Marvelous Massillon pillages North Canton in savage performance

 Marvelous Massillon pillages North Canton in savage performance

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--The motto of late legendary undisputed middleweight boxing champion Marvelous Marvin Hagler was "destruction and destroy."

For North Canton Hoover, they were feeling like Alan Minter after the night was over.

After an early John Collins 73-yard touchdown strike to Jack Andes 51 seconds into their Division II, Region 7 quarterfinal to issue the visitors a lightning quick 7-0 lead, the Tigers delivered an assault eerily reminiscent of Hagler's bloody third round TKO of Minter 40 years ago that lifted the title from Minter's grasp and the end result was a 62-7 shipwrecking of the Vikings in the confines of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Any hopes North Canton had of advancing were immediately squelched in just three plays as junior running back Savior Owens dashed for a 53-yard touchdown to tie the contest and then a possession later, Owens scored on a four-yard touchdown to hand the hosts a lead that went unchallenged the rest of the evening, eventually leading to a running clock in the second half, compliments of a 28-point second quarter that parlayed into a 49-7 halftime advantage.

Massillon will travel next week to Columbus to oppose St. Francis DeSales in what will be the first meeting between the two high schools in a regional semifinal. The Stallions downed Ashland on the final play of their second round contest 33-29 when quarterback R.J. Day threw a touchdown that was caught by the tight end, who snatched away what nearly was a game-ending interception for the Arrows. Had the Arrows held on, Massillon will have been at home for another week.

North Canton Hoover concluded their season at 9-3 while Massillon improved to 8-3. Dating back to 2016, Massillon is now 26-1 against Federal League football teams.

Massillon head coach Nate Moore was highly unfamiliar of Hagler's dominance in the middleweight division in which all but one of his 12 defenses all ended via knockout. When asked about the Hagler mentality of his team in how they let their durability and determination be the judges, Moore put that in perspective.

"When your opponent starts to wobble a little bit, that is where you have to end the fight and we certainly did that tonight and that's something we have to do a better job of but I think over the course of the season we put it all together tonight," he said.

Quarterback Manny Patterson threw four touchdown passes two of them going to Jadyce Thigpen with Deontay Malone and Giorgio Jackson Jr. catching the others. Anthony McMullen had a 42-yard touchdown run. The defense also got into the scoring column as Noah Jenkins returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown that was a part of the Tigers 21 point first quarter. Massillon also scored 28 points off of turnovers and picked off Collins three times on the evening. 

The scoring for Massillon concluded when senior quarterback Eli Moore, the son of Massillon's 11th year field general scored on an 11-yard keeper much to the delight of Tigers fans. Speaking as a father, the elder Moore couldn't help but to gush at the poignant life moment.

"I was super proud of him. He has put in a lot of work to be a team captain and you know it's hard enough to be a team captain when you're not a starter on offense or defense. But he earned that honor and I'm really proud of him," he said. "His leadership hasn't wavered all season and it didn't waver when he lost the quarterback battle, it didn't waver at all this season and as a dad, it was really nice to take the headset off there and watch my son score for the Massillon Tigers. I can't imagine anything better than that."

The motto of Marvelous Marvin Hagler was "destruction and destroy". Massillon's dominance lived up to that billing and it's one that Hagler will have been proud of.

TAKING THE SNAP. Massillon's offense prepares to run a play against North Canton Hoover in their playoff game, won by the Tigers 62-7. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Tigers and Vikings face off for sixth time in playoff affair

 Tigers and Vikings face off for sixth time in playoff affair

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--Paul Brown Tiger Stadium has been a federal lockup for Federal League teams who have opposed the Tigers.

Since 2015 with the exception of GlenOak, no other Federal team has been able to walk out of that stadium with the scales of justice tipped in their favor.

North Canton Hoover would love nothing more to be the ones to walk out of that stadium against a program that has served as prosecutor, jury, judge and warden based on the authority of their 25-1 overall record against league teams (including playoffs) that spans 10 years.

Ok, Massillon doesn't have successful prosecutor Marcia Clark on their side. But one thing is for sure: Massillon is at their most authoritative against Federal League teams as evidenced by their record and it is one that long-tenured Tigers commander Nate Moore relishes heavily. The last three weeks have been very challenging for the Tigers dating back to the eighth week of the season with a nationally contentious contest against Cardinal Ritter (MO) and then following up with longtime stalwart opponents in Warren G. Harding and Canton McKinley, Massillon was way past overdue for a long week of rest and one earned at that.

No one couldn't have been more relieved about it than Moore himself.

"It was great to have that break and we used the week to focus on us and get back to fundamentals to get ready and prepare for a great game against North Canton Hoover," he said.

This will be the sixth meeting between the Tigers and Vikings that spans back to the 2001 season, a 27-7 victory in a Division I regional final. Massillon is 5-1 overall against North Canton during that time with Rick Shepas obtaining two of the five wins with Tom Stacy and Jason Hall having the others. 

Moore captured the most recent one in the form of a 48-23 decision in a regional quarterfinal that paved the Tigers path to a third straight state championship appearance. Five years has passed since that game in what was a coming out party for Willtrell Hartson (who now competes at Ashland University) but Moore still knows that the Vikings are a tradition-laden team who are just as competitive under Brian Baum, the same as they were under Don Hertler Jr.

The last time Hoover won a game in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium was in 2008, a 14-0 victory over GlenOak in a Division I regional final. That year, the Vikings returned to the same venue where their season concluded in a 34-7 setback to eventual state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius. Seven years later, both Moore and Baum became head coaches at their respective schools. And Moore hasn't lost sight of what Baum has accomplished in 11 years.

"This will be our second time competing against those guys back in 2020. They are well coached, disciplined and do things very well and that's why they're in the playoffs," he said.

North Canton started out the season winners of their first six games before competitive losses to eventual outright league champion Canton McKinley and Lake eliminated any chance of them obtaining a first-round bye. But they were able to rest their starters in the second half of last week's 50-6 plundering of Columbus Northland to earn the opportunity against the Tigers, whose hearts are burning to take back the regional championship.

A 29-point second quarter was vital for North Canton last week. Massillon is a different identity. But that is fine with Baum, who certainly has no qualms of facing the Tigers a second time.

"You have two great teams with great tradition and we are looking forward to the challenge. Massillon will have home field advantage but we embrace that and are ready to compete," he said.

Vikings quarterback John Collins has been the quintessential field commander. He knows how to distribute the ball where it is needed and also has several running backs behind him who can spring a big run the moment a hole is opened up.

Special teams may very well be an X-factor in deciding who advances after 9:30 p.m. Whereas Massillon has lethally dangerous punt returner Deontay Malone, a three-year varsity specialist whose 50-yard punt return touchdown sealed a 10th straight win over McKinley, Hoover will counter with Jack Andes.

Andes's prowess is reminiscent of former Hoover return specialists and receivers David Forrest and Mason Ashby. A scary stat: they all have recorded kickoff return touchdowns that spanned 98 yards against Massillon's ancient rival. When asked if Andes is a hybrid between Forrest and Ashby, Baum couldn't help but to concur with the assessment.

"You know, that's a pretty good question. Andes is not as tall as Forrest but also doesn't play both ways much. He also is like Ashby, like Forrest with good hands and will make plays when needed," he said.

During this time of year, teams who are surviving and playing another week are doing so in part to having a durable offensive line. It is one thing to have an adept defense and fundamentally sound special teams. But as the season wears on, the play of the offensive line is very imperative to the success of a team. That is where Massillon has established itself over the last eight years.

Massillon will look to rely on junior tailback Savior Owens, who is a smaller version of former record setting tailback Jamir Thomas. Like Thomas, Owens can also run behind an offensive line that just gets stronger as a game wears on without showing any signs of let up and if Massillon is pounding out drives lasting 10 plays or longer including taking up more than five minutes or longer off the clock, it may put Hoover at a disadvantage, especially if the contest comes down to the fourth quarter.

Owens with the aid of his line subtracted the clock and wore McKinley down in the second half just enough to set up Malone's decisive touchdown in a game that was reminiscent of Massillon's 16-15 win at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in 2017 as they were the first visiting team to capture a win in that stadium.

"Savior Owens is a great running back just like Jamir Thomas. Both are backs that could deliver a blow as much as over the course of a game and don't wear down," Moore said.

The winner of this game will move into a regional semifinal against the Columbus St. Francis-Ashland winner. For Massillon, it may be a chance to obtain one more home contest dependent on the game between the Stallions and Arrows while for North Canton, they could potentially get one more game in North Canton Memorial Stadium also dependent on the result.

One thing is for sure: both teams will be ready to compete and edge one step closer to being one of two Division II schools playing December 4th for a state title.

"There are 12 good teams in our region but now we are down to eight and for us, our focus is on North Canton. That is who we drew and we have to be ready to play." Moore said.

"Massillon is going to come out hot and heavy because it is their first playoff game and it's going to be exciting," Baum said. "We have instituted some things to help us prepare for the crowd noise that will be in the stadium Friday night."

Paul Brown Tiger Stadium has been a federal lockup for Federal League teams who have opposed the Tigers. North Canton Hoover will try to tip the scales of justice on their side while the Tigers will love nothing more to make another convincing testimony against another Federal school.

PREP PRESS PIECES

*Jackson Fashion: One Tiger who may have a say in Friday's game is 6'5" 190 lb. receiver Giorgio Jackson Jr. The son of former Massillon receiver Giorgio Sr., the physical specimen may be a key to Massillon's playoff run with his frame and vertical leap, reminiscent of former towers Rameir Martin and Devin Jordan respectively. When asked of how much he may be utilized, Moore put it in perspective. "He can provide a true matchup problem and defenses have bracketed him which exposes other guys," he said of Jackson and the other receivers who will get opportunities.

*Battering Lamm: Michael Lammlein has become a key factor for the Hoover running game as of late and is one who can hit a hole for a long run if he gets into the secondary. Massillon will have to be wary of him and keep him contained. "Lammlein runs real great and also blocks well in the passing game," Baum said.

*Federal tracks: Canton McKinley, Lake, Jackson and Green are the other league schools remaining. McKinley takes on Medina in a second round contest and Jackson is on the road to battle Mentor, both contests in Division I, Region 1. If both the Bulldogs and Polar Bears win, McKinley will host a regional semifinal the following week in what would be a rematch of a McKinley 41-9 romp that secured the outright league title for the Bulldogs. Lake hosts Hudson in a Division II, Region 5 contest while Green is on the road to oppose Austintown-Fitch. Former McKinley head football coach John "Spider" Miller has East Canton on the road in a Division VII, Region 25 second round game against Fairport Harding (10-0).

THE EYES OF MASSILLON JUSTICE. Massillon head coach Nate Moore walks the sidelines near the end of Massillon's 21-14 win over Canton McKinley at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

AUTHORITATIVE VIKING. North Canton Hoover boss Brian Baum in action before the Vikings contest against Canton McKinley. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

WISH GRANTED: North Canton Hoover plunders Northland, draws Massillon

 WISH GRANTED: North Canton Hoover plunders Northland, draws Massillon

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

NORTH CANTON--The North Canton Hoover student section sent a message to a team whose hearts are burning to take back the regional championship.

"We want Massillon!"

The Vikings will get their wish next week in a second round Division II, Region 7 contest at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Paced by a 29-point second quarter and four touchdown passes from senior quarterback John Collins, the host Hoover Vikings plundered visiting Columbus Northland to the tune of a 50-6 finality at North Canton Memorial Stadium to push their record to 9-3 on the season. Hoover also scored on a blocked punt recovery in the second quarter.

The second half was played via running clock as North Canton led 43-6 at the intermission, actuating the state mandated clock rule. Everyone had a chance to see action much to the delight of 11th year North Canton general Brian Baum, who also praised Collins for his offensive prowess on the evening.

"We settled in there, they came out and gave great effort and we had a key turnover there, We had a couple of turnovers there and started to execute. When it's the playoffs, you have to execute on all three phases of the game and play at the highest level and we started kicking it up in the quarter," he said. "John did a good job of finding some zones and was able to read the defenses and make some plays. It was a fun night for him and I'm proud of him and the guys."

For the seventh time since the 2001 season, North Canton and Massillon will tangle once again in the playoffs with the Tigers holding a 6-1 edge with the Vikings lone win coming in 2008, a 14-7 victory when Jason Hall was in his first year as Tigers field general. That year, Hoover was in Division I and advanced to the state semifinals where their campaign ended to eventual state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius.

Baum is aware of the Massillon crowd and their unfailing ability to initiate false starts and delay of game penalties. But his charges believe they will be ready to tackle the challenge head on against a Tigers team that is expected by experts around the state to return to the regional final.

"That will be an exciting game for everyone involved. Massillon will be excited, we're excited to get down there and play. It will be a great environment and we will be ready," he said.

The North Canton Hoover student section sent a message that they wanted Massillon. Their wish has been granted.

VIKINGS SCORE. North Canton Hoover offensive players leave the field after their third offensive possession ended with a touchdown Friday night against Columbus Northland. North Canton advanced to a second round game next week against Massillon. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

COMMENTARY: The cities of Dover and Massillon are in a class of their own

 

Me and the Sattler family. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

COMMENTARY: The cities of Dover and Massillon are in a class of their own

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

CANTON--I have to smile and blush red here. Love red with hearts popping up over me.

As I was walking down the sideline of Crater Stadium before Dover's rivalry game with New Philadelphia while going through the game in my mind, I looked up in the Crater Stadium stands. I saw a woman waving to me well up from the stands. It didn't cross my mind as I wasn't thinking about it at the time but I smiled and waved back to the lady.

Ok, let me call this one in the best way I can. Even if she was perched on top of a skyscraper, that may be pushing it a little bit but my admission is clear. 

Retired Dover Avenue Elementary School principal Renee Sattler (second from left in the photo) is a sharpshooter. And a very accurate sharpshooter with an accurate aim. For her to spot me well from up high in the seats close to the pressbox to me was impressive. This is the same Mrs. Sattler, who easily identified me in my New York Yankees three-piece suit, the same lady who wrapped her arms around me the very first time she saw me in the Massillon gym back in 2006. The zip and zeal in her eyes immediately had an effect on my heart.

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about me and I laugh at this a lot, is that I have this aura where I am this big shot reporter who doesn't have time for people because I am wearing a suit and a hat. I laugh at that so hard I'm fortunate I haven't busted or broken a rib by now.

I thought I had all the connections in Massillon, which I will get to shortly. I have unbelievably just as many connections in Dover as well. And Friday night, a major milestone happened for a gentleman who not only like me graduated from Mount Union but also is an alumnus of Dover High School.

EYE OF THE STORM. Dover head coach Matt Rees looks on during warmups before the Tornadoes contest against New Philadelphia. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Eight months ago, Matt Rees was hand-picked by retiring Tornadoes football coach Dan Ifft to be his successor. Most of the Dover community were very supportive of this gentleman, who compiled a 4-0 record against the Quakers, attended Dover City Schools for his schooling, and went on to be a standout linebacker at Mount Union.

It's easy for people to talk about power couples in sports, one example being Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and his wife Ayesha. Dover has just as powerful as a couple in Coach Rees and his wife Courtney (like her husband, a Dover City Schools product and Mount Union graduate), and three loving children. Being the first family of Dover football was a challenging but exciting time for the Rees family. Both are coaches and educators at Dover High School. Both have parents that were invested in education.

A five-game losing streak after a season-opening win at GlenOak threatened to bring storm clouds under the Tornadoes regime. But when you're from a city like Dover, there is only one thing to do. You don't quit. You don't falter. You forge ahead. Quitting has never been accepted in the Rees family let alone the Sattler family. And quit doesn't reside in the city of Dover as well.

Proof of that was last night in a sold-out Crater Stadium when Dover ended their regular season 4-6 but it was a 4-6 made enjoyable with am exciting 35-28 decision over the Quakers that pushed Coach Rees's record to 5-0 all time against his rival. Tears of joy were shed. Lots of hugs and kisses were shared. I found myself embracing coach Rees and several people in a moment of happiness for them.

I had a very touching moment earlier this year when I was on the air with ESPN 990 during halftime of Massillon's basketball game against Dover, when Coach Rees' son, Rocco immediately and without hesitation called all of his middle school friends to meet me at halftime. Right there, the magic of Dover was just palpable. I felt it resonate within my heart. It keeps me wanting to come back everytime.

Anyone who reads this will say people from Dover are crazy to know who I am when they have never seen me before. Crazy? No. Knowledgeable? Yes. The people from the city are very special all the way down to the school district and it's that kind of feeling that will bring me back to the city for a long time.

Coach Rees and the first family of Dover football will be here for a long time. And Dover will continue to support them which they will. 

To the Dover City Schools, residents, Coach Rees and family, Mr. Rob and Mrs. Renee Sattler, thank you all for embodying what Dover is about. Also, to Coach Matt VonKaenel (and wife Lia), his dad, longtime basketball coach Bob, thank you all as well. And to Dover AD Tim McCrate and superintendent Karie McCrate, thank you for what you do as well.

Dover will always to me be first class. Keep knowing who I am and I will always give you more.

Now getting to Massillon. It was over 20 years ago that as a Mount Union senior that I found myself as an assistant writer for the Tigers on MassillonProud, one of many sites committed to Tigers sports. That started a deep respect I attained for the city and program with how they run things and in a first class style.

 

From the time my paths crossed Tom Stacy to current head coach Nate Moore, Massillon has always been a class program for how they have attained success over the years. That has been taken to another level. 

Saturday afternoon, Massillon experienced another thrilling accomplishment in the form of a 10th straight win over rival Canton McKinley. Before anyone says something, I did graduate from McKinley. But the respect I have for Massillon speaking as a reporter is just unbelievable. So many outsiders desecrate the program by taking shots at players, spreading unwarranted accusations about them and the program not to mention the coaches. It's something I refuse to tolerate.

As I write this, I can't help but to rehash a moment dating back to 2007. I was on my way to the coaches dinner for my first assignment writing for a small newspaper when my mother contacted me that she was having chest pains. As he was admitted to the hospital, I didn't expect to see Massillon offensive coordinator Jeff Huffman and his wife Karen at the hospital as well. I was at first confused why they were not there but those two put off the dinner to be with me at my mother's side was a very emotional moment for me. Those two didn't have to do that but it shows just the class that Massillon has. Another moment was an emotional prayer service back in 2019 that left me weeping outside Benson Stadium after seeing black and white teammates holding hands in prayer and several men, black and white, embracing each other.

TIGER INTENSITY. Massillon head coach Nate Moore studies the action during the first quarter of Saturday's game against Canton McKinley. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

14 years later, when my mother was hospitalized again for chest pains, I received an unlikely phone call. It was Moore on the other end. I was very surprised he had called while in the midst of an administrative meeting as the school's athletic director. I was planning on calling him during a preview when he beat me to the line and sent his well wishes to me for my mother's recovery.

If that's not Massillon class, I will never drink root beer again. Well, my mother doesn't like root beer so I'll keep drinking it, not around her, ha, ha, ha. 

The cities of Massillon and Dover are two that I have come to respect over the years and how they have embraced me. And I hope to continue to be a part of those cities, the same way they welcomed me with open arms.

The cities of Dover and Massillon are in a class of their own. And I love them for that.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

TREMENDOUS TEN! Late punt return touchdown pushes Massillon past Canton McKinley in tumultuous confrontation

TEN FOR THE TIGERS. Massillon players Jaxson Perry, William Hymes, Aamir Jones, and Jacob Matako stand in front of the Victory Bell after Massillon's 21-14 victory over Canton McKinley Saturday afternoon at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

 

TREMENDOUS TEN! Late punt return touchdown pushes Massillon past Canton McKinley in tumultuous confrontation

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

CANTON--Near the end of game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Chicago forward Scottie Pippen whispered in the ear of Utah's Karl Malone that "the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays."

Massillon wide receiver Deontay Malone is no relation to the former Jazz forward but he delivered a Saturday package that came just in time for the Tigers.

The junior wide receiver fielded a Thomas Mankowski punt from his own 45 yard line, sprinted to the left sideline and then punctured a gaping hole through Canton McKinley's punt coverage untouched for the biggest play of the game and the eventual decisive score of the 136th installment of the storied rivalry as the Tigers along with their vaunted durable strength on the offensive line were able to secure an unprecedented tenth straight conquest of their eastern Stark Country rival in front of a raucous crowd by virtue of a 21-14 victory at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

Saturday's game was nearly a carbon copy of the 2017 game that Massillon needed to rely on the durability of their offensive line to wear down the Bulldogs and capture a 16-15 win. Only eight years later, it was a special teams play that provided the winning edge for Massillon once again in their rivalry with the Bulldogs.

"That was a great ball game and it was back-and-forth and it seemed that we had a lot of momentum there at the start but we gave it away a little bit but you have to give the Bulldogs credit too, they played hard and their defense made it really tough for us in the second half as well," Massillon head coach Nate Moore said. "The punt return by Malone was huge, otherwise we still would be playing right now, we would either be in overtime or double overtime right now, who knows. It was a huge play and anytime you have an opportunity to make a play like that, make it and Deontay was able to find the end zone."

SAVIOR OF MASSILLON. Savior Owens is congratulated by teammates Marcus Garner Jr., Logan Allman, Manny Patterson, and Robert Blakely after his second touchdown of the day handed Massillon a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Such a finish did not seem likely in the first half as Massillon took advantage two early first half McKinley turnovers that running back Savior Owens transformed into Tiger touchdowns of four and 14 yards in issuing the visitors a 14-0 lead.

Any plans Massillon had of a second blowout of the Bulldogs in three years evaporated in just three plays on the Bulldogs third possession. Sophomore standout running back Kyelin West broke free for two runs, one a 37-yard run to put the hosts in Tiger territory and the second one, a 45 yard jaunt in which he outran the secondary for a much needed touchdown that truncated their deficit to a single touchdown.

At that point, it became very lucid that this was not the McKinley team that melted down badly in a 35-0 loss in the same stadium. After forcing a Massillon punt, the Bulldogs turned to their running game to edge their way back into the contest. It seemed their drive stalled when Mankowski missed a field goal but Massillon linebacker Ja'Dyn Williams was charged with hurdling through the McKinley kicking unit and it allowed the Bulldogs a second chance. They made the most of it when Shad Davis turned the left corner and scored an easy 10 yard touchdown run and both teams went to the locker room deadlocked at 14-14.

That set the stage for a defensive second half in which defenses dictated the second half which led to Malone's knockout blow, allowing Massillon to conclude the regular season at 7-3 while McKinley on the other hand saw their seven-game winning streak terminated as they wrapped up their regular season 8-2.

Both teams are likely to obtain first round byes into week 12, Massillon in Division II and McKinley in Division I. The playoff pairings will be determined Sunday.

Massillon's dominance in the rivalry now sits at 10 games and not to mention they are a flawless 5-0 against McKinley at Benson Stadium, not to mention 6-2 overall.

DEJECTED BULLDOGS. Canton McKinley defensive players Andrew Parker and Jamarice Owens walk off the field dejected as the Bulldogs bid to end a nine-game losing streak to rival Massillon came up short 21-14. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

McKinley first-year head coach Renzy Parnell is the fourth out of the last five head coaches to lose their first rivalry game against the Tigers at home. Only Dan Reardon was the last one to win his first game against Massillon 10 years ago in the last game at Fawcett Stadium. From 2016, Moore went 3-1 against Reardon, 2-0 against Marcus Wattley, 4-0 against Antonio Hall and now 1-0 against Parnell.

A game like that today may prove beneficial for Massillon and if they make a deep run in the Division II playoffs, their win over McKinley will have something to do with it, the same as the 2017 season and it may be a portent of something to arrive.

"You never know how it's going to go until you get out there but the things that we do, run the ball and chew up clock and hopefully we can lean on teams. You have to give McKinley credit, their front seven played really well and we were trying like heck to lean on them and get some seams there in the second half and fourth quarter," Moore said. "It was a great game."

Scottie Pippen told Karl Malone that "the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays." A mailman delivered on Saturday for the Massillon Tigers just in time and Deontay Malone's punt return was just the present the Tigers wanted and received. 

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

WHAT A STORM! Tornadoes hold off final Quaker rally, triumph 35-28

 WHAT A STORM! Tornadoes hold off final Quaker rally, triumph 35-28

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

DOVER--Matt Rees took off his headset with five seconds left. He didn't need to hear it from upstairs. Either the arms of the referee were going to be horizontal or vertical.

All of Crater Stadium held its breath when New Philadelphia junior quarterback Parker Rieger lofted a Hail Mary into the end zone with the clock having expired. Rieger's pass was intercepted in the end zone and a trying season for a Tornadoes team that were rankled with injuries and missed opportunities had a thrilling conclusion as the hosts obtained a heartstopping 35-28 victory in front of a standing room only crowd in what was the 122nd meeting between the two teams separated by a river.

The game featured a staggering three lead changes and three ties between two teams that displayed a very cold refusal to quit. Despite both teams being eliminated from playoff contention, this game had the makings of a state championship atmosphere with each team taking the best shot of the other. Both teams have now alternated victories with each team capturing a victory on their home field in the last five years.

For Rees, a 2004 graduate of Dover and former standout competitor, it was a challenging season as he was chosen by Dan Ifft to be his successor after having been the team's defensive coordinator. After a season opening win over GlenOak, Dover endured a five-game losing streak that had the capabilities of unraveling their season, especially with thunderous losses to Ashland and Steubenville not to mention close losses to Maple Heights and a double-overtime setback to Columbus Academy. But not one player or coach mailed it in and the end result was a run that saw them win three of their last four to conclude the season 4-6 but it was a validated four win season based on tonight's triumph.

A major nugget to that: Rees is now 5-0 against New Philadelphia, winning all four of his varsity games as a player and now 1-0 against the Quakers as head coach.

"You know the word excitement has been thrown around a lot this past week and you know there are a lot of words you can use to describe it but the word I would use is excited. I'm excited for the players and the work that they put in this year and I'm excited for our community for they understand the tradition of the game and I am proud to be part of it," Rees said.

One player that will be giving the Quakers nightmares for the next 365 days was wide receiver and defensive back Dante Clark. After both teams scored on their respective second possessions with Myles Tyson contributing to the Quakers cause with a two-yard touchdown run and then quarterback Dieter Weber connecting on a 54-yard touchdown pass to Liam Mast in which Mast stiff-armed a Quakers defender and was into the end zone after three missed tackles, that is when Clark etched his name in the chapter of the rivalry.

Fielding the Quakers punt, he found a gaping hole and his speed took care of the rest as he found real estate in the form of a seraphic 81 yard punt return score and in a span of 4:05, the Tornadoes obtained their first lead to conclude the first quarter with a 14-7 advantage. 

The fun was just commencing

"I saw that I had space and the punter kicked it kind of short and I found a crease in their unit. And when I found that crease, I knew I was going to take it to the house," Clark said.

TORNADO BRIEFING. Dover head coach Matt Rees confers with his team during a timeout in the first half of Friday's contest against New Philadelphia. Rees improved his record to 5-0 (4-0 as a player) against the Quakers as his team prevailed 35-28. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Undeterred by the Tornadoes run, New Philadelphia relied on their running game, spearheaded by their trio of Tyson, Rieger and Kolston Fox. The Quakers converted a critical fourth down on a two-yard run by Fox and four plays after that, Rieger took advantage of a miscommunication in the Tornadoes secondary and located a wide open Jackson Norris for the equalizer that tied the game.

Dover was more than happy to respond to the Quakers drive with one of their own as Weber took advantage of a deficiency in the Quakers secondary and spotted Mast over the middle where he took advantage of a miscue in their secondary and scored from 25 yards out. However, the extra-point was missed and the hosts only had a 20-14 lead.

New Philadelphia drove very deep into Dover territory and were well within field goal range. They opted to gamble from the Dover 14 but Tyson was stymied by a horde of Crimson Tornado defenders and that was a huge stand for the Tornadoes and at the time, a ruinous sequence for the visitors going into halftime.

"I thought we did some good things early on, we threw the ball and got some big plays for us. But Dover did a good job fighting back and the momentum changed a whole lot," Quakers fifth-year head coach Matt Johnson, a 2001 graduate of New Philadelphia said of that sequence.

The second half started out healthy for the Quakers as they relied on their running game that saw them obtain three first downs along with a humonguous fourth down pass from Rieger to Carter Watson that spanned 20 yards and two plays later, Tyson had his second touchdown, a seven-round end around that reclaimed the lead for New Philadelphia as the third quarter game to a conclusion.

QUAKER CELEBRATION. New Philadelphia players celebrate Myles Tyson's two-yard touchdown in the first quarter of Friday's game at Crater Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

That would set up the final and frenzied fourth quarter. Dover appeared to land a knockout punch as they capped a 16-play, 78 yard drive that concluded with Weber finding senior receiver Robbie Copple in the end zone and Clark's two-point catch was good as the Tornadoes repossessed the lead.

The Quakers needed only three plays to provide an emphatic response when Rieger aimed a pass over the middle for CJ Carlisle and one missed tackle later was into the end zone for a 51-yard score and once again the game was tied.

Was Dover about to fall apart again? Did New Philadelphia score too quickly?

"This game it doesn't matter about the records. It says a lot that both teams were willing to fight and that is something special about this game. You throw out all the records and both teams battled tonight," Rees said.

"Even well before Carlisle's score we had a chance to stop them and they had converted some third down conversions which ended up huge plays and credit to Dover for making those plays because that's what it comes down to," Johnson said.

Dover got the ball at their own 20 yard line and drove down the field as the Quakers defense that had been stout for three quarters finally started to languish. After a pass completion to Clark by Weber put them in Quakers territory, a late hit penalty on the visitors that spanned 15 yards moved the ball to the nine yard line and two plays after the New Philadelphia infraction, Weber located Clark for his third touchdown pass of the game and the Tornadoes took a 35-28 lead with 24 seconds left.

That set up the final attempt for the Quakers as Rieger completed a pass to Norris to the Dover 33 yard line. Rieger's Hail Mary was intercepted and it set off a zealous celebration on the Dover sideline while New Philadelphia players tearfully awaited the customary handshakes.

Both teams who qualified for the playoffs last season will not have a postseason appearance. For Johnson, he was proud of his team and the seniors who gave their heart and soul in their last game as Quakers. He wants the freshmen, sophomores and juniors to remember the dismal feeling so they don't want to experience it again 12 months from now.

"You hit the nail on the head, this stings," Johnson said when asked about the grief and sorrow his team his team is enduring. "This pain, it hurts and it's not fun to lose especially in week 10 against your rival. I'm proud of this team for their growth from when they were freshmen has been tremendous. We had our chances tonight but didn't make the most of them so we are going to work to clean those up, get better and be in a better spot next year."

Like the Quakers, the Tornadoes will not be qualifying for the postseason but their victory will be something for them to build on and when offseason conditioning begins a month from now, the Tornadoes will be in a better situation to improve on their four-win season.

Eight months ago, Rees was hired to be Dover's newly minted football coach. But one thing still remains intact: his flawless record against the Quakers and bragging rights for the next 365 days, something he soaked in during the on-field celebration with his team and family.

"We will certainly remember tonight and remember, we opened up the season with a win and we told these guys how many teams in the state of Ohio get to play their last game with a win and end their season with a win," he said. "Record aside, they are fortunate to get a win."

Matt Rees took off his headset with five seconds left. Five seconds later, his flock of Tornadoes earned a well-deserved celebration that lasted well into the night.

DELIGHT OF DOVER. Dover High School football players celebrate their 35-28 victory over New Philadelphia in the 122nd meeting between the two high schools. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press).

HAPPY FAMILY. Dover head coach Matt Rees and family are all smiles after the Tornadoes victory over New Philadelphia at Crater Stadium Friday night. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

Massillon general anticipates contest with much improved Bulldog team

 Massillon general anticipates contest with much improved Bulldog team

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--21-19, 16-15, 24-17, 24-14, 35-7, 35-13, 23-13, 35-0 and 16-7 are proud numbers that any elementary school teacher will love to write on a chalkboard during math.

Nate Moore however is not an elementary school teacher. But don't get the perception that he is not portentously aware of the 229-105 edge his Massillon Tigers have had against Canton McKinley over the last nine years.

Nine years ago, the Massillon class of 2026 were third graders shaping up their futures at Whittier, Franklin, and Gorrell schools when the Tigers repossessed the Victory Bell with a 21-19 victory over the Bulldogs and have maintained a hammerlock on the prized possession since. And with a 10th straight victory Saturday afternoon, it will be another flawless ending to a class that will have amassed a successful high school career without losing to McKinley, joining five other Washington High School classes, 2020-2025 in that span.

Since Tom Benson Hall of Fame opened in 2017, Massillon became the first visiting team to obtain a victory as they squelched McKinley's bid for an undefeated home season and have won four in a row over the Bulldogs in their home venue while also completing undefeated regular seasons in 2019 and 2023 as well.

MASSILLON PATRIARCH. Massillon head coach Nate Moore looks on intently during the Tigers 2019 contest against Canton McKinley. On the left is assistant coach Dave Weber and J.P. Simon on the right. Massillon is gunning for a 10th straight win over the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon in Canton. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Every year the Cincinnati native who now calls Stark County his home has a firm hold on the rivalry and it has shown much to the devout Massillon votaries.

"It's a honor to be a part of this rivalry, a part of history with two great programs going at it in this storied rivalry against a great opponent," Moore said.

Massillon is coming off their finest defensive performance of the season against an ancient rival before the Bulldogs, that being Warren G. Harding. The Tigers defense harassed the Raiders into five giveaways with one of those resulting in a tone-setting touchdown by linebacker and future Indiana Hoosier Ja'Dyn Williams as Massillon completely unraveled the Trumbull County power in the tune of a 42-10 pillaging as 28 points arrived off of turnovers. The 28 points off turnovers were the most Massillon had in a game since the 2009 season when they scored 35 off those, highlighted by linebacker Aaron Robey's first quarter 42-yard touchdown off an interception that resulted in a 21-0 first quarter lead and an eventual 42-21 victory against Akron Buchtel.

Aside from allowing 33, 50, and 34 points in home contests against Cleveland Glenville, Rabun Gap (GA) and Clarkson North (Canada), the Tigers defense has been stellar in yielding just 68 points overall in their six wins, for a stingy average of 11.3 and overall in their three-game winning streak have surrendered just 44 points for an average of 14.6.

In four games against McKinley at Benson Stadium, Massillon's defense has just given up an average of 14 points, that included a 35-0 victory on their way to setting nine defensive records and an eventual state championship. The 2025 Massillon defense may not be as feared as the 2023 defense was but at the same time under no circumstances can be overlooked.

"Defensively we are playing real well right now. We are going to need a great week of practice and preparation. Our goal was to get better with every game and it's important we have a great week of practice," Moore attested.

After a second week loss to St. Augustine Prep (NJ) and followed by a victory over Cleveland Heights, Canton McKinley became an uncontrolled freight train in Federal League competition, speeding through railroad crossings non-stop and pulverizing the opposition, most recently a 40-9 throttling of Jackson to seize the league title outright. They have the look of the 2019 team that also captured the league title outright before they suffered a late knockout loss to the Tigers when Aidan Longwell heaved a deep pass on third down that was snagged by Jayden Ballard that turned into an insurance touchdown in the form of a 79-yard pass to complete the scoring for that afternoon.

The Bulldogs (not counting Thom McDaniels lone return in 2014) have had eight head coaches since 1997. But their current boss isn't just any other boss.

27 years ago, Renzy Parnell played on an Akron Garfield team that gave the reigning Division I state champion Bulldogs all they could handle before being on the losing end of an 18-13 decision at Fawcett Stadium. Now he is the head coach of that same program he competed against as a high school senior.

For 10 seasons, Parnell was the defensive coordinator at Akron Hoban where he won five state titles as a part of Tim Tyrrell's staff and two of those came against Massillon back in 2018 and 2020. Hoban's aspirations for their elusive sixth title was soured in a 7-2 setback to the same Tigers whom his defenses helped turn back three times, one more in a 2022 state semifinal. Now he is tasked with the challenge of eradicating the Bulldogs losing streak against Massillon and will be the fourth straight head coach, joining Dan Reardon, Marcus Wattley and Antonio Hall to have their first rivalry game at home. The last first-year coach to have the rivalry game away, not counting McDaniels was Ron Johnson, who was shut-out in 2008.

Moore knows Saturday will be a chess match against Parnell, whose defense is just yielding 15.7 points on defense. Offensively they are scoring 29.2 points with Hoban transfer Trent Hayden leading the offense with running backs Kyelin West and Isaac Brooks wearing out teams over the course of a contest. One thing that will be an advantage for the Tigers is that they were one of three teams in 2018 to dent the Parnell-coached Knights defense for 28 points in the Division II state championship, a 42-28 loss but the fact they scored that much against their #1 overall defense provides confidence for the Massillon offense, an offense featured around running back Savior Owens and lethal receivers Deontay Malone and Giorgio Jackson Jr. along with their ever-durable offensive line corps.

"Renzy Parnell has them very well coached and they are a disciplined team, the same that we saw of them on film and it will be a great challenge and a battle," he said of facing a Parnell coached defense for the seventh time overall.

BULLDOG GENERAL. First-year McKinley head coach Renzy Parnell chats with Lake head coach Dan DeGeorge before their contest two weeks earlier. Having won the Federal League outright, Parnell and his batch of Bulldogs hope to end a nine-year losing streak to the Massillon Tigers. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

10 years ago, Moore reached the lowest point of his prep coaching career. A one-yard touchdown plunge by McKinley quarterback Dominique Robinson with 18 seconds left allowed the Bulldogs to close the Fawcett Stadium chapter with an unlikely 30-28 victory and end at the time what was a four-game losing streak to their rivals. Two kickoff return touchdowns and an interception return for a score were not enough to put the Tigers ahead of the scoreboard after 48 minutes, leading to emotions ranging from sadness to anger in the locker room.

If that wasn't enough, it hit really deep coming out of the locker room when he saw his then eight-year-old son Eli (now a senior), who also was in tears. The elder Moore wept on his son's shoulder and both wept in each other's arms. The next year, Moore endured another adversarial situation away from the field and at that same time, one of his players now an assistant coach, Edwin Glick, like Moore was enduring a personal situation in his life before the rivalry contest.

The only difference? Moore was able to hug Glick and both wept in each other's arms not in defeat but in victory. Moore put both situations in perspective.

"That loss was devastating in 2015 and as devastating as that is, I don't wish that on anyone. What I learned from that when you fall short of your goal, it doesn't mean that you worked as hard as you can. The unmistakable lesson is that you don't know how much impact it will have on you in the future, it was devastating but also it shaped us for why today we are 9-1 during that time," he said of his embrace with his son before turning to his embrace with Glick. "We both went through a lot that year and there was a picture of us both embracing at the end. This rivalry is unlike anything else."

Canton McKinley has already secured a first-round bye and home playoff game into the 12th week of the season. With a victory Saturday afternoon, Massillon has a chance to obtain a potential first round bye and not play again till the 12th week of the season. Otherwise, they will begin their playoff path with a second straight away contest. 

Right now, the only thing that matters is the 136th confrontation. Whatever happens after that is anyone's guess but right now, winning is simply on the mind of Moore and his hordes of Tigers as they look to keep the Victory Bell in Massillon for another year.

"There are a lot of variables that go into this week and we just want to keep our focus on the game," he said.

Nate Moore may not be an elementary school teacher teaching math but scores of 21-19, 16-15, 24-17, 24-14, 35-7, 35-13, 23-13, 35-0 and 16-7 are numbers proudly written on a chalkboard and his team would love nothing more to add another winning tally to that lesson.

HAIL TO THE TIGERS. Massillon players sit in front of the Victory Bell after last year's 16-7 win over Canton McKinley. Massillon will look for a 10th straight victory over the Bulldogs and fifth straight at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium Saturday afternoon. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

PREP PRESS PIECES

*Tornadoes and Quakers: Friday will be the 122nd meeting of Ohio's third oldest rivalry when Dover hosts New Philadelphia at Crater Stadium in what will be a sellout crowd. Both teams are eliminated from playoff contention as the Quakers look to capture a second straight win and a winning season at 6-4 while Dover at 3-6 will look to end their season on a high note with a victory to conclude their season. Both Matt Johnson and Matt Rees of their respective alma maters, Johnson at New Philadelphia and Rees at Dover graduated three years apart from each other, Johnson in 2001 and Rees in 2004.

*Second home away from home: Massillon is 5-2 all-time at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Massillon's only losses were to Akron Hoban and Cincinnati LaSalle, both in the Division II state finals. LaSalle returned to Stark County for the first time since the 2019 state title game and defeated Louisville 35-24. Pat McLaughlin, who succeeded Moore at LaSalle is in his eighth year as Lancers head coach.

*Playoff positioning: At press time, McKinley and Jackson have clinched home playoff games in Division I, Region 1 with the Bulldogs having a bye. Lake has clinched a first round bye and a home playoff game in Division II, Region 5.

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.