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

 

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

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

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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