Massillon makes it two in a row with 56-0 rout of Warren
By CHRIS EASTERLING
K.J. Herring took the handoff, broke through the line and raced 14 yards into the end zone. With that run and subsequent PAT, Massillon jumped on top of Warren Harding 7-0 on Friday night.
It would be all the points the Tigers would need, but just for good measure, they added 49 more in what would quickly turn into a 56-0 rout in front of 7,188 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
“We got off to a fast start,” said Tiger coach Tom Stacy, whose team will play host to Cincinnati Western Hills next Saturday afternoon at 2:30. “We talked about that this week, about coming out here at home on Senior Night and getting off to a good start, and we did.”
Herring, for the second week in a row, was the rushing star for the Tigers, who evened their record at 4-4. The senior rushed for 199 yards on 14 carries and scored four touchdowns, giving him 356 yards and seven scores over the last two weeks.
But it wasn’t just Herring. DeVoe Torrence, back in the lineup after missing last week’s game due to injury, added 139 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.
It didn’t seem to matter who the Tigers gave the ball to, they were able to churn out yards. Massillon gained 449 rushing yards.
“It’s coming together,” Herring said. “We’re figuring out where to put people and how to distribute the ball. … DeVoe comes off the injury, and you can see what he can do. It’s exciting.”
The Tigers wasted no time in jumping on the young Raiders, who fall to 3-5. Massillon scored on five of their six first-half possessions in building up a 35-0 halftime lead.
It didn’t matter how far the Tigers needed to go, they were able to traverse it with relative ease. They had scoring drives of 28, 66, 54, 98 and 65 yards prior to the half, racking up 288 yards in the process.
The only first-half drive that didn’t reach the end zone was squelched by a first-play fumble at the Raider 35. Yet, even that turnover didn’t hurt the Tigers, as they got the ball back on the next play on a Warren fumble.
It was that kind of night for Massillon – even when things would go wrong, it would end up with a positive.
Take the first Tiger possession of the second half, when a 13-yard Herring run was negated by a holding penalty. The very next play, Herring ripped off a 70-yard touchdown run which made it 42-0 Massillon just 35 seconds into the third quarter.
“I just told everybody to stay focused,” Herring said. “We just had to focus on what we had to do. We’re just trying to show that we’re a team and trying to work together.”
Meanwhile, the Tiger defense was doing its part in giving its offense help. Massillon limited Warren to just 172 yards and 12 first downs on the evening.
“It feels a lot better,” Tiger defensive end Steve Yoder said. “Not giving up any points is a huge step from the last couple of games.”
A big key to the Tiger defensive effort was their ability to keep Raider quarterback Mike Dorsey in check. Dorsey, another in a long line of mobile quarterbacks which have given Massillon fits in the past, gained 50 yards on 20 carries while throwing for 32 yards.
“We had not had good success with running quarterbacks before,” Tiger safety Corey Hildreth said. “I was glad we stepped it up and did good. ”The shutout bid wasn’t secured until the final seconds, as the Raiders drove down inside the Tiger 25. However, Massillon prevented Warren from removing the zero on the scoreboard.
Massillon’s loss to Warren puts team in must‑win mode
By CHRIS EASTERLING Chris.Easterling@lndeOnline.com
The math is pretty simple for the Massillon Tigers. If they have hopes of playing in the postseason for the second straight year, the Tigers have to put back‑to‑back wins together in their final two games.
No other options remain for Massillon, not after it suffered its fourth loss in the last five games, this one a 21‑16 setback to Warren Harding on Saturday night in front of about 10,000 at Mollenkopf Stadium.
The loss drops the Tigers back to the .500 mark at 4-4, with only Cincinnati Western Hills this Saturday and the Oct. 28 showdown with McKinley left on the 2006 regular‑season schedule. Not that Tiger coach Tom Stacy is looking any farther than this Saturday’s home game with Western Hills.
“We’ve got to win our last two games,” Stacy said outside a quiet Tiger locker room Saturday. “But our kids want to win every game. When you’re at Massillon, you strive to win every game.
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
Game Action vs. Warren 2006
“We didn’t go into this week (leading up to the Harding game) thinking we needed to win two out of three, or one out of three to make the playoffs or whatever. We don’t even talk about that. We’re out there to win every game. Unfortunately we didn’t get it done.”
Those looking for the Tigers’ season in a nutshell needed to look no farther than Saturday’s game. Especially on offense, where Massillon racked up 258 yards, but had three turnovers, two of which the Raiders returned for back‑breaking touchdowns.
The opportunity was there for the Tigers, despite falling down 21‑10 at halftime, to win the game. Massillon, which cut it to 21‑16 on a Trey Miller fourth‑quarter touchdown catch, had the ball on the Raider 24 with just over 3:00 remaining.
But a fourth‑down pass to the end zone sailed out of the reach of the intended receiver’s outstretched arms, sealing the Tigers’ fate.
“We’re making too many turnovers, obviously,” Stacy said. “We’re not making a key play and a key point in the game when we need it. That’s what’s hurting us right now. We went through all those turnovers in the first half; all that horsecrap, and still we have an opportunity to win the football game. We’re just not making the play at the end of the game to win the game.”
As valiant as the Tigers’ comeback try was, it wasn’t enough to erase the damage inflicted by the turnovers. More specifically, the two turnovers which Harding returned for scores.
The first, a 49‑yard interception return by Harding’s Sidney Glover, gave the Raiders the lead for good at 14‑10 with 6:08 left until halftime. The second, a 65‑yard fumble return by Lazarus McCrae, capped Harding’s 21‑point second quarter and gave the Raiders a 21‑10 edge with 3:37 remaining until the band show.
“I think it pretty much can be summed up by no turnovers for the Raiders and some turnovers for the Tigers,” said Harding coach Thom McDaniels, whose team is now 6‑2. “I’m certain that’s the difference in the ball game.”
Those turnovers and the Tigers’ inability to get that big play to turn the momentum have marred their four losses. Against Harding, Massillon had more yards’ more first downs and a better third‑down conversion percentage than the Raiders. The Tigers reached at least the Harding 38 on seven different occasions, only to get 16 points out of it.
“It’s not any one thing,” Stacy said. “We’ll make some plays and get a couple of key first downs, and then somebody will break down, and then another part of our game breaks down. We just take turns. That’s what’s frustrating about it. … We just have to make more plays on offense. That’s all there is to it.”
Adding to the frustration was the defensive effort which the Tigers turned in was good enough to win the game. Harding only mustered 126 yards of offense and just eight first downs for the game.
Massillon knew coming in the threat posed by Harding’s Ohio State‑bound tailback Danny Herron, and adjusted their defensive look accordingly. The Tigers rolled outside linebacker Dorie Irvin up to the line of scrimmage to provide a fourman front to aid in stopping Herron.
It worked, as Herron was held to just 75 yards on 30 carries, In fact, the 5‑foot‑11, 193‑pound senior’s longest run of the night was a 9‑yard scamper in the third quarter.
“We gave them a different defense, a little bit different look than what they have seen,” Stacy said. “Like I said, our defensive coaches just did an outstanding job of game‑planning. I thought our kids defensively just played great.
“It’s a great defensive effort. Herron has to be one of the top running backs in the state, a great back. Their offensive line does a great job. I thought our kids just did a great job on defense.”
Warren Harding 21
Massillon 16
Massillon 7 3 0 6 16
Warren Harding 0 21 0 0 21
SCORING SUMMARY
M ‑ Brian Gamble 2 pass from Bobby Huth (Steve Schott kick)
The Massillon Tigers were not about to take the 2-5 Warren Harding Raiders lightly in front of an estimated 10,000 fans at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Friday night.
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After all, Warren had won all four meetings with Massillon since this heated gridiron rivalry was renewed back in 2002.
The undefeated and No. 3 ranked Tigers got on the scoreboard first by turning a blocked punt into a touchdown and played with verve and direction until the final whistle in gaining a 13-0 victory over the Trumbull County entry.
‘This Massillon team plays with so much heart and so much passion and so much effort,” said Warren coach Thom McDaniels. “We played talented teams before and this Massillon team has its share of talent.”
“I love the way this Tiger football team plays. I LOVE the way they play. You’re supposed the play the game like that and they do that.”
The first half was close-to-the-vest football as both teams seemed to be waiting for the other to make a game-changing mistake.
Warren was the first to blink.
When a 48-yard field goal attempt by Massillon was short, the Raiders began on their own 20 after the touchback.
Twice during the series, Tiger outside linebacker Quentin Paulik made huge plays. On first down, Paulik swooped in and took Warren running back Danny Herron down for a five-yard loss on a toss sweep.
One play later, Warren tried a similar play and again Paulik was there to corral Herron for a yard loss, forcing the Raiders to punt.
Herron, who handles the punting chores for Warren, took the snap in the end zone but Tiger junior Andrew Dailey came from the left side of the Massillon line to block the kick. Brian Gamble recovered at the 3-yard line and stepped into the end zone for a Massillon touchdown.
Steve Schott drilled the point after and the Tigers led 7-0 at 5:31 of the second quarter.
Massillon returned the favor, or at least nearly so, just over four minutes later when the Tigers threw an interception near midfield. Warren’s Chris Rucker made the pick then picked his way down to the Massillon 9-yard line.
But the Massillon defense sensed the urgency of the situation and stopped two Herron running plays and a short pass to Herron for a total of six yards. An 18-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-goal from the 3 was no good when it hit the left upright and Massillon carried a 7-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Massillon, so productive on offensive early in the game in its first seven contests this season, was held to just 46 total yards in the first half.
Warren didn’t do much better, piling up 71 total yards in the first half, 66 of which were by Herron. The Raiders dominated time of possession the first two quarters, 16:31-7:29.
Paulik came up huge in the second half as well. With Massillon leading 13-0 in the fourth quarter, Warren had to score to get back in the game. The Raiders drove from their 32 to the Tiger 9. On second-and-6, Warren quarterback Sidney Glover handed the ball to speedy wideout Jay Provitt on a reverse.
There was one Tiger between Provitt and a potential touchdown. It was Paulik and the senior outside linebacker made the tackle for an 11-yard loss that essentially derailed the Warren scoring drive.
“I saw the whole play happen,” Paulik said. “I saw the fake to the tailback and I just saw (Provitt) coming around and I just stayed home.”
“The defense played good and the offense knows we’ve got their back when they don’t perform as well as they can.”
McDaniels says he got what he wanted on the play.
“We got the ball in the hands of the kid who finished sixth in the state of Ohio in the 100-yard dash,” he said. “We got the wide side of the field and we’re going to ask our guy to make a play. (Paulik) made a better one than our kid did.”
That, says Tiger coach Tom Stacy, is because Paulik is finally getting over a badly injured shoulder suffered in Week Two.
“He’s a good athlete and he is finally used to a new position,” Stacy said. “Quentin played a great football game. That was his best game of the year and we needed it. With their perimeter run game we needed our outside backers to play well.”
Massillon’s second touchdown of the game was keyed by a perfectly executed slip screen from Bobby Huth to Gamble. The play covered 31 yards, moving the ball to the Warren 17.
“You got to think about players, not plays, in critical situations,” McDaniels said. “They got the ball to a big-play guy in a good situation. They executed it well and got them a big chunk of yardage on that drive.”
The Tiger junior tailback carried it in from eight yards out two plays later with 9:51 to go in the game.
Warren would threaten again but the Massillon defense, keyed by Paulik’s fine play, kept the Raiders out of the end zone and secured win No. 8 for the Tigers.
“Make no mistake, we knew it was going to be a grudge match,” Stacy said. “We prepared our kids for it. We got what we expected.”
Shepas still sees progress and promise in Massillon Tigers’ ferocity in defeat to Warren Harding has coach proud, excited
By JOE SHAHEEN Joe.Shaheen @ IndeOnline.Com
You don’t want to be in the midst of a four-game losing streak as you prepare to play your biggest rival, but that’s the scenario facing the Massillon Tigers this week with five days until they face off with Canton McKinley for the 111th time this Saturday at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.
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The scoreboard at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium on Saturday night past displayed the bottom line: Warren Harding 31, Massillon 15.
What it didn’t reflect was how hard the Tigers battled against the No. 3 team in the nation, sending the Raiders back to Warren with injuries to quarterback Alex Engram (Left shoulder), running back Delbert Ferguson (broken right leg), running back Richard David (ankle) and starting split end Peter Sparks.
The Tigers, meanwhile, come into McKinley Week with more to play for than pride and a win over their longtime rivals.
“Believe it or not there is still an outside shot to make the playoff,” Tiger head coach Rick Shepas revealed. “Believe it or not, there is (a chance to get in.) Mathematically some things have to happen but they happened for us last year and we made a run.”
The Tigers are also much more confident about their quarterback position than a week ago. Sophomore Quentin Paulik connected on 23 of 42 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns against one of Ohio’s elite high school football teams.
“Quentin Paulik showed a lot of poise in the pocket,” observed Shepas. “Early on he had a couple of balls get tipped but I think he will learn from it. He’s one week better from last week.
“I thought it was a nice changeup with what we did with Steve Hymes, not to knock him up too much, get him an extra week of rest but still have him on the field.”
Warren Harding head coach Thom McDaniels, a high school and college quarterback himself who takes a great deal of pride in coaching that position, thinks the Tigers may have another rgood one in Paulik.
“We’re going to try to pressure a guy like Paulik who is inexperienced to find out whether or not he can handle that kind of pressure,” McDaniels said. “He more than met the test because he did some good things, his receivers did some good things, and they generated some offense. We just were able to get some turnovers.”
Ah, yes. The turnovers. Massillon gave up six, including five interceptions, continuing a troubling trend that began with St. Edward and continued with Dayton Chaminade-Julienne and was evident against Warren Harding. In that three-game span, the Tigers have turned the ball over 20 times.
Shepas pointed out not all of the turnovers against Warren are on his quarterback.
“We’ve got to catch the ball too,” he said. “some of the turnovers we had were from tipped passes. I thought (Paulik) came out and played well.”
“We started getting back into our style of offense a little bit with Quentin. You see, you need to throw the ball to keep people off balance.”
That’s exactly what the Tigers did on their first possession of the night against Warren. Trailing 7-0 following a nine play, 72-yard opening march by the Raiders, Massillon went back to the ‘pass first, ask questions later’ attack that has been so successful during the Shepas era.
On the Tigers first play from scrimmage beginning at their own 20, Paulik meshed with junior tight end Wayne Gates on short slant over the middle that became a 45-yard gain. Then the sophomore found Ryan Schindler for eight yards, and one play later hit Gates in full stride for an 18-yard touchdown.
Zach Smith’s extra point made it a 7-7 game with 6:16 to play in the first quarter.
“We had them reeling a little bit,“ Shepas said. “We put together one of our best drives of the season early on in the game. It made it exciting for awhile. We’re going to be better from this schedule.”
Warren retaliated with a 35-yard field goal to make it 10-7.
But what sent Massillon sliding down that slippery slope was an interception just three plays into its ensuing possession, giving Warren the ball at the Tiger 46.
Three plays later, Engram hit Sparks on a 10-yard slant and the senior wideout turned on the jets for a 36-yard touchdown. The PAT made it a 17-7 game with most of the second quarter still to be played.
The Massillon defense forced Warren to punt on its next two possession but a Tiger fumble inside their own 20-yard line at the outset of the second half gave Engram and Sparks an opportunity to reprise their touchdown connection and the Raiders were up 24-7.
Warren’s next four possessions ended with a punt, a blocked field goal, and two Engram fumbles as the Tiger defense scrapped and clawed.
“I’m really proud of the way our kids played,” Shepas said. “I’m proud of the way they practiced after the three losses we had coming into this game and playing the No.2 team in the state and No 3 in the country. Plenty of teams could have turned tail and run from that but I don’t think our kids did.”
“We tried to utilize our guys to the best of their ability. I’m excited about it. I’ve always been excited about our kids. I’m happy with the way we played. We’re playing this schedule for a reason and it’s going to pay off for us.”
An Engram to Jonte Stroud touchdown pass made it 31-7 Warren with six minutes to play.
Massillon answered with a 40-yard Paulik to Billy Relford scoring aerial and Relford’s two-point conversion run to cut the Tigers deficit to two touchdowns and two two-point conversations. The ensuing onside kick, though was recovered by Warren, sealing Massillon’s fate.
SCORING W – David 1 run (Spain kick) M – Wayne Gates 18 pass from Quentin Paulik (Zach Smith kick) W – Spain 35 FG W – Sparks 36 pass from Engram (Spain kick) W – Sparks 7 pass from Engram (Spain kick) W – Stroud 30 pass from Engram (Spain kick) M – Billy Relford 40 pass from Quentin Paulik (Relford run)
The final chapter: ‘a massacre’ Everything works as Tigers pound shell-shocked Warren 54‑2
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
In this, the 50th anniversary of The House that Brown Built, there has been occasion to reflect on many wondrous moments.
One occurred 30 years ago, 17 years before Paul Brown’s name was added to Tiger Stadium.
What, pray tell, did the Tigers’ 90‑0 victory over Barberton the eighth week of the season look like?
Program Cover
Those too young to remember received some clues Friday night in the eighth week of the 1989 campaign ‑ in graphic display via a 54‑2 victory against shellshocked Warren Harding before 9,125 onlookers.
Had the Tigers been bent on making it 90‑0 (some wondered if they might be in light of a bitter 1988 loss at Warren) they probably could have done it.
As it was, Massillon’s first unit scored the first five times it had the ball. The No. 2 offense scored on its first three possessions. Alas, the No. 3 offense, unlike the third string that beat the bejabbers out of Barberton back when, could not score.
But who’s going to get picky about winning by 52 points in a game that may have clinched a playoff berth?
How bad was it?
In the words of one Warren writer, “It was the Massillon Massacre on Friday the 13th, the final chapter.”
This was, in part, reference to the end of the 68‑year‑old football series between the schools.
Tiger coach Lee Owens called a halt to it after he thought his team was ripped off by officials in a 25‑22 loss at Warren last year. This year’s game was played to honor a previously signed contract.
A decision to consolidate Harding and Western Reserve into one Warren high school next year was made after Owens’ pronouncement.
Any way you slice it, it’s over between Washington and Harding.
Any hard feelings?
Harding head coach Frank Thomas who spent five years in Tigertown as a varsity assistant, gave Owens the brush after Friday ‘s game.
The coach concedes, however, that it will probably take only 120 points to make the playoffs, and that his team is a cinch to surpass that barrier even if it loses to St. Joseph and the following week against McKinley.
The Tigers aren’t looking like or talking like a team that will lose.
“We put it together on offense and defense,” said Hurst, who completed nine of 11 passes for 184 yards and four touchdowns. “We clicked.”
“We’ve come a long way since we lost to Moeller,” said senior linebacker Joe Pierce, who helped the Tigers limit Harding to 8 first‑half yards while the Massillon offense was amassing 308.
“We prepared for their defense as if it was stronger than it really was,” added Rameir Martin, who caught four passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns. “We just took what was there and did what we had to do.”
“They were clogging up the middle and it was pretty easy to get outside,” said sophomore running back Falando Ashcraft, who rushed 13 times for 90 yards while pinchhitting for season team rushing leader Ryan Sparkman. Sparkman was resting a hamstring injury and is expected to play against St. Joseph.
Speaking of injuries, the Tigers didn’t pull one key man in the late going and it cost them. Kick returner Donnie Blake whose 94‑yard return of the third‑quarter kickoff turned around last week’s Indianapolis North Central game, was injured while bringing back a punt in the fourth quarter.
It is feared Blake suffered a leg fracture when he was tackled near the Tiger bench. X‑rays were to have been taken this morning.
“Most of the first‑string players were out at that point because an injury is exactly what you don’t want to happen,” Owens said. “It was a freak thing with Donnie. The Warren player made a real late hit and kind of rolled up his leg. We’re not sure what Donnie’s injury is. It may just be a muscle between his knee and ankle. It may be something more than that.”
Pressed to explain what was said when they crossed paths amid the postgame interteam mingle, Owens said:
“I went to shake Frank’s hand, and he said, ‘No, I don’t want to shake your hand.’ I didn’t realize he felt that way.”
Was Thomas upset because the Tigers “ran up the score?” He shouldn’t have been. The final series of the first half was directed by backup Massillon quarterback Barry Shertzer. Massillon’s firststring offense and first‑string defense each played one series in the third quarter, then called it a night.
Owens said he received word from a messenger that “a Warren athletic official” was upset that the Tigers continued to pass in the second half. The Tigers tried 11 passes in the first half, after which they led 41‑0, and threw seven more in the second half.
“I developed a reputation in some corners in past years for running up some scores,” said Owens. “With our offense, it’s hard to just stop throwing the football. Our intention tonight was certainly not to run up the score. We could have scored a lot more points if that’s what we’d wanted to do.”
Thomas steered clear of controversy.
“Just say they’re a good football team and I wish them luck … congratulations. That’s about all I have to say,” he said as he walked off the field.
The Tigers emerged with a 7‑1 record and their fourth straight victory. The victory, coupled with wins by previously conquered opponents GlenOak, Fitch, St. Vincent‑St. Mary and Indianapolis North Central, left them with approximately 115 computer points, good for the lead in Region 3 of Division I.
“The way we’ll sell next week’s game against Cleveland St. Joseph is that we need it to wrap up a playoff spot,” Owens said.
Also hurting after the game was Tiger defensive starter Mark McGeorge.
Meanwhile, the Tigers not only dominated the game. They practically dominated every play.
Everything seemed to go right. An example was a spectacular 33‑yard TD catch by Desmond Carpenter on a pass from Shertzer eight seconds before halftime.
One of the few things that didn’t go right was a diving try for a 21‑yard yard TD catch by Martin in the third quarter. Martin, who accumulated all of his yardage in the first half, would have broke Curtis Strawder’s single‑game record for receiving yardage by one yard with a catch.
Here’s the blow‑by‑blow description of each possession:
WH ‑ Start on own 24 with opening kick. Three plays, punt.
MAS ‑ Start on own 31, drive 69 yards in four play, including 20 pass to Martin and 36‑yard TD run by Lamonte Dixon on sprint counter draw. P.A.T. kick wide right at 7:54 of first quarter.
Massillon 6, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 12, punt from own 23.
MAS ‑ Start on Harding 46, score on first play on deep pass from Hurst to Martin. Hurst to Doug Harig conversion pass good at 4:22 of first quarter.
Massillon 14, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 23, three plays and punt.
MAS ‑ Start on Harding 48, score in seven plays, including 16‑yard Kevin McCue to Pierce pass on fake punt. Hurst hits Harig for 11‑yard TD. Miller kick good at 1:30 of first quarter.
Tigers 21, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 20. Pierce intercepts Chauncey Coleman pass on first play.
MAS ‑ Start on Harding 32. Score on third play, 26‑yard Hurst‑to‑Martin pass. Kick wide at 10:03 of second quarter. Tigers 27, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 20. Three plays and punt.
MAS ‑ Start on own 38. Drive 62 yards in six plays for TD, 11‑yard run by Ashcraft. March includes 21‑yard catches by Troy Manion and Martin. Miller kick good at 5:31 of second quarter.
Massillon 34, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 17. Punt from own 16.
MAS ‑ Start on Harding 46. Drive for TD in five plays, capped by 33‑yard Shertzer to Ashcraft play. Ryan John kick good at 0:08 of first half.
Massillon 41, Harding 0
MAS ‑ Start on own 27 with third‑quarter kickoff. Drive 73 yards for TD in 10 plays, capped by 21‑yard Hurst‑to‑Harig TD. Kick wide at 7:40 of third quarter.
Massillon 47, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 20. Mike Martin sack causes fumble recovered by Craig Turkalj
MAS ‑ Start on Harding 12, Ashcraft scores on first play. Miller kick good at 5:46 of third quarter.
Massillon 54, Harding 0
WH ‑ Start on own 27. Three plays and punt.
MAS ‑ Start on own 43. Lose yardage on penalties to 19. Ball snapped over punter’s head and recovered by punter in end zone at 0:28 of third quarter to conclude scoring.
Massillon 54, Harding 2
MASSILLON 54 WARREN HARDING 2
M WH First downs rushing 7 4 First downs passing 11 0 First downs by penalty 2 0 Totals first downs 20 4 Yards gained rushing 194 74 Yards lost rushing 27 44 Net yards rushing 167 30 Net yards passing 268 0 Total yards gained 435 30 Passes attempted 18 5 Passes completed 14 0 Passes int. by 0 1 Times kicked off 9 1 Kickoff average 56.3 35.0 Kickoff return yards 0 113 Punts 1 8 Punting average 25.0 39.3 Punt return yards 52 0 Fumbles 0 2 Fumbles lost 0 1 Penalties 5 2 Yards penalized 50 10 Number of plays 53 41 Time of possession 23:10 24:50 Attendance 9,125
Receiving (Mas) Martin 4‑113, Carpenter 2‑40, Pierce 1‑16, Harig 2‑32, Manion 2‑32, Slicker 1‑8, Brown 1‑31.
Harding 0 0 2 0 2 Massillon 14 27 13 0 54
M ‑ Dixon 36 run (kick failed) M ‑ Martin 46 pass from Hurst (Harig pass from Hurst) M ‑ Harig 11 pass from Hurst (Miller kick) M ‑ Martin 26 pass from Hurst (kick failed) M ‑ Ashcraft 11 run (Miller kick) M ‑ Carpenter 33 pass from Shertzer (John kick) M ‑ Harig 21 pass from Hurst (run failed), M ‑ Ashcraft 12 run (Miller kick) WH – Safety
WHS-Warren rivalry may be over Coach Owens enraged at referees as Tigers fall 25-22
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
WARREN: Today is Sweetest Day for lovers.
Friday was Bitterest Day for Tigers.
The Tigers’ high school football series with Warren Harding has lived long and prospered. It may have died Friday night at Mollenkopf Stadium, when the Black Panthers were awarded a controversial touchdown with 30 seconds left that gave them a 25‑22 victory.
If it is dead, the coffin will be draped with a giant yellow flag.
Massillon head coach Lee Owens believed the Tigers were, to put it bluntly, homered.
“It’s not fair to our kids to have happen what happened here tonight,” said Owens, referring to the officiating. “As long as I’m the head coach in Massillon, we’ll never schedule them again.”
Owens was enraged by the volume of penalties against his team ‑ 12 for 149 yards ‑ and the timing.
Two yellow hankies bothered him the most.
One was a 15‑yard personal foul against fullback Jason Stafford, who leaped out of a pile thinking he had scored, but was informed he had been stopped short of the goal line.
Stafford, who had rushed for 120 yards to that point in the fourth quarter, was ejected from the game with the Tigers trailing 19‑14 and facing second and goal from the 16 ‑ after the penalty ‑ with 4:55 left in the game.
After a five‑yard encroachment penalty against Warren, quarterback Lee Hurst rolled right and threw left to tight end Jeff Harig, who caught the ball in the end zone.
Surprise, no flags. Touchdown.
Defensive tackle Bob Dunwiddie, suddenly a running back in a Tiger surprise called the “Bull Offense,” carried for the two‑point conversion and Massillon led 22‑19 with 4:29 left.
Several Clayton Waite completions, a pass interference panelty and a personal foul infraction later, Warren had the ball a few inches short of the goal stripe on fourth down.
Warren head coach Frank Thomas, a former Massillon assistant, called for a quarterback sneak during a timeout. Waite drove over center into a huge Massillon, pile and bedlam ensured while the 6,000 fans waited for the official call. After a five‑second delay, the referee’s hands went up. Touchdown.
Interestingly, Massillon lineman T.R. Rivera had the ball when the touchdown was signaled. “Half my body was over the goal line,” Waite said. “I’m sure it was a touchdown. The Massillon camp disagreed.
“I talked to our players and 11 guys told me it wasn’t a touchdown,” Owens said. “Waite hit the pile and was stopped. When he realized he was stopped he reached ahead and while he did that the ball came loose. T.R. recovered the fumble.”
The Tigers have not been a heavily penalized team this year. They were averaging 48 penalty yards against them per game heading into Friday.
Did they suddenly turn into a team of Jack Tatums‑gone-berserk? Or was there another explanation? Namely, that Warren’s reputation as a homer palace has been built on actual hose jobs?
Thomas, whose team was penalized eight times for 71 yards, rejected the “homer” theory.
“I have to believe the officials are ‑ there because they like athletes and they like kids,” Thomas said. “Whether you’re talking about Warren, Steubenville or Massillon, I don’t believe high school officials purposely try to take a game away from a team. I feel strongly about that.”
Informed of Thomas’ comment, Owens said, “I disagree.
“I’ve never complained to a newspaper about the officiating,” he said. “But I have to say something tonight. I’ve never seen anything like this as long as I’ve been coaching. If beating Massillon is so important that circumstances like this are created, I can’t accept that.
There is no question beating Massillon was important to the Black Panthers.
“I didn’t care if we went 1‑9 this season as long as we beat Massillon,” said Waite, a 6‑foot‑3 senior who completed 19 of 36 passes for 195 yards, rushed seven times for 28 yards, and intercepted three passes, two coming one play after clipping penalties against Massillon.
“We never beat Massillon, and that goes all the way back through my junior high days. This isn’t just at the top. It’s at the tippy top.”
Gerald Simpson, a 6‑foot‑4 senior who missed most of the season with a broken arm, was a big factor Friday, catching seven passes for 92 yards and running 33 yards for a touchdown.
He credited the victory, however, to Waite.
“In my opinion, Clayton is the best quarterback in the country,” Simpson said of Waite, who says he will play college football at Michigan or South Carolina.
The victory pushed Harding’s record to 5‑2 and reduced Massillon’s lead in the all‑time series to 44‑17‑3. The Panthers, however, owns a 7‑6-2 lead in games played at Mollenkopf since 1960.
Owens, whose team dropped to 4-3 with its third straight loss, was not sure if there is a contract to play Warren next year in Massillon, but he talked about the possibility of voiding it if there is.
Warren and Massillon first faced each other in 1921.
The first time the Tigers touched the ball Friday, they moved to midfield but were stalled when Hurst was sacked for a three‑yard loss, followed by a five‑yard encroachment penalty and a 15‑yard clipping foul.
Three punts later Massillon had the ball at its own 45 but quickly lost it right there on a fumble. Harding overcame a 10‑yard holding penalty against a Panther linemen that set up a second and 20. Waite scrambled 16 yards and, on third down, passed for 17 yards to Simpson. Moments later, Simpson made a leaping catch in the end zone on a 10 yard scoring play. The P.A.T. kick gave the Panthers a 7‑0 lead with 1:29 left in the first quarter.
Massillon struck back quickly. Lamont Dixon’s 49‑yard kickoff return put the ball at the Warren 41. Two plays later the Tigers were hit with another clipping penalty but that was negated two plays later still by a personal foul against Harding. On first down from the 17, Hurst took off around left end on a bootleg run and maneuvered his way through traffic for a touchdown as the first quarter expired. The point‑after kick failed and the Harding kept the lead,,7‑6.
Warren took over at its 27 after the kickoff and, on second‑and‑10, moved to the 42 on a pass interference call. Two Waite completions advanced the ball to the 33, where on third and two Simpson swept right and seemed to be caught in the backfield. He bounced off the pack, however, and sprinted left, breaking into the clear and scoring. The kick failed, and Warren led 13‑6 with 8:56 left in the second quarter.
Massillon drove 57 yards to the Warren 15 before running out of downs on its next possession but soon got the ball back on an 11‑yard punt that rolled dead on the Harding 31. A 19‑yard sideline pass to Jeff Harig put the ball at the 12, and three runs by Stafford setup fourth-and‑two at the 4.
That’s when the Tigers sent in their “bull offense,” featuring Dunwiddie (6‑3, 225) and his fellow defensive lineman Trace Liggett (6‑3, 268) in the offensive backfield.
Liggett and Dunwiddie had run through the pre‑game hoop together and with more than the usual gusto, so one might have guessed they were up to something.
Their presence made an impact the first time the “bull offense” hit the field, with Liggett throwing a block that helped spring Dunwiddie for a three‑yard touchdown run. Hurst passed to Stafford for a two‑point conversion and the Tigers led 13‑12 with 1: 39 left in the half.
The Panthers, however, struck quickly and scored an important touchdown with seven seconds left in the half. A 70‑yard drive featured a 22‑yard scramble by Waite, two completions for 25 yards, and a third‑down run of five yards for the touchdown. The conversion run attempt failed and Warren settled for a 19‑14 halftime lead.
The Tigers spent most of the second half in scoring range. Tom Mattox’s interception on the second play of the third quarter gave Massillon possession at the Warren 33, but on second and eight from the 12, another clipping penalty put the Tigers in a hole. Waite’s intercepted Hurst on the next play.
Waite put Warren on the move again but Massillon linebacker David Ledwell intercepted him at the Massillon 41.
This time, Warren’s defense stopped the Tigers, who ran out of downs at the Panthers 31. Warren eventually punted and Massillon threatened again when Hurst, fooling the Panthers on third‑and‑one, found Harig all alone deep. The play might have gone for more than 39 yards but Hurst had to throw with a Harding defender tugging at his leg and Harig had to come back for the ball. Stafford ran five yards to the 20, then an apparent Tiger touchdown run on the next play was called back by still another clipping penalty. Again, Waite intercepted Hurst on the next play, with 10:34 left in the game.
Again, the Tigers forced a punt, getting the ball at midfield. They drove to the 12, where it was fourth and five, and they lined up to go for it. This time, it was Massillon helped by a penalty, as Warren lined up offsides, giving the Tigers a first‑and‑goal at the 7.
The “bull offense” re‑appeared, but this time Dunwiddie lined up at fullback, Liggett was beside him at wingback, and Stafford was the tailback. Stafford followed the big bulls for six yards to the 1, and followed them again to what he thought was a touchdown, but at that point found out his carry was not ruled a score, and was subsequently ejected for his reaction.
The ball was marched 15 yards backward, and then five yards ahead when Warren encroached on the next play. Hurst then hit Harig with the go‑ahead TD, and Dunwiddie, again lining up in the “bull,” carried for the two‑point conversion.
Massillon led 22‑19 with 4:29 left.
Warren had trouble with the kickoff and set up on its own 7. Waite passed the Panthers to the 20 but faced second and 10. He passed again, long down the right sideline. the ball was nearly intercepted by safety Joe Pierce but pass interference was ruled and Warren had another first down. Waite clicked for big passes of 27 and 17 yards to Keith Jordan, with the latter play having a half‑the‑distance penalty tacked on when Chad Buckland, was ruled for leading a tackle with his helmet ‑ another call that upset Owens greatly.
“That play never gets called … and to call it there,” Owens said.
Eventually, it was fourth and inches, and Waite was ruled in for the touchdown.
The Tigers now must try to rally for a battle next Saturday at Cleveland St. Joseph, which fell to 5‑2 Friday by losing to Cleveland St. Ignatius.
WARREN 25 MASSILLON 22 W M First downs rushing 7 6 First downs passing 6 11 First downs by penalty 3 3 Totals first downs 16 20 Yards gained rushing 192 136 Yards lost rushing 12 15 Net yards rushing 180 121 Net yards passing 158 195 Total yards gained 338 316 Passes attempted 26 36 Passes completed 13 19 Passes int. by 2 3 Times kicked off 4 5 Kickoff average 47.0 40.4 Kickoff return yards 77 49 Punts 2 5 Punting average 22.0 25.6 Punt return yards -2 0 Fumbles 2 0 Fumbles lost 1 0 Penalties 12 8 Yards penalized 149 71 Number of plays 60 63 Time of possession 21.51 26.09 Attendance 6,000
Tigers give Harding hard time Most points vs. Warren since ’40 in 56‑14 rout
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
On the field, Jason Stafford lines up in front of Jerome Myricks.
In the interview room after the Massillon Tigers’ 56‑14 walloping of Warren Harding Friday night before 7,745 in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, Myricks took the seat in front of Stafford.
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Neither took a back seat to the other in the game. They were co-pilots on the same flying carpet. Fullback Stafford rushed nine times for 115 yards and caught a pair of Erik White passes for 30 ~yards. Tailback Myricks motored 107 yards in 15 rushes and reeled in two passes for 41 yards. That gave Myricks, a senior, 148 yards on the night to 145 for Stafford, a junior. The numbers helped the Tigers improve to 6‑1 and sink Warren to 4‑3.
“It’s about time,” Myricks said, rolling his eyes backward to Stafford. “It’s about time he ran the way I knew he could. He’s a good back. I knew it all along. Tonight, it showed. ”
Stafford agreed, saying, “Like the man said, it’s about time. I made my mind up right before the game. I told myself, tonight, I’ve got to do it.”
He did it all right. Using good blocks and great speed ‑ a Tiger coach put him at 4.5 over 40 yards; Stafford set the figure at 4.53 ‑ he exploded for runs of 28, 29 and 30 yards, the latter carry going for a touchdown that blew open a 41‑14 lead in the third quarter.
The program puts Stafford at 5 feet, 10 inches, 182 pounds. On paper, that’s small for a fullback … except Stafford says he weighs 168 pounds.
Stafford lost his entire sophomore season to ineligibility. Before that, he always played tailback.
Game action vs. Warren Harding 1987
In the Southern Cal tradition of paying one’s dues as an underclassman fullback before becoming the main man at tailback as a senior, Stafford has learned to be a lead blocker for Myricks (who now has 798 yards in 117 rushes) this autumn.
“I don’t mind it at all … it’s just as fun,” Stafford said.
The game got to be tons of fun for the Tigers, but only after they overcame an early 7‑0 deficit and later broke away from a 21‑14 halftime lead.
Two things happened in the second half. The Tiger defense, bruised for 206 yards in the first half, gave up only 78 more yards. And the Massillon offense, which. warmed up with 191 yards in the first half, went stir crazy in the second, tacking on 270 more yards for a whopping 461 total.
“We talked at halftime only of getting back down to the basics, instead of trying to make a big play on every down,” Massillon head coach John Maronto said. “The defense got after them a little bit more in the second half. And you saw what the offense did.”
It did whatever it wanted.
“That’s one of the better offenses I’ve seen,” said Warren head coach Frank Thomas, a former Harding player who spent the middle 1970s as an assistant coach at Massillon. “We fumbled the ball away five times. We emphasized all week to our kids that we couldn’t play a powerhouse team like Massillon, with the offense they have, and turn the ball over.
“They have four or five people who can get their hands on the ball and score six points in eight seconds. Plus, they have that offensive line. That line is awesome.”
“There was absolutely no doubt in my mind we were going to come back,” Miller said emphatically.
Miller’s confidence was quickly substantiated when Steve Siegenthaler returned a squib kick 31 yards to the Tiger 46‑yard line. White, the 6‑1/2 senior quarterback, went‑for‑it all on first down, barely missing Gerald Pope on a bomb. But split end Craig York caught a pass on second down and made some nifty moves for an 18yard gain. From there, Myricks and Stafford ran the ball to the 2, from where Vernon Riley ‑ the Tigers “big” fullback and regular nose guard ‑ rammed it in straight up the middle. Lee Hurst’s kick made it 7‑7 at the 4:34 mark of the first quarter.
Warren was driving again early in the second quarter. But the tide turned when Baugh was popped by Bob Dunwiddie at the end of a 13yard gain to the 30 and fumbled away the ball. On the next two plays, Stafford turned on the burners for gains of 28 and 29 yards. A clipping penalty sent the ball back to the 31, but White found Mark Kester for a 15‑yard gain to the 16, and then drilled a pass to York at the 10. York put two of the prettiest fakes of the season on a pair of Warren defenders and turned the play into, a 16‑yard touchdown. Hurst’s kick made it 14‑7 with 5:05 left in the half.
Thirty‑four seconds later, the Tigers scored again.
Miller exploded out of his inside linebacker spot to put a ferocious hit on Warren tailback Mike Hall. The ball hit the ground. “I saw it coming,” said Myricks, who scooped it up on the dead run and sprinted 22 yards into the end zone. Hurst’s kick made it 21‑7, but Warren was not finished.
After setting up on their own 35 after the ensuing kickoff, the Panthers drove 65 yards in 10 plays, With Hall covering the final 7 yards ‑Jones’ kick made it 21‑14 with 1: 25 left, and that became the halftime score. ‑
After that, it was all Massillon.
On the first possession of the second half, the Tigers drove 65 yards in seven plays. The capper was Myricks’ 11‑yard TD run on a pitch right. Myricks rushed for 48 yards on the drive. Hurst’s kick made it 28‑14 with 8:44 left in the third quarter.
Marko Miller, who had to leave the game in the first half after aggravating a foot injury, gained 18 yards on two carries after the kick‑off. But his second carry ended in a fumble recovered by Bullock at the Warren 37. A 15‑yard pass to Stafford and two 11‑yard runs by Myricks put the ball in the end zone. Hurst’s kick made it 35‑14 with 6:21 left in period three.
Warren’s next possession ended on the third play with an interception by Kester at the Harding 34. Stafford ran 4 yards to the 30 and on the next play rocketed over the right side for a 30‑yard touchdown run. Hurst’s kick made it 41‑14 with 3:59 left in the third frame.
Then it was razzle dazzle time. After the Tigers got the ball at their own 9 on a punt and punched it to their own 43 on first down, Hurst, the backup quarterback, came in and lined up as a receiver. White threw a sideline pass to Hurst that was actually a lateral, since Hurst was behind White when he caught the ball. Hurst then looked upfield and delivered a bomb to flanker Wrentie Martin, who easily got behind the coverage, caught the ball, and danced into the end zone on a 57‑yard completion. Hurst’s kick made it 49‑14 with 9:45 left in the game.
Fullback David Ledwell, who rushed 4 times for 25 yards, blasted in from 2 yards out at the 5: 42 mark. Senior Chris Smith got into the books with the point‑after kick.
The 56 points were the most Massillon scored against Warren since 1940, when the Tigers won 59‑0.
White wound up with eight completions in 16 attempts for 136 yards. Waite completed 18 of 31 passes for 173 yards.
Miller, whose foot injury kept him from manning the defensive end spot from which he has played so well this year, wound up with 60 yards in nine carries. Baugh had a big day, catching 10 passes for 135 yards.
Next up for the Tigers is Cleveland St. Joseph, which will play in Euclid High’s Stadium tonight against Cleveland St. Ignatius.
St. Joseph is 6‑0 and ranked second in Ohio. You might say next Saturday’s affair will be a big game.
“I’m glad to get this one out of the way,” Maronto said of the Warren game.
Cautioned the quarterback, White, “We can’t get carried away by what we did tonight. There’s a big one coming up.”
MASSILLON 56 WARREN 14 M W First downs rushing 15 8 First downs passing 7 9 First downs by penalty 0 0 Totals first down 22 17 Yards gained rushing 270 116 Yards lost rushing 2 5 Net yards rushing 268 111 Net yards passing 193 173 Total yards gained 461 284 Passes attempted 17 31 Passes completed 9 18 Passes int. by 2 1 Times kicked off 9 3 Kickoff average 55.8 45.7 Kickoff return yards 73 157 Punts 1 1 Punting average 44.0 42.0 Punt return yards 0 0 Fumbles 1 5 Fumbles lost 1 5 Penalties 7 7 Yards penalized 58 40 Number of plays 53 56 Time of possession 23:44 24:16
WARREN 7 7 0 0 14 MASSILLON 7 14 21 14 56
W ‑ Miller 20 run (Jones kick) M ‑ Riley 2 run (Hurst kick) M ‑ York 16 pass from White (Hurst kick] M ‑ Myricks 22 tumble return (Hurst kick W ‑ Hall 7 run (Jones kick) M ‑ Myricks 15 run (Hurst kick) M ‑ Stafford 30 run (Hurst kick) M ‑ Marlin 57 pass from Hurst (Hurst kick M ‑ Ledwell 2 run (Smith kick) Halftime talk Propels Tigers
By CHRIS TOMASSON Repository sports writer
MASSILLON ‑ At halftime Friday night, the Massillon locker room was not a place for feeble folks.
The heavily favored Tigers were defeating Warren Harding only 21‑14, and they had been out gained 206‑191 yards. So Massillon coach John Maronto gave his players’ eardrums a workout.
“He really let us have it,” said Massillon tailback Jason Stafford. “We weren’t used to be yelled at like that.”
Apparently it worked, as the Tigers came out in an utter frenzy and humbled the Panthers 35‑0 in the second half en route to a 56‑14 win.
“I told them at halftime that I wanted them to go back to basic ball,” Maronto said. “We had to set some sort of tempo for the game. ”
Massillon (6‑1) had thrown the ball 11 times in the first half, but in the second half the Tigers only put it up six times. The Tigers turned to good old Massillon football, handing the ball off on nearly every play to Stafford or Jerome Myricks.
In the second half, Myricks rushed for 79 of his 107 yards and scored two touchdowns. And Stafford had 45 of his 115 yards rushing and scored a touchdown.
While Myricks and Stafford may have run wild, the Panthers (4‑3) made it as easy for them. For the game, Harding turned the ball over seven times, leading to 35 Massillon points.
The Panthers, who were once ranked No. 9 in the state in Division 1, are becoming quite skilled at turning the ball over. Last week, they also lost the ball seven times in a 16‑6 loss to Niles McKinley.
“You can’t make those kind of mistakes against a powerhouse football team,” said Harding coach Frankie Thomas. “We’d fumble the ball and it seemed like eight seconds later they’d be in the end zone. ”
You think Thomas was exaggerating? Late in the second quarter with Massillon up 14‑7, Massillon defensive back Steve Siegenthaler smashed Harding’s Mike Hall, and the ball squirted out. Myricks, playing defensive back, scooped it off the turf and sprinted 22 yards into the end zone before the average fan had time to swallow a kernel of popcorn.
And that was the only reason Massillon even led at the half because the Panthers added a touchdown late in the second quarter.
Warren Harding might have made the game more interesting had it not’ lost its star running back, Marko Miller, in the late in the first quarter with a possible broken toe. Miller gained 46 yards on seven carries before he was carried off the field.
Despite intense pain, Miller returned to the game in the second half, carrying two times for 14 yards. But after he fumbled and Massillon drove for its fifth touchdown, he was given the rest of the night off.
Massillon didn’t have to go very far for its second‑half touchdowns. After Harding turnovers. three of the seven came on drives of less than 40 yards. But the Tigers did put together a nifty 92‑yard march early in the fourth quarter that gave them a 49‑14 lead.
And the usually conservative Maronto capped off the drive with reward for the fans who stayed throughout the massacre. Quarterback Erik Martin threw a pass, behind the line of scrimmage to Lee Hurst, the backup quarterback, who flung the ball downfield. to a wide‑open Wrentie Martin to complete a.74‑yard TD bomb.
Massillon finished with 461 yards total offense to 284 for the Panthers. But the Panthers had only 78 yards. In the second half.
Happy to leave ‘Jinx Town’ with win Tigers stave off tie in late going, tack on two TDs
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
WARREN ‑ Jinx? Of course there’s a jinx.
How else do you explain the fact Warren Harding’s No. 13 ‑ Steve Baugh ‑ caught two straight passes for 13 yards last night?
How else do you figure Warren had managed a 4‑4‑2 record against the mighty Massillon Tigers at Mollenkopf Stadium over the last two decades?
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But nobody ever said the twilight zone never gets a helping hand from the conscious world.
And Massillon Tiger football coach John Maronto thinks he saw that happen in his team’s scarier‑than‑it‑sounds 24‑7 win Friday night.
“When you asked me yesterday if I believed there’s a jinx, I mentioned many of the kids on our team weren’t born yet when the ‘jinx’ started, Maronto said. “Well, I have to admit, I’ve never experienced anything like what happened tonight.”
He was talking not about ghosts, goblins or witches, but zebras.
“I could take a swipe at one of the officials … and it would be a real incriminating shot,” Maronto said. “But I won’t, because I’m just happy to come out of here with a win. Much of what we were trying to do was destroyed by penalties and fumbles. And I must give Warren credit because their kids played inspired football, as all of our opponents do against Massillon.
“But our kids overcame some of the toughest odds I’ve ever seen.”
Maronto thought it was very odd the way the particular official spotted the ball, and that it was odd the Tigers were hit with a flagrant conduct penalty after Massillon linebacker Jerrod Vance got jumped with a late hit, was punched in the face. For the record, the Tigers were flagged nine times for a season-high 115 yards to Warren’s six times for 50 yards.
But in the end, Massillon’s fine tackle, Lance Hostetler, said he had enjoyed a night of good, clean fun.
“Their players had a lot of class,” Hostetler said. “One time, one of their guys accidentally poked me in the eye, and he said he was sorry.”
Tiger linebacker Todd Perdue agreed.
“This was one of the few games where the opponent was helping you up after you got knocked down,” he said.
Harding came out throwing Mollenkopf Cocktails.
It was bombs away as the Panthers threw their accustomed running game in the Mahoning River and threw passes everyplace else.
It helped lead to a shell‑shocking fourth quarter that began with Harding lining up for a field goal that would have caught the Tigers in a 10‑10 tie. But the snap was mishandled (it looked like Matt Swank would have blocked the kick anyway). Then the Tigers exploded for two touchdowns in the final 60 seconds to complete the win before 6,500 spectators.
“We knew Massillon had seen us run the ball effectively when they scouted us,” Harding head coach Frank Thomas said. “We thought our best chance of doing something was through the air.”
Sophomore quarterback Clayton Waite made that game plan look good by throwing passes more accurate than a state trooper’s radar gun. He was on the mark more than his 14 completions in 32 attempts indicate, and finished with 162 yards.
The game was closer than many expected, even though the teams’ records were not far apart ‑ the Tigers entered with a 5‑2 mark, compared to Harding’s 4‑3.
But Perdue wasn’t upset that the Tigers had to sweat out the win.
“I like these kind of games,” he said. “It’s fun to be in a close one like that, and do what it takes to win.
“I thought we played well on defense, especially when you look at how well their guy was throwing the ball.”
It was no surprise that the Tigers were running the ball. They might have emerged saying they ran it exceptionally well, except three lost fumbles cut off drives.
Still, they gained 195 rushing yards at 4.5 a pop, while quarterback John Miller threw just two passes, completing one for 13 yards.
It was a surprise, though, that Mike Norris, the starting fullback all year, opened at tailback, while Vernon Riley, who disappeared after rushing for 138 yards in the third quarter against Cincinnati Mount Healthy Sept. 12, reappeared as the starting fullback.
Norris rambled 102 yards in 20 carries and two touchdowns. Riley amassed 65 yards in 11 totes.
In yet another surprise, Norris – No. 34 in your program ‑ came out wearing No. 4.
The second time the Tigers had the ball ‑ Norris came out smokin’, blasting through big holes for gains of 13 and 17 yards during a touchdown drive that covered 63 yards in 10 plays. On third and goal from the six, Norris swept right and sprinted into the corner of the end zone. The first of Lee Hurst’s three accurate PAT kicks made it 7‑0 with 2:17 left in the first quarter.
Norris’ kickoff sailed into the end zone, setting up Warren at the 20. A chop‑blocking penalty and two running plays that lost yardage buried the Panthers at their own 6 on fourth down.
A good Warren punt forced the Tigers to start their next drive behind midfield. Riley, a 5‑11, 206‑pound junior, blasted 33 yards on a straight dive play. That put the ball on the 13, but the Tigers wound up settling for a 27‑yard field goal by Hurst and a 10‑0 lead with 9:31 left in the second quarter.
On its next possession, Warren dumped the run and turned loose Waite, who completed passes of 18, 13 and 13 yards on a drive that led to first down at the Massillon 10. But on fourth and six, Brian Teeple, Steve Siegenthaler and Perdue tackled Mark Perez three yards short of the first down.
The Tigers took over and couldn’t move, but Ken Hawkins got off a spectacular, 64‑yard punt that rolled dead on the 10.
The half ran out with the score still at 10‑0.
That also happened to be the halftime score in the Tigers’ other road game, which slipped away into a 14‑10 loss at Austintown‑Fitch two weeks earlier.
It didn’t look like the Tigers would have to worry about a relapse when Miller flicked a shovel pass to Riley, taking a page out of the Warren playbook which featured several similar short passes Friday night. Riley exploded down the right sideline and was brought down inches short of the goal line for an apparent 50‑yard gain. But the ball was brought back on a clipping penalty, and Hawkins eventually got off another booming punt that traveled 51 yards into the end zone for a touchback.
From there, Waite used four different receivers to pass the Panthers upfield. The big plays were 16, 13, 15 and 16 yards. On third and one from the four, Waite found Avery Patterson over the middle for a touchdown. Irl Berrisford, not your typical placekicker at 5‑10, 253, drilled the extra point to make Warren’s deficit 10‑7 with 3:40 left in the third quarter.
Three plays after the Tigers got the ball back on a kickoff, Norris fumbled and Patterson recovered on the Warren 47. A roughing‑the‑passer call, a nine‑yard run by Perez and a pass interference flag advanced the ball to the 14.
But the Panthers were stuck there on fourth down on the final play of the fourth quarter. They marched to the other end, then Berrisford lined up for a 31‑yard attempt that would tie the game.
“I was thinking one of our fast guys would be able to get in and block the kick,” Hawkins said. “And it was iffy on whether he would make it. He didn’t really look like a placekicker.”
But the snap was mishandled, the Tigers swarmed around the ball, and took over at the 13 with the lead intact.
Two plays later, Miller threw a 50‑yard bomb toward Jerome Myricks that was picked off by Patterson.
Waite quickly completed passes of 12 and 11 yards, moving the Panthers to the Massillon 42. But a first-down bullet pass by Waite bounced out of the hands of Baugh and was picked out of the air by Perdue.
Miller made a 22‑yard run to midfield but fumbled five plays later, giving Warren the ball at, the Massillon 29.
Two plays after that, Massillon’s Mike Wilson stole a Waite pass and raced 35 yards to the Warren 31. The Tigers drove inside the 10 but on third and eight, Riley fumbled and Warren’s Michael Hall recovered at the 5 with 3:22 left.
The Tiger defense swarmed all over Waite and created a fourth and 11 at the 4.
Thomas’ options at this point were to punt and preserve the respectable score or go for it on the off chance the Panthers might make a first drive then stage a miracle drive.
“The coaching staff owed it to the players to give them a chance to win,” Thomas said. “They played too hard. So we went for it.”
Waite’s pass went through Reggie Scrivens’ hands and the Tigers took over on the 4, scoring in two plays on Norris’ two‑yard plunge with 59 seconds left.
One play after the ensuing kickoff, Vance intercepted a Waite pass over the middle and returned it 24 yards for a score with 25 seconds left.
Warren gained just 30 yards on the ground in 18 carries. Marko Miller, a highly touted 215‑pound junior who rushed for nearly 150 yards two weeks ago, had a grand total of minus‑one yards last night.
Next up for the Tigers is Cleveland St. Joseph, Friday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
MASSILLON 24 WARREN 7
M W First downs rushing 10 1 First downs passing 0 10 First downs by penalty 1 3 Totals first downs 12 14 Yards gained rushing 217 45 Yards lost rushing 22 15 Net yards rushing 195 30 Net yards passing 24 168 Total yards gained 219 198 Passes attempted 1 14 Passes completed 2 32 Passes int. by 3 1 Times kicked off 5 2 Kickoff average 52.0 54.5 Kickoff return yards 29 58 Punts 3 3 Punting average 50.4 34.0 Punt return yards 17 0 Fumbles 5 0 Fumbles lost 3 0 Penalties 9 6 Yards penalized 115 50 Number of plays 46 50 Time of possession 26:26 21:34 Attendance 6,500
WARREN 0 0 7 0 7 MASSILLON 7 3 0 14 24
MAS ‑ Norris 6 run (Hurst kick) MAS ‑ FG Hurst 27 WAR ‑ Patterson 4 pass from Waite (Berresford kick) MAS ‑ Norris 2 run (Hurst kick) MAS ‑ Vance 24 interception return (Hurst kick)
Newman’s 4 TDs wreck Warren Tigers storm past Panthers 34-0
By STEVE DOERSCHUK Independent Sports Editor
MASSILLON ‑ A Newman reminds Washington High football coach John Maronto of the old days.
“Derick Newman is a throw‑back,” Maronto said after watching Newman score four touchdowns and help the Massillon Tigers hang a 34‑0 haymaker on Warren Harding High Friday night before 9,535 in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
The win made the Tigers the first high school football team in the nation to reach 600 wins.
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“Derick can run over people,” Maronto added. “A few times tonight, it was B.Y.O.B. for him.”
B.Y.O.B. has nothing to do with Gator Ade. It stands for “bring your own block” ‑ if there’s no hole, make your own.
That’s exactly what Newman did on a first‑down running play over the right side of the line. He was hit hard at the line but shed the defender, cut to the outside, deflected two more tacklers and used his 4.9‑second speed in the 40 to finish off a 43‑yard touchdown run.
The touchdown, Newman’s fourth of the night, gave the Tigers a 27‑0 lead at 11:23 of the fourth quarter.
Newman bulled for 103 yards in 16 carries and was complemented by tailbacks Michael Harris and Mike Norris, who combined for 124 yards on 28 totes.
“The coach told me in practice not to try to run around anybody, to try to run them over,” said Newman, a 6‑foot‑2, 206‑pound senior. “I’ve been bothered by a pulled hamstring, and the only thing I was worried about tonight was hurting it again.
“Fortunately, my leg felt good. The game felt good. On the long run, I got to follow the coach’s advice and run over a couple of guys, but I got to run around one guy, too.”
The outcome left the Tigers with a 2‑1 record. Warren, 0‑3, has yielded 13 straight touchdowns without scoring.
Friday night, Warren’s Panthers simply got out muscled by some bigger cats.
“The size of their backs was a big factor,” said Harding head coach Frank Thomas, a former Tiger aide whose head coaching mark with the Panthers dipped to 14‑19, including an 18‑6 win over Massillon last year.
“On several plays, our defensive people did a good job reading the play, but we’re tiny to say the least, and against that big, physical team, reading the play wasn’t always enough.
“They have a great defense. We weren’t sure how good their offense would be. But it seems to he on its way.”
The Tiger offense racked up its season high of 328 yards. The defense permitted its season low of 65 yards.
That figured to happen against a Warren team which bore no resemblance to the good Warren teams of yore.
It could happen again next week, when the Tigers take on 0-2 Akron Central‑Hower, which is idle this weekend.
A showdown against Barberton, 3‑0 after a 12‑9 win over Mentor Friday, looms Sept. 28 in the Rubber Bowl. After that, the Tigers will host rugged Austintown‑Fitch, a 21‑12 loser to McKinley Friday.
But first things first, the Tigers can take a few moments to savor the first sign indicating they can develop into a state power.
“That’s a little more like it,” Maronto said of the Warren wipeout.
“I knew when we left the locker room the players were ready to play. They were wired in as a team. You could see their determination as a team. They took the field and they played together. With that factor going for you, winning will take care of itself.”
Victory No. 2 for Maronto was No. 600 for the Tigers.
“The people of Massillon have a lot to be proud of,” Maronto said. “I’m happy to be here and to be part of it. This is a tribute to all of the players of all of the past teams.”
Maronto thanked his assistant coaches, one of whom, Nick Vrotsos, has been a Tiger aide since 1958.
“Now we have 600 wins,” Vrotsos said. “People keep telling me, ‘Congratulations, you were here for the first one and the 600th one,”‘ Vrotsos laughed.
Friday’s game turned into a laugher with Newman’s long touchdown run. But the outcome was pretty well decided by halftime, when Massillon led 21‑0 and held a 137‑34 edge in total yards.
The defense and special teams deserve heavy credit for the first three touchdowns. The Tigers kicked off and held Warren to three yards, but they stalled, too, after getting the ball on a punt. Warren got the ball back on a punt, but on third‑and‑nine, Hoagy Pfisterer blind‑sided quarterback Brian Hendrickson, whose fumble was pounced on by Tiger lineman Mark Harder at the 7.
The Tigers were in danger of repeating their penchant for having the ball near the goal line early in the game and not scoring, facing third‑and‑goal from the six. Newman solved the dilemma by following good blocking up the middle for a six‑yard touchdown blast. Mike Norris’ PAT kick made it 7‑0 with 3:30 left in the first quarter.
On Warren’s ensuing possession, running back Avery Patterson took a nuclear hit from Harder, forcing him to cough up the ball to “Tiger back” Daimon Richardson. Massillon had the ball on the Warren 28.
A 15‑yard pass from Paul Fabianich to Bart Letcavits and three rushes for 12 yards set up a first‑and‑goal on the 2. Newman tried the middle two times, plunging in for a score on the first play of the second quarter. Norris’ PAT made it 14‑0.
Norris’ booming kickoff and good coverage forced the Panthers to start from their own 11. The Panthers stalled and punted to Wes Siegenthaler, who made a short return to the Warren 45 in front of the Massillon bench.
The end of the play triggered a scuffle. A dozen Tigers charged from the sideline to the field, but Marrow was right behind them, ordering them back to the sideline. Warren’s Gary Snyder was ejected, not no penalty was assessed; in fact, the Tigers lost five yards in the melee, with officials incorrectly spotting the ball at midfield.
Newman made up the five yards on the first play. The Tigers methodically marched the 50 yards in 11 plays, with Newman going over the right side to score from the 2. Norris’ kick was good again at 4:13 of the second period, and the Tigers had their 21‑0 halftime lead.
Warren didn’t make it beyond its own 35 in the first half. The Panthers got that far as a result of a 15‑yard penalty.
Starting from their own 39 after the second‑half kickoff, the Tigers drove to the Warren 11 before Fabianich was sacked at the 23 on fourth‑and‑eight.
The Panthers then staged their biggest “drive” of the night, getting their second first down of the game and advancing to the 40. The drive ended there with a punt, and Massillon started from its own 30.
An 11‑yard completion on the Fabianich‑Letcavits connection put the ball on the 43, from where Newman broke his big run. Newman almost made the mistake of celebrating too soon, holding the ball aloft after running past the 5, then getting caught from behind as he crossed the goal stripe.
The Panthers kept the ball for two plays before Matt Swank’s interception launched a Tiger drive at the Warren 38. The Tigers ran out of downs at the 10.
Four plays later, Jerome Myricks picked off a Panther pass at the 30. Six plays later, Harris scored from four yards out with 1:34 left. Norris’ kick was wide, and the final score was cemented at 34‑0.
The Panthers’ strongest sniff of the goal line came on the final play of the game when Patterson rushed within three yards of midfield.
“Massillon is a state power‑they always are,” said Thomas, the Warren coach. “I can’t say how close they are to being at the top, but I can say they’re the best of the six teams I’ve seen, including scrimmages.”
“We lost last week, but we think we can win the rest of our games,” said the fullback, Newman. “We want to go to the state championship game.”
Beating a rebuilding Warren team was no sure indication such heights are in store. But the Tigers whizzed past an old nemesis without a hitch, and that stands for something.
MASSILLON 34 WARREN 0 M W First downs rushing 12 2 First downs passing 5 1 First downs by penalty 2 1 Total first downs 19 4 Yards gained rushing 249 45 Yards lost rushing 20 11 Net yards rushing 229 34 Net yards passing 99 31 Total yard gained 328 65 Passes attempted 14 13 Passes completed 7 5 Passes int. by 0 2 Times kicked off 6 1 Kickoff average 54.5 40.0 Kickoff return yards 19 99 Punts 1 4 Punting average 36.0 25.3 Punt return yards -8 4 Punts blocked by 0 0 Fumbles 3 3 Fumbles lost 0 2 Penalties 5 2 Yards penalized 34 30 Touchdowns rushing 5 0 Touchdowns passing 0 0 Miscellaneous touchdown 0 0 Number of plays 65 31 Time of possession 31:11 16:49 Attendance 9,535
WARREN 0 0 0 0 0 MASSILLON 7 14 0 13 34
M ‑ Derrick Newman 5 run (Mike Norris kick) M ‑ Newman 1 run (Norris kick) M ‑ Newman 1 run (Norris kick) M ‑ Newman 43 run (Norris kick) M ‑ Michael Harris 4 run (kick failed)
WARREN ‑ It was a game of give and take Friday night at Mollenkopf stadium.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, Massillon did most of the giving and Warren Harding the taking.
Seven times the Tigers played the role of gracious guests. Five Massillon passes were intercepted and two fumbles were lost.
The muscle, added up to an 18-6 setback for the Tigers, the first time since 1976 that a Massillon team has lost two games in a row.
It was also the first time since 1977 that Harding came away a victor against the Tigers.
It was a night worth forgetting for Massillon fans as the Tigers fell to 1-2.
Program Cover
“The turnovers killed us,” said a subdued Tiger Head Coach Mike Currence. “We were searching for something out there and we had to take some chances, and sometimes when you take a chance …
“I don’t know what it is,” he continued. “I was at a dilemma in the third period. I just didn’t know what to do, but we’ve got to find some answers real soon.”
All three Harding (2‑1) scores were the direct result of Tiger breakdowns, one by the defense, another by the punt team and the third by the offense. It was three-ring circus, but only the Panther faithful were entertained.
Harding rolled to an 18‑0 lead before the Tigers averted being shut out for the first time since a 1979 state playoff loss to Parma Padua (12‑0).
When fullback Derrick Newman capped a 14‑play, 80‑yard drive by scoring from a yard out, the scoreboard showed just 3:54 remaining in the final period.
By then, though, the damage had run its course. The Tigers self destructed much earlier.
Given good field position at the Harding 38 following a 19‑yard punt, the Tigers turned the ball over on downs when they failed to convert on a fourth and five as quarterback Wes Siegenthaler was stopped a yard short on a keeper.
Harding then rolled up three first downs to the Tiger 35 when quarterback Harley Kellar was sacked for an eight‑yard loss by middle guard Tom Whitfield.
However, a personal foul was called on the Tigers. So, the Panthers had a second down at Massillon’s 27 rather than at the 43.
On the next play Whitfield stopped fullback Willie Perez for a loss, but the Tiger junior was called for a face mask penalty much to the chagrin of the Massillon coaching staff.
The face mask call was very questionable,” Currence said. “I’ll have to see the films on that one.”
With a first down on the Tiger 14, Perez took the next handoff and scooted to paydirt with 4:04 remaining in the opening period.
Two big defensive plays by the Tigers, ones that may have put Harding out of scoring position, turned into big Panther plays, And, as they would do later on, the Panthers capitalized on them.
Harding’s defense then forced a Tiger punt. Scott Byelene’s boot was fielded by Perez at his own 22. He didn’t stop running until he crossed the goal line.
“We just broke down on our coverage,” Currence said. “It was set up and executed well by them.”
Entering the second quarter, the Panthers found themselves atop the scoreboard by a 12‑0 count.
The second 12 minutes was a study in who wanted to keep the ball the longest as their were four turnovers, three coming on consecutive possessions.
Massillon, which started three of its seven first‑half drives well inside Panther territory, could not capitalize on its opportunities.
The comedy of errors continued into the third period when Siegenthaler was intercepted on the third play following the kickoff by David Arnold, who returned the ball 25 yards to the Tiger six.
From there, Perez notched his third TD of the night on the ensuing play. Less than two minutes into the second half, the Panthers owned a commanding 18‑0 advantage.
Midway through the third period, the Tigers were given a golden opportunity to get back in the game when a Perez fumble was recovered at the Panther 23. Two plays later, though, Massillon turned the ball back over when Kellar came up with the fourth Harding interception at the three.
Turnovers continued to plague the Tigers early in the final period when a Panther punt was bobbled and then recovered by Harding’s Derrick Goliday at the Massillon 28.
The Tiger defense, which yielded just 104 yards, stiffened and a 42 yard field goal try by the Panthers was way short of the intended mark.
Finally, the Tigers hit paydirt when they marched 80 yards in 14 plays. Cornell Jackson gained 35 of the yards on three carries, and Massillon converted three third‑down plays.
But, it was too little too late. ****** Of the five passes Harding picked off, four came off the arm of Siegenthaler and the other with Mike Scott at the helm. Scott, making his first appearance of the year, entered the game at the 4:42 mark of the second period. Scott, nearly connected with Siegenthaler on a 24‑yard TD pass. ****** The Tigers came up with a pair of interceptions of their own. The culprits were Brian Spicer and Clay Spangler. Harding’s interceptions were turned in by Kellar (2), Reuben Osborne (2) and Arnold. ****** Massillon used three quarterbacks in an effort to find a spark that world ignite the offense. Siegenthaler started but was replaced by both Scott and Paul Fabianich at various times.
Warfield has special night; Thomas gets ‘biggest win’
By STEVE DUNGJEN Independent Spans Editor
WARREN ‑ For all Massillon cared, it might as well have been Gungo Din Night.
As it stood, though, it was Paul Warfield who came back home to the school where he first made his mark as a football player.
Warfield, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was saluted Friday night prior to the Massillon-Warren Harding game at Mollenkopf Stadium.
It was at Harding that Warfield made his name known, rushing for 2,103 yards and catching passes for 356 more yards. He led the Panthers to two wins in three years over Massillon as well from 1957 to 1959.
Warfield, who was a high school All‑American, went on to star at Ohio State University where he became a college All‑American under Woody Hayes.
In pro ball he played for the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and the Memphis Southmen of the now defunct World Football League.
Hayes and Warfield’s high school coach, Gene Slaughter, now the head coach at Capital University, were both present at the pre‑game ceremonies.
Warfield was presented with a proclamation by the Warren School Board of Education. ****** Warren Harding football coach Frank Thomas, who served as a defensive coordinator for the Massillon Tigers for five years before heading off for Niles McKinley and then Harding, was one happy man following his team’s 18‑6 defeat of the Tigers.
“Without a doubt, it’s my biggest win,” Thomas, who is in his third year at the Panther helm, said. “Any win is an important one, especially coming off a loss and playing Massillon.
“When you beat Massillon, it’s like putting a feather in your cap,” he said.
Did the Paul Warfield Night inspire his troops to greater heights?
“It was a combination of things, really,” Thomas said. “We had a big spirit rally at school, Paul talked to the kids before the game and told them to give 110 percent and to believe in your fellow teammate.
“All of that was important, and playing Massillon was equally important.”
The Harding defense came up with seven turnovers, five on interceptions, to snuff out nearly all of Massillon’s drives before they got started.
“We went an awfully lot to man‑to‑man coverage, much more than usual,” Thomas acknowledged. “We went out with the idea that defensively we would come after them and make same things happen. Every time they tried to beat us deep, we intercepted them.
“I felt we set the tone defensively. We did not sit back and wait,”
One of the biggest plays in the game was Willie Perez’s 78‑yard touchdown on a punt return in the first quarter. That TD gave the Panthers a lightning‑quick 12‑0 lead before the Tigers knew what hit them.
“Being up 6‑0 is one thing, but then ‘bam,’ we went up 12‑0 on the punt return,” Thomas said. “It takes a lot of wind out of your sails when something like that happens.
“You know, this is a funny game. Last week we gave up 10 first downs on third‑down and long plays. That was the exact same defensive backfield we had in last week (a 14‑12 loss to Youngstown East).
“Who can figure it out? One week everything works for you, and the next it doesn’t.
History 
