WASHINGTON HIGH SHOWS POWER

IN CRUSHING WARREN UNDER 27 TO 0 SCORE

LONG DASHES ROUTE VISITORS

IN FOURTH PERIOD OF HOT DUEL

By LUTHER EMERY

THAT teeter totter game of football that Washington high school and Warren was expected to play when the two teams got together Saturday on Massillon field, just didn’t develop, the Tigers completely outbalancing the visitors with their superior play with the result that Warren was up in the air throughout the game. The score was 27-0 in favor of the Tigers.

Warren was “up in the air” in more ways than one, and so was the referee, more disputes taking place and petty grievances breaking out in Saturday’s game than have ever developed in Massillon-Warren jousts of past years.

Officials Impartial

But what ever the errors of the officials amounted to they were not the result of partiality, for both sides gained and lost in the decisions. Warren coming to Massillon with a so called military shift that had accomplished wonders in several past game, found itself confronted with a stubborn Tiger defense that would not yield advances to the moleskin clad soldiers of Pierre Hill. Neither would the officials yield seconds to the red and white on their shift, and this started a controversy that delayed the first kickoff several minutes.

Massillon scouts had seen Warren in action several times this season and before the start of the game, Coach McGrew in the presence of the Warren coach, asked the officials to pay particular attention to the Warren shift and make certain that the team paused sufficiently long before passing the ball.

Argument Follows “Touchdown”

The game finally got under way, both teams battling through the first quarter, without either scoring although the Tigers once carried the ball to the one-foot line where it was lost on downs. Play was in Warren’s territory the greater part of the period and the second quarter opened with the orange and black launching another attack from the Massillon 20-yard line. They carried the ball to the 35-yard line where Kester punted over the goal line. Getting the ball on the 20, Warren charged back and gained a first down on the 30-yard line, but on the next play, Burkhart fumbled and the ball bounded into the air and into the arms of Getz, who raced across the Warren goal line. The officials at first awarded the Tigers a touchdown and Clendening kicked goal. Then the big argument started. Hill objected to the referee’s decision. It so happened that Ricker blew his whistle after the start of the play, intending to penalize Warren 15 yards for illegal shifting. Ricker claims he blew the whistle after Getz had scooped up the fumble and while the Massillon player was racing toward the Warren goal line. He reversed his decision eventually, disallowed the touchdown and gave the Tigers the ball on the 27-yard line, the point where Ricker said Getz was when the whistle was blown. Hill, however, contended and rightfully so, it seems, that Massillon should not have been given the ball but that Warren should have been penalized 15 yards for the illegal shift and allowed to retain possession of the ball.

Sfera Put Out of Game

That started things. The Warren players riled at the decision, lost control of themselves and on the next play, after the whistle had blown, jumped upon Kester from every direction to stop his five-yard gain. The referee without hesitation stepped off 15 yards for piling up, giving the Tigers the ball on the seven-yard line. Kester took it across for a legal touchdown on the next play. While Kester was making points, Sfera, Warren guard lost his temper and tied into Monroe, Washington high guard with both fists. Sfera was ejected from the game by the referee, and Warren was penalized half the distance to the goal line on the try for point after touchdown. Fortunately, the disputed seven points for three quarters, came back in the last period with a crushing attack that produced three touchdowns in rapid succession. Really only two of the goals were worked for, since the third was scored as a result of poor football on Warren’s part.

With the first half ending 7-0, the orange and black went into the third period determined to increase their margin. They threatened several times and were always dangerous, but Warren thwarted a score when the Tigers neared the goal. Once a penalty stopped the Massillon advance, and again an injury slowed up the local team. So the period went by without any points being made.

Score On long Runs

The fourth quarter found the orange and black again driving toward the Warren goal, but the red and white checked the attack on the seven-yard line. It looked like a lost opportunity until Clendening grabbed Bartlett’s fine punt on the Massillon 45-yard line and raced 55-yards for a touchdown and the most sensational run of the year for a Tiger player. He likewise kicked goal.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back, for Warren after receiving the kickoff, carried the ball back to midfield where it was lost on downs and a few moments later, Williams hit through the right side of the line for a gallop of 37 yards and a third score. Clendening’s kick was wide of the goal. Warren gave the orange and black its fourth and final touchdown of the game. Willison kicked off, the ball landing on the 20-yard line and bouncing over the goal. A Warren player followed it back and hesitated picking it up, apparently undecided as to whether or not it was a free ball. And while he was making up his mind, Bill Worthington pounced on the pigskin for a Massillon touchdown. Williams bucked the ball across for the extra point.

Tigers Make 15 First Downs

There was no doubt as to the Massillon team’s superiority Saturday. The Tigers made 15 first downs to Warren’s five and never allowed the visitor’s to threaten. In fact the red and white only succeeded in passing the 50 yard mark on two occasions and for the most part were confined to a space between the 20 and 40 yard stripes.

Talk about the devil and he’ll appear.

Past Warren games have always been finished with the friendliest feelings between players and spectators, and this noble feature was heralded in pre-game publicity. But Saturday most everything happened including a battle of fists, both in and out of the game, the ejection of a player and disputes over officials’ decisions.

Some might walk a mile for a camel, but it is doubtful if Sfera will walk across a football field anymore for a swat in the jaw. After Williams had been removed from the game in favor of a substitute, late in the fourth quarter, Sfera, Warren guard, who was put out in the first period for slugging, slunk away from his team’s bench, and trailed the Massillon fullback to the clubhouse. “Want to fight?” said Sfera, at the same time making a pass at Williams. “Sure,” was the reply. And that was that. A crowd gathered around but there was no more fist throwing and the Warren player was escorted to his team’s bus.

Tie For Title Seen

The victory was an important one to Washington high for it practically assured the Tigers of a tie for the N.E.O. Big Ten Championship. Only Dover stands in the way of the Massillonians and there is no reason why the local gridders should not take the measure of the crimson next Saturday at Dover.

The Tigers’ forward passes were useless again Saturday. Six were attempted, one being intercepted and one completed for a gain of three yards. Warren failed to connect in three attempts.

The visiting school was escorted by a large and well drilled uniformed band that gave a demonstration of its skill between halves.

Line up and summary:

Massillon Pos. Warren

Getz LE McKay

Willison LT Gouldner

Worthington LG Sfera

Hoyman C Chandler

Monroe RG Hilston

Price RT McKinney

Hess RE Alexander

Bordner QB Burkhart

Kester LH Mayberry

Clendening RH Bartlett

Williams FB Rogers

Score by periods:

Massillon 0 7 0 20 27

Substitutions:

Warren – Johnson, lg; Serbu, rg; Davis, lh; Guarent, lt; Wright, lh; Dahringer, qb.

Massillon – Singer, qb; Snodgrass, lg; Foster, lh; Mudd, rg; Shattuck, le; Suttle, rt.

Touchdowns:

Massillon – Kester; Clendening; Williams; Worthington.

Points after touchdown:

Massillon – Clendening 2 (placekick); Williams (line buck).

Referee –Ricker (Akron).

Umpire – Weiss (Wooster).

Head Linesman – Henderson (California).