Warren Hands Tigers Fourth Defeat 20-7 Bengals’ Wide-Open Game Plans Bog Down In Harding Field Mud
By CHUCK HESS, JR.
The weatherman refused to cooperate with the Massillon Tigers Friday night at Warren and took one half of their offense away. With no passing game possible and unable to consistently get through a line which outweighed them about 18 pounds per man, the Washington high school football team dropped a 20-7 decision to the Black Panthers.
“A crowd of 14,500 fans – more than capacity for Harding field – watched as the two teams battled each other in a sea of mud. The game was close for three quarters. But the Panthers scored a clinching touchdown in the final stanza.
The loss dropped the Bengals back to a .500 season with a 4-4 mark. The last time a Massillon team lost four games in one season was in 1947 when the Orange and Black ended with a 6-4 record.
Coach Leo Strang has failed to win at Warren in three tries.
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Warren now stands at seven wins and an opening game tie. The Panthers are still very much in the running for the state championship. * * * FIVE INCHES of snow were cleared off the field in the morning. A drizzle fell in the afternoon making playing conditions almost impossible.
“It was the worst field I’ve ever seen,” said Strang. “We worked all week on a wide open game and then we get this kind of mess. We gave it a real effort though.”
The skipper thought that Warren had a “good, big, strong team.” Their penetration on defense was good,” he said. “That caused a couple of our fumbles. They hit us as we were handing off.”
Commenting on his defense, Strang said, “Due to their heavier line we had to gamble on defense and got caught zigging when we should have zagged at times. They caught us on a deal to the opposite direction on their second score. We were dealing on almost every play.”
Warren Coach Ben Wilson refused to single out any one person for praise, saying, “We had a real team effort.” He patted Massillon on the back with, “They did a good job. Strang deserves a lot of credit for the coaching he had done on the Tigers. They’ve come a long way. * * * MOST OF THE football was played from tackle to tackle with both teams punching out short gainers after short gainers. The footing was too treacherous and the ball too wet for much else. This is what Warren is good at. The playing conditions were made to order for the Panthers.
They ground out 240 net yards rushing to Massillon’s 132 which pretty much tells the story. Both teams lost almost an equal amount of yardage, the Orange and Black 22, Warren 23. Where Warren got the five and six-yard gains, Massillon got only ones and twos. First downs had Warren ahead 9-6. One of Massillon’s came via a penalty.
There was no passing yardage which isn’t out of the ordinary for Warren because the Panther are a strictly power team. But the Tigers have thrown a good deal this year. Warren didn’t try any passes. Massillon threw only three but failed to connect.
The play that was a big turning point for Massillon came in the third period. Junior linebacker Paul Fabianich recovered a Warren fumble on the Panthers’ 27. And the Tigers moved to the seven in eight plays and two first downs with senior quarterback Mike Koenig, senior tailback Ron Davis and sophomore fullback Jim Lawrence taking turns diving straight ahead.
With fourth-and-seven and Warren leading 12-7, Koenig tried to pass. His cold hands and the slippery ball never permitted him to get the pigskin to junior tailback Bill Blunt who made a good try but couldn’t hold on. The Bengals never got within striking distance again.
Had they gotten this score and an extra point or points to go ahead, the outcome might have been different. But it wasn’t to be as the Orange and Black got out of its territory only six of the 12 times it had its hands on the ball. Warren was on the Massillon side of the 50 on eight of 13 chances.
However, five of these occurrences came on four fumbles and a blocked punt. Two of Warren’s scores came after fumble recoveries. * * * THE FIRST incident came early in the initial quarter. Koenig attempted a pass from his 49 on second-and-nine. He was hit hard by an onrushing lineman, the ball was jarred from his hand and rolled back to the 38 where senior tackle Carl Cohen fell on it.
It took Warren four plays to score. Senior halfback Reedy Thomas raced around left end to the 18 and a first down. A five-yard motion penalty occurred. Then Thomas skirted the same end on second-and-11 from the 19 with 8:06 remaining in the period. His run for the conversion failed.
Massillon elected to kick from its own 49 on third-and-12. Senior center Denny Yanta broke through and became the first one to block a Wil Paisley punt this year. Warren took over on the 39 but lost the ball on downs.
The Orange and Black got the ball back on its nine after the punt and got its only sustained drive of the night going. The Tigers picked up three first downs and moved to the Warren 46 in eight plays. Davis, Koenig and Lawrence again did a lot of running from tackle to tackle. A 10-yard loss forced a punt from the Tiger 44 on the ninth play.
Blunt ran back the Panthers’ next punt 15 yards to the Warren 35. But disaster struck again a minute later. Yanta recovered a fumble on his 30 on second down. * * * WARREN ran three plays, fumbled, and senior halfback Ron Sullivan recovered a fumble on the Panthers’ 41. He kept on running but the defensive team can’t advance a fumble.
The Tigers fumbled on the next play. Senior fullback Darryl Zupancic recovered on the Massillon 41. Warren got nowhere on its next series. Neither did Massillon.
Then the Wilsonmen took over on their 32 following a punt. Senior halfback Wendell Smith streaked off right tackle for a 68-yard score. The score came at 2:56. Junior halfback Charlie Williams failed on the conversion.
The Tigers’ lone score came on its next series. Taking over on its own 44, the Orange and Blafck moved for the tally in four plays and two first downs with 50 seconds remaining in the half. The big play was Davis’ 46-yard run off left guard on the dive from the Warren 49 to the 43. Senior halfback Wendell Smith just made the tackle from behind on the three.
Junior tailback Terry Getz scored from the three off left tackle. Senior Wil Paisley booted the extra point. * * * WARREN DROVE from its 13 to the Massillon 21 late in the third canto and early in the fourth in 10 plays with three first downs. Thomas did most of the running on slant plays off the left side of the line.
Smith made one long run on a slant the other way from the Warren 15 to the Massillon 44, a distance of 41 yards. Thomas had a run of 14 yards from the Tigers’ 32 to the 18 on another slant play.
Late in the fourth period senior end Charlie Grounds hopped on a Massillon fumble on the Orange and Black’s eight following a Warren drive from the Tigers’ 33 to the 11 after a bad punt. The fumble came on first down.
Then Zupancic went over three plays later on third-and-inches at 3:34. Quarterback Bill Mink, a senior, added the conversion for the final 20-7 score.
The Bengals now return home for their final three games of the season, starting next Friday with Cleveland Benedictine. Akron Garfield and Canton Lincoln follow in that order.
MASSILLON – 7 Ends – McAllister, Jones and Franklin. Tackles – Profant, Clendening, Mercer, Tarle, Miller, Fabianich and Morgan. Guards – Castile, Geckler, McDew, Paflas, Mathias, Roderick, Rivera and Swisher. Centers – Bradley, Scassa and Paisley. Quarterbacks – Koenig and Swartz. Halfbacks – Getz, Blunt, Davis and Eckard. Fullbacks – Lawrence, Toles and Sullivan.
WARREN – 20 Ends – Snyder, Grounds, Keller, Ferrance and Ochtyun. Tackles – Fender, Cohen and Crites. Guards – Measures, Windle, Salem and Hood. Centers – Yanta, Kostraba, Maudy and Crawford. Quarterbacks – Mink and Stredney. Halfbacks – Williams, Grishon, Thomas, Shimko, Turner, Owens and Pagano. Fullbacks – Zupancic and Koscaka.
Massillon 0 7 0 0 7 Warren 6 6 0 8 20
Touchdowns: Massillon – Getz (three-yard run). Warren – Thomas (19-yard run); Smith (66-yard run); Zupancic (one-yard run)
Officials Referee – Fritz Graf (Akron). Umpire – Clyde Moore (Rittman). Head Linesman – Bud Shopbell (Canton). Field Judge – Andy Chiebeck (Louisville).
GAME STATISTICS Mass. Opp. First downs – rushing 5 9 First downs – passing 0 0 First downs – penalties 1 0 Total first downs 6 9 Yards gained rushing 154 263 Yards lost rushing 22 23 Net yards gained rushing 132 240 Yards gained passing 0 0 Total yards gained 132 240 Passes attempted 3 0 Passes completed 0 0 Passes intercepted by 0 0 Times kicked off 2 3 Kickoff average (yards) 29.5 34.0 Kickoff returns (yards) 64 37 Times punted 3 3 Punt average (yards) 31.0 35.2 Punt returns (yards) 30 0 Had punts blocked 1 0 Fumbles 4 2 Lost fumbled ball 4 2 Penalties 1 1 Yards penalized 5 5
Tigers Plow Through Warren 36-0 Bengals Roll Up 476 Net Yards On Ground In Winning 8th Game
By CHUCK HESS, JR.
It was like a wild horse stampede at Tiger stadium Friday night. The Massillon Tigers galloped up and down the turf like a herd of stallions on some western prairie before 16,443 fans, the second largest crowd of the season.
They ran roughshod over the Warren Black Panthers to the tune of 36-0, gaining revenge for last year’s 19-18 upset. When the final whistle sounded, the Tigers had eaten up 479 yards of real estate. They lost only three yards all night, giving them a net rushing total of 476, the highest yet this season.
In gaining their eighth straight victory without a loss, the Bengals got all of their yardage on the ground. Senior Quarterback Jim Alexander was knocked on the head near the end of the second period and missed two-thirds of the third quarter. But their ground game was so successful the Tigers didn’t need any air relief.
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* * * THE BENGALS threw only once during the first half. Bob Baker, another senior signal caller, who filled in well for Alex, tried on late in the second period. It missed connections. Sophomore Ron Swartz also threw a pass near the end of the first half and two near the end of the game. Ron Schenkenberger, senior wingback, tried one at the end of the game. All were incomplete except one of Swartz’s, which was intercepted.
The Bengals got most of their yardage in the second half. The Washington high eleven gobbled up 299 yards in that segment of the game. The Tigers might have gotten more in the first 24 minutes except Warren had the ball for 34 plays, including two long possession drives. Massillon ran 27 plays, scoring twice but did not hold on to the ball as long.
In the second half Warren had 27 plays and Masisllon 26, but the Panthers turned the ball over four times after the intermission to three in the first half and had no long drives as in the first two periods.
Even though the Tigers ground game was terrific, there was one position they couldn’t run from. That was the fullback spot. Coach Leo Strang said, “We could break their keys but couldn’t break our fullback loose. They were just keying too strongly on Philpott (Fred).”
Being unable to get possession in the first half hurt. “We knew we could move the ball from the first play,” Strang said, “We picked up their keys and defensive philosophy. But we couldn’t get the ball.” Strang said that Warren Coach Ben Wilson used pretty much the same theory on defense in Friday night’s game as he did last year in the Trumbull county city.
* * * ONE REASON the Tigers couldn’t get the ball the first half is that the Panthers were trapping substitute defensive tackles Charlie Whitfield and Ed Radel. Both were last minute replacements for Larry Strobel and Jim Ehmer. Strobel had a bad ankle, although he played some offense. Ehmer was out with the flu.
Whitfield and Radel both are normally linebackers. Whitfield played some tackle last week. However, Mansfield didn’t trap as much or as well as Warren did.
By making some adjustments at halftime, the Tigers got their defense going again. They switched from an 8-3 to a 5-4-2 shooting a linebacker through to stop the effectiveness of the Panthers’ trap plays. Likewise they discarded the partial blitz and either all charged or no one charged.
Overall Tiger defenders did extremely well again. They held Warren to 189 yards on the ground, threw them for a loss of 11 yards, and permitted only 15-yard via the air route for a total of 193. The Panthers, however, gained the most yardage of any Bengal opponent this season.
Junior Wil Paisley kicked four more conversion, making eight out of eight in two weeks.
* * * THE BENGALS scored in every quarter. This was five of the eight times which they handled the ball.
The Tigers won the toss for the first time since the Alliance game, the final Friday in September. Alexander ran five of the first six plays, four down the center and one around the right end. This made Warren switch its normal 5-2-4 to an eagle 5-2-4 putting the linebackers between the tackles and ends, instead of on either side of the middle guard, thus loosening up the middle.
The Bengals carried from their 25, for the first score, in 10 plays with five first downs. Alex got two of them. With 7:10 seconds left, Brown carried through the center from the one for the touchdown. He had set up the score with a 12-yard run from the 15-yard line to the three.
Paisley kicked his first conversion.
Warren took the kickoff 45 yards, from its 30 to the Massillon 17, the Panthers’ longest march of the night. There the Tigers held on fourth down. Outstanding in this series as he was all night, was left halfback Wendell Smith. The speedy Panther picked up crucial yardage, aided by some fine blocking and good ball handling by Quarterback Bart Wilson.
Then the Tigers had what looked like another scoring drive coming up but ran afoul of a holding penalty and got no further than their 32.
In the next series, the first of the second stanza, Warren right halfback Frank Calvin went 36 yards for a touchdown between his right tackle and right guard. But a holding penalty nullified the score.
* * * THAT WAS THE LAST time Warren got near Massillon territory until the final series of the game when the Bengals intercepted a pass on a first down play on their 27. With Wilson playing with a jammed thumb, re-hurt early in the game, the Panthers were able to go to the air only three other times.
Coach Wilson said, “That lost score took all the steam out of the boys. If we had made that touchdown, things might have been different.”
Massillon ran three plays after the Warren drive bogged down. Alexander ran through the center from his 38 to the Panther seven on the first play. Then Brown ran two plays, the second for a score at 4:01 from the one.
Paisley booted conversion No. 2.
The Tigers took over after a poor 30-yard punt in the third canto and went 70 yards for another score. In five plays and two first downs it was 20-0 at 6:42. Bob Baker burst through the center from 58 yards away, almost getting tripped up twice but following through nicely for the score.
Paisley came onto the field. But Strang changed his mind and Brown swept right end for two points.
* * * THE TIGERS’ forced a punt again on the next series, moving the ball from their own 49, for the score in six plays and three first downs all in succession. Brown picked up two running from the Warren 44 to the 36 and 18 to the eight. Baker ran the other.
Dean swept left end at 1:25 diving on the goal line flag for the six-pointer. Paisley kicked conversion No. 3.
The final score came at 6:57 of the last quarter. Again the Bengals took over after a poor punt by Jim Levero, this one going only 12 yards. Massillon moved from its 43 to the touchdown in 10 plays and three first downs. There were runs of 21, 17 and 16 yards to help the cause, two by Brown and one by Schenkenberger on a reverse.
Brown got his third TD of the night, between the outside tackle and long side end, again from the one. Paisley converted for the fourth time.
The Tigers almost had a sixth touchdown, Schenkenbergers pass to short end Larry Ehmer during Massillon’s last scrimmage was just beyond Ehmer’s outstretched fingertips on the two.
After the game, Warren mentor Wilson described his boys as “shell-shocked”. He said, “We played good but not good enough to beat a really fine Massillon team.”
Strang praised the Warren squad. He said, “They were really fired up. They have a rough team. Their backs ran harder than at anytime we’ve seen them this year.” He also hastened to add, “Our boys were hungry for this one. They were higher for this game than any other this season.”
Toledo Libbey comes in for the Bengals’ final home game of the season next Friday. Now over the big hump in quest of a third straight state championship, the Tigers can breathe easier for awhile.
Victory No. 8
WARREN Ends – Ferance, Hammond, Williamson, Lawrence, Snyder and Shannon. Tackles – Chickerneo, Kearny and Franklin. Guards – Jamison, Peterson, Windie and Cohen. Centers – Sanfrey and Kosiraho. Backs – Wilson, Mancinelli, Smith, Calvin, Levero, Shinn, Thomas and Zupancic.
MASSILLON Ends – Ivan, Ehmer, Garland, Pierce and Dewald. Tackles – Maglischo, Spees, Paisley, Mercer, C. Bradley, Clendening and Profant. Guards – Clendenin, Whiftield, Matecheck, Radel, Relford, Poole, Mickley, Migge and Caldwell. Centers – B. Bradley, Strobel, Heine and Heckathorn. Backs – Alexander, Schenkenberger, Brown, Philpott, Baker, Swartz, Jarvis, Dean, Snively, Davis, Blunt and Kanney.
Score by Quarters Massillon 7 7 15 7 36
Scoring Massillon Touchdowns – Brown (three one-yard runs); Baker (58-yard run); Dean (eight-yard run).
Conversions – Paisley’s 4 (placekicks); Brown 1 (run).
OFFICIALS Referee – Bud Shopbell. Umpire – Bob Harman. Head Linesman – Ron Dolson. Field Judge – Any Chiebeck
STATISTICS Mass. Warr. First downs – rushing 16 10 First downs – passing 0 1 First downs – penalties 0 0 Total first downs 16 11 Yards gained rushing 479 189 Yards lost rushing 2 11 Net yards gained rushing 476 178 Yards gained passing 0 15 Total yards gained 476 193 Passes attempted 6 4 Passes completed 0 1 Passes intercepted by 0 1 Times kicked off 6 1 Kickoff average (yards) 46.5 52.0 Kickoff returns (yards) 17 93 Times punted 1 4 Punt average (yards) 34 22 Punt return (yards) 0 0 Had punts blocked 0 1 Fumbles 1 0 Lost fumbled ball 0 0 Penalties 4 2 Yards penalized 40 30
Warren Snaps Tiger Victory Streak Panthers Come From Behind Three Times To Edge Bengals 19-18
By LUTHER EMERY
A team that won’t be beat can’t be beat and Warren’s Panthers was that team Friday night.
By the slim margin of one point the Panthers edged Washington high school’s first place Tigers 19-18 before a roaring crowd of 13,000 at Warren and great was the thunder thereof.
It will reverberate in next week’s state scholastic ranking and where the Tigers will land in the standings nobody knows. Perhaps not too far down, because the margin of defeat was as small as it could possibly be.
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* * * KEYED UP to play by far its best game of the season, Warren had what it took last night. The Panthers beat the Tigers in statistics right down the line except in fumbles and penalties. Here Massillon had the edge, losing more yards in penalties and fumbling more.
But with smarter football Warren might have had one more touchdown and the Tigers one less, so there’s no denying the Panthers their hour of glory.
Yet, Massillon could have won the game, save for a fourth period penalty that kept Warren in possession of the ball which it otherwise would have turned over to the Tigers.
Everybody, the Warren press included, called this the key play of the game.
It happened after the Tigers had rammed over their third touchdown to break a 12-12 tie and go into an 18-12 lead with seven minutes and 10 seconds remaining to be played.
Warren took the following kickoff and the Tigers, bristling to defend their lead, stopped the Panthers who were forced to punt on fourth down…but here a Massillon player in his anxiety to block the punt, and he only missed by inches, brushed the Warren kicker. The officials immediately called roughing the kicker, and the Warren punter took a dive but apparently was not hurt. The 15-yard penalty for roughing the kicker gave the Panthers a first down, so instead of Massillon having the ball on its 35, Warren was given the ball on the Tiger 45.
* * * SAY THIS FOR the Panthers, they knew what to do from there. They slashed and banged their way to two first downs and with only a minute and 34 seconds left to play and the ball on the Tiger 18, Quarterback Bart Wilson, tossed a lateral to halfback Fred Harris who beat a path around his left end to go into the end zone for six points that tied the score at 18-18.
That set the stage for the dramatic finish.
Fred Caldwell, who had twice missed attempts to placekick the extra point, booted this one high and between the uprights for the deciding point of the game. It was the first placekick for an extra point we have seen since the option of running or passing for extra points was written into the rule-book two years ago – but this time victory rode on the booted ball.
The Tigers tried and tried hard in the last minute and 34 seconds to score again. Warren attempted an onside kickoff but the ball didn’t go the necessary distance to become a free ball and the Tigers took over on the Panther 48. The Tigers, in three plays got a first down on the Panthers 29 but on the next play Quarterback John Larson’s pass was intercepted by End Walter Brooks of Warren and that all but wrapped it up for the Panthers who stalled it out while the Warren student body counted the seconds as they were ticked off to zero.
Pandemonium broke loose.
* * * WHILE THE TIGERS walked dejectedly off the field, having their first loss after 20 consecutive victories, the Warren fans emptied the stands and turned the turf into a swirling mass of humanity, that engulfed the Panthers players. And while all this was going on the rocket man emptied his arsenal of bombs that must have told all Trumbull County that the Panthers had upset the first-place Tigers.
And long after the game was over, the fine Warren band was still giving out with music while fans and students leaped about and screamed in delight.
The Massillon dressing room was a sad place. The Tigers had been beaten, state championship hopes crushed – at least for the time being – and the victory skein broken.
Players and some of the coaches sobbed while fans attempted to offer some consolation.
Head Coach Leo Strang had little to say. “What can you say,” he asked, “Warren was fired up. The roughing the kicker call was the key play. We probably could have held them off were it not for that.”
The Warren dressing room was a scene of rejoicing and even some tear-shedding – the hysterical kind that comes with the accomplishment of a great effort.
* * * COACH BEN WILSON, who was an applicant for the Massillon coaching job when Leo Strang got it, was quite happy. He gave all credit to the players. “We came from nothing,” he said. “They won’t be beaten, they won’t quit. They want to play football.”
It was the Panther’s fourth win after a dismal start in which they did not chalk up a victory until their fourth game of the season. They lost to Collinwood 8-6, to Canton McKinley 14-0 and tied Steubenville 12-12.
But Wilson’s ears must have burned from the criticism leveled at him from the stands for decisions he made in the first and fourth periods, both of which led to Massillon touchdowns.
His dramatic victory shows how quickly a fickle crowd can change in its attitude toward the coach.
In the first quarter the Panthers hammered to the Tigers’ two-yard line with third down coming up. They were gaining every time they carried the ball. But on third down the Panthers elected a pass into the flat that Charlie Brown, Massillon defender, picked out of the air and raced the distance of the field for the first score of the game.
Wilson was called everything that isn’t intellectual for that play. Joe Heflin, trying to run over the extra point, fumbled and the Tigers missed the bonus.
A fumble by Art Hastings that Wilson recovered on the Tiger 30 paved the way for Warren’s first touchdown with three minutes and 23 seconds left of the second period.
Fullback Dave Jackson, the workhorse for the Panthers, lugged the ball four straight times for nine, 12, eight yards and then the final yard to pay dirt. Caldwell’s kick went wide and the score was tied 6-6.
* * * BUT IN THOSE last three minutes the Tigers took the ball from where they were downed on their 36 with the kickoff and marched to the Warren 26. There Larson scooted out and hit End Larry Ehmer in the end zone for a touchdown. Ehmer had just come into the game as a substitute for Charles Royer, who was injured. Art Hastings just barely missed running in for the bonus points but the Tigers led 12-6 with only 30 seconds of the half remaining.
The Tigers started strong in the second half, reeled off a first down but were set back on the next series by a five-yard penalty which was followed by a fumble that Warren recovered on its 39.
There the Panthers ground out yardage by twos and threes. Three times they faced fourth down and one situations. They made their scanty yards by inches the first two times and the third, time with the ball on the Tiger 30 and the Massillon forward wall drawn in, they sent Caldwell scooting to his right and around end for a touchdown that knotted the score at 12-12. Ken Dean and Ed Radel broke though to block Caldwell’s attempted kick for the extra points, and four minutes and 41 seconds remained of the period.
Warren stopped the Tigers’ next march and as the game went into the fourth quarter Warren had the ball on its own 48 with another of those fourth and one situations. Here again, Coach Wilson was the object of criticism from many fans as he sought to try for the first down and failed when Royer broke through and tossed Halfback Wilson for a loss.
The Tigers took over on the Panthers’ 46 and launched a march that took them into the Promised Land. Key plays in the drive were a keeper by Larson good for 22 yards, a nine-yard pass, Larson to Hastings, and a savage wedge play with Hastings carrying the ball. He scored from four yards out on a wedge.
* * * AGAIN THE TIGERS failed for the third time to collect their bonus points when Larson was tackled as he attempted to run for the goal line.
You know what happened after that. The locals kicked off and Warren roared back, aided by the roughing the kicker penalty to tie the score and then kick the extra point that won the game.
The Tigers ran into a lot of other hard luck in the game. They played over three-quarters without their No.1 defensive lineman, Lawson White, who was tossed out by the officials late in the first period for unsportsmanlike conduct. They claimed he kicked at a Warren player. (Coach Strang is going to reserve judgment until he sees the films.) Then the outstanding wingman, Jim Houston, was forced out early in the second half with injuries.
Other injured Tigers saw very limited service, Bob Herring. Martin Gugov and Virgil Bukuts, the latter getting in for a few plays in the third touchdown march for the first time this season. Bob Baker, first string defensive man, didn’t play at all.
If you look over the statistics you will see where Warren gained 225 yards rushing to Massillon’s 176 and had 221 net yards gained to Massillon’s 190. First downs were 12-11 in Warren’s favor.
Terrific Tigers Smash Warren 38-8 21,092 Fans See Bengals Roll Up 30 Points In First Half To Subdue Foe
By CHARLIE POWELL
Any doubt that Massillon is not MIGHTY MASSILLON was certainly and very explicitly brought to an end Friday night by a hungry band of Washington high school Tiger footballers.
Spirited, downright vicious blocking and tackling, hell-bent-for-leather running, the confidence of a Las Vegas gambler holding all the aces – these were the earmarks of the Tigers as they showed 21,092 fans how the game of football should be played in pounding Warren Harding’s Panthers into submission by a 38-8 tune.
The Panthers did not have a chance against the revenging Bengals.
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In what shaped as a bruiser but wound up as a one-sided bruiser with Warren getting all the “black eyes” the state’s top-ranked powerhouse was conclusively dominant from the first minute to the last tick of the clock.
They set up the invading team with a quick first period touchdown, shook them with two more salvos early in the second quarter and then an electrifying 73-yard run by the whirling Art Hastings just before intermission took 99 percent of the starch right out of the fired-up Panthers. * * * MASSILLON’S heroes drove for another six-pointer in the third stanza and that was the extent of their scoring. But it didn’t matter, one has to think that the boys from Warren wouldn’t have put many chinks in the Tiger armor if they had battled the rest of the night.
The Panthers did score, a fake-punt run by Paul Warfield setting up a 19-yard pass play which averted a shutout, but they floundered and sputtered until that last quarter.
Massillon had 17 first downs to – 10 and five of Warren’s stickmovers came in the last period. Massillon rolled up 409 yards on the ground to 73 for the Panthers – and the visitors netted all but 30 of that total in the final canto.
Had they remained real “hungry” for the second half of their spectacular production, the talented Tigers might have really poured it on. But the final spread of 30 points was plenty good enough against the sixth-ranked Slaughtermen. * * * SLAUGHTERED Warren, in going down to its second defeat against five wins, hadn’t yielded by that many points since Massillon’s 1952 victory by a 31-0 margin.
Had the Tigers kept up the steamroller attack they probably would have passed the 59-0 shellacking the 1940 Panthers suffered at the hands of the Bengals.
The triumph was the seventh of the season and 10th consecutive for the Leo Strang-coached battlers.
It probably will hike Massillon’s stock in the state polls because the Tigers beat a higher ranked team than second-place Springfield, which clubbed Hamilton Garfield, 61-0.
It – the Tigers 26th victory over the Trumbull countians since 1921 – also preserved the record of no Massillon coach ever having lost two in a row to the Panthers.
Offensively, the Orange forward wall which was led by Captain Gary “Sluggo” Bednar, Jim Houston, Wendell Snodgrass, Bob Barkman, Jay B. Willey, Virgil Bukuts and Don Appleby, earned its share of accolades. They cut down the enemy to spring the ball-carriers loose for big yardage and there was picture blocking especially on Hastings’ 73-yarder and that 60-yard gallop by Martin Gugov at the outset of the third frame.
Defensively, the line also was outstanding. Standouts yes, lots of them, but special praise must go to the likes of Houston, Bednar, Willey, Frank Midure, Hase McKey, Gary Wells and Terry Snyder, plus the secondary defenders such as, Gugov, Hastings, Nick Daugenti, Bob Oliver and Bob Herring. Most of their tackles, shook the white-shirted opponents to their toes. * * * THE DEFENSE held the Panthers to less than three yards per rushing play. In the air Warren completed six of 18 passes with one being intercepted and only the 19-yard scoring aerial in the last period did major damage.
The losing side committed three fumbles and twice Massillon boys were “Johnny on the Spot” for important recoveries.
Absolutely and positively, it was a true team effort with 34 Tigers entering the game but how about some of that snazzy running?
The longie by Hastings for the fourth touchdown of the first half must rank with the greatest seen anywhere.
After the Orangemen’s third TD, a Warren bid was thwarted at the 27 and on the first play, the lad they call “Duck” hit off the left side and it looked like an ordinary three or four yard gain. But Art saw that it wasn’t plain ordinary. Between the line of scrimmage and the midfield stripe, he twisted away from four defenders, then at the Warren 45, did a sensational job of pulling away when apparently trapped once again. * * * FREE AFTER this bit of hipper-dipper, he headed for the west sidelines and outran a couple hopeful opponents to the end zone.
Agile Art got his other touchdown on a six-yard slant on his previous trip with the mail and when the game ended he had accounted for 171 yards in 18 tries…an average of 9.5 yards per carry out-doing Warfield’s 6.7 average.
The hard-hitting Gugov carted 10 times for 87 yards and scored twice on short plunges. Bill Finney, using the old noodle when he wasn’t blasting straight ahead, carried 12 times and picked up 61yards – including a one-yard touchdown smash.
Jarrin’ Jim Wood netted 45 yards in six tries and had a 10-yard run wiped out by a penalty. For the first time this year, the Tigers used their classy quarterback, Joe Sparma, as a major infantry “weapon” and he got 32 yards in four carries.
The first time he kept the ball, Joe hummed for 18 yards and this was the longest gainer as the Bengals moved to their second score of the night. * * * SPARMA had to punt only once and this boot went 44 yards. He did not arch a pass until the Tigers tried to “beat the clock” in the second period. He hit on one of four in a space of 50 seconds. On two occasions the pass was completed – but barely out of bounds – and the other toss was batted down on a fine individual effort by Warfield.
Only two of his passes in the second half were way out of reach.
Warfield, who had previously scored eight touchdowns and averaged over eight yards per carry, gained 28 yards on his best try of the game. This came on a double reverse in which he danced to the left and then to the right. The speedy back was shaken up on this play and many times thereafter he was slow getting up off the ground.
On the next play Howard carried nine yards to the Tiger 28 and he too had to have some attention after being knocked out of bounds. Suffering a reoccurrence of his leg injury, he did not get to play in the second half, and for the game carried three times and made 13 yards. * * * FULLBACK Willie Jones did not run like he had a serious leg injury, which hospitalized him last week. His only trouble was that he had to contend with the Tiger defense and he picked up only 23 yards in five trips.
The Tigers started to take command on the sixth play of the encounter when Snyder recovered a Howard fumble at the Warren 45.
In eight plays, the orange and black covered the remaining distance as Finney, Hastings and Gugov toted the pigskin. On a critical three and one-foot situation at the 20, Hastings zoomed 13 yards and three plays later, Gugov dived through a hole at right tackle from two yards out. Finney swept the right flank and at 6:06 jubilant Massillon fans chirped on an 8-0 lead.
On Warren’s first two plays after the kickoff the Panthers had a would-be pass receiver in the open behind Massillon’s secondary. But on the first slip, Quarterback Doug Brown was smacked by Willey as he threw and the wobbly ball fell short. On the next play, the Panthers pulled an identical maneuver in which there was a reverse in the backfield before Brown took a pitch-out. However his throw again was short and Hastings made a leaping interception and got four yards to the Tiger 39. * * * STRANG’S gang went out on the prowl again. After 10 plays and before the quarter came to a conclusion, they had marched to the enemy 11 as Sparma sneaked for 18 and Hastings found a hole for 11.
On the first play of the second round Gugov made four and then came back with six after Wood slipped and fell for no gain. From the one Gugov rammed through right tackle and at 10:38 Massillon had its second tally. Hastings swept left for two more points and it wasn’t long before the score was hiked to 24-0.
A low punt gave the Tigers the ball at their own 21 following a penalty which put the Panthers at their nine-yard line. Wood made four, Finney seven, Hastings two and Finney also two before Sparma pulled a beautiful fake and gave the ball to Hastings who drilled through the left side at 6:22. The conversion again was good as Gugov went across standing up.
As the Tigers re-aligned for the kickoff, hundreds of gala Massillon fans gave them a standing ovation and this roaring apparently spurred the boys for another TD before intermission arrived.
Warfield’s 28-yard sortie aided the Panthers in moving from midfield to the Tiger 27 before their passing attack went awry. Then came the rip-roaring burst by Hastings and with a little over three minutes remaining in the first half the Tigers held a 30-0 advantage. * * * AFTER THE KICKOFF Warren was forced to punt. Wood ran for 15 and then little Bob Herring dashed for 20 to move the ball to the 47. Sparma tossed to Herring on a brilliant play for 14 yards but after another forward failed, time ran out.
Gugov ripped off 60 yards on the third play of the third chukker and Hastings followed with a 15-yard gain. Sparma then was nailed for an eight-yard loss on an attempted pass play and Massillon had to relinquish the ball after an intentional grounding penalty and a screen pass which failed to click.
However, the Tigertowners were back in business after McKey smacked down Brown, (trying to pass) who fumbled with Midure recovering at the Warren 44. Finney galloped 12 yards and the Tigers percolating, but good, once again.
A holding penalty did not deter them as Wood came back with a 19-yard gain on a reverse. From the one Finney tallied at 1:36 and Gugov went in for two more points.
After the kickoff the visitors made 14 yards on the last three plays of the quarter and on the fourth play of the final chapter, Warfield raced 23 yards from punt formation. With the ball at the 19, Brown hit End Dick Laraway who made a difficult catch in the right corner. From placekick formation, Warfield ran across and it was 38-8 at 9:03. * * * ON THEIR NEXT series of plays the Tigers gambled with a fourth and four situation. From punt formation Sparma ran right but was halted about a yard and a half shy of a stick mover.
The Panthers then moved from the Massillon 43 to the 19 before a penalty (illegal player downfield on a pass play) stymied the bid. Two passes fell incomplete.
A holding penalty hurt Massillon and Sparma punted for the first and last time of the night. A Brown to Jones flat pass lost two yards and Warfield caught Brown’s toss for 30 yards but on the last play of the game Daugenti intercepted another Brown forward.
OFFICIALS Referee – Dan Tehan. Head Linesman – Tony Pianowski. Umpire – Jim Lmyper. Field Judge – Sam Hodnick.
Statistics Mass. War. First downs, rushing 16 7 First downs, passing 1 3 First downs, penalties 0 0 Total first downs 17 10 Yards gained rushing 419 101 Yards lost rushing 10 28 Net yards gained rushing 409 73 Yards gained passing 13 76 Total yards gained 422 149 Passes attempted 8 18 Passes completed 1 6 Passes intercepted by 2 0 Times kicked off 6 2 Kickoff average (yards) 33.3 43.5 Kickoff returns (yards) 20 57 Times punted 1 2 Punt average (yards) 44.0 27.5 Fumbles 0 3 Lost fumbled ball 0 2 Penalties 6 3 Yards penalized 80 40
Massillon Virtually Sews Up First Title Since 1954 Rated Warren No Match For Savage Tigers in 38-8 Massacre
By DON LIGHTNER Repository Sports Writer
MASSILLON – It doesn’t pay to defeat the Massillon Tigers. Warren’s Panthers found that out in no uncertain terms here last night.
With 21,092 fans in attendance, the state’s top-ranked Bengals easily crushed the Panthers, 38-8, in a tremendous display of rock’em, sock’em football.
It was sweet revenge for Coach Leo Strang’s Massillon crew. The one-sided victory more than made up for last season’s 6-0 loss at the hands of Warren.
That was the only defeat on the Tigers’ 1958 record and ruined their hopes for the state title which went to Alliance. The Aviators and Bengals tied 8-8 last season.
Massillon also has erased that “blot” – blanking Alliance, 14-0 earlier this campaign.
Thus, the Bengals have a good down payment on their first state championship since 1954 when they posted a 9-1 record under Coach Tom Harp.
It is hard to believe any of the Tigers’ three remaining opponents – Barberton, Akron Garfield and Canton McKinley – can derail the Massillon express.
With seven victories already in the bag, the Bengals seem to be a cinch to post their first undefeated season since 1953.
If there is such a thing as perfect football, Massillon played it last night in the first half. * * * THE FIRED-UP Bengals scored eight points in the first period and then rammed home 22 more in the second quarter for an over-whelming 30-0 lead at intermission.
Massillon’s fantastic feats in the first half stunned the huge throng. For the most part, fans were expecting a close game.
But the Tigers wanted the Panthers’ skin real bad. They forced Warren into mistakes and turned them into touchdowns.
The Bengals’ blocking and tackling were savage. With the triumph locked up at half time, Massillon lost some of its fire in the second half.
It upped the count to 38-0 in the third period before Warren got its only touchdown in the fourth quarter. * * * STRANG JUST shook his head while talking about his charges in the first half.
“I never have had a team which played such vicious football,” Leo said.
“The kids wanted this one real bad. It took us 372 days to get even for last year’s loss to Warren.”
Strang then was asked if the number switching of Warren halfbacks Paul Warfield and Marv Howard caused him any trouble.
“We spotted it on the kickoff.” Strang said. “It was just a bush league trick to do it in front of all those people.”
Warren Coach Gene Slaughter said he knew Massillon would be keying on Warfield and figured it was worth a try.
Slaughter, incidentally, also had a gripe. “This is the second time we’ve come to Massillon without having field phones.” Slaughter said, “We just had to play it by ear.” * * * GENE WENT on to say that his team’s early errors gave Massillon three “cheap” touchdowns. “You can’t expect to win by playing that kind of football.”
Slaughter was referring to a fumble, pass interception and bad punt which Massillon turned into TD’s in the first half.
Although they made the Tiger goal a little easier, there wasn’t much question as to which was the better team.
The Bengals’ savage tackling stopped the vaunted Panther attack.
Howard was knocked out of the contest in the second period with a severely injured shoulder.
The brilliant Warfield also was shaken up as was fullback Willie Jones.
Massillon’s main aim was to keep Warfield contained. It succeeded pretty well.
Only in a few instances did he show his sparkling running form. But it was far too little. * * * MASSILLON’S GREAT depth was overpowering. Fullback Art Hastings was the workhorse with halfbacks Martin Gugov, Bill Finney and Jim Wood adding valuable support. Gugov was the Bengal “storm trooper.” When yards were needed, Gogov got them.
Hastings carried the pigskin 18 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns and an extra point run. Gugov had 10 carries for 83 yards two TDs and two extra point runs.
Finney added a touchdown and PAT to round out the scoring.
Warfield paced Warren with 60 yards in nine carries.
The Panthers put themselves in the hole after receiving the opening kickoff.
After picking up a first down they fumbled on their own 45. Massillon covered and was off to the races.
Eight plays later, Gugov blasted into the end zone from two-yards out. Finney added the PAT. * * * SECONDS LATER, Hastings intercepted a Warren pass on his own 39.
The Bengals pounded downfield to the one-yard stripe where Gugov again took it over on the 14th play. Hastings ran over the extra points.
A poor punt, which went out of bounds on the Warren 21, set up Massillon’s third TD. The kick traveled only 12 yards.
Hastings then tallied from the six-yard line and the rout was on. Gugov made the PAT.
After the Panthers were stopped on the Tiger 26, the most exciting play of the game occurred.
Hastings took the pigskin and rambled 74 yards to pay dirt. At least five Warren players had a crack at the elusive speedster, but he kept right on going down the left sidelines.
The Tigers made their final TD late in the third quarter. * * * AGAIN IT WAS a fumble which gave Massillon possession on the Warren 44. Twelve plays later, Finney went in from the one-yard line. Gugov made the extra points.
Warren then took the kickoff and finally scored after a 63-yard march. With the ball resting on the Massillon 10, quarterback Doug Brown pitched a strike to end Dick Laraway in the end zone. Warfield ran the PAT.
Massillon also won the battle of statistics. It made 17 first downs to Warren’s 10.
The Tigers picked up 422 net yards. The Panthers had only 149.
Warren broke one Massillon streak. It was the first time in 10 games that Bengal quarterback Joe Sparma didn’t complete a touchdown pass.
OUR MAGNIFICIENT Massillon grid warriors knocked the livin’ daylights out of the Warren Harding Panther in the first half, then rested on their laurels.
What a well deserved rest it was!
Warren had only Paul Warfield’s 21-yard scamper to shout about in that all-Massillon show for the first 24 minutes of play.
The Tigers stopped the Panther at every turn.
Most of the fans didn’t realize for over a quarter, that Warfield and Marvin Howard had switched jerseys with Warfield wearing No. 43 and Howard No. 45. But the Tigers knew about the switch at the game-opening kickoff. * * * ALL OTHER tricks the Panthers had up their sleeves failed too.
Meanwhile the blazing Bengals did just that…as the lads up front opened hole after hole for some terrific ball toting by Art Hastings, Bill Finney, Jim Wood, Martin Gogov and Joe Sparma.
Massillon’s first TD got the Panthers anxious and their gambles failed. The second score got them worried and the third – that razz-ma-tazz gallop by Hastings – left them as limp as Grandma’s oldest and wettest dish towel.
Warfield’s run from punt formation was about the only “surprise play” of the night that really worked for the Panthers.
We imagine their coach, Gene Slaughter, was surprised at the final score. * * * IT WAS WARREN’S worst beating in quite a few years but Slaughter had no excuses…he didn’t even feel like mentioning anything about the clock.
How did the Tigers look to him?
“Well, tonight they were a very good football team and we got beat,” he said.
“I honestly believe the difference was up front. You hurt us with those runs outside. You took advantage of the breaks.”
He made quite a point of the latter statement.
Slaughter, who probably will hear the wolves howling today, added, “We gave you three cheap touchdowns,” and complained about the injuries to Howard and Willie Jones slowing his team down.
Up at the north end of the field, Coach Leo Strang could hardly put two words together. He was a happy gent and so were his assistants, players and fans.
“This is the one we waited for…the one we wanted,” he kept repeating.
He was exuberated over the way the Tigers blocked, tackled and ran.
“Did you see that Hastings go, (on Art’s 73-yard TD jaunt),” he exclaimed. * * * “I DIDN’T SEE Warfield do anything like that,” he chortled.
Strang turned serious when a well-wisher yelled, “We’re the champs!”
The Tiger grid commander reminded everybody around that the Bengals have three remaining games and “anything can happen in football.” To emphasize his point, Strang pointed to a large sign in the dressing room. The sign reads, “To be crowned the best, we’ve got to win the rest.”
Leo was only slightly disappointed in that the Tigers didn’t show more offense in the second half. He said he was “trying a few things” and added that had the Tigers stuck to possession football they might have given Warren a more severe thumping.
Everybody around agreed also that after hitting so hard in the first half, the Orange apparently lost some of their energy.
Personally, they should save some of their vim and vigor for the three contests left on the agenda.
Warren Overcomes Tigers In 6-0 Battle First Defeat Of Year Is Also First Failure To Score In 101 Games
By CHARLIE POWELL
The one, only and true difference between a winner and a loser in any sport is the final score.
Despite any second-guessing, anything that is said or done, it was Warren 6, Massillon 0.
It was 6-0 last night, it’s 6-0 today and it will be 6-0 as long as football is played.
The Tigers, try as they did – and that little, three-letter word cannot be overworked – just weren’t meant to bring home the spoils of victory. As a result they tumbled from the ranks of the undefeated, lost the big chance to virtually put the lock and key on the state championship and became the first Washington high school grid team to be held scoreless in over nine years. * * * THEY DID MAKE one score – on the sensational first play of the battle as speedy, spunky Jim Snively went all the way, 90 yards, but it didn’t count and thereafter the Bengals had their backs to the well-known wall.
Four times the ever trying orange and black had the Black Panthers on the ropes. In every quarter the Bengals displayed an effective attack and a tough-skinned defense. They won the struggle of statistics, including 15 first downs to Warren’s 10 and a net 285 yards to Warren’s 189.
But – and there is another “big little word” – the kayo punch never came.
The Panthers, avenging the 1957 setback and obliterating just about all thoughts of the upset at the hands of Central Catholic marched 83 yards for the only touchdown, made on a spectacular 26-yard pass completion at 8:36 of the second period, and when the final second ticked off they had truly earned the coveted victory.
The sweet smell of success touched off one of the biggest athletic celebrations ever seen in the home of the Panthers.
Bedlam reigned, with hundreds of wild Warren followers swarming onto the field to shake hands, pound backs and in general, explode with pent-up emotion. It was a mighty big moment. And justly so as the Panthers rocked state football circles and re-kindled their own flame of hope for a proud procession to the throne room. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,500 fans jammed every nook and cranny of the Warren field to see the battle of the titans. There were 8,200 tickets sold but a number of people reportedly “crashed” the gate through counterfeit tickets and there were several hundred fence – climbers. Most everyone came expecting to see a thriller and they were not let down. * * * WARREN DESERVES all that is to be accorded a giant killer.
However, Massillon did everything but score and she too must be given due recognition. Let it not be said the Tigers were any Little Sisters of the Poor.
Leo Strang’s eleven fought just as hard as Warren. They hit just as hard and if you don’t believe there was some rockin’ and reelin’ socking during those hectic 48 minutes of action you should ask some of those boys who saw stars once in a while. No less than 10 time-outs were taken because a player had the wind knocked out of him. Warren alone had seven injury time-outs.
The hard-to-swallow loss came after the Bengals had cast aside five opponents and tied Alliance. Warren, ranked fourth in the state following the loss to Central, now owns a 5-1-1 mark, with Sharon, Pa., Lorain and Youngstown South remaining on its schedule.
Massillon has Barberton, Akron Garfield and Canton McKinley left and if the Tigers are successful the rest of the way, the results could make it a close fit at the wire.
It will take an upset or two, probably, to keep the 1958 state champion from being an undefeated team. With last night’s Warren win the stock of Cleveland Cathedral Latin, Alliance and Marion Harding should take a jump but the Panthers of Gene Slaughter will be right in there. * * * BEATING A Massillon team for the first time since 1951, the Panthers also became the first team to shut out the Tigers since 1948. That year Len Dawson and his cohorts from Alliance turned the tide, 14-0. Until last night, the Tigers had scored in 100 straight games. The 1945 Tiger-Panther argument ended in a scoreless tie, while the last Warren goose-egg job over Massillon was 12-0 in 1932.
The series now stands at 25 wins for Massillon, and eight for Warren and the one tie.
For those of you interested in figures, the orange limited the hosts to seven first downs and an average of 3.8 yards per play on the ground. Warren’s touchdown pass was the only serious maneuver against the Tigers in the air.
The Panthers, on several occasions, stopped the Tiger attack on crucial plays. On other occasions the Tigers had very little luck riding with them – because a clipping penalty erased a touchdown on the opening kickoff, two passes flicked off the fingertips of intended receivers at the goal line and another was tripped by a defender he had “beat.” Add the fact that Jerry Mitchell got behind his defender in the end zone and then saw his fine, diving effort go for naught as the ball just escaped his outstretched hands by inches.
The Tigers had the outstanding runners too, since Snively, swivel-hipped Art Hastings and the redoubtable Dave Dean each made more yardage than any single Warren runner.
Hastings gained 80 yards in 15 tries, Dean 70 yards in 14 trips and Snively 64 yards in 10 attempts. Joe Sparma made 31 in eight tries.
But the Warren backs, showing speed and elusiveness, kept the invading orange on its toes.
Nimble-footed Paul Warfield with 50 yards in 14 carries, led the Panther infantry. Fullback Bob Sims carried eight times for 44 yards and Halfback Willie Jones made 20 yards in nine trips with the pigskin. Quarterback Joe Malone, pushing the buttons in adept fashion, gained 11 yards in five carries while sub Paul Provitt, replacing Jones who was injured after being tackled on the second half kickoff, ran three times for seven yards.
Now for some of the particulars. * * * THE PARTICULAR PLAY, naturally that had all Tiger fans buzzing, was the one that brought the crowd to its collective feet on the first whistle of the cool, crisp evening. Massillon won the toss and received with Snively grabbing the ball at his own 10. Immediately he set sail up the east sideline, got a couple of nifty blocks around midfield and sprung free at the Warren 30. He outran several opponents to the end zone and completed his 90-yard jaunt amid the cheers of Tiger fans.
But a “hankie” was dropped at the 30 and Massillon was set back to its 15 due to a clipping penalty.
Hastings went for eight and Dean seven before the ball was lost on a fumble and the Tigers were in trouble. Warfield swept the right side for 18 yards and Warren’s second biggest gain on the ground all night, but in the next four plays the hosts made only seven yards and it was Massillon’s turn to wax tenacious.
With Hastings twisting and fighting his way for a 28-yarder, Massillon stayed on the ground to move to the enemy 13. A faulty handoff cost it six yards and two running plays made three before Mitchell and a Warren boy got tangled up and Sparma’s pass was a shade too far deep in the end zone.
And it was Warren’s turn to go on the prowl. The last four plays of the quarter netted 20 yards and the Panthers were aided by an offside call against the orange. Warfield and Jones combined for 17 on the first four plays of the second panel and after Warfield dashed for 12 and Sims for three, Warren was at the Tiger 26.
One pass was short and Jones got zero on the left side but on fourth down and with seven to go, Slaughter’s outfit got the pay-off strike.
Malone passed straight down the middle. Jones snagged the oval on the dead run at the 12 and zipped into the end zone. Malone, passing from placement formation, then failed to hit the mark and it was 6-0.
After the kickoff the Bengals got two first downs but a penalty forced them to punt. Six plays later Warren gambling with fourth and a yard and a half to go at its own 45, failed and the Tigers threatened once again. After Sparma lost six on an attempted pass, he threw out to big Bob Vogel, parallel to the line of scrimmage and Vogel, in turn, fired a long crossfield pass toward Mitchell. The 55-yard pitch led Jerry by a step. With Warren looking for another pass, Sparma kept and got into the open on the right side but he was brought down after a 28-yard pick-up and time elapsed before another play could get under way. * * * THE FIRST TIME the orange and black got possession in the third frame it fumbled and Warren recovered at the Tiger 14, but the defense stiffened, Massillon took over at the 22, and again got a sustained drive going.
Snively rumbled for 28 yards and he, Hastings, Sparma, Dean and Jerry Allen made four first downs to the Panther 13. On the last two plays of the quarter Massillon netted five. On the first play of the final round Sparma was tossed for a four-yard deficit and on fourth down, Pledgure tried a reverse pass. It lacked a foot from making connections to Mitchell who was diving in the corner of the end zone.
An intercepted pass and two booming punts by Sims, aided by the wind at his back and the hard turf which helped the ball bounce along, then held the Tigers at bay. After the second kick at 3:54, Sparma went to the air. He hit wingback Jim Wood for eight and then Snively for 20. The latter ran for six before Sparma fired to him again, this time the gain being 18 yards and 2:45 remained. But here it was not to be.
A Sparma pass was dropped before he was smothered on another potential pass play. On fourth down Sparma’s peg intended for Allen was broken up at the 10 and the handwriting was on the wall. After Sims banged for 23 yards, the Panthers stalled out the clock. Their fans went whoopee and after they finished their congratulating on the field, continued their celebration in the downtown business district.
OFFICIALS Referee – George Ellis. Umpire – Fritz Graf. Head Linesman – Irwin Shopbell. Field Judge – Sam Hodnick.
STATISTICS M W First Downs – Rushing 13 7 First Downs – Passing 2 2 First Downs – Penalties 0 1 Total First Downs 15 10 Number of rushing Plays 58 48 Yards Gained – Running Plays 262 149 Yards Lost – Running Plays 23 14 Net Yardage – Running 239 135 Passes Attempted 10 8 Passes Completed 3 4 Passes Had Intercepted 1 0 Yards Returned – Intercepted Passes 0 7 Yards Gained – Passing 46 54 Total Yardage – Running and Passing 285 189 Number of Kickoff Returns 2 1 Yardage – Kickoff Returns 13 17 Average length of Kickoff Returns 6.5 17.0 Number of Punt Returns 1 0 Yardage – Punt Returns 1 0 Average Length of Punt Return 1 0 Number of Punts 1 3 Total yardage on Punts 42 128 Average Length of Punts 42 42.6 Number of Penalties 3 3 Yards Lost on Penalties 25 15 Number of Fumbles 4 3 Own Fumbles Recovered 2 3 Ball Lost on Fumbles 2 0
State’s No. 1 Team Falls Before 21,384 Fans After Second Half Surge Ties Score Desperation Pass Wins For Tigers Sparma-Childers Duo Puts Massillon Back In Running for Title
By CHARLIE POWELL
The pass was slightly wobbly.
The catch was miraculous, one you have to consider lucky.
But it was the best darn pass Massillon has seen for a long, long time.
It was unfurled by a gutty sophomore Joe Sparma by name, third string quarterback. He threw it some 46 yards and time ran out as it was in the air, for only four seconds remained when the play started.
The Horatio Alger was Clyde Childers senior, first string left end. This kid can do just about anything in big league fashion when he makes up his mind. He streaked past the secondary to the two yard line and as he saw the pigpelt wasn’t going to catch up to him, retraced his steps back to the four. Simultaneously he and Willie Jones, defensive halfback for the erstwhile state leaders, leaped into the air. Big Clyde stretched his 6 ft. 4 frame but managed to get only one hand on the ball.
His paw deflected the ball a bit and he jumped up again at the three-yard line.
He was more than a match for Jones this time. He latched his mitts on the ball – and by instinct, wheeled around and churned off the three most important yards of his young life.
Massillon 20, Warren 14,
Absolute pandemonium reigned at Tiger stadium. Like bees swarming to a hive, the fighting Tigers, their coaches and a couple hundred fans rushed toward the vicinity of the south goal where Childers, then Sparma, then Coach Lee Tressel were mobbed. * * * THERE WAS NO opportunity for an attempt at the extra point and for the moment, nobody was giving it much thought.
If you just gasped for breath and your eyes were glassy, you weren’t alone. If you screamed and yelled and raved and even shed a few tears of joy, you weren’t alone.
Today, perhaps you can’t remember what you said or did – but brothers and sisters, you aren’t alone.
The tumult and the shouting lasted long after the players got to the locker room. As it started to die down, the Tigers came back on the field, headed for the south goal and amid the din looked around for a football, an opposing team – anything. They wanted to try for the 21st point.
Nothing happened for a couple of minutes and back they went for the usual post-game prayer and then much more celebrating. Those who had been in the conflict viewed by 21,384 fans grew more tired. Those who watched from the sidelines worked up more than a sweat. They really whopped it up. * * * THE CELEBRATION was reminiscent of a blast following a state championship victory over arch-rival McKinley.
Out on the field and then in the officials’ room, Warren Coach Gene Slaugher, some of his assistants and a few fans, were showing their ire.
Their argument kept things around the big place humming long after most fans were homeward bound. They claimed that Massillon got an “extra minute” in the late stages of the battle.
They argued that the scoreboard timepiece after reaching the minute mark in the final period, showed 1:59 to go.
There was 2:35 remaining when Massillon got possession of the ball the last time. Time was out at 1:29 after a first down pass was incomplete and fourth down was coming up. After a pass from Halfback Gene Stewart to Halfback Ivory Benjamin made connections, they had to measure for a first down. Time was out at 1:09. The Tigers got the stick mover by a couple inches and here is what happened after that: * * * QUARTERBACK BOB GETZ threw a screen pass to Roger Reese, who was in at fullback. The ball was partially deflected by a Warren player but Reese caught the ball as he was falling. It was a six-yard loss back to the 44. At 0:40 Getz hit Childers on a seven-yard gainer.
Stewart passed again with the effort intended for end Ronnie Williams on about the 10. Three Panthers outfought Williams for the grab and the scoreboard read “0:04.”
Childers made the sensational catch and touchdown and just about everybody in the house went off their “rocker.”
Slaughter and others talked the situation over with the officials and Massillon coaches. It was brought out that through a quirk on the part of the scoreboard the figure one flashed back one while the last 59 seconds were ticking off.
However, the “one” was not showing with 40 and four seconds remaining.
Slaughter was a gentleman through it all. After being assured that it is impossible to set the time back, he asserted that he was not disputing “the honesty of anybody.”
When he first took up the argument he said he planned to lodge a protest regarding the matter. Later he iterated his statement, saying he was going to call H.W. Emswiler, commissioner of Ohio high school athletics, this morning. * * * LONG AFTER most fans were on their way home, Tiger Faculty Manager Roger Price manned the operating system for the scoreboard.
The time piece was started twice.
Instead of reading 0:59 the first time, the figure one flashed one and a minute and 59 seconds ticked off. But on the second test, everything went normal. After the board showed 1:00 it read 0:59, 0:58, and so on.
A mechanical malfunction.
Apparently Slaughter saw the light but still wasn’t entirely satisfied. The young, good-natured mentor whose team lost a heart-breaker, laughed and remarked, “You’d better get that thing fixed” as he turned and headed for the Warren team bus. * * * AFTER COACH Tressel, who was in bed all day Friday, (the flu bug is catching up to him) caught a second breath he commented:
“We were real good the first half and they were good the second half. They have a real good team. They moved the ball that second half. Our offense bogged down.”
“I thought our tackling was good all night. I guess the boys had the desire.”
He might have added that the Tigers appeared to be a tired bunch the last quarter. They were hitting hard – and getting hit hard.
While the offense shined the first half, it was the Orange and Black defense which came in for a giant bouquet the last two periods.
Late in the second period the local hustlers stopped a Panther bid at the nine. After Warren tied the score in the last stanza, the defensive units of both sides took charge.
After Tackle John Pietela’s placement made it 14-14 with 10 minutes and 20 seconds remaining, each team had the ball three series before the Tigers got it a fourth and game-winning time.
Until Massillon gained possession the last time, neither team made a first down. All three times each was forced to punt.
With four minutes left, some fans sent up a howl as the Tigers punted from their own 40. It was fourth and one and apparently they were worrying about the time. * * * WARREN HAD to kick from its 39 and Benjamin returned from his 29 to the 38. Ivory and Jerry Allen made a first down at the Panther 48 before Sparma, with his pass receivers covered, was felled for a nine-yard loss. However, Benjamin zipped for nine on a cross-buck and the Tigers still were in business.
With 1:40 left Stewart’s pass to Childers was too hot to handle but Benjamin took a throw from Stewart for 10 yards and the first down that set the stage for the big developments which gave the Tigers their fifth triumph in six starts.
The win surely will hike Massillon’s stock in the state grid polls. Undoubtedly, Cleveland Benedictine, which has been second after topping Massillon, will move into the No. 1 slot next week.
The championship race could turn out to be a lulu. Much will hinge on the Tigers’ remaining games with Barberton (there next Friday), Akron Garfield (here Nov. 8) and McKinley (at Fawcett stadium Nov. 16).
Massillon fans, used to seeing their team get behind in the first half, were gratified with last night’s early developments that gave the Orangemen the jump.
Warren received and after making two first downs, was forced to punt. The Tigers, for the first time this season, put on a punt rush and Bob Sims, Warren’s main threat in the ball carrying department, was forced to hurry his kick from the Panther 34. * * * THE PIGSKIN sailed out of bounds at the Warren 47 and the Tigers clicked on all cylinders. After Benjamin gained three, they pulled off a running pass good for 19 yards with Stewart doing the tossing and Benjamin the catching.
Benjamin, Stewart, Chuck Beiter, (who was slowed up by a pulled leg muscle) and Corky Pledgure carved out two first downs to plant the ball on the four.
From that point Benjamin, on a “belly” play, cracked off the right side and tallied standing up. Sparma came in and booted the PAT to make it 7-0 at 4:10.
Before the quarter was history, Massillon hit pay dirt again.
Again, Warren failed to get a first down after the kickoff and again Sims was hurried on a punting situation from the 29. This time the ball went out of bounds at the 42.
Benjamin got five, then came back on a smash through the middle for seven. A pass was incomplete and Benjamin made only one but on third down Stewart wound up again.
His pass went into the end zone where Childers made a fine over-the-shoulder catch. Hase McKey came in this time for the placement. He made it 14-0 at 1:48 and the joint was really jumping. * * * IN THE SECOND period the invading outfit, which had won its first six games, never threatened. The Tresselmen threw them for losses amounting to 25 yards.
But the Tigers did no damage as the Panther defense tightened and allowed only two first downs.
Massillon had to punt after Fullback Scott Kanney ripped for 11 as the third period got under way and Childers kicked dead at the Warren 30.
Warren went all the way with the pile-driving Sims featuring runs of 17 and 27 yards. Sub Halfback Larry Dotson scored from the four on a double reverse. He just made it past the final stripe on the fourth and four set-up. Pietela converted at 6:01.
Massillon received, had to punt, and the boot by Childers was grounded at the Warren 38.
On the last 10 plays the Panthers advanced to the Tiger 24 with the big gainer being a 10-yard pass play, Quarterback Joe Malone to Sims. * * * ON THE FIRST play of the last panel Dotson picked up five. Malone passed to Sims who fought his way to the seven. Halfback Bill Miller, who had a tough time shaking loose all night, swept the left side for five before hitting center for the touchdown at 10:20. Pietela’s perfect placement knotted the count and put everybody on pins and needles.
The statistics showed the closeness of the rip-snorter. Warren had 12 first downs, Massillon made 11. By rushing the Panthers gained 199 yards, the Tigers 145. Warren completed four of nine passes for 40 yards and the Tigers hit on seven of 16 for 108 yards.
Stewart completed three for 58 yards and on TD, Getz had two-for-two for 13 and Sparma got one only one pass – but you know what happened.
Benjamin, with 58 yards, was the leading ground gainer for the Bengals. Not to be overlooked were some timely jaunts by Beiter (who did not practice all week), Allen, Pledgure, Stewart and Kanney.
STATISTICS M W First downs, rushing 6 10 First downs, passing 4 2 First downs, penalties 1 0 First downs, total 11 12 Yards gained, running plays 145 204 Yards lost, running plays 20 26 Net yardage running plays 125 178 Passes attempted 16 9 Passes completed 7 4 Passes had intercepted 0 0 Yards gained, passing 106 40 Total yardage 233 218 Number of punts 6 6 Total yardage on punts 218 157 Average length of punts 27.2 26.1 Number of penalties 0 3 Yards lost on penalties 0 35 Number of fumbles 2 1 Own fumbles recovered 1 1 Ball lost on fumbles 1 0
Benjamin, Bivings, Brown Running Stars 13 Points In Final Quarter Cinch Massillon’s Sixth Victory At Warren
By CHARLIE POWELL
The magic number is now three.
Barberton next week, Akron Garfield the week following and then McKinley…all on Tiger stadium soil…these were the obstacles left in Massillon’s path after win No. 6 was chalked up, 26-6, at the expense of Warren’s Panthers last night at Warren Harding stadium.
The victory, the Tigers’ fifth straight over Warren teams which now trail in the long series that shows Massillon with 24 triumphs, seven reversals and a tie, did not come as easy as the final spread would indicate.
It was a 13-6 ball game for over three quarters. * * * AND IT WASN’T locked up by the Bengals until sub halfback Jim Bivings and antelope-gaited Ivory Benjamin winged off a couple of long runs in the last period.
The Panthers, who had won four and lost two before the contest, were rarin’ to knock the wind out of the Tiger sails but Lee Tressel’s charges gained control of the situation before the first quarter was halfway gone. Halfback Wally Armour cut the gap to 13-6 late in the second period when he dashed 46 yards with a punt but on only two other occasions did the Red and Black knock at touchdown door.
With an assist from a Tiger fumble, Warren reached the 23 in the second period before Dick Brenner, defensive safety, hauled in an errant pass. Warren did not threaten again until after Massillon had its 26 points. This time the Panthers moved to the Tiger 22 before the Orangemen stiffened and took the ball on downs.
For four days the Tigers went about tightening the defense which gave up so much ground to Mansfield and the extra work evidently paid off in a big way.
The statistics showed just how funny a bounce a porkhide will take. Against Mansfield the Tigers had possession only 34 plays as compared to 65 for Mansfield. Last night Warren ran 53 plays to Massillon’s 50.
But the Tigers held the upper hand in just about every phase of the game.
They gained 257 yards on the ground, 47 by passing for a net of 304. The defense, tougher from flank to flank, held the host team to 157 yards including 10 by a lone aerial connection. The Orange had 12 first downs to seven for the Panthers. * * * COACH TRESSEL started using substitutes in the first half and before the final horn 38 Massillon players had entered the fray. The fleet Bivings, a junior, was the top gainer – thanks to his 61-yard TD scamper, followed by chuggin’ Chet Brown and the snake-hipped Benjamin. Bivings carried six times for 90 yards, Brown six for 63 and Benjamin 11 for 52. Mike Hershberger, who had a case of indigestion before the opening kickoff and then suffered a leg injury in the second period, carted only six times and picked up 20 yards while husky “Chuck” Beiter, the junior fullback, made 15 in as many trips.
When Hershberger was in action the work-horse, who had been averaging over five yards per try was not his usual self because of his illness. But the injury to his right leg will cause more concern than his tummy. As will the hand injury offensive guard Bob Brown sustained.
Hershberger is likely to miss out on one or perhaps two games while Brown, invaluable as a blocker, could be absent for all three remaining encounters. Only time will tell.
Otherwise the Bengals came out of it in good shape. However, these injuries are enough to keep Tressel a mite worried. Tressel, who pointed out that the tackling showed some improvement, was extremely satisfied by the performances of the shock troopers.
He didn’t name names but one could not overlook the running of Bivings and the defensive play of John Heimann, who replaced Hershberger at halfback on defense. There were other standouts to be sure. The boys were bent on starting to redeem themselves and it looks like they are off to a fine start.
Benjamin had two touchdowns, his other coming on a seven yard slam off tackle on the first play of the second stanza while the fourth Tiger TD was made by Brown, whose 40-yard gallop started the Orange on the right track.
Warren stopped the Tigers after the game opening kickoff and Massillon thwarted the initial bid by the fired-up Panthers. The Tigers worked the criss-cross on Armour’s kick with Benjamin taking the handoff from Hershberger at the Bengal 14 and rushing out to the 30. * * * IT REQUIRED the Tigers nine plays to go 70 yards. Hershberger got four and Benjamin zipped for 10 to the 44. Beiter, Brown and Hershberger gained eight in three plays and on fourth down, Benjamin kept the march functioning.
He cut around the right side on a nifty bit of foot-work for eight yards to the 39 and after Hershberger lost one and Bob Rinehart’s pass to Benjamin was short, Brown hit the jackpot.
Getting some excellent blocking, Chet roared around left end for 40 yards as Massillon fans in the crowd of 10,000 roared, and Massillon led with 4:28 left in the heat. With Hershberger feeling badly, Tressel called on Dave Richardson to boot the point.
Massillon capitalized on an unusual fumble for its second touchdown. Warren had to punt from the Tiger 47 and Armour, back to do the booting, missed the ball. Brown dove on it and the Tigers started pounding at the Panther 44.
Rinehart unlimbered his arm, hit Benjamin at the 25 and Ivory made it to the 12 – a 32-yard pick-up. Hershberger made five and Beiter was held at the line of scrimmage on the last play of the opening round.
Benjamin whizzed into the end zone standing up on the first play of the second panel and after Richardson’s placement went wide, the Tigers were in front 13-0 with only three seconds gone in the quarter.
After the next kickoff Armour, Grover Danage, Jim Dotson and Jim Abrams carried to the Panther 37 before Armour punted. But Benjamin dropped the ball at the Tiger 26 and Warren recovered at that spot.
Danage got two and Dotson one before Abrams went to the airways. Instead of end Bill Greskovich, his peg reached the arms of Brenner in the end zone. Brenner got out to the two and from that point Massillon began to move. Bivings went into the line up and inserted a 15-yard run but the attack bogged down and Hershberger was forced to punt from the 11 after a clipping penalty and Rinehart’s nine yard loss hurt.
ARMOUR FIELDED the punt on the Tiger 46, went to his right, got free at the Bengal 40 and wasn’t stopped. John Petiela’s placement was wide and it was 13-6 at 3:25.
Massillon was on the prowl again. From the 23 Hershberger made six before Bivings got loose for 12 and following a six-yarder by Benjamin, Rinehart hit sub Larry Washington on a 13-yard pass play. Washington gained six and Benjamin, on a reverse scooted 18. But time ran out on the Tigers after Beiter got to the seven.
Both teams picked up two first downs in a third period, which was dull compared to the others.
On the first play of the final canto Jim Dutton, who did a nice punting job after Hershberger left the field, kicked and Armour was stopped at the Warren 22. The Panthers got a first down but from the 34 Abrams’ pass was hauled in by Bivings, who slid out of bounds at the Tiger 39. On the next play the same youngster went the distance. He got a big hole on the right side, wriggled free at the Warren 41 and outran everybody to touchdownland. Richardson’s kick was wide again but Massillon had a 19-6 lead at 9:36.
Warren decided to take to the air after that. Sub Malone completed one to Greskovich for 12 but the Tigers fouled up a statue-of-liberty play and Armour had to punt. Benjamin grabbed the ball on the Massillon 35, faked a handoff, and skipped down the sidelines with nary a Warren player getting a good shot at him. This time Richardson converted to make it 26-6 at 6:19.
After the kickoff Tim Krier’s kickoff was returned to the 29 and Armour ran for 38 but Massillon braced. The Tigers then were forced to punt and Warren was at its own 47 when the game ended.
Tigers Defeat Warren 34-7 Massillon Eleven Gets Back On Victory Trail By Crushing Old Rival
By LUTHER EMERY
The Tigers are back on the road of triumph again. There was happiness in the dressing room and noise in the stands as the Massillon gridders defeated their old rival Warren 34-7 here Friday evening before 11,087 fans.
Gone was that gloom that characterized last week’s 12-12 tie with Mansfield, and another link was welded into the Tigers undefeated chain which now stands at 14 games, with three to go before the end of the season.
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The same team whipped Warren last night as that which dueled a week ago with Mansfield but it didn’t look the same. In the early moments when Warren drove to its only touchdown and the first of the game, there was apprehension that the night would have grave forebodings for the Tigers.
But it only aroused the Bengals and they struck back to control the ball the rest of the way. * * * THEY ONLY managed to come out with a tie the first half, but they completely outplayed the Panthers getting 10 first downs to the latters’ one. Only an error here and there kept the score from growing.
But when Halfback Charlie Brown grabbed a punt on his own 31-yard line in the second minute of the third period and aided by a tremendous block by Earl Radtke, to run 69 yards for a score – the jig was up for Warren.
The Tigers were off to the races thereafter and taking advantage of Warren mistakes, shoved over two more touchdowns in the period and another in the fourth to win by a sizeable margin.
When it was all over, Warren had lost its fifth game of the season as against two wins and was a pretty badly beaten team – physically, statistically and in points.
The Panthers had to take many times out for injuries; they yielded 250 net yards to Massillon on the ground and 54 from passes for a total of 304 net yards to their own 96 and trailed 17-6 in first downs.
Of great satisfaction from a Massillon standpoint was the Tigers’ improved defense and the point after touchdown kicking of John Kasunick. He proved the leading cheer-getter last night as he booted four out of five over the cross bar. * * * COACH TOM HARP was visibly pleased at the outcome too. He felt the team showed considerable improvement in its defense and he complimented Kasunick for his placekicking, the result of a lot of practice the past two weeks.
“There were mistakes,” said Harp, “But with the continued improvement of school spirit, community spirit and the boys’ desire to go to work, we should be able to correct these mistakes and continue to improve.”
The Tiger dressing room presented a far-different picture last night, than a week ago, for the boys knew they had played a ballgame and the gloom was gone from their faces as well as those of the many well-wishers who came in to congratulate them.
In whipping Warren they had rolled up the second largest score of the season on the Panthers this year. Only the 46-0 walloping handed Warren by Canton McKinley in the second game of the season exceeded last night’s spread of points.
The Tigers mixed passes with their running attack last night, throwing 10 and completing four, one for a touchdown, for a total of 54 yards.
They also ran 46 plays on the ground, excluding a punt, Dave Archibald ran 19 of them to lead the ground gaining with 126 net yards. Brown ran five for 28 yards and two touchdowns, one a punt return; Don Duke 12 for 52 net yards and a T.D.; Willie Long, six for 35 yards and John James four for 10 yards including a touchdown.
The Tigers’ other touchdown came on a pass over center, James to Dave Canary for 13 yards. * * * THE PANTEHRS ran 35 plays on the ground and tossed nine passes, completing three for 20 yards.
Chief ground gainer for the visitors was Nate Reed with 23 yards in nine attempts. Nick Spitogiania gained 17 yards in four carries and Frank Lengel 16 in five.
The Tigers won the kickoff for a change and on their first possession of the ball carried to midfield only to have Rickey Lawrence, a halfback, intercept a James pass and dash back to the Massillon 22. Reed was stopped without gain on the first play but then Lengel hit for two and seven and Reed for five that gained a first on the eight. Carries by Lengel and Reed failed to gain a yard but on third down the ball was pitched out to Reed who went around his left end to score with seven minutes and seven seconds still to play.
That fired up the Massillon team. They took the kickoff and with Archibald and Duke carrying and aided by a pass from James to Canary for nine yards, reeled off four first downs in a row to put the ball on the 12 by the end of the quarter.
On the first play of the second period with fourth down coming up and seven to go, Brown took a pitch and went around his left end to score and Kasunick added the extra point.
The high school reserves will play the Akron St. Vincent reserve team at 8 o’clock tonight at Tiger stadium.
The Tigers pushed Warren all over the field the remainder of the period for six first downs to the Panthers’ eight yards gained, but were unable to score.
A fumble which they recovered stopped one drive and they lost the ball on a fumble in another effort.
The actions was fast the third quarter. * * * WITH THE SCORE tied 7-7 Warren received to start the second half. The Tigers forced a punt and Brown gathered in the ball on his 31 and set sail for the Warren goal. Radtke, who had injured a leg knocking down a pass on the previous play, liberated Brown with a block that took two Warren tacklers out of the way. The Tigers by that time had set up a wall of interference that protected Charlie as he raced down the sideline.
Kasunick’s placekick made it 14-7.
The Panthers got off a pass for 15 yards, John Theoharis to George Beck, after the kickoff, but after that they went backwards. Theoharis pressed hard, fumbled and Canary was on the ball for Massillon on the 30. Archibald, Duke and Brown took it to the 13 and James on third down fired over the line to Canary who got across the goal with the ball.
Warren only got off one play after the following kickoff when Grover Danage fumbled and Dave Schumacher flopped on the ball on the Warren 46. Bottled up trying to pass, James went down the middle for 15 yards and Archibald reeled off 21 more for a first down on the 10. Warren was penalized five for offside and Duke got two yards and James went over on a keep play. Kasunick missed his only try for point of the evening after this touchdown.
The Tigers got their last score after Schumacher again gained them position by covering Abrams’ fumble on the Tiger 36. Warren got to that point largely as a result of an attempted on-side kick that barely got off the tee.
After Duke had gained the Tigers a first down on the locals’ 49, Warren all but stopped the Massillon march. But Archibald, running from punt formation and from behind some good blocking, went for 20 yards and a first on the 28. A five-yard penalty set the Tigers back but Long got five and then raced 21 yards for a first down on the seven. Archibald moved it four yards closer and Duke took it over. Kasunick kicked the extra point.
The Tigers picked last night to try the onside kick which they have been practicing but it fizzled out, the ball not traveling the required 10 yards and going to Warren inside the 50.
Officials Referee – Lymper (Mansfield). Umpire – Russ (Youngstown). Head Linesman – Tobin (Akron). Field Judge – Klocker (Akron).
STATISTICS Mass. Warren First downs 17 6 Passes attempted 10 9 Passes completed 4 3 Had passes intercepted 2 0 Yards gained passing 54 20 Yards gained rushing 266 99 Total yards gained 320 119 Yards lost 16 23 Net yards gained 304 96 Times punted 1 3 Average punt (yards) 13 25 Yards punts returned by 69 0 Times kicked off 6 2 Average kickoff (yards) 26 33 Yards kickoffs returned by 16 60 Times fumbled 2 4 Lost ball on fumbles 1 3 Times penalized 3 2 Yards penalized 15 10
Tigers Beat Warren In Fourth Quarter Orange And Black Come From Behind To Defeat Spirited Panthers 12-7
By LUTHER EMERY
A fired-up Warren Panther gave the Washington high Tigers a terrific battle before 11,000 fans in its home den Friday evening, but had its prey snatched from it in the fourth quarter just when it appeared another autumnal upset was in the making.
The Tigers won, 12-7, but it took a great goal line stand to seal it.
It was a whale of a game, evenly played most of the way, but with Massillon having just a little more of what was necessary in the pinches to score and to keep from being scored on.
It was anybody’s contest from beginning to end.
Warren, all fired up at the start, took the play away from the Tigers, kept them in the hole the entire first half and never allowed them over the midfield stripe. The Panthers at the same time were stopped once on the one-half yard line in the first period and succeeded in pushing over a T.D. in the second to lead 7-0 at intermission.
Coach Tom Harp stoked his Tigers with enthusiasm between halves and they came out a different ball team the third quarter. * * * DENIED a touchdown in their first bid, they covered a Warren fumble on the 28-yard line and passed for a touchdown on the second play, Dick Crescenze to Dick Fromholtz. But Big Bob Williams’ attempt for the extra point was partially blocked and Warren still led 7-6.
The Panthers were still in front going into the fourth quarter but the Tigers struck back with their best march of the night, a drive of 87 yards that actually amounted to 102 yards with a 15-yard penalty added, to score a second touchdown, which iced the game.
But the gate was not closed on the Panthers until the last half minute of the game. Then it was the Tigers stopped a belated Warren drive on the four-yard line, took the ball, and froze it to run out the clock.
What happened before that last Warren effort only prefaced the excitement that bubbled and gurgled from the stands as Warren urged its team to score and Massillon fans pleaded for their eleven to turn back the threat.
Everything was packed into the fourth period drama. The Massillon fans rejoiced when Jerry Yoder toured his left end for 19 yards and six points, to give the Tigers a 12-7 lead, and moaned when Williams’ second attempted kick went plenty high but just wide of the uprights.
There were moans and hurrahs when the Tigers’ following kickoff bounced through the hands of two Warren players to stop on the five-yard line. * * * THEN WARREN set its sights on a winning touchdown and began to march. Once the Tigers seemed to have the Panthers stopped but that’s when John Theoharis stepped back and fired a 42-yard pass to left end Don Zerial. Homer Floyd and Andy Stavroff, Tiger defenders went up in the air trying to intercept the ball. All three seemed to hit it but it only made a more perfect catch for Zerial as it bounded into his hands while he was traveling full speed. Stavroff turned and went after Zerial. It was evident he couldn’t grab him around the legs so he made a desperate lunge, he caught hold of his shirt and down went Zerial for a first down on the 14, with only a couple of minutes left to be played.
Nate Reed, a substitute halfback, was turned loose twice and he picked up eight yards. With the ball on the six and only two yards needed for a first down, the Tigers showed their grit. They yielded a yard to Giles, but when Hamilton attempted to circle right end he was thrown for a yard loss and the Massillon gridders took over with only 30 seconds left to play.
Crescenze played it safe after that, carried two straight times, getting a first down on one carry and just dropping on a knee the second time to run out the clock and seal the Massillon victory. * * * THE MASSILLON gridders were jubilant as the last shot was fired and the Tiger band took over the cheering. The victory was even more satisfactory to the local gridders when told that Coach Chuck Riffle of the Panthers was supposed to have said that Massillon was a first half ball team.
It wasn’t last night and because the local team took charge in the second half it still is a top contender for the state title along with Canton McKinley, which last night whipped previously unbeaten Alliance 26-6.
Maybe news of Canton leading Alliance at the half helped to fire the Tigers for their second half charge. Whatever it was they came out with a complete reversal of form, used the forward pass effectively for the first time this season in their two touchdown marches and kept Warren bottled up, save for that breath-taking last minute surge of the Panthers.
Statistically the Tigers had a little better of the argument too. They made 12 first downs to Warren’s 10 and gained 239 net yards to Warren’s 190. Each team completed four passes, the Tigers gaining 76 yards with passes and Warren 65.
Warren used a short pass over the line of scrimmage effectively the first half, but for some reason failed to use it the second half even though the zone was frequently unguarded. * * * THE TIGERS not only passed to their first touchdown, but mixed three completed passes in the series of plays that led to the second T.D. One went to Robert Williams for 17 yards, another to Ken Lorch for seven and a most important one to Jim Houston for 23 that helped to overcome a 15-yard penalty.
The Tigers also moved the ball on the ground and the second half more than they did the first. They depended too much on Homer Floyd the first two periods, but used him as a decoy often in the last two periods in which Ronald Boekel and Yoder gained considerable yardage.
Warren threw a scare into the Tigers early in the game. The brimstone breathing Panthers kicked off to Massillon and smothered everything the locals tried on the first series of plays for a loss of eight yards.
Tom Stephens barely got his punt away to his own 38.
Running hard, they ripped off three straight first downs, the last on the seven-yard line. Here the Tigers braced and took it away from Warren on the one-half yard line.
Warren continued to play in Tiger territory and the Tigers in two punt exchanges couldn’t get the Panthers out of their yard. Then Warren struck from the Massillon 44, marched to three first downs with Giles going over on fourth down from the five-yard line. Jack Begala kicked the extra point and Warren led 7-0.
The Tigers could no nothing next time they got the ball and the half ended shortly thereafter, * * * WARRREN received to start the third period but was forced to punt, the Tigers getting the ball on their own 27. Floyd got off a 12-yard run and Boekel in two dashes went 54 yards for successive first downs on the Warren 27 and 15.
Warren braced and limited the next three Tiger chargers to seven yards. An attempted pass on fourth down was batted down by Giles and Warren took over on its eight.
The Panthers got out to the 28 where Holloway pounced on a fumble for the Tigers. On the first play Crescenze found Yoder open in the end zone but he dropped the ball. However, it would not have counted since the Tigers were offside and were penalized back to the 33. Using the same play with Dick Fromholtz now at the halfback spot, Crescenze whipped a beauty to him in the end zone. A chance to knot the score was missed when Warren blocked the extra point.
It was clear that the Tigers now had the power to move the Panthers on offense.
They forced them to punt after the kickoff and Trice got off a beauty to the Massillon 13. Here began the winning drive.
Boekel and Floyd only got three yards on the first two plays, so Crescenze whipped a pass to Bob Williams good for 17 and a first down on the 33. Floyd made six at right end and on a quick opener, being nabbed by the last defensive man after making a first down on the Warren 49. Crescenze pitched to Ken Lorch for seven and Floyd made a first on the 37.
Boekel rammed for a first but the Tigers were penalized 15 yards for an illegal play. Crescenze made up for it with a fine pass to Houston for 23 and on a keeper play went to a first down on the 23. Floyd made four at right end and on the next play Warren was completely fooled as Yoder came around his left end for 19 yards and the winning touchdown.
There followed Warren’s frantic drive and that was the end of it.
The Massillon gridders will meet Barberton here next Friday evening.
STATISTICS Mass. Warren First downs 12 10 Passes attempted 8 5 Passes completed 4 4 Had passes intercepted 0 0 Yards gained passing 75 65 Yards gained rushing 173 136 Total yards gained 248 201 Yards lost 9 11 Net yards gained 239 190 Times punted 4 3 Average punt (yards) 36 37 Yards punts returned by 7 26 Times kicked off 3 2 Average kickoff (yards) 46 48 Yards kickoffs returned by 19 43 Times fumbled 2 2 Lost ball on fumble 0 1 Times penalized 3 3 Yards penalized 35 15
BATTLE FOR FIRST PLACE WON BY WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL Tigers Crush Warren Panthers 27-6
By LUTHER EMERY
A gallant band of Tiger football players took everything Warren had to offer for the better part of two periods Friday evening and then struck back with a devastating attack that produced a 27-6 victory, the 20th triumph in a row for the orange and black.
It was convincing proof for an overflow crowd of 22,000 fans that first place is where the Tigers belong in the Ohio high school football standings.
What a terrific first half it was!
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The two teams battled to a scoreless tie until the Tigers passed to their first touchdown with only 34 seconds of the half remaining to be played. It was a great effort by Quarterback Rick Crescenze and a fine bit of running by Halfback Johnny Traylor, who caught the ball on about the 30 and stepped around and about the Warren tacklers for the rest of the distance. The entire play was good for 41 yards.
Up to that time Warren had the better of it, for the scoring pass not only produced the lone touchdown of the first two periods but also put Massillon ahead in the yards gained. Up to that time the statistics were in the Panthers’ favor.
As it turned out the six points and the successful conversion by Tom Boone of the extra point on a placekick, turned the tide of battle in favor of Massillon.
The second half of the duel was overwhelmingly dominated by Massillon – in points and in offense and defense. Where the Tigers only made 158 net yards to Warren’s 131 net yards the first half, they rolled up 230 yards to the Panthers’ 59 the last two periods.
Actually it was the turn about in the Tiger defense that helped to swing the tide to Massillon.
A shifting defense the first half was inadequate to contain the Panthers and they dominated the play, running 32 plays to the Tigers’ 19.
The orange and black met them with a seven-man-line much of the second half and virtually stopped the thrusts of the Warren backs, limiting them to 47 yards on the ground. As a result the visitors were unable to control the ball as they did the first half and the Tigers had more opportunities to get their offense rolling.
It still was anybody’s ball game though until the last minute of the third period when Homer Floyd raced around end for the Tigers second touchdown with 30 seconds left in the frame to lead 14-0.
Nobody gave Warren much of a chance after that, though both teams fought tooth and nail right up to the final whistle.
The Tigers chalked up their third midway in the fourth quarter on a 40-yard run by Traylor and Warren got its lone T.D. on a pass following an interception on the Tiger eight, with a minute and 20 seconds of the game left to be played. The Tigers chalked up another on a pretty 42-yard pass play, Roy Johnson to Jim Letcavits with 39 seconds left of the game.
While Massillon was by far the superior team the second half, the game with a few breaks could have been much closer. Knock off the two touchdowns scored right at the end of the second and fourth periods and you would have the Tigers wining by 13-6 and if you want to make Warren look better yet, take into consideration the Panther fumble the Tigers recovered behind the goal line that might have led to another Warren touchdown had it not been for the muff.
Of course the local gridders had their bad breaks too. Warren never would have scored had not the orange and black, in possession of a safe 20-0 lead, gambled on a forward pass deep in their own territory with a minute and a half to go. Bob Maniatis intercepted it and ran back to the eight-yard line before being tackled. On the next play Quarterback Dave Preston passed to End John Smith for the Panther touchdown. * * * OUT-OF-TOWN writers in the press box were virtually all agreed that the Tiger team was considerably better than the Panthers over the four periods of play. Perhaps the happiest man in the press box was Bill Levy, sports editor of the International News Service, who had been criticized quite severely in Trumbull County the past week for having Warren far down the line in his football poll. He thought the Tigers’ 27-6 victory vindicated his judgment.
The game was the fastest played contest of the year. But one penalty was stepped off – a five-yarder against the Tigers. The locals refused a motion penalty against Warren and the latter refused a penalty against the Tigers.
A minimum of incompleted passes also hastened things along and there were few timeouts for injuries.
The Tigers had the best of the statistics. They made 15 first downs to Warren’s 12, completed half of their eight passes for 115 yards while Warren completed four of 10 for 37 yards, and gained 278 yards rushing to Warren’s 166. Net yardage, rushing and passing was 381 to 190 in the local teams’ favor.
Even in punting Traylor had the edge, averaging 48.5 yards on his two boots to 41 yards for Warren. * * * FIRED by a week of intensive preparations and pep meetings and buoyed by the confidence of some 7,000 fans who followed them to Massillon, the Panthers were keyed up for the contest and put up their best game of the season.
They made it uneasy for every Massillonian the first half and well through the third period, or until the Tigers put over their second touchdown.
“They tackled hard,” the Massillon boys said after the game and the coaches agreed it was a rough go.
Coach Mather took a brief moment to pay compliments to the performance of his team but was quick to say “right now I’m worrying about Toledo Waite. They’re the biggest team our scouts have ever seen in high school uniforms and what worries us most is that everyone is talking about Fremont Ross, and nobody is thinking of Waite. I believe Waite can beat Ross.”
At this stage the conversation someone rushed in to state he had just heard over the radio that Waite had beaten Toledo Central 61-13.
“See, that’s what I mean,” said Mather. “Waite has a ball team. It has lost one game – by a point – and to a team that is still undefeated. We can’t have any letdown this week – or the next – or the next.”
But Mather’s comments were almost drowned out with the hum of talk and rejoicing of fans over the conquest of Warren. * * * ALL FOUR of Massillon’s touchdowns came outside the 10-yard line and three of them were for 40 yards or more.
That’s the kind of team the local eleven has been all season – apt to go for the distance at anytime.
Every touchdown had a bit of the razzle dazzle, in it, Traylor’s run for the first, has already been described. It was a pretty piece of footwork on his part. The second made by Floyd was a 12-yard flanker following a pitchout. The third and Traylor’s second was the same perfect play that he worked against Mansfield a week ago, when he ran parallel to his line and then cut around the end to go for the works. Prettiest part of the run was when he took a shoulder away from the only Warren tackler to threaten him.
The last T.D. came out of a clear sky as Johnson went in as substitute and fired the ball to Letcavits who caught it on about the 10 and hastened over the goal. The boys in the dressing room afterward were kidding the bespectacled and smiling Roy as to what kind of jet propulsion he had behind the thrust. * * * THE MASSILLON fans booed the officials several times for what they thought were errors of judgment.
They didn’t like the five-yard penalty inflicted after a sucker shift which gave the visitors a first down. Mather thought it illegal. The officials ruled contact had been made by a Massillon player who had jumped offside; hence the penalty.
A boo went up when no penalty was inflicted after Traylor had been knocked down while punting. The officials considered it unavoidable…another when a visitor roughed up Traylor near the north end of the field late in the game.
Considering the stakes – first place in the state standings – the game was played hard and for the most part it was clean. * * * WARREN FANS had plenty of opportunities to cheer and rightfully so for their eleven. It undoubtedly gave the Tigers their hardest game of the season and despite the defeat the Panthers still deserve a high spot in the standings. We believe the Panthers could trim most of the 10 leaders in the poll and shall cast our vote accordingly.
Warren has a rugged line and a particularly hard runner in Jim Rogers. He battered the Tigers hard early in the game.
The first quarter was over before most fans got settled in their seats. Each team had the ball twice during the period. Warren kicked off to the Tigers who after making one first down were forced to punt from their 48 to Rogers who was downed on his 17. The visitors reeled off three first downs and got down to the Tiger 39 where they fumbled, Willie Longshore covering for Massillon on the locals’ 47. The Tigers largely on Francisco’s 14-yard effort went to Warren 33, where Traylor fumbled a handoff and Warren recovered on its 35. The visitors made a first down and were back to the Massillon 46 as the quarter ended. * * * THE TIGERS held for three downs and with fourth and four coming up, Warren pulled the sucker shift previously referred to that drew the Tigers offside. The five-yard penalty gave the visitors a first down on Massillon’s 37. Incidentally, Warren writers said it was the first time this season the Panthers had used the sucker shift.
Warren moved to a first on the 25 and executed a fine fake handoff to send Giles around right end to a first down on the six. But on the next play Rogers fumbled on the goal line while being tackled and Eddie Fletcher pounced on the ball for a touchback.
A 47-yard run by Francisco helped take the ball to the 19 where Warren braced and held for downs. The visitors struck back with three consecutive first downs that moved the ball to the Massillon 37, where Ron Gardner, Tiger linebacker, intercepted a pass of Preston’s on third down.
That got the Tigers going. Crescenze tossed to Boone for a first on the Warren 47 and Floyd ground out six through the middle of the line.
With the seconds rapidly ticking away, Crescenze faded back, ran far to his right, pursued by two Warren tacklers and just got the ball away in time to Traylor who had planted himself between the visitors’ secondary. Johnny had to do some fancy running to elude Panther tacklers and aided by a couple of superb blocks, went over for the first T.D. with 34 seconds to spare. Boone kicked the extra point. * * * THE TIGERS scored the first time they got the ball in the third period – the only time they had it. They first had to stop Warren after the kickoff and force the visitors to punt, Preston getting off a good boot to the Massillon 18. It took nine plays to get the ball to the Warren 12. Homer Floyd got off two dandy runs en route including one of 28 and Crescenze hit Letcavits with a 14-yard pass that put the ball on the 12. A pitchout to Floyd produced the touchdown. Warren was able to run but one play after the following kickoff before the end of the period.
The team exchanged punts in the third quarter and Warren was forced to boot the ball a second time to the Tigers, Floyd running the leather back to his 37. A 22-yard effort by Traylor put the ball on the 40 from which spot he took off for the rest of the distance. Porter tried to run the extra point across but didn’t quite make it and the score stood at 20-0.
The Tigers kicked off and again forced Warren to punt. Crescenze tried to pass from his own 24 but Maniatis got in front of the ball, intercepted and ran back to the eight before he was knocked out of bounds. On the next play Preston passed to John Smith for the Warren points.
The Tigers took the kickoff and moved rapidly. Ronnie Agnes brought it back to his 42 and Traylor ran to a first down on the Warren 48. Floyd on a pitch out went out of bounds on the 42 and Johnson was sent in to throw for the Tigers. Throw he did and completed his first peg to Letcavits for the last touchdown of the game. Boone kicked this extra point too.
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Boone 3 (placekicks).
Officials Referee – McPhee (Poland). Umpire – Russ (Youngstown). Head Linesman – Zimmerman (Cuyahoga Falls). Field Judge – Lobach (Akron).
STATISTICS Mass. Warren First downs 15 12 Passes attempted 8 10 Passes completed 4 4 Had passes intercepted 1 2 Yards gained passing 115 37 Yards gained rushing 278 166 Total yards gained 393 203 Yards lost 12 13 Net yards gained 381 190 Times kicked off 5 2 Average kickoff (yards) 47 30 Times punted 2 4 Average punt (yards) 48.5 41 Yards kickoffs returned by 20 71 Yards punts returned by 16 19 Times fumbled 1 3 Lost ball on fumbles 1 2 Times penalized 1 0 Yards penalized 5 0
History 
