Safety In Last Two Minutes
Gives Local Crew
2-Point
Victory
Defying J. Pluvius and his storm clouds, gridiron
gladiators of Washington high school annexed football honors Saturday afternoon
when they triumphed over South high of Youngstown 2 to 0, administering the
first setback of the season to the Mahoning county gridders on the rain soaked
Central Steel Field.
A safety during the last two minutes of play, the
result of a desperate comeback by Massillon’s forwards which had been outplayed
by the visiting aggregation, gave the orange and black its two point margin and
its fourth scholastic victory of the season.
Playing in mud and water several inches deep, which
made it impossible to play anything but straight football, the two contending
eleven’s battled strenuously to gain a decision. After the first play it was difficult to distinguish the rival
players so thoroughly soaked had they become with mud and water.
The poor field also made it impossible to judge the
relative strength of the two teams and neither combination had a decided edge
over the other until Coach Snavely’s lads made their determined stand toward
the end of the fourth quarter and beat down the sturdy Youngstown defense.
Two blocked punts gave the youthful Tigers their
chance to win. After keeping play in
South’s territory during the greater portion of the fourth quarter, but lacking
the punch to shove the ball over for a touchdown, the local gridders near the
end of the game broke through South’s line and blocked a punt by Captain Brown
of the visitors, the ball rolling back to the one yard line where South
covered.
Then South attempted to punt again, Brown standing
behind his own goal line to make the kick.
As the ball was passed left tackle Taylor, of Massillon, crashed through
the opposing line and blocked the kick before it crossed the line. Captain Brown pounced on the ball behind his
own goal line and the orange and black had registered a safety, which was to be
the deciding play of the contest.
The battle soon developed into a punting duel as
neither team was able to do much on offense.
In this respect Massillon had a decided edge as Greenfelder outkicked
his opponent and the local team always gained ground in the exchange of punts.
Fumbles also were prominent and came near giving
South a touchdown in the first quarter.
Captain Archbold of Massillon hit through center but
the ball bounded out of his arms into the hands of a South player who scampered
towards Massillon’s goal line. He had
cleared the entire team with the exception of quarterback Hess, who brought him
to earth on Massillon’s 35-yard line by a pretty tackle.
This Hess lad, by the way, was Massillon’s big
offensive star. His return of punts on
the heavy field was brilliant and whenever he was able to get under way
returned the kicks from 2 to 20 yards.
In the fourth quarter he grabbed a South punt in midfield and raced to
Youngstown’s eight yard line before being downed. But here South stiffened and Massillon could not drive its way
through for a touchdown.
Just as the second quarter ended Hess ripped his way
through left tackle for 20 yards being downed on South’s 18-yard line. Had the field been dry he probably would
have gotten away but the mud made dodging and sidestepping impossible. Massillon made numerous attempts in the
fourth quarter to score from place kick but Greenfelder’s efforts to hoist the
water soaked ball over the bars was futile.
South showed an excellent team. It used a shift play that would have been
good for gains on a dry gridiron. Its
defense appeared superior to that of Massillon and on several occasions, the
Youngstown forwards broke though and stopped the local backs before they could
get started. Offensively the two teams
appeared equal, Massillon having a shade better of the argument because of
Hess’ brilliant running in a broken field.
The work of Taylor and Oberlin, Massillon’s sturdy
tackles, stood out prominently on defense and any drives directed at their
positions were nipped in the bud.
Massillon – 2 Pos. Youngstown
South – 0
Herman LE Rankins
Taylor LT Dawson
Clay LG Pettiford
Angstadt C B. Johnson
Harrison RG Williams
Oberlin RT Beeds
Howells RE Jones
Stuhldreher LHB Brown (c)
Greenfelder RHG Borts
Archbold (c) FB Smith
Score by quarters
Massillon 0 0 0 2 2
Substitutions – Massillon: Jamison for Herman, Tilton for Clay,
Adams for Tilton, Clay for Adams, Graber for Clay,
Fasnacht for
Howells.
South:
Splain for Jones, H. Johnson for Borts.
Safety – Massillon.
Referee – Blythe of Mount Union.
Umpire – Bast of Massillon.
Headlinesman – Chaney, Massillon.
Timer – Ligget
Time of quarters
-- 12½ minutes.