MASSILLON—The
Canton McKinley Bulldogs ventured into Paul Brown Tiger Stadium huffing,
puffing, wolfing, and looking for a fight.
The Massillon Tigers were more than amicable to oblige their foes in combat in the 122nd renewal between two of Ohio's storied Division I programs.
The host Tigers turned the Bulldogs attitude into a sick and wounded deer-in-the-headlights mentality as Massillon took advantage of three lost fumbles by the visitors and used two Kyle Kempt touchdown bullets in the half to bolster Massillon to a nearly insurmountable 24-0 lead and withstood multiple Bulldogs scoring charges in the second half and used a late interception in the end zone by cornerback Brody Tonn to stifle a late fourth-quarter Canton McKinley rally.
The
translation of all this led to an eruption of Massillon fans storming the field
along with players to repossess the Victory Bell by virtue of a volcanic 37-29
victory over the Bulldogs that ended a three-game regular season winning streak
for the Bulldogs in the rivalry and solidified the Tigers' 9-1 regular-season
record, their first nine-win regular season since the 2005 season, when
Massillon advanced to the Division I state championship game.
For
Massillon fifth-year commander Jason Hall, he is now 3-3 against Canton
McKinley with a 1-0 record in the postseason. Canton McKinley first-year head
coach Todd Filtz is 0-1 against Massillon as the Tigers won their third
straight game against Canton McKinley first-year head coaches coaching their
first Massillon game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Filtz is also now 1-2 at Paul
Brown Tiger Stadium, backtracking to two Division II state championship
contests when he was the head coach of Maple Heights.
It was vindication for Massillon in a enormous manner. Three years ago, Hall watched a disgusting feeling envelop him and his team when the Bulldogs opened up the 118th contest at Fawcett Stadium with a 14-0 first quarter lead and used it to vault their way to a 35-21 win and their seizure of the bell.
Only this time, Hall caught a first-hand view of just how Massillon fans feel when the bell is reclaimed.
“This
game today was all about Massillon. I said it last night that if we came out
and just be ourselves, we would be ringing the bell Saturday afternoon,” he
said. “This was another Massillon-Canton McKinley classic in which both teams
fought hard all day to the end of the game. We just finished at the end.”
It
seemed like such a finish was not going to be necessary. The tone for the day
was set on the second possession Massillon had the football that they drove to
the Canton McKinley seven-yard line. What was shaping up to be an Andrew David
25-yard field goal instead ended up a fake that caught the Bulldogs by
understandable astonishment as Tonn threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Leslie
Dudley. Andrew David added the extra-point and with 4:35 remaining in the
inaugural quarter, the Tigers possessed a 7-0 lead.
The
momentum only grew for the hosts from there. Canton McKinley's second
possession was wasted when quarterback Eric Glover-Williams lost one of two
fumbles on the day and needing one play, Kempt found Tonn for a 35-yard
touchdown pass and Massillon had a stunning 14-0 lead.
Canton
McKinley's turnover illness progressed in the second quarter. A muffed punt led
to a David field goal and Canton McKinley turned it over on their fourth
straight possession and that is when Kempt for the second consecutive time beat
a blitz and tossed a 37-yard touchdown to Marcus Whitfield, who split past two
Bulldogs defenders and darted into the end zone. David's extra-point
sandblasted Massillon's advantage to 24-0 with 7:42 left before intermission.
Massillon
now had a three-touchdown lead and Canton McKinley was not only facing the
Tigers but the unequivocal Massillon crowd at it's loudest.
“Those
turnovers hurt us in the first half,” a cross Filtz said.
Any thoughts that Massillon had of completely squashing the Bulldogs at their feet were put on hold during Canton McKinley's fifth possession when Glover-Williams directed a much needed drive highlighted by a 66-yard run that resulted in an eventual 14-yard touchdown strike to Chris Prowell-White and much needed confidence with 3:40 before halftime to make the game manageable for the visitors at the intermission trailing 24-7.
“We just needed to make adjustments there at the half and I was proud of the way that we came out there and into the second half,” Filtz said.
When
asked if he felt that in the Bulldogs emaciated state if his team was ready to
step on and crush the windpipe of Canton McKinley, Hall was quick to point out
that his defense had done their job and still had to do it.
“It
was 24-0 and we played good defense there and came up with stops. We just had
to keep making big plays,” he said.
Massillon
received the second half at the Canton McKinley 40-yard line after a botched
punt knowing that a touchdown effectively will have salted away their rival.
But for the first time all afternoon, Canton McKinley's defense rose up and
held Massillon to a field goal but were relieved that Kempt missed an
opportunity to really decapitate the Bulldogs when his pass for the end zone
ventured through the hands of Zach Volzer and Massillon's advantage was 27-7.
Both
teams ended up trading touchdowns. Glover-Williams rewarded the Bulldogs
defense with a 10-yard touchdown run after a nine-play drive. But the Tigers
stormed back three plays after the Canton McKinley scoring drive when Kempt
diffused a McKinley blitz for the third time on the day and hit a streaking
Gareon Conley, who shredded past two McKinley safeties for a 66-yard touchdown
pass to put the hosts back up by 20 at 34-14. Canton McKinley was not done.
Sandwiched between a third Davids field goal, Jeff Richardson caught a 32-yard
touchdown pass and Prowell-White scored on a five-yard pass and Richardson's
two-point run caused a nervous feeling to shroud the Tigers fans with 5:04
remaining and holding a 37-29 lead.
And
it all came down to the final five minutes. After Kempt's pass was intercepted
with 4:11 to go, Canton McKinley had a chance to find the end zone deep in
Massillon territory. That is when Tonn made the critical play to preserve
Massillon's lead when he wrestled the ball away from Jeff Richardson in the end
zone for a touchback with 3:15 remaining.
“The
ball was up in the air and I remember Richardson coming down and having one
foot down but I was not going to be denied. I was not going to let him have the
ball,” Tonn said.
Canton
McKinley was unable to mount a last scoring drive and Massillon improved their
record to 9-1 while the Bulldogs record descended to 7-2.
Kempt
was 16 of 32 passing with three touchdowns and one interception while Ryne
Moore carried 28 times for 98 yards for Massillon. Glover-Williams threw for
196 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 141 yards for Canton McKinley and
a TD but was liable for three of the Bulldogs five turnovers.
“Turnovers
today were the difference of this game. Massillon took advantage of them and
they deserved to win the game today. We got down 24-0 and it was too much of a
hole for us to dig out of,” Filtz said. “We needed to control the ball better
in the first half but again, you have to tip your hat to Massillon. They played
better than us. I was proud of our team of the way we fought back but I hate to
lose and they hate to lose. We just have to come back and get ready for the
playoffs.”
For
the Tigers, they will have a shimmering opportunity to punctuate an undefeated
home season next Saturday by winning their first playoff home game since the 2009
season. Since the OHSAA extended to the eight-team regional format in 1999,
Massillon is 3-2 in first round games with wins coming in 2001, 2005, and 2009
with their losses in 1999 and 2000. Massillon used the 2001, 2005 and 2009 home
playoff wins to power them to regional championships.
Hall put the joyous moment in perspective for his battalion of Tigers.
“We
wanted to come out and feel no pressure as much as possible. All week, we
talked about playing like we can play and if we did that, we knew that we could
get the bell back,” Hall said.
The
Canton McKinley Bulldogs ventured into Paul Brown Tiger Stadium huffing,
puffing, wolfing, and looking for a fight. The Massillon Tigers excitedly
assumed the challenge from their visitors and at the end of the day, were
rewarded with a ringing sensation in the form of the Victory Bell.
PLAY
OF THE GAME—Tonn's interception in the end zone
MASSILLON—Brody
Tonn set the tone with an early touchdown pass and made sure his teammates fed
off of his atomic energy he brought with the first score.
In
the fourth quarter and Canton McKinley threatening to score and even tie their
contest, it seemed like Massillon would potentially rely on the leg of Andrew
David. David's leg was not needed as Tonn wrestled away a sure Bulldogs
touchdown pass from Eric Glover-Williams that was thrown to Jeff Richardson as
the Tigers maintained their eight-point lead with 3:15 left, which ended up
being a 37-29 Tigers victory.
“All
week long, Coach Miller was telling us to drop back and get a read on our
receivers and then to look for the ball once it is in the air. The receiver and
I went up for the ball but I was not going to let him have it,” Tonn said.
Brody
Tonn set the tone early and made sure to finish off a Massillon victory and
Canton McKinley's final bid for an overtime session in a vast way.
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