Leopards leap, Neff soars in playoff victory

 Leopards leap, Neff soars in playoff victory 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

LOUISVILLE--Louisville Leopards football is about leaping to glory.

And running back Lucas Neff took that to heart.

Paced by his three touchdown runs spanning five yards twice and a 20-yard jaunt, the Leopards reversed a 27-18 regular season setback to North Canton and rode Neff's three touchdown runs to a 21-7 victory in the 105th battle between the two teams in front of a sold-out crowd at Louisville Stadium.

The 9-2 Leopards move to a second round contest next week at undefeated Sunbury Big Walnut (10-0), the defending two-time regional champion.

Louisville coach Jake Adkins spoke of Neff's toughness, which is the brand of Leopards football.

"I am super proud of our offense, especially Lucas. He's had a phenomenal off-season and has carried that into this season. Our offensive line has done a phenomenal job this season and they continuously look for ways to get better," Adkins said.

After a Hoover fumble on their first possession, the second possession was a rewarding one for the hosts. Using a diet of runs from Lucas Neff and the efficiency of quarterback Cody Zahler, the Leopards drove to the Hoover eight-yard line where two plays after, Neff scored on a five-yard touchdown run to hand Louisville a tone-setting 7-0 lead.

It took the Vikings a while to finally get going in the second quarter. They cracked paydirt when quarterback Nolan Bonner scored from a yard away and the game was now tied at 7-7 before the break.

Louisville answered with a key drive that was aided by two personal fouls on the Vikings defense and two plays after, Neff scored his second rushing touchdown to hand the hosts a 14-7 lead going into halftime.

Starting the third quarter, North Canton drove deep to the Louisville five-yard line but as Bonner was moving forward, UConn commit Aden Norris came up with a thunderous tackle that lodged the ball loose, and Norris recovered the fumble, stifling a potential Vikings scoring drive.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Neff show continued. After a holding penalty negated a Zahler touchdown run, Neff made sure not to leave it to chance as his 20-yard scamper resulted in his third touchdown and had the Vikings down in a 21-7 ditch, which proved to be too much to overcome for the Vikings, who conclude their season at 5-6.

"We can't fumble the ball like that inside the 10 yard line and it came down to turnovers and penalties and you can't lose the turnover battle," a subdued North Canton Hoover head coach Brian Baum Sr. said. "We won week five by two scores because we won the turnover battle. They won the turnover battle and won by two scores so it's not rocket science. We gave them extra possessions and that is what happened tonight."

The Leopards continue their path and welcome the challenge of facing the Eagles.

"It's going to be a big test for us obviously. Anytime you make it to week 12, you're going to play a really good opponent and we have to shore some things up and have a really good week of practice," Adkins said.

Louisville Leopard football is about leaping to glory. And they took a gigantic leap with the prowess of Lucas Neff leading the way.

HAPPY LEOPARDS. Louisville High School football players celebrate their 21-7 playoff victory over North Canton Hoover Friday night at Louisville Stadium. (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.

THE ROAD TO CANTON: 105th meeting is a winner-take-all between Leopards and Vikings

 THE ROAD TO CANTON: 105th meeting is a winner-take-all between Leopards and Vikings

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

LOUISVILLE--There are two of the worst words that any video game player wants to see unless they are triumphant.

GAME OVER.

And for the Louisville Leopards and the North Canton Hoover Vikings, only one of those two schools will be moving on to the next stage of their season while the other will see those two dreaded words Friday night as the two schools will confront each other for the 105th time in their storied rivalry in a Division II, Region 7 first-round playoff assignment at Louisville Stadium with a kickoff time of 7 p.m.

This will be a rematch of a regular season affair six weeks ago as the Vikings were able to use a strong second half to close the door on the Leopards challenge with a 27-18 victory. Only now the stakes are even greater as only one will venture on to a second-round game against defending two-time regional champion Sunbury Big Walnut (10-0) at Big Walnut High School.

Region 7 is a very wicked region and one that features two teams who were expected to get back to the regional final for a third straight year that may potentially see each other one round sooner, one two-time state champion who moved up a division after cleaning out the bracket two straight seasons in a row, and another team whose father is a well-known college football coach and a national champion in the Buckeye state.

That is insanely crazy. But it adds to the spice and flavor of competition that playoff football is conceived from. And add in a rivalry matchup, that is the closest to a fan holding a Super Bowl party.

Hoover 12th year general Brian Baum Sr. is anticipating the challenge in front of his Vikings, who were a second-round participant last season.

"This rivalry is the second oldest in Stark County only behind Massillon and Canton McKinley and there are great relationships between the two communities," Baum said of Hoover and Louisville. "When I got here, this was the game you set your sights for as North Canton head coach."

For Louisville, they nearly started off their 2026 season without an identity. After a 6-5 season in 2025, head coach Chris Kappas returned to the University of Mount Union for a second stint as a defensive coordinator. Matt Furino was hired to be the new Leopards head coach only to resign a week into his tenure due to an unexpected situation.

Who could the Leopards turn to in a short amount of time? 

The answer was in front of them. Jake Adkins, a running back and linebacker who was a part of the 2007 Leopards Division II state title competing squad and an assistant was promoted to head coach.

After a home win to commence the season against New Philadelphia, Louisville found themselves at a crossroads following a 43-10 loss to Youngstown Ursuline and they were potentially headed for a lost season as they trailed Dover 14-0 and all game until Parker Daum's 26-yard field goal on the final play of regulation sealed a 15-14 comeback victory in front of a stunned Crater Stadium crowd.

That game marked a turning point for the Leopards. They trailed for 47:59 but it was that ONE second which made all the difference. And no, there wasn't a clock reset needed.

When asked if that game was the catalyst for their infusion to an 8-2 record, Adkins concurred as such.

"That's a very great question. Our boys just persevered and continued to stay the course and believed they could pull through and gave us the confidence to believe that we can win close games," he said.

Aside from the loss to Hoover, the Leopards have won five in a row, two of them in close affairs against Canfield and GlenOak and a major factor as to why they are 8-2 and hosting a playoff game against the same Vikings team they will see for a second time in five weeks.

For Hoover, it has been a challenging 10 weeks for them. They have twice held two-game winning and losing streaks. Last week, they gave Jackson everything they could handle for three quarters before succumbing to the Polar Bears in the final minute in the form of a 14-7 defeat at Robert Fife Stadium that handed the Federal League title outright to Jackson.

A bright spot for the Vikings was an earlier victory over the Leopards which stopped the first two-game losing streak. It took them the second half to finally operate but sometimes it's better late than never. Such cannot be the case Friday night.

"It was a tale of two halves, they controlled the first half and we controlled the first half. We imposed our will in the second half to get the victory," Baum said. "We know Louisville will be up for this game and it will be a challenge."

FIELD GENERALS. Louisville head coach Jake Adkins (left) and Dover head coach Matt Rees chat before their regular season contest at Crater Stadium. Adkins'  Leopards scored a 15-14 walk-off victory that propelled them to an 8-2 record and a matchup with North Canton Hoover Friday night. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Louisville knows that they were in command but just didn't drive the stake in the ground hard enough. It was a case of the Vikings continuing to hang around until they finally wrestled the game away from the hosts.

 

Having been raised in the Louisville City School district, Adkins was taught the importance of finishing what you started from his family and educators. It is something he has stressed to his legion of Leopards as they have aspirations of prolonging their season for another 48 minutes.

"We had controlled the first half of that game and we were up 14-0. But then they got a fake punt and a lot of momentum back and they scored right before the half. We just didn't play a full four quarters and we have to do that when you play a team like North Canton Hoover," Adkins said.

A key component that might determine the contest will be whoever can run the football. The Leopards may have an advantage on the offensive line with 6'8'', 315 lb. senior Aden Norris, who has committed to UConn. Norris play on the offensive line along with the execution of the rest of his teammates was a reason why quarterback Cody Zahler and their assortment of backs, led by Lucas Neff were able to obtain their season-turning win against Dover seven weeks ago.

North Canton isn't bad either in the running department with quarterback Nolan Bonner and running back Michael Lammlein who can do damage when their lines are blocking and sustaining blocks up front. 

Both teams defensively are very physical and are just one big tackle, hit, or forced turnover away from turning the tide of a game. And at this time in the playoffs, the defense just may have that one hero waiting for them in the clutch.

Both coaches are looking forward to the challenge that awaits them. However, only one will be headed to Big Walnut and the other will be heading into the offseason waiting to compete again in 10 months. It's safe to say that the road to Canton has commenced and the Vikings and Leopards are proud to be a part of it along with their communities.

"I have been on the staff for many years and before he left, Chris Kappas did a great job building a culture here. I have been on the staff for 13 years and raised my family here. We are thankful for the support and I just tell my players to be thankful and to do their jobs. Do all you can do this week 11," Adkins said.

"The atmosphere is going to be huge and the effort is going to be there. We had that same effort against Jackson and the heart is always going to be there. I will never question our kids effort or heart," Baum said. "We just have to give that same effort Friday night against Louisville."

FINAL CHECK. North Canton Hoover head coach Brian Baum Sr. goes through a final check with referees before his team's contest against Canton McKinley. The Vikings oppose Louisville with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Louisville Stadium Friday night. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

The two worst words that any player of a video game wants to see are 'game over'. For North Canton Hoover and Louisville, only one will keep their console going for another week while the other will see those dreaded words no video game player wants to see on their screen.

---PREP PRESS PIECES---

*The Excellent Eight: Eight Stark County high schools qualified for the 2026 OHSAA state football playoffs. North Canton Hoover, Canton McKinley, Louisville, Northwest, East Canton, Jackson, Central Catholic, and Massillon are this year's county representatives.

*Regional terror: When the season started, Big Walnut and Massillon were both picked to return to the regional final for a third straight season. A fifth matchup will potentially occur one round sooner if it materializes. Massillon had a bye week and will host next week the winner of Columbus St. Francis or Watkins Memorial in a second-round game. St. Francis quarterback RJ Day is the son of Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day and a Northwestern commit. Columbus Bishop Watterson, who won the last two Division III titles, ascended to Division II and are the top seed in Region 7.

*Speaking of Northwestern: Former Cincinnati LaSalle two-time state title winning tailback Cam Porter is a running back in the CFL for the Toronto Argonauts. Porter is widely remembered for his three touchdowns that led the Lancers to a 34-17 win against top-ranked and undefeated Massillon in the 2019 Division II state championship. Porter shared a brief moment with Tigers record-setting quarterback Aidan Longwell outside the press room, commending him for his career with the Tigers. Longwell is now a first baseman with the Hartford Yard Goats, a Double A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

*Dover domination: In their first season of Ohio Cardinal Conference competition, the Tornadoes won the OCC title outright with a last-second comeback against rival New Philadelphia. The Tornadoes (8-2) host Columbus South (8-2) in a Division III first round playoff game Friday night at Crater Stadium at 7 pm. 

*Coaches in control: Massillon's 31-0 win over Canton McKinley was their 11th straight over the Bulldogs dating back to 2016. Tigers general Nate Moore, who won his first of two state championships at Cincinnati LaSalle is a glamorous 11-1 against the Bulldogs. Dover head football coach Matt Rees is 12-8 in two seasons as Tornadoes coach but is a vivacious 6-0 against New Philadelphia (4-0 as a player, 2-0 as head coach)

MASSILLON WAGON. Massillon players band together to celebrate their 31-0 victory over Canton McKinley in last week's 137th meeting between the two schools. The Tigers open up the playoffs next week at home while McKinley opposes Brunswick in a first-round game in Division I. (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: Dover bonds together as champions not only on the field but also in life

 COMMENTARY: Dover bonds together as champions not on field but in life

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

NEW PHILADELPHIA--As I was on the field prior to the 123rd meeting between rivals Dover and New Philadelphia, a Dover woman held me in a tight, long hug and said nine words with all heart and soul attached to them.

"I love you Keno. I love you very much."

I felt those words. I felt the heart and soul. I felt the pain, hurt, life and love in that hug. I found myself wiping away tears while bravely fighting them back. I told her that I loved her too while holding back my emotions per my journalistic etiquette.

This year, the entire Dover community went into the New Philadelphia rivalry game and it was unlike any other. For the second time in five weeks, a tragic situation once again engulfed that proud community. It left me putting life in perspective even more.

Sometimes we as human beings wonder why tragic situations occur. We don't know why. It's not our job to inquire why this happened a second time. That is not for a debate, discussion, or negotiation. It is our duty to show love, care, and compassion to the affected.

What hurt me this week also were some things on Facebook that were said about Dover High School educators, administrators, students and residents. It's bad enough to disagree with things and that's human nature. However, when I saw a post from a Dover resident who labeled those same high school educators, administrators and student-community-athletes as "racists", I thought to myself, how do you think their spouses feel seeing that? How do you think their sons and daughters feel seeing that? How do you think their nieces and nephews feel seeing that? How do you think any educator and administrator in the Dover City Schools feel seeing that from their three elementary schools all the way to the middle school and the high school? And mind you, most of them are alumni who received that same education in the school system they are proudly a part of.

Dover went into Friday's game against the Quakers with a chance to win the Ohio Cardinal Conference title outright albeit with a heavy heart in part to the tragedy that occur. Again, what happened is not for a debate, discussion, or negotiation.

Adversity hit the Tornadoes family like a peak Mike Tyson throwing punches with force powerful enough to make opponents cave in and quit. That adversity was felt twice when New Philadelphia concocted leads of 21-10 and more importantly a 28-18 lead with three minutes to go. A lead like that in Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium is like hot Quaker oatmeal ready for consumption to begin an average school day.

It will have been understandable if the Tornadoes had abdicated. No one would have said a word. But quit never resides in that city. I think about a sign of a picture of Dover Avenue Elementary School that says three words that sum up the Tornadoes football season: "Never, ever quit."

In three minutes and down 28-18, Dover scored two unlikely touchdowns from quarterback Dieter Weber. But it was the second one to Dante Clark in the closing seconds of regulation that was poignant. Clark pointed to me before celebrating with his teammates and that point let me know something: Dover will always be here.

In the heaviness of what was an emotional week, everything spilled out on Quaker Stadium. Students hugged players. Players hugged parents. Coaches hugged their wives and children. Strangers hugged each other. And you know what? It wasn't just one race. It was both races of black and white individuals from that same Dover. I saw people united for the right to be outright and undefeated Ohio Cardinal  Conference champions.

Now mind you, I am not a Dover native. I have friends from Mount Union who are Dover natives and it is safe to say their tradition has rubbed on to me. I see for myself what makes Dover the non-failing community that it is even in the face of adversarial situations.

We all go through grief, sorrow, and a hard time in life. No one is immune to it whether you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or whoever you worship. To the people who are putting down the Dover High School family and residents like an open cavity, I want you to think about this:

Think about when you were a kid. Think about the time you attended Dover Avenue, Dover East or Dover South elementary schools. Then think about how you attended the middle school. And then think about your four years at the high school. Are you going to disparage those same friends you had in school, those same friends who are educators and administrators in the school district? Are you going to disparage your former educators and administrators too? Are you going to disparage your coaches and classmates too?

Friday night, I saw happiness to end what has been a trying week for the Dover community. It was last year football coach Matt Rees talked to me about never leaving the side of anyone in adversity. Last year, Dover finished 4-6 but not one player quit the team. The football team was at a crossroads following a loss to Louisville, a loss that threatened to be ruinous. But they responded in a way that former coach Dan Ifft would be elated: they ended the regular season on a six-game winning streak. 

As the high school playoffs approach, please be reminded there are 27 weeks of school left. Seniors have 27 weeks before they embark on the next phase of their life, whether it be enrolling at a college or university, enlisting in the military or settling into the workforce. Teachers and educators have only 27 weeks remaining with those students, who they may or may not ever see again after that time. Some of those seniors just may return to Dover as teachers in one of the five schools and may even coach a sport.

To the Facebook poster who acrimoniously labeled Dover High School educators and administrators as "racists" and to others who slandered those in the district, I urge you to arrange a private and respectful meeting with them. Speak of your concerns to them. Speak of how you can assist them. Involve yourself with a PTG group. Get to know other parents and share ideas with them. Be involved with the Dover community. Assist other children and implement ideas with them. They would love to hear from you. They are already going through a hard time in their lives. Don't make it any more cumbersome for them with further unwarranted slander.

Friday night, the true heart and soul of the Dover family came out. And it is a reason why they are the king of OCC football in their very first season. Dover not only bonds together as champions on the field but most importantly in life.

To the Dover High School family, Head coach Matt Rees and family, coaches, team and everyone involved with DHS and the Dover City Schools and residents of the city of Dover, you are champions not on the field but in life. That was on display last night. And as Super Bowl XXIX MVP Steve Young said, "No one can ever take it away!"

OCC KINGS. Dover High School football players huddle around Matt Rees before their contest against New Philadelphia. Dover captured their first OCC title with a 32-28 victory and finished 7-0 in conference play. (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.

FLYING EVERYWHERE! Tigers fly to eleventh heaven in clipping of Bulldogs

ELEVEN HEAVEN. Massillon Tiger football players celebrate with the Victory Bell after their dominating 31-0 win over Canton McKinley Saturday afternoon at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. It is Massillon's 11th straight win over the Bulldogs. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

FLYING EVERYWHERE! Tigers fly to eleventh heaven in clipping of Bulldogs 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--Massillon Tiger football is as artistic as a de Varenne painting.

Artistry flies in many forms and the Tigers have an entire repertoire of forms that even famous painter Bob Ross would be impressed.

In front of a sold-out crowd of 15,000 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, their second sellout of the season, Massillon used a strong defensive stop in the red zone and constructed a drive that spanned 99 yards on their opening series ending with a tone-setting touchdown from quarterback Rasmus Haines and the Tigers had everything go their way in a rousing 31-0 victory over Canton McKinley in the 137th contest between the two rivals.

Tigers boss Nate Moore is now 11-1 against McKinley and now has recorded two running clock victories against the Bulldogs by a combined score of 66-0. Only this one was a little more convincing than a 35-7 home win in 2020 because of the shutout in which today's game was a carbon copy of that triumph as Massillon vaulted their record to 9-1 on the season.

Early on it looked like adversity was going to strike the Tigers. Braylon Gamble dropped a punt that was recovered by the McKinley offense. Five plays after the muffed punt and an incredible catch by Darius Hill who fought off defender Deontay Malone for the ball and a 25-yard catch to the Tigers 2 yard line. But in four plays, Oregon commit Brayton Feister stopped McKinley quarterback Braylon Crook short of the end zone, avoiding an early deficit and a victory for the Massillon defense.

It paid dividends on their opening possession that consumed 5:46 and ended with a Rasmus Haines one-yard score on a keeper and it was a 14 point swing that went from McKinley having a 7-0 lead to the Tigers being up 7-0 to conclude the first quarter.

That proved to be beneficial for the hosts.

"That defensive stand right there was huge after the muffed punt was huge and to stop them at the one-yard line was huge and you can't say we rolled from there. I mean, McKinley played hard but the Tigers played harder and it was a great day," Moore said

McKinley was also having quagmires with the Massillon crowd noise amid a series of false starts and several delay of game penalties. Those problems added up on Massillon's second possession as although they did not come away with a touchdown, they were able to muster up a 36-yard field goal from Mateo Herrera and a healthy 10-0 lead.

McKinley was on the move on the strength of deep passes from Crook to DeMarco Richardson and Legacy Lee. It also helped when the Tigers obtained four uncharacteristic personal fouls on the drive, prompting a quick timeout.

However the Bulldogs drive was undone by a sack and multiple delay of game penalties and a vociferous Massillon crowd that showed why they led the county in forcing such penalties against opposing teams and concluded with Gamble making amends for a muffed punt with an interception in the end zone that quashed another McKinley scoring threat, much to the acrimonious chagrin of Bulldogs commander Renzy Parnell as his team descended to 7-3 to end the regular season.

It got worse for the Bulldogs to end their tousled first half. Haines recorded his second touchdown, this one a stunning 19-yard run to walk off the first half. McKinley provided excellent coverage in the secondary but going for the score and kill was on Haines's mind and the Tigers went into halftime with a firm 17-0 advantage.

Moore described that sequence which showed Massillon's fearlessness.

"Oh man that was a key play there. Haines put his big boy pants on and I'll tell you what, that was an incredible play. I couldn't be more proud of him," he said.

Massillon opened up the third quarter strong. A Savior Owens run went for 55 yards and several plays later scored on a seven-yard touchdown run and the hosts were in firm control of the game at 24-0. 

A botched snap by Crook was recovered by Brydon Feister who rumbled 76 yards for a touchdown and Bulldog fans began the mass exodus from Paul Brown Tiger Stadium with their heads lowered as the Tigers advantage swelled to 31-0 which ended up the final score via the state mandated running clock rule. Massillon scored two touchdowns in a speedy span of 45 seconds.

Massillon has responded emphatically after a choppy 35-21 loss to Cornerstone Christian (Texas) by downing two hated rivals by a combined score of 80-16 and will have a second bye week to rest up for their first round playoff contest against an opponent to be determined.

McKinley was undone by a vociferous Massillon crowd through a horde of false start and delay of game penalties along with two scoring opportunities that left them with no points to show for it as they now enter into the Division I playoffs on a two-game losing streak and at a lucid crossroads.

For Massillon, the train will roll into the Division II playoffs and if they play like they did against their ancient rival, a fourth trip to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium just may be in the works. But for right now, Moore wants his legion to celebrate another triumph over the Bulldogs.

"That was huge to start off the third quarter with a touchdown there and then the fumble recovery on that series for a touchdown pretty much on ice and it was an insurmountable lead for the most part," he said.

COACH'S CONFERENCE. Massillon patriarch Nate Moore talks to a referee during a timeout in the second quarter of Saturday's game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in Massillon. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Massillon Tiger football is as artistic as a de Varenne painting. And that artistry led to an eleventh straight triumph over their rivals from the eastern part of Stark County.

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

OCC CHAMPIONS! Touchdown in closing seconds propels Dover to outright crown

TORNADO CELEBRATION. Dover High School students celebrate their team's 32-28 victory over New Philadelphia in the 123rd battle between the two schools. Dover won the Ohio Cardinal Conference title outright and finished 7-0 in conference play. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

OCC CHAMPIONS! Touchdown in closing seconds propels Dover to outright crown 

By Keno Sultan 

Stark County Prep Press writer 

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

NEW PHILADELPHIA--Michigan football national championship winning coach Jim Harbaugh said "whose got it better than us? Nobody!"

And no one has it better than the Dover Crimson Tornadoes.

Trailing in the final three minutes of their rivalry contest against New Philadelphia by 10 points, quarterback Dieter Weber threw two touchdown passes to Cooper Connare and a second to Dante Clark in the final seconds as the Tornadoes used a 22-7 fourth quarter advantage to subdue a gritty Quakers team 32-28 in front of a sold-out Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium in the 123rd affair between the two high schools.

On a night where the Tornadoes needed to conjure up some Michigan flavor, it could not have come at a better time as they needed every bit of it against a New Philadelphia team who showed they were every bit the spirit of Ohio State in a game that was every bit as competitive as the rivalry states.

For the first time since 2020, a road team won in the contest. Tornadoes head coach Matt Rees is now 6-0 all time against the Quakers (2-0 as head coach).

"I love working with these guys, our staff, our kids. It's our fight. Sometimes in a game, you start to lose your composure but they fine tuned it in, got back to basics and you could see their growth," Tornadoes general Matt Rees said.

Kolston Fox had a stunning 53-yard run all the way to the Dover 21. Four plays after his run, senior quarterback Parker Rieger tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to the left corner where he found an open receiver and an early 7-0 advantage.

Dover turned to the no-huddle offense and using a diet of strong runs penetrated their way to the Quakers 15 yard line where they settled for a Jacob Noretto 32-yard field goal to shrink the Quakers advantage to just four in what was a fast first quarter.

Dover used the momentum to power their running game deep into the Quakers red zone and with all runs and just one pass spanning 10 plays, fullback Carson McGarry scored untouched on an 11-yard run and their first lead of the contest at 10-7.

New Philadelphia was determined to answer the Tornadoes score. Their offense moved to the 12 yard line and from there, Rieger delivered his second touchdown pass to 6'3" target Lincoln Murphy and the hosts repossessed the lead before the intermission at 14-10.

QUAKER CATCH. New Philadelphia receiver Nolan Rosneck pulls in a pass from quarterback Parker Rieger during the first quarter of Friday's contest at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium. New Philadelphia saw their season conclude with a 32-28 loss and finished the season 4-6. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

It proved even more advantageous when the defense came up with a turnover when Tornadoes QB Dieter Weber was stripped of the ball that was recovered by the Quakers and in just one play, Caleb Crowthers ran untouched for a 40 yard scamper and in a matter of 45 seconds, New Philadelphia extended their advantage to 21-10, the score to conclude the half.

On their second possession of the third quarter, Weber threw a pass over the middle to Cohen Murray that spanned 31 yard to the Quakers 15. The drive got all the way to the New Philadelphia one yard line and on fourth down, the Tornadoes turned the ball over when fullback Kyle Reveal just didn't get into the end zone as a tiring Quakers defense held him out of the end zone with Fox getting the first hit.

It did not rattle the visitors. After the defense forced a three-and-out, the Tornadoes were back in business as Weber completed a pass over the middle to junior Dante Clark and spanning 51 yards after missed tackles and they were in reach at the start of the fourth quarter. And they did not miss this time when Weber located Clark in the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown pass and Clark scored a two-point try and had New Philadelphia on their heels as Dover pulled to within 21-18 and momentum clearly on their side.

The Quaker defense was languishing. One bad snap that went awry was recovered by the Quakers and got some much needed breathing room.

One play after the turnover, Rieger tossed a 54-yard bullet to T.R. Harriman deep to the Dover nine-yard line. Three plays later, Rieger took a hand off and scored a four-yard touchdown and put the Quakers up 28-18.

At that point, a potential playoff spot was in reach for the Quakers before everything became undone in the final three minutes.

"This is devastating. I feel terrible for the kids. They worked hard all night and played a pretty darn good game and to come out on the side of this is devastating as you mentioned," a dejected Quaker coach Mike Johnson said.

Dover was able to score on a Weber 15-yard pass to Cooper Connare late to pull within 28-25. A Quaker miscue on the onside kick was recovered by Dover and set up the final sequence as Clark hauled in the decisive four-yard score to provide the final margin in the 123rd contest of the third oldest rivalry in Ohio. Clark now has four touchdowns against the Quakers in two years of varsity competition.

TORNADO HERO. Dante Clark is congratulated by teammate Cohen Murray after his four-yard touchdown catch provided the final margin. Clark caught two fourth quarter touchdown passes in the victory. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

New Philadelphia concludes their season at 4-6. Johnson, who is now 2-4 against Dover in six seasons praised the effort of his charges.

"It's tough. That's why you play the game and you compete. Our kids competed hard and at the end, they (Dover) made the plays and you tip your hat to them. Our kids competed and they can hold their heads high," he said.

For Dover, they will carry a seven-game winning streak into the Division III playoffs and a potential first-round bye depending on where they end up after Saturday, when the playoff matchups will be determined. 

For Rees, who is now 11-8 in two seasons at his alma mater, he and his legion of Tornadoes will enjoy the accomplishment before beginning their playoff journey, that will either be this upcoming week or the next after.

"We will make adjustments to our practice plan and that is something we will talk about and think about it tonight and kind of go forward as to who it relates to who we might play. But right now I am going to enjoy tonight and enjoy the night with our community, our players, our families," he said.

Jim Harbaugh said "whose got it better than us? Nobody." And nobody has it better than the outright OCC conference champion Dover Tornadoes.

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 primed for another challenge from longtime rival Bulldogs

RIVALS MEET. McKinley head coach Renzy Parnell and Massillon head coach Nate Moore share a chat before last year's affair at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The two coaches will lead their teams into the 137th renewal of the rivalry Saturday afternoon at 2 pm at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Massillon primed for another challenge from longtime rival Bulldogs 

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--Outsiders say that the rivalry between Massillon and Canton McKinley is no longer a rivalry.

Good thing Massillon patriarch Nate Moore isn't a state trooper, otherwise he would be pulling over those same outsiders, writing and handing out citations to them.

And his horde of Massillon Tigers have handed out  a decade of citations to their rival Bulldogs over a span of the last 10 years dating back to 2016.

The Tigers have their eyes laser focused on a potential 11th straight victory and will get that chance Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium in the 137th confrontation between the squads. But just because the Tigers have been better than the Bulldogs in that span that also includes three undefeated regular seasons, six regional titles, and a state championship not to mention a national ranking of #2 in the nation, don't get the perception that the rivalry is deceased.

Moore doesn't see it that way.

"This is a rivalry where your rival makes you better and that iron sharpens iron. It is a game where everyone anticipates the energy when the stakes are the highest," he said. "There are moments that bring out the best or the worst in a team and this is a great opportunity to play this great game and for young men to be the best they can be."

The scores are also indicative of the Tigers dominance. In the 10 wins, Massillon has outscored the Bulldogs 261-126, holding a scoring average of 26.1 to 12.6. McKinley also has not broken the 20-point plateau in those contests too with their highest point total being 17 points in 2018, a 24-17 Tiger win that was the first of their three undefeated regular seasons under Moore, a native of Cincinnati.

Moore has opposed four different McKinley head coaches. He was 3-1 against Dan Reardon (who was at one time a finalist for the Tigers head coaching post), 2-0 against Marcus Wattley, 4-0 against Antonio Hall, who is a McKinley graduate and now the Solon football head coach, and currently 1-0 against Renzy Parnell.

PARNELL PRIZE. Renzy Parnell (blue shirt) takes a picture with the top-ranked and undefeated Akron Hoban team after completing a 15-0 season in 2018 with a 42-28 win over Massillon, who was second ranked and also undefeated. Parnell was the Hoban defensive coordinator for all five of their state title winning teams and is now the head coach of the McKinley Bulldogs. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Moore got a glance of what it is like to face a Parnell-led defense eight years ago in the Division II state championship when Parnell served as the Akron Hoban defensive coordinator. Massillon lost two state title games to the Knights in a span of three years and a state semifinal in 2022 when Hoban scored on two consecutive trick plays in two possessions. But Massillon had their moment on the red carpet aside from a regional final victory in 2019 when they stymied the Knights in a 7-2 decision to win the state championship following the 2022 season.

Moore praised the second-year McKinley mentor and Akron native.

"Renzy Parnell teams are well coached and they are very physical. He is an excellent defensive coordinator and head coach too," he said.

After a 35-21 setback to Cornerstone Christian that shelved their bid for an undefeated season, Massillon roared back in succinct fashion with a 49-16 victory over Warren Harding, who like McKinley has a double-digit losing streak to Moore's Tigers.

McKinley saw their 11-game Federal League winning streak reduced to ashes in the form of a 30-14 loss to Jackson, which also stopped their six-game winning streak.

Coming into the Massillon game with a loss for the second time in three years is concerning for a Bulldogs team who can't afford to fall behind early on the road, especially given how the Massillon crowd is dangerously adept at creating false start and delay of game penalties for opposing teams, something McKinley has vastly struggled with in their 10-game losing streak. And if Massillon gets out to an early lead, could it be problematic for the visitors?

"That could be a problem if we start real fast and score. That could be a detriment to them very early," Moore attested.

One player who left McKinley having nightmares last year was senior two-way athlete and future Ohio State player Deontay Malone. It was one thing that Savior Owens scored two touchdowns that constructed a 14-0 lead. Malone's 50-yard punt return touchdown midway through the fourth quarter ended up being the citation that got the Bulldogs bid for a signature victory towed away in a 21-14 setback after two Kyelin West touchdown runs tied their contest.

Massillon showed again they don't always have to rely on their durable offensive line and their strong running backs. And Malone, a four-year varsity player was that one intangible that was the difference.

"Deontay has paid great attention to detail and he takes care of his body and nutrition. He is always studying film and that has helped in his preparation for games and he has been a key player for us," Moore said.

In the last four contests, Massillon has scored first to set the tone for the afternoon, all victories. McKinley scored first in the 2017, 2019, and 2021 games only to be worn down late and succumb by scores of 16-15, 24-14, and 35-13. McKinley led at halftime just once, that being the 2021 game, the only outlier of those games.

Games are not decided just on the first score. No one knows that better than Moore. With his team having secured a first-round bye, they are locked and loaded for another confrontation against their rivals eight miles east of them. For McKinley, a victory would push them to a first-round bye and avoid having to play a playoff game right after the rivalry week.

When asked if scoring first will be an advantage for them based on the last four games, Moore made his stance known on that fact.

"As long as we have more points on the scoreboard, that is what matters. It doesn't matter if it is 42-40 or 10-7, we just want to have more points on the scoreboard at the end," he said.

Nate Moore and his Massillon Tigers have written and handed out a decade of citations to their rivals. And they would love nothing more to stop and pull the Canton McKinley Bulldogs over to the side of the road one more time Saturday afternoon.

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*No ticket? No go: Saturday afternoon's contest is officially sold out. It is Massillon's second sellout of the season dating back to their season opener this year, a 31-18 win over Cleveland Glenville. The last time the McKinley game sold out at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium was in 2018, a 24-17 win to punctuate a 10-0 season. Zion Phifer's one-yard touchdown run with six minutes remaining in regulation was the difference.

*Respect for Hall: Moore spoke of his respect for Hall, who is the head coach and athletic director of Solon, who is 4-5 on the season."I got to know him real well even before the rivalry. I have a ton of respect for him and wish him the best at Solon," he said. The Comets are coming off a 27-7 win over North Royalton. Jason Hall, who Moore succeeded in 2015 is the North Royalton athletic director.

*Polar Bear spotlight: With a win at home against North Canton Hoover Friday night, Jackson can win the Federal League outright for the first time in 25 years. Jackson coach Jay Rohr, a 2002 graduate was a part of that team that shined in the spotlight via a 20-10 win over undefeated North Canton. The Polar Bears finished as regional semifinalists that season.

*Decades, decades, decades at PBTS: in 1986 and 1996, McKinley posted wins over Massillon on the road by scores of 23-6 and 21-0. Thom McDaniels was the Bulldogs head coach while John Maronto and Jack Rose were Tiger head coaches in 1986 and 1996 respectively. In 2006, Massillon terminated McKinley's undefeated regular season with a 10-7 victory. Tom Stacy was the Massillon head coach and Brian Cross was the McKinley head coach.

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

Outright conference title awaits Tornadoes but final challenge with Quakers looms

MEETING OF THE MINDS. Dover head coach Matt Rees and New Philadelphia head coach Mike Johnson engage in a conversation before last year's confrontation. Dover prevailed 35-28 and the two teams will meet again Friday night at 7 pm. at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

 

Outright conference title awaits Tornadoes but final challenge with Quakers looms

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

DOVER--Matt Rees doesn't know what it is like to lose to New Philadelphia.

In terms of college football, Rees and his legion of Dover Tornadoes are seen as the Tuscarawas County version of the Michigan Wolverines in part to his success over them as a former Tornadoes player and now head coach.

In a way, Rees is the Bo Schembechler of Dover football. Ok, he's not as fiery as the former Michigan general who piloted the team for 21 seasons but going into Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium Friday night, he and his team have a chance to not only clinch a potential first-round bye but also the outright Ohio Cardinal Conference championship in just their first season of OCC competition Friday night at 7 p.m. in the house that the five-time national championship and eight-time Big Ten conference championship winning coach built in 28 seasons at Ohio State.

To obtain that accomplishment, he will have to lead his team to another victory against New Philadelphia. Sixth-year Quakers head coach Mike Johnson may not be as fiery as Hayes but Rees knows the Quakers will be fighting for their playoff lives and his Tornadoes will love nothing more to asphyxiate the life out the Quakers season in the 123rd meeting between two high schools separated by a river.

As any young boy growing up in Dover, Rees had dreams of playing in the rivalry game inside Crater Stadium. As a senior running back and linebacker, Rees went 4-0 against New Philadelphia as a player and moved that record to 5-0 with a 1-0 head coaching record with last year's 35-28 heartstopping decision at Crater Stadium.

Rees expressed what makes the yearly rivalry a special one.

"As a kid, I wanted to play for Dover and be a part of that rivalry. You get to experience the tradition, the rallies, the bonfires and the game is also proud to be a part of. And the fact this game is played in the 10th week makes this rivalry all the more deeper," he said.

The Tornadoes were sitting at 1-2 and at a crossroads after a bitter 15-14 loss to Louisville in a game that Dover led 14-0 but were unable to close it out and the Leopards seized the win on a walk-off field goal. The loss gnawed at Rees and his staff for hours. Just as easily, it may have turned into a sour multiple-game losing streak but instead of that occurrence generating, competition in the OCC proved therapeutic for them as evidenced by their six-game winning streak that commenced with a 43-7 win at Lexington leading up to a signature 56-35 win over Millersburg West Holmes on the strength of four touchdowns from junior phenomenon Dante Clark, who provided a 100-yard touchdown on an interception return that would have had former Michigan cornerback and three-time Super Bowl champion Ty Law smiling ear-to-ear.

Dover has outscored their OCC opponents 261-106 in their six-game winning streak. When asked about the changes that were made after the Louisville contest, Rees attested that not many had to be made and it was about keeping the ship steady and simple.

"We didn't have to change much, we just had to stay the course. Not everything is always going to go your way, we just had to find a way to get better and take care of things in conference play," he said.

New Philadelphia comes into this contest in dire need of a victory or their season will have the same melancholy ending as last year. While Dover finished 4-6 and were galvanized by last year's victory, the 5-5 ending for the Quakers led to an early 0-3 start that has left them looking on the outside of a playoff appearance. To their credit, the Quakers have won four of their last six but last week's 28-21 loss to West Holmes quashed any chance they had of at least claiming a share of the title.

Now the Quakers will love nothing more to make Dover share the title instead of being stingy with it. But West Holmes would have to defeat Wooster or otherwise the Tornadoes will have the crown outright no matter what happens.

Rees admitted that his legion of Tornadoes went into their offseason program brimming with confidence and an excitement for the 2026 season and the results have spoken for themselves through nine games. A bye week awaits them if they win, otherwise they will play a first-round game, most likely on the road the following week. Rees hopes his team can use that momentum for a second straight win over the Quakers, who like the Tornadoes have held serve at home since 2020. The last time Dover won at Quaker Stadium was in 2018, a 35-0 conquest when Dan Ifft was then the head coach, Rees was the defensive coordinator, and Matt Dennison (now at GlenOak) was head coach.

"We were very happy to take the momentum and apply that to the next season. They came together as a team to work every day and it is a different level when you win and it all started with our seniors," he said.

Being the head coach of Dover football has it's challenges for Rees, who like his wife, Courtney, a state champion cheerleading head coach is not only a graduate of the high school (class of 2000, nee Sattler) but also a graduate of the University of Mount Union, formerly Mount Union College. And being a father of three, Rees knows just how much responsibility is placed on him to win games. But the one thing he has going for him is his unfailing ability to know when to be a head coach but also when to be a father.

Most coaches will have only sons. Some will have only daughters. Others, like Rees will have boys and girls. At the same time, it is also a rare occurrence that the husband and wife are also educators in the classroom. The Dover City Schools has multiple educators from their three elementary schools up to the middle and high schools that have their husbands and wives in the same building. The Rees family is one of them and with an added incentive, their first born child and son is a freshman in the high school building. Their twin daughters are also Dover City Schools students in the elementary school.

Yet, the coach, who is four years younger than his wife still keeps that healthy quality between family, education, faith, and football.

"Coach (Larry) Kehres always told us to keep a balance between football and life. I know that I have a responsibility to be a head coach and I know when to also be a husband and father and the support of the community and my family is the best balance," Rees said.

Not bad for a gentleman who spent five months of his post-college life living in Columbus before returning to Dover and embarking on a 16-year journey with his wife and family.

Going into Friday's game, all signs point to a Dover advantage. But Quaker senior quarterback Parker Rieger returns under center with most of their offense back, which will pose a challenge as well. But if there is one advantage the Tornadoes may have, it will likely come from their special teams and Clark, who provided shades of Heisman Trophy record Desmond Howard with his stunning 81-yard punt return touchdown to end the first quarter, a score that proved advantageous in last year's victory. Subtract that touchdown and the result may have been much different.

PARKER POWER. New Philadelphia quarterback Parker Rieger throws a pass during last year's battle between the Quakers and Tornadoes. Rieger and his team will try to capture a playoff spot Friday night at 7 pm against Dover. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

When asked what will be the keys to Friday's confrontation, Rees mentioned what will decide the contest and their potential playoff route along with the urgency of the contest

"Execution. We have to execute on offense, defense, and special teams," he said. "We have eight staff members who played in this game and also their dads, uncles, and brothers have played in this game and our staff is deeply rooted. We tell our players to enjoy this week and the activities but also know that we have a business job to do. It doesn't matter where it is at whether it is Crater Stadium or Quaker Stadium, we have to execute because our rivals will be ready and we have to be ready too."

Matt Rees doesn't know what it is like to lose to New Philadelphia. Friday night, he and his Dover Tornadoes once again will have a chance to inflict the epitome of a Michigan win over Ohio State in the confines of Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium against the New Philadelphia Quakers for the 61st time in the third-oldest Ohio high school rivalry.

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*Double the Sattler sensation: Rees's father-in-law and mother-in-law were successful administrators in their respective school districts. Rob Sattler was the longtime principal of Tuslaw High School for many years and his wife, Renee was a longtime elementary school principal for over 35 years.

*Buckeye Born and Bred: Johnson, a 2001 graduate of New Philadelphia is no stranger to being around the Ohio State mentor from his time as a Buckeye. Johnson has been to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center as a former student at the university and now is back in the same high school stadium he played in bearing the name of Ohio State's most successful coach and Michigan tormentor.

*The Ten-Year War: Both Hayes and Schembechler were born and raised in Ohio, Hayes in Denison and Schembechler in Barberton. From 1969-1978, Ohio State and Michigan faced off 10 times with Schembechler coming out on top with a 5-4-1 edge, with the 1973 game ending in a 10-10 tie as to which athletic directors voted Ohio State to play in the Rose Bowl, embittering Schembechler, who never forgave the Big Ten commissioner. Ohio State went on to defeat USC 42-21 and win the national championship with an undefeated season.

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