Tigers clinch AAC title
with
14-0 victory
By CHUCK HESS, JR.
Independent Sports
Editor
“The Jaybird” flew, the “Tiger Claw Defense” growled and
But the Tigers 14-0 win was like all the other ones this
year for head Coach Mike Currence – as hard to come
by as a Republican winner in
AN ESTIMATED 10,500 fans,
largest turnout this year at
The
Harper gained 104 yards in that period on seven carries,
losing only four yards. His other
attempt was a two-yarder in the first quarter.
The Aviators didn’t help the situation, throwing a very
stingy defense at the Tigers. Andre Royster receiver a lower leg injury
early in the second quarter. This
not only deprived
Alliance had a 63-46 edge in number of plays run and almost
had the ball seven minutes longer than Massillon, but the “Tiger Claw Defense”
was equal to the task. The furthest
penetration by the Aviators was to the
THE AVIATORS penetrated
The Aviators kept throwing halfback Rich Scott (23 carries,
72 yards, 9 lost) at the Tigers via dive plays.
That gets mighty hard to halt. If
a team keeps banging away long enough, it’s going to find a hole in the seam.
An illegal receiver downfield cost the Tigers 15 yards from
the
Reserve fullback Ken Nagle, filling in for the ailing Jerry Shafrath, in the “robust T”, got off runs of 10 and 21
yards on the drive. But other than on
those occasions Massillon got nowhere because defensive ends Steve Clunk and
Phil Grove crashed in so well the Aviators shut off the Tigers’ run and shoot
offense and forced Currence to make the switch to the
“robust T’ in the third quarter.
THE TIGERS had gotten
only four first downs – the same as
Besides Harper, one other Tiger ate up a lot of real
estate. Fullback Rich Cleveland carried
seven times, picking up 54 yards with no losses.
But it was Harper who did it all defensively. The Tigers got the ball following a third
period
Grove picked up two yards on third down for a first down and
Harper went the remaining four yards over guard with
HARPER CAUSED some
concern at one point when he got leg cramps and had to leave the game.
“We played another great second half,” Currence
said. “The defense did it again. The offense made the mistakes again. We have to get ourselves together for that
big one against Canton McKinley next week.
I’ve waited nine games for that one.”
Currrence was more than impressed
with the
“I didn’t think they would just shove us right back into the
end zone,” said Currence. “If the fans weren’t back there, we would
have gone through the stands. I went in
during a timeout and said, ‘Fellows there’s a fence here. They can’t shove us any further.’”
Currence also took a timeout in
the second quarter on fourth down when Mark Westover, who missed practice all
week due to flu, was forced to punt from the end zone.
“ALLIANCE HAS blocked
four punts for touchdowns this year,” Currence
said. “I went in and told them (
Tonges explained that Royster, a flanker, was missed offensively and also when
adjustments were made to try to stop the Tigers (when
“I’m not ashamed of our kids, we battled and I think they
hit as hard as any football team around,” Tonges
said.
Ends – S. Clunk, Grove, Jae, Kemp,
Debee, Zelasko, Blair.
Tackles – D. Clunk, Schenk, Johnson, Oesch.
Guards – Baker, Felger,
Hamilton, Betz, Evans.
Centers – Mick, Dailey.
Quarterback – Andreani.
Halfbacks – Scott, Love, McCray, Royster, Gailey, Mulholland, Gemberling.
Kicker – Hancock.
Punter – Minger.
Ends – Engler, Sweterlitsch,
Chovan, Pringle, B. Grizzard,
Clendening, Furnas.
Tackles – Toles,
Matie, Daniels, Tournay,
Dennison, DeOrio, Namanny,
Stuck, Kovacsiss.
Guards – Lauber,
Hauser, Berquist, Baus,
Jones.
Centers – Ramsey, Lutz.
Quarterbacks – Traylor, Offenbecher.
Halfbacks – Harper, Grove, Carpenter, Popovich.
Fullbacks – Cleveland, Nagle.
Middle guard – Dorsey.
Linebackers – Walterhouse, Dottavio, Border.
Defensive halfbacks – Henderson, Jones, A .Grizzard, Lash, M. Longshore,
Whitlock, Letcavits, Wilkerson, Gowins.
Kickers – Hardwick, Laase.
Punter – Westover.
GRIDSTICK
M A
First downs rushing 8 4
First downs passing 1 3
First downs penalties 2 1
Total first downs 11 8
Yards gained rushing 247 100
Yards lost rushing 67 11
Net yards gained
rushing 180 89
Net yards gained passing 9 50
Total yards gained 189 139
Passes completed 1-8 14-19
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Yardage on passes
intercepted 18 0
Kickoff average (yards)
3-48.7 1-39.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 18 40
Punt average (yards) 7-28.7 8-23.3
Punt returns (yards) 35 21
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 2-1 0
Yards penalized 5-50 7-75
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Total number of plays 46 63
Total time of
possession