The Tigers strutted their stuff Friday night to the tune of a 38-0 blasting of visiting Youngstown South at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Now the Tigers (8-1) find themselves in preparation for arch-rival McKinley, which posted a 13-6 over North Canton.
Against South (5-4), Massillon’s defense was at its best. The famed “Tiger Claw” did its thing, holding the Warriors to a net total of 118 yards.
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In the first half the Tiger defense was simply awesome, yielding just 42 yards. Half of South’s rushing attempts were for zero or minus yardage.
While the defense was busy holding the quick Warrior offense at bay, the Tiger offense was efficient to say the least.
Quarterback Brian Dewitz completed seven of 11 passes, including six of his last eight tries, for 108 yards and three touchdowns.
Running back Craig Johnson, who caught two of those three TD aerials, totaled 82 yards on the ground on 15 attempts. He added 52 yards via the airways, and now has 110 points scored on the season.
After a scoreless first quarter in which South was held to one net yard on six rushes, the Tigers put it all together in the second stanza by scoring all three times they had the ball.
Massillon’s first score came on a 37-yard pass from Dewitz to Johnson . The Tiger signal-caller faced a heavy rush on the screen pass, tossing the ball over the onrushing Warrior defense.
Johnson, who bobbled the ball at first, took the pass into the end zone at the 10:05 mark. The drive found Johnson gain nine yards on the ground, and Dewitz 11.
The Tiger defense then held South to minus 10 yards before forcing a punt.
On the first play from scrimmage the Warriors were called for pass interference, but the Tigers were in turn called for illegal motion. With the ball on South’s 37, Johnson rambled for 13 yards before a Chris Spielman carry went for negative yardage.
South was called offside when Johnson broke off a five-yard gain to give the Tigers a first down at the 17. From there unheralded fullback Tom Gruno went the remainder of the distance for his first TD of the season.
As he did on the first Tiger score, Bronc Pfisterer added the point after and Massillon owned a 14-0 lead at the 5:28 mark.
Again the Tiger defense rose to the occasion in holding South to one yard in three plays. Massillon took over on its 47 following a 34-yard punt.
Johnson broke off a 16-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage before Dewitz hit Reggie Crenshaw for a 21-yard gain to the South 16. Gruno then picked up six before the Tigers were called for illegal motion.
With the ball on the 15, Dewitz found a diving Johnson in the end zone for a TD at the 1:20 mark.
Prior to South’s final drive of the first half, the Warriors had a total of minus eight yards in offense. The visitors then gained 50 yards on the last march to gain some lost confidence.
South’s offense continued to sputter in the second half, though. On its first set of downs Tigers safety Steve Walterhouse intercepted a pass. Massillon, however, was unable to capitalize on the turnover.
Spielman then intercepted another Chris Williams pass, zig and zagging his way 39 yards to the South 9 on its next sequence of plays.
From the 9 Johnson gained six yards before Spielman was hurled for a yard loss. Dewitz, on third-and-goal, then hit a wide-open Spielman on a swing pass.
Three plays and a punt later and the Tigers took over on their own 36.
A Dewitz pass to Gruno covered nine yards after Johnson was held to no gain. Spielman then picked up the first down on a tough one-yard gain.
Johnson picked up two more yards when Spielman displayed his prowess in throwing a football, hitting Paul “Big Play” Briggs for a 47-yarder to the South five. From thee Spielman carried the pigskin to pay dirt with 49 seconds left in the third quarter.
Massillon’s final score, a 41-yard field goal by school record holder Pfisterer with 2:48 left, was set up by a fumble recovery by Glen Thomas, the 5-foot-6, 155-pound nose guard.
Pfisterer’s kick was his seventh three-pointer of the season and his 12th as a Tiger.
South’s deepest penetration was to the Tiger 35 at the end of the first half. Of their 12 possessions the Warriors only invaded Massillon territory that one time.
Now, bring on McKinley.
MASSILLON………………..38 SOUTH……………………… 0
Statistics M S First downs rushing 8 4 First downs passing 6 2 First downs by penalty 1 0 Totals first downs 15 6 Yards gained rushing 168 110 Yards lost rushing 14 32 Net yards rushing 154 78 Net yards passing 171 40 Total yards gained 325 118 Passes attempted 18 14 Passes completed 9 4 Passes int. by 1 2 Times kicked off 7 1 Kickoff average 53.7 60.0 Kickoff return yards 0 87 Punts 2 7 Punting average 45.0 33.7 Punt return yards 13 16 Fumbles 3 3 Fumbles lost 0 1 Penalties 4 3 Yards penalized 20 24 Touchdowns rushing 2 0 Touchdowns passing 3 0 Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0 Number of plays 54 46 Time of possession 25:13 22.47 Attendance 8,518
Tigers’ 4th‑quarter rally downs South 22‑point period nets 36‑25 victory
By ROLLIE DREUSSI Independent Sports Editor
“We don’t play them next year, do we coach?”
“Heck no, let somebody else play ‘em.” Massillon coach Mike Currence said.
And good luck to whoever does.
For the second time in three weeks the Massillon Tigers came from behind to pull out a hard‑fought victory as they downed Youngstown South 36‑25 Friday night in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
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The Warriors’ now 4‑2, have a young team ‑ with four sophomores and only nine seniors starting ‑ but they gave the Tigers all they could handle.
They took a 19‑14 lead early in the fourth quarter, and it took a 22‑point final period by the Tigers to finally subdue them.
South’s 25 points was the most scored by an opposing team in Tiger Stadium since 1969 when Niles beat the Tigers 33‑20. It was the most points scored against the Tigers, period, since 1974 when the Tigers lost 31‑14 at Upper Arlington and 35‑10 at Warren Harding.
The Tigers and Warriors piled up a total of 661 yards ‑ 352 of those by South, all on the ground.
“Those are the finest two backs I’ve seen here in five years,” Currence said of seniors Scott Ivy and Arthur Beck. “And (Kevin) Burkley, he’s a super quarterback for a sophomore.”
Those three Warrior backs did all the running for South, with Ivy gaining 166 yards in 19 carries, Beck picking up 98 in 22 rushed and Burkley finishing with 94 in 19 tries.
But it was a clutch fourth‑quarter effort by the Tiger offense which helped Massillon raise its unbeaten record to 5‑0‑1.
Quarterback Dave Eberhart’s second touchdown of the game gave Massillon a 22‑19 lead, and a pair of TD runs by fullback Don Fulton clinched the game for the Tigers.
Fulton, who had been the starting halfback in preseason before being switched to end to shore up the defense, had an outstanding game.
“He did a great job,” Currence said of the 6‑0, 200‑pound senior. Fulton rushed for 160 yards in 16 carries
Eberhart only gained two yards, but they were big ones ‑ each being a one‑yard sneak for a touchdown. He also hit eight of 10 passes for 70 yards.
He was three‑for‑three for 44 yards in the fourth quarter, with all three passes going for first downs in the Tigers 66‑yard, 13‑play drive that put them ahead to stay.
Eberhart climaxed that drive with a one‑yard TD sneak to put the Tigers ahead 20‑19, then did a great job of scrambling as he ran in the extra points for a threepoint cushion that the Tigers never lost.
The Warriors never gave up, however, and might have pulled out the game had it not been for a crucial fourth‑quarter mistake by Burkley.
with his team trailing 22‑19, Burkley took off on one of his option runs (which had given the Tiger defense fits all night). He gained 10 yards up to the South 44 and had a first down ‑ when he lateralled the ball forward to a teammate. That resulted in a five‑yard penalty from the point of the foul and also incurred a loss of down.
That put South back at its own 39 with a second‑and‑six, and defensive tackle Ed Newman then sacked
Burkley for a seven‑yard loss. Burkley threw an incomplete pass, and then completed a pass for minus-three yards on a fake punt play an fourth down.
Massillon took over at the South 30, And senior Dave Huth had a touchdown run on first down called back by a clipping penalty. He still got credit for a nine‑yard gain on the play, and following an illegal procedure penalty against Massillon, be scampered another 13 to the South 13.
Fulton then carried for four yards, and followed a Todd Kasunick block for nine more yards and a TD on the following play with 3:35 left.
Massillon’s 29‑19 lead shrank 1:09 later when Beck bolted 25 yards for a touchdown on a draw play. Beck was stopped however, on his conversion run attempt and the Tigers led 29‑25.
The Tigers had a close call when South almost pulled off an onside kick, but Massillon managed to come up with the ball at the South 49.
Fulton burst through the line for 47 yards, with Ivy (who also played In the secondary) barely catching him from behind. Fulton carried it in from the two with 1:39 left to seal the victory.
Massillon had opened the scoring in the first quarter by driving 53 yards in eight plays with Eberhart going in from a yard out.
The Tigers stopped South on its ensuing possession, but Mike Spicer fumbled a punt and the Warriors recovered at the Tiger 24. Three plays later they were at the Tiger 14. Ivy broke through the line to the three where he fumbled the ball. It rolled into the end zone and receiver John Collins recovered it for the TD.
The Tigers drove 75 in eight plays in the second quarter with Robert Oliver carrying three yards for the score.
The Tigers appeared to have a 14‑7 halftime lead locked up, but Ivy sped 62 yards for a touchdown on a draw play with just 15 seconds on the clock. Mike Spicer blocked the extra point kick, however, to keep the Tigers in the lead.
South appeared to gain the momentum in the third quarter as they controlled the ball for almost 10 minutes, and then scored early in the final period to take the lead.
But the Tigers had the grit to come back and take control of the game.
“We’ve got great kids,” South coach Bob Stoops said, afterwards. “The pitch forward was the‑key play,” he acknowledged. He refused to fault Burkley, though. “What a great performance the kid had.
“I don’ t know what else to say. We have the greatest kids in the country. We could have won the game and we didn’t.”
South played a fine game, and the Warriors received a good hand from the Tiger fans as they marched off the field.
South controlled the hall to 29:40 with their awesome running attack, while the Tigers had the ball for only 18:20. But, as is always the case, statistics can’t change the numbers on the scoreboard.
One noteworthy statistic for the Tigers is Fulton’s 160 yards. That is the most yards any running back has gained since Currence installed the run‑and‑shoot offense when he came here in 1976.
It is the most yards rushing for a Tiger back since 1975 when Billy Harmon gained 224 in the sixth game of the season against Steubenville.
Nobody wants to remember when the lost time an opposing team rushed for 352 yards against a Tiger defense. And that’s one of the reasons everybody is glad Youngstown South won’t be back next year.
TIGER GRIDSTICK
MASS OPP First down rushing 11 15 First downs passing 6 0 First downs by penalty 0 2 Total first downs 17 17 Yards gained rushing 256 360 Yards lost rushing 17 8 Net yards gained rushing 239 352 Net yards gained passing 70 0 Total yards gained 309 352 Passes attempted 10 6 Passes completed 8 2 Passes intercepted by 1 1 Yardage on passes intercepted 46 0 Times kicked off 6 5 Kickoff average 47.8 34.0 Kickoff return yardage 75 67 Punts 1 3 Punting average 44.0 36.3 Punt return yardage 8 67 Punts blocked 0 0 Fumbles 2 4 Fumbles lost 1 0 Penalties 4 6 Yards penalized 50 40 Touchdowns rushing 5 3 Touchdowns passing 0 1 Touchdowns by interception 0 0 Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0 Total number of plays 54 64 Total time of possession 18:20 29:40 Attendance 8,617
SOUTH 7 6 0 12 25 MASSILLON 7 7 0 22 36
MASS – Dave Eberhart 1 run (Eberhart kick) SOUTH – John Collins fumble recovery in end zone (Julius Poole kick) MASS – Robert Oliver 3 run (Eberhart kick) SOUTH – Scott Ivy 62 run (kick blocked) SOUTH – Collins 3 pass from Kevin Burkley (pass fail) MASS – Eberhart 1 run (Eberhart kick) MASS – Don Fulton 9 run (Eberhart kick) SOUTH – Arthur Beck 25 run (run fail) MASS – Fulton 2 run (Eberhart kick)
Tigers Crush Youngstown South 68-13 Massillon Team Scores Five Touchdowns On 10 Plays From Scrimmage
By LUTHER EMERY
Ever see a football team gain 412 yards from the line of scrimmage and still get walloped 68-13? Or did you ever see a player carry the ball three times and make three touchdowns; or a team make five touchdowns in its first 10 plays?
That’s what happened in Tiger stadium Friday evening when the Washington high school gridders swamped Youngstown South before 8,496 fans, the smallest crowd of the season.
Sports writers couldn’t believe their own statistics at the end of the game and made a recheck before being satisfied that:
South in losing had made 20 first downs and had gained 412 yards from scrimmage.
John Traylor was given the ball only three times and scored on each attempt.
Five touchdowns were scored on the first 10 plays the Tigers’ ran from scrimmage, four of the downs being consumed to get the first one. * * * OF COURSE the Tigers made more first downs and rolled up more yardage, 21 and 531. With losses deducted, the locals had 526 but South still had a net of 346, enough to win most football games.
The big hunk of yardage they gained, sort of tempered the shellacking for the visiting Warriors who for some reason or other appeared scared when they set foot in the stadium.
Certainly they were not the football team that had rolled to victory in its last four games including a triumph over Ursuline, the latter’s only loss of the season.
The Tigers, taking advantage of the visitors’ fright, shoved over five touchdowns on their first 10 plays from scrimmage, an almost unbelievable feat, and rolled along on a mass of substitutions the last three periods of the game.
Coach Chuck Mather gave 41 boys a chance to show off before their fathers on Dads’ Night, and there were a lot of proud papas in the group as backs raced to long runs behind some of the sharpest blocking and best timing ever seen in Tiger stadium. * * * SIX MEMBERS of the team got into the scoring act, John Tasseff, ably replacing the injured John Francisco, scored three times; so did John Traylor. Lee Nussbaum went over twice, while Clarence Stewart, chugged for one and Bobby Joe Johnson another. Tom Boone, kicking better than anytime this season booted eight of 10 attempts from placement.
The score could have been whatever Coach Mather had wanted it that night. He began filling his lineup with substitutes immediately after the fourth touchdown in the first period, and it went on and on throughout the game. And some of the boys really sparkled. Prominent among them was Roy Johnson, who did a neat job of quarterbacking, and Chug Chug Stewart, who was just about unstoppable. Up front was Jim Letcavits, and we will excuse his fumble in the last minute of the game, which could have given the Tigers the highest point total made by a Massillon team in the last quarter of a century. We’ll excuse it because the team was shooting for a total score. It probably could have set a new all-time high for Massillon teams last week, as well as this, had Mather permitted his regulars to run for most of the game.
In rolling to their ninth straight victory of the season, the regulars barely got warmed up for their finale with Canton McKinley next week, practice for which will begin in secrecy Monday afternoon.
“We are not going to let this one throw us off guard,” Coach Mather said after the game. “We know McKinley will be tough next Saturday and will be prepared to give us our hardest game of the season. So we are going to take extra precautions to be ready for it.” * * * THE TIGERS emerged from last night’s clash without any serious injuries. Most seriously hurt is John Francisco, the left halfback, who pulled a muscle in his right leg while (of all things) sprinting in a race for backs at the close of practice Wednesday. John was kept out of last night’s game but he should be ready to go against the Bulldogs next Saturday.
While Chug Stewart did the entertaining in the second half of the game, the boy who grabbed the limelight early in the contest and who put South to rout was little Johnny Traylor. The Mighty Atom had as perfect a night as a halfback could have. He carried the ball three times and scored three touchdowns. He went 85 yards for one, 66 yards for another and four yards for his third. And that friends, was all there was. He didn’t carry anymore. Try to match that one. He should have been wearing No. 77 instead of 52.
While the Tigers had their stars, so did South. Bob Zack, did some good passing and hard running for the visitors and L.C. Morgan was all over the place, running fairly well, and catching passes along with sticky fingers Russell Taylor. Passes accounted for 296 of the Warriors’ yards and they completed 15 of their 37 throws. They would have had a T.D. early in the game had the receiver looked around for the ball in the end zone before Morgan hit him on the back with it. They lost another touchdown later on in being offside on a successful pass play.
The first period was only two minutes and five seconds old when the Tigers got their first touchdown. John Climo gained the ball by flopping on a fumbled lateral on the 10-yard line. Lee Nussbaum went over from the one on fourth down to get the Tiger team into production. * * * SOUTH came right back with a fancy attack that moved from its 17 to the Tiger four where Morgan was thrown back to his 15 trying to pass. On the first play, Traylor flanked his line and sped 85 yards for the locals’ second score. It only took a minute and 53 seconds to get another. The Tigers got the ball on the 34 when the visitors; Bob Ripple punted out of bounds. Traylor was turned loose around his left side and he went all the way again with half a dozen Tigers convoying him over the goal.
It took two plays to get the next. Ripple kicked the ball to his 48 where it rolled dead without a return. Bob Misere passed to Khoenle for a first down on the Tiger 36, and then pitched a lateral to Nussbaum who went the rest of the distance.
On the second play of the second quarter, Boone intercepted one of Zacks’ passes on his 48 and it took Tasseff two plays to go the remainder of the distance. He went for 12, then for 40 and the Tigers were in front 34-0.
The Warriors came back with a flourish and crossed the Tiger goal twice before they were allowed a legitimate touchdown. Once Morgan pitched to Bob Scheidemantel for 25 yards, but South was offside and drew a five-yard penalty. The Tigers took the ball on downs, but South regained it on Wesley Overly on the Massillon 49. A six-yard pass, Morgan to Zack and a 40-yarder, Morgan to Traylor put the ball on the three, where Morgan went over for the touchdown. * * * BILL STONE’S interception of Zack’s pass and his run back to the 33, set up the Tigers’ sixth touchdown of the first half. Misere pitched out to Nussbaum for a gain of 12 and Tasseff raced 17 yards to the four. Traylor circled end for his third touchdown and the half ended with the score 41-7.
Coach Mather used a second team throughout most of the last half, and the boys showed their strength by taking the kickoff on the 29 and marching straight up the field to score, with Stewart going the last 25 on a pitchout.
The next time they got the ball (through a punt) they marched 74 yards in five plays to score. It went like this: Tasseff 25, Stewart 16, Stewart 11, John Mlincek 11, Tasseff 11 and a touchdown. That concluded the third period point production which ended 54-7.
The fourth period was less than four minutes old when the Tigers scored again. This time they went 55 yards in their march with Tasseff running hard for the last 18.
Another followed in just 31 seconds. Tasseff covered Morgan’s fumble of the kickoff and on the first play Bobby Joe Johnson dashed for the six points – Massillon’s last touchdown. * * * SOUTH CAME back with an aerial attack that carried from when the kickoff was downed on the 36 to the Tiger 26. At this point Morgan tossed a screen pass to Bob Durkin who went all the way.
The game was in its closing stages as Mlincek made a fine return of the kickoff to his 40 and then raced 32 yards to his 26. The Tigers moved it forward six more when Roy Johnson pitched a beauty to Jim Letcavits who caught the ball on the 10 and went to the one, where he fumbled when tackled. The ball rolled over the goal line and out of bounds in the end zone, thus becoming a touchback and giving South the ball on its 20.
Had Letcavits hung on the Tigers probably would have scored and rolled up the highest number of points made by a Massillon team since the defeat of Erie East 74-0 in 1940; had they kicked the extra point it would have been the biggest total since the locals won from Alliance, 77-0 in 1924.
The game was unusual for its lack of rule infractions. Only five times did the officials step off penalties and none for more than five yards. The Tigers had three of them and South two.
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Boone 8 (placement). South – Durkin (placement).
Referee – Pianowski. Umpire – Lymper. Head Linesman – Landrum. Field Judge – Walker.
STATISTICS Mass. South First downs 21 20 Passes attempted 14 37 Passes completed 5 15 Had passes intercepted 4 2 Yards gained passing 89 296 Yards gained rushing 442 116 Total yards gained 531 412 Yards lost 5 66 Net yards gained 526 346 Times kicked off 10 3 Average kickoff (yards) 46 34 Yards kickoffs returned by 51 150 Times punted 1 6 Average punt (yards) 45 34 Yards punts returned by 5 19 Times fumbled 3 7 Lost ball on fumbles 1 2 Times penalized 3 2 Yards penalized 15 10
Tigers Beat Youngstown South 38-13 Before 11,166 Massillon Gridders sharpen Their Claws For Canton McKinley
By LUTHER EMERY
BEAT McKINLEY!
These words were more important to Massillonians today than the fact that their Washington high school Tigers trimmed Youngstown South 38-13 Friday evening in a not too good an exhibition of football before 11,166 fans.
BEAT McKINLEY!
You will see these words wherever you go the next week as the fuse is ignited to a hysterical bombshell that Massillon citizens will explode in an all out effort to whip the Bulldogs from McKinley high next Saturday afternoon in Canton’s Fawcett stadium.
The BEAT McKINLEY drive began Friday evening just as soon as the whistle ended the Tiger Youngstown South game, as students unfurled BEAT McKINLEY banners before the Massillon band while cheerleaders led the crowd in a pep rally.
Some folks thought the fans wouldn’t stay for it after the game was once over, but they remained and apparently loved it.
But the Tigers must play better ball next Saturday afternoon than they did last night if they hope to BEAT McKINLEY!
They sputtered around too much both offensively and defensively for a team of championship caliber.
Maybe Bulldogs were dancing around in their minds, or maybe they just hadn’t taken South seriously, but whatever it was they were dull compared with a week ago when they whaled Toledo Waite 59-19.
As has been the case so many times this season, they got into a hole at the start and had to come from behind to win as South scored the first touchdown of the game early in the second period.
In fact, even though the Tigers looked the stronger of the two at all times, there were moments in the third quarter after South had scored its second touchdown that had Massillon fans, worrying, lest some fluke upset the applecart. * * * ONE CAN readily understand why the local team wasn’t in the proper mental mood, knowing that its Youngstown opponent had lost four games and that the traditional clash with the McKinley Bulldogs was only another week away.
Fortunately, however, the Tigers had touchdowns to spare and came out of the contest as Coach Chuck Mather had hoped, without any serious injuries to first stringers.
One member of the squad, however, Rudy Grunder, sustained a fracture of the right leg on the opening kickoff when blocked as he started down the field after booting the ball. The Massillon city hospital reported his condition as good today.
Break away runs for touchdowns produced most of the Tigers’ points, while forward passes gained most of South’s yardage and placed the ball in position for touchdowns.
In fact the Tigers’ pass defense failed to show a whole lot of improvement as the visitors completed 10 of 20 throws for 162 yards. The local team completed five of 12 for 101 yards. * * * SOUTH TWICE was able to drive four-fifths the distance of the field for touchdowns which brings to 12 the number of touchdowns scored against the locals in their last five games.
While the Tigers were outnumbered in first downs 17-11, they on the other hand rolled up 374 yards on the ground to South’s 144.
Yards were hard to get, particularly early in the game when the visitors held the Tigers scoreless the first quarter. The two South ends, Pete Popovich and James Oliver were hard to move, and the latter moved the best target for Tailback Ernest Brantley, who passed from the single wing offense.
Dick Jacobs, Tiger co-captain, had a big night, getting four touchdowns, two on long runs, one on a 36-yard pass and a fourth on a short plunge. Irvin Crable and Fred Grier each scored for the Tigers on some fancy open field running.
Although Mather used 30 players, the first stringers played a major portion of the contest, and not until the Tigers scored their final touchdown were the ranks completely filled with substitutes.
Clarence Johnson and Jerry Krisher, both of whom have been on the injured list, played only a small portion of the game. Johnson tried a few passes and Krisher warmed up for a few plays. Neither aggravated their injuries. * * * SOUTH registered its first touchdown on the second play of the second quarter after an 80-yard march. David Delfino took it over from one yard out, but Dyke Hall missed the try for the extra point.
The Tigers tied it up when they took the following kickoff and went over in six plays, a 36-yard pass, Don James to Dick Jacobs, completing the march. Jerry Krisher missed the try for the extra point.
The locals scored twice again in the period, Crable running 54 yards around right end for one, with Dick Shine removing the last obstacle from his path with a pretty block. Jacobs went over from the one-yard line for the other with only 37 seconds of the half remaining to be played after Crable and Joe Gleason had covered a South fumble on the South 33.
Crable brought the second half kickoff back to the 37 and on the first play Jacobs exploded through right tackle and went 63 yards to score. Krisher kicked this point that made it 25-6. It only took 37 seconds to get this touchdown.
The visitors staged another 80-yard march and aided largely by two passes from Brantley to Oliver, one for 29 yards and the other for 28, took the oval to the four yard line where Lingar Humphrey banged it over the goal for six points. Joe Byrdy added another from placement which gave the visitors’ 13. * * * JACOBS scored his fourth touchdown of the game in the fourth period after the Tigers had stopped a South offensive flurry on their own 35. It only took two plays to go the 65, Crable carrying on the first one to the visitors’ 40 and Jacobs going the rest of the way.
Ready Freddy Grier came through with the last six points. He and Russell in two nice runs, moved the ball to the visitors’ 25 where Grier wiggled through left tackle to score. This time Krisher kicked the extra point which proved to be the last of the game.
South was still blazing away for a touchdown as the gun sounded and had the ball on a first down on the Tiger 12-yard line.
The victory was Massillon’s eighth in nine games and the defeat was South’s fifth in nine. The 38 points exceeded by 18 the number scored by any other opponent of the Youngstown school.
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Krisher 2 (placekicks). South – Byrdy (placekick).
Referee – Grubbs. Umpire – Rainsberger. Head Linesman – Hamill. Field Judge – Smith.
Statistics Of The Game Mass. South First downs 11 17 Passes attempted 12 20 Passes completed 5 10 Had passes intercepted 0 0 Yards gained passing 101 162 Yards gained rushing 374 144 Total yards gained 475 306 Yards lost 28 17 Net yards gained 447 289 Times punted 2 5 Average punt (yards) 37 32 Punts returned by (yards) 10 18 Times kicked off 7 3 Average kickoff (yards) 52 50 Kickoffs returned (yards) 86 84 Fumbles 0 4 Lost ball on fumbles 0 1 Times penalized 9 4 Yards penalized 52 20
14,000 See Tigers win From Youngstown South 28-7 Massillon Gridders Beat Mahoning County Team For Third In Row
By LUTHER EMERY
A stubborn Youngstown South high school football team, was upset 28-7 by the Washington high school Tigers before 14,000 people here Friday evening and fans are still wondering how strong the Massillon team actually is.
Going into the game heavy favorites to win as they pleased, the orange and black gridders found themselves face to face with stiff opposition and a screwy assortment of defenses that often bogged them down offensively and stemmed the flow of points that had been expected to pour over the Youngstown goal.
Touchdowns were hard to get for the Tigers, but they did manage to shove over three in the second quarter after a scoreless first period, and added another in the fourth to match South’s only scoring effort of the game in the final frame.
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Twenty-eight points should be enough to satisfy most any fan, but Massillonians have been hungering for touchdowns for several years and one T.D. only whets the appetite for another and another.
Frankly South came out with more opposition than most folks, players included, had anticipated. After floundering around in their opener with Youngstown Ursuline, which they lost, the South boys have been improving each week, and last night’s showing was a better performance than a week ago when South whipped Boardman 20-0. * * * “THEY HIT HARD,” was the way several members of the Tigers team described the Youngstown eleven after the game, and the visitors did make the local team give ground frequently during the evening.
Statistics however were all in the local’s favor, 14 first downs to 11 and 434 yards gained from scrimmage to South’s 235. Then too, one goal line crossing and what would have been another, were nullified by penalties which set back the Massillon team and ruined both attempts.
Coach “Chuck” Mather, however, does not like opponents making 235 yards against his team. That’s enough to win an average football game and certainly calls for some intensive defensive preparations for Steubenville’s Big Red who invade Tiger stadium next week, undefeated and with one of the best early season offensive showings of any team on the schedule. After that game Massillon fans will know more about the strength of their team.
But don’t sell this Massillon team short. Mather hasn’t let any one combination in long enough to get acquainted, but there’ll come a time. He used 25 players last night.
The Tigers’ blocking looked better than it did a week ago against Canton Lincoln though there were instances when a missed block meant the difference between a small gain and a touchdown. There were also signs that the many clipping penalties charged against local players in Canton last week may have made them dangerously cautious. * * * THE TIGERS showed improvement in their passing department too, as they completed four of six attempts for two touchdowns and a total gain of 49 yards. The prettiest pass of all; a screen, from Jack hill to Don Slicker, good for 80 yards and what would have been a fourth period touchdown, didn’t count because of a clipping penalty.
South’s determined defense spoiled some of Mather’s plans to give more sophomores a taste of varsity competition before he attempts to tear down murderer’s row, but it looks as though the boys will have to wait a long time to get into a game what with Steubenville, Alliance, Mansfield, Warren, Toledo Waite, Barberton and Canton McKinley lined up for the next seven weeks of competition.
Nevertheless, 25 players got a chance to show what they could do against South, and some of them were in and out of the lineup continually throughout the evening.
Biggest improvement in the scoring department was the placekicking of Clarence Johnson for points after touchdowns. Prior to last night the Tigers had scored but three extra points in 11 attempts. Johnson, finally keeping his head down, booted all four chances through the uprights last night which brought a lot of joy to teammates, coach and fans. He can kick’em through all day in practice but in games has had a tendency to lift his head to see if the ball was going where he had aimed it. The result was the same as a raised head in golf—a topped ball—and most of Johnson’s boots prior to last night were just that kind. “Kick the ball, spit on the ground at the spot you kicked it before you look up,” Mather told Johnson in an effort to correct the fault.
He did last night and four points were the result. * * * PENALTIES and inability to coordinate their attack stymied the Tigers at intervals throughout the game, though they generally were able to move forward with the ball.
They were well on their way after taking the opening kickoff when they lost the ball in midfield on a fumble, South stopped them on their second attempt, but the third time they got the pigskin they launched a drive that swept 64 yards to a touchdown. The point parade actually got underway in the closing minutes of the first period when Irvin Crable brought a South punt back to his 36. The Tigers were up to the South 25 when the period ended and on fourth down and on the second play of the second period, Don James fired a floater to Crable who caught the ball in the end zone for the six points.
Scores came quicker after that and the Tigers scored touchdowns the next two times the came in possession of the ball. Their second set of points came on a 63-yard drive with Johnson running up the alley for 31 yards and the score. It wasn’t long thereafter until another 63-yard march moved to the eight-yard line where Hill fired the ball into the end zone to Jack Houston who caught the pigskin while running laterally with the goal line.
Most folks figured the Tigers would run South out of the stadium in the second half but ‘twas not so, and play was fairly even throughout both periods. South worked the ball as close to the Tiger goal line as the 25-yard line after taking the second half kickoff and the Tigers regaining the ball, got down to the three where a 15-yard penalty set them back and ruined the scoring opportunity. * * * THE FOURTH period was nearly a third gone before South managed to score. Starting from their own 23, the visitors ran and passed their way to the Massillon one-yard line where Angelo Danessa plunged it over on third down. A pass, Byrdy to John Guerriero, produced the extra point.
Six plays after the following kickoff the Tigers scored the last points of the game, Crable running the last 25 yards for the touchdown.
The running of Halfback Davis from the single wing and the passing of Sonny Friend and Davis were outstanding to the visitors’ offensive contribution.
While the game did not gain the Tigers any particular amount of prestige in state scholastic circles because of South’s previous showings, it served to give Washington high a 5-4 edge in football games played between the schools at intervals in the past 31 years. Prior to last night each team had won four in the series which dates back to 1917.
The Tigers were fortunate to finish the contest without serious injury to any player. Jack Houston was touched up a bit but the injury is not considered serious enough to keep him out of the lineup.
Score by periods: Massillon 0 21 0 7 28 South 0 0 0 7 7
Touchdowns: Massillon – Crable 2; Houston; Johnson. South – A. Danessa.
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Johnson 4 (placekicks). South – Guerriero (pass).
Referee – McPhee. Umpire – Brown. Head Linesman – Hodnick. Field Judge – Rainsberger.
Statistics Of The Game Mass. South First downs 14 11 Passes attempted 6 15 Passes completed 4 3 Had passes intercepted 0 1 Yards gained passing 49 93 Yards gained rushing 385 142 Total yards gained 434 235 Yards lost 36 20 Net yards gained 393 315 Times punted 2 3 Average punt (yards) 29 37 Punts returned by (yards) 31 13 Times kicked off 5 2 Average kickoff (yards) 47 39 Kickoffs returned by (yards) 35 70 Times fumbled 6 3 Lost ball on fumbles 2 0 Times penalized 6 4 Yards penalized 60 50 Penalties refused 2 1
YOUNGSTOWN SOUTH CRUSHED BY TIGERS Massillon Eleven Rolls Up 64-0 Victory in Fine Offensive Exhibition; South Tries Desperately With Passes But Fails To Score
By LUTHER EMERY
Under a sky illuminated by the fire belching furnaces of the Mahoning Valley, the Tigers of Washington high school rolled on to their fourth straight victory Friday evening.
Youngstown South was the victim and Busty Ashbaugh’s sons of steel workers went down under a 64-0 score. The Tigers milled touchdowns with the same crushing force as the boys who rolled steel nearby.
Have Made 246 Points in Four Games They scored on brute strength that overwhelmed a lighter line. They made points on trickery, that baffled the South high gridders and they took to the air when secondary reinforcements moved in to halt their land attack. Their 64 points hoisted their total for the season to 246, an average of 51.5 points per game. They have kept their goal line clean.
The victory will have more advertising strength for the Tigers than all of the previous triumphs combined for South even in lean years has always commanded respect in scholastic football circles. The Youngstown team, however, was not the equal of Portsmouth, last week’s Tiger victim. Portsmouth had a stouter line and tackled more viciously than Ashbaugh’s team.
The victory, the most decisive registered by either team in their interrupted and prolonged series, gave Massillon the edge over Ashbaugh. Up to game time last night each team had won four games. Now the Tigers hold the edge, 5-4.
Many Massillon Fans Attend Ten thousand fans perhaps 1,000 of them from Massillon and maybe more ,no one knows, looked on as the teams lined up for the opening kickoff. The last cloud had just disappeared and moonlight bathed the bleachers which were saturated with an all-day rain.
The Tigers discarded the orange and black clothing and put on their mud clothes. They appeared in white sweaters and white helmets, with khaki pants.
They kicked off and when South failed to gain in two cracks at the Tiger line, Domhoff booted the ball to Jake Gillom who returned seven yards to the South 48. There began the Massillon offensive which produced the first touchdown of the game, 10 touchdowns in all and 24 first downs to five for South.
Gillom hit right tackle for 13 yards and a first down on the South 35. Dutton passed to Gillom 17 yards for another first down on the 18-yard line. Dutton hit left tackle for nine yards. Glass went through center for three yards and a first down on the six-yard line. Then Charley Anderson legged around right end to take a lateral and scamper across the South goal. Five plays, six points. Glass’ attempted kick for the extra point was wide of the uprights.
One Touchdown First Quarter That by the way, was the only touchdown the Tigers could get in the first period. Once they pushed it down to the 25-yard line where a 15-yard penalty ended their effort. Again they shoved it down to the 18-yard line, where South bolstered and turned back the advance, Massillon losing the ball on the 25-yard stripe after being penalized five yards.
The first quarter attack, however did angle the ball in position for a touchdown on the second play of the second period.
Having gained possess if the ball on the Massillon 25, Domhoff threw a pass which Jake Gillon intercepted on the South 48. He skirted right and for 14 yards and a first down on the 34. Glass made two yards and Dutton snapped a 12-yard pass to Anderson for a first down on the 20 as the first period ended.
Second Period Gillom made two yards at right tackle and Glass slipped through for an 18-yard dash to a touchdown. His attempted placekick for the extra point was wide.
The Tigers scored on the following kickoff. Mayer booted the ball which was caught by Charley Anderson on his own 22-yard line. Anderson legged it straight up the center of the field. His teammates to a man opened an alley in front of him and Charley, running hard, raced through the column to a touchdown. It was a beautiful exhibition of blocking and Charley changed his pace as the way was cleared for him. This time Mike Byelene passed to Augie Morningstar for the extra point.
South came back on the following kickoff to carry the ball into Tiger territory when interference was called on a pass. But Morningstar, who might better be called the evening star as a result of his fine all-around play last night, went up into the air to pull down Domhoff’s pass on the 30-yard line. Augie was going full steam forward with a clear field ahead of him when he stumbled and went down on his own 39. It made no difference, for Ed Herring, who had substituted for Jake Gillom, immediately wheeled around right end for 61 yards and a touchdown in as brilliant a jack rabbit dash as you ever saw. He flanked South on the right, then cut back to his left from the sideline to the middle of the field. Then he headed for the sideline again and finally wound up cutting back across the field to scamper over the goal line near the middle. Bob Glass plunged the ball over for the extra point and that made it 26-0.
Morningstar Stops South Rally South kicked to Herring who was brought down on the 25-yard line. The Tigers drove back past midfield where Collins intercepted Byelene’s pass. Domhoff passed to Bush to carry South to the Massillon 42, but Morningstar pulled down another on the 35-yard line and got back to his 45 before being stopped.
Byelene gained a yard. Byelene fumbled and recovered and when a pass was grounded Mike punted out of bounds on the 48-yard line. On the first play Byelene intercepted Domhoff’s pass and came back to the 50. He ran 16-yards at left tackle for a first down on the 34-yard line. Herring skirted right end for a first down on the 19. A five-yard penalty for offside gave the Tigers the ball on the 14-yard line. Byelene made it first down on the five-yard line. Glass went to the one-yard line and Byelene took it over. His attempted pass for the extra point was grounded and the half ended with the score 32-0.
Third Quarter The Tigers failed to gain after the kickoff and Dutton punted out on the South 30-yard line. Somebody broke through to block Domhoff’s attempted pass and old Neri Buggs reached up and caught it before it could touch the ground, giving Massillon the ball on the 28-yard line.
That set the stage for the prettiest play of the evening. A reverse, Gillom to Dutton and a lateral to Anderson sent the Tiger left end skirting wide around the right flank where he pegged the ball to Morningstar, the right end for a touchdown. It was a perfectly executed play, five men including the center handling the ball and brought a roar from the stands. The attempted kick for the extra point failed.
South took the kickoff and again launched a passing attack coupled with a 14-yard dash by Cortelezi that brought the ball into Massillon territory. But just as in every other instance, the South boys passed once too often and this time Jake Gillom speared the ball on his 34. Senzik, who played a whale of a guard for South, broke through and tossed Jake for a five-yard loss. Glass came back to hammer for 10 yards and Jake himself made it first down on his 47. Dutton faded back and hurled the ball to Anderson who got to the South 15-yard line before being tackled. It was good for 38 yards. Dutton immediately tossed another pass, this one to Morningstar for a touchdown. Glass kicked goal and the score was 45-0.
Sontag brought the kickoff back to the 35-yard line, but Dutton pulled down a pass and ran back to the 40-yard line before being tackled. Bob Glass went through between guard and center for a touchdown. The try for point failed. That ended the scoring in the third period at 51-0.
Fourth Quarter As a result of two passes, one called on interference and the other completed for a 16-yard gain, South had the ball on the Tiger 32-yard line at the start of the period. Domhoff tried three more passes in succession but all were knocked down and Tiger linemen blocked Domhoff’s punt on the fourth down to five Massillon the ball on its own 37. Glass hit for two yards, Dutton three, and Glass a first down on his own 47. Two passes failed, but Byelene shot a lateral to Herring for a first down on the South 25. Herring made five at right end and Byelene three at left tackle. Herring ran to the two-yard line but the Tigers were penalized 15 for holding. Byelene passed 25 yards to Odell Gillom who was downed on the one-yard line. Herring went through for the touchdown and Glass kicked goal.
Domhoff nearly crossed the Tigers up on the following kickoff when Collins gave him the ball on a reverse. He carried it back to his 43 before being hauled down from behind by Willie McDew. Following an exchange of fumbles, South lost the ball on downs on the Tigers 20-yard line when three passes failed. Herring made a yard and Glass a yard. Herring then went to the midfield on a lateral pass. Byelene made 19 on a spinner. Herring went to the 13-yard line where he fumbled but recovered. A pass off a lateral was grounded. Herring made seven yards and Byelene went over for the touchdown. The attempt for the extra point failed.
Throughout the game South tried desperately to score and obtain some satisfaction out of the defeat. As predicted before the game, Ashbaugh relied on the forward pass. His boys threw 28 in all and completed nine, three on charges of interference, for gains of 117 yards. The Tigers intercepted seven passes. Massillon tried 11 passes and completed five for 115 yards. Three were intercepted. Massillon was penalized 75 yards, South 25 yards.
Busty Ashbaugh, after the game told Coach Paul Brown he thought Massillon this year has the greatest high school team he has ever seen play. “If you can keep the boys from getting swell headed, you ought to win the state title,” he said.
Dave Stewart Pleased Dave Stewart, former Massillon coach, got a “kick” out of the game. A spectator from the Massillon bench, he smiled while the Tigers rolled on to touchdown after touchdown. He saw in it revenge for 1924 farce, the game in which he pulled his Massillon team off the field. And Coach Brown by the way was a member of the Massillon team that year.
With their drum major strutting a new orange uniform, the Tiger band performed before the spectators between halves, spelling “YSH” before the Youngstown crowd and the usual M and W for the Massillon fans. Hats off to the band boys and girls. They beat Youngstown too! The band and the team had dinner after the game. The team ate chicken. Every victory means chicken for the Tiger gridders.
Some fans were wondering today why Massillon, following one touchdown kicked off from the South 45-yard line. This was because Referee Eddie Howells called unnecessary roughness on the try for the point after touchdown. A penalty of 15 yards was inflicted on South on the kickoff and South elected to receive. This placed the ball in kicking position on the South 45-yard line.
Biggest Of All
Massillon Pos. Youngstown South C. Anderson LE Bush Held LT Isaacson Updegraff LG Senzik Voss C Fisher Woods RG Raab Buggs RT Stabilito Morningstar RE Morrison Dutton QB Mayer J. Gillom LH Collins Molinski RH Domhoff Glass FB Sontag
KRIER FLASHES AS WASHINGTON HIGH WALLOPS YOUNGSTOWN SOUTH 45 TO 0 TIGER BACK SCORES SEVEN TOUCHDOWNS THREE EXTRA POINTS
By LUTHER EMERY
Pudgy Henry Krier, who had to fight like a demon to retain his left halfback post on the Washington high football team this fall, came into his own last night and scored every point as the Washington high Tigers whaled Youngstown South high 45- 0 on Massillon field before a crowd of 4,000 fans.
Soon after school closed last spring the Flying Dutchman began training for football by lugging 100-pound cakes of ice to keep down his worst opponent – overweight. He succeeded and reported for practice last August weighing less than he did at anytime last season. Furthermore, continual training overcame attacks of nervous indigestion which bothered him frequently last fall.
Scored Seven Touchdown Krier scored seven touchdowns and kicked three goals from placement after touchdowns last night as he raced through the visiting Youngstown South team. Three came after long runs of 33 yards, 19 yards and 10 yards, while the others were short plunges of a yard or more through the line of scrimmage.
One-sided as the score may seem, South caused the Tigers more trouble than has any other team this season. It came within three first downs of the Tigers mark of 15 and within a yard of attaining the distinction of crossing the local team’s goal line, something no other team has come close to doing this season.
A speedy colored boy, Chub Ash was Dusty Ashbaugh’s leading ground gainer. Time and again he weaved through the Tiger tackles for sizeable gains and occasionally tossed passes that advanced the ball deep into Massillon territory.
South Threatens Thrice On no less than three occasions, South had Tiger rooters massed for a “hold that line” cheer, but each opportunity ended with the interception or grounding of a pass.
It was late in the fourth quarter that the visiting team, making its first appearance here in 10 years, tossed a scare into the Tiger rooters; and the Massillon gridders for the first time this season showed what they could do when fighting with their backs to the wall.
The trouble started when Port covered a Massillon fumble on the Tigers’ 37-yard line.
Myers dropped back from tackle to pass the ball. The first was grounded, but he pegged a second attempt to Terhanko for a first down on the 23-yard line. A line play gained three yards and two passes were grounded. Fourth down coming, Myers dropped back and lobbed another long heave toward the southeast corner of the field. Terhanko was going down hard under the ball and Dutton, trying to knock it down, got his hand on the Youngstown end’s shoulder, interfering with the catch. Youngstown was given the ball at the spot where the interference took place and it was first down on the four-yard line. The Tigers swarmed through on the next play to smear the ball carrier and were penalized for unnecessary roughness. The officials gave the ball to South on the one-yard line.
Bat Down Passes With their back to the wall the Tigers batted down three passes in a row, the last two over the line of scrimmage, to take possession of the ball on their own 20-yard line. Their unscored on record had been preserved.
Though the 45 points look big in print, especially when the opponent was a team with the reputation of Youngstown South, the fact of the matter is the Tigers did not play as consistently good a game as they did against either Cleveland Shaw or Sharon.
They yielded more ground from scrimmage and their attack was rough at times. While their passing attack gained 138 yards, it was not as effective as last week, partly because of poor receiving at times. Eight passes were grounded and five completed. South completed nine of 24 passes for a gain of 101 yards. Six were intercepted.
The first Massillon touchdown was the result of a 19-yard smash by Krier through right tackle. He missed the kick. In the second period he reeled off 33 more yards and a touchdown after Dutton had gained possession of the ball for the Tigers on an intercepted pass and carried it to the 33-yard line on a 16-yard sweep around left end.
Shertzer Scores But Ball Called Back The third touchdown would have been Shertzer’s on a mouse trap play had not the ball been called back when both teams were offside. Krier was then given the ball and he cut through left tackle for 10 yards and the touchdown. This time he kicked the extra point and that concluded the scoring for the first half.
The Tigers lost little time shoving over a touchdown in the third period. Getting the ball on their own 46-yard line, Dutton pegged it to Shertzer, who ran to the South six-yard line before being downed. Krier banged through center for the touchdown, but missed from placement for the extra point.
A 10-yard pass, over the line, Dutton to Lohr then gained a first down on the 18-yard line, paved the way for the second touchdown of the period. Jake Gillom, who substituted for D.C. McCants, when the latter was removed from the game because of a badly split lip, crashed through for 17 yards to the one-yard line. Krier circled his left end for the touchdown and kicked the extra point.
Two passes, one Dutton to Shertzer for 20 yards and another Dutton to Krier for 19 yards put the ball on the one-yard line and again enabled Krier to plunge over for a touchdown in the first 30 seconds of the fourth period. He missed the uprights in the try for the extra point.
Dutton Passes 41 Yards to Lange A 41-yard pass, Dutton to Jack Lange, who fought his way to the four-yard line, paved the way for the last Tiger score, Krier going through center for the touchdown. He placekicked the extra point. South’s big last minute threat followed and the game ended shortly thereafter.
The injury of McCants uncovered a new star for the Tigers, Jake Gillom, whose off tackle smashes and snake hips delighted the crowd. Gillom, playing more than half the game, gained nearly every time he carried the ball, the longest, a dash of 27 yards.
The game was the last night football contest of the season. The remaining six games will be played on Saturday afternoons, five here and one at Alliance. Barberton will be the Tigers opponent next Saturday. The local team has scored 155 points in its four games.
Lineup and summary: MASSILLON Pos. YOUN. SOUTH Shertzer LE Terhanko Wolfe LT Nemeth Molinski LG Scall Morningstar C Yorkunds Snavely RG Port Buggs RT Stabalito Lohr RE Baer Dutton QB Krenciprock Krier LH Ash Lange RH Dumhoff McCants FB Schultz
HIGH GRIDDERS OUTPLAYED SOUTH ELEVEN DESPITE OFFICIALS LOCAL OFFENSE IN 4TH QUARTER CRUMBLES SOUTH
Despite the fact that they received the rawest deal that has ever been handed to a Massillon high school athletic team on a foreign field, the orange and black gridders of Washington high school last Saturday afternoon decidedly outplayed Youngstown South in that nightmare contest at Youngstown which was spoiled by the partial work of the officials and which finally resulted in Coach David B. Stewart calling his boys off the field and forfeiting the game to South. South was leading 19 to 14 at the time. Coach Stewart, no longer able to stand for the dirty treatment his players were receiving, took his team off the field.
This occurred in the fourth quarter with still seven minutes and 10 seconds to play and not merely a few seconds as Youngstown papers would have the public at large believe and South was weakening so rapidly that had the officiating been neutral the local team would have finished the game ahead. South was on its last legs, at that sage of the game. Massillon had just finished carrying the ball the entire length of the field for a touchdown and was well on its way to another, the touchdown that would have won the game, when the partial officials inflicted an entirely uncalled penalty upon Massillon and Coach Stewart waved his boys off the field.
South’s line was crumbling before the steady plunges of Kammer, Define and King like an egg shell. The Youngstown warriors were done and only the unfair and unsportsmanlike tactics of the officials saved the day for South, but it was no clean cut victory.
After Coach Stewart took his boys off the field, the crowd of about 7,000 fans started milling around the field. Among them were about 2,000 Massillon rooters but no near riot resulted as Youngstown papers declare. The Massillon fans, disgusted with the treatment accorded their team, hurriedly left the field. The fair minded Youngstown people, of whom there were many, also left the field without saying a word.
A mob of curious Youngstown spectators hung around the dressing room of the local team until a plain clothes officer rushed frantically into a nearby drug store and put in a riot call to the Youngstown police station for all the reserves and the flying squadron. His action probably made some rather near-sighted Youngstown people believe a near riot was pending but the near riot was created by the Youngstown fans who were soon dispersed once the police arrived on the scene.
The various charges lodged against Massillon fans, the actions of Coach Stewart and Youngstown’s view of the playing of the Massillon team can be contradicted in no uncertain terms but about the only comment that is necessary is that the account of the game which appeared in a Youngstown newspaper Sunday was the work of a writer who was just as biased and prejudiced as were the officials and who showed that he knew even less about football than the three alleged officials who attempted to handle the game, if that is possible.
Other high schools in the state know Massillon well enough to know that Massillon does not cry when it is beaten fairly and that it has always played the game on the level which is more than can be said for Youngstown South judging from the numerous protests lodged by other schools which have taken their teams to Youngstown for games and bumped into similar situations.
It was too bad that what would have been a rip roaring game of football between two evenly matched teams should have been entirely ruined by a set of incompetent and partial officials. South had a first class team that excelled Massillon when it came to forward passing but was greatly out played by the orange and black when it came to line plunging.
South scored a touchdown in the first quarter when after receiving a punt in midfield several forwards and a 15-yard run by Murphy took the ball to Massillon’s four yard line from where Murphy took it over.
Massillon went into the lead in the third quarter when on the second play Bill Price, tow headed end, scooped up a fumble punt and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Edwards kicked goal and put the local team one point in front.
South’s second touchdown came entirely through the work of Head Linesman Thomas and Umpire McKay. South gained the ball in Massillon’s territory on a fumble and rushed it to the two-yard line with goal to gain on fourth down. Then South’s attempted forward was grounded behind its own goal line but Head Linesman Thomas penalized Edwards for alleged offside play and put the ball on Massillon’s one-yard line from where Collins squirmed over when officials let him advance the ball after being downed.
South’s third and last touchdown came on a long pass from Collins to Reese. It was good for about 30 yards and took the ball over Massillon’s goal line. Define failing to tackle Reese as he dashed across the line.
Then Massillon began to play football in earnest. On the kickoff Define ran the ball back to midfield and steady pounding at the Youngstown line by Define, Kammer and King carried the oval straight up the field without a break and across South’s goal line. Edwards kicked goal.
South again kicked off to Massillon and Define carried the ball back to midfield only to have it called back to the 20-yard line when Umpire McKay called a penalty on McCarthy for alleged holding. Then a 15-yard penalty was inflicted and it was at this point that Stewart called his team off the field.
Proper officiating would have made the conflict a great game. The South team played a fairly clean game. There were few unfair tactics for either team. Massillon made 13 first downs to 10 and Coach Stewart did not have to seek a loop hole to take his team off the field and avert the stigma of a defeat for had the officiating been right Massillon without a doubt would have won by at least one touchdown.
What a Farce! Massillon Pos. Youngstown S. W. Price L.E. J. Reese McCarthy L.T. Moss Reis L.G. Didams Edwards C Fitzgerald Halco R.G. Schuler Weldman R.T. Bartholemy Thomas R.E. Davies J. Price Q.B. Bailey Define L.H.B. Murphy King R.H.B. Baker Borza F.B. Collins
Score by quarter: Massillon 0 0 7 7 14 South 6 0 7 6 19
Substitutions: Massillon – Grant for Borza, Kammer for King, Hise for Reis, P. Smith for Define, King for P. Smith, Define for Grant, Grant for King.
South – Miller for Schuler, Ruth for Bartholmey, Moss for Schuler, Garr for Ruth, Baker for Reese, Leonall for Collins.
Touchdowns – W. Price, Kammer, Murphy, Collins, Reese.
Points after touchdown – Edwards 2, Reese.
Referee – Hart, Lafayette. Umpire – McKay, Brown. Head Linesman – Thomas, W. VA.
Time of quarters – 12 minutes.
It’s Time Authorities At Youngstown South Wake Up And Banish Their Home-Guard Officials And Play Square
Youngstown South Saturday won a football victory from Washington high of Massillon at Youngstown by the forfeit route when David B. Stewart, athletic coach of the local school called his boys off the field in the fourth quarter with the score standing 19 to 14 in favor of South and seven minutes and 10 seconds to play. Partiality of the officials and their gross incompetency to handle a football game as it should be handled caused the withdrawal of the Massillon team. South is officially credited with a 1 to 0 victory over the local school.
But it is a victory without honor: a victory so tainted and so beclouded by the disgusting and plainly evident efforts of the officials to see that South won at any cost that no fair-minded lover of clean sports in Youngstown today can do anything but hang his head in shame that such a blot should be cast upon a school the size of Youngstown South.
Coach Stewart in calling his boys off the field when he did took the only action left for him. To have let the game go on in charge of the three persons who were attempting to officiate would have been an insult to his boys and a reflection upon the honor and integrity of the school he represents and the citizens of Massillon who demand that their boys take part in only athletics that are clean and above board.
In this action Coach Stewart was backed by high school authorities and Superintendent of Schools H.R. Gorrell, some 2,000 Massillon fans who had gone to Youngstown to see the game, and hundreds of Youngstown citizens, who becoming disgusted at the weak efforts of the officials to conduct the game as it should have been, joined forces with the Massillon delegation and began to cheer for the orange and black.
The officials were Hart, of Lafayette, referee; McKay, of Brown, umpire; and Thomas, of West Virginia, head linesman, all residents of Youngstown. Officials Protested Massillon authorities several days before the game protested the officials South had selected but South refused to change them and it was only after lavish promises from Principal Eaton of South and Coach Ashbaugh that Massillon consented to take its team to Youngstown for the game.
Massillon authorities were so fair minded in this matter and so desirous of giving the officials a chance to show that they were fair and competent that they did not make public any of the details of their controversy with South regarding the officials desiring if possible not to create any animosity against them in the minds of local fans who would attend the game.
But not so with Youngstown South, It’s officials immediately rushed into print in an effort to give Massillon a black eye for asking for competent and impartial officiating.
It was evident before the game that the officials were not as well versed in football as they should be. They were seen hastily perusing a rule book before they went on the field. But had they been only incompetent it would have not been so bad. But they were worse. One did not have to know about football to know that Massillon in plain English received a dirty deal. Some Raw Deal Here are some of the things the officials were guilty of: Refusing to penalize South players for unduly roughing Massillon men. Giving South its second touchdown by taking the ball away from Massillon when it was Massillon’s ball on its 20-yard line and giving South possession of the ball on Massillon’s one-yard line with four downs to make goal. Use of profane language on the field during the progress of the game by Referee Hart. Head Linesman Thomas giving South the ball on its eight yard line in the second quarter after a South man had blocked a punt by his own teammate on fourth down. It should have been Massillon’s ball. Umpire McKay calling a penalty for holding on tackle McCarthy of Massillon in the fourth quarter after Define had returned a kick off 45 yards to midfield. It was after this penalty that Coach Stewart called his team off the field. The work of Umpire McKay and Head Linesman Thomas was particularly glaring. In the second quarter a South man went through Massillon’s line for a three yard gain. As he was tackled he dropped the ball but South instantly recovered. It was not a free ball. This happened on the first down and play should have continued with the second down coming. But Head Linesman Thomas ruled it a first down for South. A short time later South was forced to punt. The ball hit a Youngstown man in the back and bounded back to South’s eight yard line. Referee Hart was about to give Massillon possession of the ball as he should. Out rushed Head Linesman Thomas to inform the official that a Massillon man had blocked the punt and Hart gave South the ball on its eight yard line. In the same period Bill Edwards jumped into the air and batted down a South forward pass. In doing so he accidentally knocked over a South player. The two fell to the ground in a heap. As he lay on the ground the South player deliberately dug his foot into Edwards face. Head linesman Thomas was standing not two feet away. He saw it. Edwards protested but the Head Linesman “balled” out the Massillon captain and told him he was attempting to illegally tackle a South man. In the fourth quarter halfback King of Massillon carried the ball for a gain of 14 yards. After he was tackled and on the ground two South players fell on him. Head Linesman Thomas saw what was coming and deliberately turned his back and walked up the field. One for the Book In the third quarter with Massillon ahead 7 to 6, South carried the ball to Massillon’s two-yard line. It was fourth down with goal to gain. South attempted a pass which was grounded behind its goal line and it was Massillon’s ball on its 20 yard line. But Head Linesman Thomas rushed in to inform the referee that Edwards had been offside. It was impossible for Edwards to have been offside on that play for he was standing back of his own goal line.
But the referee inflicted the penalty, placing the ball on Massillon’s one yard line giving South four downs to take it over. On the first play Collins went through the line but he was stopped before he reached the goal line. He was lying on top of a heap of players and as the Massillon line relaxed he squirmed over the line and the officials gave South a touchdown.
In the fourth quarter Coach Stewart came to the sideline to inquire of the referee the reason for a certain decision. The referee cut loose with a lot of profanity and immediately penalized Massillon 15 yards. Another Fine Decision The straw that broke the camel’s back came a few moments later when Umpire McKay called a penalty on McCarthy for alleged holding. He said the penalty took place on Massillon’s 20 yard line. A 15 yard penalty took the ball back to Massillon’s five yard line. Then Coach Stewart called his boys off the field.
A look of sheepishness crept over the faces of the officials as the Massillon team left the field. They were at a loss to know what to do. The South players gathered in little groups. They also were very quiet. They realized that what for them might have been a great victory had suddenly been turned into a dismal, flat failure. They knew that from then on no other outside team could come into Youngstown and be sure of a square deal.
Fair minded citizens in Youngstown should demand of Principal Eaton of South High school that he never again engage Hart, McKay and Thomas to officiate another game in which South participates. There are men in jail for doing less than that trio did Saturday.
MASSILLON BREAKS WITH SOUTH HIGH
Although no definite action had been taken early today by local high school authorities to sever athletic relations with Youngstown South following Saturday’s game at Youngstown it appeared quite evident that in the future no more athletic contests would be booked with South. H.R. Gorrell, superintendent of schools, this morning said that a meeting probably would be held soon to determine Massillon’s course of action.
South was quick to announce Saturday night that it had cut Massillon off its schedule but South was just a bit too slow for Washington high school authorities knew just about what action they would take the moment Coach Stewart called his team off the field.
Statements made in Youngstown Sunday that Youngstown Rayen had severed athletic relations with Massillon because of a rumpus occurring several years ago were denied today by local authorities who declared that Massillon and Rayen still maintained athletic relations.
Several years ago because of failure to get together on dates Rayen and Massillon did not schedule a football game. It has always been customary to play one of the Youngstown schools here and the other in Youngstown. But while Rayen and Massillon did not meet in football they still maintain basketball relations.
It was not known today whether the local school would take steps to officially notify South that athletic relations were severed or just completely ignore the Youngstown school in the future when athletic schedules are made up.
The following statement was issued today by Superintendent H.R. Gorrell:
“We are always sorry to have a game terminate as did the game Saturday. However, in view of the complaints entered following the game at Youngstown two years ago and repeated prior to this year’s game, we feel entirely justified in the action taken.”
“Games between schools that are hot rivals should always be handled by neutral officials who are acceptable to both schools. Massillon appreciates the good sportsmanship shown by the South team and student body.”
“It was made plain to the Youngstown South officials earlier in the week that the continuance of athletic relations between the two schools would depend upon the quality of the officiating at this game. That makes impossible therefore, games between the two schools for some time to come.”
STEEL CITY ELEVEN CANNOT STOP MARCH OF LOCAL GRIDDERS
Massillon’s great scholastic football team, traveling under the orange and black banner of Washington high school, last Saturday marched a step nearer the scholastic championship of Ohio, when it defeated Youngstown South 20 to 9 at Youngstown in a scrappy engagement and hung up its fourth straight victory of the 1922 campaign. Hailed as one of the toughest teams on the local schedule, South was expect to give Coach David B. Stewart’s gridders a fight all the way. And they did but the youthful Tigers, imbued with a determination to keep their slate clean of defeats, just waded into the Mahoning county warriors, broke down their defense and plunged through for three touchdowns and two goals after touchdown.
South was held to a touchdown and field goal, the field goal coming in the second quarter and the touchdown in the first 15 minutes of play and hung up its final points in the second 15-minute period.
Although they invaded enemy territory for their fourth scholastic encounter, Coach Stewart’s lads played the same brand of football that brought them a 31 to 7 victory over Dayton Steele in their opening battle. It was largely a defensive game that Massillon played Saturday. The great defensive play of the orange and black, together with Hill’s excellent punting and a few snappy dashes through the Youngstown team by Hill and Ulrich made it possible for the local gridders to out score South without resorting to anything except straight football.
Coaches of teams still to be played by Massillon who were among the 4,000 spectators who witnessed the contest were disappointed if they expected Coach Stewart to instruct his gridders to open up. They left the contest knowing just as much about Massillon’s attack as they did before the game. The orange and black played the kind of football that did not require much outside of stiff defense and straight football on offense. Their method of attack made South attempt everything it knew in a desperate effort to score.
South, was forced to open up and during the last two quarters it tried desperately to score via the overhead route but for the most part its attempts were dismal failures. Catch Asbaugh, of South, has the reputation of turning out teams that know how to handle the forward pass. He still seems to be able to work out plays for gaining by the air route but his team certainly was not able to make its aerial attack count for much Saturday against the watchful defense which Coach Stewart had built up against such a style of attack. During the last 30 minutes South shot forward passes with reckless abandon. Nearly every time it gained possession of the leather it began to pass the oval to all corners of the lot. But the orange and blacks secondary defense was right on the play and the steel city gridders got away with very few of their desperate heaves.
Massillon won because it excelled on defense and had a big advantage in punting, both teams resorting frequently to the kicking game in an effort to gain ground by out punting their rivals. So far as weight was concerned the two teams were evenly matched although Youngstown reports of the game would seem to indicate that the orange and black eleven was composed of a group of giants when compared to the poor little South team which probably averaged very near the 175 pound mark.
Despite the fact that the game was played in Youngstown and that the three officials who handled the contest appeared more than eager to penalize Massillon for every slight offense and let South do as it pleased, Coach Stewart’s lads won, which is a positive indication that the local gridders, even under adverse conditions, can tackle an opponent of their own weight and beat them.
“Butch” Hill, Massillon’s great fullback, was the outstanding star of the contest. It was he who gave the orange and black a big advantage by his educated toe which sent different, twisting punts far up the field, on which Massillon gained ground nearly every time. It was Hill who tore through the South line three times for touchdowns. And it was Hill who played a bear of a game on defense.
But Hill was not the only Massillonian whose playing was noteworthy. Bill Edwards, rangy tackle, also was more or less of a bear on defense. Bill somehow got into nearly every play and once he wrapped his long arms around a Youngstown player that individual generally came to earth with a thud. Ted Roth, scrappy center, also did yeoman service, especially in breaking down South’s overhead attack. Hill and Ulrich were the only Massillon players able to gain much ground against South. Hill several times ripped his way through the Mahoning county team’s defense for substantial gains while Ulrich paved the way for one of Massillon’s touchdowns by a brilliant 47-yard dash through the center of the Youngstown line.
Although Hill, Edwards and Roth were the main cogs in Massillon’s victory the other lads Coach Stewart shoved into the fray also gave a good account of themselves. The strain of the hard conflict finally began to wear on the local team and the players showed signs of becoming tired in the final quarter. But the terrific pace which had been set also had its effect on South and the steel city athletes were on the ragged edge when the game was over.
The crowd of nearly 1,000 Massillon fans who journeyed to Youngstown to witness the encounter saw the orange and black accomplish what they hoped it would and they returned home happy. South high supporters though were a little crest-fallen. They expected to win. In fact many were absolutely convinced that the red and black machine would twist the tail of the Massillon Tiger. South appeared to have one of the greatest teams in its history but when pitted against the equally great machine, which Coach Stewart has developed, it paled in comparison.
How desperately South tried to score by the overhead route is shown by the fact that the eastern Ohio eleven tried 42 forward passes. Of this number it completed eight for a total yardage of 79. Two of them were good for 15-yard gains. Nine passes were intercepted by Massillon while 22 were not completed. Massillon attempted but two forwards, one of which was intercepted by South and the other was grounded, the ball going over South’s goal line and robbing Massillon of a touchdown.
South made more first downs than Massillon, most of these coming in the last two quarters when Massillon was playing a purely defensive game.
The first downs stood 12 for South and nine for Massillon. Massillon punted 24 times to 19 for South. In the matter of penalties Massillon drew a great many more than South, some of the penalties inflicted by the officials seeming a little too severe when it was considered that South was committing practically the same infringements and drawing no penalties whatever.
With both teams fighting fiercely to keep their rivals from gaining ground, the battle soon developed into a punting duel between Hill and Randolph and Hill had it all over the Youngstown foe. The Massillon star kept sending back wicked twisters the Youngstown players found hard to catch and on practically every exchange of punts Massillon gained ground. South’s defense appeared to tighten in the second half and the orange and black was not able to come within scoring distance except twice.
On one occasion left end Weirich intercepted a South pass and ran it back 40 yards before being downed on South’s two yard line. Four smashed at the Youngstown line failed to take the ball over. A little later Massillon again took the ball within South’s 20-yard line but was unable to put it over, attempting a forward pass on its fourth down which was grounded behind South’s goal.
FIRST QUARTER
South won the toss and Pflug kicked off and South was downed on its 22-yard line. Right off the bat Massillon drew a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness. South was held and Randolph punted over the line. The ball was put in play on Massillon’s 20-yard line. Ulrich went through South’s left tackle for a first down. Hill lost 15 on a bad pass from center and then punted out of bounds in mid-field. South fumbled and Hill covered for Massillon on South’s 42-yard line. Massillon lost the ball on downs and South immediately punted. Hill kicked back the ball going out on South’s 31-yard mark. The rivals exchanged punts twice before Thomas returned South’s second boot 25 yards to South’s 40-yard line. Hill plunged off South’s right tackle for 35 yards, carrying the ball to the five-yard line. Hill hit the same spot again but failed to gain. Captain Ulrich went through the South line taking the ball to the one-yard line from where Hill plunged through for Massillon’s first touchdown, nine minutes after play began. Thomas missed a try for goal.
South received and after an exchange of punts Ulrich signaled for a fair catch of a South punt on South’s 35-yard line. Edwards then tried for a field goal which went to one side, Potts gathering in the ball and racing to South’s 12-yard line before being downed. Ulrich lost five on an attempted double pass but Hill made it up by taking the ball to South’s 10-yard line on a dash around South’s right end. On the next play Hill carried the ball to within half a yard of South’s goal and went over on the next smash. Edwards kicked goal. The quarter ended a short time later with Massillon in possession of the ball on South’s 20-yard line.
SECOND QUARTER
Massillon attempted a forward, which was intercepted by Randolph. Referee Kreach, of Case, ruled that tackle Salberg of Massillon had slugged Randolph and ejected the Massillon man from the game, penalizing Massillon half the distance to its goal. South made a first down on plunges and then George drop kicked the ball over from the 25-yard line for South’s first points. With Hill out punting Randolph and Thomas generally returning South’s punts 10 to 25 yards, Massillon soon worked the ball back into South territory. Then Ulrich dashed through the South team for a gain of 47 yards carrying the ball to South’s two-yard line. Hill failed in his first dash into the South line but the next time he went over for Massillon’s third touchdown and Edwards again kicked goal. During the remainder of the quarter play was confined to the mid section of the gridiron.
THIRD QUARTER
With the start of the third quarter South’s defense seemed to take on added strength and it began to open up attempting numerous forward passes. South attempted 17 heaves in this period only four of which were completed. It was a pass, Perilla to Cook, that was good for 15 yards that put South in position to score its only touchdown. Following this pass Perilla plowed through the Massillon line for a 15-yard gain, taking the ball to the five-yard mark. Two plunges into the orange and black forward wall failed to gain but on the third play Davies went off Massillon’s left tackle for South’s touchdown. Goal was missed. South continued its desperate overhead attack, which was continually broken up by the alert Massillon lads. The quarter ended with South in possession of the ball in mid-field. It was in this period that Weirich intercepted a South pass and carried the ball back to South’s two-yard line. Then four line plays failed to dint the Youngstown line and Massillon lost the ball on downs.
FOURTH QUARTER
In the final period play zig-zagged over the center of the field until near the end of the period when Boerner intercepted a South forward and carried the ball to South’s 11-yard line. Massillon then attempted a forward but it went astray, landing behind the goal line and it was South’s ball on the 20-yard mark. Both teams resorting to punting during the closing minutes, the game ending with the ball near mid-field.
Four In A Row
Massillon – 20 Position South – 9 Potts LE Evans Edwards LT Whitley Kallaker LG Garns Roth C Armstrong Pflug RG Gintz (c) Salberg RT Welsh Jamison RE Cook Ulrich (c) Q Randolph Thomas LH Perilla Boerner RH Lewis Hill F Marrie
Score by Quarters: Massillon 13 7 0 0 – 20 South 0 3 6 0 – 9
Substitutions: Massillon – Rohr for Salberg, Weirich for Potts, Define for Thomas, Potts for Manison, Thomas for Define, Miller for Rohr. South – George for Marrie, Baker for Randolph, Marrie for George, Dahman for Lewis, Davies for Baker, Blackman for Lewis, Nelson for Evans.
Touchdowns: Hill 3, Davies. Goals after touchdown: Edwards 2. Field Goal: George.
History 
