Rivalry between All-American Conference powers still has spice 23 years later
Keno Sultan
Stark County Prep Press writer
www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com
WARREN--Warren G. Harding vs. Massillon. Raiders vs. Tigers. Trumbull County vs. Stark County.
In what has become a long standing rivalry since it's renewal save for the 2012 season, two iconic programs will once again lock horns for the 14th consecutive time and 23rd time in 24 seasons as Warren Harding will look to keep their dwindling playoff hopes alive amid a 3-4 record and what basically is a must win against a Massillon team, who at 5-3 on the season will need at least two wins to obtain a first-round bye and a home playoff contest in the 11th week of the season.
It was 23 years ago after a 13-year hiatus following Massillon's 54-2 decimation of Harding that the series was retired. However with Thom McDaniels and Rick Shepas, both of Harding and Massillon respectively in talks to renew the rivalry, it was unearthed and the first two games were classic contests that were seized by the Raiders in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,000 at Mollenkopf Stadium via a 31-27 score that featured a four-touchdown performance by sophomore wide receiver Mario Manningham in the ninth week of the regular season. Five weeks later in a Division I state semifinal for the ages and a contest that was the 2002 USA Today game of the year, Harding overcame a 14-7 fourth-quarter deficit to maintain their undefeated billing in a thrilling 21-20 overtime decision in front of 23,000 at the Akron Rubber Bowl.
From 2002-2006, Massillon was unable to puncture the Raiders save for a 13-0 triumph in a 2005 season that saw them advance to the state final three years later than expected. Since 2007, Massillon has boasted a spectacular 15-3 record, 10-2 at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, the site of Friday's contest and the 90th confrontation between the schools.
I had a chance to interview two Warren natives, a former Massillon head coach now the Harding athletic director and an inspirational Tigers standout who is still talked about 26 years after his playing days as a Tiger concluded.
LOOKING TO PASS. Warren Harding quarterback Elijah Taylor looks to pass during a 2019 playoff game between the Raiders and Massillon Tigers. Taylor went to have an athletic and academic career at Wayne State University. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)
STRONG RAIDER LINEAGE
Alfie Burch has been a lifelong Warren resident from the day he was conceived in the city. He remembers big plays that define Raiders football.
Whether it was Sidney Glover and Lazarus McCrae scoring two defensive touchdowns in a stunning 48 second window, 5'6'', 190 lb. fullback Stefon Alexander throwing a pancake block against a heavier and taller opponent, or Lynn Bowden gashing through defenses and irritating opposing defensive coordinators, Burch remembers the players who put on the Harding jersey and what they meant to the program.
Burch, who graduated from Warren Western Reserve in 1989 went on to compete via a four-year career at Michigan, where he was teammates with Desmond Howard and threw a key block that sprang the Cleveland native for a seraphic 93-yard punt return touchdown leading to the famous Heisman pose that is still revered to this day. Even greater, Burch was part of the Wolverines 1992 undefeated Rose Bowl title winning team and completed his career undefeated against rival Ohio State in the form of a 3-0-1 record.
A proud father of three, Burch has two sons and a daughter. Burch's first conceived son Elijah played his first two seasons at Ashland before completing his football career at NCAA Division III Mount Union, where he started on the defensive line. Currently, his other son, Asa is a standout sophomore defensive end for Harding and is obtaining various looks. He and freshman teammate, linebacker Satavian Hill are key pillars on a Harding defense which also includes Satavian's older brother, Rai'Twan, that not only is hard-hitting but lethal as well. Burch and the younger Hill both have defensive touchdowns on interception returns to their credentials.
The elder Burch was victorious as a senior against the Tigers in 1988 at home. 28 years later he got to witness his oldest capture a victory over Massillon on the road as Massillon overcame three 14-point deficits to post a 41-28 victory as they were buoyed by the prowess of Bowden's six touchdown runs in the process. Bowden was a nightmare to Tigers fans as he scored an astounding 11 touchdowns against them, five the previous season in a 48-41 home victory.
It was one thing for the father to defeat Massillon. It was another for the son to do it on the road. And now according to the elder Burch, who is a revered minister at St. James Church of God in Christ, it is Asa's time.
"I have had talks with Asa and Satavian since they were young about restoring the vision of why you put on that jersey at Warren G. Harding. That has to be earned. Not everyone can run, jump and tackle. We want them to also be good young men and be a model of positive behavior along with having positive character," Alfie said.
For the Raiders, this is a must-win situation and it just happens that it falls on Senior Night for the Tigers. Harding would love nothing more to keep their playoff hopes alive while spoiling what is slated to be a stunning moment for the Tigers seniors that will play their final contest named after the patriarch of Massillon football.
Burch likens Friday's contest to that of a rivalry game that reminded him of his days as a Wolverines defensive back lining up against Ohio State and whenever Warren and Massillon square off, it reminds him of why he chose to further his career in Ann Arbor, the same place where family member Prescott Burgess continued his career along with Carl Diggs and Mario Manningham. Dave and Dan Herron are also part of the Burch family bloodline as they are cousins to Asa as well.
"We know what kind of tradition that Massillon has along with Warren and like Bo Schembechler said, this is one of those red letter games that you circle your calendar for and years down the line, you will tell your girl about it and when she becomes your wife, you will tell her about it years later," he said.
HARDING ALUMNUS REVELS IN RIVALRY
Joe McConnell was a Warren Harding senior when it was announced in 2001 that the Raiders and Tigers were going to renew their rivalry.
Harding blitzed their way to eight victories and all of them came in resounding fashion but two of them stood out heavily at home. The Raiders, led by ultra-talented running back Maurice Clarett shredded undefeated Division IV Youngstown Ursuline and their vicious run defense in a 56-16 victory and then four weeks later added undefeated Canton McKinley to their victims list. After spotting the Bulldogs a generous 7-0 lead, it was the first time Harding was behind on the scoreboard and their response was brutally gory in the form of 57 straight points leading to an emphatic 57-9 win as Clarett rushed for a Harding school record 425 yards, having 230 at the half.
McConnell could only imagine what a Harding-Massillon state semifinal may have been like but was deferred for a year when Cleveland St. Ignatius ended the Raiders season in a regional final. He got to witness two classics within a week apart, the week 9 battle won by Harding in spectacular fashion and then the state semifinal five weeks later that ended up the USA Today national game of the year.
He reveled in his excitement of the rivalry that returned and one that has stood the test of time for the last 23 years and the 24th game since 2002.
"It was exciting to see the rivalry return. They played two great games back in 2002 and both programs were at a high level with many players from both teams that went on to play in the NFL," McConnell, now an offensive coordinator at Niles McKinley said.
McConnell may not have gotten the chance to relish a win over Massillon in his high school years as the closest to that was a 3-1 record against Canton McKinley. His brother, Marcus was an offensive lineman for the Raiders and sported a 3-1 record against the Tigers, winning his senior year at Mollenkopf Stadium via a 21-16 decision as Harding's defense scored two defensive touchdowns that proved to be a little too much for Massillon to overcome.
The older McConnell is hotly aware of the dominance that Massillon has posted against Harding in the form of an 16-8 record since 2002, eight of those wins have come going back to the 2017 season. For that to change according to his testimony, Harding will have to keep Massillon's offense off the field and generate some offense if they are going to have one more chance to make a bid to qualify for the OHSAA Division II playoffs.
"The Raiders offense will have to step up and it will be a game decided in the trenches. The seniors will have to step up this week," he said. "This will be their chance to etch their name in the rivalry and go down in history in respect to the rivalry."
One thing McConnell doesn't want to see happen between the two schools is personal fouls. It is one thing when play gets competitive but when extracurricular actions happen that lead to flags, it denigrates what the rivalry is about and there have been several games where both teams have been whistled for such fouls and warnings.
He and Burch both attest that personal fouls are selfish fouls and do not define the tradition of what Warren football is about, the same as Massillon football.
"Personal fouls have no place in the rivalry. You want to play the right way and not be an example of what is wrong. You want to play hard, give it all you got and leave it all out there on the field Friday night," McConnell said.
FROM A MASSILLON COMMANDER TO HARDING AD
In seven seasons at Massillon, Rick Shepas was in the eye of the storm. Unlike 23 other coaches before him he felt no pressure, which allowed him to coach carefree in the 80 games he piloted the Tigers.
His life changed on May 4, 1998. At the young age of 33, he was hired as the 24th head coach and athletic director in the Tigers history 15 years after his prep career concluded as a very sturdy and physical 6'3'', 225 lb. wide receiver at Youngstown Cardinal Mooney and then a four-year standout career at Youngstown State University.
From 1999-2002 with Shepas bringing a unitary approach to Massillon football, the Tigers compiled a 41-9 record that included five wins over rival Canton McKinley, two regional titles and in 2001, completed an undefeated home season at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, their first since the 1997 season, which was Jack Rose's sixth and final season before resigning, leaving the door open for Shepas.
Shepas went on to coach Waynesburg University for 12 seasons and then returned to his hometown as the Youngstown City Schools athletic director, then his alma mater as the team's offensive coordinator and the school's academic adviser before becoming the athletic director at Warren Harding.
After being on the Massillon end, Shepas will be the first Massillon head coach to come back as an opposing figure for the first time since Bob Commings, when he embarked on a 12-year run as GlenOak's football coach.
"This is a great rivalry between two schools Warren and Massillon and both were part of the All-American Conference dating back to the 60's and 70's. This is a game that needs to be played, the same as the McKinley game has to be played," he said. "We actually talked to then Harding head coach Gary Barber about that and wanted to make sure both communities were all-in before resuming the rivalry."
Currently, Harding is head coached by Matt Richardson, who is a graduate of Warren JFK, where he won a state title as a player with the Eagles and also defines the toughness of the city. It also helped Richardson that he was also an assistant with McDaniels not to mention being the offensive coordinator at Akron Hoban, where his Knights dominated the rushing category in seizing five state championships in six years, two of those coming against Massillon in a three-year span.
Shepas likes the direction of where the Raiders are headed under Richardson's tutelage and feels the Raiders are traversing the right direction.
Friday night will be surreal for Shepas as he returns to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium for the first time in 21 years. Nothing ever rattled him as Massillon's commander whether it was outside forces that threatened to doom the program or other persons outside of the city who were harshly critical of him. He didn't feel any pressure then and will not feel any of it now.
"Massillon was the one job that I always wanted and I believe that, 'once a Tiger, always a Tiger.' I was blessed to be a part of that," he said. "Warren does so much and cares so much for their kids and it reminds me of Massillon to a degree. I am looking forward to being a part of the atmosphere Friday night."
STEELY FOCUS. Warren Harding athletic director Rick Shepas looks on during the Raiders 2024 game against Canton McKinley at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Shepas, who was the head football coach at Massillon for seven seasons is now the Harding athletic director. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)
AN INSPIRATIONAL TIGER OF TIGERS
It was October 30th of 1998 and the junior year of Ellery Moore flashed before him as he was lifted off the turf and received assistance from his teammates. As he held his breath, tears welled in his eyes as a season-ending leg injury threatened to exclude him from the Tigers regular season ending affair against Canton McKinley after Massillon's dominating victory over Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.
Defying coaches and doctors advice while deciding to practice and eventually play, Moore registered 15 first-hit tackles while competing on one leg against the Bulldogs. Although the Tigers fell at home, Moore's performance was legendary and inspirational. To this day, Massillonians still chat about his play in that game and how younger kids became inspired to emulate him.
When it comes to big games, Moore still has that zealous excitement about Massillon football and with Warren coming to Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, he couldn't help but to think what may have been if he had the chance to play against the Raiders three years before his prep career ended.
"Man I wanted to play Warren Harding so bad, when I went down to Penn State for a visit, former Harding running back and safety Deryck Toles was my host. I wanted to play them so bad," Moore said excitedly.
Warren Harding is in need of a victory and would love nothing more to spoil Massillon's senior night for them. For the Tigers, their rivalry game against Canton McKinley is on the horizon. From 2002-2004, Massillon and Harding played in the ninth week of the season with the Raiders winning all three of them before the series moved to the earlier stages of the season.
Moore cautioned that Harding should strictly be on the minds of the Tigers and not McKinley, who at press time is on the road at Jackson.
"Warren would love nothing more to ruin Massillon's senior night and Massillon can't let that happen. No way. There should not be anyone looking forward to next week. Massillon's focus is and should be on Warren Harding and no one else," he said. "You can't look ahead because right now this is the only game that matters."
Massillon has made life miserable for Harding over the last eight years. Aside from a 49-46 loss in 2021, the Raiders just haven't been able to solve the Massillon labyrinth, something that hasn't happened since 2016. For the Tigers, a ninth straight victory will spell the end of the Raiders playoff hopes while a Warren victory will provide them a glimmer of hope with a shot at a playoff spot in the last week of the regular season.
Friday night, Moore just may run into his former head coach, Shepas. It was 26 years ago that Shepas and Moore shared an emotional hug on the Fawcett Stadium turf when Massillon scored a convincing 35-7 conquest of #1 ranked Canton McKinley to complete a 10-0 regular season and annex the Victory Bell back to the Massillon sideline.
Moore still has love for the unitary leader 26 years after that emotional victory not to mention his Albert Belle muscle pose to dejected Bulldogs fans as they exited Fawcett Stadium with their heads lowered.
"I don't want to reveal Shepas's age now," he said with a chuckle. "But he was a big brother figure to me and now an uncle figure to me. He definitely provided an upside for me."
Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 330-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.
