Tag: <span>Terrance Roddy</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

2002: Massillon 24, Austintown Fitch 14

Back on track
Tigers bounce back with a convincing 24‑14 triumph over Austintown Fitch

By WILLIAM R. SANDERSON
Independent Sports Writer

It wasn’t one of those patented seven‑ or eight‑touchdown wins some folks have come to expect, but the Massillon Tigers were able to wear down the Austintown Fitch Falcons for a 24‑14 victory on Friday night at Falcon Stadium. The 4‑1 Tigers took advantage of an errant snap on a punt and a couple of big runs by Ricky Johnson to survive the Falcons, who fall to 3‑2 on the season.

Johnson ran the ball for 91 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns, but it was the 6‑foot, 193‑pound senior’s blocking that made Massillon coach Rick Shepas especially happy. With Johnson playing a role in paving the way, senior Terrance Roddy actually led the Tigers in rushing with 140 yards and a touchdown on 11 totes.

“Ricky has been doing a nice job on a banged up ankle,” Shepas said. “There is no one showing more courage on our football team then Ricky Johnson. He’s very unselfish. He did a very good job blocking for Terrance Roddy, who had a nice game himself.”

Johnson credited Roddy and his backfield mates for his success. “We’ve got three or four good backs,” Johnson said. “If they key on one, the other will hurt them. That opens the other backs. It goes both ways. I won’t let him absorb a hit, just like he won’t let me absorb a hit.”

While the Tigers were able to run the ball for a collective 278 yards, Austintown Fitch made sure that none of it would be easy. In fact, the Falcons let Massillon know right away that nothing was going to be easy.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and pounded their way to the Fitch 21‑yard line when they fumbled a snap out of the shotgun. Austintown’s Robert Hill scooped up the ball and ran it 30 yards. Eight plays later Jason Aikens plunged through for a one‑yard touchdown at the 5:55 mark of the first quarter.

Fitch stopped the Tigers on the ensuing drive, but returned the favor at the end of its next possession when a snap went over the punter’s head. The Falcons’ Shea Stewart alertly kicked the ball out of the end zone for the safety. The Tigers ‑ trailing 7‑2 ‑ were able to take advantage of the free kick.

Johnson broke off a 21‑yard run to set up his own three‑yard touchdown jaunt two plays later. Steve Hymes ran in a two‑point conversion to but Massillon up 10‑7 at the 19:22 mark.

“That was the turning point,” Shepas said. Fitch drove right back down the field and was threatening to retake the lead, when the Falcons gave Massillon another gift by coughing up the ball after reaching the Tiger 17. Brandon Fogle covered the fumble for Massillon.

Massillon had a chance to build some tremendous momentum in the closing minutes of the first half. A couple of Matt Martin passes to James Helscel moved the ball into the Falcon end. After getting inside the Fitch 10‑yard line, a sack and a couple of incomplete passes brought on the field goal unit. But Fitch’s Davanzo Tate came up with the block to keep it a three‑point ball game.

Any positive momentum that Fitch had going into the second half after the blocked field goal dissipated when the Tigers sent them three‑and‑out on their first three possessions of the third quarter.

After Aikens had run for 55 yards in the first half to lead the Falcons, Massillon held him to just 11 more after the band show. “They made some adjustments, but I don’t think we gave the plays a chance to develop,” Fitch coach Carl Pelini said. “They started pressing and starting pressing, cutting back and doing things that we haven’t done this year. They made some adjustments, but it was nothing that we couldn’t have adjusted to.”

Another big Johnson run helped the Tigers to another touchdown midway through the third quarter. He broke a 62‑yarder down the left sideline that put the ball on the Falcon 5. Roddy scored on the next play to make it a 17‑7 spread at that point.

The Falcons continued to struggle offensively and Massillon’s Jamaal Ballard blocked an Austintown punt and fell on it at the Falcon 5‑yard line. Johnson punched the ball in on the next play. Eric Smith’s second extra point of the game gave the Tigers a commanding 24‑7 lead at the 5:57 mark of the fourth quarter.

Austintown did score in the closing minute of the game to make the final a little more respectable. A three‑yard run by Dallas Root capped off a 35‑yard drive that occurred after Massillon fumbled a punt snap.

Martin completed nine of 16 passes for 91 yards. Helscel caught a team‑leading five balls for 46 yards.

Part of the game’s overtone, especially early on, for the Tigers was putting the St. Ignatius loss behind them and Shepas felt that they did that. “Last week was a tough one for everyone,” he said. “Everyone in the community wanted that win and we played so well for three quarters. It’s bound to stay with you for a while, but this has been a good place for us. Our kids showed that they can persevere through the adversity for a job well done.”

With Fitch having had three wins against solid programs in GlenOak, Jackson and Mansfield, Johnson knew a slew of playoff computer points were on the line if the Tigers could post a win. “We came in and did what we had to do, ” Johnson said. “We needed the points.”

Massillon 24
Fitch 14
M F
First downs rushing 10 4
First downs passing 5 4
First downs by penalty 1 2
TOTAL first downs 16 10
Net yards rushing 245 74
Net yards passing 91 60
TOTAL yards 336 134
Passes attempted 16 7
Passes completed 9 4
Passes intercepted 0 0
Punts 4 6
Punting average 38.8 35.5
Fumbles/Lost 3/1 2/1
Penalties 9 3
Yards penalized 119 15

Massillon 02 08 07 07 24
Fitch 07 00 00 07 14

SCORING
AF ‑ Aikens 1 run (Stewart kick) 5:55
M ‑ Safety, punt kicked out of end zone 0:01
M ‑ Johnson 3 run (Hymes run) 9:22
M ‑ Roddy 5 run (Smith kick) 5:11
M ‑ Johnson 5 run (Smith kick) 5:57
AF ‑ Root 3 run (Stewart kick) 0:27

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Massillon rushing:
Roddy 11‑140 TD, Johnson 16‑91 2 TDs, Hymes 4‑21.
Fitch rushing: Aikens 20‑45 TD.

Massillon passing:
Martin 9‑16‑91.
Fitch passing: Aikens 2‑4‑38, Hassen 2‑3‑22.

Massillon receiving:
Helscel 5‑46.
Fitch receiving: Root 1‑28.

Shawn Crable
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

2001: Massillon 56, Youngstown Woodrow Wilson 8

Tigers’ ground game rips Woodrow Wilson
Oliver, Johnson top century mark

By JOE SHAHEEN
Independent Sports Editor

On.a damp and dreary night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, the Massillon Tigers got some valuable work for the first team, rested some injured starters, and rewarded their loyal second‑ and third‑teamers with extended playing time, all while walloping winless Youngstown Woodrow Wilson 56‑8, Friday in front of 5,850 fans.

Program Cover

Early in the week, Woodrow Wilson coach, Mark Lyden said he hoped Tiger mentor Shepas would call the dogs off early, conceding that his Division III Redmen had no chance of staying with Massillon, which improved to 6‑1 with the victory. After the game, Shepas took time to console Lyden, who is going to battle each week without many weapons.

“They’re struggling,” Shepas said of Woodrow Wilson. “There’s no other way to say that. They’re just struggling.

“We wanted to come out and play solid. We were able to do that on defense. We gave up a couple of plays. But it is unfortunate for them. It’s a shame it has come to that for them.”

With a heavy downpour drenching the field at the opening kickoff, the usually pass‑happy Tigers spent much of the first half running the football through gaping holes in the Wilson defense and amassing 244 yards and 13 first downs on the ground.

“Justin Zwick called a majority of the offensive plays,” Shepas revealed, “and he was unselfish in going to the running game the way he did. We ended up with two 100‑yard rushers tonight.”

Marquis Williams set up Massillon’s first score with a twisting, spinning 43‑yard punt return that gave his team possession at the visitors 8‑yard line.

0n first down from there, junior running back Rickey Johnson went into the line, juked twice, then shot through a gap and into the end zone. David Abdul’s point after made it 7‑0 Massillon at 9:50 of the first quarter.

Tiger defensive lineman Marquice Johnson stopped the next Wilson possession with a fine open field tackle on quarterback Shawn Lane to force the Redmen into a punting situation.

Massillon took over at its 29 after Craig McConnell’s nine‑yard return. Rickey Johnson – who finished the night with 136 –yards rushing in just eight totes ‑ ran the football on three consecutive snaps ‑ resulting in gains of 24‑, 15‑ and 19‑yards to set the Tigers up with first‑and‑10 at the Wilson 13.

Three plays and a Massillon personal foul later, the Tigers had second‑and‑goal from the 20. Senior Robert Oliver took the handoff from Zwick and swept around left end. A Wilson defender grabbed a piece of Oliver’s jersey at the five-yardline but he tore free and scored the game’s second touchdown at 3:18 of the first quarter. Abdul’s right foot made it 14‑0 Massillon.

Wilson penetrated to the Massillon 23 on its next possession but turned the ball over on downs at that point.

Oliver ­- who totaled 102 yards in eight carries ‑ wasted little time in adding to his statistics, skirting around right end for 30 yards on first down. One play later Johnson went around the same side for 13 yards to the Wilson 33. Oliver gained 14 more to the 19‑yard line after an incomplete pass.

Then Ryan Boyd went off the left side of the Tiger line, breaking two tackles and bursting into the end zone for a 19‑yard touchdown run. Abdul’s boot was true and Massillon led 21‑0 at 7:59 of the second quarter.

The Massillon defense forced Wilson into yet another three‑and‑out series, and William’s 13‑yard punt return set the Tigers up at the 50‑yard line.

Johnson put the finishing touches on a very productive evening by taking a Zwick handoff and.attacking the right side of the offensive line.

He broke a tackle at the 37, cut back to the left at the 25 and sprinted into the end zone for a 50‑yard touchdown run. Abdul’s kick made it 28‑0 Massillon at 7:59 of the second quarter.

Williams displayed fine balance and athleticism on a 19‑yard punt return that set up the Tigers next tally.

On first down from the Massillon 41, Boyd picked up 10 yards around right end. Then Zwick completed his first pass of the game, after five straight incompletions, lofting a high‑arching throw into Devon Jordan hands in the end zone from 31‑yards away.

Abdul’s conversion kick split the uprights to make the Tiger lead 35‑0 at 5:23 of the second quarter.

The Tigers final first half scoring drive was a display of Zwick’s passing accuracy.

Starting at the Wilson 46, the 6‑foot‑5 senior hit Jordan along the right sideline for nine, then completed a short pass to Williams who turned it into a 17‑yard gain to the 20.

A scramble netted five yards and Zwick then hit Jordan for 12 yards to the 2‑yard line.

On the next play, Zwick found Williams standing alone in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown. Abdul tacked on the PAT and it was 42‑0 at the half.

Billy Relford returned the second half kickoff to the Wilson 41‑yardline, giving the Tigers a short field once again.

They took advantage, mounting an eight‑play drive that featured runs of 11‑ and. 13‑yards by Oliver an capped by Ryan Boyd’s six‑yard sweep around right end for a touchdown at 7:22 of the third period.

Chris Reinhart tacked on the extra point and Massillon’s advantage swelled to 49‑0.

The Tigers final score came on a seven‑play, 30-yard drive capped by Terrence Roddy’s one‑yard touchdown dive at 2:08 of the fourth quarter. Max Shafer added the point after.

“We got a chance to play a lot of people and we got a chance to freshen up a little bit,” Shepas said.

And with that the coach was off to the Tiger locker room to dry off, warm up and begin preparations for next week’s invasion by Fremont Ross, a 10-0 winner over Toledo Whitmer Friday night.

MASSILLON 56
WILSON 8
M W
First downs rushing 18 3
First downs passing 5 1
First downs by penalty 0 0
TOTAL first downs 23 4
Net yards rushing 409 104
Net yards passing 71 33
TOTAL yards 480 137­
Passes attempted 10 10
Passes completed 5 6
Passes intercepted 1 0
Punts 0 7
Punting average 0 31
Fumbles/Lost 5/3 2/1
Penalties 3 2
Yards penalized 37 12

MASSILLON 14 28 7 7 56
WILSON 0 0 0 8 8

SCORING
M ‑ Rickey Johnson 8 run (Abdul kick)
M – Oliver 20 run (Abdul kick)­
M ‑ Ryan Boyd 19 run (Abdul kick)
M ‑ Johnson 50 run (Abdul kick)
M ‑ Jordan 31 pass from Zwick (Abdul kick)
M ‑ Williams 2 pass from Zwick (Abdul :kick)
M ‑ Boyd 6 run (Reinhart kick)
W ‑ West 68 fumble return (S. Lane pass to Jones)
M ‑ Roddy 1 run (Shafer kick)

INDIVIDUAL’ STATISTICS
Massillon rushing: Johnson 8‑136, Oliver 8‑102, Boyd 5‑39.
Wilson rushing: Humphries 15‑72, S. Lane 10‑20.

Massillon passing: Zwick 5-10-71 2 TDs, INT.
Wilson passing: S. Lane 6‑10‑33.
Massillon receiving: Jordan 3‑52, Williams 2‑19.
Wilson receiving: West 2‑21

Statistics courtesy Richard Cunningham


Justin Zwick