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.
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