Massillon Tigers

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11/30/05

Tigers’ destiny at Fawcett?
Wednesday, November 30, 2005 By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER
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They roar for the Tigers


MASSILLON - There have been several points this high school football season when it didn’t look good for the Massillon Tigers.
A 28-point fourth-quarter lead at Cincinnati Elder trickled to 21, then 13, then 6, as it appeared Massillon was self-destructing in the final quarter. The Tigers hung on for a 35-31 win.
That is when first-year head coach Tom Stacy started to believe this team could be special. They went into a hostile environment, had momentum shift against them, and still found a way to win.
There was a fourth-quarter comeback against St. Ignatius, marking the program’s first win against the Wildcats. There was a devastating 38-8 loss to McKinley only to be turned around two weeks later.
Massillon swung the scoreboard difference 48 points.
What about last week against St. Edward, another parochial school some believed the Tigers couldn’t beat? A 17-7 fourth-quarter deficit, in a state semifinal that Massillon hadn’t won since 1982, turned into a 21-17 win.
Team of destiny?
No way, said Stacy.
His players have earned their way into Saturday night’s Division I state title game against Cincinnati St. Xavier, the third parochial school Massillon will play this season.
“Destiny is something we haven’t talked about,” Stacy said. “When you play good teams every week like we are in the playoffs, I don’t think you can count on being a team of destiny. You’ve got to prove yourself every week.
“St. X is the best football team — offensively, defensively, special teams and coaching — we’ll have played. ... They’re not going to believe in that destiny thing. I don’t think our kids should either.”
One of the first things Stacy and his new staff worked on after being hired in June was to improved the players’ self-esteem. Stacy said they had to believe they could win again.
The Tigers have shown they believe.
“As good as we think we are, we have to keep playing to our expectations and expectations of our coaches,” senior co-captain Brett Huffman said. “There have been times when we were down, and we’re out there finding ourselves a way to fight through adversity.”
While destiny isn’t an invited guest in Massillon’s huddle this week, the Tigers do have an advantage.
Every Massillon player will sleep in his own bed Friday. The Tigers will go through a normal pregame routine of eating breakfast together at Washington High School, and later in the afternoon they will walk, two-by-two, through a fan-line tunnel from the school to the Paul Brown statue outside the stadium.
St. Xavier will travel 3 1/2 hours and stay in a hotel.
“I’ll be honest with you; if we can play in Stark County, that’s to our advantage,” Stacy said. “I’d be lying if I told you anything different. Hopefully we’ll use that to our advantage and our crowd will be a big part of that. It’s great we don’t have to travel, and we’re familiar with the surroundings.”
Fawcett Stadium hasn’t exactly been kind to the Tigers. Massillon brings a two-game losing streak into this game. The last time the Tigers won at Fawcett Stadium was a playoff game against Perry in 2002.
St. Xavier head coach Steve Specht isn’t using the traveling issue as an excuse.
“At this point in the season, we’d play in a parking lot behind any grocery store, just to be able to be a part of it,” said Specht, who’s 25-1 in two years at St. X and, like Stacy, is looking to win the school’s first state title. “Canton is a great facility to play in. Massillon was a great facility to play in when we played there.
“Would we rather not travel to be in the state finals? Absolutely. We’re going to make it like a regular away game ... and play hard.”
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com


TIGER TALES
DEFENSE, DEFENSE St. Xavier will bring one of the best defenses in the state to Fawcett Stadium on Saturday night in the Division I state high school football title game. The Bombers are allowing less than 6 points a game. St. X has shut out six of its 14 opponents and given up just a TD to four others. Those shutouts came against St. Ignatius, Fairfield, Colerain, St. Francis DeSales, Covington Catholic and LaSalle, which combined for a 47-20 record. In four playoff games, the Bombers have allowed 26 points, and 78 for the season. One reason for the Bombers’ success is a plus-24 turnover ratio. Massillon is plus-11.
TICKETS GO FAST By the time Massillon Athletics Director Jeff Thornberry arrived to man a ticket office booth before 6 a.m. at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, the line stretched from the gate near the entrance of the stadium all the way down Russel Boulevard. “It was crazy,” Thornberry said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” A sizable group of fans spent the night camped out in front of the ticket window. As of noon Tuesday, Massillon had sold all but 1 1/2 sections of the reserve seats on the visitors’ side of Fawcett Stadium. St. Xavier said it sold about 4,500 of its 7,200 allotted tickets. Thornberry was trying to get more tickets from the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Massillon has about 9,200 tickets. Thornberry was unsure how many were left, but plenty of tickets will go on sale today to the general public. Adult and student tickets are $7 presale, $9 at the gate.
SCOUTING Massillon head coach Tom Stacy sent a group of freshman coaches to scout St. Xavier’s state semifinal win. Tiger defensive coordinator Steve Kovacs was impressed with the information. “We got everything down to ‘What kind of hotdogs do they have?’ ” Kovacs said.
ST. X RUNNING GAME Running back Darius Ashley is a 5-foot-9, 170-pound sophomore who doesn’t play like one. Ashley has 1,480 yards on 226 carries (6.5 average) and 25 TDs. “I’m impressed with him and think about some of the tailbacks we’ve faced this year,” Kovacs said. Senior Chris Cionni played tailback last year, and Ashley was good enough to force Cionni to move to receiver. Cionni rushed for 1,500 yards last year and was offensive player of the year in the GCL last season. Ashley has 484 yards on 80 carries in four playoff games.
NUMBERS The enrollment at St. Xavier is 1,111 at the all-boys school. Of those, about 10 percent are on the football team. The Bombers list 110 players, with 60 seniors.
MASSILLON RECORDS The Tigers are on pace to set a handful of single-season records. QB Bobby Huth has thrown five interceptions and would go down as having thrown the fewest picks among Massillon QBs with at least 100 attempts. RB Brian Gamble needs 21 carries to set the record of carries in a season. His 1,499 yards will go down as the second-best rushing performance. Travis McGuire had 1,976 in 1991. Huth’s 62.4 completion percent is No. 2 and his 9.1 average yards per pass is tied with Dave Eberhart (1980). Punter Shawn Weisend is half a yard shy in average of setting the school record for punting average.
THIS AND THAT Booster Club President Bill Dorman pointed out a few key numbers for the Tigers this season. The 13 wins are more than any Massillon team in history, as will the 15 games being played by the team. “We lost to Lakewood St. Edward by 30 points last year and beat them this year,” he said. Also, Massillon has played 14 games this year, half on the road. The Tigers have played before more than 159,000 fans and are averaging more than 11,400 a game. ... DL Antonio James has added 10 pounds of “muscle” since the first game of the season, according to assistant strength coach Jason Jarvis. ... St. Xavier will play a 3-3 odd stacked defense. Massillon saw it against Mentor and Cincinnati Elder. “It emerged in college football to stop the spread offense,” Stacy said. “West Virginia runs one of the best odd-stacked defenses in the country.” The defense is designed to get a nickel or dime coverage package on the field, but also bring pressure from six or seven players using angles offensive linemen are unfamiliar with. — TODD PORTER

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12/1/05

High school football championship week
McCall’s return to linebacker helps lift Tigers
Thursday, December 1, 2005 By Todd Porter REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

Repository Scott Heckel Back in black - Senior linebacker Paris McCall didn’t finish the 2004 season with Massillon but returned to the program this year and leads the Tigers with 144 tackles, including 12 for loss.

AKRON - At the end of the 2004 season, Paris McCall was buying tickets to watch the Massillon Tigers finish out a string of four games. This year, he is one of the reasons the team is still selling them.
The 6-foot, 190-pound senior linebacker leads a stingy Massillon defense with 144 tackles, including 12 for loss and 8 1/2 sacks. Hard to believe all that talent could only watch his teammates take it on the chin, 20-7, against McKinley in the finale to last year’s 4-6 season.
McCall is thrilled with the field pass he’ll have Saturday as the Tigers take on Cincinnati St. Xavier in the Division I state title game. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Fawcett Stadium.
On Wednesday night, before his teammates practiced at the University of Akron’s indoor facility, McCall’s face lit up with a wide smile as he talked about being back.
UNFAMILIAR SETTING
Last year, McCall switched from his familiar linebacker position to running back, where he ran 28 times for 69 yards.
“The previous head coach said they didn’t need me at linebacker,” McCall said. “I said, ‘Whatever is best for the team.’ ”
McCall knew early on he wasn’t a running back. After six games, he quit.
“I didn’t get along with the previous coach,” McCall said. “But I knew as soon as I quit, it wasn’t the right thing to do.”
He asked to return, but last year’s captains voted it down.
“I said, ‘That’s OK. I’ll be back next year,’” McCall said.
McCall returned. Of course, last year’s head coach, Rick Shepas, didn’t. Massillon hired Tom Stacy in June as the Tigers’ new head coach.
Still, McCall hurt from not finishing the season.
“It was very tough to watch from the stands,” McCall said. “Those were my teammates out there, and I could help them. It hurt a whole to have to watch.”
DEFENSIVE MIND SET
McCall never took to running back because of his mentality. He doesn’t need the glory of scoring touchdowns.
“I don’t like to be the one being hit, either,” he said with a smile. “I like to give ’em out.”
Shortly after his hiring, Stacy heard that McCall and wide receiver Zack Vanryzin may not play. That football wasn’t fun any more.
Vanryzin, by the way, is Massillon’s leading receiver with 46 catches for 784 yards and six touchdowns.
One of the first things Stacy did was make it known that everyone would begin with a clean slate.
“I didn’t call Paris or seek him out and tell him to come out or make any special effort. He just showed up for summer conditioning,” Stacy said. “I did mention to him in passing that I thought he could help us.
“I would think a guy like that, who watched the end of last season, would cherish every time he puts that uniform on.”
McCall does.
He knows Saturday, regardless of the outcome, will be the final time he plays high school football. In his heart of hearts, McCall planned all along to play this season, especially after Stacy was hired.
And from the first workout, McCall had a feeling.
“I knew I would play, but I didn’t know if everything would work out,” McCall said. “You could just sense it from the first workout. It was different. Now look at us. This season has been real special.”
LOTS TO LEARN
Returning to linebacker was the least of McCall’s worries. Stacy hired Steve Kovacs as his defensive coordinator. The veteran coach changed from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4, which at times looks like a 50 front.
McCall had to learn a new scheme. But he was hungry.
“Everyone has been talking about this senior class since we were seventh-graders,” McCall said. “But we were coming off two 4-6 seasons, so what we’ve done this year is real special to me. There have been some rough times the last two seasons. Nobody thought we could do it, and we’re out to prove ourselves.”
Massillon is playing for a state title for the first time since 1982. The Tigers have never won a state championship since the playoff started in 1972. That’s 33 years without a state championship.
McCall spent four games away from the field last year. He watched his teammates lose three of those.
“Are we surprised? No,” McCall said. “There wasn’t one game this season where I thought, ‘Wow, we have something here.’ I thought that back in the summer.”
Being on the outside looking in is now fun. Just being in the huddle is where McCall belongs.
Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com.

TIGER TALES
GOING INSIDE Massillon practiced at the University of Akron’s indoor football facility Wednesday night. It was the second time this year the Tigers moved practice there and the third time they practiced inside on turf this season. Head coach Tom Stacy was pleased with the kind of practices his team had the first two times. The early part of Wednesday’s practice was spirited. The cost? Akron charges $150 an hour. Massillon practiced two hours.
POSTGAME RALLY Regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s Division I title game, Massillon officials are working with the Tiger Football Booster Club to plan a community rally Sunday. Booster Club President Bill Dorman said the time and specifics still are being worked out.
MIRROR QBs Massillon quarterback Bobby Huth and St. Xavier’s Brad Scherer have more in common than similar statistics. Huth is 5-foot-9, 160 pounds; Scherer goes 5-10, 160. “As you know, Bobby’s not a very big guy,” Stacy said. “Bobby’s best quality is he’s a competitor. The first thing I look for in a quarterback is how much does he want to compete. Then, how good are his decisions. He’s done a great job managing the huddle and the games. Size is important to an extent, but (at) the quarterback position you can get away with playing a guy who’s not real big.” Huth has completed 126 of 202 passes for 1,845 yards, 17 TDs and five interceptions. His pass efficiency rating is 161.92. Scherer hasn’t thrown as much (75-of-155, 1,017 yards, nine TDs and three picks) but he runs well. He’s gained 463 yards running the option. Scherer is replacing Ohio State true freshman QB Robby Schoenhoft. “Brad has exceeded my expectations,” St. Xavier head coach Steve Specht said. “He manages the game well. He’s smart as a whip. He’s won games with his feet, he’s won games with his arm. We’re not asking him to be Robby Schoenhoft. We’re asking him to be Brad Scherer. ... He’s a winner.”
— TODD PORTER

DIVISION I
Cin. St. Xavier vs. Massillon
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Fawcett Stadium SOLD OUT Massillon’s allotment of 9,200 tickets for Saturday’s game has all been sold. If St. Xavier does not sell out its share, tickets will be available for $9 at the gate.

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12/2/05

High school football


Huth standing tall for Tigers


Massillon QB quiets those who doubted him

By Michael Beaven

Beacon Journal sportswriter


Massillon junior quarterback Bobby Huth has heard about his height, or lack of height, all his life.
Huth stands 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds, hardly the ideal measurements for a modern quarterback.
Despite his size and the doubters who existed in the Massillon community before the season started, Huth will be behind center when the Tigers (13-1) line up to play for the Division I state championship against Cincinnati St. Xavier (14-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Fawcett Stadium in Canton.
``People have always told me that I was too small and that I couldn't see over the line of scrimmage,'' Huth said Saturday after the Tigers' dramatic, come-from-behind 21-17 win over Lakewood St. Edward.
Massillon coach Tom Stacy said Huth's greatest attribute is his competitiveness.
``People around town told me he was too short and that he couldn't do this and couldn't do that,'' Stacy said Saturday. ``But I knew he was a battler, a competitor, and that's why he is our quarterback. I love his competitiveness.''
``He is not a very big guy, but I think Bobby's best quality is he is a competitor and that is the first thing I look for in a quarterback,'' Stacy said Monday.
Huth has been a solid leader for the Tigers most of the season due to good decision making. He has completed 126-of-202 passes for 1,845 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions in 13 games. Huth took over the reins this season from last year's starter, Quentin Paulik, a senior that stands 6-foot-4, weighs 230 pounds and is now a starting linebacker.
After a good start to the season, which included a 35-31 win at Cincinnati Elder in the second week, Huth suffered a concussion in the sixth week at Cleveland St. Ignatius. The Tigers rallied to win 29-26 behind senior reserve quarterback Shawn Weisend.
``I really don't remember a lot from that game; I was pretty messed up,'' Huth said with a smile Saturday.
Weisend, a first-team All-Ohio punter, started the next week and led Massillon to a 54-0 route over Youngstown Woodrow Wilson. Huth returned in the eighth week, then faced adversity in the 10th week when he threw three interceptions and the Tigers were dominated by rival Canton McKinley 38-8 at Fawcett Stadium.
Huth and Massillon have rebounded nicely in the playoffs, with wins over North Canton, Findlay, Canton McKinley and St. Edward. Huth has completed 43-of-59 passes with five touchdowns and just one interception in the playoffs.
Saturday, he threw two touchdowns, one to senior Zack Vanryzin and one to junior Brian Gamble. His biggest completion of the game came on a third-and-30 play, when he connected with Gamble for 35 yards with about two minutes remaining and the Tigers trailing by three points.
Stacy hopes for more completions out of his feisty leader, as the Tigers seek their first state championship on the field after 22 poll titles. Stacy is familiar with competitive leaders, as he coached Browns rookie quarterback Charlie Frye when he was an assistant at the University of Akron and Frye was a Zips underclassman.
``Size is important to an extent, but at the quarterback position I think sometimes you can get away with playing someone who is not real big,'' Stacy said. ``(Brad) Scherer for (St. Xavier) is the same way, he's not a big guy (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) but boy he gets it done. Both of them are very good high school quarterbacks.''

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12/3/05

Massillon football report


Tigers look to add to legend


Winning state title in playoffs is missing piece

By Michael Beaven

Beacon Journal sportswriter


The football program at Massillon is one of the most storied in the country. A big part of the history is legendary coach Paul Brown, who coached the Tigers from 1932-1940.
The Tigers won 22 state poll championships before the inception of the state playoffs in 1972.
But the Tigers have never captured a state championship on the field.
Massillon coach Tom Stacy hopes to change that tonight at Fawcett Stadium in Canton when Massillon (13-1) plays Cincinnati St. Xavier (14-0) for the Division I state championship at 7 p.m..
``It's kind of a monkey on your back that hopefully we can do something about,'' Stacy said Monday. ``We just look at it as another challenge and a great opportunity.
``There have been so many big football games throughout the great tradition and history of Massillon football.
``To really downplay those 22 state championships, I'll never do that because there are too many guys I have to answer to in town that played on those teams,'' Stacy added with a laugh.
``I have gotten several phone calls from players on those quote-un-quote mythical state championships that would love to see us win it.''
In addition to alumns that still are involved with the program, the Tigers always have their strong fan base on their side.
``Obviously the backing of our community (is important), as I have said before I believe we have the best high school football fans in the nation,'' Stacy said. ``When you get that throng of Tiger Nation behind you, it makes a big difference when you go to visiting places and play in playoff games.''
St. Xavier coach Steve Specht recognizes the mystique of the Massillon program and looks forward to an anticipated huge crowd in Stark County.
``The Massillon tradition is as big as anything in the country, that is something special,'' Specht said.
Asked about playing in Canton, he said ``at this point of the season you play (a championship game) in a parking lot or behind any kind of grocery store.''
Standing in the way for Massillon is a tenacious St. Xavier defense, which has posted six shutouts.
``This is by far the best defensive team I have seen on videotape this season,'' Stacy said. ``They fly to the football and have great speed and quickness.''
Stacy is impressed by the Bombers in every phase of the game as well.
``They are the complete package,'' Stacy said. ``I just don't see weaknesses.
``They have speed, quickness, good coaching and good size where you need size.''