Tag: <span>State Champions (Massillon)</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1916: Massillon 16, Canton Central 9

M. H. S. Beats Canton, Claims State Scholastic Title

High School Closes Its Season Without Defeat by Trimming Canton, 16 to 9

Fighting an uphill battle from the first quarter, Massillon high’s unbeaten orange and black eleven Saturday afternoon defeated Canton high, its ancient rival, 16 to 9, at League park Canton, in the season’s scholastic grid classic, and closed its 1916 schedule without a defeat, winning 10 straight games, totaling 318 points to 36 for its opponents.

The victory gave the youthful Tigers the Stark county title, but Coach John Snavely immediately after the game claimed state scholastic honors for his gridders, and is now attempting to arrange a post season game with one of the other leading high school aggregations in Ohio.

Saturday’s victory was a successful termination of a very successful season. It stamped the orange and black as one of the greatest scholastic teams in the state, and the local warriors deserve all the praise that can be given them.

They fought a game battle, Saturday. While they did not exhibit the dash and well drilled attack that they did in other struggles, still it was good enough to win. Keyed to the highest pitch and fighting with a stubborn determination to win, they came back with the punch in the second quarter after Canton had scored its lone touchdown in the first 15 minutes of play, and carried off the victory.

Canton never proved dangerous after the first period. The red and black fought with might and main to keep Coach Snavely’s gridders from crossing their goal line, but fight as hard as they would the orange and black would not be denied, and carried the ball from its own 25 yard line across Canton’s goal for its first touchdown.

Red and black rooters were frantic when Canton scored its touchdown. They thought it was going to be a repetition of the 1915 game, when Canton won 7 to 6, but their hopes were soon pulled from the high pinnacle down to the abyss of gloom.

Canton played its best game of the season Saturday. There is no doubt about that. The players watched McLaughlin and Thomas, Massillon’s two stars, very closely, and although neither gained as they did in former battles, there was another man in the backfield who tore Canton’s line to shreds time after time. That was fullback Edwin Stults. Stults played a wonderful game, both on offense and defense, and his punting was excellent. He ripped through the red and black line time after time for substantial gains.

In the first quarter the orange and black was facing a strong wind and was handicapped. The advantage lay with Canton, and near the close of the period, Stults punted to Canton’s 50 yard line. Boldt, who by the way was Canton’s star, received the punt and by some fine dodging and running returned the ball to Massillon’s five yard line, and on the next play carried it over the line on a delayed pass and cross buck. He kicked goal.

Massillon had possession of the ball on its 25 yard line when the second quarter commenced. It was here the Youthful Tigers began their victorious march down the field. Four straight first downs and Thomas went over for the first touchdown. McLaughlin and Stults made a first down, Thomas and McLaughlin made another, Stults ripped through the line for 11 and another first down, and McLaughlin hit off left tackle for 20 yards and Thomas then carried it over from the four yard line. McLaughlin kicked goal.

Canton fought hard to keep Massillon from scoring more points, and a few minutes later Stults punted out of bounds on Canton’s five yard line. The red and black fumbled on the first play and Ertle pounced on the ball for Massillon. Two smashes at the line by McLaughlin and he went over for the second touchdown. He kicked goal. Canton rooters began to realize that their team was in for a beating. Massillon’s two remaining points came just before the quarter ended. Canton was held on its 10 yard line and forced to punt. Boldt missed a bad pass, the ball rolling over the line. He recovered, but was downed before he could reach the line, giving Massillon a safety and two additional points.

Neither team came close to scoring in the last two quarters. Canton scored its safety in the last quarter when a poor pass got away from Stults and the leather bounded over the line. He fell on the ball, but Canton annexed two points through a safety.

During the last five minutes of play, the red and black made a frantic effort to score and tie the count. The east enders tried pass after pass, but only one proved successful, a long heave from Swarts to Wiseman, which was good for a 35-yard gain and brought the ball up to Massillon’s 30 yard line, but Bischoff intercepted the next pass and the danger was over.

Massillon outplayed Canton. It made nine first downs to Canton’s four, but was forced to punt 12 times to Canton’s 11. The orange and black did not complete a single forward pass, in fact, McLaughlin relied mostly on line plays and end runs to make Massillon’s gains. Canton had two successful forwards.

Although without the aid of its captain, Rowland Harrold, who was on the sidelines with a broken collar bone, the orange and black’s playing was decidedly superior to that of Canton. The line played well, Bischoff, Stults and Zepp playing strong defensive games. On offense Massillon excelled, gaining more ground than Canton, which had only one man who did any gaining, left halfback Boldt.

FINISHING RIGHT

Massillon – 16. Pos. Canton – 9.

Ertle le Strang

Chayney lt Volzer

Stoner lg McAnany

Zepp c Walter

Oberlin rg Bow

C. Archbold rt Swartz

Bischoff re Wiseman

McLaughlin qb Schneffer

Thomas lh Boldt

Converse rh Rate

Stults fb Melbourne
Substitutions: Canton – Negley for Strang, Cameron for McAnany, McCarel for Cameron, Phillips for Melbourne. Massillon – H. Archbold for Chayney, Underwood for Stoner, Johnson for C. Archbold, C. Archbold for Johnson, Wittmann for Converse.

Touchdowns – Boldt, Thomas, McLaughlin.
Safeties – Boldt, Stults.
Goals from touchdown – Boldt 1, McLaughlin 2.

Score by periods:
Canton 7 0 0 2 – 9
Massillon 0 16 0 0 – 16

Referee – Snyder, of Harvard.
Umpire – Coombs, of Hiram.

Time of periods – 15, 15, 12 ½, 12 ½.

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1909: Massillon 11 Canton Central 6

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MASSILLON HIGH
DEFEATED CANTON
Fast Enders Downed by the Score of 11 to 6.

IN LINE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Massillon Scored Twice on High Class Football,
Canton Once by Good Fortune
Locals Out-classed Home Team in Every Department of Game.

In fifty minutes of fast and brilliant play the Massillon high school football  team trampled in the dust the championship aspirations of the team representing the Canton school, and for the third consecutive time asserted Massillon’s superiority over the east enders, who have grown supercilious in the conceit that they hold by divine right an athletic precedence over the local school.  The game, bitterly contested every inch of the way, places Massillon in a position to claim the championship of this section of the state.  Canton, which has been defeated twice by Massillon, defeated Rayen, of Youngstown, which in turn defeated Akron.  In order to decide the issue conclusively Rayen must take up Massillon’s gauntlet.  Although Akron tied Massillon, a defeat of Rayen would put Akron out of the race and leave Massillon undisputed title to the championship.

“Poor Massillon!” remarked a Canton paper in large headlines Saturday morning, and in the article which followed the local school was given about as much chance of existing against Coach Hazlett’s much touted protégés as a fried snowball in June.  It didn’t take Canton long to realize that it was really a football game when Massillon led off with one of Coach Fugate’s smashing, crashing series of silent signals which carried the ball for first downs; the first crack out of the box.  During the rest of the contest Massillon out-weighed and out-played its opponents in every department of the game.  In brief, Massillon’s two touchdowns were made on straight football, the first by Sonnhalter, who carried the ball over after bucking it fourteen wards in four straight downs; and the second by Wells after a run of twenty-five yards; while Canton scored on luck by having Gauchatt fall on the ball after Lothamer had blocked one of Blackburn’s punts.  Blackburn kicked the second goal after Clay had caught the put out.  Kahler kicked Canton’s only goal.

Massillon might easily have blanked Canton by a larger score had not the feelings of Umpire McFarren been so susceptible to injury.  Massillon high never had a bunch of kickers and this season it has stood all decisions on plays good and bad, without a kick, but there is a limit to human endurance and this was reached when McFarren, losing all self control, flew into a rage and displayed a despicable degree of petit officiousness by putting Leahy, Massillon’s center, out of the game for alleged slugging; not in the game, but in an argument; not of a Canton player, but of McFarren himself.  While settling a decision on a play Leahy stepped up to McFarren and tapping him on the shoulder, started to explain his part of it.  McFarren turned in a rage, “Out of the game for yours,” he shouted, “you can’t slug me.”  Massillon had no recourse and Leahy was forced to leave.  Without a sub-center McConnell was sent in to do the best he could.  Massillon has no charge to make against any other decision, good or bad.

The fact that the game was practically all Massillon from start to finish does not detract from the fact that Canton put up a game and plucky fight against greater weight and skill.  McCoy was Canton’s particular star.  He fought like a tiger from the time the whistle blew until he was carried from the field completely played out.  In him lay Canton’s one hope and when he was smothered Massillon had nothing to fear.  He ran with remarkable speed and skill, but was no match for Massillon’s defense.  Carrying the ball most of the time he received a lion’s share of Massillon’s terrific tackles.  Kaylor replaced him at quarter, and was in turn replaced at full by Blanchard.  Kaylor played a good game both at full and quarter, and Howells and Lash on the end blocked the Massillon interference in a manner which was not at all agreeable to the visitors.

Canton’s interference although a stiff proposition at times, had little show against Massillon’s terrific plunges and bucks.  All that the linemen could not clear away the backfield smashed a hole through.  Canton’s ends were tough problems on regular plays, but were easily drawn in on tricks.  Massillon’s offense consisted chiefly of tricks and plays from shifted formations so that Canton was up in the air most of the time in a vain effort to follow the ball.  Canton had some chance against straight football, when it was tried, but there was little hope against Coach Fugate’s foolers.  The forward pass was worked several times successfully by Massillon.

Massillon’s defense was practically impregnable.  It is true Canton made her downs several times but not within striking distance of the goal.  When ever Canton came anywhere near Massillon’s sacred goal the Massillon team would take a mighty brace and throw it for three consecutive losses.  This great fighting spirit has pulled Massillon out of several bad holes this season.  Erb at left tackle, with the trusty Heyman at guard, held the hefty Lefkovitz and the Canton’s right wing in good order.  Wagner and Clay on the other wing, held Canton’s left with ease.  Atwater at quarter ran the team to victory on a well mixed up assortment of tricks and shifts which kept the opponents in the air.  Ellis played a great defensive game at right end and Miller on left and gained several times around the opposite end on Massillon’s trick double pass.  Leahy played his usual brilliant game at center both on offense and defense until forced to leave.  McConnell played a hard game in his strange position at center.

Massillon’s three hundred rooters greatly outnumbered the Canton section and in the fine points of the rooting game drowned them completely out.  Massillon will play Oberlin Academy on the high school grounds next Saturday.

The line-up and summary:

Massillon – 11                 Pos.               Canton – 6
Miller                                le                 Howells
Erb                                    lt                 Lothamer
Heyman                            lg                 Rippeth, Austin
Leahy, McConnell             c                 Bonar
Clay                                  rg                 Lefkovitz
Ellis                                   re                 Sweet, Lash
Atwater                            qb                McCoy, Kahler
Wells                                lh                 Price
Blackburn                         rh                 Steiner
Sonnhalter                         fb                 Kachler and Blanchard

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Sonnhalter; Wells.
Canton – Gauchatt.

Goals from touchdowns:
Massillon – Blackburn.
Canton – Kahler.

Punt out:
Massillon – Blackburn; Clay.

Referee and umpire, alternating – Wittmann and McFarren.
Head Linesman – Speck.
Linesman – Fugate, of Massillon.
Timer – Vogt, of Massillon.

Time of halves – 25 minutes.
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