Tiger
offense runs
wild
against Fitch
Massillon
attack fells Falcons 38 – 29
By STEVE DOERSCHUK
Independent Sports
Editor
The Mets are dead.
Long live the Tigers.
The New York Mets. And
the Massillon Tigers.
What's the connection?
Well, what happened in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Friday night was "football
the way it oughtta be." Weren't they saying something like that in the Big
Apple last year?
The offenses went
berserk as the Washington High football team outscored Austintown‑Fitch
38‑29. Only 8,284 folks showed up in P.B.'s Big House. But the ones
wearing orange were loving it.
When was the last time
a Massillon crowd jumped into a game like this? That was a question goin'
around.
And it didn't stop at
the locker room door.
"A football team
needs to generate a lot of emotion," said Massillon quarterback Erik
White. "A lot of that comes from the fans. I get pumped up when I hear
them. We need our fans behind us and I'd like to thank them for tonight."
Football the way it
oughtta be?
The Tigers scored five
touchdowns on a Fitch team that had given up a combined two TDs to its four
previous opponents. Every coach from Knute to Woody would think that means
"de‑fense." But Friday's offensive outburst was the stuff fans
could sink their teeth into.
It was the most
impressive onslaught against a quality opponent during the John Maronto era.
Last year's 27‑0 win over Akron St. Vincent‑St. Mary ‑ next
Friday's Tiger foe ‑ had been the Maronto era's most impressive previous
outburst.
Maronto, a disciple of
defense, was disturbed about Friday's missed tackles and fundamental lapses
that allowed Fitch to amass 294 net offensive yards.
But he broke into a
spontaneous grin when asked if he was happy anyway.
"This one was an
awfully big win for the town," the coach said. "it was a win for
pride. The kids won with heart and effort. I can't think of any better words.
It's an indication of the character they have."
The pride had been
twice wounded by Fitch, coached by former Massillon player David Hartman. Fitch
beat Massillon 21‑19 in 1985 and 13‑10 in 1986 in the only two
meetings the rivals have had.
Vengeance belonged to
the Massillon offense. The Tigers amassed 326 yards, 235 on the ground and 91
in the air.
Senior tailback Jerome
Myricks rushed 25 times for 119 yards and scored three more touchdowns. His
totals at the halfway point of the season include 76 rushes, 585 yards and 12
touchdowns.
Junior fullback Jason
Stafford, coming off the bench after junior David Ledwell got the start, rushed
70 yards in five carries. Ledwell, reinserted after Stafford turned an ankle,
carried once for 14 yards.
Added Maronto,
"Erik White's stats were not as impressive as they have been (White
completed 6 of 12 passes for 91 yards), but he showed a lot of poise and
leadership. And the offensive line deserves a whole lot of credit. (Guard)
Tracy Liggett and (center) Don Gerber are a couple of juniors who have become
outstanding. People around the country know about (guard) John Woodlock and
(tackle) John Schilling. And (tackle) Billy Kline has come on and done a real
nice job.
"Our tight ends
(Gerald Pope and Jeff Harig) continue to block well We've got a nice chemistry
going."
Chemistry and a four‑game
winning streak. The Tigers improved to 4‑1 while hard‑luck Fitch
fell to 2‑3 heading into next week's game against Youngstown Ursuline.
"They just
outmanned us," said Fitch's Hartman. "Their offensive line is huge.
But we played with a lot of heart. We had lousy field position in the first
half and we got behind. We certainly moved the ball in the second half when we
got field position. We just didn't stop them."
The Tigers defense
stuffed Fitch in the first half, allowing only 39 nets yards. But Fitch cranked
up its wing‑T attack in the second half, enabling outstanding senior
tailback Mike Sztary to finish with 114 yards in 15 carries. He also returned a
kickoff 96 yards for a score.
Fullback Kevin Motter wound up with 61 yards
in 7 carries, while junior quarterback Darick Fletcher ran for 43 yards and
passed for 50 more.
Sztary, who is listed at 165 pounds, gives the impression of a much bigger back during his fearless slashes with the ball. But a visit to the locker room after the game revealed that his program weight is accurate. He is, in fact, a skinny kid with deceptive strength.
"We didn't make
any adjustments for the second half," Sztary said. "We just played
with a lot of heart."
But every time Fitch
would threaten to get back in the game, the Tigers put on a scoring drive of
their own.
The Tigers started the
game on their own 24 after taking the opening kickoff and came out throwing.
White passed on three of the first four plays but the Tigers had to punt
following an incompletion. Fitch mishandled Mark Kester's boot and the Tigers'
Vernon Riley recovered at midfield. On the next play, White launched a bomb
toward the right flag in the end zone and Fitch's Rod Turner intercepted at the
5.
"I knew right
then we were going to move the ball, even though it was an interception,"
White said. "We were determined. We were confident."
Fitch drove 34 yards
and had a second‑and‑one when Hartman gambled and sent in the
Falcons' first pass of the night. Fletcher threw into double coverage. Myricks,
playing free safety, easily reached the 30‑yard toss and tipped it to
cornerback Steve Siegenthaler, who raced 20 yards to the Tiger 45‑yard
line.
The Tigers then went
on a long running march that included gains of 3, 8, 3, 3, 6, 6 and 2 yards, a
6‑yard pass, then runs of 2, 2 and 3 yards. That ended the first quarter
with the ball on the 3‑yard line on third-and‑goal.
On the first play of
the second quarter, Myricks went straight up the middle with a gigantic hurdle
step that carried him into the end zone. Lee Hurst's kick made it 7‑0.
The field position
Hartman cited then came into play. Sophomore return man Charles Wesson fielded
Hurst's booming
kickoff near the goal line and slipped at the 1, where his knee was ruled to
have touched the ground. On third‑and‑one, Myricks and Siegenthaler
slammed Motter for a yard loss and the Falcons had to punt. A short boot gave
the Tigers possession on the Fitch 35. On third‑and‑seven, White
led Harig with a perfect looping pass that gained 31 yards down the left
sideline, putting the ball on the 1. Myricks again hurdled straight ahead for the
score, and Hurst's boot made it 14‑0 with 7:36 left in the half.
Then came a shocker.
Fitch immediately got
back in the game when Sztary took Hurst's kickoff near the right corner of the
end zone, charged up the middle, broke a tackle at the 30 and sailed into the
clear on a 96‑yard touchdown run. Jeff Wilkins' kick made it 14‑7
at the 7:20 mark.
Then ... the
aftershock.
The Tigers scored two plays after the ensuing
kickoff. On second‑and‑four, Stafford went up the middle on a quick
hitter, encountered two tacklers at the first‑down mark, then did a
Myricks imitation. Stafford exploded out of the pack and was off to the races,
scoring on a 59‑yard run. Hurst converted again to make it 21‑7
with 6:1 3 left in the half.
An interception by
Myricks ended Fitch's next possession three plays after it started. Myricks
returned the pickoff 26 yards to the Fitch 38. A personal foul against Fitch
and a 10‑yard run by Myricks set up Hurst's 27‑yard field goal,
which gave the Tigers a 24‑7 halftime lead.
A different Fitch team
came out of the locker room.
The same guys who
couldn't total 40 yards in the first half gained 60 on their first four plays
of the second half. Three plays later, on third‑and‑goal from the
9, Fletcher rolled right, broke two tackles, and scored. The point‑after
was blocked by Vernon Riley, but Fitch was back in the game, trailing 24‑13
with 8:30 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers struck
back.
Myricks, a man for all
reasons, returned the kickoff 40 yards. White connected with Pope on a 16‑yard
sideline route that put the ball on the Fitch 40. After a 5‑yard motion
penalty, it was time for Myricks' weekly breakaway. The 5‑11, 181‑pound
senior followed blocks by Stafford, Kline and Woodlock around the right side,
saw daylight in the middle and cut back to it, broke three tackles as he headed
for the right sideline, and went scott free the last 25 yards down the right
sideline.
"When I break
into the open field, I feel I can score," said Myricks. "Again, I
have to thank the offensive line for letting me get that far. The whole line
blocked great again."
"Fitch is one of
the best defenses in the state. Scoring 38 points against them ... that's not
too bad."
Myricks' 45‑yard
TD burst and Hurst's kick made it 31‑13 with 6:37 left in the third
quarter.
It was the killing
blow, even though Fitch managed to sandwich a 10‑yard scoring run by
Sztary and a 13‑yard TD pass from Fletcher to Rod Tofil around a 15‑yard
touchdown run by White.
White has scored on
keepers two straight weeks. Last week, he ran a bootleg left to hit Barberton
with a 4‑yard TD run. Last night, he faked the quick hitter to the
fullback and rolled right, showing good speed as he outran the fooled Fitch
defense into the end zone.
The second half was a
game of neither team being able to stop the other. The Tigers won the game by
being unstoppable in the first half, as well.
Maronto credited
Brandon Oliver, the new offensive coordinator, and offensive assistants Nick
Vrotsos, Tom Jarvis, Ron Bayduke and Tim Manion for putting together a package
that was too hot for Fitch to handle.
"Really, though,
it's the players who deserve the credit," Maronto said. "We've got a
lot of big games coming up. We've got a lot of work ahead. But the players
deserve to savor this one a little while."
M F
First downs
rushing 10 11
First downs
passing 6 3
First downs
by penalty 1 2
Total first downs 17 16
Yards gained
rushing 246 236
Yards lost
rushing 11 1
Net yards
rushing 235 22
Net yards
passing 91 71
Total yards gained 326 294
Passes
attempted 12 10
Passes
completed 6 5
Passes Int.
by 2 1
Times kicked
off 7 5
Kickoff
average 54.1 46.2
Kickoff
return yards 90 198
Punts 2 2
Punting
average 20.5 39.0
Punt return
yards 6 0
Fumbles 0 1
Fumbles
lost 0 1
Penalties 6 5
Yards
penalized 34 55
Number of
plays 51 44
Time of
possession 27:05 20:55
Attendance 8,284
FITCH 0
7 14 8 29
MASSILLON 0
24 7
7 38
M ‑ Myricks 3 run (Hurst kick)
M ‑ Myricks 1 run (Hurst kick)
F ‑ Sztary 96 kickoff return (Wilkins
kick)
M ‑ Stafford 59 run (Hurst kick)
M ‑ FG Hurst 27
F ‑ Fletcher 8 run (kick failed)
M ‑ Myricks 45 run (Hurst kick)
F ‑ Sztary 10 run (Fletcher run)
M ‑ White 15 run (Hurst kick)