Purple Raiders survive challenge from Pioneers in key victory

RAIDER CONGRATULATIONS. Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt congratulates Mason Ashby after his seven-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter. Ashby had two touchdown catches on the afternoon. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Purple Raiders survive challenge from Pioneers in key victory 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

ALLIANCE--Mount Union has not missed the NCAA Division III playoffs in decades.

They are not ready for that streak to end quite yet.

The Purple Raiders needed everything in their arsenal against a feisty Marietta team and were able to fend off several Pioneer rallies to emerge with a 27-21 victory on Homecoming afternoon at Kehres Stadium.

The Purple Raiders kept their OAC title hopes afloat along with a potential playoff bid in a season that sees them having to win out in order to qualify for an automatic bid, worst case an at-large berth.

For head coach Geoff Dartt, he knows all about the start to the season and his team realizes the urgency and need for quality wins and today was a step in the right direction.

"We have to win out but we have to do that one game at a time, one week at a time. I told the guys they did a good job and it's hard to win games but I was just proud of them," he said. "We had some tackling problems and put our defense in bad positions but we were able to play through that. We have some things to clean up and that is what we are going to do moving forward."

The Purple Raiders picked up where they left off from last week as they set the tone on their opening drive with an early field goal from Connell Rafferty that spanned 30 yards to spark Mount Union to a 3-0 lead nearly five minutes into the key OAC contest.

Mount Union effectively went to the no-huddle on their second possession and showed a lethal effectiveness through a diet of runs and passes which ended on a second field goal from Rafferty, this one from 37 yards and although the Purple Raiders led 6-0, it was a psychological advantage for the hosts, which pleased Dartt, who is the son-in-law of 11-time national champion winning Mount Union head coach Larry Kehres.

"We would have wanted to see some touchdowns on those drives but we had some self-inflicted wounds and you can't have that against a defense as good as Marietta's," he said. "But a win is a win and better than a loss and we still have everything that is in front of us."

Marietta started to construct a potential scoring drive led by quarterback Joe Tenta. But the drive stalled on downs after two straight incompletions, handing the ball back to Mount Union.

Mount Union drove deep to the Pioneers 20-yard line but consecutive holding penalties and a sack threatened to sabotage the drive but Purple Raiders QB Mikey Maloney got half of the yardage back and on a third down and needing 13 yards, Maloney located Mikey Reilly who got behind a Pioneer defender and caught a 24-yard touchdown pass and the Purple Raiders took a 13-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

That sequence galvanized the hosts and seemed to detach the Pioneers.

But Marietta showed fight when Tenta threw a 54-yard completion to Dalton Miller that had the visitors in Purple Raiders territory with two minutes before intermission.

Converting a fourth down, Tenta located Antwon Johnson for a new set of downs to get inside the 20-yard line. Two plays later, Tenta discovered Miller in the back of the end zone for a momentum swinging touchdown and the Purple Raiders lead was reduced to 13-7.

But in a matter of seconds, momentum swung back to the Raiders when Maloney found North Canton Hoover product Mason Ashby on a 53-yard catch and run for a touchdown and in a flash, Marietta's momentum was gone and it was a 20-7 Mount Union advantage at the break.

"They got a connection there and we were happy that it happened," Dartt said.

Marietta was on the move midway through the third quarter. Tenta was sharp as a blade in leading their rally. It paid off when Tenta completed his second touchdown pass of the afternoon to former Perry receiver, freshman receiver Nas Foster that went for 15 yards and the Pioneers trailed 20-14, putting the pressure back on the Purple Raiders.

PIONEER PRODUCTION. Marietta freshman receiver Nas Foster (#17), a former Perry High School wide receiver confers with receiver Dalton Miller (#11) after catching a 15-yard touchdown during the third quarter of Saturday's OAC contest against Mount Union. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Mount Union was kind enough to oblige as they answered the Marietta drive with a drive of their own. After a Pioneers personal foul, it took just two plays for the hosts to score when Maloney located Ashby for another score, this one from seven yards and once again, Mount Union led by 13 by a 27-14 tally.

Somehow, Mount Union had to wish the pesky and persistent Pioneers would just go away. Testa located Foster over the middle amid a missed assignment in the Mount Union secondary and Foster sprinted into the end zone, once again reducing the Purple Raiders lead to just six at 27-21 with 10:42 remaining.

The Pioneers got the ball late with 90 seconds left in regulation with a chance to potentially steal away the game and drive a stake into the season of the 13-time national champions. But the Purple Raiders defense held with a late interception to seal the victory.

Mount Union kept their hopes alive as they are still in the running for a conference title and a playoff bid while Marietta's took virtually an irreversible turn with the loss. But Dartt is very relieved to have come away with the victory.

"We play Capital next week and that is the only matchup we are focused on now," he said.

Mount Union hasn't been absent the NCAA playoffs in decades and that streak will live for at least another week.

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 battle but come up short against Warriors

 Tigers battle but come up short against Warriors 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--Adversity threw an early punch and for the first time this season, Massillon was on the canvas looking up at the lights.

The Tigers calmly rose to one knee, took the eight count and rose up to fight again and again.

Massillon kept getting off the canvas and swinging blow for blow against Cornerstone Christian but their inability to obtain a lead and crack the chin of the Warriors eventually led to their first defeat of the season in a 35-21 score that left partisan fans departing Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in a subdued and dejected state.

Massillon will rue the losses of momentum in a game where they tied the game three times but failed to take the lead and control of the game.

"You have to give credit to Cornerstone Christian for traveling all the way up here to play this game and get the win here at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and they are a great football team and they deserved to win tonight," veteran Tiger coach Nate Moore said solemnly.

Massillon's first drive was a in promising one but was curtailed by a missed field goal from Mateo Herrera.

Five plays after the misfire, Cornerstone Christian struck almost immediately. Quarterback Seth Shuler threw a short pass to receiver Isaiah Regge and he was gone like the Texas wins as he sped away from Tigers defenders for a 78-yard catch and run for a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead. It was pretty lucid that this was not the same Warriors team that departed Paul Brown Tiger Stadium a tired squad the previous season.

It took an extra two possessions for the Tigers to answer. Paced by the running of future Michigan State athlete Savior Owens, Massillon cracked the scoreboard when Owens fought off a tackle and scored a 12-yard touchdown run and Herrera's point after kick tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

Massillon mounted another scoring drive but was thwarted when Owens was stopped a yard short on fourth down, handing the ball back to the Warriors, bailing out their tiring defense.

Cornerstone Christian mounted a balanced attack before the intermission but they were undone by a series of penalties, especially a huge personal foul that dismissed them from field goal range, much to the dismay of head coach Clayton Guillory as his team was tied with the Tigers instead of being up by either seven or worst case, three points.

The Warriors showed no ill effects of the missed opportunity. A pass from Rasmus Haines was intercepted by defensive end Brandon Stewart at the 22-yard line and in just two plays, Jayden McKane ran for a 20-yard touchdown run and the visitors had Paul Brown Tiger Stadium silenced again with a 14-7 lead early into the third quarter.

Faced with a long fourth down, Haines made amends for his turnover when he located Deontay Malone for a key first down completion into Warriors territory. Haines then went upstairs again, this time to Gio Jackson Jr. who made a back shoulder catch for the equalizer and the game had its second tie at 14-14 with exactly six minutes remaining which ended up being the halftime tally.

Cornerstone Christian boss Clayton Guillory challenged his team to make a statement coming out of the locker room.

"When we went into halftime, I talked to the team about getting a stop and coming out and getting a score and they did that. And when they did that, that changed the momentum of the game. When you come into an environment like Massillon and a crowd like theirs, a tradition like this, a culture like this,  you have to control the momentum and that helped us do that," he said.

That was put to the test when McKane broke a long run but was stripped of the football but it went out of bounds as the Tigers were unable to recover it.

And it proved costly when on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line when McKane bulled his way in for the Warriors third lead of the game at 21-14 and the Tigers undefeated regular season was for the first time in jeopardy of being extinguished.

But the Tigers answered emphatically when Haines averted a blitz and noticed a crack in the Warriors secondary and located Malone, who caught the ball and outraced a defender for an electrifying 73-yard score and the game was tied for the third time on the evening at 21-21.

But the Warriors continued to show great resilience. Backup quarterback Rogan Parson threw a short pass and it was a second catch and run for Regge, this one a 57-yarder and once again Cornerstone Christian had Massillon level again at 28-21 late in the fourth quarter. McKane added on a 53-yard scamper to complete the scoring for the 5-2 Warriors, who will truly be a contender to win a state championship in Texas.

Guillory attested that his team was going into the thunderstorm against a team like Massillon. He pointed to their faith in God and what the school epitomizes in terms of Christian faith and by his testimony, knew his team was coming out of the storm victorious because it was according to his vantage point, the victory was ordained and that the team just had to complete the mission. It also helped that they were not worn down in the second half like the previous meeting.

"I've always explained to our guys that number one, we do this to repay God for the blessings he has bestowed up on us and athletic ability he has given us to play and how they use that is our way of repaying God and to be able to come in here, have faith, stick to the plan, and having God guide us through, no one broke faith, no one gave up, and we bonded together like brothers and you have the end result you saw tonight," he said.

Massillon will now have to find a way to respond to adversity and it will commence next week as they will oppose Warren Harding on the road, who lost to Youngstown Cardinal Mooney at press time, 24-3. Massillon has won 10 in a row against the Raiders dating back to the 2018 season.

A bright spot for them tonight was the play of Haines, whose two touchdown passes kept the Tigers in the contest and it's something they can build off of for next week's confrontation against the Raiders. Not to be excluded is also the play of Ohio State commit Deontay Malone, a four-year varsity player for the Tigers, widely known for his 53-yard punt return touchdown in last year's season concluding rivalry contest.

"Deontay is a great kid and a great player and made a huge play for us and got us back in the game there late but we just couldn't close it out. But he is a great player and a great kid and plays really hard on both sides of the ball," Moore said.

MALONE MASTERY. Massillon receiver Deontay Malone jogs off the field after his 73-yard scoring reception tied Friday's contest against Cornerstone Christian at 21-21. (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.

McKinley travels West again in convincing victory

TRAVELING WEST. Kyelin West scores the second of his three touchdowns, a 76-yard sprint during the Bulldogs victory against North Canton at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

McKinley travels West again in convincing victory 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

CANTON--There is only one direction that McKinley travels.

And that direction is West.

Once again, junior Bulldogs tailback Kyelin West was the catalyst as he paced the McKinley offense with three touchdowns all in the first half and they were never opposed in a 35-7 ransacking of North Canton Hoover at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

For the first time all season, McKinley did not secure a running clock victory as they had in their previous five wins as they improved to 6-1 on the season and 3-0 in the Federal League. The fact they did not have a running clock victory is of of minimal solace for the Vikings who were focused on being a factor in the league race.

It didn't take the Bulldogs long to set the tone as after a Braylon Crook pass to Kyelin West went for 24 yards, West took a handoff and sprinted into the clear for a 55-yard scoring jaunt and in a flash, McKinley put the first dent in the scoreboard for a 7-0 lead.

West has been terrorizing defenses and that score was no exception.

"He is a hard runner and I tell people every week that he shows a different part of his game and tonight he broke a lot of tackles tonight and he ran his butt off. I am super proud of him and he is a force to deal with," second-year McKinley commander Renzy Parnell said.

Hoover penetrated their way to the McKinley 37-yard line but quarterback Nolan Bonner was stifled by the Bulldogs interior that forced a turnover on downs.

The second quarter witnessd the Vikings traverse deep into McKinley territory. Following a Bonner pass to Ian Dennis and aided by a Bulldog personal foul via a devastating hit penalty, North Canton was in scoring distance inside the 20-yard line. 

A scoring pass sailed wide and Hoover's bid stalled when they missed a 35-yard field goal.

With nothing to show for it, that is something Vikings head coach Brian Baum Sr. rued. And it came with solid reason as two plays after the miscue, West fought off several tackle attempts and sprinted for a career-high 76-yard touchdown run and a 14-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

A fake punt run by the Vikings was snuffed out by the parsimonious McKinley defense and had prime scoring position once again.

"The play was there but I'm not sure what we were doing there but that wasn't the play that was called. Then we had a missed field goal and that happens," Baum Sr. said.

And once again it was West scoring his third touchdown of the contest, a six-yard run and the rout was on as the hosts erected a 21-0 lead before the halftime show.

If anyone thought North Canton was going to slowly flatline away, their heart monitor displayed vital life when Bonner connected on a 47-yard strike for a much needed score that truncated the Bulldogs lead to 21-7 with over two minutes remaining in the half.

The game was still in reach at that moment according to Baum Sr.

"At that point, we knew we could score and felt we could build on that and we felt we could move the ball there," he said.

McKinley's response was swift and kind of hilly. Crook connected on three straight completions to Darius Hill with the third aerial sailing into his hands, where he outpaced a Viking defender for a momentum regaining touchdown that restored a three-touchdown advantage going into the intermission at 28-7.

Parnell attested the score was huge for his charges.

"That was huge! As you said, the timing of that was huge going into halftime and we're back up three scores instead of two," he said.

On their second possession of the third quarter, Crook took a hand off and raced to the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown run and that was the story of the evening and another night at the office for the hottest team in the Federal League as they pushed their winning streak to a tremendous 10 in a row.

For North Canton Hoover (4-3, 1-2), it is back to the drawing board as they are now at this point playing for playoff positioning having been all but virtually eliminated from the league race.

"We have to find a way to win each and every week as that is our mindset now. We have to win, every game is now a playoff game in which you can be put in a better position and a better seed," Baum said. "From here on out, every game is a playoff game."

McKinley once again is in the driver's seat for another league title and Parnell likes where his team is at as they will travel to Lake for another tough assignment against a Blue Streaks team, who at press time lost to Jackson 37-20.

McKinley will look to seize at least a share of the league crown next week.

"Lake I know is well coached and DeGeorge does a heck of a job with them. We have to watch the film of them and go from there," he said.

There is only one direction that Canton McKinley travels. And that direction is led by Kyelin West and a reason why the Bulldogs are the Federal League's best.

KING OF THE HILL. McKinley wide receiver Darius Hill shares a moment with head coach Renzy Parnell after his 51-yard touchdown reception near the end of the second quarter against North Canton Hoover. (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.

North Canton mentor hopes his team can break through against league champion

 North Canton mentor hopes his team can break through against league champion 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

NORTH CANTON--North Canton Hoover's last football win against Canton McKinley seems like ancient history.

It was 60 months ago at Memorial Stadium that the Vikings shut out the Bulldogs 24-0 and used that game as a springboard to an outright Federal League title.

McKinley once again is on the top of the food chain and the Vikings are yet another hunter trying to subdue a Bulldogs team that has recorded nine consecutive league victories. 

It was one thing for Jackson two seasons ago to deprive McKinley of an outright title, which they ended up sharing with the Bulldogs. Now North Canton has a chance to put a dent in the standings Friday night and they make the short voyage to Tom Benson Stadium for a key showdown against a McKinley team that has been a runaway freight train thundering non-stop through multiple railroad crossings.

Veteran Vikings patriarch Brian Baum Sr. knows what his team is capable of attaining while respecting McKinley at the same time.

"Both teams play hard and bring out the best in each other. We have to play hard for four quarters and it will take our physicality to match their talent," Baum Sr. said.

McKinley has won the last four contests with three of those being in single digits with the 2022 game being the outlier in a McKinley 42-9 win.

Last season, the Vikings nearly pulled out an improbable win as McKinley fumbled the ball attempting to run out the clock, which was recovered by North Canton but four straight incompletions quashed their threat as the Bulldogs escaped with a 21-20 victory.

"We had our chances to win at the end. We needed someone to make a play and it didn't happen,"  Baum Sr. recalled of that frenetic sequence.

Under McKinley general Renzy Parnell, the Bulldogs have registered five straight running clock victories and are a week removed from a 35-0 caging of Green.

One thing that Hoover has going for them is their special teams. In Baum's 12 contests against McKinley, the Vikings have registered three kickoff returns for touchdowns, something that has kept them in the game and a reason why they have been close at the end of contests.

"We rely on our special teams as that is the third phase of the game. We try to win that phase along with our line play and defense creating turnovers. It's important to get a play in one of those phases," Baum Sr. noted.

Last week, North Canton got off to a fast start against GlenOak and maintained their advantage in a win against the Eagles. They will need that against a McKinley team that aside from a 22-8 loss to Lakewood St. Edward has everything going their way.

McKinley has been paced by junior running back Kyelin West, who has caused grief and sorrow to defenses with his athletic prowess. Their defense has caused that same quagmire as they are only allowing seven points in league competition and overall, just 29 points with shout-out wins over Warren Harding, Sandusky, Perry, and recently Green.

If North Canton can get the game into the fourth quarter and put McKinley's back to the wall, it will shape up for another frenetic finish between the league heavyweights.

"We have to keep it close and get it into the fourth quarter with a chance to pull it out and if we get it to that point, we want to go for it and go for the win," Baum Sr. said.

One thing that has always been a staple of Hoover Viking football has been the eschewing of the superstar athlete. There has been not a single player dubbed as such under previous coach and 1981 alumnus Don Hertler Jr. and there isn't one under Baum Sr.

North Canton Hoover athletes come from well respected families that always bring their hard hat and lunch pails to work each day and week and is a reason why Baum applied and eventually became the leader of the football program.

The cohesiveness that he has viewed is one he will be counting on as the Vikings get ready for the biggest trial of the season and it will be one that will determine whether they will still be in the hunt for a league title or be in the rearview mirror of the leading Bulldogs.

"We have to play together as one and we have to have that we and not me approach. North Canton athletes work hard all year and you have to be smart to compete in a game like this," Baum Sr. said.

North Canton Hoover's win against McKinley four years ago seems like ancient history. A win might provide new history and push the Vikings closer to a league crown.

FOCUSED VIKING. North Canton Hoover head coach Brian Baum stands with Hoover athletic director Larry Kinnard before the Vikings playoff game against Massillon last season. The Vikings take on McKinley Friday evening at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

---PREP PRESS PIECES---

*Obie outlier: Massillon is the only team in Stark County that has a bye week as their week seven opponent, Farrell (PA) pulled out. The Tigers return to action next Friday against Cornerstone Christian (Texas).

*Speaking of Massillon: The East Palestine football team under Rick Shepas has won four straight games after an 0-2 beginning to the season. Shepas is in his first year as Bulldogs head coach and coached at Massillon for seven seasons (1998-2004).

*Tornado Warning: Dover junior wide receiver and cornerback Dante Clark amassed four touchdowns against Millersburg West Holmes via rushing, receiving, a kickoff and a punt return touchdown all leading to a 56-34 win. The Tornadoes host Wooster in an Ohio Cardinal Conference matchup Friday.

*Dominant Dover: In their first year of OCC competition, the Tornadoes are the only undefeated team in the conference at 3-0. They have won three in a row. After a matchup with the Generals, they will have contests again Mansfield Senior and Mansfield Madison Comprehensive before their regular-season ending confrontation against New Philadelphia, October 23rd at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium.

DAZZLING DANTE. Dover junior wide receiver Dante Clark has been a human joystick for the Tornadoes this season and a key reason why they have won three in a row after a 16-15 loss to Louisville four weeks ago. (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 take charge out of Chargers

 Tigers take charge out of Chargers

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--It has been 33 years since an NHL team won the Stanley Cup.

Clarkson Football North's stunning 32-point win at Massillon last year felt like a Stanley Cup winning moment for the Chargers.

It wasn't happening two years in a row.

After a 0-0 deadlock, Massillon found their footing and maintained their winning ways as they concocted a 14-0 second quarter and parlayed that into a competitive 31-8 win over the Chargers at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium to extend their record to 6-0 going into an unexpected bye week.

Massillon coach Nate Moore, always a savant of durability touted his team's response to the challenge of the visitors.

"That's a good football team. They have size and they play hard. We played hard and physical. We made mistakes at times but we overcame those," Moore said.

Massillon's first possession only lasted just 49 seconds. Clarkson Football North drove deep into Massillon territory using a healthy diet of runs and passes and several key first down conversions.

But their drive stalled after 15 plays when quarterback Brandon Bailey was blindsided on a well-timed cornerback blitz from Deontay Malone that ended the Chargers legitimate scoring chance and the opening quarter concluding in a 0-0 deadlock.

On the Tigers third possession of the half, Massillon quarterback Rasmus Haines threw a deep bullet to Gio Jackson Jr. spanning 48 yards to the Chargers 13-yard line. Two plays later, Haines found a wide open Jackson over the middle for a 13-yard touchdown and Mateo Herrera's extra point kicked handed the hosts a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter.

That tone setting score was pivotal for the Tigers according to Moore.

"When you get momentum and you can ride off of that, it is huge," he said.

Clarkson threatened deep again into Tiger territory but were turned away on downs when the Massillon defense held up again.

Not scoring on those opportunities were deflating according to Charger head coach Jamie Lalonde.

"When you get inside the 20-yard line you have to score touchdowns. Field goals will not do you any good in a game like this," he said.

Clarkson's troubles only conjured up when Savior Owens took advantage of a hole opened up by the durable Tiger offensive line and sprinted untouched for a 57-yard score and a two-touchdown advantage at 14-0, the score going into intermission.

The Chargers got a life sparking jolt. In two plays, Bailey completed a 52-yard strike to Gabriel Tabora to the Massillon 32-yard line coming out of intermission. On a fourth-and-long, Bailey ran for a 22-yard jaunt into the Tigers red zone to keep their opening drive alive. It was rewarded when Bailey scored on a 12-yard run and completed a two-point conversion and what seemed to be a safe Tiger lead was reduced to 14-8 and momentum was on the Chargers side after their opening drive to commence the second half.

The momentum was quickly quashed when Massillon provided an answer of their own. Haines threw what was a safe pass to Owens and Owens turned on the afterburners and one final block from Malone cleared the runway for Owens that led to an impressive 79-yard catch and run and momentum was back on the side of the hosts and there to stay for the duration of the evening at 21-8.

That score and Massillon's response was more than what Clarkson, now 3-2 on the season could handle.

"Massillon made a great play on that screen. We had it leveraged and we just didn't make a tackle. It was a good play by them and a game changer," Lalonde lamented.

Massillon would add on a 27-yard field goal from Mateo and another Owens touchdown run to cap the evening.

Massillon goes into their bye week firing on all pistons and much needed rest before a challenge from Cornerstone Christian (Texas), who will come to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium for a second straight season.

Haines had two touchdown passes on the night and Owens had two scores as well and the defense kept the Chargers under 100 rushing yards and never really let them get going for the most part save for the third quarter.

Moore likes where his team is at and the rest looks to be beneficial.

"We're going to handle the bye week the best way that we see fit. We're going to have some additional practices and some time off that we see fit," he said.

Clarkson Football North last year had a win reminiscent of winning the Stanley Cup. Massillon saw to it that it was not happening again.

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

GLORY OF SAVIOR. Massillon running back Savior Owens stands in the end zone after his third touchdown of the game. Massillon improved to 6-0 with a - win over Clarkson Football North (Canada). (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

With unexpected bye week approaching, Massillon welcomes challenge from Candian competitor

 With unexpected bye week approaching, Massillon welcomes challenge from Canadian competitor

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--Clarkson Football North isn't just your average Canadian high school. And Massillon isn't just your average ordinary high school.

Don't get the perception that Canada is just known for hockey. And don't get the perception that Massillon is just a football town. The Chargers can also play football as well and the Tigers can play basketball too as evidenced by last season's Division II state title.

Friday night, the Tigers and Chargers renew what has been a respectful series with each team possessing wide victories inside Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Two years ago, Massillon captured a 45-6 triumph over the Chargers and then the previous season, Clarkson had everything really go their way as they pestered the hosts into an un-Massillon like seven turnovers in a 34-2 victory, which was the third worst home loss in Tigers history, joined by a 47-14 season opening loss to Mentor in 2017 and nine years earlier, a 49-7 setback to eventual Division I state champion Cleveland St. Ignatius.

It has been 33 years since a Canadian team won the NHL Stanley Cup, with Montreal being the last to accomplish that feat. Clarkson's 32-point win may not have gotten them the Stanley Cup but that was the closest to that as the Chargers enjoyed a five-hour voyage back to Ontario.

12th-year Massillon general Nate Moore knows what kind of team Clarkson is having opposed them twice in two years.

"They are a good team and they are big up front with great size across the board at every position and it's going to be a challenge," Moore said.

Both Massillon and Clarkson have a common opponent in Cleveland Glenville. Massillon used a strong second half to emaciate the Tarblooders en route to a 31-18 win five weeks ago while the Chargers absorbed a 37-21 setback to the same Tarblooders earlier this year.

Clarkson is coming off a 33-6 win over St. Frances Academy (Maryland) and in their three wins save for the Glenville loss have compiled 132 points. That figures to be put to a very serious test against a touted Massillon defense that brings a feral ferocity to the table and it is one that held up in crunch time last week as they held on to record a 23-21 win over Lakewood St. Edward, their fifth straight triumph over the Eagles.

Moore knows his defense will once again have to answer the bell against the Chargers, who are fielding a team much better than their 6-4 squad from the previous season.

"We will have to play with discipline. They are going to want to throw and run but they would prefer to run more," he noted.

A major asset to Massillon just might be the services of sophomore running back Gary Yeager. He broke the 200-yard rushing plateau and provided a glance of the future with two rushing touchdowns against the Eagles. His play is reminiscent of former Massillon running back Willtrell Hartson, who splashed onto the scene as a sophomore and spearheaded the Tigers attack to a third straight Division II state final appearance and went on to produce two more stellar seasons and is now enrolled at Ashland University.

It's one thing that Savior Owens is the lead back. But Yeager's contribution opened up a plethora of eyes and vistas. He may just be the featured back when Owens departs for East Lansing and Michigan State after this season.

Not to be excluded in all of that is the part that doesn't really need an introduction, the vaunted Massillon offensive line, which has the strength of Ford Econoline durable vans. And the line is starting to hit their stride as the second half of the season commences, which may be a bad portent for the remaining teams left on the Tigers schedule.

When asked if Yeager reminded him of Hartson, Moore respectfully likened him to another back while mentioning the offensive line.

"Willtrell was more of a harder back and I liken him (Yeager) to that of Ja'Meir Gamble. Yeager is very athletic and hard to bring down and runs between the pads, Moore said. "Our offensive line had their best game last week and that was impressive to see and with Dayvionne Floyd and Marcus Garner setting the standard for us, our line did a great job."

Clarkson has experienced success against Ohio football teams. In their 11th year of being a high school, they have beaten other Ohio schools along the way. Along the way, they have defeated Perry (Stark County), Cleveland St. Ignatius, Ironton, to name a few.

As of right now, Massillon is in a very favorable position to appear in the Division II playoffs for an 11th straight season as they are sitting second in Division II, Region 7 behind two-time defending regional champion Sunbury Big Walnut.

The Tigers are team that is constructed to overcome adversity, a staple of Moore coached teams. It also pays dividends when a team is close knit to each other not just on the field and in the weight room but away from it as well. Moore pointed out the challenges his team encountered at George Finnie Stadium last week and overcoming those is the epitome of what it means to be a Massillon Tiger football athlete.

"We have a team that will play for each other, the team and their teammates and they played with a great physicality against a really good opponent. We knew going on the road that calls were not going to go our way at times and mistakes were going to be made but we played through those," Moore said.

As the third meeting between the Tigers and Chargers commences, it shapes up to be another exciting week of football in the Massillon Tiger kingdom. With the Tigers opposing another out of country team after having hosted the NFL Academy (United Kingdom), the same class that Massillon displayed to their third week opponent will be the same class the Chargers see again.

In a time where countries are fighting in war with many serving in harm's way, Massillon and Clarkson are two teams who put the matter in perspective. Every country may have a difference with another but when high school competition ensues, whatever disagreements that may be out there are put aside through good will and respect for each other. 

Clarkson once again will be welcomed with open arms and then 48 minutes of competition will commence with the Tigers hoping to be 6-0 after Friday night.

"Sports can be fun for anyone regardless of your country, we have a team that is willing to play by the rules for 48 minutes, engage in competition, shake hands and tell you good game and that should be the lesson in today's society," Moore said.

Clarkson Football North isn't just your average Canadian high school. And Massillon isn't just your average ordinary high school. Two teams with the best of respect for each other will descend once again inside the stadium named after Massillon's revered patriarch.

SPECIAL DELIVERY. Massillon defensive back and future Ohio State Buckeye Deontay Malone tackles a Glenville defender during the Tigers 31-18 win over the Tarblooders. Massillon will look to push their record to 6-0 Friday against Clarkson Football North (Canada). (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

---PREP PRESS PIECES---

*UNEXPECTED BYE-BYE: Massillon will not be in competition after this week as their seventh week opponent, Farrell (PA) withdrew from their scheduled competition next week. At press time, the fearsome Steelers were 4-0, highly untested and were headed toward what may have been a super showdown with the top-ranked Tigers in what may have been a battle between undefeated teams. Moore chose to focus on what his team wants to accomplish before the bye week. "We want to play hard and with great physicality and execution and we are going to have to do really well this week," he said of avoiding mishaps against Clarkson before the bye week. Massillon will resume action in two weeks against Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, Texas), who at press time is 4-1.

*PANTHER PAINS: After a 2-0 start to the season, Perry has lost three in a row and are in need of a victory to restore some confidence. After a 34-7 loss to Warren G. Harding (who hosts Massillon in three weeks), losses also to Lake and McKinley have followed. The Panthers, coached by Spencer Leno, a 2009 Massillon graduate and former Tigers defensive coordinator host Jackson, a 16-10 winner last week at Green.

*WATTLEY'S IRISH RETURN: Former McKinley head coach Marcus Wattley is in his second stint as St. Vincent-St. Mary football coach with the team boasting a 1-4 record. One player who is catching eyes is sophomore quarterback Will Adamson. His father, Rob, quarterbacked Mount Union to two national championships in 2001 and 2002, both teams completing 14-0 seasons. Wattley coached McKinley for two seasons in 2019 and 2020.

*NEVER TOO EARLY: The last time current McKinley coach Renzy Parnell was part of a win inside Paul Brown Tiger Stadium was six years ago when as Akron Hoban's defensive coordinator, the Knights defeated Massillon 35-6 for their fifth and last state championship to date. The last time McKinley defeated Massillon at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium came in the 2010 season, a 40-17 victory. Since then, Massillon has obtained seven straight wins at home against the Bulldogs, who will challenge the Tigers with Parnell as their head coach Saturday, October 24th at 2 p.m. Massillon has won 10 in a row over their Eastern Stark County rivals dating back to a 21-19 win in 2016.

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

Tornadoes capture a victory in an emotional week

Tornadoes capture a victory in an emotional week 

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

DOVER--It was a tumultuous week for the Dover High School family.

Thunderstorm clouds closed in on the Tornadoes family as they had to endure a very trying moment this school week.

It has been said that God walks into the thunderstorm with those in trial and those in the storm will come out of it victorious.

That couldn't be more fitting for the Tornadoes football team with everything that went on this week. Buoyed by quarterback Dieter Weber's three touchdowns, two of those through the air, Dover obtained an emotional 39-21 victory over a resilient Ashland team to win their second contest in a row and improve their record to 3-2 (2-0 Ohio Cardinal Conference) on the season at Crater Stadium.

Last season after scoring the first touchdown, Dover found themselves on the acrid end of a 42-7 loss to the same Arrows at Ashland Community Stadium. That was not the case this time around as the contest was played on Dover's terms.

It was a challenging week for second-year general Matt Rees, who put the win and life in perspective.

"We talk about that some things are bigger than football and we had to make some adjustments this week due to the circumstances and I was excited how our kids responded and the community," he said.

The Tornadoes punctured the scoreboard with a Dieter Weber quarterback keeper on an end around spanning four yards that was aided by a 36-yard completion to running back Cohen Murray to set up the early score and although the extra point was missed, the hosts assumed an early 6-0 lead.

The next drive was just as promising as an 11-play drive that was capped off by a Jacob Noretto 47-yard field goal and Dover led 9-0 to conclude the quarter. Noretto also added a second field goal from the same distance in the second half.

Those two drives pleased Tornadoes coach Rees.

"I thought our whole offense had energy. Our offensive line was blocking well and our backs were hitting the holes hard and that is what I was looking at. We had a lot of energy on the offensive side," he said.

It seemed that Ashland was headed for an early knockout defeat when Weber threw a touchdown pass to Rowdy Dailey in the back of the end zone to extend the Tornadoes bulge to 15-0 following an interception by the defense.

However, the Arrows showed a much needed dose of life as their third possession finally got them on the scoreboard with a diet of passes and runs, which led to running back Julian Cabrera taking a short pass from Carson Graber and finding the end zone for a 16-yard score that pulled the visitors to within eight points of the Tornadoes at 15-7 with half the second quarter to be played.

At the time, Ashland coach Scott Valentine had to be pleased with his team's response. It also helped that the Arrows Killian O'Brien blocked a Noretto field goal to keep Ashland within striking distance as the half ended with Dover up eight at the intermission.

Dover mounted a serious drive to start the third quarter and a deep pass from Weber to Dante Clark had them deep in Arrows territory but penalties continued to short circuit the hosts. 

But they found a way to overcome the trouble when Weber found Clark over the middle for a 17-yard touchdown to take back the momentum as Dover regained a 15-point advantage at 22-7 following their opening drive but could never really land a knockout punch as four straight penalties backed them up with one of them, a very late flag wiping out a touchdown much to Rees's chagrin.

Dover settled for a Noretto 47-yard field goal to take an 18-point cushion but the penalties are something that left Rees somewhat irritated at the failure to put a game away that was more difficult than it should have been.

"A lot of that has to do with what we go through in practice and how we practice. Most of those were mental errors that we have to correct this week," Rees attested.

Dover's defense did enough to keep Ashland from getting any closer on the evening. The Arrows now have lost two straight and will need help to stay afloat in the OCC standings as they have lost two straight after a 3-0 start.

For the Tornadoes, this win goes a long way into the process of returning to normalcy and they will look to utilize that as they move onto the second half of the season and also during the school year.

An OCC crown is somewhat within their reach but for now it's one game at a time as they turn their sights next week to a matchup with Millersburg West Holmes.

"They are a team that is big and they have skill players and from having coached against them, it is going to be a physical game," Rees said.

The victory capped off a tumultuous week for the Dover community in which storm clouds hovered over the community but the support from inside and outside has permeated through the area.

When asked how the community was able to traverse through the storm but come out victorious, Rees provided a life lesson on faith and being a Dover resident.

"I am someone who has channeled into faith and I have leaned on that, especially this week," he said. "We can't explain what happened and why but all we can do is trust in God to help us through this time."

It has been said that God walks into the thunderstorm with those in trial and those in the storm will come out of it victorious. And the Dover High School football team not only walked into the thunderstorm in the face of adversity but they came out of the storm victorious in front of a solid crowd at Crater Stadium.

DOMINANT DIETER. Dover quarterback Dieter Weber celebrates with his teammates after his four-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper to lead the hosts to a - win over Ashland. (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.