moll field goal with 6:03 remaining.
Game action vs. Warren Harding
Massillon had a hand in both Raider first-half scoring drives thanks to what has been an early-season issue: penalties. The Tigers had back-to-back flags on the first – a late hit and a pass interference – to move the ball from their own 33 to the 9.
The second drive was aided by a iffy pass-interference call in the end zone on a 50-50 ball on fourth-and-12 from the Massillon 30. The next play, Adams scored his second touchdown of the night.
The Tigers were flagged eight times for 83 yards in the game. That includes six flags for 69 yards in the first half.
Game action vs. Warren Harding
“We have to get back to the drawing board and watch the film and get things corrected,” said Moore, whose team has been flagged 39 times in three games. “It’s a continuous process of getting better every week. That’s just part of it.”
One other early-season trend helped Massillon come up with the game’s first defensive stop. Dyson Berry intercepted a pass in the end zone on third-and-31 for Warren with 3:28 remaining in the half. It was the third pick in as many games for Berry.
WARREN Three games into the season, Massillon coach Nate Moore is still waiting for a full four-quarter football game from his team.
The latest example came Friday night at Mollenkopf Stadium. Despite falling into multiple two-score deficits, the Tigers continued to fight back to take a lead at one point. They were also tied two other times in the second half.
The problem for Massillon was that the final counterpunch belonged to Warren Harding, which emerged with a 48-41 win to drop the Tigers to 1-2 on the season.
“We need to put a complete game together,” Moore said after his team saw a last-ditch attempt intercepted in the end zone by Warren with 45 seconds left. “You’ve got to tip your hat to Harding; they’re a good football team. They were the better football team tonight, the scoreboard shows that.”
The scoreboard showed that because Raider quarterback Lynn Bowden almost single-handily put his team on his shoulders in the second half. It was his 20-yard touchdown run with 3:04 remaining that broke a 41-41 tie.
Bowden, who rushed for 212 yards on 13 carries, scored all three Raider second-half touchdowns. One came on a 90-yard kickoff return 14 seconds after the Tigers had forged a 34-34 tie on a Seth Blankenship-to-Todd Fichter touchdown pass with about eight minutes left.
The transfer from Liberty finished with four touchdowns on the night, three rushing. He also threw a 31-yard scoring strike to Juwan Pringle to give Warren a 26-13 halftime lead.
“I would put him in the category of Mario (Manningham) and (Maurice Clarett),” said Warren coach Steve Arnold, whose team is now 3-0. “People who make plays and electrify the crowd.
Whatever adjective you want to use, he’s that. – He’s a fierce, fierce competitor.”
Twice Bowden hurt the Tiger defense by turning a broken play or a cutback into a long touchdown run. His 62-yard run that opened the game’s scoring in the first quarter came on a broken tackle, then a cutback against the grain.
His 63-yard run in the third quarter that gave Warren a 34-27 lead just over a minute after the Tigers had taken a one-point lead came on a broken play where he reversed field in the backfield and outran the defense.
“We knew what we were getting into going in,” Moore said. “He’s a very good player. He hurts us on a lot of broken plays.”
Bowden’s big night overshadowed Keyshawn Watson’s breakout performance at running back for the Tigers. Watson, who had lined up at receiver in the first two games, started at running back and finished with 239 yards on 37 carries.
Watson scored twice. His 1-yard run – plus Brian Corbin’s point-after kick- put Massillon ahead 27-26; his 2-yard run plus the PAT tied the game at 34.
“We thought he was a dynamic player and we needed to put him in the backfield where we could get him more touches on the football,” Moore said.
Massillon had plenty of chances in the game, reaching Warren territory on 11 of 13 possessions. However, only six of those results in scores.
The Tigers also turned the football over four times – including three interceptions – with two of those being turned into Warren touchdowns.
“We had opportunities,” said Moore, whose team travels to meet unbeaten Steubenville next week. “We just have to put a game together. That’s it.”
Quick strike gives Massillon momentum to down Harding
By CHRIS EASTERLING Independent sports editor
WARREN Massillon had seen a two-touchdown lead completely disappear in the second quarter of its first road game of the season on Friday night at Warren Harding.
But instead of allowing the momentum to continue to move away from them, the Tigers took all of one play to swing it back in their favor. Buoyed by the late first-half score, the Tigers put their foot on the accelerator coming out of the half to run away from Warren 35-14 at Mollenkopf Stadium.
The Tigers, who were tied with the Raiders 14-14 with 3:41 remaining in the half, scored just 10 seconds after Warren had tied the game on a 32-yard Danny Clark to Reggie Rogers touchdown pass. They then scored on their first two second-half possessions to pull away to improve to 3-0 on the season.
“I knew right away that I wanted to come right back after they had a good little drive there and tied it up,” Massillon coach Jason Hall said. “We got that good return (by Marcus Whitfield). It was definitely a chance to come out and take the home-run shot to Reggie. … It was a good play.”
Clark, making his second start of his career, finished the game 8-of-13 for 145 yards with the one score. He didn’t attempt a pass in the fourth quarter after the Tigers took the 21-point lead.
After the touchdown pass, Warren — which was playing as the “Panthers” on this night in honor of the former Warren Harding teams — only threatened one other time, reaching the Massillon 1 midway through the fourth quarter. But by that point, the game was all but decided.
Warren, now 1-2, was also hurt by a pair of second-half turnovers, including a Mike Smith interception at the Warren 43 that turned into the Tigers’ final touchdown, a 7-yard run by J.D.
Crabtree with 5:21 remaining in the third. Lyron Wilson also had a 16-yard scoring run in the quarter.
“We got that 14-0 lead in the beginning, and they came back,” said Crabtree, who scored three times on the night. “We made a few mistakes. We came in at halftime and we really made some adjustments and came out and we were ready.”
Massillon came out of the chute determined to take command of the line of scrimmage. And that’s just what the Tigers did on their first drive, marching 62 yards in eight plays to take a 7-0 lead when Crabtree powered in from a yard out with 8:56 left in the first quarter.
The third Massillon drive ended the exact same way, with Crabtree going in from a yard out to close out a four-play, 30-yard possession. The second Andrew David point-after kick gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead with 2:38 remaining in the half.
“They (the coaches) were really rough on them the whole week,” Crabtree said of the Massillon line, which helped the Tigers rush for 147 yards on 29 carries. “They were in full pads. I have all the respect in the world for them. We couldn’t make plays without them.”
Keemari Murry got loose to get Warren back into it, scampering for a 34-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Murry, a sophomore tailback, had 82 second-quarter rushing yards and 107 yards on the ground in the first half.
Murry finished the game with 193 yards on 34 carries with the one score.
“You have to take your hat off to them,” Hall said. “They ground and pound it a little bit in there.”
Warren tied the game up at 14-14 by showing just how valuable the return of Lamar Carmichael at quarterback is to the offense. Carmichael, hampered by a foot injury the first two games, eluded the Tiger pass rush and found Nate Walls for a 16-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-6 with 3:41 remaining in the half.
That led to Whitfield’s big kick return to the Warren 32, which led to the touchdown pass that gave Massillon the lead for good.
WARREN, OH – Much was made in the past week about Massillon’s big win over previously undefeated Steubenville. But head coach Jason Hall cautioned everyone who would listen that the Tigers were facing just as big a rival – if not bigger – this week in Warren Harding.
Hall’s words proved prophetic.
With the Raiders’ Demond Hymes celebrating his 19th birthday with a 348-yard rushing performance, Warren snapped the Tigers’ six-game win streak with a 20-6 victory in front of about 7,500 at Mollenkopf Stadium.
“They came out with a win-or-die attitude and we didn’t,” said Hall, who was engaged in a verbal altercation following the game with a Warren fan on the field. “We really didn’t. At the end of the day, as coaches and players, we have to look ourselves in the mirror. … We definitely didn’t play like we played last week, and we needed to play (like that) to have a chance to win this football game.”
The Tiger coach said his team took a step forward in becoming the type of tough football team he wants to see after last week’s win. Warren, though, was all about testing just how far Massillon’s toughness had come.
And the Raiders found out that it wasn’t nearly as far as the Tigers, now 6-2, had hoped. Warren held a 388-37 edge in rushing and picked up three sacks on defense.
“We’re not a big team, so we have to play physical,” Hall said. “We didn’t play physical football tonight and they did. (Warren) won the battle up front, and we have to do a better job.”
Hymes was the biggest beneficiary of the Raiders’ victory in the trenches. The senior back carried the ball 37 times to reach his career high, topping the 236 he gained two weeks ago against Euclid.
“I was seeing they were blitzing off the outside,” Hymes said. “My line said to cut it up, and that’s what I did. I got into the open field and I only had one safety out there. I just had to shake him.”
Warren scored on its first three drives, often by controlling the line of scrimmage with a massive offensive line.
“That was something we wanted to do,” said Warren coach D.J. Dota, whose team kept its playoff hopes alive at 6-2. “Our guys just went out and established the run. I thought it was something we could do. They believed in that and they accomplished it.”
The Raiders’ 15-play opening ended on a 33-yard Moses Sosa field goal.
On the next possession, Hymes – who had 144 yards on 13 first-quarter carries – picked up a loose ball behind the line of scrimmage and raced 49 yards for the Raider touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 2:47 left in the first quarter.
Sosa’s 37-yard field goal on the fourth play of the second quarter made it 13-0 Warren.
While Warren was turning the number under its side of the scoreboard, the Tigers were grinding their wheels on offense. After a 29-yard Kyle Kempt-to-Jacar Roberson pass on its first play, Massillon would net just 26 yards and one first down on its next 17.
The Tigers finally cracked the scoreboard when Kempt, who completed just 5 of his 17 first-half passes before finishing 19 of 38 for 274 yards, hit Roberson for a sliding 22-yard touchdown on the last play of the half to cut the deficit to 13-6. Roberson, though, was injured on the play and had to be helped to the locker room.
Hall didn’t have an update on Roberson’s injury after the game, other than to confirm it was a leg injury.
That scoring drive was the only time the Tigers capitalized when reaching Warren territory. All four of Massillon’s second-half drives crossed into Raider territory with one ending on a punt, two ending on downs and a third ending on a game-sealing fumble that was returned 49 yards to the Tiger 3 with under 1:30 remaining.
“We didn’t capitalize on anything offensively,” Hall said. “We had a couple of 10-play drives that we didn’t capitalize on.”
Tigers start streak at right time Massillon improves to 5-3 with first victory at Harding in 22 years
By CHRIS EASTERLING The Independent
Warren, OH –
The Massillon Tigers couldn’t have picked a better time to put together their first two-game winning streak of the season. And it didn’t hurt that they snapped a 22-year winless drought in the process.
With their playoff hopes riding on just about every game from here on out, the Tigers went into Warren’s Mollenkopf Stadium on Saturday night and emerged with a 30-7 win over the Warren Harding Raiders.
The victory marked the first time this season the Tigers – now 5-3 – have posted consecutive wins. They also won in Mollenkopf Stadium for the first time since 1986.
Massillon arrived in Warren knowing it needed a win to buoy its tenuous playoff position, as it entered the weekend ranked 13th in Division I Region 2. The exact effect the win over the 4-4 Raiders will have on the Tigers’ standing remains to be seen, but it certainly will provide a boost going into huge point games this Friday at 7-2 Mentor and in next week’s season finale against 5-3 McKinley.
“Everybody knew what we had to do,” said Tiger tailback/cornerback J.T. Turner, who rushed for a career-high 213 yards, while also intercepting a pass. “Every game from here on out is a playoff game. We just knew we had to go out here today and play a great game against a great team.”
The Tigers did just that, and did it in all three phases of the game – special teams, offense and defense.
It was Massillon’s special teams which helped stake it to a 10-0 first-quarter lead, thanks to a 30-yard Jeremy Geier field goal and a 62-yard Bo Grunder punt return for a score. Grunder’s punt return may have been the play which completely altered the game, although even Tiger coach Jason Hall admits he would have preferred the junior had gone about it a different way.
“It was a dumb play, actually,” Hall said. “That’s a situation where Bo was being a great athlete. But it was also a situation where it could have turned ugly. I know what Bo’s doing, and obviously it sparked us. I wasn’t mad at him, but I just told him he better never do it again.”
What Grunder did was wait for the punt to roll to a stop at the Tiger 38, then – with two Raider defenders around the ball – pick it up and start running up field. He then cut across the field at about the Warren 40 and raced untouched from there into the end zone for a touchdown with 4:43 left in the first quarter.
“I already knew it was a questionable call,” Grunder said. “It was a gutsy call, but it worked out. I’m glad I did it.”
The offense would take over from there, especially Turner, who surpassed his previous career best of 192 yards he set in Week Five against Garfield. He now has 946 rushing yards on the season with two games remaining.
“My line was creating great holes,” said Turner, who put the game away with fourth-quarter scoring runs of 2 and 38 yards. “It was open, so I took them. My offensive line rewarded me with touchdowns.”
But it wasn’t just running the ball where Turner did his part in lifting the Massillon offense. He also led the team in receiving with three catches for 57 yards – all on a second-quarter drive which gave the Tigers a 17-0 lead on an 8-yard Robert Partridge touchdown run.
Partridge had his best game by far at quarterback, completing 7-of-14 passes for 137 yards. His 58-yard strike to Grunder in the fourth quarter help set up Turner’s 2-yard scoring run.
The Tiger defense, meanwhile, was on top of its game from the very start, swarming the Raiders’ running game on seemingly every carry. Massillon limited Warren to just 48 rushing yards on 36 carries, almost daring the Raiders to put the ball in the air.
“We wanted their quarterback to beat us,” Hall said. “They really like to run the ball with the two athletes they have (Mike Dorsey and Aunre’ Davis). They’re good athletes, and we knew that coming in. Obviously we wanted to try to make them one-dimensional. To be honest with you, they made some plays passing. … But still, all in all, I thought we did a good job of not letting them really be consistent.”
Warren had few scoring opportunities, advancing inside the Tiger 30 just twice all evening. The Raiders reached the Massillon 19 in the first half, but was turned away on downs.
The Raiders did break into the scoring column with 7:30 remaining when Davis hit Sergio Allen in the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-17 play. That momentarily cut the deficit to 17-7, although Massillon would score on its next two possessions to put the game away.
Massillon 30, Warren Harding 7 at Mollenkopf Stadium
Massillon 10 7 0 13 30 Warren Harding 0 0 0 7 7
SCORING SUMMARY M – Geier 30 FG M – Grunder 62 punt return (Geier kick) M – Partridge 8 run (Geier kick) WH – Allen 25 pass from Davis (Montecalvo kick) M – Turner 2 run (Kick failed) M – Turner 38 run (Geier kick)
Mas WH First down 15 12 Rushes-yards 32-235 36-48 Comp-att.-int. 7-14-0 15-29-1 Passing yards 137 155 Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0 Penalty yards 8-60 6-39
Massillon’s loss to Warren puts team in must‑win mode
By CHRIS EASTERLING Chris.Easterling@lndeOnline.com
The math is pretty simple for the Massillon Tigers. If they have hopes of playing in the postseason for the second straight year, the Tigers have to put back‑to‑back wins together in their final two games.
No other options remain for Massillon, not after it suffered its fourth loss in the last five games, this one a 21‑16 setback to Warren Harding on Saturday night in front of about 10,000 at Mollenkopf Stadium.
The loss drops the Tigers back to the .500 mark at 4-4, with only Cincinnati Western Hills this Saturday and the Oct. 28 showdown with McKinley left on the 2006 regular‑season schedule. Not that Tiger coach Tom Stacy is looking any farther than this Saturday’s home game with Western Hills.
“We’ve got to win our last two games,” Stacy said outside a quiet Tiger locker room Saturday. “But our kids want to win every game. When you’re at Massillon, you strive to win every game.
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
“We didn’t go into this week (leading up to the Harding game) thinking we needed to win two out of three, or one out of three to make the playoffs or whatever. We don’t even talk about that. We’re out there to win every game. Unfortunately we didn’t get it done.”
Those looking for the Tigers’ season in a nutshell needed to look no farther than Saturday’s game. Especially on offense, where Massillon racked up 258 yards, but had three turnovers, two of which the Raiders returned for back‑breaking touchdowns.
The opportunity was there for the Tigers, despite falling down 21‑10 at halftime, to win the game. Massillon, which cut it to 21‑16 on a Trey Miller fourth‑quarter touchdown catch, had the ball on the Raider 24 with just over 3:00 remaining.
But a fourth‑down pass to the end zone sailed out of the reach of the intended receiver’s outstretched arms, sealing the Tigers’ fate.
“We’re making too many turnovers, obviously,” Stacy said. “We’re not making a key play and a key point in the game when we need it. That’s what’s hurting us right now. We went through all those turnovers in the first half; all that horsecrap, and still we have an opportunity to win the football game. We’re just not making the play at the end of the game to win the game.”
As valiant as the Tigers’ comeback try was, it wasn’t enough to erase the damage inflicted by the turnovers. More specifically, the two turnovers which Harding returned for scores.
The first, a 49‑yard interception return by Harding’s Sidney Glover, gave the Raiders the lead for good at 14‑10 with 6:08 left until halftime. The second, a 65‑yard fumble return by Lazarus McCrae, capped Harding’s 21‑point second quarter and gave the Raiders a 21‑10 edge with 3:37 remaining until the band show.
“I think it pretty much can be summed up by no turnovers for the Raiders and some turnovers for the Tigers,” said Harding coach Thom McDaniels, whose team is now 6‑2. “I’m certain that’s the difference in the ball game.”
Those turnovers and the Tigers’ inability to get that big play to turn the momentum have marred their four losses. Against Harding, Massillon had more yards’ more first downs and a better third‑down conversion percentage than the Raiders. The Tigers reached at least the Harding 38 on seven different occasions, only to get 16 points out of it.
“It’s not any one thing,” Stacy said. “We’ll make some plays and get a couple of key first downs, and then somebody will break down, and then another part of our game breaks down. We just take turns. That’s what’s frustrating about it. … We just have to make more plays on offense. That’s all there is to it.”
Adding to the frustration was the defensive effort which the Tigers turned in was good enough to win the game. Harding only mustered 126 yards of offense and just eight first downs for the game.
Massillon knew coming in the threat posed by Harding’s Ohio State‑bound tailback Danny Herron, and adjusted their defensive look accordingly. The Tigers rolled outside linebacker Dorie Irvin up to the line of scrimmage to provide a fourman front to aid in stopping Herron.
It worked, as Herron was held to just 75 yards on 30 carries, In fact, the 5‑foot‑11, 193‑pound senior’s longest run of the night was a 9‑yard scamper in the third quarter.
“We gave them a different defense, a little bit different look than what they have seen,” Stacy said. “Like I said, our defensive coaches just did an outstanding job of game‑planning. I thought our kids defensively just played great.
“It’s a great defensive effort. Herron has to be one of the top running backs in the state, a great back. Their offensive line does a great job. I thought our kids just did a great job on defense.”
Warren Harding 21
Massillon 16
Massillon 7 3 0 6 16
Warren Harding 0 21 0 0 21
SCORING SUMMARY
M ‑ Brian Gamble 2 pass from Bobby Huth (Steve Schott kick)
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.
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.
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
‘Superman’ Richburg does in Tigers Panthers run away with game in the second half ALL-AMERICAN CONFERENCE Warren 3-0; McKinley 3-0; Niles 2-1; Massillon 1-2; Steubenville 0-3; Alliance 0-3.
By CHUCK HESS, JR. Independent Sports Editor
They’ve got John Henry Ziegler and he’s super, but on Friday night Jim Richburg proved to be just as super in his own way and turned the game around for the Warren Harding Black Panthers.
Down 10-8 going into the third period after the Tigers had played great football in the first, Harding head coach Ed Glass turned Richburg loose for 81 net yards, a touchdown and a conversion on electrifying bootleg runs. Richburg, a senior quarterback, got Ziegler, a senior tailback, going and the Panther literally ran away with the Washington High team 35-10 before a packed house of 12,600 at Mollenkopf Stadium in Warren.
THE WIN gave Harding, the state’s No. 1 ranked team by the Associated Press and Region 1 computer leader, an 8-0 record and 3-0 All-American Conference slate. Massillon dropped to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in the AAC.
The Tigers do not have the team speed to cope with a team like the Panthers and few teams do. With Richburg racing around the ends and Ziegler darting either off tackle or around the corner with equal speed, the Orange and Black were left as helpless as a cat without claws.
Richburg ended with 102 yards in 10 carries and Ziegler 195 or 211 in 28 carries – depending upon whose statistics you cared to use. The dynamic duo gained either 297 or 311 for the Panther’s ground total.
Ziegler, at 2,062 yards for his career, is 49 yards short of the all-time Harding three-year mark set by Paul Warfield. At 1,414 yards he is 80 yards short of Dave Rogers’ one-season record and is expected to eclipse both marks next Friday against Canton McKinley.
The performance of Ziegler and Richburg enabled Warren to chalk up the most points it ever had against the Tigers in 49 games and the most points any team had posted against the Orange and Black in the 10-year history of the All-American Conference.
“THERE’S NO doubt Richburg turned it around,” Harding head coach Ed Glass said. “We felt we could come outside with Richburg after the first half. We went to a pro formation with a wide flanker and a wide split end and got them spread out and then cracked back. We went to a tight set with an eight-man line and we also ran some balanced line with a split end left which they hadn’t seen before.”
Glass felt it was also a question of when the Panthers decided they were ready to play, they played.
“And when we decide we’re going to play, I don’t think there is anybody as good as we are, Glass said. “We have 24 kids out of 55 who run a 4.9 forty or better. It makes for a lot of team offense and defense.”
Glass also felt that the Tigers played well during the first half, putting the Panthers in the hole for the first time this season, but tired during the second half. However, Tiger head coach Chuck Shuff didn’t agree that they tired.
“We knew they would come in here ready to play,” Glass said. “I think Shuff did a great job with his kids. We played 35 people – as we have done every game and that takes its toll. If you look at our scores and what we’ve done in the third and fourth quarters, this year, it’s fantastic. Once you get people tired the holes open up.”
Glass then reminded Massillon fans that Shuff has done a tremendous job while not having the “super athletes” to work with. He also pointed out that Shuff, knowing that the Tigers did not have good speed to get around the Panthers, used a pair of split ends in order to get better blocking so that the Tigers could run the ends.
“WARREN IS A real fine football team,” Shuff said. “I thought our kids came out and hit well and I think had we been able to put another one in, in the first half, it would have made a real difference for us. They came back and got one in there and tightened it down and that made it real tough.
They have the speed you have to have and a real fine offensive line in front of Richburg and Ziegler. Richburg turned it around alright.”
Shuff agreed that once the momentum starts to slide the other way it’s hard to stop.
“We’ll bring it back,” Shuff a former Harding assistant said. “We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”
The Tigers rolled 65 yards with the opening kickoff but settled for a 22-yard field goal by Dave Dowd when Harding held on third down. They came close to scoring on a Greg Wood to Eddie Bell pass when Bell made a great catch but landed out of bounds.
Harmon reeled off 21 yards during the drive, the longest run any Harding opponent has gotten this year. He picked up 80 yards in 13 carries, not losing any during the night, as Shuff ran “The Big Bear” more than Glass had expected.
The Tigers’ only touchdown came after a bad Harding snap on fourth down. The Orange and Black took over on the Warren 22-yard line and in four plays had a touchdown when Mark Streeter rolled around end on a pitchout on fourth down from the 14. Dowd’s kick was good.
THE PANTHERS took the ensuing kickoff and rolled 60 yards after Tyrone Hicks’ 39-yard runback, for a score. The drive took five plays and included Richburg’s 23-yard run to the Tigers’ 33, Ziegler’s 13-yard run to the 20 and Richburg’s bullet-like pass, sprint on the next play, to Jackie Hudson. Richburg ran the conversion.
In the second quarter the Tigers lost the ball on downs on the Harding 40 and the Panthers drove to the Massillon 21. Richburg was hit by Jeff Lab on a fourth down pass. Tim Gutshall intercepted on the one and returned to the 19.
Hudson ran back the second half kickoff for 23 yards to the 27, Richburg dashed for 25 more and two plays later took off on a bootleg, got caught on the sidelines, reversed his field and ran 44 yrds for the Panthers’ go-ahead touchdown with 10:21 left in the third quarter. Richburg’s conversion run was halted by Mark Matie.
Keith Ellison intercepted a Tiger pass on the Orange and Black’s 45 and in four plays Harding had scored again with Jim Valentine blasting over from four yards out. Ziegler ran the conversion.
Near the end of the third quarter Warren held the Tigers on fourth down on the Panthers’ 31. In 11 plays Harding had another score.
VALENTINE BULLED over through the center on fourth down from the one. Hicks’ conversion run was short.
The Panthers’ final score came with 6:51 left in the game, following a 41-yard, five play drive, started by Hicks’ 33-yard punt runback, during which he got away from three tacklers who had him cornered on the sidelines and aided by a personal foul walk off. Guard Tom Zambelli pounced on Ziegler’s fumble into the end zone and Richburg kicked a conversion.
With the first team still in, Harding rolled again, this time after Ray Amos had recovered Wood’s snap fumble on the Harding 21. Ziegler skirted end for 30 yards during the drive but the clock ran out three plays later with the ball on the Massillon 15.
WARREN – 35 Ends – B. Shunkwiler, J. Hall, Candella, Hudson, J. Shunkwiler. Tackles – Ennis, Amos, Moshuris. Guards – Zambelli, Yavorsky, Farah. Centers – Day, Sporich. Quarterbacks – Richburg, Wiebusch, S. Porter. Halfbacks – Ziegler, Machuzak, Adgate, R. Hall, Hicks, Freeman, Ellison, Cassucakis, Angel, R. Robinson. Fullbacks – Valentine, Dansler, White.
Massillon 10 0 0 0 10 Warren 8 0 14 13 35
SCORING SUMMARY M – Dowd, 22 field goal; M – Streeter, 4 run (Dowd kick); W – Hudson, 20 pass from Richburg (Richburg run); W – Richburg 44, run (run failed); W – Valentine, 4 run (Ziegler run); W – Valentine, 1 run (run failed); W – Zambelli fumble recovery (Richburg kick).
OFFICIALS Referee – Chuck Lorenz. Umpire – Brenton Kirk. Head Linesman – Jim Perryman. Field Judge – Bill Paolisso. Back Judge – Wilson Murry.
ATTENDANCE – 12,600.
GRIDSTICK M WH First downs – rushing 10 16 First downs – passing 2 1 First downs – penalties 0 2 Total first downs 12 19 Yards gained rushing 190 369 Yards lost rushing 16 16 Net yds. gained rushing 174 353 Net yds. gained passing 34 20 Total yards gained 208 373 Passes completed 4-12 1-3 Passes intercepted by 2 1 Yardage on passes intercepted 18 1 Kickoff average (yards) 3-56.7 6-46.2 Kickoff returns (yards) 107 34 Punt average (yards) 3-18.3 0 Punt returns (yards) 0 33 Had punts blocked 1 0 Lost fumbled ball 3-4 2-5 Yards penalized 5-57 1-15 Touchdowns rushing 1 4 Touchdown passing 0 1 Miscellaneous 1 0 Total number of plays 51 52 Possession time 24:5 123:09
History 
