Tommy Hannon Archives - MassillonTigers.com

1972: Massillon 14, Cincinnati Princeton 17

November 18, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

TIGERS LOSE!

By CHARLES HESS, JR.
Sports Editor
The Evening Independent

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY STADIUM, COLUMBUS – Cincinnati Princeton high school defeated Massillon’s Washington high school Tigers 17-14 here today before about 30,000 fans and moved into the finals of the Ohio AAA high school championship football playoff.

Princeton will meet the winner of this afternoon’s Warren Western Reserve-Toledo Scott game in the Akron Rubber Bowl next Saturday evening.
* * *
IT WAS A case of the Tigers’ defense being put under extra pressure after the Orange and Black jumped off to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.

However, the pendulum swung in Princeton’s favor in the second half as the Vikings rallied off a 14-3 halftime deficit. They scored the game-clinching touchdown with 8:01 left in the game when left halfback Mike Gayles took a pitch out and went around his left end from nine yards out and quarterback Guy Wright kept for the extra points to complete the scoring.

Princeton thwarted Massillon’s last gasp big with 1:55 left in the game when Neal Turner intercepted a Kevin Westover pass at the Princeton 11. Massillon completely dominated the first half of play just as Princeton did the second half.

Massillon struck with lightning when on the game’s second play from scrimmage tailback Tom Hannon took a pitch out around his right end and raced 64 yards for a touchdown. Hannon easily scored the extra points on a left end sweep.

Massillon knocked at the door twice more before scoring, having been stopped at the Princeton 39 and 10-yard lines.

Massillon moved 54 yards for its second TD, which came with 1:54 left in the second quarter when Westover showed his composure when he was chased, but yet completed a 20-yard toss over the middle to Terry Edwards and Edwards broke away from three would be tacklers to reach pay dirt. Don Muhlbach’s point after placement hit the right crossbar upright and bounced off.
* * *
PRINCETON’S first three points came on the first-ever field goal attempt by 6-5,
205-pound senior end Rick White when he split the uprights from an amazing 47 yards out as time expired in the first half.

Princeton made it 14-9 at 9:25 of the third quarter when Gayles slipped around his right end and sailed 55 yards to pay dirt. Charles Danzy broke through to abort Wright’s PAT placement attempt.

Hannon and Gayles put on quite a show of precision running. Hannon netted 160 yards in 22 carries and Gayles cleated 185 in 38 lugs.

The loss was the Tigers’ first of the season. They swept through their regular schedule with 10 victories and were accorded the top place in the polls of the Associated Press and United Press International. The game officially ended the local team’s 1972 season.
* * *
INCLUDED in the crowd of 30,000 were perhaps 10,000 Massillonians who wore their “beat Princeton” straw hats.

“We love the Tigers” and “Win the 500th” were the messages on the hoop through which the Tigers ran as they came onto the field for the opening kickoff. They were greeted by several hundred orange and black balloons as they came out after completing pre-game warm-ups.

The Tiger Swing Band was given a resounding ovation.

Following is the action as it happened play by play.
FIRST QUARTER
Massillon won the toss. Princeton kicking from north end (closed end) of Ohio stadium. White kicked off to Muhlbach who picked up the bounding ball at the 20 and returned to the 35.

Hannon went through left tackle, one-yard (Forte tackled).

Hannon took a pitch at right end from Westover and went 64 yards for a touchdown. Time 11:18. (Massillon called time out before trying conversion). Hannon easily scored extra point around left end. Massillon 8, Princeton 0.
* * *
Muhlbach’s kickoff taken at 20 by Jones who returned to the 33 (tackle by Dan Gutshall). Princeton first down at 33.

Gayles up the middle for four yards (Tim Gutshall tackled).

Gayles up the middle. Darius Edwards recovered fumble at Princeton’s 47.
* * *
Massillon first down 47.

Westover passed to Sullivan, dropped at 10.

Charles Danzy up the middle six-yard gain.

Hannon pitch right end, three-yard gain (Turner tackled).

Hannon right tackle and was shy of first down (Borden tackled).
* * *
Princeton first down at 39.

Wright’s pitch went out of bounds, lost eight yards.

Gayles pitched right end, run out of bounds by Swann.

Wright passed to Jones for no gain, tackled by Tim Gutshall.

Wright’s punt rolled to the Massillon 10.
* * *
Massillon first down at 10.

T. Edwards around left end, one-yard gain.

Hannon tried to go off tackle, lost one-yard (tackle by Webster).

Westover pass complete to D. Edwards down left side to 19 and Edwards ran to the 26 for first down.

Charles Danzy tried to go up middle, no gain.

T. Edwards slipped behind line of scrimmage on a reverse at 24. Princeton penalized 15 yards for grabbing face mask. First down at the 39.

Hannon pitch out left end to the 44, but Tigers were called for holding. First down and 23 at the 26.

Westover passed to Sullivan over the middle at the 36 and Sullivan fought his way to the 40.

Hannon up the middle, five-yard gain.

Westover rolled left, chased by three Vikings and ran to the 46 after reversing his field. Off-setting penalties – Massillon clipping, Princeton offsides.

Hannon took a pitch out at left end to the Princeton 24, a 31-yard gain. Key blocks were thrown by Mayles and Westover. First down.

Sullivan jumped offsides, Tigers penalized five yards for illegal procedure. First down and 15 at the 29.

Charles Danzy dive over left tackle for a four-yard gain.

Hannon took a pitch out around right end to the 18 for a seven-yard gain.

Hannon took a pitch out at right end and was hit hard, losing one yard (Williams tackle).

T. Edwards upended at line of scrimmage, but Princeton was offsides. First down at the 14.

T. Edwards to the 13, one-yard gain.

Westover tossed a screen pass to Charles Danzy who went to the one, but Massillon was penalized for clipping. Second down and 19 at the 23.

Hannon threw a pass intended for T. Edwards at the 10, almost intercepted by Turner.

Westover tried to pass, all receivers covered and ran to the 14, a nine-yard gain.

Hannon took a pitch out at right end and fumbled, Princeton recovering.
* * *
Princeton first and 10 at its 15.

Gayles up middle, three-yard gain, as quarter ends. Massillon 8, Princeton 0.
SECOND QUARTER
Williams went up the middle and was tackled on his 20 by Balizet and Geiser.

Gayles fumbled on a draw and lost two yards. (Charles Danzy tackle).

Wright’s punt downed on the Princeton 47, a 29-yard punt.
* * *
Massillon first and 10 at Princeton 47.

Westover threw as he was hit and his pass was short for Sullivan.

Westover threw a screen pass to Alex Wood who ran to the 27, a 20-yard gain and a first down.

Hannon went around right end, where he was tackled by Williams on the 14, a first down.

A. Wood went up the middle for a two-yard gain.

Hannon went off left tackle for a five-yard gain.

Hannon went off left tackle for one yard (Fieler tackle).

Fourth and two on the six. T. Edwards tried left end and fumbled. Porter recovered on the six for Princeton.
* * *
Princeton first down on its 6.

Gayles took a pitch at left end, where he was tackled by Danny Gutshall for a two-yard gain.

Gayles went up the middle, tackled by Charles Danzy and Tim Gutshall for a seven-yard gain.

Gayles tried to go off right tackle where he was met by Tim Gutshall, a one-yard gain for a first down at the 16.

Princeton called time out at 5:54.

Borden went over right tackle and was stopped by Balizet for no gain.

Gayles went off left tackle for a five-yard gain. He was tackled by Tim and Dan Gutshall.

Gayles went off right tackle for two-yards and was tackled by Balizet and Green.

Wright’s punt on fourth-and-four was taken by Hannon on a fair catch at Massillon 46, a 31-yard punt.
* * *
Massillon first down at its 46.

Westover’s pass to T. Edwards was incomplete.

A. Wood went up the middle for a five-yard gain.

Hannon went around his right end and fumbled, he recovered for a gain of three yards.

Hannon went off right tackle, for six-yards and a first down on a fourth-down play.

Westover’s pass to Sullivan was incomplete at Princeton 28.

Westover chased left and threw over the middle to Terry Edwards at the 29 and he broke away from two would-be tacklers for a touchdown. Time 1:54. Muhlbach’s kick for the extra point no good after it hit the right upright and bounced off. Massillon 14, Princeton 0.

Muhlbach’s kickoff was taken on the Princeton 16 by Jones who returned 14 yards to the 30. Gayles tried left tackle but had to go up the middle, for a five-yard gain. He was tackled by Perry and Dan Gutshall.

Princeton called time out at 1:07.

Gayles took a pitch off left tackle, for an 11-yard gain and a first down. He was tackled by Tim Gutshall and Bodiford.

Princeton called time out at 1:01.

Charles Danzy broke through and caught Gayles for a seven-yard loss back to the Princeton 41.

Wright’s pass to White was incomplete.

Massillon was penalized 15 yards for defensive pass interference giving Princeton a first down and 10 at Massillon 44.

Wright rushed and his pass to White was incomplete at the Massillon 13. Massillon penalized 15 yards for roughing passer. First down at Massillon 29.

White lined up for a field goal, the ball was spotted at the 37. He kicked the 47-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. Massillon 14, Princeton 3.
THIRD QUARTER
Massillon kicked off, defending the north goal. Charles Danzy’s kickoff was taken on the 31 by Williams and returned to the 35 and fumbled. Jones recovered the fumble.

Princeton first down at its 35. Gayles went through the middle for a seven-yard gain and was tackled by Darius Edwards.

Gayles took a handoff up the middle for a one-yard gain and was tackled by Muhlbach, Charles Danzy and Tim Gutshall.

Gayles took a handoff up the right tackle for a two-yard gain and was tackled by Tim Gutshall after picking up a first down at the Princeton 45.

Bash broke through and tackled Jones for a seven-yard loss.

Gayles took a pitch out around right end and ran 55 yards for a touchdown at 9:25. Wright’s placement try for the extra point was blocked by Charles Danzy.
Massillon 14, Princeton 9.
* * *
White’s kickoff bounced around at Massillon 32 and rolled out of bounds. Tigers given possession at their 40 under federation rules.

Massillon was penalized five yards for illegal procedure. First and 15 at the Tigers’ 35.

Hannon went off right tackle for a two-yard gain.

Hannon carried up the middle for a three-yard gain.

Terry Edwards went around.

Westover punted and the ball went off the right side of his foot and sailed into the Massillon bench.
* * *
Princeton first down at its 47.

Jones carried off left tackle for three yards.

Gayles took a pitch out over right tackle for a five-yard gain. Tackle made by Tim Gutshall and Bash.

Gayles almost fumbled the ball as he went around his right end for five yards and first down at the Massillon 43. Charles Danzy knocked him out of bounds.

Bash and Darius Edwards caught Gayles for a two-yard loss.

Gayles carried off right guard for two-yard gain and was tackled by Charles Danzy.

Wright passed complete to Williams for 12-yard gain to the Massillon 30 for a first down.

Jones carried over center for a two-yard gain. Bash made the tackle.

Gayles took a pitch off left guard for a two-yard gain.

Gayles broke over the middle and cut to his left and ran to the Massillon 12 for a 13-yard gain and a first down. Geiser and Green made the tackle.

Gayles took a pitch off right tackle for a six-yard gain. Muhlbach and Bash made the tackle.

Princeton penalized five yards for illegal procedure. Second down and nine at the 11. Princeton called time out at 2:28.

Gayles took a pitch around his left end for a four-yard gain.

Gayles started to his right and cut back over the middle for a two-yard gain. He was stopped by Bash and Tim Gutshall.

Borden tried to go over the middle, but was stopped by Gutshall and Balizet on a fourth down and two situation.
* * *
Massillon first down at its four.

Hannon around right end for a three-yard gain.

Hannon tried to his right end, but had to cut back to the middle and lost a yard when tackled by Harvey.

Westover passed from his end zone. The pass was intended for Alex Wood at the nine, but it was knocked down by Webster.

Westover punted from deep in his end zone and the ball rolled and went out of bounds on the Princeton 49. Massillon 14, Princeton 9.
FOURTH QUARTER
First down Princeton at its 49.

Gayles went over right tackle for a two-yard gain and was tackled by Dan Gutshall.

Princeton was penalized five yards for illegal procedure. Vikings moved back to their 46 for second down and 13.

Gayles went through the middle for a four-yard gain and was tackled by Balizet and Dan Gutshall.

Wright faked to Gayles and kept around his left end to the Tigers’ 32 where he was stopped by Swann after an 18-yard gain and a first down.

Gayles broke over right tackle for an 11-yard gain and a first down and again Swann stopped him.

Gayles went around left end on a pitch out from Wright for a touchdown. Time 8:01. Wright went off right tackle, faking to Gayles through the center, fumbled in the end zone but had already scored the extra two points. Princeton 17, Massillon 14.

White’s kickoff bounced at the Tigers’ 30 and was picked up at the 23 by Muhlbach. He returned the ball to the 30.

Terry Edwards went around left end for a two-yard gain and was run out of bounds by Borden and Reisenfeld.

Hannon went off left tackle for three yards.

Charles Danzy through the center of line for a five-yard gain and first down at the Massillon 40.
Hannon went around his right end for a two-yard gain.

Westover tried to hit Terry Edwards at the Princeton 45, but the pass was overthrown.

Terry Edwards tried to go left on a double reverse and lost one yard.

Westover’s punt taken on the Princeton 16 by White and returned to the 24 where he was tackled by Charles Danzy.

Princeton first and 10 at its 24 (5:15) left.

Gayles tried to go through the center and fumbled, but Gayles had been ruled stopped, nullifying a recovery by Bash. Gayles gained one yard.

Gayles went off right tackle for two-yard gain.

Gayles went off right tackle.

Gayles went through the middle to the 33 for a six-yard gain, but Princeton was penalized 15 yards back to its 19 for clipping to make it third down and 15.

Gayles went up the middle on a draw for a three-yard gain.

Wright’s punt was taken by Hannon on a fair catch at the Princeton 48 with 2:47 left in the game.
* * *
Massillon first and 10 at Princeton 47.

Westover threw down the left sideline to Sullivan for a 10-yard gain and first down. He was bumped out of bounds by Risenfeld.

Westover fired to the right side for Darius Edwards, but Edwards slipped and the ball went over his head.

Westover dropped back and threw a screen pass to the left for Charles Danzy, but the ball bounced in front of Danzy, leaving a third down and 10.

Hannon took a pitch out from Westover around his right end for an 11-yard gain and a first down with 2:18 left.

Westover dropped back and overthrew Terry Edwards in the end zone with White and Turner defending.

Westover’s pass intended for Columbus Danzy at the nine was intercepted by Turner at the nine and returned to the Princeton 11 with 1:55 left.

Princeton first down at its 11. Massillon called time out with 1:35 left.

Borden went up the middle for a six-yard gain. He was tackled by Bash and Charles Danzy. Massillon called time out with 1:23 remaining.

Borden went through the center for a six-yard gain and a first down at the Princeton 24 where he was tackled by Balizet and Green. Massillon called time out with 1:11 left.

Borden again carried over the middle this time for a three-yard gain. He was tackled by Darius Edwards. Massillon used the last of four allotted time outs with 59 seconds left.
Gayles went around left end for no gain. He was stopped by Balizet and Charles Danzy.

Gayles carried around right end and fumbled but he recovered his own fumble at the Princeton 26 as time expired.
Final score;
Cincinnati Princeton 17, Massillon 14.

MASSILLON
End – McCauley, D. Edwards, Bash, Sullivan.
Tackles – Lee, Geiser, Green.
Guards – Mayles, Guiffre.
Center – Cocklin.
Quarterback – Westover.
Halfbacks – Hannon, T. Edwards.
Fullbacks – Charles Danzy, A. Wood.
Middle Guards – Balizet, G. Wood.
Linebackers – T. Gutshall, Ahlstom.
Defensive Backs – Jackson, Muhlbach, Christie, DiLoreto, Swann.

PRINCETON
Ends – White, Williams, Porter, Graham.
Tackles – Turnbow, Webster, Harrison.
Guards – Ulliman, Owens.
Center – Lyman.
Quarterback – Wright.
Halfbacks – Gayles, Jones.
Fullback – Borden.
Middle Guard – Fieler.
Linebackers – Williams, Borden.
Defensive Backs – Reisenfield, Turner, White, Harvey.

MASSILLON 8 6 0 0 14
PRINCETON 0 3 6 8 17

SCORING SUMMARY
M – Hannon, 64 run (Hannon run);
M – T. Edwards, 29 pass from Westover (kick failed).
P – White, 47-yard field goal;
P – Gayles, 55 run (kick blocked);
P – Gayles, 9 run (Wright run)

THE GRIDSTICK
M P
First downs 12 14
Yards rushing 203 247
Yards passing 101 28
Total yards gained 304 275
Yards lost 4 28
Net yards gained 300 247
Passes 5-16 3-3
Passes intercepted 0 1
Fumbles (lost) 1(1) 3(1)
Yards penalized 6-70 5-45
Punt average 3-31.3 4-33.2

CHUCK
‘n’
SPORTS
Pair of injuries tell tale

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

A probable cracked bone and a broken bone which a couple of Tiger football players received last Saturday at Ohio stadium in Columbus tell more of a story than is really apparent.

The mishaps point out the type of dedication which this Washington high team had – the type of thing which brought Massillon (10-1) a 13th Associated Press state championship as well as the top spot in the other wire poll, a 25th first in the Tigers illustrious career and their sixth All-American conference championship.

Senior strong safety Don Muhlabch may have received a cracked navicular bone on the left wrist – the same type of injury which fullback Alex Wood was saddled with several weeks ago but continued to play with. Muhlbach, according to trainer Bill Meier, was injured on the game’s first play but continued in action for the remainder of the defensive assignment.
* * *
WITH HIS arm in a splint and sling, Muhlbach will be absent for awhile from his basketball guard slot. The Tigers will be in the Ohio Big 8 preview Tuesday night at Alliance high school.

Shortly before the game ended at Ohio stadium in Columbus before 25,000 fans last Saturday, senior tight halfback Terry Edwards, dove for a pass in the end zone, got sandwiched between two defenders, broke his right arm between the elbow and shoulder but stayed in for one more play. His arm is also in a sling.

Terry had injured a right leg and ankle three times in three weeks during the last half of the season, according to Meier, but also gritted his teeth and stayed in there. It was this type of heart which gave Tigertown maybe the guttiest, most dedicated group of players they’ve ever had.

But maybe slugging it out in there week after week finally took its toll. Maybe the pressure was put on the defense once too often by an offense which was to score more than twice only three times in 11 games and just didn’t get enough yardage in the big stadium enough times.
Commings vows to return
“We’ll be back here again next year,” Tiger Coach Bob Coming said outside the dressing room after the game.

And when the Tigers return, they should have that 500th win they were denied plus nine more if the 1973 group continues to play with that famous ‘Tiger Pride.’”

THERE CAN be little doubt that reverse momentum helped Cincinnati Princeton (11-0) greatly last Saturday in beating the Tigers 17-14.

Senior Viking end Rich White (6-5, 200) kicked the first field goal ever of his career – a 47-yarder on the last play of the first half after the Tigers had been stopped earlier in the period on the Princeton six-yard line.

“It you had gotten in there, it would have been a real tragedy,” Princeton Coach Pat Mancuso, who claimed this reporter’s “Beat Princeton” hat for his trophy room, said, “It would have been 21-3 at halftime.”

White had never before attempted a field goal during a game, but had been given three kicks from the 35-yard line each Thursday during practice, according to Mancuso. White thought Mancuso might ask him to try the field goal and figured he would make it if he hit it dead center – which he did.

“The big thing was we got three points on the scoreboard,” Mancuso said. ‘That’s a big thing in high school football. Then we got that quick third quarter TD. We said we could do it and we did.”

Commings concurred that getting the field goal fired up the Vikings.

PRINCETON HAD been behind Cincinnati Moeller 14-8 at halftime in the season opener and had also come back to win.

When reminded that he had beaten the Washington high team with a couple of power pitch plays to a fine tailback, Mike Gayles – the play which Mancuso had called Commings last summer to check on how to run – Mancuso replied, “It worked pretty good didn’t it?”

“He knew how to run it,” Commings agreed.
Howard Converse, Princeton’s defensive coordinator, said he made some adjustments at the point of attack for the second half to hold the Tigers to 47 yards compared to 253 in the first half. Princeton, meanwhile, went from 49 to 198.

He said the Tigers were shutting the Vikings off real good in the defensive pursuit department in the first half. But that Princeton got the right pursuit lengths in the second half.

“We figured if we could come back in the second half it would take the pressure off of us and put it on them,” he said.

HE HAD told safety Neal Turner not to panic after Turner had dropped two interceptions earlier in the game and he intercepted a Westover pass to Edwards at the Princeton 11 with 1:35 left – after Edwards had been hurt – to insure the Vikings would move into Saturday’s title tilt at 7:30 p.m. at Akron’s Rubber Bowl against Warren Western Reserve, also 11-0.

The Raiders beat 8-1-1 Toledo Scott 23-15 with a second half, second game comeback after bringing down a Scott punter deep in his territory in the fourth quarter and scoring for a 16-15 lead.

Converse called Hannon a great runner and Mancuso said Massillon execution is the best he’s seen in a high school team.

“We had our opportunities and didn’t win,” Commings said. “When you’re leading 14-3 at halftime and don’t win it, you don’t deserve to win. They just played better than we did in the second half.”

History

1972: Massillon 12, Canton McKinley 3

November 11, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

TIGERS STOP BULLDOGS 12-3
22,371 Watch Aerials Blast Hopes of Pups

By BOB STEWART
Repository Sports Editor

MASSILLON – Washington High School Tigers used the cool head and hot arm of quarterback Kevin Westover to turn back a fierce band of Canton McKinley Bulldogs 12-3 here Saturday afternoon in the state’s most celebrated scholastic grid rivalry.

The 77th classic was viewed by 22,371 at Tiger Stadium here, the third largest crowd ever in the “House That Paul Brown Built.”

The victory gave Massillon:
ITS 499th TRIUMPH in the school’s long and fabled history.
ITS 42nd WIN of the Canton series, against 30 losses and five ties in the dispute that dates to 1894.
ITS 6th CHAMPIONSHIP in the 10 years of the prestigious All-American Conference one of the best schoolboy loops in the nation and certainly the toughest in the state.
ITS 17th UNDEFEATED and untied team as it closed the regular season with a 10- mark.
ITS 22nd MYTHICAL STATE championship team since 1930 when state titles were recognized officially.
ITS FIRST Class AAA Region 3 title and a berth in the first Ohio High School Athletic Association state championship playoffs.

The Tigers wrapped up state titles in both wire service polls, although the final results won’t be announced until later this week.
13th Title in AP Poll
The Associated Press poll of sportswriters and broadcasters will be released Tuesday and it will mark the 13th AP state title for Massillon since the poll was originated in 1947.

United Press International’s poll of Coaches has been won by Massillon five times.

The official computerized rating will be announced today, but there is no way Massillon will be anywhere but on top of this region’s “AAA” rankings.

The Tigers will play in the semifinals at Ohio State University Saturday at 11 a.m., probably against Cincinnati Princeton. The title game is Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Akron’s Rubber Bowl.
Defeats Piling Up
For the McKinley fans, the loss was another in a series – defeats which are coming with uncomfortable regularity. It marked the 13th time in the past 16 games Massillon has prevailed.

The game can be analyzed with a look at what happened on third downs.

In 11 third-down situations, McKinley got the first down only three times.

Massillon, however, converted seven times on 13 third-down plays. Two of them were game breakers.
McKinley Scores First
McKinley got on the board first, at 3:27 of the first period when Ken Bush booted a
23-yard field goal.

The kick had all the classic style of a Hoyt Wilhelm knuckleball and just got through the lower right corner of the uprights. But it was good and it marked the first time this season Massillon was behind in a football game.

McKinley had taken the opening kickoff and with fullback Chuck Gelal as the main, almost only, runner (he carried the first six plays and on eight of the first nine) moved to the Massillon 26 before the teams traded interceptions.

Pup Pass Intercepted

Massillon’s Danny Gutshall picked off Garland Burns’ first aerial, one of three Pup passes grabbed by the Tiger secondary. But two plays later, McKinley’s John Thompson returned the favor on Westover’s first throw, to set up the only McKinley score.

Led by junior tackle Lee Geiselman and guard Mike Carbone, who went after Massillon runners like hungry lions after unarmed Christians, McKinley’s defense by and large, bottled up the Tiger running game. But Westover’s arm proved too accurate.

The lighting struck five minutes into the second period.

Faced with a third-and-eight on their own 38, the Tigers went for broke…and rolled a “7”.
Bomb Is Unloaded
Westover, with two days and 20 minutes to look around behind the fantastic pass protection blocking of the offensive line, unloaded the bomb to end Greg Sullivan.

McKinley’s defensive back Jon Barnett was playing intercept and got burned as Westover’s wing was true and Sullivan didn’t even break stride as he took the ball over his shoulder at the 30 and cruised to the goal line to complete the 64-yard TD play.

Sullivan does more than catch, though. Two minutes before the half, Sullivan and guard Larry Mayles blasted the key blocks for halfback Tom Hannon, who scampered 25 yards on a sweep in a third-and-two situation to put the ball on the McKinley 31, setting up the other Tiger TD.
Hits on Two More
After Westover hit a couple of 12-yard passes, one each to Chuck Danzy and Terry Edwards and Hannon bulled seven yards to the one, the strawberry-blond quarterback with the bushy mustache to match sneaked into the end zone behind center Todd Cocklin and guard Percy Keller. It was 51 seconds before the band show.

Hannon’s attempted runs for both of the PAT’s were stopped by the Bulldogs.

The victory ran Massillon in victory streak to 12, the last loss coming 8-7 to Warren last season. Since McKinley beat them 14-7 in the last game of the 1969 season, the Tigers have won 28 of their last 30 games, the Warren loss and a 7-6 defeat at the hands of Niles the only blots.

For McKinley, it marked the first time the Bulldogs have failed to score a touchdown in 20 games, since Massillon shut out McKinley 28-0 in 1970.

There’s something
new for the Tigers
They’ll meet Princeton in playoffs
via 12-3 victory over Bulldogs

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

“There is nothing new under the sun,” according to Ecclesiastes, but there sure is for the Massillon Tigers!

They’ve never been in playoffs for the state football championship before, but they’ll be there Saturday at 11 a.m. at Ohio stadium in Columbus as the Ohio High School Athletic association (OHSAA) holds its first such affair.

Opposite the 10-0 Tigers, who will be trying for the school’s 500th win, will be 9-0-1 Cincinnati Princeton. The Vikings, who battled Upper Arlington to a scoreless tie the week after the Tigers beat the Golden Bears 14-0, seldom throw in their attack, preferring the power sweeps and off tackles because Coach Pat Mancuso is an avid disciple of Ohio State’s Woody Hayes.
* * *
THE BIG team from Cincinnati works from the power-I, led by tailback Bill Gales, one of the best 100 backs in the nation, as named in a pre-season selection by a national sports magazine.

Warren Western Reserve (10-0) and Toledo Scott (8-0-1) will vie in the second game of Saturday’s semifinal computer selected Class AAA doubleheader. Game time will be
2 p.m.
Dr. Harold A. Meyer, OHSAA commissioner, Sunday dispelled rumors that the title game, slated for Akron’s Rubber Bowl Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m., would be moved to Kent State university because of the “sea of mud” reported there.

The Tigers got into the playoffs by completing a 10-0 season last Saturday with another of their so-familiar solid team efforts which gave them a 12-3 victory over ferocious arch-rival Canton McKinley before 22,371 at Tiger stadium. It was the second largest crowd over there and third largest in the McKinley rivalry.

McKinley failed to score a TD in a game for the first time since the Tigers held them scoreless in 1970.

Their sixth All-American conference title in 10 years, sure-to-come mythical championships from both wire polls – the 13th by the Associated Press – their 25th state title in all and their 19th undefeated season is not what fans are talking about today.

It’s the playoffs.

TIGER COACH Bob Commings spent Sunday morning with his coaches reviewing the McKinley game film, went to Columbus in the afternoon for playoff instructions and returned Sunday night for another film session with his coaches – this one with Princeton films exchanged Sunday.

Princeton had scouted the Tigers in last Saturday’s game with McKinley but Commings has not scouted Princeton.

Playing on the synthetic turf at Ohio State will be “no factor whatsoever,” according to Commings. “We will not practice on Bladwin-Wallace college’s synthetic turf as some people had thought.”

Commings said the OHSAA has bought “the best shoes money can buy” for use Saturday for what Dr. Meyer has termed a “shoe bank” also for use in future games. All teams will see the shoes and the turf for the first time this weekend.

One of the key factors in the Tigers’ winning their 42nd game over the Bulldogs 30 losses and five ties, including 13 of the last 15, was the aerial show put on by quarterback Kevin Westover, split end Greg Sullivan and right halfback Terry Edwards when the Massillon ground game was put to a stop by McKinley’s great defense led by tackle Lee Geiselman and middle guard Mike Carbone.

Ironically, it was the skyways which weren’t good to the Tigers early in the season, but they began to brighten during the last three games. Last Saturday, Westover passed to Sullivan for a touchdown and hit Sullivan, fullback Charles Danzy and Edwards – again playing with a lot of pain from a leg injury – with key possession passes, helping the Tigers to convert seven of 13 third down situations while the Bulldogs could do it only three of 11 times.

THE TIGERS went into the second quarter finding themselves behind for the first time this season after a 35-yard McKinley drive off the opening kickoff and traded pass interceptions by the Tigers’ Tim Gutshall and the Bulldogs’ John Thompson which left the ball on the Massillon 13.
Three plays later Ken Bush booted one that just went over from 23 yards out with 3:27 left on the clock.

The Tigers went 78 yards in six second quarter plays following a punt, with the big play being Westover’s aerial, thrown with a couple of Bulldogs close on his heels, which soared 34 yards from third down on the Tigers’ 36. Sullivan outran a McKinley defender at the Bulldogs’ 30, grabbed the pigskin and went in for the TD with 6:51 left.

“That was the most important pass of my life,” Westover said. “I had the option of running or throwing deep. I saw Greg had him beaten and I threw it deep.”

“I just outran my guy,” Sullivan grinned. “It was a great pass and that had to be the most important catch I’ve ever made.”
* * *
THE TIGERS held for one series – even though roughing the kicked – and moved 77 yards for their second score in 12 plays with Westover throwing 11 and 12-yard passes to Edwards and combining with Danzy on a 12-yard screen before sneaking one yard for the other score with 51 seconds left in the second stanza.

A 25-yard power-pitch sweep by left half Tom Hannon and a seven-yard sweep up the center were also key yardage grabbers, with the latter putting the ball in position for Westover’s TD. Commings played it smart here by not relying on a lot of ball handling on the scoring play.

Hannon was short on both conversion plays but had another sparkling day running, picking up 97 net yards in 28 carries. He came up 30 yards short of the all-time one-season conference rushing record of 1,266 yards, but ended his regular season performance with one that won’t be forgotten.

The second half was all defense with each team getting out of its own territory only twice. Westover threw 35 yards to Sullivan who added three more to set up a first down on the Bulldogs’ 27 late in the third quarter, but missed by inches on fourth down at the 28 just after the start of the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs had missed by about the same margin at the Tigers’ 31 on the series before the Obiemen’s jaunt which had started when Westover’s sneak on fourth down on the Massillon 40 was also agonizingly short.
* * *
THE ORANGE and Black held again in the goodbye frame when Tim and Dan Gutshall and Dari Edwards smothered Will Grimsley on fourth down at the Bulldogs’ 45 in the fourth, but got nowhere offensively.

The Pups made one last try, with the help of an interference penalty and 19-yard pass from Grimsley to Tom Carver for a first down on the Massillon 38. However, free safety Hannon intercepted the next try on the 20.

McKinley Couldn’t Get the Inches
Ho-Hum, It’s the 17th
Perfect Slate Ever
for Massillon Gang
Tigers Eye Initial Shot At Real Title

By BOB STEWART
Repository Sports Editor

MASSILLON – The winning locker room is the only place to be.

You don’t have to watch what you say, everyone is happy, smiling and willing to talk.

Such as it was under the stands on the north end of the west side of Tiger Stadium here Saturday.

But he revelry was not raucous in the den of the Tigers, who had just downed archrival, Canton McKinley Bulldogs, by 12-3 to wrap up another (ho-hum) unbeaten season – the 17th in the school’s history.

The gladness was there and the super smiles.

But the air was one of the yeoman, the journeyman, the craftsman – who knows his work well, to the point of artistry – and who has just completed what he was assigned to do.

It was like – “was there every any doubt!”

Perhaps, it’s that this year is unique. It’s the first season there will be a “real” Ohio High School football champion crowned.

The first year of the playoffs set up by the OHSAA will see Massillon representing Region 3 (the northeast) in the Class AAA semifinals next week at Ohio State.

The players, coaches and fans know that this was not the climax this season as it has been 76 times in the past.

There are two more games to go before the Tigers, who claim more mythical state titles (22) than anyone else in Buckeyeland, are to be able to stand up and say, “We’re the real champs.”
– : –
For Massillon Coach Bob Commings it was euphoric enthusiasm coupled with a certain sense of relief.

The coaches who won’t say it and the fans who will say it are of the opinion that Canton McKinley is the second best team in the state and was the only real threat to the Tiger title aspirations.
– : –
“Kevin Westover was magnificent,” bubbled Commings.

“His passing was great. Greg Sullivan’s catching was great. The backs ran hard. The defense was superb. And our coach called a great game,” he quipped.

Turing to the serious side, Commings said he was hard pressed to talk about McKinley because he didn’t want to sound insincere.

“It’s really got to sound like all the clichés, but McKinley has a fine football team. I really mean it.”

“Those Bulldogs were tough and they came to play and they hit. They gave it to us for 48 minutes and they have nothing to hang their heads about and I’m as sincere as I can be,” the Bengal boss said, adding it was the toughest McKinley team he’s faced in four years in Tigertown.
– : –
“I’m really proud of our kids. It’s the first time we were ever behind and nobody was pushing any buttons.”

“Yes, we knew Westover was a fine passer and he showed it today. We knew we had him when it counted and he really came through in the clutch.”

“I can’t say who all did great jobs, but I know Westover and Sullivan and Tommy Hannon really gave it all they had.”
– : –
“And how about those Gutshall kids. They really played a game in the secondary,” Commings said.

Commings referred to Danny Gutshall, who intercepted McKinley’s first pass and Tim Gutshall, who intercepted another, almost stole two others and broke up a couple more.

Commings also went on to praise the fourth quarter punting by Westover and Todd Cocklin, the junior center.

“Man, on those punts they knew that everybody was coming and Cocklin really fired that ball back there right on the money.”

Regarding punts, of which Massillon didn’t have any until four minutes into the third period, Commings said it was the first “shaky” punt (for 17 yards) that led him to the decision to go for the first down in a crucial third period situation, which could have turned the game around.

The Tigers had it fourth-and-one on their own 40 and decided to try Westover on a sneak for the first. He missed by inches and it gave McKinley new life with great position and 4y
minutes left in the third period.

But the Bulldogs tried the same thing four plays later and Chuck Gelal missed his fourth-down plunge by inches, also, on the Massillon 31.

It was three minutes into the final canto when McKinley got the ball back on the Massillon 28.

Brideweser went the first three quarters with junior quarterback Garland Burns and at the onset of the fourth, he put in senior Will Grimsley.

The Burns-running vs. Grimsley-passing argument has split the McKinley followers all season long.
– : –
Asked if he instituted adjustments at halftime, Commings smiled and said, “We didn’t change anything, I just yelled a lot.”

Commings said McKinley made some adjustments in its defense for this game “that just shut off completely our sweeps…in fact it about ruined our running game. They did a fine job.”

“We didn’t change anything, no defensive switches, no new plays. We didn’t work on stopping any particular part of their game, we just tried to work on stopping everything,” he said.
– : –
Perhaps no one is more happy, not so much at the outcome of the game, but simply that it’s over, as Sharon Commings, Bob’s lovely and charming wife (sometimes mistaken for his daughter).

Sharon came in the coach’s office and received a well planted kiss and a long, long embrace.

“She’s the one who’s got the ulcer,” said Bob of his wife, who grinned with tears streaming down her face.

“Yes, I’m really glad it’s over, I’m the pessimist in the family, I wasn’t sure we could do it.”

“Yes, the pressure is unbelievable, it’s just tremendous. I’m, glad it’s over,” Sharon said.

Bob must’ve neglected to mention four years ago that coaching at Massillon just isn’t quite like coaching at Struthers…or anywhere else on earth, either!

Hannon, Westover
key Tiger Attack

By ART SCHROCK
Repository Sportswriter

MASSILLON – The Massillon Tigers’ defense was terrific as usual, but the 12-3 winners also attained their edge on the scoreboard with offensive performances from Kevin Westover and Tom Hannon, the All-American Conference leaders in passing and ground gaining.

Westover, the individual singled out for a job well done by McKinley Bulldog Coach John Brideweser, was sharp, completing six of nine passes for 153 big yards.

The rangy Tiger quarterback picked up 102 yards on two passes to end Greg Sullivan. The first, a 64-yard play, put Massillon head to stay and Kevin was 4-for-5 in the deciding second quarter.

Hannon, although scoreless for the second time in three games, was the cog in Massillon’s ball-control game with his hip-shaking runs.
– : –
HE TOTED the ball 28 times for a net 97 yards, pushing his season total to 1,236 yards in 231 carries for an average of 5.3 yards per attempt.

The All-American Conference record in rushing is 1,266 by Rick Gales of Niles McKinley in 1969. Willie Spencer of the Tigers totaled 1,251 yards last year.

Westover overshadowed Garland Burns and Willard Grimsley of McKinley, who combined for 6 of 16 passes for 53 yards.

Grimsley, the Bulldogs’ senior signal caller, entered the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter and took to the air. He was 4-for-11, but his final heave was intercepted by Hannon.
– : –
THE BULLDOGS had three passes intercepted to Massillon’s one.

Massillon led in net yards rushing 140-50. Thirty-seven of McKinley’s ground yards came in the first quarter when fullback Chuck Gelal notched 36 in 11 tries.

Gelal led the Bulldogs’ rushers with a net 50 yards in 17 rushes. Among the other top McKinley runners, Dan Contrucci had only five yards in four carries, Eric Escola was a minus-six yards in two tries and John Barnett failed to gain in his lone tote.

Massillon commanded first downs 12-7. The Tigers were ahead in first downs rushing 7-3 and first downs through the air, McKinley notched a first down on a penalty.
– : –
THE WINNERS were ahead in total yardage 293-103 and offensive plays 62-50. They led with three penalties for 35 yards to McKinley’s one infraction for five yards.

Neither team lost possession of the ball on a fumble although the Bulldogs fumbled twice and the Tigers once.

McKinley’s John Barnett was superior in the punting department, averaging 37 yards for four boots to an average of 26 yards for three Westover kicks. The Bulldogs averaged 57 yards for their two kickoffs and Massillon averaged 43.3 yards for three kickoffs.

Massillon’s tough defense allowed only one touchdown in the final five games of the regular season and that was a third-quarter score in 34-8 conquest of Alliance. The Tigers have given up only 29 points all year.

Statistics
Mass. McK.
First downs-rushing 7 3
First downs-passing 5 3
First downs-penalties 0 1
Total first downs 12 7
Yards gained rushing 157 68
Yards lost rushing 17 18
Net yards gained rushing 140 50
Net yards gained passing 153 53
Total yards gained 293 103
Passes attempted 9 16
Passes completed 6 6
Passes intercepted by 3 1
Yardage on passes intercepted 27 2
Times kicked off 3 2
Kickoff average (yards) 43.3 57.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 17 52
Times punted 3 4
Punt average (yards) 26.0 37.0
Punt returns (yards) 2 14
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 1 2
Lost fumbled ball 0 0
Penalties 3 1
Yards penalized 35 5
Total number of plays 62 50

AAC Standings
FINAL
League All-Games
Team W L Pts. Op. W L Pts. Op.
x-Massillon 5 0 81 17 10 0 180 29
McKinley 4 1 104 51 8 2 238 74
Niles 3 2 91 75 8 2 255 106
Steubenville 2 3 51 75 7 3 193 120
Warren Harding 1 4 50 59 5 5 239 98
Alliance 0 5 57 157 2 8 119 234

x-Champion

History

1972: Massillon 34, Alliance 8

November 3, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers top Alliance to set up ‘big one’

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

If there’s a run on Tigertown doctors’ offices starting today for tranquilizers, it won’t be surprising.

The stage Friday night was set for what was to be the biggest regular season tilt in Washington high football history. With the Tigers running over Alliance 34-8 at Mount Union stadium in Alliance and the Canton McKinley Bulldogs edging the Warren Harding Black Panthers 14-12 at Fawcett stadium in Canton, the traditional season-ender between those two teams at Tiger stadium next Saturday afternoon will open the gate for the winner to the first Class AAA playoff for a state title.
* * *
THE VICTORY will also give the winner the All-American conference championship, with the Tigers and Bulldogs presently having 4-0 records. The former stands 9-0 overall and the latter, 8-1.

The Tigers used a pulverizing ground game with their patented, time-consuming long drives to beat the Aviators who stayed in there gamely and continued Coach Gene Nara’s record of having scored against the team he formerly served as an assistant each year since Nara came to Alliance in 1970. But the Aviators’ youth and inexperience hurt in all respects but their passing game which got them their one tally.

Nara also broke a string of three consecutive Tiger shutouts this season.

Tiger fans got a scare when the AAC’s leading scorer and ground gainer, left half Tom Hannon, suffered a bruise of the right thigh. Hannon was held out of second half play, but trainer Bill Meier said the groovy-hipped senior should be ready for the Bulldogs.

He gained 114 yards in 15 attempts in the first half.

With both Hannon and previously injured right half Terry Edwards sidelined, Coach Bob Commings got some good backup work from senior Columbus Danzy and junior Johnny Mayor at right half and junior Terry Henderson at left half. Junior Charles Danzy filled in again well for injured senior Alex Wood at fullback.
* * *
THE TIGERS, with excellent blocking, put together a combination of power pitch and regular sweeps, off tackleS and inside reverses and spurt up the center which the Aviators just couldn’t handle as the Obiemen got 288 of their net 294 yards rushing. The Obiemen allowed Alliance just 12 plays in the first half, but it was the second half passing attack which caused the Tigers some problems.
Junior quarterback Arnold Watson, whom Nara thinks will be the best in the AAC in 1973, was toughest this season for the defense spearheaded by Charles Danzy to bring down. Time and again he eluded Tiger players’ grasps just when it appeared he was to be thrown for big losses.

He was, thereafter, able to complete nine of 16 passes to add 86 yards and a touchdown to the Aviators’ 39 net rushing yards for a 125 total.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff an d moved 70 yards in 11 plays with Chuck Danzy scoring from about one-yard out over left guard with 8:02 left in the first quarter.

Hannon crashed through right tackle for the conversion.

His 33-yard run off left tackle, setting up a first down on the Alliance 35, was the big play.

Another welcome canto effort was aborted when Alliance linebacker Dave Fraser picked up Chuck Danzy’s fumble at the Aviators’ 31.
* * *
A 59-YARD, 11-play drive following a first quarter punt took the Tigers to pay dirt a second time with quarterback Kevin Westover boot-legging around right end for the final 10 with 9:33 left in the second quarter. A pass failed for the conversion.

The Tigers ground out 70 yards in 15 plays following another second quarter punt. Hannon took a pitch from Westover and went around right end from three yards out with 1:03 left. Westover’s run was short of the conversion.

Chuck Danzy stepped in front of a Watson screen at the Alliance 35 and raced in for the score with 9:18 left in the third quarter. Don Muhlbach’s attempted kick was wide left.

Erlo Lee’s kickoff traveled only 15 yards and Alliance had a touchdown in 11 plays off a 55-yard drive as Watson hit on four passes including a conversion aerial to left end Gene Paina, the AAC’s leading receiver. The touchdown run, with 3:26 left, was by tailback Mark Hewitt through the center from thee yards away.

A 15-yard interference penalty aided the drive.

Aviator end Ford Hoffman picked up Henderson’s fumble on the Massillon 40 three plays after the kickoff, but four plays later Chuck Danzy tossed Watson to the 43 from where the Tigers started a 12-play, 56-yard drive, aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty, but the effort ended on the one when Henderson was halted because Tiger blockers failed to pick up a safety blitz.
* * *
THE TIGERS forced a punt, took over on the Aviator 35 and scored their final TD in eight plays. Westover hit split end Greg Sullivan, who later possibly broke a hand, from the seven in the left corner of the end zone with 3:37 left in the game.

Muhlbach ran the conversion on what appeared to be a trick play after a bad snap for the first conversion try – a kick.

Alliance took to the airwaves again after the kickoff with Watson hitting Paina and split ends Lennie Jones and Aaron Bivens, the Tigers adding an interference penalty and the ball ended on the Massillon nine as the game ended.

“We thought we could move the ball on the ground,” Nara said when asked why he hadn’t resorted to passing in the first half, “but we couldn’t.”

The Aviators did move the ball from their 34 to the Massillon 35 in the five plays – only one of which was via the air route – just before the first half ended.

“Getting three TDs in the first half helped,” Tiger Coach Bob Commings said. “I didn’t think we tackled as well as in the past.”

MASSILLON – 34
Ends – Sullivan, Bodiford, D. Edwards, McCauley, Huffman, Bash.
Tackles – Geiser, Green, Csonka, Perry.
Guards – Guiffre, Mayles, Keller, Schumacher, Graber.
Centers – Cocklin, Studer.
Quarterbacks – Westover, Bickford.
Halfbacks – Hannon, Henderson, Columbus Danzy, Mayor.
Fullbacks – Charles Danzy, Alex Wood.
Middle Guards – Balizet, Lee, Greg Wood.
Linebackers – Swann, T. Gutshall, Ahlstrom.
Defensive Halfbacks – Jackson, Dan and Dennis Gutshall, Muhlbach, DiLoreto, Christie.

ALLIANCE – 8
Ends – Paina, Givens, Jones, Harper.
Tackles – Sacco, Ganni, King, Graf, Fisher.
Guards – Fraser, Huff, Royster, Alexander.
Center – Swanson.
Quarterback – Watson.
Halfbacks – Miller, Haidet, Evans, Hamrick, Hewitt, Biery, Martin.
Fullback – Deack.

MASSILLON 8 12 6 8 34
ALLIANCE 0 0 8 0 8

THE GRIDSTICK
M A
First downs, rushing 20 2
First downs, passing 0 7
First downs, penalties 1 2
Total first downs 21 11
Yards gained rushing 303 96
Yards lost rushing 15 57
Net yards gained rushing 288 39
Net yards gained passing 6 86
Total yards gained 294 125
Passes, completed 1-3 9-16
Passes intercepted 1 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 42 0
Kickoff average (yards) 6-36.5 2-45.5
Kickoff returns (yards) 41 68
Punt average (yds.) 0 4-28.8
Fumbles (lost) 2(2) 0(0)
Yards penalized 5-45 3-32
Touchdowns rushing 2 1
Touchdowns passing 1 0
Touchdowns by interception 1 0
Total no. of plays 61 51

History

1972: Massillon 7, Warren Harding 0

October 27, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers defeat defending champs 7-0

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sport Editor

Tom Persell, Tiger statistician, calls them “miscellaneous touchdowns,” but we’ll take them any way they come.

The only TD the Massillon Tigers scored in beating defending class AAA state champion Warren Harding before a capacity house of 15,500 Friday night at Mollenkopf stadium in Warren could be the most important of the 1972 season and certainly is the most important in the career of senior center Todd Cocklin.
* * *
WITH THE Orange and Black just about to cap a 15-play, 77-yard drive after the second kickoff and left half Tom Hannon running through the center from the four on second down, disaster struck. Hannon, who had almost lost the kickoff on a fumble, was hit hard by two tacklers and the ball danced into the end zone where Cocklin fell on it with the clock showing 5:04.

“I saw the ball bobbling around and knew I had to get it,” the 6-1, 195-pound blond said.

He also scored the only TD against Warren here last year when he pounced on a Black Panther fumble which rolled into the end zone from the six.

Cocklin also did his bit Friday night by helping to open up some big holes in the middle for fullback Charles Danzy. And he did it while playing opposite a tough “nose” man, senior Chuck Cullins (5-11, 185).

Add the names Don Muhlback, Tim Gutshall, Charles Swann, Terry Edwards and Kevin Westover to the list who had one of the key nights in their careers.

It was Muhlback who kicked the only conversion after being sick most of the week and not practicing until Thursday.
* * *
“IT WAS THE most important point I’ve scored in my life,” the bespectacled senior said. “It felt good because I was kicking poorly in practice Thursday. We can almost touchdown it (a state championship).

On the TD drive the Tigers had a first and 15 on the Warren 46 when Westover
boot-legged to the right as everybody else went left and carried 17 for a first down on the Panther 39 to keep the drive alive.

“That opened up so pretty,” Westover said. A guard (Tri-Captain Larry Mayles) through a great block. It was just a great team effort all the way. And don’t forget to give Tom (Hannon) credit for another great job.”

He was held to 80 net yards in 23 carries, his lowest mark of the season, but had some key ones like the six for 18 yards on the TD jaunt.

Edwards carried the ball five times for 33 yards while under the duress of an injured leg which he sustained last week.

“It hurt alright but I had to play and just gutted it out,” the tall senior said.
* * *
TO WHICH HIS Coach Bob Commings added, “He was the epitome of courage. We debated using him in the second half, but he went in and ran like a Tiger!”

Gutshall, a sophomore, and Swann, a junior, teamed to stop a 40-yard combined first and second period Warren drive after a punt, on the Massillon five. Warren sophomore quarterback Jim Richburg passed to split end Ron Cullins, a junior, but Swann cracked Cullins who lost the ball and Gutshall claimed it.

“They (Warren) knocked it loose again, but the referee had called it dead,” Gutshall beamed. “I was sure happy!”

“And so was I!” Swann chimed in.

Gutshall also recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass in the second half, but the fumble recovery came after the ball had been ruled dead. Hannon also pilfered a pass near the end of the fourth quarter to kill any further Warren chances.

The offense displayed good ball control, running 62 plays to Warren’s 43 to combine with another sterling defensive job. Outside of Cullins’ opening-kickoff runback to his 43 where he stumbled to the turf while apparently in the clear, Warren got out of its end of the field only once during each half.
* * *
BESIDES THE second quarter jaunt, the Panther’s went on one near the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth which carried 62 yards to the Tigers’ one. Richburg was thrown on the four on third down and on fourth down senior middle guard Tom Balizet and senior tackle Mike Green threw a crunching detour on left half Wilbur Boggs who had carried nine times in the two drives for 34 yards, showing why he is the number two ground gainer to Hannon in the All-American conference.

The Tigers were stopped at the Warren 28 and 35 in the second quarter – the latter time on senior linebacker Mike Blazek’s interception – and at the Panther 25 in the fourth period.

“That goal line stand was terrific,” Commings said. “We were a little tight in the first half – maybe a little too high, but we were loose in the second half. If there are five outstanding teams in Ohio, Warren has to be one of them. They prepared for us beautifully. They’re a great team.”

The win made it 8-0 for the No. 1 ranked Tigers , 5-3 for Warren and allowed the Tigers to hold onto a tie for first place in the AAC with Canton McKinley whose season-ending date here Saturday, Nov. 11 is looming bigger and bigger.

WARREN – 0
Ends – Pytlik, R. Cullins, McCleary, Brown, Hudson.
Tackles – Roberts, Amos, Williams, Santell, Daugherty, Billock.
Guards – Pegg, Varley, Vishos.
Center – Hall.
Quarterback – Richburg.
Halfbacks – W. Boggs, Dixon.
Fullbacks – Elzy, Honeywood, Dansler.
Middle Guard – C. Cullins.
Linebacker – Blazek.
Defensive Halfbacks – Ice, Shannon, Kokrak, C. Boggs.

MASSILLON – 7
Ends – D. Edwards, Sullivan, Bodiford, Bash, McCauley.
Tackles – Green, Geiser, Csonka, Lee.
Guards – Mayles, Guiffre, Keller.
Center – Cocklin.
Quarterbacks – Westover, Bickford.
Halfbacks – Hannon, T. Edwards, Columbus Danzy.
Fullbacks – Charles Danzy, A .Wood.
Middle Guard – Balizet.
Linebackers – T. Gutshall, Ahlstrom.
Defensive Halfbacks – Jackson, Dan Gutshall, Dennis Gutshall, Swann, Muhlbach, G. Wood, Christie, DiLoreto, Mayor.

MASSILLON 0 0 7 0 7
WARREN 0 0 0 0 0

SCORING SUMMARY
M – Cocklin, fumble recovery in end zone (Muhlbach kick).

OFFICIALS
Referee – James Keefer.
Umpire – Billy Jedel.
Head Linesman – Tom Ascani.
Field Judge – Charles Hinkle.
THE GRIDSTICK
M W
First downs, rushing 11 5
First downs, passing 1 0
First downs, penalties 1 1
Total first downs 13 6
Yards gained rushing 188 121
Yards lost rushing 16 4
Net yards gained rushing 172 117
Net yards gained passing 29 8
Total yards gained 201 125
Passes completed 2-7 1-5
Passes intercepted by 2 1
Yardage on passes intercepted 7 0
Kickoff average (yards) 2-46.0 1-48.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 11 59
Punt average (yds.) 4-34.0 4-31.5
Punt returns (yds.) 10 2
Fumbles (lost) 3(0) 2(1)
Yards penalized 4-20 5-35
Total number of plays 62 43

History

1972: Massillon 34, Cleveland Glenville 8

October 20, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Hannon scores five touchdowns in rout

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

All week long Washington High Football Coach Bob Commings had said two things must be done to beat a surprising Cleveland Glenville football team – maintain a tight over all pass defense and possession of the ball in order not to give Glenville passer Terry Jones too much chance to show his wares.

The Tigers did both Friday night – with the possession game especially shining in the first half – before the season’s smallest crowd of 10,241 “Dad’s Night” fans – and came up with their seventh straight victory. The 34-0 romp was their biggest margin of the season and sent Glenville down to its third defeat in seven outings.
* * *
WITH TOM HANNON scoring five touchdowns and picking up 130 net yards in 21 carries to lead 364 rushing yards – top total for the season – and the Tigers’ pass rush holding Jones to mostly short tosses while the Tarblooders’ ground game was held to minus seven, it was no contest from the opening whistle.

Hannon’s five touchdowns were three less than the record by the late Edwin (Dutch) Hill in a 94-0 victory against Akron North in 1922 – the highest scoring Tiger effort ever.

Hannon, ‘the Man in the Flying White Shoes”, scored over left tackle – with a good
cutback – from 31 yards out with 7:59 left in the first quarter, continued to show good second and third efforts running and got superb blocking from his teammates. Don Muhlback kicked the first of four conversions in five tries.

End Dari Edwards had recovered a fumble on the first play after an 18-yard left-end skirt which had surprised the Tiger defense on the first play of the game. The drive covered seven plays from the Glenville 44.

Hannon capped an 85-yard drive with a 17-yard romp through the center with 3:15 left in the welcome canto. A clip had nullified his 35-yard punt runback to the Glenville 35 and a holding penalty had set the Tigers back to their eight.
* * *
FULLBACK CHARLES DANZY then went around right end for 16 yards to the 24 and right half Terry Edwards raced off left tackle on a reverse for 39 yards to the Glenville 33. It was a play the Tigers hadn’t used before but found the Tarblooder linebackers most obligating when they keyed on Hannon who scored three plays later.

Right corner Dan Gutshall put the Tigers in business again – this time with a second period interception on his 42. Westover and Terry Edwards combined for a 30-yard pass-run to the Glenville 28, but the Tigers clipped Edwards suffered a contusion of the left calf and saw no more action.

The drive took 10 plays with Hannon going over right tackle from the two with 3:18 left.

Hannon shook up Glenville with an 87-yard second half kickoff runback for his fourth TD, coming down the left side behind a good wall of blocking. The clock showed 12 seconds had ticked off the clock.
* * *
HANNON’S FINAL effort came with 29 seconds left in the third period from 10 yards out off right tackle after a nifty 21-yard run around right end by right half Columbus Danzy. And an 18-yard rush through center by Charles Danzy. The drive had taken seven plays.

There was one other tiger drive – a 66-yarder started by Hannon’s 13-yard punt runback at the end of the first quarter and highlighted by a 47-yard pass-run from Westover to tight end Greg Sullivan and a good block by Dari Edwards.

The Tigers ran out of gas and Muhlbach’s 25-yard field goal attempt was wide.

Jones’ passing effort for the Tarblooders Friday night got him 13 completions in 26
tries – including 10 of 19 in the second half. He had two touchdown attempts on one drive called back in the second quarter. Fancy-running receivers ate up a lot of yardage.

Jones and tailback Henry Moore combined on a 62-yard screen pass play on which Moore ran all over the field – starting down the left sideline and ending in the right corner of the end zone. Glenville, however, was detected holding.

The possession saw the Tarblooders travel to the Massillon 37 from where Jones connected with end Greg Lee in the right corner of the end zone. But Glenville was offside and the Tigers had too many men on the field, resulting in an offset.
* * *
“WE DIDN’T QUIT,” Glenville Coach Bob Hogue said. “We had a number of players hurt going into this one. John Rosebud, our running back, hurt an ankle last week and we didn’t use him at all tonight. The Tigers are the best team we’ve played. They deserve their No. 1 rating.”

Hogue thought the Tigers put more pressure on than any other opponent had this year.

“The best pass defense is the rush and they proved it,” he said. ‘Their coverage was also good.”

THE GRIDSTICK
M G
First downs, rushing 20 2
First downs, passing 2 7
First downs, penalties 0 1
Total first downs 22 10
Yards gained rushing 371 56
Yards lost rushing 7 63
Net yards gained rushing 364 -7
Net yards gained passing 73 143
Total yards gained 437 136
Passes completed 4-12 13-26
Passes intercepted by 3 0
Kickoff average (yards) 6-43.7 1-43.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 87 101
Punt average (yds.) 2-30.0 5-35.8
Punt returns (yds.) 28 0
Fumbles (lost) 3(2) 4(3)
Yards penalized 10-82 2-20
Touchdowns rushing 4 0
Miscellaneous 1 0
Total number of plays 71 54

History

1972: Massillon 12, Steubenville 0

October 13, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tiger defense halts Steubenville 12-0

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

Call it “Tiger Pride,” “Obie Spirit” or whatever you want to call it, but the season’s largest crowd of 18,848 fans Friday night at Tiger stadium saw in the fourth quarter why the Washington high football team is No.1 in three Class AAA state polls.

At that point hanging up a sixth consecutive victory against no defeats against a Steubenville team also hitherto unbeaten in five games, became incidental to the Tiger faithful. The 12-0 final score meant nothing. It was a goal line stand like hasn’t been seen in a long time here that made the fans of both sides stand up and take notice.
* * *
UNDER COACH Bob Commings the Orange and Black has become noted for its defense and they wanted to make sure that shutout No. 17 was theirs. Center Todd Cocklin, who has been doing a fine job of snapping the ball to Kevin Westover for punts, had one get away from him. It sprouted wings from the Steubenville 40 and ended up on the Massillon 24 with 3:16 left.

Strong safety Don Muhlback and ends Dari Edwards and Brian Bash tossed quarterback Ira Jarvis back to the 32. On the next play he tossed a safety valve aerial to halfback Joe Davis who ran from the 35 to the nine.

Four plays later on fourth down on the one, Davis tried to go through the center but the Tigers rose up like one of those giant waves at Waikiki and completely engulfed the Big Red Senior, halting him on the one-inch line shortly before the game ended.

“That was a great effort – no doubt about it,” said Coach Bob Commings. “The defensive effort the whole game was just fabulous.”

Spearheading the stinginess were Bash and middle guard Tom Balizet in what could be called a “Double-B Blitzkreig.” Those two were as pesky as mosquitoes, but so was the entire defense with crunching tackles and lightning like secondary moves.

The Big Red completed only two of 14 skyway attempts and got only 60 net yards on the ground, losing 44. Tailback Courtney Snyder, second leading All-American conference ground gainer, was held to 32 yards in 11 attempts.
* * *
STEUBENVILLE GOT out of its own territory only once in each half. The other time came in the second quarter after the Tigers had been backed up on their eight on fourth down and Westover, punting from the end zone, reached the Tigers’ 41. Jarvis found Snyder on the 21 on the next play but four plays later free safety Tom Hannon threw Snyder for a fourth down two-yard loss to the 15.

The Steubers threw in some good defense too, holding the Tigers to their lowest total yardage this year – 191 – including 58 lost rushing for a net 139 and covered pass receivers well enough that only three of eight were successful. End Bruce Fletcher was a particularly thorny one as was linebacker Bob Snyder.

Hannon as his usual self. “Tomboy” amassed 138 net yards in 27 carries, making the fifth game in six that he has gone over the century mark, attesting to why he is the AAC’s leading ground gainer.

He scored both of the Tigers’ touchdowns, which came in the first quarter – a period in which the Obiemen have scored only twice before this year – and it appeared the jinx had been broken. But once again that invisible curtain was dropped and the Tigers failed to score that hard-to-find third touchdown for the fifth time.

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 65 yards in seven plays with Hannon providing a 12-yard runback and five other carries including runs of 18, 13, 10 and 15 yards – the last for the score with 9:10 left – on his favorite power pitch scamper around right end. Westover barely missed running the conversion over.

The Tigers moved 55 yards after a punt in 13 plays – with Hannon scoring on fourth down from the three on the right end power pitch with 53 seconds left. Westover tried to hit Terry Edwards for the two extra points but Davis batted the ball away.

A 29-yard pass-run from Westover to Terry Edwards was the drive highlight.

The Orange and Black went on the prowl again after a punt from the Steubenville 44 after a second quarter punt with the help of a 19-yard Westover to Dari Edwards pass-run and a 15-yard run by Hannon after a 32-yard run up the middle by fullback Alex Wood had been nullified by a holding penalty. But two broken plays cropped up at the 19, killing the effort.

The Big Red allowed the Tigers no more than their 25 in the remainder of the second quarter.

The WHSers took over at their 49 following a third quarter punt and face mask penalty and moved to the Steubenville three in 14 plays with Hannon carrying seven times, again making the power pitch count.
* * *
WITH FOURTH and two on the three, the pitch went to Hannon again. This time he tried to hit Terry Edwards in the end zone but found him well covered and was not able to get the ball to him.

“We beat an undefeated team and beat them good,” Commings said, “We said Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, that it was going to be a barn burner and it was.”

A very dejected Abe Bryan, Steubenville head coach, who has failed to beat Massillon in nine tries and who has been shut out by them four consecutive years, handed the Tiger defense its just applause.

“They have an excellent on,” he said. ‘They rose to the occasion. We had no consistency on the big downs. We started behind again as we have in four of our first five games. We were not able to overcome this. We were out hit and out coached. Our kids didn’t quit. They haven’t quit all year.”

STEUBENVILLE – 0
Ends – Fletcher, Hill, Mavromatics, Price.
Tackles – Kalifut, B. Jarvis, Strake, Sandonas.
Guards – Dorsey, Fahey, Quattrone.
Centers – Long, Sarap.
Quarterbacks – I. Jarvis, Nicholson.
Halfbacks – C. Snyder, Spencer, Davis, Medley.
Fullbacks – B. Snyder, Alfred.

MASSILLON – 13
Ends – Bash, D. Edwards, McCauley, Sullivan, Bodiford.
Tackles – Geiser, Green, Csonka.
Guards – Mayles, Guiffre, Keller, Graber.
Center – Cocklin.
Quarterback – Westover.
Halfbacks – Hannon, T. Edwards, Dennis Gutshall.
Fullback – A. Wood.
Middle Guards – Balizet, G. Wood.
Linebackers – Charles Danzy, T. Gutshall.
Defensive Backs – Jackson, Swann, Dan Gutshall, Muhlbach, Mayor.

MASSILLON 12 0 0 0 12
STUEBENVILLE 0 0 0 0 0

SCORING SUMMARY
M – Hannon, 15 run (run failed);
M – Hannon, 3 run (run failed).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Milo Lukity.
Umpire – Dr. Henley Freeman.
Head Linesman – Charles Hinkle.
Field Judge – Hugh Davis.
Back Judge – Tim Murray.

THE GRIDSTICK
M S
First downs, rushing 9 5
First downs, passing 2 1
First downs, penalties 1 0
Total first downs 12 6
Yards gained rushing 197 104
Yards lost rushing 58 44
Net yards gained rushing 139 60
Net yards gained passing 52 43
Total yards gained 191 103
Passes completed 3-8 2-14
Kickoff average (yards) 3-40.3 1-47.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 22 28
Punt average (yds.) 3-38.0 6-35.8
Punt returns (yds.) 23 13
Fumbles (lost) 1(0) 0
Yards penalized 2-22 2-30
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Total number of plays 61 52

History

1972: Massillon 14, Cincinnati LaSalle 6

October 6, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers beat stubborn LaSalle 14-6

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

Our Tigers would prefer it like zipping along in a schooner in front of a brisk breeze instead of like walking through a freshly plowed field in gum boots, but it seems like the Washington high team’s victories are meant to come the hard way.

THE OBIEMEN battled a very hard-hitting Cincinnati LaSalle team before a Homecoming crowd of 10,675 Friday night at rainy Tiger stadium for a 14-6 Homecoming victory. It was their fifth win of the season without defeat while Cincinnati LaSalle lost its first in five outings.

The problem is that the Tigers can’t get their passing attack going to give the ground game some relief. Senior halfback Tom Hannon missed 100 yards for the first time this season but netted 98 in 17 carries.

The offense netted 211 yards with fine backup support from senior fullback Alex Wood and senior right half Terry Edwards. The defense held LaSalle to minus two yards on the ground to continue its sensational pace, but Tiger receivers just couldn’t hang onto the ball.

Senior Quarterback Kevin Westover completed six of 13, but several more should have been held onto.

“We threw on first down, second down and third down,” said a dejected Coach Bob Commings, “but we just aren’t catching the ball. We’ll just go back to work Monday and try to put it all together.”

Westover was given the chance to end with a good night.

“When we thought we had the game iced in the fourth quarter, we threw because we thought Kevin deserved this,” Commings said. “I thought he was sensational.”
* * *
JUNIOR split end Larry McCauley, senior tight end Dari Edwards, twin brother Terry and Wood caught tosses which took the Tigers to the LaSalle 15 but four yards short on fourth down.

It was then that passes of another nature got the Orange and Black into trouble as LaSalle senior quarterback Tim Rueve, senior end Don Hasselbeck (6-8, 220) and junior end Bob Jennings (6-3,188) combined their talents to help the Lancers score their only TD.

Five consecutive passes, including a 38-yard pass-run to Jennings, put the ball on the 15. Rueve hit Hasselback on a flag cut on the one on the next play for the TD with 1:06 left. But sophomore middle guard Greg Wood and junior tackle Erlo Lee hauled down Rueve to prevent a conversion.

LaSalle coach Steve Rasso had wanted to pass earlier in the game but could not because of being deep in his own territory throughout the first half.

“I didn’t want to open up too soon and get a bad pass,” he said. “We got confidence as we went along. We seemed a little shaky coming up on the flight and it was our first time up here. The Tigers stopped our running game. They were too quick.”

HANNON SCORED both touchdowns for the Tigers, almost had two more and his second TD jaunt was as fine a second effort has been seen in the “House of Champions” in a long time.

“Tombo’s” first TD came with 1:36 left in the second quarter – the Tiger have scored in the first only once this season. Hannon took off around right end from the eight with a pitch and then took one the other way – after a good cutback – to tally two more points.

The Orange and Black had taken over after a punt to the LaSalle 36 and Hannon’s 12-yard return and scored in three plays with the help of an 18-yard pass down the center to Wood.

The Tigers’ Dari Edwards had picked up a LaSalle fumble on the Lancer’s 47 in the first quarter, but the Obiemen were stopped at the 14 when Terry Edwards dropped a pass on the five.

The WHSers had driven up field from their 25 in the second quarter only to have Hannon fumble and Tom Scheid recover at the LaSalle 16. Hannon had run the punt back 37 yards to the Lancers’ 39 only to slip on the wet turf while apparently heading for a TD. A clipping penalty nullified his great effort.

Hannon’s second joyous journey came with 15 seconds gone in the fourth quarter.

“Tombo” started around the left end with a pitchout, got hemmed in, reversed his field and came back to the near side of the field and outraced the out-of position defenders for a 33 yarder. He fumbled the ball on the conversion try.

It was on this drive that Hannon had a third quarter 36-yarder off right tackle called back on a holding penalty after Wood had decoyed through the middle on several plays.

The Tigers got into scoring position one more time after junior safety Charlie Swann intercepted on the LaSalle 42 and ran back to the 33, but J.J. McGuire fumbled and Scheid recovered on the 21 to start the Lancers’ only TD drive.

“Massillon is the first team to really run on us from the 30 to the 30,” Rasso said. “We knew we had to stop Hannon. On his second touchdown run our trailman wasn’t on him.”

Commings felt, “the only thing which disappointed me was the touchdown they scored. Other than that I thought we played a good game. That end (Hasselbeck) of theirs is an outstanding player.

LaSALLE – 6
Ends – Hasselbeck, Jennings, T. Scheid, Hemberger, O’Connell.
Tackles – LaFary, Schirmann, Flowers.
Guards – Albrink, S. Scheid, Poettker.
Center – Sander.
Quarterbacs – Rueve, McCarthy.
Halfbacks – J. Hess, Massa, Ware, Schroeck.
Fullback – Talkers.
Middle guards – Donohue.
Linebackers – Hock, Kern.
Defensive backs – Hamad, Arand, B. Hess, Baker, Grove.

MASSILLON – 14
Ends – McCauley, Bodiford, Sullivan, Rolland, D. Edwards, Bash.
Tackles – Geiser, Green, Csonka, Lee, Hauschulz.
Guards – Mayles, Guiffre, Keller, Graber.
Centers – Cocklin, Studer.
Quarterbacks – Westover, Muhlbach.
Halfbacks – Hannon, T. Edwards, Columbus Danzy, Dennis Gutshall, Jackson, Henderson.
Fullbacks – A. Wood, McGuire.
Middle guards – Balizet, G. Wood.
Linebackers — Ahlstrom, Bozzacco, T. Gutshall.
Defensive backs – Jackson, Muhlbach, Dan Gutshall, DiLoreto, Mayor, Christie, Swann, Charles Danzy.

LaSALLE 0 0 0 6 6
MASSILLON 0 8 0 6 14

SCORING SUMMARY
M – Hannon, 8 run (Hannon run);
M – Hannon, 33 run (run failed).
L – Hasselbeck, 15 pass-run from Rueve (run failed).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Fred Vicarel.
Umpire – Mario D’Alessandro.
Head Linesman – Henry Mastriann.
Field Judge – Art Cirelli.
Back Judge – Jack Werkowitz.

THE GRIDSTICK
M L
First downs, rushing 13 0
First downs, passing 4 6
Total first downs 17 6
Yards gained rushing 230 21
Yards lost rushing 19 23
Net yards gained, rushing 211 -2
Net yards gained, passing 82 131
Total yards gained 293 129
Passes completed 6-13 7-14
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Kickoff average (yards) 3-45.0 2-30.5
Kickoff returns (yards) 19 30
Punt average (yds.) 5-28.7 4-38.0
Punt returns (yuds.) 32 4
Fumbles (lost) 3(2) 2(1)
Yards penalized 5-60 4-22
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 0 1
Total number of plays 65 42

History

1972: Massillon 16, Niles McKinley 6

September 30, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

LaSalle to try where Niles failed

By CHUCK HESS, JR
Independent Sport Editor

A group of footballers will be coming out of the Buckeye state’s southland Friday night bent on becoming “Bengal Lancers” – not the fabled type from India – at Tiger stadium.

They’ll be after the hides of the Massillon Tigers – seeking to do what the home standing Niles McKinley’s Red Dragons couldn’t do before 14,311 at Riverside stadium last Saturday night. Cincinnati LaSalle high’s brand of Lancers has one thought in
mind – knock the Tigers off of “Playoff Coulevard.”
* * *
LIKE THE Tigers, undefeated in four games, the Lancers have some impressive credentials – such as a victory over Cincinnati St. Xavier which held Massillon’s recent foe, Upper Arlington, to a scoreless deadlock.

“I’ve been saying right along LaSalle’s tough,” Tiger Coach Bob Commings said, “but people won’t believe it. They’re huge! We’re going to run right into a hornets’ nest!”

As if this isn’t enough pressure looking the Tigers in their collective faces, Steubenville’s Big Red – tied with Massillon and Canton McKinley for the lead in the All-American conference which opened play last weekend – are slated to arrive Friday, Oct. 13.

Right now Commings wants that “Obie Spirit,” as it’s known in 1972 and which brought the Orange and Black a hard-fought victory last Saturday – this time 16-6 – to continue. By handing Niles its first defeat in four games and putting a fourth straight win in the Massillon column, the Tigers gave themselves a giant push ahead in the race for the four Class AAA playoff spots in the state’s first ever post season presentation.

“I’m proud of our kids,” Commings said. “They beat a good team for the second straight week. We came out in the second half and did what we were supposed to do. We didn’t lose our cool in the face of a team which had a great running attack in Lou and Clark West.”

The only thing which irked the Tiger skipper was that his charges failed to take advantage of two scoring opportunities.
* * *
“OUR BEST football is in front of us,” he said. “One of these days we’re going to get out there and do it right.”

What the Tigers continued to do right was kill the enemy with its mistakes – a Tiger trademark – picking off three of four Niles fumbles and intercepting two passes. One of the fumble recoveries led to the Orange and Black’s winning touchdown.

“Our kids did a good job until that last fumble,” Niles Coach Bob Shaw said. “We felt we had a good running team and if we could keep the ball and keep Massillon from scoring we’d be all right. If you don’t turn the ball over in your own territory, you’re okay. I really didn’t think Massillon could come back and do it again.”

Shaw said the Tigers have good size and speed and a runner with loads of ability in left half Tom Hannon who got a lot of blocking help and running relief from fullback Alex Wood, who picked up some mighty important yardage working up the middle.

Niles’ Joe Cicero, a junior quarterback forced into action by the injuries of Rick Tomlin and Jeff Monos, handled the direction of the triple option well under Tiger pressure. Shaw also lauded fullback-linebacker Bob Mannella and defensive end Tom Williams for their play.
* * *
FOR THE fourth straight week Hannon the AAC’s leading ground gainer, picked up over 100 yards – this time a net 112, losing only five in 23 carries for a 4.9 average. He scored a touchdown, a conversion and passed to right half Terry Edwards for another.

The Tigers tallied in the first quarter for the first time this year and in the first half for only the third time – after a Niles punt was grounded on the Tigers’ 38. Three plays later Hannon gave on snap of his groovy hips and shot through a gigantic hole on the left side for WHS’ longest TD run of the season with 3:54 left.

Commings termed it a “power off tackle blocked well” by tackle Mike Green and guard Larry Mayles, one of Hannon’s tri-captain mates. Hannon skirted left end easily for the conversion thanks to Kevin Westover’s great block.

On the second play after the kickoff, Cicero pitched to Lou West going left and he threw a 39-yarder which the Tigers had covered perfectly by cornerback Jimmy Jackson and free safety Charles Swann, but split end Chris Mackey leaped up a little higher between them and hauled in the aerial with an amazing catch for a first down on the Massillon 31.

With the Wests thundering off both tackles on seven of the next nine plays and the Tigers penalized for illegal procedure, the Dragons scored with 11:55 left in the second stanza as Cicero slanted off tackle. Strong safety Don Muhlbach and end Dari Edwards brought down Macey on an end run to halt the conversion try.
* * *
MOVIES SHOWED Jackson’s cobra-like swiftness got the Tigers a Clark West fumble ball on the Dragons’ 16 in the third quarter after it was knocked loose by Swann. Two plays later Commings decided to join Shaw in the halfback pass route which both designed especially for this game and had Westover pitch to Hannon going right on third and nine. Terry Edwards made a diving, somersaulting catch of “Tombo’s” pass into the end zone with 11:54 left in the last quarter.

Westover rolled right and hit Edwards again for two more points.
Interceptions by Tim Gutshall and Muhlbach halted the last two Niles’ drives.

Middle guard Tom Balizet recovered a Clark West fumble at the Niles 46 in the second period and amazing end Brian Bash grabbed another at the Niles 49 in the third stanza.

A second period jaunt was halted by fourth and three at the Tigers’ 33 and Niles’ Yugoslavian soccer style kicker Greg Cerneka tried a 51-yard field goal which wasn’t short by much.

The Tigers lost the ball on downs at the Dragons’ 35 and safety Dell Gray intercepted at his 15 in the second quarter. Manella rose up to stop Hannon on fourth and two on the 10 in the third quarter and a fumble, a delay penalty and a procedure penalty killed a drive at the Dragons’ six in the fourth period.

MASSILLON – 16
Ends – McCauley, Bodiford, D. Edwards, Sullivan, Bash.
Tackles – Green, Geiser, Csonka, Lee.
Guards – Mayles, Guiffre, Keller, Bozzacco, Graber.
Centers – Cocklin, Studer.
Quarterback – Westover.
Halfbacks – T. Edwards, Hannon, Danzy, Henderson.
Fullbacks – A. Wood, McGuire.
Middle Guards – Balizet, G. Wood.
Linebackers – Ahlstrom, T. Gutshall.
Defensive backs – Muhlbach, Jackson, Swann, Christie, DiLoreto, Groff, Mayor, Dan Gutshall.

NILES – 6
Ends – Mackey, Kaszonyi, Bassett, Lokash, Williams, Gustovich.
Tackles – Biddlestone, Hojnik, Cline, Glancola.
Guards – Soltess, Skocik, Pekarovic, Harris.
Center – Woodford.
Quarterback – Cicero.
Halfbacks – L. and C. West, Malone, McElhaney.
Fullbacks – Mannella, Mowery, Paris.
Middle guard – Miranda.
Kicker – Cerneka.

Massillon 8 0 0 8 16
Niles 0 6 0 0 6

SCORING SUMMARY
M – Hannon, 47 run (Hannon run);
N – Ciceri 1 run (run failed);
M – T. Edwards, 15 pass from Hannon (T. Edwards pass from Westover).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Dr. Larry Glass.
Umpire – Stan Evans.
Head Linesman – Steve Nagy.
Field Judge – Mike Butch.

THE GRID STICK
M N
First downs – rushing 8 9
First downs – passing 3 1
First downs – penalties 1 1
Total first downs 12 11
Yards gained rushing 184 159
Yards lost rushing 12 22
Net yards gained rushing 172 147
Net yards gained passing 49 38
Total yards gained 221 173
Passes completed 3-8 3-9
Passes intercepted by 2 1
Kickoff average (yds.) 3-38.7 2-53.0
Kickoff returns (yds.) 46 24
Punt average (yds.) 3-35.7 2-32.0
Punt returns (yds.) 0 7
Fumbles (lost) 1(0) 4(3)
Yards penalized 7-65 1-15
Touchdowns rushing 1 1
Touchdowns passing 1 0
Total number of plays 57 57

History

1972: Massillon 14, Upper Arlington 0

September 22, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Mighty effort nets Tigers 14-0 win

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

The pop was warm and the chicken cold on the team buses after the game.

But who cared?!!!
* * *
STUDENT MANAGER Randy Russell was a little premature with his “State Champs” tie and so were the Tiger Swing bandsmen with their impromptu dance and shouts of “We’re No. 1!” on the gridiron after the game.

But who cared?!!!

Tiger Booster club officials took Obie III with them. They still couldn’t get the 100-pound live Tiger mascot into Arlington stadium.

But who cared?!!!

The team bus on which this reporter returned home was filled with songs and laughter so that you couldn’t sleep.

But who cared?!!!
* * *
THE MIGHTY Massillon Tigers (3-0) reached back and got that something extra that Tiger tradition has given to Washington high gridders and roared to a 14-0 win over host Upper Arlington (1-1-1) Friday night before over 11,000 standing-room-only fans.

Their first-ever invasion of central Ohio netted the Tigers a victory their fans had waited five long years for. Arlington had left Tiger stadium in 1967 with successive-year victories the third straight week.

He did not score a touchdown for the first time, but senior right halfback Terry Edwards took care of that chore, getting both TDs.

But Hannon – for the third consecutive week carried over 20 times. Friday night he lugged the pigskin 24 times for 212 yards without a loss.

In three games he has carried for 466 yards in 73 attempts or a 6.4 average. He has scored three touchdowns and two conversions with his great second effort running in getting by tacklers. Edwards has scored three six-pointers.
* * *
HANNON DARNED near had a fourth TD Friday night at the end of the third quarter after a 17-yard pass-run from senior quarterback Kevin Westover to Terry Edwards’ twin wingback brother Dari, which gave the Orange and Black first down on their 42.

Hannon took off around left end on one of his many sweeps off handoffs and pitches
and – behind a great block by fellow tri-captain Larry Mayles – raced to the Arlington 29, started to cut in and had his leg buckle under him.

“I had a cramp again,” Tombo said. “Give those linemen credit for blocking very well for me. It felt real great to win!”

His coach Bob Commings exaulted, “Tom had a great night!”

“He didn’t get anywhere in the second half, but he ran wild in the second,” Arlington Coach Pete Corey said. “I don’t know what the breakdown was in the second half. The men upstairs saw no difference. When a fellow can run like he can and get by the line like he can, that’s the difference.”
* * *
TIGER DEFENDERS such as senior Brian Bash – playing superlative ball for the third consecutive week – senior co-captain and tackle Bob Geiser, junior tackle Bill Csonka, senior end Dari Endwards and sophomore linebacker Tim Gutshall led the defense on another successful charge – holding Arlington to 130 net yards (60 on the ground) – while the Tigers rolled up 328 (306 on the ground).

Arlington’s deepest penetrations were to the Massillon 22 in the first quarter – where Danzy applied the stopper – and to the 15 on the last play of the game. The only other soiree was to the 47 in the second half where Dari Edwards stood firm.

Arlington found out what many a Tiger foe has. If old Obie sniffs a victory, look out!

Sophomore Greg Cook pounced on the ball, which dropped out of Arlington senior halfback Craig King’s hands on the second half kick runback at the Golden Bears’ 32. Eight plays later, Hannon shot through the middle on second down from the draw, running 17 yards to the two.

Edwards cut over left tackle on the next play for six points with 8:36 left. Hannon took a pitch and skirted right end for two more.
* * *
BRIAN BASH gave the Tigers’ the ball on the Arlington 25 in the fourth stanza when he batted a Phil Fulton pass and grabbed it out of the air.

One play later Hannon took off again – this time around right end – and raced 13 yards to the Arlington 12. Edwards then slanted off right tackle with 9:28 left, but Don Muhlbach’s kick was partially blocked.

Through all the rejoicing Commings pointed out that for the third straight week the Tigers had left an opponent off the hook.
“We made improvements though and that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “I feel we beat a good team and that makes the victory all the sweeter.”

The Tigers started off as if they were going to blow Arlington out of the stadium. Hannon ran the kickoff back 12 yards and junior fullback Charles Danzy took a pitch, raced around left end for 32 yards to the Bruins’ 37.

Hannon raced 17 yards to the 26, but Terry Edwards – wide open – dropped a fourth down pass from the 17. Hannon figured on runs of 11, 9 and 18 yards, which carried his team to the Arlington 36 on third down early in the second stanza and had a 26-yarder to the Bears’ 30 nullified by an offside call.
* * *
HE RACED 12 yards to the 24 for a first down, but the Tigers clipped and ended on their 49 – forced to punt – and for the second time in three weeks found themselves faced with a scoreless first half. They have yet to score in the welcome canto.

The ball was in Arlington territory most of the third quarter, but a Hannon 11-yard run was for naught as a fourth-down pass was incomplete from the 24. “Tombo” gave the Obieman one more chance in the goodbye quarter as he rolled 50 yards to the Arlington 33, but Terry Edwards was inches short on fourth down from the 25.

MASSILLON – 14
Ends – Bash, D. Edwards, Bodiford, McCauley.
Tackles – Geiser, Green, Csonka, Lee.
Guards – Mayles, Guiffre, Ahlstrom.
Center – Cocklin.
Quarterback – Westover.
Halfbacks – Hannon, T. Edwards.
Fullbacks – Charles Danzy, A. Wood.
Middle guards – Balizet, G. Wood.
Linebacks – T. Gutshall.
Defensive halfbacks – Jackson, Dan Gutshall, Muhlback, Mayor, Christie, Swann, Pfeiffer, DiLoreto.

ARLINGTON – 0
Ends – Vercelli, Craine, Hazelbaker, Woods, J. Cornwell, Burkholder, Trotier, Doyle, Webb.
Tackles – Bonesteel, Hopkins, Drumond, Rossel, Hill, Boggs.
Guards – Walter, Marsalka, Hutchings, Gladnon, Lestock, Crites, Corna, Murphey.
Centers – Arthur, Applegate.
Quarterbacks – Fulton, Taylor.
Halfbacks – Hoag, Lankamer, Dawson, King, Warner.
Fullbacks – B. Cornwell, Schmidt, Larmee.

MASSILLON 0 0 8 6 14
ARLINGTON 0 0 0 0 0

SCORING SUMMARY
M – T. Edwards, 2 run (Hannon run);
M – T. Edwards, 12 run (kick blocked).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Dale Helmick.
Umpire – Donn Bunbar.
Head Linesman – John Shelton.
Field Judge – Paul Wyman.

THE GRID STICK
M A
First downs, rushing 14 4
First downs, passing 1 2
First downs, penalties 0 0
Total first downs 15 6
Yards gained, rushing 325 85
Yards lost, rushing 19 25
Net yards gained, rushing 306 60
Net yards gained, passing 22 70
Total yards gained 328 130
Passes completed 2-11 5-12
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Yardage on passes intercepted 0 0
Times kicked off 3 1
Kickoff avg. (yds.) 3-47 1-42
Kickoff returns (yds.) 13 39
Punt average (yds.) 4-30.2 3-37.1
Punt returns (yds.) 28 20
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles (lost) 0(0) 1(1)
Yards penalized 9-75 2-13

Massillon Mauls Arlington

Massillon’s mighty Tigers with Tom Hannon picking up 212 yards in 23 carries handed defensive minded Upper Arlington its first defeat in the four year old Golden Bear Stadium, 14-0 Friday night before a standing room only throng of 11,500 fans.

Massillon displaying explosive offensive power used two big Golden Bear mistakes to crack the heralded Arlington defense.

AFTER A scoreless first half in which both teams threatened, the Tigers started to move when Greg Wood recovered Arlington’s fumbled third quarter kickoff on the Golden Bear 33.

Four plays later, faced with a key fourth-and-two, Massillon quarterback Kevin Westover snaked over the middle for two and a big first down on the Arlington 23.

HANNON KEPT it alive as he sped 19 yards up the middle on the draw play to the Arlington one before Terry Edwards slanted left tackle for the first six points given up by the Golden Bears this year. Hannon cut inside tackle for the two points and Massillon led 7-0.

Early in the final period Brian Bash picked off Phil Fulton’s tipped pass for an interception on the Arlington 25.

After Westover’s pass misfired, Hannon sliced right end for 12 and Terry Edwards cut back over right tackle for 13 and a big 14-0 Tiger lead with 9:25 left in the game.

Massillon marched 72 yards in 10 plays in the closing minutes, but the Golden Bears defense held and Arlington gave it one last shot.

With less than a minute left, Fulton hit Craig King for 21 on the swing pass, found him open again for four and then connected for 34 yards to the Tigers 23.

DROPPED FOR a two yard loss trying to pass, Fulton connected for 11 on the last play of the game to the Massillon 14 for Arlington’s deepest penetration of the game. Massillon coach Robert Commings was very pleased with his Tigers’ first-ever victory over Arlington, ‘I’m very happy…it’s always a nice feeling when you beat a good, strong football team and Upper Arlington is a strong, well-coached team that never quits. No question, our defense won if for us.”

ARLINGTON’S COACH Pete Corey had nothing but praise for the Tigers, “Massillon is a great team, they execute as well as any football team I have ever seen. That Tom Hannon is one of the best runners we have ever faced, he can seem to be running at top speed and then shift into high gear…he’s a fine one.”

Massillon totaled 15 first downs with 307 yards rushing and hit on two of 12 passes for 23 yards. Arlington picked up eight first downs, 46 yards rushing and added 84 yards on seven pass completions in 12 attempts.

Massillon 0 0 8 6 14
Upper Arlington 0 0 0 0 0

MASSILLON SCORING:
TDs – T. Edwards, 2 (3, 13 runs),
PATs – Hannon (run).

History

1972: Massillon 21, Youngstown Ursuline 0

September 15, 1972August 3, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers beat stubborn Ursuline 21-0

By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports Editor

Bob Commings is concerned about the inability of his team to be consistent offensively and concerned about the Tigers and their fans having a letdown.

“We must keep the faith above all,” the Washington high head football coach said after his team had shut out a tough Youngstown Ursuline team 21-0 before 11,708 fans Friday night at Tiger stadium. “We’re going into a big game next week at Upper Arlington.”

COMMINGS WAS concerned because it was the second straight week in which his charges failed to move the ball in crucial situations. They also have yet to show the big scoring play.

“Three quarters of the way our offense looks so good,” he said. “The thing that is killing us is that we’re not getting the short yardage plays. When you only punt once, you’re doing something right. If we get our short yardage, we’ll be a fine team. Our defense was intact and our specialty teams came through, giving us the ball in good field position.”

Urusline rookie Coach Jim Maughan agreed, saying, “Massillon is well coached. Quarterback Kevin Westover and tailback Tom Hannon are two of the better players we’ve seen. When the Tigers get their timing better, they have the material and will go all the way. I wish Bob all the best. He’s a fine gentleman.”

Commings knew that the Ursuline defense had given his Massillonians fits.

“We’ve had to extend ourselves twice now (meeting tough teams on successive Fridays),” he said of his charges second victory in as many starts.

URSULINE’S SECOND defeat with no wins was equally as tough for Maughan to take. The Fighting Irish were dealt two severe blows in losing senior quarterback Mike Banks with a concussion at the beginning of the second stanza and senior 208-pound guard Dan Miklos a few minutes earlier.

“When you lose a quarterback it’s tough to put a man like Greg Cerimele, a junior who has never played before, into a game at Massillon. He did a tremendous job. It hurt to lose Miklos too. We were out-physicaled in the end.”

Ursuline’s furthest penetration was to the 25 in the final frame.

The Tigers rolled up 299 yards while holding the Irish to 123. The Orange and Black rolled from 20-yard line to 20-yard line but failed at the 26, 13 and 10-yard lines in the first half and 16 and 18 in the second half.

“You have to give our kids all the credit in the world,” Maughan said. “When you hold a team to two touchdowns in four quarters, that’s pretty good. One touchdown was a gift.”
* * *
HE MEANT the second of Hannon’s jaunts – a five-yarder off right tackle with 7:19 left in the game. The Irish gambled on fourth and five from their 29, but strong safety Don Muhlback plowed into junior tailback Wes Hodge who had run well all night and brought him down at the line of scrimmage.

Hannon scored six plays later on first down and Muhlback booted the conversion.

The bespectacled senior was there when it counted all night with a nine-yard punt run back to set up a TD, another for 20 yards, a 31-yard interception return and a conversion pass to fullback Alex Wood, Muhlback had intended to kick but the snap was bad, holder Darrell Bickford flipped the ball to Muhlbach, he ran to his left and then passed.

Another bad snap spoiled his field goal attempt from the 17.

The groovy-hipped Hannon, for the second consecutive week, picked up over 100
yards – this time 109 net in 22 carries. He also threw in punt runbacks of 6, 37, 13, 9 and 23 yards to go with his twin TDs. The last return almost resulted in a touchdown except Ursuline’s Tim Tinker got a hand in the way at the right time at the Irish 33.
* * *
AFTER MUHLBACH’S punt runback in the second quarter, the Tiger’s marched from the Ursuline 35 in seven plays. Hannon raced over right tackle from 14 yards out with 4:55 left. Muhlbach’s conversion saver followed.

Senior wingback Terry Edwards scored the final TD after Hannon had almost gone the route on his fourth quarter punt runback. Four plays later from the Urusline 21 on second down, Edwards caught a Kevin Westover aerial on the two and fought two defenders to get into the end zone with 1:29 left.

Westover’s conversion run was inches short.

Two Tiger fourth period efforts were brought in an abrupt halt when Cerimele intercepted a pass on his five and John Herman one on his 20. Cermeile’s pilfer nullified a 53-yard Westover pass to senior tight end Dave Bodiford in which Bodiford ran 20 yards to put the ball on the Ursuline 20.

Tiger senior middle guard Tom Balizet broke through to nail Banks at the beginning of the second stanza when the Irish were rolling at the Massillon 45. Balizet grabbed the rolling pigskin at the Irish 35 and raced to the 20, but the Obiemen ran out of gas there.

It was on this play, unfortunately, that Banks was put out of commission.

URSULINE – 0
Ends – Graham, Tinkler, O’Neill, Flanagan, Vaughan, Palombaro.
Tackles – Takacs, Tomko, Alexander.
Guards – Kutsko, Poole, Bruno, Miklos, Kerrigan, Lowery.
Centers – Tamburino, Porter.
Quarterbacks – Banks, Cerimele.
Halfbacks – Handel, Hernan, Hodge.
Fullbacks – Herchik, Williott.

MASSILLON – 21
Ends – Bash, D. Edwards, Bodiford, McCauley.
Tackles – Geiser, Green, Hauschulz, Csonka.
Guards – Guiffre, Mayles, Keller, Ahlstrom, Graber.
Centers – Cocklin, Studer.
Quarterbacks – Westover, Bickford.
Halfbacks – Hannon, T. Edwards, Columbus Danzy, DiLoreto, Dennis Gutshall.
Fullback – A. Wood.
Middle guards – Balizet, G. Wood, Lee.
Linebackers – T. Gutshall, Bozzacco, Charles Danzy.
Defensive halfbacks – Muhlbach, Jackson, Christie, Swann, Mayor, Dan Gutshall.

URSULINE 0 0 0 0 0
MASSILLON 0 8 0 13 21

SCORING SUMMARY
M – Hannon, 14 run (Wood pass from Muhlback);
M – Hannon, 5 run (Muhlback kick);
M – T. Edwards, 21 pass from Muhlback (run failed).

OFFICIALS
Referee – Art Cirelli.
Umpire – Alex Rubins.
Head Linesman – Chuck Hinkle.
Field Judge – Beauford Hatfield.
Back Judge – Ron Giacomo

THE GRIDSTICK
M U
First downs, rushing 10 3
First downs, passing 3 1
First downs, penalties 0 1
Total first downs 13 5
Yards gained rushing 203 106
Yards lost rushing 24 26
Net yards gained rushing 182 82
Net yards gained passing 116 41
Total yards gained 299 123
Passes completed 6-16 2-0
Passes intercepted by 1 2
Yardage on passes intercepted 34 31
Kickoff avg.(yds.) 4-38.5 1-47.0
Kickoff returns (yds.) 17 32
Punt avg.(yds.) 1-17.0 7-30.4
Punt returns (yds.) 112 0
Fumbles (lost) 2(1) 1(1)
Yards penalized 6-50 5-65
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 1 0
Total number of plays 56 54

Tag: <span>Tommy Hannon</span>