COMMENTARY: As rivalry week gets closer, let's not lose focus of sportsmanship

 COMMENTARY: As rivalry week gets closer, let's not lose focus of sportsmanship

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

Last week I could not help but to think about a bizarre scene that raised eyebrows around the state of Texas that eventually went nationwide.

How many times have you heard a parent whether it be a mother, father, aunt, uncle or grandparents tell their unruly child to go get their belt? We all have heard it at some point in our lives. And yes we all were spanked with belts if we got out of line.

Last week, Willis High School out of Texas did just that literally. After a 77-0 win over Cleveland High School, the Willis players had belts in the post-game handshake line and spanked, yes, spanked Cleveland players in the line as they exchanged what was supposed to be positive pleasantries that turned into a stunning fiasco and then flaunted off their belts via video.

You can imagine an adult spanking a misbehaving child with a belt. But certainly not a high school athlete spanking other in that BTA challenge, known as "belt to (butt)." It truly was a denigration of what sportsmanship is supposed to be about. The actions of the Willis football players in my frame deducted from what was an otherwise good win. Where was the student-community-athlete formula at? Did Willis players not forget that they are students first, then members of the community, and finally an athlete? Where were the coaches at to address their players about the flagrant transgression?

As rivalry week approaches there are multiple rivalry games to be played around Stark County a week from now. Tuslaw vs. Fairless, Perry vs. GlenOak, North Canton Hoover vs. Jackson, Canton Central Catholic vs. St. Thomas Aquinas and many others concluding with the biggest hamburger on the plate, the 135th Canton McKinley-Massillon contest on that pristine fall Saturday afternoon.

I want to remind players, fans and coaches about the tenet of sportsmanship. Sportsmanship is something that is ingrained into an athlete the moment they sign up to play pee-wee football that carries over to junior high all the way to high school and hopefully a playing career in college leading to the professional league. Coaches have an obligation to infuse the tenet of sportsmanship into a young man. The player is obligated sans debate, discussion, or negotiation regardless of the finality of the contest regardless of happiness or sadness (even in their understandable anger of losing) to shake hands with his opposing competitor, tell him "good game" and wish him luck. 

Think about this. Cleveland players were already feeling awful about their 11 touchdown setback. How do you think their family relatives felt seeing their loved ones spanked by teenagers their same age in the 14-18 age department? Those same athletes at Willis High responsible for the transgression just might cross paths with those players again in college or beyond that if life takes them that far. And forbid if that BTA challenge descends to the lower levels via junior high or pee-wee for that matter. That's sending a negative message and it is one truly not OK at all.

The players from Willis were suspended for the first half of their next game and relegated to community service. With all due respect, a first half suspension is a benign slap on the wrist. The players liable for that reprehensible display of tawdry sportsmanship need to be made an example of. They need to be suspended for the entire season to think about their actions, seniors or not. Imagine how they would feel if they were on the wrong end of that 77-0 score and Cleveland players were the ones smacking Willis players with belts. 

What I viewed from that video, you can honestly say that no coach in Stark County will have condoned that, especially the old guard coaches. A McKinley Bulldog would have never spanked an opposing player with a belt under Thom McDaniels. A Lake Blue Streak would have never spanked a weeping player with a belt under Jeff Durbin. A Central Catholic Crusader surely would have NEVER thought of committing the same loathsome action with a belt under Lowell Klinefelter. I can go on and on with that but the bottom line is that sportsmanship was tossed out of the stadium and it needs to be addressed.

Please not lose the meaning of sportsmanship. Displaying sportsmanship means shaking hands with your adversary regardless of the finality of the score. Displaying sportsmanship means exchanging positive good will to your competitor for a good game. Displaying sportsmanship means wishing your opponent the best of luck as they continue on with their season. Displaying sportsmanship is reinforcing the true meaning of a student-community-athlete and that is student first, member of the community second, and then an athlete; not student-athlete but student-community-athlete.

Willis High players lost sight of that. They lost sight of the fact that they were playing for those who played before them and those who will play after them. How do you think a kid will feel seeing high school players commit the action they saw? Next think you know they will think that it is OK to execute an abhorrent behavior by spanking your opponent after a win. Think about how former Willis players felt seeing the men competing after them when they saw the belts go across Cleveland players.

Stark County players and coaches, when you play your rivalry games, show how sportsmanship is supposed to be performed. Don't descend to the level of Willis and their athletes. Display why Stark County is one of the best places to watch high school football on Friday nights. Let handshakes do the talking, not belts.

Cleveland displayed proper sportsmanship by not retaliating in the handshake line that may have caused an even greater temblor against their tormentors. I wish them nothing but the best for better days will come for them.

Stark County high schools, show how sportsmanship is performed. Display why Stark County is one of the best places for high school football. End the game with handshakes, not belts.

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

 

Mount Union masterful in 59 point rout of Wilmington

 Mount Union masterful in 59 point rout of Wilmington

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

ALLIANCE--Scoring 21 points against Otterbein last week and winning by a shutout according to players and coaches in the Mount Union regime is not what they attest to as "the standard."

How that all changed in one week.

Mount Union went for the early knockout and never let the winless Wilmington Quakers breathe as their offense was sharpened with precise flawlessness as they scored on their first eight possessions and left no doubt about their improvement in the form of a 78-19 ravaging of the visitors in front of a decent crowd at Kehres Stadium on Homecoming afternoon.

Everything went the way of the Purple Raiders from their first possession that only took four plays as senior running back Tyler Echeverry set the tone with a 45-yard scoring scamper. The game was only two minutes and 40 seconds old but the tone was set on an afternoon that saw Mount Union generate 684 yards of total offense against a Quakers team that was yielding at press time an anemic 199 points defensively.

Putting Wilmington away early was the mantra according to fifth-year Purple Raiders head coach Geoff Dartt.

"The first thing is I heard some rumblings like we were supposed to score a bunch of points against Otterbein. That was a good football team. I know their record didn't show it. The guys really took ownership of not being at the standard we was against Otterbein but that game's over," Dartt said. "We got prepared for Wilmington and they did a great job of handling that today."

Echeverry rushed for 97 yards and found the end zone three more times on the afternoon for the Purple Raiders (4-0, 3-0 OAC). Quarterback Noah Beaudrie was every bit as flawless as the offense as he completed all 15 of his attempted passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns, connecting to receivers Nick Turner and Tyrell Sanders while also running for an eight-yard score as well. Running back Darnell Williams also etched his way into the scoring column with touchdown runs of 33 and one yard respectively.

The fact that Mount Union returned to their standard was pleasing to Beaudrie, who has the look of every Mount Union quarterback that has come before him in terms of precision and leadership.

"Last week we really focused on our opponent and not ourselves and how good we can be. We had to redial back in and realize it's not about who we are playing but it is about us," he said. "We wanted to get the ball to the edge and we did a good job of doing that today."

Freshman cornerback Zack Liebler, a former Massillon Tigers defensive back who was part of the Tigers undefeated Division II state championship last season defended a pass and broke up another in action today. 

Mount Union returns to action at home next week against Heidelberg, who at press time dropped a 35-7 decision to Marietta, who like Mount Union is undefeated in what may be a titanic showdown for the potential outright conference title and automatic bid to the NCAA Division III football playoffs four weeks from now.

Dartt acknowledges that Heidelberg will be ready to compete and expects the same of his horde of Purple Raiders.

"They are really aggressive on defense and always had great personnel on defense so we have to attack that. They always have dynamic running backs and wide receivers. They have our attention and we are excited for the challenge," Dartt said. "We're going to watch film and then get ready for next Saturday."

Last week, Mount Union did not compete up to the standard. All it took was one week to return to "the standard" in a resounding manner.

COACH AND QB. Mount Union head coach Geoff Dartt confers with quarterback Noah Beaudrie on the sidelines after a first quarter touchdown. Mount Union defeated Wilmington (0-4, 0-3 OAC) 78-19 to advance to 4-0 (3-0 OAC) on the season. (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.

Tigers hit jackpot in shutout of Titans

 Tigers hit jackpot in shutout of Titans

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

MASSILLON--Betting on Ja'Meir Gamble can either result in a jackpot or a total loss of money.

For the Massillon Tigers, their gamble was an absolute jackpot.

The 5'10'', 190 lb. senior tailback had a career game reminiscent of former Tiger back Willtrell Hartson as he rushed for 291 yards and tallied five touchdowns on the ground as Massillon disposed of Legacy Sports & Science (Texas) to the tune of a 41-0 rout in the Tigers final home contest before their annual showdown two weeks from Saturday at home against Canton McKinley (who wrapped up a share of the Federal League title at press time with a 35-21 win at Lake).

In a game that was at times snappy with hordes of personal foul penalties between the schools and with Massillon being penalized a concerning 15 times in the contest, Gamble was a bright spot for a Tigers team who is starting to hit their stride as the playoffs are only two weeks away.

It also conjures up dividends that he is running behind an offensive line that prides itself on durability, a tenet of the Nate Moore era and a reason why Moore is a two-time Division II state title winning head coach.

"Honestly, our offensive line dominated their defensive front and that is what they wanted to do." Gamble said.

Nolan Davenport is one offensive lineman who prides himself on being a part of the Tigers deep offensive line corps and his play is a major reason why he will be playing inside the confines of Camp Randall Stadium on Saurdays as a Wisconsin Badger next season under former Ohio State interim head coach and Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell.

Davenport was quick to attribute the success to Massillon's strength and conditioning program which has been a paramount factor in their line emaciating opposing teams over the course of 48 minutes.

"We call ourselves the trench line as a unit and we take pride in how we dominate the line of scrimmage and all week, that was our emphasis that we wanted to sustain blocks and we executed that well tonight. When we have teams worn down, that is when we have to attack and we all know that," he said. "When you have teams down like that, you have to finish them off and put them away."

Massillon's opening possession was just a portent of what was to arrive on the evening. On the ninth play of their drive, quarterback Jalen Slaughter completed a 32-yard pass to senior Braylyn Toles to put the ball deep in Titans territory and from there, Gamble burst through the first of a plethora of holes on the evening erected by the Massillon offensive line for a 22-yard touchdown run and an early 7-0 lead.  

Their second possession was even better as Gamble ran for 23 yards in to Titans territory and four plays later he was in the end zone for a second time, this time from 24 yards away and Massillon compiled a 14-0 lead after the first 12 minutes of competition.

Gamble only got stronger as the game progressed, bringing back memories of former Tigers running back Zion Phifer, who was remembered for spelling Jamir Thomas in the fourth quarter and running the ball on a drive that took nine minutes and ending with a touchdown and a 10-0 season six years ago against Canton McKinley in a competitive 24-17 home victory.

By the time halftime arrived, Gamble already had 112 yards. When asked if he saw himself like Phifer, Gamble offered his assessment respectfully.

"Zion was one of the great backs at Massillon. He is a bigger guy than I am, the one thing I do have is speed," he said.

Legacy had two chances deep in Massillon territory that was thwarted with interceptions by Daylan Pringle and Braylon Gamble. A missed chip shot field goal from 24 yards didn't assist their cause and their porous defense was evident once again as Massillon became the newest team to crack the 40-point plateau against the Titans.

Massillon head coach Nate Moore was pleased that his team played hard but does want to see a cleaner effort in truncating penalties that hinder drives and most importantly, momentum.

"Legacy is a good team with great players and our guys played really really well. We were able to get pressure on their quarterback (Keisean Henderson) and that affected his ability to throw the ball downfield. Our DB's did a great job covering their receivers downfield," Moore said. "Those things (penalties) are disappointing but they are teachable moments and we'll coach our guys on that."

Gamble added three more spectacular touchdown runs of 34, 68, and 77 yards to conclude his evening. Peytton Mitchell added the final score, a one-yard touchdown run amid a running clock following Gamble's fifth touchdown scamper.

Massillon will travel to Warren for a week nine tilt against a Raiders team that is experiencing a resurgence under first-year general and Warren native Matt Richardson. At press time, the Raiders are 6-2 with a 20-6 win over Youngstown Cardinal Mooney.

Massillon has not lost to the Raiders since the 2016 season, a 41-28 victory in which Lynn Bowden calmly led Harding from a 21-7 halftime deficit to outlast the Tigers eight years ago. Harding's last win at Mollenkopf Stadium against Massillon was nine years ago, a 48-42 decision in which Bowden accounted for six touchdowns in what was a pinball machine scoring affair between the teams.

Personal fouls is something that Moore wants his battalion of Tigers to beware of in the next two weeks, starting with the Raiders in a game he wants his squad singularly focused on and nothing before that.

"Avoiding personal fouls has been a focus most of the year and we didn't do a good job of that tonight. We're going to have to be better for sure next week," he said.

Betting on Ja'Meir Gamble can either result in a jackpot or a total loss of money. For the Massillon Tigers, Gamble was their jackpot on a night they cashed in a sixth victory.

READY TO PASS. Massillon WB Jalen Slaughter looks downfield during the Tigers contest against Legacy Sports & Science (Texas). Massillon improved their record to 6-2 with a 41-0 victory at Paul Brown Tiger 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.

Mustangs ride tough before undefeated Manchester runs to seventh straight triumph

 Mustangs ride tough before undefeated Manchester runs to seventh straight triumph

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

TUSCARAWAS TWP.--The Tuslaw Mustangs were down 12 at halftime but were feeling good about themselves.

A fourth-down touchdown pass by quarterback Ethan Haer to Parker Reinhart slimmed the Manchester lead to five and everything was traversing way inside William E. Kurtz Stadium following a massive blocked punt by the Mustangs special teams.

In two plays after their score, their momentum literally parted.

Manchester sophomore running back Phil Partin's 86-yard touchdown scamper up the middle late in the third quarter immediately quashed the momentum Tuslaw generated and in the end it was just too much for the hosts to overcome as Manchester remained flawless by virtue of a 27-7 second half that parlayed into a 46-14 victory in a PAC-7 contest.

Too much Partin, too many big plays once again resulted in a fourth straight running clock defeat for the Mustangs and first-year general Broc Dial. However, unlike the last three weeks, the running clock wasn't activated until the final three minutes of the contest. After being scored 135-14 the last three weeks, the Mustangs offense was able to score two touchdowns, a bright spot for Dial in what has been an arduous year for him, one year after coaching Dalton to a state championship game before taking the Tuslaw reins.

"I felt like this was a team that got better tonight. We played three quarters tough and a lot of good things. We just have to build on it and continue to get better," Dial said.

Partin will definitely be in the nightmares for the Mustangs. He was responsible for five of the Panthers six offensive touchdowns as he also added on scoring rushes of 19, 8, 2 and 21 yards and was well over 200 yards rushing and he is one that second-year Panthers head coach Kevin Stacy truly is salivating over.

"We just stayed the course and our kids were fighting. Credit to them (Tuslaw). They were really well coached and they were giving us everything they could handle and Partin was able to bust one there and take the momentum back there and were able to put together some drives there," Stacy said.

Partin's first two carries came in large chunks of 21 and 19 yards with the latter resulting in an early 7-0 advantage. On the Panthers fifth possession after an interception by linebacker Jayce Mauger garnered them possession again seven plays after Tuslaw's Nate Eberhart snuffed out a Manchester drive with an interception, Partin would score on an eight-yard touchdown run and early in the second quarter it seemed like Manchester was on the cusp of a running clock victory.

TOP MUSTANG. Tuslaw head coach Broc Dial prepares for Friday night's contest against undefeated Manchester at William E. Kurtz Stadium. The Mustangs succumbed to Manchester 46-14. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press).

Tuslaw got a much needed voltage of energy when Haer converted a deep pass on fourth down and needing six yards as Reinhart made a sterling catch deep in Panthers territory. Three plays later, Mustang running back Joey Medure willed his way into the end zone and truncated Tuslaw's deficit to 12-7.

Before the intermission, Manchester survived two holding penalties and quarterback Yadin Sharp found receiver Jake Livingston in the back corner for a touchdown and Manchester took a 19-7 lead into the locker room.

Leading at halftime was something these Panthers were not used to last season in a 1-9 campaign that saw them lose multiple games that were close. No one knew that better than Stacy, a former Northwest quarterback whose father, Tom was the patriarch of Massillon for three seasons as their head football coach and once the offensive coordinator under Lee Owens from 1988-1991.

"Last year these kids got their butts kicked. And they grew from it. They never quit and that was a big motivator for us to get into the weight room and get better," he said. "Coach Dial is doing the same thing with those guys and they are going to be a force to be reckoned with soon. For us, it was learning the hard way and coming out on the short end of the stick too many times last year, we have learned a lot and are still growing and that's great to see."

Tuslaw had one last gallop in them through the blocked punt and Haer's touchdown pass to Reinhart before Partin's long scoring run deflated their hopes. Evan Kusmits scored the final touchdown for the visitors with a 21-yard scoring run that actuated the running clock.

Manchester has the vista of a team that  poised for a deep playoff run. But for now, they are seriously thinking about an outright PAC-7 conference title; however they will be immensely challenged by Triway (6-1 at press time) and 5-2 Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA) with Fairless at 3-4 sandwiched between them.

Stacy wants his charges to enjoy the wins but also to stay laser focused on what got them to their undefeated record, the same approach that his father took at Massillon that allowed them to overcome two consecutive 4-6 seasons and restore the Tigers program to respectability.

"One week a a time. Our players are doing a good job of not looking ahead," Stacy said.

For Tuslaw, the pains of losing continue at 2-5 but this game was not an early running clock as their last three losses were save for a 17-0 season opening loss to Smithville, a sign that Dial has his legion of Mustangs trending in the proper direction.

Salvaging a .500 season is now the goal for the Mustangs going forward, something that will start next week against Orrville and finishing up with Canton South and Fairless as those teams are a combined 8-13, providing hope for Tuslaw and it will start with them looking to score more than just two touchdowns.

"We just have to keep the kids focused and we have three weeks left so we have to continue to get better the next three weeks, focusing day-by-day and get better," Dial said.

FORCEFUL PANTHER. Manchester head coach Kevin Stacy watches his team warmup prior to Friday's game at Tuslaw. Manchester defeated the Mustangs 46-14 to improve their record to 7-0 on the season. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press).

Keno Sultan is a writer for Stark County Prep Press. He can be reached at 440-445-4575 or email at KenoSultan@hotmail.com.

COMMENTARY: Malone and Walsh athletes provide hope for young women

 COMMENTARY: Malone and Walsh athletes provide hope for young women

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

NORTH CANTON--Coaches always refer to any athlete in high school or college as a student-athlete. That is infused into any athlete as early as when they are in junior high or middle school.

Let me take it another step. 

Athletes are not to me student-athletes. You may be wondering why I just said that. Let me spread my reasoning like a bird opening up its wings. To me, any athlete is a student-community-athlete. Noticeably, they are a student first. Then they are a member of the community they represent. And finally, they are an athlete. Student first, member of the community second, and finally an athlete. Now you see why it makes sense.

No one knows that better than the women who competed in Saturday's battle of Route 43. It's always a battle whenever Malone University and Walsh University face off in any sport. Inside the Timken Physical Education center on the campus of Walsh University, it was the Cavaliers obtaining a clean sweep of their rivals in the form of a straight set triumph by scores of 25-14, 25-16, 25-20.

Eight women from Stark County suited up for their programs, five from Malone and three from Walsh. Malone's Kassidy Gorsuch and Macy McCauley (both from North Canton Hoover), Jayne Barber (Lake Center Christian), Annabelle Kegley (Fairless) and Emma Weirich (Perry) represented the Pioneers while Walsh was represented by Addie Burick (Louisville), Olivia Hayes (Jackson) and Elizabeth Bauer (Lake). They know the meaning of what it means to be a student-community-athlete dating back to being leaders of their high school teams.

They are all a reason why Malone's Rafael Gonzalez and Walsh's Brett Holt were able to land these commits. And it only reinforces the meaning of the student-community-athlete.

"This is the area why I took this job a year ago. This is a great area in Northeast Ohio and there are a lot of good volleyball players and we love the whole family atmosphere here and that is what we preach about the culture and it's nice to have these kids and their families in the stands," Holt, the winning head coach said.

FUTURE ATHLETES. Canton City middle school volleyball athletes receive autographs from the Walsh University volleyball team after the Cavaliers straight set win over Malone Saturday night at the Timken Physical Education Center. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

Canton City middle school volleyball players had a chance to partake in today's contest. Most of them are either in the seventh or eighth grade with aspirations of playing volleyball at the collegiate level after their high school days have concluded. 

I remember what late Walsh basketball coach Steve Loy said when I was a young camper at the McLeod basketball camp 29 years ago: "Work for the highest grade point average possible."

Young girls in the Canton City School district have a high hope for the future. Malone and Walsh presented that to them in collegiate competition. They too will understand what it means to be a student-community-athlete. They have parents who have instilled that into them as early as the day they came into this world and will be reinforced by educators and administrators till the day their playing careers cease. Some of them may even become coaches and pass on what was taught to them to other young girls with hopes of competing in collegiate athletics.

For Gonzalez, it has been a trying year for Malone volleyball based by their 3-9 record. But what Gonzalez cares about most is not the wins and losses but what Malone stands for. The motto for Malone is "Christ's Kingdom First." Academics and faith are also integral to the success of a future Pioneer, something Gonzalez looks for in a recruit.

"Academically, our team is awesome. Everyone has a 4.0 average. Everyone gets good grades. Academics is the first thing we look for in an athlete when they come to Malone and volleyball is second," he said. "We want them to be successful professionals when they leave Malone."

Not just me but when anyone was going to school, there were always assemblies where high school athletes would talk to students whether it was elementary or middle school about getting good grades and making the right decisions. The girls who took part in today's contest also got a feel for what college volleyball will be like when they compete at that level.

It all starts in the classroom. You can't be a successful athlete and not be an adequate student or member of the community. You can't be a successful person in the community and not be an adequate student or athlete. Everything must be in sync. If you are a successful student, a successful member of the community, you will be a successful athlete thus my reasoning of the student-community-athlete.

TOP PIONEER. Malone head coach Rafael Gonzalez observes the action during Saturday's contest at Walsh. The Pioneers dropped a straight set decision to the host Cavaliers. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

There is hope for young women and it just doesn't evolve around Canton. There is hope for women everywhere and a reason why most are getting into sports today. The women who they see in competition are those who inspire them and who they want to emulate. Malone and Walsh provided that today and showed that if a person works hard at their craft in both the athletic realm and the academic realm, they will have a career waiting for them.

To see the sight of young women attending this game pleased me. Many times I always hear the words "girls can't." Let me make this clear: girls can. Girls can achieve. Girls can succeed. Girls can accomplish what they want to do regardless of whoever attempts to put that barrier in their way.

The Canton City middle school girls team learned a valuable lesson today. And eight Stark County natives represented the county gracefully with their respective programs they competed for. 

Here's to the classes of 2029 and 2030 and the girls in attendance. You can do it. You can be that excellent student-community-athlete. You have my full support and one day, I hope to see you competing whether it be a Pioneer, a Cavalier, or a Purple Raider (my collegiate alma mater) or wherever your path takes you. Just remember: student first, member of the community second, and athlete third.

It's not student-athlete. It's student-community-athlete. Remember 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.

Canton McKinley barks loudest, bites hardest in 26-17 triumph

Canton McKinley barks loudest, bites hardest in 26-17 triumph

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

GREEN--Canton McKinley threatened to score an early technical knockout of Green.

Like a boxer on the ropes being told to punch back, Green fought back and was able to extend their contest much longer than everyone expected.

In the end however, it was McKinley able to claim the knockout that happened three quarters later than it should have in the form of a 26-17 victory inside the confines of a rain drenched Green Memorial Stadium. The fact that Green was able to withstand McKinley's early assault was a testament to them in the form they did not abdicate after falling behind quickly by two touchdowns. But in the end, Green's courageous effort just was not enough against a McKinley team that now has sole possession of first place in the Federal League by virtue of the victory with three league games remaining.

McKinley is now 11-0 all time against Green. Green eventually will have that day when they triumph over McKinley. But for now, that wait has been extended another year.

Green had momentum late in the fourth quarter after a Tyson Hunka 42-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Martin pulled them within two to close the third quarter and in the fourth quarter were in range for a potential go-ahead/game winning field goal. But the McKinley defense conjured up two consecutive sacks, forcing Green to punt. 

McKinley slammed the door on Green's rally when senior tailback Nino Hill scored on a three-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining. McKinley mentor Antonio Hall lauded his team's ability to put away a game when it counted but rued his team's miscues at times, something they didn't have to worry about the last two weeks against GlenOak and Perry respectively.

"I'm proud of our grit. I am proud that we got it done when we needed to. However I am disappointed with the penalties and the hole we dug ourselves. But ultimately, we found a way to win," he said.

The game started out in seraphic form for the visiting McKinley squad. Senior wide receiver Keith Quincy returned a Green punt for a spectacular 74-yard touchdown to open the scoring for McKinley. It was the Bulldogs first punt return for a touchdown since Maurice Hill returned two punts for scores against Perry two years ago in a 38-28 loss.

"Keith is magic. Anytime he touches the field in all three phases of the game, he can affect it. Whether it is offense, defense, or special teams, everytime he is on the field, he is going to make a play," Hall said. "And if he's not making a big play, he's downfield throwing a block. He is just magic on the field."

McKinley finally got to start an offensive possession midway through the opening quarter when Hill traversed through a gaping hole opened by his offensive line and eluded the Green secondary for McKinley's second touchdown of the quarter. Both extra point kicks were blocked and McKinley had to settle for a 12-0 lead.

Green was finally able to muster up some urgently needed offense. A roughing the kicker penalty on McKinley proved to be the inoculation that the hosts needed. From there, Hunka did the majority of the damage with his arm and leg, ending an 11-play drive with a five-yard touchdown run that truncated their deficit to five. After a Bulldogs turnover on downs, Green constructed another scoring possession with the key play being a Hunka 26-yard completion to Martin. The drive stalled at the McKinley 10 yard line and Logan Noirot's 26-yard field goal shrank the McKinley lead to 12-10 at the intermission.

Green sixth year head coach Mark Geis, a former North Canton Hoover football standout under the tutelage of Don Hertler Jr. admired the resiliency of his team to stay relevant in the contest after their slow start.

The first half was a tale of momentum swings.

"That happens in Federal League football games. There are a lot of guys who are good players and you have a lot of good coaches and you know they are going to play hard. There are times when teams will have momentum and we had momentum ourselves there," Geis said of his team's second quarter.

Both teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter with Hill scoring on a one-yard touchdown run to open up the third quarter after Green attempted an onside kick that was recovered by McKinley. McKinley had a chance to extended their lead to double digits at 22-10 but a missed field goal kept Green in striking distance and it was significantly amplified when Hunka launched a high arcing pass for his ace receiver Martin, who took advantage of a miscommunication in the McKinley secondary for a touchdown that pulled Green within two points at 19-17.

For the second straight year, Green flirted with the program's first-ever win against McKinley. But that wait has been extended to another year.

"We play 48 minutes and that is our standard. We got after it after being down early but came up short. We're going to continue to get better," Geis noted.

McKinley has finally found their offensive rhythm. With Hill going over the 100-yard plateau with 178 yards rushing and three touchdowns, the Bulldogs are threatening to make the league race a runaway as they return home next week for a showdown against North Canton Hoover, who like McKinley is sporting a 4-2 record (1-1 Federal League) with a 21-7 win over winless GlenOak.

McKinley has not tasted defeat against the Vikings since the 2021 season, a 24-0 loss at North Canton Memorial Stadium. Counting his playing career, Hall is 4-1 against North Canton. Hall knows the mistakes his team were able to overcome will not be as easy against a Brian Baum coached team. For now, he wants his players to enjoy the win and then get back to work on eliminating penalties and various miscues.

But the fact his team showed the instinct to salt away the clock and eventual victory tells Hall that his team is finally arriving at the midpoint of the season.

"We challenged our guys to go out, play dominant football and end the game. And it was a great job by our offensive line and our running backs for accepting that challenge," Hall said.

For Green, who is now 4-2 (2-1 Federal League) they will have some therapy coming to them in the form of a winless GlenOak team they will challenge on the road next Friday. For Green to continue to have a shot at the league title, they will have to win their remaining games and hope that either North Canton, Lake, or Jackson can throw a wrench in McKinley's bid for a flawless league slate.

Geis acknowledged that his team cannot change what happened but he knows his horde of Bulldogs will be ready to get back to work and keep fighting for a league title. Mindful that his team denied Lake a share of the league title last season, Geis attested that his team will continue to forge ahead and hope for some help from McKinley's remaining opponents.

"We just have to worry about our next game against GlenOak. We have to get better in all three phases and we really can't worry about the other ones," Geis said of shifting his focus to the Eagles.

Canton McKinley threatened to score an early technical knockout of Green. The technical knockout came later than expected but for the Stark County version of the Bulldogs, that's just fine with them.

EYES OF THE BULLDOG. McKinley head coach Antonio Hall walks the sideline prior to his team's contest against Green Friday night at Green Memorial Stadium. McKinley won their third in a row to push their record to 4-2 on the season. (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.

A Bulldog brawl awaits Canton McKinley and Green

 A Bulldog brawl awaits Canton McKinley and Green

By Keno Sultan

Stark County Prep Press writer

www.starkcountypreppress.blogspot.com

GREEN--20 years ago, Canton McKinley faced off against Green in an OHSAA Division I first round playoff contest at Green Memorial Stadium.

Canton McKinley left the Green Bulldogs stewing tomato red in a brutal 34-7 victory on their way to their third Division I state title game in eight years.

20 years later and nine other Federal League games played, the McKinley Bulldogs still have a flawless ledger against their fellow mascot from Summit County in the form of a 10-0 overall record. And it is something that Green isn't too fond of.

Friday night in what is expected to be a sold-out crowd at Green, McKinley and Green will once again trade barks and bites with the bone being at stake will be in the form of sole possession of first place in the league with three games remaining for both squads after this week. Both teams are coming in finding their respective identities with McKinley scoring 73 points in the last two games and Green's defense becoming highly obstructive after yielding 28 in a season commencing setback to Dover. 

Fourth-year McKinley commander Antonio Hall is well aware of the challenge Green will bring. Last season, quarterback Keaton Rode was uncharacteristically intercepted five times in the first half, his fifth ending on one returned for a touchdown by Green linebacker A.J. Fortunato as the Summit County visitors were 24 minutes from the school's first ever triumph over McKinley with a 27-7 halftime lead. McKinley stormed back after the flagrant mishaps and outscored Green 21-0 for an unlikely 28-27 victory that proved to be a catalyst for them confiscating the league title outright.

Hall knows his team got away with one last year and attests the same Green team awaiting his McKinley corps will be a much tougher one than last season.

"They are a good team that likes to spread people around and they are well coached. Offensively and defensively they have a lot of athletes around the board. They have good quarterback play and good wide receivers and we can't let them get behind us or have blown coverages, otherwise they will make us pay," Hall noted. "Defensively, they like to move around and do a lot of blitzing."

All of Green's contests have been decided by a single possession. Aside from the loss to Dover, Green's last four games have been decided by scores of 17-10, 14-6, 21-19 and 21-17. That experience under the direction of sixth-year head coach Mark Geis, a former North Canton Hoover football standout under Don Hertler Jr.'s guidance, may loom large in case the game heads down to the closing seconds.

No other team has ascended to the 20-point plateau since Green's loss to Dover. For the McKinley offense it will be a challenge. It is one thing to score 35 and 38 points against GlenOak and Perry respectively. To accomplish that against Green is a different trajectory, especially in Memorial Stadium, where Green has been a normally tough team under longtime coach Elden McVicker, then Tom Stacy (who coached Massillon for three seasons and led them to the Division I state title game in 2005), Jon Wallace, and now Geis.

Has McKinley truly found their offensive prowess? Green's defense will provide the answer for that question. And has McKinley's defense actually reached top form? Green's offensive will unearth the answer to that question as well.

"What we did as a staff was simplify things that allowed our players to play fast, physical and trust the schemes that have allowed us to play as well as we have," Hall said.

FOCUSED BULLDOG. McKinley head coach Antonio Hall watches action from the sidelines during a 2023 regular season contest. Hall will lead McKinley into a pivotal Federal League tilt against Green Friday night at 7 pm. (Keno Sultan/Stark County Prep Press)

The winner of this contest will be in the driver's seat in the league standings with three games remaining. The last two weeks, Hall has been very elated with his team's approach to the game during practices that has carried over to the actual contest and has every reason to believe that he expects to see that same fire and intensity from his team come Friday night.

This much is very lucid. McKinley isn't the team that struggled to move the ball two weeks earlier in a disjointed 20-3 loss to Detroit (MI) Cass Tech. What Hall has seen is effort that has reverberated around the practice scene that has transpired down to actual competition. He touched base on a life lesson that he inherited from his former head coach, Thom McDaniels.

"We preach effort around here a lot and we are seeing that the last two weeks," Hall said. "The way you practice is how you will play. And we have had two great weeks of practices that has transpired to the games."

One thing the Bulldogs have going for them as they embark on the short voyage to Summit County is the fact that they have not lost a Federal League road game in three years with the last loss coming to North Canton Hoover, a 24-0 setback in 2021. Since then, McKinley has been warriors on the road by virtue of an eight-game road winning streak in league competition and for that number to reach nine, Hall expects them to be singularly focused the moment they get on the bus.

Two years ago, McKinley landed a humiliating 51-19 loss on Green. Hall hasn't mentioned that to his charges other than it was a win that allowed them to escape an 0-4 start to the season. He wants his team locked in sharp as the tip of a sword against a Green team that feels this will be their year to finally conquer the Stark County version of the Bulldogs.

"We have to travel well. We have to be sound on our assignments and play complete football. We have to take it one week at a time and not look ahead to weeks seven, eight, nine and past that," Hall said. "We have to stay locked in the week that we are in and be ready to go."

20 years ago, Canton McKinley left their paw prints on a stunned and sold-out crowd at Green Memorial Stadium in the first meeting between the two schools in a playoff game. 20 years later, McKinley finds themselves having to answer the bell again against a Green Bulldogs team who will finally find out if they can obtain their first win over McKinley or will they see red again for a 10th straight time.

---PREP PRESS PIECES---

*Nationally recognized Tigers: Massillon's contest against DeMatha Catholic (Maryland) was voted as the national high school game of the week. Massillon is coming off a spirited 31-21 win over defending three-time Division I state champion Lakewood St. Edward on the road. The Tigers also have an opponent for the eighth week of the season, Legacy Sports Science, located in Spring, Texas. Massillon will host Canton McKinley in the 135th of their rivalry at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium three weeks from Saturday, a 2 p.m. kickoff. Massillon held McKinley to 65 yards of total offense and doubled up the Bulldogs in time of possession in a 35-0 win, the first shutout by the Tigers of McKinley since the 2008 season. Massillon has won six straight against McKinley at home. This year will also mark the 30th anniversary of the 100th regular season contest, a wild 42-41 Tigers victory in overtime, in which quarterback Willie Spencer Jr. shared a long hug with a dejected and tearful Adrian Brown of McKinley and walked him to the postgame handshake line amid words of respect and dignity. The 101th game also 30 years ago was also a classic that ended with McKinley prevailing 27-20 in a regional final as Brown went over the century mark in rushing yardage totalling 139 yards, 70 of those coming on a long touchdown run to lead McKinley to the Division I state semifinals.

*Happy Lions: Last week, Minerva ended a long string of losses with a 16-7 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas. It was the first victory for head coach Tim Speakman, a Minerva graduate. The Lions will look to make it two in a row Friday night against a formidable West Branch team.

*Wright Is Never Wrong: Massillon two-way stalwart Mike Wright Jr. has been a nightmare for opposing offensive lines. The Youngstown State University recruit has spent most of his junior and senior seasons terrorizing quarterbacks and opposing running backs. His play has conjured up memories of his cousin, Eric Wright, who was a three-year starter at lineback and went on to play at Kentucky. Current Massillon assistant AD Brian Pachis lined up with Wright at linebacker as the Tigers 1991 season peaked with a state semifinal appearance in what was Lee Owens final year atop the Massillon post before embarking on a collegiate career that took him to Ohio State as an assistant before a run as the head football coach of Akron and most recently, Ashland.

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