Massillon Tigers

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

10/19/05

Gamble had 24 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown this past weekend.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Courtesy of JJHuddle......

Quote:

Massillon Remains Undefeated
by Bill Greene, Ohio High Contributor




The Massillon Tigers defeated the Warren Harding Raiders 13-0 Friday night in Massillon. Massillon improved to 8-0, while Harding suffered its sixth defeat of the season.

Warren played a great game and the future is bright for this young team. Juniors Dan Herron, Sidney Glover, Chris Rucker and Marlin Parker were impressive players and next year should see the Raiders back in the mix with the best teams in Ohio. Coach Thom McDaniels is one of the best coaches in Ohio and he had a great game plan for the Tigers. In the end, however, the Massillon talent proved to be too much for Warren.

This match up was a defensive struggle all night with neither team able to muster much offense. The game remained scoreless until late in the first half when Massillon junior Andrew Dailey blocked a Warren punt. Teammate Brian Gamble picked up the loose ball and ran into the end zone, stunning the Raiders and giving Massillon a lead they would never surrender.

Dailey and Gamble are both listed in Ohio High magazine as two of the top juniors in the state. In this game, both players showed why they are so highly ranked.

Dailey, 6-3, 210 pounds, has performed at a high level all season at safety for the Tigers. He has drawn the interest of many of the top colleges across the country receiving mail from such schools as Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan and has been invited to attend home games by each.

Dailey's speed and hitting ability were evident the entire game. He is a sure tackler and has the ability to cover smaller players in space. He also plays wide receiver for the Tigers.

Gamble, 6-1, 190 pounds, rarely leaves the field as he goes both ways for the Tigers. As a defensive back he covers a lot of ground and shows great tackling ability. On offense, he gained 119 yards at running back and scored the only offensive touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Gamble is a game-breaker and is also drawing the interest of college recruiters and is also hearing from most of the top colleges in the country. He attended the Ohio State-Texas game as a guest of the Buckeyes.

On this night, Massillon's defense dominated the contest. Other key contributors were seniors Antonio James, Dirk Dickerhoof and Quentin Paulik. Tiger coach Tom Stacy was quick to mention Paulik in his post-game comments.

"Quentin is finally getting healthy and he played great," said Stacy. "He had injured his shoulder and it was bothering him although he kept playing. He made a great play on the reverse and was in their backfield all night."

When asked if the Warren effort surprised him, Stacy said not at all.

"Thom McDaniels is a great coach," said Stacy. "We knew they would be prepared to play a great game and they sure did. That has to be the best 2-6 team I've ever seen. They're going to be tough to handle next year. They really play hard. We weren't flat at all. We expected a tough game, and that's what we got. Sometimes you have to win games like this. This was a playoff-type atmosphere. It was a defensive game and that is why we play our best athletes on defense. Offensively we changed some formations at the half and it seemed to open things up a little bit."

This has been a magical season so far for the Tigers. They are coming off consecutive 4-6 seasons and the players are gaining confidence each week. In Stacy's first season as head coach, he has gained the trust of his players. Senior Brett Huffman, who has committed to play his college football at Duke spoke about the difference in the team compared to last year.

"This is like night and day," said Huffman. "This team has done a real 180. This ride has been the most fun thing in my life. The plan for the seniors was to clear our name. We know Massillon shouldn't have losing seasons and we wanted to change that. We've gotten good senior leadership and the junior class has been good also. Coach Stacy deserves most of the credit. He got started late, but he had our total respect from the start of practice. Coach Stacy has taught us to be a disciplined football team. He has made this a respectable football program again."

Andrew Dailey talked about just how tough Warren Harding was on this night.

"We knew they would play well," said Dailey. "Dan Herron might be the best running back we've seen this year. This is a great rivalry. They have such great speed and play so hard. We just knew they would be ready to come in here to try to knock us off."

Tom Stacy is proving to be the right man for the job in Tigertown. The Tigers will return to the playoffs this season after missing out the past two years. This season has seen the Tigers defeat Cincinnati Elder, Cleveland St. Ignatius and Warren Harding. The best could be yet to come. Stacy is proving that good guys can finish first and do it the right way.

There is a lot of football remaining, including a season ending meeting with rival Canton McKinley. How far can the Tigers go in 2005? That remains to be seen, but the Tigers are a fun team to watch and will be tough to beat the rest of the way.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Courtesy of JJHuddle...

The Massillon Tigers defeated the Warren Harding Raiders 13-0 Friday night in Massillon. Massillon improved to 8-0, while Harding suffered its sixth defeat of the season. Warren played a great game and the future is bright for this young team. Juniors Dan Herron, Sidney Glover, Chris Rucker and Marlin Parker were impressive players and next year should see the Raiders back in the mix with the best teams in Ohio. Coach Thom McDaniels is one of the best coaches in Ohio and he had a great game plan for the Tigers. In the end, however, the Massillon talent proved to be too much for Warren.
This match up was a defensive struggle all night with neither team able to muster much offense. The game remained scoreless until late in the first half when Massillon junior Andrew Dailey blocked a Warren punt. Teammate Brian Gamble picked up the loose ball and ran into the end zone, stunning the Raiders and giving Massillon a lead they would never surrender.
Dailey and Gamble are both listed in Ohio High magazine as two of the top juniors in the state. In this game, both players showed why they are so highly ranked.
Dailey, 6-3, 210 pounds, has performed at a high level all season at safety for the Tigers. He has drawn the interest of many of the top colleges across the country receiving mail from such schools as Ohio State, Notre Dame and Michigan and has been invited to attend home games by each.
Dailey's speed and hitting ability were evident the entire game. He is a sure tackler and has the ability to cover smaller players in space. He also plays wide receiver for the Tigers.
Gamble, 6-1, 190 pounds, rarely leaves the field as he goes both ways for the Tigers. As a defensive back he covers a lot of ground and shows great tackling ability. On offense, he gained 119 yards at running back and scored the only offensive touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Gamble is a game-breaker and is also drawing the interest of college recruiters and is also hearing from most of the top colleges in the country. He attended the Ohio State-Texas game as a guest of the Buckeyes.
On this night, Massillon's defense dominated the contest. Other key contributors were seniors Antonio James, Dirk Dickerhoof and Quentin Paulik. Tiger coach Tom Stacy was quick to mention Paulik in his post-game comments.
"Quentin is finally getting healthy and he played great," said Stacy. "He had injured his shoulder and it was bothering him although he kept playing. He made a great play on the reverse and was in their backfield all night."
When asked if the Warren effort surprised him, Stacy said not at all.
"Thom McDaniels is a great coach," said Stacy. "We knew they would be prepared to play a great game and they sure did. That has to be the best 2-6 team I've ever seen. They're going to be tough to handle next year. They really play hard. We weren't flat at all. We expected a tough game, and that's what we got. Sometimes you have to win games like this. This was a playoff-type atmosphere. It was a defensive game and that is why we play our best athletes on defense. Offensively we changed some formations at the half and it seemed to open things up a little bit."
This has been a magical season so far for the Tigers. They are coming off consecutive 4-6 seasons and the players are gaining confidence each week. In Stacy's first season as head coach, he has gained the trust of his players. Senior Brett Huffman, who has committed to play his college football at Duke spoke about the difference in the team compared to last year.
"This is like night and day," said Huffman. "This team has done a real 180. This ride has been the most fun thing in my life. The plan for the seniors was to clear our name. We know Massillon shouldn't have losing seasons and we wanted to change that. We've gotten good senior leadership and the junior class has been good also. Coach Stacy deserves most of the credit. He got started late, but he had our total respect from the start of practice. Coach Stacy has taught us to be a disciplined football team. He has made this a respectable football program again."
Andrew Dailey talked about just how tough Warren Harding was on this night.
"We knew they would play well," said Dailey. "Dan Herron might be the best running back we've seen this year. This is a great rivalry. They have such great speed and play so hard. We just knew they would be ready to come in here to try to knock us off."
Tom Stacy is proving to be the right man for the job in Tigertown. The Tigers will return to the playoffs this season after missing out the past two years. This season has seen the Tigers defeat Cincinnati Elder, Cleveland St. Ignatius and Warren Harding. The best could be yet to come. Stacy is proving that good guys can finish first and do it the right way.
There is a lot of football remaining, including a season ending meeting with rival Canton McKinley. How far can the Tigers go in 2005? That remains to be seen, but the Tigers are a fun team to watch and will be tough to beat the rest of the way.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

link

10/20/05

Tigers face an Eastlake North offense that will be ready to play

Thursday, October 20, 2005 By Todd Porter Repository sports writer

Repository Ray Stewart Massillon linebacker Quentin Paulik

MASSILLON - Even at 8-0 and ranked No. 3 in the state, Massillon head coach Tom Stacy isn’t above taking advice. So he listened when Eastlake North High School head football coach Nick Toth told Stacy that his 4-4 football team would come ready to play.
Stacy has a message for his team and fans. Don’t think about resting on the Tigers’ laurels now.
Massillon’s 3-4 defense will bring nine straight shutout quarters into this game against a team averaging nearly four touchdowns a game. Eastlake North (4-4) is scoring 38 points the last four weeks from its spread offense.
“If we want a chance to go 10-0, we’ve got to take care of game nine first,” Stacy said. “It’s not just going to happen. That’s why they play the game. Anything can happen. ... We’re not good enough at this point to just show up and beat someone. This isn’t Woodrow Wilson. This is a good football team that can score points.”
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Massillon would like to take a 9-0 record into next week’s McKinley game. The Tigers have had just two 10-0 seasons in the last 25 years.
But if this story were a part of chatter among coaches, there would be a fine.
“We have a gag order on even talking about game 10,” Stacy said. “It’s not just the players and coaches, it’s a community effort. I don’t want to hear about game 10. We have a good opponent this week against a head coach I have a lot of respect for. We’re expecting their best shot.”
If Eastlake North does score against Massillon, the Rangers will be the first team since Ignatius to score. Ignatius was shut out in the fourth quarter of that game three weeks ago, and neither Woodrow Wilson nor Warren Harding scored. Here’s one reason why: The front seven in Steve Kovac’s 3-4 defense are understanding the scheme.
Outside linebacker Quinten Paulik had his best game a week ago. Linebackers Robert Morris, a captain, and Paris McCall are getting to the ball in a hurry. McCall led Massillon with 17 tackles last week.
But another shut out? North has been shut out twice.
“I’m concerned about defending,” Stacy said. “Coach Toth has been around the block (former Ohio University assistant). This is not a gimme. They’re a good football team.”
While the Massillon defense has played well, the offense could use a bit of a kick start. The Tigers scored just one touchdown against Harding. The other TD came on a blocked punt return.
It was Massillon lowest offensive output of the season. Some of that was Harding. Some was Stacy’s doing. In a tight game, he was more conservative in the second half. It was the first time this season Massillon was held under 300 total yards.
“We’d like to get back to our tempo and rhythm on offense,” Stacy said. “That’s important for us to do as we get into the playoffs.”
Quarterback Bobby Huth returned against Harding after missing a week with a concussion. He was a little rusty, finishing 8-of-12 for 76 yards. He also threw his first interception of the season.
“Bobby needs to get his rhythm and confidence back, and we need to get him in a good flow,” Stacy said.
Running back Brian Gamble scored both Tiger touchdowns last week. He finished with more than 100 yards rushing. Gamble has had 100-plus rushing yards each week, except against Chardon when he carried just eight times. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has 1,010 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Stacy is looking for more from everybody. He is pleased his team has turned around back-to-back 4-6 season to being unbeaten in his first year on the job. He’s looking to reach another level of play.
“If we want to finish strong and play well in the playoffs, we have to continue to improve,” Stacy said. “We ... have a lot of room for improvement. In football, you either get better or get worse. You don’t stay the same. “And we’re not there yet. We’re not at the level of the St. Xaviers or the Glenvilles. Do I think we can get there? Yeah. ... We’re not as good as we need to be to win a state championship.” Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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10/20/05

Eastlake North at Massillon

SITE Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

RECORDS Eastlake North 4-4; Massillon 8-0.

LAST WEEK Eastlake North 31, Madison 21; Massillon 13, Warren Harding 0.

LAST MEETING First meeting.
WHAT TO WATCH The fear of every Massillon coach is playing games in the ninth and 11th weeks. Head coach Tom Stacy is guarding against playing flat and looking past Eastlake North to next week’s mega-game against McKinley. He vows that won’t happen. An ideal game plan would have Massillon taking a sizable lead at halftime and resting starters, but Eastlake North is a quality opponent with four losses to teams (Brush, Mayfield, Chardon and Willoughby South) with winning records. The Rangers nearly knocked off South (8-0) before losing 28-24. The only common opponent is Chardon. Massillon beat Chardon, 49-7, while Eastlake lost, 42-28. The Rangers will use the spread offense, the fifth Massillon opponent to use a version of it. Eastlake QB Weis Barth throws the ball well and isn’t afraid to go deep. His favorite target has been WR Dimetrius Wright. Ranger coach Nick Toth has spent time coaching at Ohio University. The strength of Massillon’s team in the second half has been the defense. The Tigers have nine-straight scoreless quarters entering this game. The last team to score against Massillon was Ignatius. The defense has four shutouts. OLB Quinten Paulik is coming off his best game. Paulik injured his shoulder in Week 2 and seems to be close to 100 percent. Between Paulik, Paris McCall, Andrew Dailey, Brian Gamble and Antonio James, this is a formidable defense. If Massillon can pitch another shutout, it would be the first time since 1972 the Tigers had five shutouts after nine games. The Tigers are coming off their worst offensive performance of the season. They scored 13 points, but 7 of those came from a blocked punt returned for a TD. Huth needs to have a good game to regain confidence heading into McKinley. If Huth gets enough time, look for a few deep balls. Gamble will be important in the offense, but maybe more important is keeping him healthy. The Tigers could lock up a home playoff game with a win.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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10/21/05

Glory days return to Massillon


Tigers' current success reminiscent of nostalgic past

By Tom Reed

Beacon Journal sports writer


MASSILLON - As the bus pulled onto Lincoln Way East around midnight on Oct. 1, Tom Stacy saw hundreds of fans assembled in the streets and thought he had slipped into a time warp.

The Massillon High football coach, returning from Parma after a dramatic 29-26 win over Cleveland St. Ignatius, was like Marty McFly stepping out of his DeLorean in Back To The Future. Only in this case, the past was quite familiar to him.

``It reminded me so much of 1989 when crowds of people stopped the bus in the city streets,'' said Stacy in reference to his former time as a Tigers assistant coach. ``This is such a special place and some of the things that go on here are unique to Massillon.

``It was a feeling of deja vu, a feeling I didn't think I would ever relive after leaving here (in 1991).''

The past is a difficult thing to judge in the town Paul Brown made famous. The sense of history and lore makes it seem so close, yet often just out of reach for fans hoping to recapture it.

Twenty-two state poll championships. None since the advent of the computer playoffs in 1972.

Now along comes Stacy -- a link to one of Massillon's more productive eras under popular coach Lee Owens -- and the future and past seem once again coordinated.

A new attitude, old approach, and a senior class hungry for redemption have the Tigers back in state-title contention quicker than almost anyone imagined. After two consecutive 4-6 seasons, the Tigers are 8-0 and bracing for a possible showdown of undefeated teams next week against Canton McKinley.

Despite not being hired until June, Stacy and his staff have instilled discipline and quiet confidence into a team that has produced stunning road victories against Cincinnati Elder and St. Ignatius.

``They are the best team I have personally seen this season,'' said Warren G. Harding football coach Thom McDaniels, whose Raiders lost 13-0 to Massillon last week. ``They have a lot going for them, but what really stands out is how physical they are, how hard they play and how passionate they are about playing.''

More than games
The rapid transformation has not just occurred in the win column. Fans who haven't watched the Tigers this season might not recognize them.

They have shifted from a wide-open, pass-oriented attack to a punishing ground game long the strength of the storied program. The Tigers average 238 yards rushing led by converted receiver Brian Gamble.

Another difference is game-night discipline. The Tigers are not sabotaging their own effort -- committing just eight turnovers and totaling 54 penalties. Against the Raiders, the Tigers were flagged three times.

``Guys are playing under control and with more composure,'' senior tight end and Duke recruit Brett Huffman said.

Former coach Rick Shepas' parting gift was a decision to play underclassmen through two losing campaigns in anticipation of this season.

The Tigers expected improvement, but not many forecast such dominance.

The defense has posted four shutouts. The team has outscored opponents 300-74.

Well-prepared coach

Stacy, 46, became the leading candidate from almost the moment the job opened. An Owens disciple, he is best known as the position coach of Browns quarterback Charlie Frye at the University of Akron. He served as an offensive coordinator last season at Ashland University.

His college background and two years at Massillon made him an attractive candidate, but privately some worried about his limited head coaching experience -- four seasons at Shelby (1991-94) with a 24-16 record.

``I couldn't concern myself with what other people were thinking,'' Stacy said. ``My responsibility was to the kids.''

Stacy's staff made key personnel moves, switching Gamble (137 attempts, 1,010 yards) to running back and quarterback Quentin Paulik (nine sacks) to defensive end.

``We knew we had the talent, but these coaches have brought it out of us,'' Illinois recruit and two-way starting lineman Antonio James said.

Stacy's practices have a college flavor. They are much shorter -- sometimes less than two hours -- with an emphasis on teaching during daily film study. The coach rarely raises his voice and detests four-letter words outside the realm of punt, pass and kick. He banned cursing for coaches and players, a rule punishable by post-practice running.

``If you have to resort to profanity, I don't think you are getting your message across,'' Stacy said.

Discipline has manifested itself in several forms. District superintendent Al Hennon received an e-mail from a Cincinnati hotel manager complimenting the program on the behavior of the players and staff.

Hennon said the Tigers treat road games as business trips. They already have scored two of their biggest victories in recent memory against Elder and Ignatius. The win over Ignatius was Massillon's first in nine attempts.

``The Elder game told us we could be good,'' James said. ``The Ignatius game told us we have potential for big things.''

Hennon said the frenzied assembly that greeted the Tigers after the triumph over Ignatius last occurred in 2002. But the superintendent added that the joy and spontaneity reminded him of his days as building principal from 1989-95.

``It was like old times, it was just like it used to be,'' Hennon said.
In Massillon, they seldom go forward without looking back.

[tedginn05]

Isn't this the first year for their Head Coach over at Massillon. Pretty expressive job by him.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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10/22/05

Eastlake no match for Tigers

Saturday, October 22, 2005 By TODD PORTER

Scott Heckel Massillon’s Brett Huffman (left) and Brian Gamble celebrate Huffman’s second-quarter touchdown Friday night against Eastlake North. The Tigers are 9-0 for the first time since 1999.

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MASSILLON - The way Nick Toth had things figured, his Eastlake North High School football team needed a miracle Friday night against Massillon. Using fairly unscientific calculations, Toth had a number in his mind. It was how many things had to go right to knock off the No. 3 team in the state.
“In order for us to win this game, a thousand things had to go right for us,” Toth said.
The Rangers fell about 997 short. Massillon ran its record to 9-0 after smacking Eastlake, 49-14.
There was concern about the Tiger offense running out of steam after gaining less than 200 yards last week. They let some off steam Friday night.
Massillon racked up 572 yards with a near perfect balance. The Tigers gained 300 yards rushing and barely allowed starting running back Brian Gamble to break a sweat (five carries, 54 yards).
“I’ve watched nine films of them and I found one area I thought we could take advantage of,” Toth said. “From top to bottom, that’s a good team. (Tom Stacy) knows what he’s doing over there. Not only do they have great personnel, but they’re very well coached.”
Stacy took the compliment in stride.
“I’m sure we have weaknesses. I know we do,” Stacy said. “I looked forward to this game. ... The history of this program, we’ve had some slip-ups in Game 9. I was a part of some of those in the past.”
Sneaking a peek at next week’s showdown at McKinley was tempting. Massillon needed to tune itself up first. The Tiger defense did run its consecutive shutout quarters to 12 before the Rangers scored twice against the junior-varsity defense.
While the Eastlake offense sputtered out of the spread, Massillon’s sparkled. The Tigers scored on four of six first-half possessions.
On senior night, Lanale Robinson played the first quarter. He finished with 169 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns. His final touch was an 80-yard run in which he turned one Eastlake defender around twice.
“He showed his speed and quickness,” Stacy said. “... It’s tough to be a back-up as a senior, but he’s a tough kid and he’s a competitor.”
Despite the rain, Tiger quarterback Bobby Huth was sharp, completing 9-of-13 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns — by halftime. He did not play in the second half.
“This was a huge game for me, and us,” Huth said. “I needed to get my rhythm back. I’ve haven’t played with the same tempo since the Ignatius game and my timing was off.”
It wasn’t a perfect first half, but not far from it. Cornerback Troy Ellis picked off his eighth pass of the season, tying him for second most at Massillon. This one, though, Ellis returned 42 yards for a TD on Eastlake’s first series.
“That wasn’t a turning point,” Toth said. “If they don’t return that pick, it’s 42-14. They were just better than us.”
The Tigers drove to the Rangers’ 16 and Robinson lost a wet ball inside the 15. No matter; seven plays later, he redeemed himself.
Robinson took a counter draw around right end, broke a tackle and scored from 26 yards out. The senior added a second touchdown on the next possession from the Ranger 7 to make it 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
That score was set up by a 59-yard flea-flicker pass from Huth to Zack Vanryzin.
Huth finished the half by tossing two touchdown passes. The first was a touch pass that Massillon has been working on all season. He completed it to tight end Brett Huffman for 36 yards.
On Massillon’s next possession, Gamble put on a show, and a clinic. In the two-minute offense, on third-and-9, Gamble dived for a pass that Huth led him on by about 2 yards.
“I didn’t think he was going to get that,” Stacy said. “That’s just a great player making a great play.”
Gamble came up with a finger-tip, diving catch for a 30-yard gain to the Eastlake 26. Five plays later, Huth delivered another touch pass to Trey Miller for a 17-yard score. Massillon led 35-0 just before half.
Senior fullback Robert Morris added a 16-yard run to make it 42-zip. It won’t be this easy the rest of the season, particularly next week. “No question about it,” Stacy said. “McKinley is the best team we’ll have played. This is a big game. It’s a great battle of two 9-0 teams. I have great respect for McKinley and the job Brian Cross has done there. They’re on a roll (14 straight regular-season wins) and we’re playing good football. That’s the way this game should be.” Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com.

[bucknut11]

From the Canton Repository

RUN TIGER, RUN RB Brian Gamble has 1,054 yards going into the McKinley game. Massillon has not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Ricky Johnson in 2002 (1,333). The Tigers, as a team, have rushed for 2,206 yards, nearly twice what they did last year (1,222) and more than double the 2003 season (987).

And in regards to the big showdown this weekend....

Attendance at the 2 p.m. Saturday game at Fawcett Stadium should peak at 22,360 fans.

For anyone in the Canton/Massillon area, the paper says it will be televised on channels 11 and 22. I suppose if the OSU-Minny game ends early enough, this would be a good one to switch over to.

I believe this is the first time in roughly 30 years that both teams have entered this game undefeated.

[buckzip]

In the first picture, #10 looks like Adam Sandler in the Water Boy

[Oh8ch]

I am a big Grove City fan. The Canton program had been struggling (3-7 in both 2002 and 2003) before Brian Cross moved from GC.

He was 2-3 in his first five games at Canton. His only loss since was to Colerain in last year's state champinoship game. That's 18-1 including 5 playoff games. It was Canton who took Glenville out last year.

This should be a classic.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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10/26/05

Countdown to McKinley-Massillon: Williams remedy? Massillon’s defense looks for one

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 By Todd Porter Repository sports writer
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McKinley vs. Massillon
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Fawcett Stadium, Canton
TV: CCSTV Time Warner Cable Channel 11, Massillon Cable
Channel 22
RADIO:
WHBC-AM 1480, WNPQ-FM 95.9,
ESPN-AM 990


MASSILLON - When the tape of a McKinley High School football game starts playing, it’s like a season highlight film.
After just about every handoff.
Morgan Williams left, right, through a crack in the middle of the line.
Then he’s gone. His numbers are staggering.
Williams is the greased lightning the Massillon defense has to bottle up Saturday afternoon at Fawcett Stadium in the 113th Massillon-McKinley game.
The man in front of the screen watching Williams’ highlights is in charge of slowing him down. Actually, Steve Kovacs’ job as Massillon’s defensive coordinator is to put his players in position to do that. Kovacs, a former McKinley assistant coach, knows the task won’t be easy.
Might Williams and his 1,701 yards through nine weeks be the best running back Massillon has faced?
“Overall, this is the best run offense we’ve faced,” Kovacs said. “Warren’s tailback, Dan Herron, was pretty good. But Warren’s fullback was light. He wasn’t a guy who was going to drive someone out of a hole. He wasn’t very stout. This is the biggest offensive line we’re facing, and I know they’re going to play another level up from that Saturday.
“All in all, is he the best we’ve faced? Could be, but this is certainly the best total run-game package we’ve faced.”
Massillon has not faced an offense that will be as intent on establishing the run as McKinley. The Bulldogs don’t have offensive linemen; they have brick walls, and that is of as much of a concern to Kovacs as Williams. Offensive tackle Jarrid Haywood goes 6-foot-4, 357 pounds.
Massillon head coach Tom Stacy is perfectly comfortable turning the defensive game plan over to his assistant
When Stacy was hired, his first key hire was Kovacs. It took a couple of talks before the veteran defensive coach said yes. The only hold up was a teaching position, which didn’t come through.
Then there was the task of teaching new players a new scheme. Massillon went from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4, and the Tigers use several blitz schemes employed by the New England Patriots.
“I like to think we don’t make it rocket science,” Kovacs said. “The fundamentals of the game are what we hang our hat on. ... I’ll say this, we’ve faced a variety of offenses and I know people get tapes of us and wonder what scheme we’re in.”
Is Massillon’s defense good because of Kovacs? Maybe. But he said no one ever labeled him a good coordinator without talent. The Tigers have talent.
Defensive end Antonio James has verbally committed to Illinois. Linebackers Paris McCall and Robert Morris are football smart, and converted quarterback Quentin Paulik makes more plays each week. Safeties Brian Gamble and Andrew Dailey are both juniors and being courted by major colleges. Cornerback Troy Ellis has eight interceptions, and across the field at the other corner, Neil James is as sure-handed a tackler as there is.
“I took the job before I met the kids,” Kovacs said. “Once I met them and saw them in 7-on-7 drills, I knew we had some talent.”
But four shutouts? This is a defense that has allowed 88 points, and 52 of those in the fourth quarter against reserves. “If you go down through our games, we’re a team that has someone different stepping up making big plays each week,” Kovacs said. “But this is by far our biggest challenge. This is a good run offense we’re facing. We’ll find out more about our defense after this game.” Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

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10/27/05

Massillon certainly is better than last year

Thursday, October 27, 2005 By Todd Porter Repository sports writer

Click here to see more
Massillon coach Tom Stacy

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Ready for the game but never ready for what comes with it

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How good is McKinley?



Massillon certainly is better than last year — but have Tigers moved ahead of their big rival?

MASSILLON - When last season ended, no one in the locker room at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium wanted to look in the mirror. The Tigers just had lost to McKinley, 20-7. A second straight 4-6 season culminated with another loss to the archrival. Something had to change. Did it ever in Tigertown, where football is again king.
“For me, for us as a team, this is real big,” senior linebacker Robert Morris said. “I was in awe of this game a year ago. I started as a sophomore and as a junior, and we lost both years. ... We killed ourselves, and now we want to go out with a win as seniors.
“This game is always more than the 10th game of the season. It’s McKinley. In Massillon, you’re raised to think about this game differently.”
In Massillon, no one is raised to accept losing seasons, much less ones that end with a loss to McKinley. The Tigers are after their pride Saturday when the unbeaten teams meet at Fawcett Stadium. They’ll be chasing more than McKinley running back Morgan Williams.
They’ll be chasing away ghosts from the last two years.
“Two years ago, we didn’t have any team unity,” Morris said. “Then last year, we had team unity, but there were too many people trying to be stars, and we didn’t get anything accomplished. This year, we’re coming together and just doing what we have to do.”
When Massillon changed head coaches and hired Tom Stacy, a familiar face around town in the late 1980s and early ’90s as a Tiger assistant, it was a message to the players. With a new coach in town, it was time for them to change.
“These seniors were tired of losing,” Stacy said. “They were probably tired of hearing people talk about it ... they wanted to do something about it, and they busted their tails, and they’ve done a great job.”
Stacy’s team-first, family concept was universally accepted. Coaches stopped yelling in practice and cursing in frustration. The players took to the coaching because it started to rebuild self-esteem.
Massillon won its first game. Then the Tigers had a winning streak. Before anyone knew it, they took a five-game winning streak into the St. Ignatius game.
Stacy’s plan was to get the game to the fourth quarter with an opportunity to win, and leave Iggy no time to come back. Massillon took the lead with 10 seconds left.
“The biggest difference ... is chemistry and coaching,” junior captain Brian Gamble said. “This has been a total team effort all season.
“... If you’re a Massillon Tiger, every game is important, but no game is as important as the one in Week 10. This game is more than a playoff game. “
Gamble does it all. He is the team’s leading rusher, and brings a tough, physical presence with the way he finishes runs. The 6-foot, 190-pounder doesn’t meet a defender; he plows into him.
At strong safety, he is a big hitter. Ask Ignatius.
“I never thought about leaving Massillon and going to McKinley even in the tough times,” Gamble said. “Their nose tackle, Darius Williams. .... we’re best friends. We grew up together. Darius is a Massillon guy. We played on the same midget team together.”
You can believe there has been some trash talking back this week. Usually it’s by text message or cell phone.
“The best message he sent me? It probably was him telling me Morgan Williams is going to run through me. ... It was all in good fun.”
Good fun?
That won’t be Saturday at 2. This is more than a McKinley game in Massillon. It’s a way of gaining back a reputation.
When offensive coordinator Jeff Huffman stood before the booster club earlier in the week, he was talking about McKinley’s safeties, Harriel Moore and Mark Jackson.
“Those two guys love to hit ’ya,” Huffman said. “If our guys are standing around, they’ll erase any early childhood memories they have.”
There was uncomfortable laughter. Huffman didn’t crack a smile.
Intimidation? Throw that out the window.
“I know we’re not intimidated by them,” Gamble said. “There will be a lot of intensity.”
Neither season ends Saturday. Good luck to the team that loses as they try to scrape themselves off the turf and play a first-round playoff game the next week.
Stacy has been a part of this game in the past. When he was coaching on Lee Owens’ Massillon staff, the Tigers were 3-1 against McKinley.
“The team that prepares the best, coaches the best, then plays the best is the team that’s going to win,” Stacy said.
Sure, this is a big week in Massillon. But to a man, the Tigers are saying their season is only two-thirds finished after Saturday. “After 4-6 the last two years, we were tired of losing. We definitely thought 9-0 was possible,” Gamble said. “You know why? Because we wanted it. We don’t want to go 10-0. We want to go 15-0. This is a big game, but our goal is to go above and beyond from here, from where any Massillon team has gone.” Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: todd.porter@cantonrep.com

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

For those who care to see the game...

Quote:

ONN to air Pups-Tigers on tape delay

Friday, October 28, 2005 Related Stories
High school sports schedule

McKinley gears up for big game

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The Ohio News Network will air Saturday’s McKinley-Massillon game on tape-delay at 6 p.m.
Kickoff is 2 p.m. at sold-out Fawcett Stadium.
ONN is available only to Canton Time Warner digital subscribers at position 119.
OHSAA pairings televised The Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoff pairings will be released Sunday on ONN. The program will air from noon-2 p.m. ONN will also televise all six state championship games live during the weekend of Dec. 2-3.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Some pics of the game courtesy of BN....



Photo Gallery - Massillon at McKinley


Morgan Williams

By Gary Housteau

Date: Oct 30, 2005

With 24,242 people in the stands at Fawcett Stadium on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in October, McKinley handed their longtime rival a good old-fashioned spanking. The numbers tell the story quite accurately. McKinley had 249 yards on the ground, Massillon 56. McKinley had 90 in the air, Massillon 68. McKinley had 70 offensive plays to Massillon's 47. Time of possession favored McKinley 31 minutes to 17. Morgan Williams was the star of the game rushing for 234 yards and four touchdowns.

Photo Gallery - The 113th Renewal Of The Proud Massillon-McKinley Series

Junior running back Morgan Williams had 40 carries for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Joe Morgan had 5 catches for 56 yards.

On offense, senior Mark Jackson had 2 catches for 34 yards, including a beautiful 21-yard toucdown catch.

Senior defensive back Harriel Moore

Senior linebacker Mike Kirksey

Junior running back/defensive back Brian Gamble

Gamble rushed 15 times for 47 yards and had 2 catches for 17 yards.

Senior defensive end Antonio James is headed to Illinois on a scholarship next season.

Senior FB/LB Robert Morris had 2 carries for 10 yards on offense.

Senior DT Kirk Dickerhoof

Senior tight end Brett Huffman is going to Duke on a scholarship next season. Huffman had 1 catch for 3 yards.

Massillon captains

McKinley captains

Massillon cheerleaders

McKinley cheerleaders









OSU's Tyler Everett leads his alma mater on to the field in a familiar formation.

Former Bulldogs Mike Doss and Everett were on the McKinley sideline. As was Cleveland Cavalier and former Bulldog Eric Snow.

Morgan muffed the opening kickoff but recovered it at the 14-yard line to start the game.

Junior Andrew Dailey had a strong game on defense.

Morris gains 6 yards on this carry.

Gamble returned 2 kickoffs for 3 yards.

Williams was averaging 183 yards per game going into the contest. Williams was averaging 183 yards a game going into the contest.



Williams is about to break off a 47-yard on this play...

...down to the 7 yard line.

Two plays later the McKinley offense scored on a 1-yard run by Williams to give Massillon a 7-0 lead with 4:14 remaining in the first quarter.

One of Dailey's four kickoff returns that totaled 117 yards. This one went for 15 yards.

Gamble at tailback.



Junior Dan Grimsley completed 7 of 21 passes for 90 yards and 1 TD.











Senior Troy Ellis is a ball hawk at cornerback.



Jackson hauls in the this 21-yard pass from Grimsley in the second quarter to give McKinley a 14-0 halftime advantage.



Junior DE Dardisi Alexander had a very active game on defense for McKinley.

Junior defensive back William Sheeler jumps this route and gets one of the four Massillon INTs on the day.

William Sheeler

Senior linebacker Jeff Vaughn after a nice pass breakup on this play.



Junior quarterback Bobby Huth was 8 of 18 passing for 61 yards with three INTs.



Huth was sacked by Alexander on this play.

This 12-yard catch and run by Morgan was one of his best plays of the day.

Dailey and Gamble try to figure things out while a injured teammate is down.





This 6-yard TD run gave McKinley a 21-0 lead in the third quarter.



This 38-yard field goal by junior Zach Campbell made it 24-0 in the third.





Grimsley attempts a pass in the flat that gets picked off...

...by Ellis and takes it back 50 yards for a touchdown. A 2-point conversion made the score 24-8 with just 24 seconds remaining in the third period.



Senior LB Joe Grimsley, #31, draws a beat on Gamble on this play. Grimsley also had one of the four INTs for the McKinley defense.

Dan Grimsley rushed 4 times for 18 yards. He gained 21 yards on this nifty run.



Tom Stacy and Brian Cross meet after the game.







Dan Grimsley looks pumped about the victory.

Cross entertains the media after the game.
And there are even bigger days ahead for this pair of juniors, Alexander...
...and Williams.