Tag: <span>Ray Hoyman</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1962: Massillon 8, Steubenville 14

Battling Tigers Bow to Big Red 14-8
Bengals Try Hard And Finish Badly Crippled

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

They gave it a whale of a try, but the odds were stacked against them.

They were outmanned and crippled up, but the Massillon Tigers never gave in. They were in the game until the last minute, trying with all of their might to pull it out of the fire. But there’s a limit beyond which flesh and blood cannot endure against superior weight and healthy numbers.

The Steubenville Big Red powered their way to a 14-8 victory over Washington high school before 12,869 fans at Tiger stadium Friday night. They literally wore the Bengals down in the second half.

With All-Ohio, senior Halfback Harry Wilson going off the right side and junior Halfback Ray Terry slanting off the other, the Big Red beat Massillon for the first time since 1931. The score that year was 68-0.

The last time the Bengals lost three games in a season was in 1947. They dropped four games that year. The last time they faltered in three out of their first five games was in 1928.

Program Cover

“Under the circumstances the boys did the best job they could, especially on defense,” said Coach Leo Strang. Ray Hoyman, boss of Steubenville, said, “This was our toughest game of the year. Massillon had a scrapping bunch of players out there. They gave a 150 per cent effort.”
* * *
THE BEST INDICATION of the fight and spirit of the Tigers came near the end of the fourth period. The Big Red fumbled with fourth-and-three on the Massillon three-yard line after a drive of 81 yards with three first downs highlighted by Terry’s breakaway run through the center from the Massillon 42 to the eight.

The Tigers took over and started up field in a last-ditch effort to pull the game out. There were 2:46 left on the clock when the drive started.

They drove from their eight to the Big Red’s 34 in 12 plays with four first downs featuring the running of senior Tailback John Kanney and two fine pass plays with junior Quarterback Ron Swartz on the throwing end. Junior long side End Mike Jones caught one aerial for 17 yards. Graydon Eckard, junior wingback, hauled in the other for the last 20 yards to the 34.

In a desperation move Strang called on Fullback Terry Getz. The little junior southpaw took a pitchout from Swartz, streaked to his left and let fly with a pass. But Wilson was “Johnny-on-the-spot,” with an interception which ended the threat and the game.

During this and other series the Tigers failed to connect on key passes that could have opened up the ground game. Strang explained, “We had no versatility in our passing attack. The only boys we could throw to were our wingbacks.” Both regular ends are injured. So is the starting quarterback. Although their replacements gave a good account of themselves, the passing game was hampered.
* * *
WHILE ON the subject of injuries, it should be noted that the Tigers’ starting backfield is now all on the clinical list. Another quarterback and the short side guard are also sidelined. Senior Tailback Ron Davis has a neck injury. Junior Wingback Bill Blunt has a sprained knee ligament, ditto junior Quarterback Tom Gatsios, who injured himself in pre-game workouts. Co-Captain and senior short side End Jim Ehmer has a dislocated shoulder.

The Orange and Black broke the scoring ice first after a long drive by Steubenville was stopped on a pass interception by Davis. The Big Red had taken the opening kickoff and moved from its 33 to the Massillon 19 in 17 plays with four first downs as Wilson hit one side of the line and Terry the other.

Wilson’s 21-yard scamper around left end from the Massillon 41 to the 20 highlighted the drive. On this drive, as they did all night, the Big Red capitalized on key third down plays. The Tigers did also, and that made it an exciting game.

Davis’ interception came on a fourth-and-19 situation on the 19 to give the Tigers the ball on their 18. The interception came just after a holding penalty had set Steubenville back from the three to the 18.

With Davis and Kanney running the ends, the Orange and Black took eight plays and three first downs to move for the score. Davis had runs of nine, 17 and 21 yards and Kanney a 22-yard romp in the series.
* * *
SWARTZ WENT over from the one on the wedge with 55 seconds left. Kanney went off tackle for the conversion.

This was the last time Massillon was able to move the ball well around end. Steubenville widened its defense.

The Big Red got their first score as the result of circumstances that will be talked about for a long time. The Tigers had the ball third-and-three on their 24, ran a play and were penalized for a personal foul after the whistle, which meant the down counted. But the players misunderstood, thinking it was third-and-1 instead of fourth down on the 16, ran on the next play and were stopped with Steubenville taking over on the 16.

Three plays later Wilson ran around left end from the 12 to the one on third-and-six. On the next play he went through the center for the score at 8:27.

He was stopped on the conversion. However, Massillon was off-side. The Big Red got another chance, and Terry drove through the middle for the tying points.

Neither team mounted an offensive again until Massillon picked off a Steubenville fumble on the Big Red 31 midway in the third quarter. This threat was short-lived. On fourth-and-eight from the 29 minutes later, Swartz got hit hard by an onrushing Big Red lineman as he was passing, and the ball ended up in the arms of Steubenville’s Herb Lindsey on the 25. He returned to the Massillon 36 with a desperation tackle by Swartz saving a TD..

In the 12 plays and two first downs, Steubenville had the ball on the 11, fourth-and-nine. Sophomore safety Jim Lawrence then intercepted a pass on the two and ran it back to the 34.

The Tigers started rolling, getting to the Big Red 45 five plays later thanks to a 15-yard pass to Eckard and a 12-yard run up the middle by Lawrence. Then came a Bengal fumble recovered by Steubenville on the 34.

On the second play of the ensuing series, Terry raced 61 yards through the center for the winning score. Getz made a diving, desperation tackle but just missed. Wilson missed the conversion.

Then came a Massillon series, the Steubenville fumble and the Tigers’ last-ditch effort.

The Orientals from Akron East will move in next Friday to test the battle-scarred Tiger.

STEUBENVILLE – 14
Ends – Bruzda, Owens, Stinson and A. Terry.
Tackles – Mazzaferro, Miller and horston.
Guards – Ziklo, Bauman and Mayo.
Center – Duncan.
Backs – Wilson, R. Terry, McCosky, Weinman, Lindsey, Parris and Cusack.

MASSILLON – 8
Ends – Franklin, Jones, Hose and R. Alexander.
Tackles – Profant, Clendening, Tarle, Miller, Fabianich, Morgan and Mercer.
Guards – McDew, Ehmer, Roderick, Swisher, Castile, Geckler, Rivera and Mathias.
Centers – Bradley and Paisley.
Backs – Swartz, Davis, Lawrence, Blunt, Kanney, Eckard, Getz, Thomas, Pope, Sullivan and Williams.

Steubenville 0 8 6 0 14
Massillon 8 0 0 0 8

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Swartz 1 (one-yard run).
Steubenville – Wilson 1 (one-yard run); Terry 1 (61-yard run).

Conversions:
Massillon – Kanney 1 (run)
Steubenville – Terry 1 (run).

Officials
Referee – Tony Pianowski (Cleveland)
Umpire – C.W. Rupp (Cuyahoga Falls).
Head Linesman – Harold Rolph (Ironton).
Field Judge – Harvey Hodgson, Jr. (Massillon)

GAME STATISTICS
Mass. Opp.
First downs – rushing 8 12
First downs – passing 4 0
First downs – penalties 1 0
Total first downs 13 12
Yards gained rushing 190 290
Yards lost rushing 6 7
Net yards gained rushing 184 283
Yards gained passing 62 0
Total yards gained 246 283
Passes attempted 14 5
Passes completed 5 0
Passes intercepted by 2 2
Times kicked off 2 3
Kickoff average (yards) 33.0 43.3
Kickoff returns (yards) 29 10
Times punted 4 2
Punt average (yards) 30.0 46.0
Punt returns (yards) 3 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 1 2
Lost fumbled ball 1 1
Penalties 2 4
Yards penalized 20 35

Ben Bradley
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1961: Massillon 38, Steubenville 14

Steubenville Fifth Victim of Tigers
Bengals Hand Big Red First Loss 38-14

By CHUCK HESS, JR.

Webster’s dictionary defines a pile driver as a machine for driving down piles.

Washington high’s Tigers came up with a new definition Friday night. There could be no more apt description of the Bengals offensive machine.

The Tigers literally drove a here-to-fore undefeated Steubenville Big Red team down to submission, 38-14, before an overflow crowd of some 10,000 fans at Harding stadium in the River City.

For the unbeaten Bengals it was win No. 5 on the road to a third straight Ohio schoolboy championship. It was the first loss in five contests for the Big Red.

After the game an utterly flabbergasted Steubenville coach, Ray Hoyman, said, “You’ve got quite a team there.” He also added, “We’re not thick enough for you,” meaning Hoyman didn’t have the depth to cope with the Tiger juggernaut.

* * *
MASSILLON COACH Leo Strang said, “This was the best game away from home since I’ve been here. Our power offense was also the best this season.”

He mentioned the aerial game. We had tough luck with our passing. Steubenville made some beautiful saves he said. The Big Red intercepted two passes. Four were incomplete.

Although the Bengals played every bit as well as against Alliance last week, Friday marked the first time any team had scored more than one touchdown against Massillon. Two bad breaks late in the game caused that situation.

With the Massillon second liners in and less than two minutes left to play in the game, Halfback Chuck Weiher intercepted one of Bob Baker’s aerials on the Big Red 20-yard line and got back to the 24. With the exception of this and two other times, Massillon scored every time it got its hands on the ball.

Quarterback Bill Hoyman, the coach’s son and Co-captain, picked up seven yards around left end. Then he passed to Co-Captain and End Ken Potts for 17 more and a first down.

On the next play Halfback Ray Terry shot through the middle, cut to the right sideline and was gone 52 yards for the score at 1:43. He fumbled a pitchout on the conversion try to prevent any further damage there.

* * *
MASSILLON RAN seven plays after the kickoff, was penalized on three of them and Jim Alexander dropped back to punt on his own 28. The snap was bad. He fell on it but being fourth down, it became Steubenville’s ball when the Bengals failed to make the necessary yardage.

The Big Red took over on the Massillon nine with 10 seconds remaining. Wilson took a flat pass off a pitch and raced around the right side to the one. Terry carried over through the center on the final play of the game. Wilson took a pitch and passed to Paul Cunningham for the conversion.

Steubenville was in Massillon territory only two other times during the game. Earlier in the last stanza, Harry Wilson, the Big Red’s leading scorer, grabbed Wilbur Paisley’s kickoff after the final Tiger score on the Steubenville 20 and raced down the sideline to the Massillon 23.

Confusion reigned among the Washington high ranks with the reserves in on the kickoff. Paisley almost kicked the ball before Referee Bill Holzwarth sounded his whistle. Then the Tigers didn’t seem to know who was supposed to do what on Wilson’s long run.

* * *
THE BIG RED lost the ball on an incompleted pass on fourth down four plays later on the Massillon 27. On one of those plays Bob Baker knocked down a Hoyman pass in the end zone to prevent a score.

Steubenville didn’t get onto Bengal ground until the third period had seen about 10 minutes of play go by. After the Tigers fourth score, the Big Red took over on its 35 and moved to the Massillon 33 where a pass was incomplete on fourth down, again thanks to an alert Bengal secondary.

Although Massillon didn’t blitz as much Friday as against Alliance, because Steubenville didn’t have the explosive attack of the Aviators, its Oklahoma 5-4 and Eagle six defenses were more than adequate, holding Steubenville to 136 net yards rushing and 53 passing. The Tigers had 361 rushing and 25 passing. Steubenville completed only one of 13 passes, Massillon two of eight.

The Tigers gained a lot of yardage on the trap between the outside tackle and long side end. With Steubenville playing a wide 6-2 most of the night, the Big Red was a sucker for this type of play.

Massillon started off the night as if it owned Steubenville. Although the Tigers failed to score the fist time, they got their hands on the ball, they dominated play for the rest of the night after that.

The Bengals lost the toss again for the fourth time in five tries, but Steubenville elected to defend the East goal. The Big Red kicked to Co-Captain Charlie Brown on the 30. His runback was only three yards.

* * *
WITH BROWN, Fred Philpott and Ken Dean alternating on the running, the Tigers carried to the Steubenville five in 12 plays and four first downs, using short gainers for their yardage. Then with the ball on the five, third and three, the Tigers were caught holding. The ball was moved back to the 18. Two plays later a pass incompletion stopped the drive on the 14.

Bob Baker intercepted a pass on the Steubenville 25 to set up the Tigers’ first score. Alexander threw to Wingback Ron Schenkenberger on the hook pattern for a first down on the 16. Brown gained a yard and Philpott 10 through the middle.

Then Brown went between the center and the long side guard for the score at 2:37. The same play netted two more points on the conversion.

This was to be the first of four two-pointers for the Bengals. They seemed to have found the answer to all of their conversion attempts, which went awry in the previous four games.

The Tigers scored again after getting the ball via a punt mid way in the second frame. They marched from their own 25 to pay dirt in nine plays with three first downs.

* * *
BROWNS 42-YARD run down the center on the first play from scrimmage helped set up the score. Dean took the ball over on the wedge from the one on third down at 6:13. Philpott swept left end for the conversion.

The Bengals had one other chance in the second quarter, but were forced to punt the first of two times during the night when they failed to get beyond their 37.

Receiving again at the start of the second half, Washington high lost no time in scoring. It took the Tigers five plays and two first downs, starting from their own 33.

Brown had an 11-yard romp through from his 48 to the Steubenville 41 on second down in the first series. Two plays later on second and three on the 34 Philpott went through between the outside tackle and long side end for the tall at 9:15.

When Steubenville was penalized to the 1 ½ for delay of game, Dean tried to use his favorite play, the wedge, for the conversion, but missed. It was the only time during the night the Tigers did.

A little later the Bengals forced the Big Red to punt again, taking over on their own 36. Massillon covered 64 yards in eight plays and three first downs for the fourth TD.

* * *
THE BIG RUNS were by Alexander and Brown, both between the tackles. Alexander moved the ball from his 42 to Steubenville’s 33 on second and four, Brown raced from the
22 to the nine.

Brown then cracked over, again between the tackles, at 3:43 on second and four from the four. Philpott’s sweep off a pitch left made it 30-0.

Massillon’s final tally came after a Big Red incomplete pass in the final quarter. The Bengals took over on their own 33 and reeled off 67 yards in eight plays with three first downs.

Philpott’s long run from his 33 to the Steubenville 39 on a second and 10 situation helped set up the last score. Davis finally carried in, between the outside tackle and long side end for the score on third and one from the one at 7:51. Alexander tallied the conversion off the short side.

The long trip to Cincinnati for the Roger Bacon game comes next Friday as the Tigers take step No. 6 in the climb toward the state title.

Chalk Up No. 5

MASSILLON
Ends – Ivan, L. Ehmer, Garland, McDew, Pierce and Dewald.
Tackles – Spees, Strobel, Dekan, Profant, Magliacho, Mercer, C. Bradley and Clendening.
Guards – Clendenin, Migge, Geckler, J. Ehmer, Poole, Whitfield, Mickley, Caldwell, Relford, Radel and Matecheck.
Centers – B. Bradley and Heckathorn.
Backs – Alexander, Schenkenberger, Brown, Philpott, Dean, Baker, Snively, Franklin, Jarvis, Lash, Getz, Williams, Sullivan, Davis and Kanney.

STEUBENVILLE
Ends – Potts, Ray and Herring.
Tackles – S. Schaeffer, Mazzaferre and Peters.
Guards – Newman, Ohle, Lawson and Sheffert.
Centers – Archer and Duncan.
Backs – Hoyman, Weiher, Wilson, Terry, Cunningham and Barnes.

Score by Quarters
Massillon 8 8 14 8 38
Steubenville 0 0 0 14 14

SCORING
Massillon
Touchdowns – Brown 2 (five and four-yard runs); Philpott (34-yard run); Dean (one-yard plunge); Davis (one-yard plunge).
Conversions – Philpott (2) Brown, Alexander.

Steubenville
Touchdowns – Terry (52 and one-yard runs).
Conversions – Cunningham (pass from Wilson).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Bill Holzwarth.
Umpire – Wilson Murray.
Head Linesman – Ted Humphrey.
Field Judge – Andy Chiebeck.

STATISTICS
Massillon Big Red
First downs – rushing 18 3
First downs – passing 2 2
First downs – penalties 0 1
Total first downs 20 8
Yards gained rushing 382 130
Yards lost rushing 21 3
Net yards gained rushing 361 136
Yards gained passing 25 53
Total yards gained 386 180
Passes attempted 8 13
Passes completed 2 5
Passes intercepted by 2 1
Times kicked off 5 3
Kickoff average (yards) 45.0 26.3
Kickoff returns (yards) 8 97
Times punted 1 3
Punt average (yards) 27.0 30.6
Punt return (yards) 2 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 1 0
Lost fumbled ball 0 0
Penalties 5 5
Yards penalized 40 75

Charlie Brown
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1960: Massillon 26, Steubenville 6

Tigers Defeat Scrappy Steubenville 26-6
Massillon Gridders Held To One Touchdown In First Half Of Game

By JIM QUILTY

There will be good games and there will be bad ones, Friday night’s 26-6 Washington high school victory over Steubenville is classified in the latter category.

Coach Leo Strang’s Tigers, despite hanging up their fifth win of the season and 18th straight over three years, played “spotty ball.” Yet for a team, which had three or four members of its regular unit missing from most of the week’s practice sessions, the performance was passing.

The letdown following the Alliance game came before 11,148 (paid) fans.

Actually it wasn’t until the final play of the third period, when John Larson connected on an 18-yard scoring toss to Chuck Royer, that the Tiger were lifted from the danger zone.

That touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion by Joe Heflin made it 20-0.

* * *
THE BIG RED, now 1-2-1 in four starts, duplicated the scoring feat with a 70-yard drive after taking the kickoff. Quarterback Bill Hoyman rifled three aerial bulls-eyes during the drive for 35 of the yards and climaxed it with a scoring pass to Len Terry from four yards out.

While the Tigers’ offense lacked its scoring punch the defense again stacked up the Steubenville ground attack when the plot thickened and the Big Red threatened.

After the Tigers’ first big drive of the game had been stopped inches short of the goal, the Big Red rebounded by moving 72 yards to the Tiger 28 before the local defensive giants rose up to cut the drive short.

The Washington high eleven didn’t even manage its first score against Ray Hoyman’s club until 2:39 remained in the first half.

It took Art Hastings recovering from muscle spasms in his right leg to inject a TD shot into the Tigers.

After Bob Baker returned a Hoyman punt to the Bengal 49, Hastings swung around his short side end for 34 yards to the Big Red 17 before being bounced out of bounds by Tom Soboliwski. After three thrusts at the line by Joe Heflin, Charlie Brown and Ken Dean had netted a first down on the seven. Hastings again swept the short side end for the score.

* * *
THE TIGERS wasted little time duplicating the six-point first half when they marched 63 yards for a touchdown after taking the second half kickoff. Dean barreled home from near the eight-yard marker after he and Hastings with a 31-yard sprint, had positioned the score. The 12-0 lead stood as the conversion attempt failed.

The Tigers then put the contest away on the final play of the third period when Larson and Royer covered 18 yards on a scoring pass play. Baker’s punt return from his own 40 to the Big Red’s 38 and the line busting of Martin Gugov and Brown set the touchdown up in four plays.

Joe Heflin added the two-point conversion for a 20-0 margin.

The Big Red then combined its lone six-point drive of the night after Lindsey had returned Dean’s kickoff to the Steubenville 30.

Hoyman connected with Soboliwski on the second play for 18 yards. Several plays later he spotted Ken Potts for six yards. Len Terry then took the aerial play from Hoyman hitting Barnes for 20 yards to the Tiger 18.

Hoyman again took charge with an 11-yarder to Potts to inside the Tiger five. After two running plays gained a single yard, Hoyman and Terry combined for the touchdown. A Hoyman pass on the PAT attempt failed.

Failing to score after Jim Houston grabbed an onside kick on the 50, the Tigers turned the ball over on downs on Steubenville’s 20-yard marker.

* * *
THE BIG RED couldn’t move and a short punt by Hoyman rolled dead on his own 44.

Larson then hit three straight passes, nine yards to Theo Bodiford, 10 to Hastings and the third of 25 yards to Bodiford who juggled the ball around before grabbing it while waltzing into the end zone for the touchdown with only 37 seconds remaining.

Again the conversion attempt failed as the Tigers tucked away their 21st straight win over the Ohio River club.

* * *
A FINAL HEAVE from Hoyman to Paul Cunningham covered 32 yards to Washington high’s 33 as the game ended.

Statistically the Tigers enjoyed nearly a two-and-a-half to one advantage in rushing yardage piling up 239 to 106. Passing the visitors chalked up 91 to Larson’s 76. That cut the total yardage difference of 315 to 197.

The Big Red made a go of it in the first down department with 10 to the Bengals’ 13.

There was only one fumble, that by the Big Red. Charlie Whitfield grabbed it on Steubenville’s 41. The Tigers’ drive which followed bogged down on the invader’s 22.

Foul play didn’t exist, at least noticeably, as only 15 yards in penalties were assessed, 10 against the Bengals, five against the Big Red.

The Big Red Coach Hoyman ranks the Tigers as the best club they’ve met this year with Weirton as a “close second”.

Strang wasn’t in a conversational mood after the contest. But he did pause long enough to size up the Big Red as “an aggressive, hard hitting, hard fighting team, just like all Steubenville teams.”

As for the Tigers, Leo received the type of performance he and the coaching staff had expected following a week of practice attended by only a scattering of regulars.

For the future and the game with Cincinnati Roger Bacon next Friday, Strang won’t know what to expect until this afternoon when he huddles with the staff going over the coaching reports.

Bacon maintained its undefeated mark Friday night mowing down Cincinnati Hughes,
40-0. Past wins have been over Cincinnati Withrow, 55-0, Cincinnati Walnut Hills, 33-0, and Cincinnati Taft, 28-6.

The Bacon eleven ranked 10th in this week’s Associated Press football poll after ranking sixth the previous week.

Chuck McMasters who played all the way for the Big Red at guard and linebacker picked up four tackles and added four assists.

For the Tigers Jim Houston, Charlie Whitfield, Ed Radel, Lawson White, Richard Crenshaw, and George Demis all figured heavily in the defensive tackles.

Victory No. 5

MASSILLON
ENDS – Royer, Ivan, Bodiford, Anzalone.
TACKLES – Spees, Garman, Crenshaw, Herbst, Brugh, Herndon.
GUARDS – Houston, White, Willey, Radel, Whitfield.
CENTERS – Demis, Strobel.
BACKS – Larson, Baker, Null, Heflin, Brown, Hastings, Gugov,
Kurzen, Schenkenberger, Dean, Snively.

STEUBENVILLE
ENDS – Soboliwski, Potts, Ray, Williams, Johnson.
TACKLES – Mazzaferro, Schaeffer, Pyle.
GUARDS – McBride, Capper, B. Simmons.
CENTER – Hulburt.
BACKS – Hoyman, Lindsey, Terry, Barnes, Booth, Shernit, Stratton

Massillon 0 6 14 6 26
Steubenville 0 0 0 6 6

Massillon scoring – Hastings (7, run); Dean 8, run); Royer (18, pass from Larson);
Bodiford (25, pass from Larson)

Extra point – Heflin (run).

Steubenville – Terry (4, pass from Hoyman).

STATISTICS
Massillon Steu.
First downs – rushing 10 6
First downs – passing 3 4
First downs – penalties 0 0
Total first downs 13 10
Yards gained – running plays 256 117
Yards lost – running plays 17 11
Net yardage – running 239 106
Passes attempted 11 12
Passes completed 5 8
Passes had intercepted 0 0
Yard returned –
intercepted passes 0 0
Yards gained passing 76 91
Total yardage
running and passing 315 197
Number of kickoff returns 2 5
Yardage – kickoff returns 9 73
Yardage – punt returns 31 19
Number of punts 2 4
Average length of punts 32.0 33.7
Number of penalties 2 1
Yards lost on penalties 10 5
Number of fumbles 0 1
Own fumbles recovered 0 0
Ball lost on fumbles 0 1

Art Hastings
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1953: Massillon 35, Steubenville 6

Tigers Rip Big Red 35-6
Capacity Crowd Sees Massillon Gridders Win Fourth Game Of Season

By LUTHER EMERY

A hard hitting Steubenville football team gave the Washington high school Tigers their stiffest battle of the season Friday evening but did not have enough to keep the Bengals from winning their fourth victory of the autumn campaign and their 17th in a row.

The score was 35-6 and the margin of Massillon victory might have been four touchdowns more had it not been for a couple of fumbles, a disagreement of officials and the expiration of time. We will get around to all that before the end of this story.

What matters most was that the Tigers kept their slate clean while removing the Big Red from the undefeated list in the state. What we regret is that it had to be done at the expense of an ex-Massillonian, Ray Hoyman, coach of Steubenville.

But there’s no time for sentiment on the football field, and there was none of it displayed in the game as the two teams battled it out throughout the night.
* * *
YOU HAD only to visit the Tigers dressing room after the contest to know the players had been through their most grueling contest of the season.

Several were limping and there was scarcely a lad who did not leave some skin behind in Harding stadium.

“That was the hardest hitting team we have met this year,” said Coach Chuck Mather as he gave the squad the once over after the game.

Tom Fisher had an injured leg, which could bench him for quite a spell; Chuck Lentz was banged up; John Traylor was limping and the merthiolate was being daubed around freely.

It was testimony of the brand of football the Big Red put up in defeat, and evidence that the Tigers had to be good to survive.

A capacity crowd of more than 9,000 attended the game and over a third of it was composed of Massillon fans.

The local delegation had plenty of opportunities to cheer as their favorite team slammed over five touchdowns through some sensational running and passing, and lost four others that might just as well have been marked up to their credit.
* * *
STEUBENVILLE folks had a jolly time themselves when their fleet back, Jim Johnson, intercepted a Tiger pass and went for the works in the last 37 seconds of the game.

It didn’t mean anything as far as getting close to victory was concerned but it was something to cheer about.

Of more interest from a local standpoint were the touchdowns that were not made. Twice the Tigers lost the ball on fumbles when within an arm’s reach of the goal line, and twice more they were denied scores, once through a difference of opinion of officials and again through the expiration of time.

The official twist came near the end of the first half when John Francisco apparently went over from the three-yard line. The head linesman, Glen Dicken, indicated a touchdown. The field judge disagreed and the referee took the field judge’s opinion. The Tigers had but two seconds left after that one and Rich Crescenze fumbled in his hurry to get off another play as the half ended.

Then at the end of the game the Massillon boys had a first down on the seven-yard line with precious seconds ticking away. Their timeouts already used up, Joe Eaglowski faked injury in an attempt to get a timeout, but the officials did not see him and time ran out before the ball could again be put in play.
* * *
THE ORANGE and black struck swiftly in the opening minutes of each half. An unintentional onside kick at the start of the game was covered by John Francisco on the Big Red 39-yard line. Six plays later, Crescenze passed 26 yards to Jim Letcavits for the touchdown, with the game only two minutes and 42 seconds old.

Then to start off the second half, John Traylor gathered in the Stubber kickoff on the 10 and raced 90 yards to score.

Sandwiched between these two touchdowns was a 44-yard touchdown pass, Crescenze to Traylor.

The locals scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Billy Stone went over from seven yards out on the first play of the quarter to climax a 40-yard march. Francisco bucked across the final six points from the one-yard line and Tom Boone completed a perfect evening of placement kicking by booting his fifth point after touchdown.

The Statistics show the Tigers’ superiority as good if not better than the score.

The locals made 31 first downs to the Stubbers three and gained 454 yards from scrimmage to 113 yards.

Where they failed was in loose ball handling. They fumbled seven times, losing the ball on four of the occasions.

Penalties hurt at times too. The Tigers lost 95 yards while Steubenville lost 47 for rule infractions.
* * *
THE TIGERS rolled up their yardage in, every possible way. They made much of it on the ends, hoping to spread the Big Red defense for quickies and counters through the line and they opened the secondary, particularly early in the game with some well placed passes. Crescenze and Carl Porter hit five receivers for two touchdowns and 133 yards.

Steubenville had a set of fast backs who were dangerous when loose. Fastest of all was John Stinson, a substitute who hadn’t intended playing this year because of a twice fractured leg. He didn’t pick up too much yardage since he only carried a couple of times. Next in line and a great back was Fred Hudson who was a threat every time he carried the ball. Jim Morgan and Jim Johnson, other backs, were also dangerous.

On the line, Veteran Tackle Bill Kerr played a whale of a game. Said Eaglowski, “He was the kind of guy who would smile and wink at you and then proceed to knock you to pieces.”
* * *
THE TIGERS had their good boys too. Francisco, Traylor, Homer Floyd and Billy Stone all ran well. Homer had a case of fumbleitis, largely because the Stubbers were tackling the ball.

Jim Letcavits looked good again at end and Bruce Schram at tackle, and you can’t start mentioning people without getting into Boone’s five placements after touchdowns and his fine kickoffs.

Here’s how the scoring went:

Steubenville won the toss and elected to receive. Boone kicked off, hit the ball on the side of his foot and Francisco grabbed it for the Tigers on the Big Red 39. Traylor and Francisco made it first on the 27, Traylor hit for five, but Crescenze covered a fumbled handoff for a loss of three. The Big Red line swarmed over Francisco for a yard loss. Then Crescenze stepped back and shot a pass to Letcavits for 26 yards and the first T.D. of the game. Two minutes and 42 seconds had expired.
* * *
THE TIGERS started next time from their 37. Traylor ripped off 10 after Floyd had failed to gain. Floyd went to the Big Red 44 and Crescenze pitched to Traylor for the remaining 44 yards and a touchdown. Five minutes and 56 seconds of the game had passed by on this one.

The Tigers didn’t threaten again until midway in the second period when they recovered Hudson’s fumble on the Big Red 24. Floyd raced to a first on the 15. Floyd raced to a first on the 15. Francisco made four and Floyd fumbled but recovered for a gain of three putting the ball on the eight. Francisco drove to a first down on the four. Floyd fumbled within reach of a touchdown and Johnson recovered for Steubenville.

The locals drove to the goal line the next time they got the ball as the last seconds were being ticked off on the clock. With 21 seconds to go, Francisco apparently went over from the two. The head linesman, we thought, as did Coach Mather, signaled for a T.D., but was overruled by the referee. Time was called with two seconds to go. Crescenze attempted to buck it over but fumbled and another touchdown effort was lost.

The third quarter got under way in dazzling fashion for the Tigers. Traylor gathered in the kickoff on the 10 and raced straight up the alley 90 yards to score in the first 16 seconds of play.

The Tigers next got the ball on a punt on their 25. Francisco and Traylor got off good runs as the ball was moved to a first on the 16. Floyd took it to the eight had the ball pulled from his arms and Steubenville covered. A third T.D. was lost.
* * *
AS THE THIRD period was fading the Tigers launched their fourth successful touchdown drive. Traylor was downed with a Big Red punt on the latter’s 40. Stone smacked for 15 and again raced to a first on the 12. Stone circle right end on the first play of the fourth period for the touchdown.

Floyd set the Tigers in motion for their final points when he hauled in one of Nick Medves’ passes on the Steubenville 46. Stone hit for 10 and after an exchange of five-yard penalties for delays, Porter circled left end for 23 yards and a first on the 13. Stone was stopped without gain but Halfback Andy Stavroff ran to the six.

A five-yard penalty on Steubenville for offside put the ball on the one and Francisco was given the honor of bucking it over.

Only 37 seconds of the game remained to be played when Johnson intercepted Porter’s pass and ran 65 yards for the Big Red touchdown. But even in those last 37 seconds the Tigers almost got another. They brought the kickoff back to their 45 and Stone almost got away as he ran to a first on the seven. It was at this point that Eaglowski played injured but nobody saw him until the game as over. A fourth touchdown lost.

The line-up and summary:
MASSILLON
ENDS – Letcavits, Lentz, Boone, Lopez, Lorch.
TACKLES – Schram, Dean, Williams, Maier, Woolley.
GUARDS – Agnes, Eaglowski, Gardner, Shilling.
CENTERS –Fisher, Grant.
QUARTERBACKS – Crescenze, Porter.
HALFBACKS – Traylor, Francisco, Longshore, Stavroff.
FULLBACKS – Floyd, Stone.

STEUBENVILLE
ENDS – Thomas, Starlipper, Pettress, Wilson, Fulton.
TACKLES – Snyder, Kerr, Underwood, Snair.
GUARDS – Starr, Bickerstaff, Brandt.
CENTER – Moncilovich.
QUARTERBACKS – Medves, White.
HALFBACKS – Johnson, Hudson, Stinson, Callas.
FULLBACKS – Morgan, Pylia.

Score by periods:
Massillon 14 0 7 14 35
Steubenville 0 0 0 6 6

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Letcavits; Traylor 2; Stone; Francisco.
Steubenville – Johnson.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Boone 5 (place kicks).

Officials
Referee – A.L. Walsh (Elwood City).
Umpire – Sam Hodnick (Canton).
Head Linesman – Glen Dicken (Pittsburgh).
Field Judge – Hub Radnour (Pittsburgh).

STATISTICS
Mass. Steub.
First downs 21 3
Passes attempted 15 7
Passes completed 5 1
Had passes intercepted 1 2
Yards gained passing 133 7
Yards gained rushing 321 106
Total yards gained 454 113
Yards lost 21 18
Net yards gained 433 95
Times kicked off 6 2
Average kickoff (yards) 45 37
Yards kickoffs returned by 100 93
Times punted 3 7
Average punt (yards) 37 34
Yards punts returned 63 13
Times fumbled 7 2
Lost ball on fumbles 4 1
Times penalized 9 9
Yards penalized 95 47

Jim Lectavits