No masterpiece
Win not
pretty,
but Tigers
down Central-Hower 17-7
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Independent Sports Editor
MASSILLON
‑ You want masterpieces? See you at the art institute.
You
want wins? Meet you at Tiger Stadium.
The
Massillon Tigers, playing like angry bulls but missing the matador fairly
often, ran their record to 3‑1 Friday night by outlasting Akron Central‑Hower
17‑7 before 9,200 in P.B.', Big House.
"It
may not have been pretty," John Maronto said. "But it was a win.”
Right
on, coach.
The
Tigers haven't been especially pretty in any of their wins; yet, they've
survived the early part of the season with hopes of getting better and making
the playoffs.
The
offense had its moments Friday but came away up feeling like a lotto player who
keeps picking two out of three.
The
Tigers continued their season-long syndrome of getting to the end zone without
getting in. It was the factor that put Central‑Hower in position to
repeat its dirty deed of 1984, when it came into the game with an 0‑2
record but knocked off the Tigers 20‑18.
In
the first half, the Tigers had drives on which they pushed the ball to the 20‑
and 3‑yard lines without scoring.
They
settled for a 10‑0 halftime lead.
Then
the Eagles made things unsettling.
A
20‑yard touchdown pass from Eric Hill to Humphrey Hopson and a PAT kick
made it 10‑7 with 4:30 left in the third quarter.
Then,
when the Tigers fumbled at midfield on their subsequent possession some bad
dream deja vu crept in.
Central‑Hower
was in position to come from behind for a win, as Akron Garfield had two
Fridays earlier against the Tigers.
The
Eagles punched the ball to the 11 on a 12‑yard run by sophomore Dwight
Twitty.
On
third and 10, a pass bounced off Hopson's chest in the end zone. David Jones
lined up for a 27‑yard chip shot that would tie the game. He hooked it
wide left.
The
Tigers played inspired defense after that and were never threatened again.
This
time Central-Hower left town with an 0‑3 record.
“We
kept our poise,” Maronto said. "We've been in situations this season when
we didn't score and it looked like the team was disappointed. That didn't
happen tonight.When it counted, we jelled.
"(Linebackers)
Todd Perdue and Jerrod Vance were
really tough down there. And the leadership of the captains, Wes
Siegenthaler, Duane Crenshaw and Mark Harder was evident."
Siegenthaler
said the Tigers lost none of their fight when Central‑Hower was driving
for a go-ahead score.
"All
we were thinking about was stuffing 'em," Siegenthaler said "The
defense really came together tonight.”
"We
never gave up," added senior Ettore Scassa, who played a good game at nose
guard. "I don't think we ever will.”
It
was pointed out to Central-Hower head coach Mike Kossuth that the Tigers might come
in far criticism over having a tough time whipping an 0‑2 team.
“I
don't put any validity in that." Kossuth said, "They're a veteran
team and we're a young team. But we're a good team. We just do the thing young
teams do … make mistakes.
"Give
Massillon credit. They're a very, very aggressive team. They have a chance to
be right up there with the state powers."
The
Tigers were on the verge of putting together that one strong game against a decent
opponent. They dominated the first half, out-gaining the Eagles 152 yards to
69.
Mike
Norris, getting his first start at tailback, was a horse, breaking loose for 76
yards in five carries.
The
Tigers slipped in the second half, when they were out-gained 69 yards to 50.
Norris slowed down, getting six more carries but only five more yards.
The
Tigers had to be content escaping with the win.
Now
they face a Saturday night test against Barberton (4‑0 after a 26‑18
win over Akron Firestone) in the Rubber Bowl.
“The
road trip will be good for us.” Maronto, whose four games as the Tigers head
coach have been at home. “Barberton has a very highly rated quarterback. Any
team that’s unbeaten at this point of the season has to be doing something
right.
“As
for us, we’re building a foundation. All we have to do is rise from there.”
The
Tigers came out like Larry Holmes in his prime. They began with the ball on
their own 38 after taking the kickoff and Norris immediately went 15 yards over
the left side.
On
the next play, Paul Fabianich tossed a bomb to the right sidelines which
Siegenthaler turned into a pretty, diving 35-yard reception at the 12.
But
the Tigers stalled there, and on fourth and three from the five, Maronto opted
to go for three. Todd Manion, seeing his first action at place-kicker after
recovering from a baseball injury, drilled a 21-yarder, and it was 3-0 at 9:32
of the first quarter.
Matt
Swank’s hit and Hoagy Pfisterer’s fumble recovery gave the Tigers the ball on
Central-Hower’s 31 moments later. But they stalled at the 20 and Manion was
wide right on a 37-yard field goal try.
The
Eagles went one-two-three-punt, and the punt traveled only four yards, setting
up the Tigers at the Eagles’ 29. The Tigers drove to the 2, where it was third
and goal. On the next play, fullback Derick Newman lost the ball on the
exchange, and Central-Hower’s Willie Jennings recovered on the 1.
The
Eagles punched it out to the 21 before having to punt. The Tigers got good
field position again when Bart Letcavits returned the boot 15 yards to the
Eagles’ 36.
On
fourth‑and-one from the 26, Newman bulled for the first down to the 25.
On the next play, Norris got some earth‑mover blocks up the middle, made
three crowd‑pleasing jukes in the open field and raced toward the left
corner of the end zone, where he landed on the dive for a score.
Manion’s
PAT kick made it 10-0 Tigers at 6:21 of the second quarter. That was the
halftime score.
Early
in the third quarter, Central-Hower linebacker Willie Johnson recovered a
Norris fumble at the Tiger 25. On third‑and‑five, Hill dropped back
in shotgun formation and popped a quick to Hopson, who streaked into the end
zone untouched and then danced half way to Navarre.
Jones’
kick made it 10-7.
The
Tigers took over after the ensuing kickoff with great field position as Jerome
Myricks' returned to the 43. But
Fabianich lost the handle on the snap
three plays later, and the Eagles got the ball back.
After
the missed field goal attempt, the Tiger, stalled.
Ken
Hawkins' punt bounced in front of Steve Gray, who tried to field it on the
bounce but fumbled it away to the Tigers' Ron Patt at the Central‑Hower
21.
The
Tigers ran out of downs at the 6.
Moments
later, Lance Hostetler put a heavy rush on Hill, forcing a misfired pass that
was tipped to Pfisterer.
The
intercept gave the Tigers possession on the 21 and set up Newman's five-yard TD
smash. Manion's kick gave the Tigers their 17-7 bulge at 1:46 of the fourth
quarter, and the game was history.
No,
it wasn’t a masterpiece.
Maybe
the Tigers are saving one of those for the Barberton Magics.
MASSILLON 17
CENTRAL‑HOWER 7
M C
First downs rushing 9 5
First downs passing 1 2
First downs by penalty 0 0
Totals first downs 10 7
Yards gained rushing 165 126
Yards lost rushing 13 16
Net yards rushing 152 110
Net yards passing 50 28
Total yards gained 202 138
Passes attempted 9 10
Passes completed 2 4
Passes int. by 0 2
Times kicked off 3 3
Kickoff average 52.0 48.0
Kickoff return yards 75 31
Punts 3 5
Punting average 38.7 30.4
Punt return yards 25 1
Punts blocked by 0 0
Fumbles 4 5
Fumbles lost 3 2
Penalties 4 4
Yards penalized 50 40
Touchdowns rushing 2 0
Touchdowns passing 0 1
Miscellaneous touchdowns 0 0
Number of plays 51 40
Time of possession 22:54 25:06
Attendance 9,200
CENTRAL‑HOWER 0 0 7 0 7
MASSILLON 3 7 0 7 17