Veteran Mustangs coach respects opponent, anticipates iconic matchup

 Veteran Mustangs coach respects opponent, anticipates iconic matchup

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MAPLE HEIGHTS--Maple Heights veteran football head coach Shaq Washington is Mustang born and bred. Dover football head coach Matt Rees is Tornado born and bred.

Both gentlemen know the meaning of undefeated seasons. Rees experienced an undefeated regular season in his senior season at Dover before embarking on a successful career at the University of Mount Union. Washington on the other hand, had an extra five games as a senior quarterback that ended with the Mustangs hoisting a Division II state championship with a flawless season in the form of a 45-33 thriller over Trotwood-Madison in Massillon's Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

It was a more conducive ending for the Mustangs than the previous season in which they were humbled in a 42-12 setback to Cincinnati Winton Woods in the same state final.

15 years later, Washington, who was the quarterback of those two Mustang squads now has the keys to the car in his eighth season at his alma mater as their head coach and still going strong at 33 years young after ending his career as a wide receiver at Cincinnati and being hired as a head varsity football coach at the young age of 24.

Last week the Mustangs galloped their way to a 42-16 pasting of Lorain as the visitors subjugated the Titans with a 28-3 second half by scoring on their only four possessions of the second half, a sight that pleased Washington, not before he mentioned the catalyst of their outburst.

"Our defense really sprung us in the second half and we were able to put a couple of scoring drives together and they were consistent in getting stops," he said.

For Maple Heights, it will be the second of three straight road venues to open the season. Having subdued the Titans, a rugged Dover team awaits them and after spotting host GlenOak a generous 7-0 advantage, the Tornadoes responded with 18 straight points and caused a path of stormy destruction that the Eagles were on the brutally wrong end of.

For 30 seasons, Dan Ifft was the mountainous face of the program that saw them capture multiple conference titles and make deep playoff runs not to mention never having a single losing season. It will be a different atmosphere inside the confines of tradition rich Crater Stadium with Rees being promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach.

Tornadoes athletes always bring their lunch pail and hard hats to work and that is a reason why they attained immense success in Ifft's 30 season's. Now with the program being passed down to Rees, Washington couldn't help but to commend the school district for their hire of Rees, who also doubles as a business teacher at his alma mater.

"They are a very well coached team who play a specific brand of football that I can respect. I definitely look forward to it being a four quarter game," Washington said.

Dover will have their assignment in front of them as they will be tasked with the responsibility of neutralizing the speed of the speedy Mustangs. If the Mustangs are not beating teams running the football, they are beating them throwing as well. Lorain found that out in their agonizing second half. But don't get the perception that Washington will be just one-dimensional as that will not be the case.

When asked if the Mustangs have a set ratio of how they intend to execute in terms of running and passing, Washington said his team will do whatever it takes based on what is going well for them at that point.

"Whatever it takes for us to win the ball game is what we will do, the flow of the game will ultimately dictate our approach," he commented.

Winning the first game is imperative as it erects character and a willingness to believe anything is attainable. A potential second victory may lead to something special but a loss doesn't necessarily diminish anything as the 2025 season is still in it's infancy.

Washington recalled the closeness of the 2010 Mustangs his senior season and likened that to the team that he is coaching. The bondage of his state title winning team was a reason why they were able to rid themselves of the acrid taste of defeat in the state championship his junior year and turn that taste into a frugal gourmet in the form of a state title by coming back from two double-digit craters to hoist the state championship trophy aside from the runner-up trophy.

"We were a very connected group of individuals who were on a mission and we all believed we could accomplish it together and that's exactly what motivated us each and every day," he said of that 2010 team. "Right now we have a pretty experienced team in certain areas who have been through a lot of highs and lows so they understand what it takes to have sustained success and will remain focused on the task at hand."

When alumni are piloting their programs, it makes the young men playing understand the expectations for them. Rees and Washington both grew up in their hometowns idolizing the players who played before them and also had aspirations of piloting their programs as well.

Friday night, both gentlemen will cross paths for the first time and Washington is brimming with fervent excitement for the Mustangs second road task as they will ride into Crater Stadium. Washington was also complimentary of Rees as well.

"It's always special when programs are led by alumni but it's always about the players and their journey. I'm just honored we get to be a part of it."

PREP PRESS PIECES

*Stark County connections: Todd Filtz and Sean Weatherspoon are both intertwined in the Canton McKinley family. Filtz became the youngest head coach at McKinley back in 2012 and compiled a record of 17-5 in two seasons while Weatherspoon, a McKinley graduate was a part of the Bulldogs 2005 Division I state title winning basketball team. Weatherspoon coached Maple Heights for multiple seasons while Filtz was the football coach. Washington credited Filtz for molding him into the head coach he is today. "Filtz had a huge impact on me growing up and as a player throughout my career I believe I took a bit from all my coaches and molded it into my own style in which I feel is best useful for my players," he said.

*Tornado tracks: Rees is no stranger to success not just from an academic end but also from a family standpoint. His wife, Courtney, also a Mount Union alum and Dover graduate coached the cheerleading team to the Division III state championship last year and is the current cheerleading coach. Rees's in-laws are well respected educators as his father-in-law, Rob Sattler was the longtime Tuslaw High School principal for many years before retiring in 2009. Rob's wife, Renee, was the longtime Dover Avenue Elementary School principal for 35 years before going off into the sunset in 2021, wrapping up a 46-year career in education.

*Hail to the Tornadoes: The Dover softball team will be honored at halftime of the varsity football game. Under the direction of manager Hannah Duff, the Tornadoes started the year ranked #1 and finished wire-to-wire as the state's top ranked team in Division III with  a 30-3 record and the state championship last season. Dover decimated New Holland Springfield 10-0 to bring home the crown.

*Mount Union connections: J.R. Jackson, Alliance senior quarterback is a dynamic quarterback who has taken the Aviators position and has transfused life into a team that has the looks of being better than last year. Louisville football coach Chris Kappas, like his college classmate and teammate Rees, will have his hands full in stopping the dual-threat QB. J.R's father, Richard Sr. was a four-year starter on the Purple Raiders basketball team and is a 2002 graduate and previously served as the assistant dean of the college.

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