Tigers burrow hole and can't emerge out in first loss of season

By Keno Sultan

CANTON—For three-and-a-half quarters, the Massillon Tigers kept shoveling and shoveling. Soon they were in a widened hole.

In a span of seven minutes and 29 seconds, the Tigers attempted to climb out of their predicament.

Unfortunately, the Tigers faltered. Being the victims of five turnovers with two coming in the form of interceptions in the end zone and leaving 21 points on the scoreboard, Massillon departed Bob Commings Field with their first loss of the season in a 26-24 loss to the GlenOak Eagles.

It may be tempting to press the fact to fifth-year Massillon head coach Jason Hall that his charges may have had 45 points on the scoreboard but he was adeptly intelligent not to be baited into bearing witness to that truth when asked if his team may have scored more points than the 24 recorded.

“When you leave 21 points on the field that is disappointing. You will NOT win games when you turn the ball over five times like we did,” a melancholy Hall said with a look of dejection on his face. “We have to defend better on third down or it's going to be a long season.”

No reminders of last season's controversial ending needed for Tigers

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—The Massillon Tigers offense hurried to the field poised to drive within field goal range and a potential come-from-behind win over the visiting GlenOak Eagles.

However, a Brionte Dunn fumble was reversed and one Massillon personal foul penalty later, the Eagles scurried out of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium amid the gnashing wrath of livid Tigers fans in a 22-21 decision that still is unpopular to the fecund amount of partisan Massillon fans today.

COMMENTARY: Sophomores united for a proper cause as seniors

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—It was 2010 and Brody Tonn trekked into his sophomore year with an unspeakable wave of momentum on his side.

He had engineered the Tigers freshman team to an flawless season and going into his sophomore season, on his birthday, he became the starting quarterback of the tradition-steeped Massillon Tigers football team. His voice was going to be heard. His eyes would be looked on in the huddle. He was the executor of the plays called by Jason Hall.  All human eyes were going to be fixed on him.

But it all turned anemically acidic in the first week of the season.  Tonn was charged with six interceptions and one of those six was returned for a crowd-piercing touchdown that sent Massillon fans home as if they attracted an atrocious strain of the flu. Indeed, Massillon's flu came in the department of a 29-13 setback to Akron Buchtel.

Several weeks later, an unlikely gunslinger assumed the munitions of the quarterback position. Sophomore Kyle Kempt was inserted and Tonn descended to the backup position. How could a gentleman from Oregon arrive from the Pacific Northwest and upend the hometown favorite?

Anyone may have expected a visceral division to puncture through the armor that surrounded Tonn and Kempt. However, this is not one of those television shows where a transfer is unwelcome like an unwanted plate of sustenance. Instead of prattling about the loss of a position he dreamed of playing since his adolescent years, Tonn graciously accepted two new positions on the team as a wide receiver and defensive back. Kempt remained the Tigers quarterback.

But importantly, the two have a friendship attractive like a magnet. And Tonn, the Massillon native ascertained the perspective.

“You know, when it all happened, I felt that if we needed to be a successful team then we could not have a divider in the locker room,” he said. “We can't have it about Kempt and Tonn. We needed to be one. So going into our junior year we started to work with each other a bit and now as seniors, we are best friends. We always talk to each other. I love Kempt to death and would be there for him.”

Tonn's words were prophetic. Here is a senior who was the toast of the town as a sophomore but still provides a glistening taste through his accepting personality. It is only with a venerable righteousness that he was on the appreciating end of two touchdown tosses from his classmate in a season-opening 52-21 triumph over Akron Buchtel. And that is the commencing of something monumental this season.

For Kempt, he has made elongated steps since his sophomore year. Two years ago, he took a merciless pounding against Canton McKinley in Paul Brown Tiger Stadium that was the epitome of Manny Pacquiao bludgeoning the face of a less experienced opponent. But why did Kempt stay in the fight when fans were vociferous in asking Hall to get him out of there after the vicious punishment taken especially in a game that was still in reach for them had Kempt slowly getting back to his feet?

The answer is unsheathed like a sword through a message on a fence just outside of the Massillon locker room on a sign: “This team will not tap out.”

Massillon never taps out. And Kempt comes from a family that will never accept the word 'quit' in their studious vocabulary or home.

And Tonn and Kempt will never tap out.

“When I took over the quarterback position in 2010, we worked with each other and became best friends. And you are seeing that with him at the receiver position,” Kempt said. “We both are on the same page big time.”

Adversity can do one or two factors. It can either bring together persons like a sturdy chain or it can break them to the point of separation. It truly has welded together a native from Oregon who now calls Massillon, Ohio his home and a Massillon native that has thrived in his hometown for his entire life. Now as seniors, the two are determined to cash in on their last year of prep football and create memories that will etch them in life for eternity.

Thursday night commenced the beginning of something glamorous between these two best friends. And it is only fitting that Tonn had a better ending on the field as a varsity player than two years ago through the arm of his best friend, Kempt.

In 2010, Brody Tonn trekked into his sophomore season with an unspeakable wave of momentum on his side.  In 2012, he and Kyle Kempt both have that same momentum that has bonded them from question marks to full-fledged Massillon Tigers.

Massillon formulates offensive formula translating into 52-21 deionization of Griffins

 

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—Apron? Check. Goggles? Check. Massillon Tigers victory? Check.

The Massillon Tigers ventured into their personal laboratory in the form of Paul Brown Tiger Stadium to commence the season against the same foe whom they have inaugurated the season against in Akron City Series power Akron Buchtel.

The Tigers were every bit as shiny as a white seraph as they scored on their first four possessions of the contest and staked their way to a 28-6 halftime lead and eventually repelled a faint Buchtel rally for a 52-21 deionization of the Griffins to open up the door to the 2012 prep football season.

Massillon's offensive production was every bit as the chemical reactant that the Griffins feared insurmountably. And it did not benefit their synopsis one bit as senior quarterback Kyle Kempt steered the Tigers to a turnover-free contest as the starter as he was a prolific 17 of 23 for 316 yards and two touchdowns both coming to classmate Brody Tonn.

The running game was also fortuitous as well. Senior Kentrell Taylor added three touchdowns spanning three, seven, and 11 yards while Ernie Baez added one and Ryne Moore also added one for the Tigers, who concluded the contest with 150 yards rushing on the ground.

What caused the face of Massillon head coach Jason Hall to glisten was the fact that the offense showed their prowess early and often through his senior quarterback.

“I think Kyle showed why he's a Division I quarterback tonight. He threw as one even under pressure at times and they looked like they would have him and he threw a lot of deep balls while getting hit that a lot of kids can't make,” Hall said. “So that's why Kyle Kempt threw for what he threw tonight (316 yards) and he's a special football player and we'll take him.”

Kempt truly was the quintessential laboratory technician as he connected on a series of aerials that set up two key scoring drives for the hosts.

On Massillon's third possession, he rolled out to his left and defused a Griffins blitz and also in part to a gaping absence of defensive backs, he witnessed an uncovered Tonn in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown that staked the Tigers to a 21-0 lead with 9:37 before the intermission.

He also attacked the middle of the field with surgical precision finding Marcus Whitfield and Zach Volzer to sustain Tiger drives over the duration of the nightfall. No pass of Kempt's was more magnified than his 31-yard completion to Whitfield over the middle that was highlighted by Taylor's second touchdown run to award Massillon a 28-6 lead at halftime.

The tone truly was assessed three plays into the game. A Buchtel fumble by quarterback Chris Davis started the deluge.

“Anytime you get a turnover early and get the momentum in a football game, it's going to definitely go your way if you can capitalize on it,” Hall said.

Akron Buchtel attempted to answer a Massillon drive with a 10 play drive that seemed to end in a one-yard touchdown on a Davis run to even up the contest. Despite two officials motioning a Griffins score, one official overruled them and ruled that Davis did not trespass over the goal line. The Griffins lobbied for a reversal but it fell on deaf ears and from then on, they spent most of the night in critical condition clinging to life against the more experienced Tigers team.

And they have a plethora of gentlemen who can own possession of a ball and concoct a major advantage.

“One of the strengths is that we can let multiple guys touch the ball and make guys defend the field,” Hall said.

That was evident again when on the Tigers first possession when the Griffins blitzed but left no one within the secondary and for the second time, Tonn appeared free of defenders in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown and a 35-6 lead.

Akron Buchtel rallied behind a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown by Deric Rucker and a 68-yard touchdown catch by Elijah Bell from Davis only to have Andrew David squelch the visitors last gasp with a 32-yard field goal and then Moore closed out the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run standing up.

Massillon now switches their sights to a second week contest against the GlenOak Eagles, who corroded the Akron Firestone Falcons in their home opener 44-7 at press time. It will be a highly anticipated contest with the Tigers motivated to reverse last season's controversial 22-21 finish and it will be a contest that will be an early measuring stick of just how far Massillon's offense can go and just how far their defense will hold up in what will be a sterner test for the Tigers.

And Hall believes that his running game will have to be counted on next week.

“We have three running backs who we can put in and we'll probably have to run the ball a little more next week,” he said.

Apron? Check. Goggles? Check. Massillon Tigers victory? Check.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Kempt's 19-yard touchdown pass to Tonn

MASSILLON—The Akron Buchtel Griffins already trailed by 22 points going into intermission. They had surrendered one touchdown as Brody Tonn was unaccounted for on the first one.

Unfortunately for the Griffins, the same quagmire repeated itself again on the Tigers first possession of the second half as the visitors blitzed heavily but there was no one in the secondary who accounted for Tonn, who caught his second touchdown pass on the same play from quarterback Kyle Kempt. The score vaulted Massillon to a 35-6 advantage that eventually translated to a 52-21 distillation of the Griffins.

How did Tonn become so wide open twice?

“Well, I'd say we started the half a lot good. We wanted to come out and put a touchdown on the scoreboard there,” Kempt said. “Tonn ate up the corner and was wide open in the back of the end zone.”

Tonn concurred with his teammate.

“The corner left me wide open and no one picked me up. I was open on the first one (a touchdown). I mean, the corner ran past me and my eyes got so wide open. Kempt saw it and it was a big touchdown for us.”

Akron Buchtel surrendered one similar touchdown. The same quagmire was a detriment to the Griffins but a benefit for Kyle Kempt and Brody Tonn.

2012 - Helmet Decal Unveiled

Massillon fifth-year commander-in-chief braces for the Akron Buchtel challenge

 

By Keno Sultan



 

MASSILLON—Jason Hall has witnessed it all from Akron Buchtel during his four seasons as the head coach of the Massillon Tigers.

The speed and physicality of the Griffins has been a fecundating factor as to why the last three of the four contests played between the two teams have been very competitive. And Hall does not expect anything else to be different Thursday night at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium at 7:30 as the Tigers will host the Griffins, who will be in their 81^st season of prep football and sixth under 1990 Akron Buchtel graduate and former Michigan halfback Ricky Powers.

Hall spoke highly of Powers, who has been a valuable asset to the program and turning around the lives of players living in adverse conditions and steering them from the lucid treachery of negative decision-making in his hometown of Akron.

“Ricky does a good job of coaching the Griffins and they are on top of the Akron City Series every year and they have players with a lot of tradition and those who are big play makers,” he said. “Two years ago, they beat us at home so we know what they are capable of being the athletic team that they are.”

Two of the four contests between the Tigers and Griffins have been decided by turnovers. In 2009, Massillon painted a defensive masterpiece in a 42-20 sandblasting of the Griffins in which the Tigers scored an astonishing 35 points off of Buchtel turnovers with the highlight of that being Aaron Robey's short interception return for a touchdown that sparked the onslaught. However in 2010, the Griffins pounced on Massillon for six turnovers in the form of interceptions, with Marlon Oden returning one for a game-clinching touchdown and a 29-13 victory in front of an aghast Massillon crowd.

14 weeks later, the Griffins were back in the same facility competing against Columbus Bishop Watterson for a Division III championship.

When asked about both teams combining for a combined 12 turnovers and an alarming 42 points off of those, Hall took a stand and made himself lucidly heard on how imperative it will be for his battalion to stay away from the giveaways.

“Staying away from those are very crucial. Both teams are very good on offense, defense, and special teams. We have to win the turnover battle and especially in the early part of the season,” Hall said. “The team that has the fewer mistakes will be the one that wins Thursday night.”

One player who will be a wild card for Massillon will be senior quarterback and University of Cincinnati recruit Kyle Kempt. Operating under a new offensive coordinator in Badre Bardawil, he has assumed the position and has made the most of his offseason.

In last season's 31-6 temblor of Buchtel, Kempt feasted on an withered Griffins defensive secondary as he recorded two touchdown passes to Montel Harrison. Hall attests that Kempt is much proficient going into this season compared to the 2011 and 2010 seasons.

“The whole offense revolves around Kyle and the offense goes when he goes. He sets the tone and makes our players go,” Hall said.

Defensively, the Tigers will have to be alert at all times. Akron Buchtel has been known to be a team that can construct a broken play into one for a long gain or even a touchdown. And in the special teams department, Massillon will also have to be succinctly well-rounded. Hall has not lost memory of Ernie Calhoun's 90-yard kickoff return that set the tone for Akron Buchtel's second-ever win over Massillon going back to 2004.

Thursday night will tell a whole lot and just how far Massillon has arrived. And the scoreboard will be an indicative factor of determining whether Massillon will christen the 2012 season with a victory or loss based on how consistent they are on all three phases of the ball.

“We are looking for consistency. We need everyone to be ready on all three phases of the ball. We have to be consistent and go get the job done,” Hall said.

Jason Hall has witnessed it all from Akron Buchtel during his four seasons as head coach of the Massillon Tigers. And all signs point toward an interesting open to the season Thursday night.

2012 PROJECTED Starting Offense

These are projections taken from The Independent on who will be on the starting offense Thursday night.  Again, these are JUST PROJECTIONS.

2012 PROJECTED Starting Defense

These are projections taken from The Independent on who will be on the starting offense Thursday night. Again, these are JUST PROJECTIONS.

COMMENTARY: Pre-season over, now let the battles begin

 

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—The school year commences next Monday. The orange flags are flying and the top of the flag reads in black, “Massillon, Ohio.” The bottom of the flag reads “Home of the Tigers.”

Soon, students will be filing their way into the entrance of Massillon Washington High School for another 36-week school year. And the definition of that translates into another season of Massillon Tigers football. The pre-season is over, now let the battles begin.

In 122 years of prep competition, the orange and black as everyone is aware has garnered a stranglehold on 22 Ohio Division I state Associated Press poll championships along with nine national championships, that are the most by any Ohio high school before the current playoff format. Since the playoff format was erected, the Tigers have partaken in three Division I state championship contests, taking home the state runner-up trophy three times. The 2012 Tigers are a team that enter the season with expectations tall as the Empire State Building to win that elusive big school state title.

They possess an offense that will produce points on the scoreboard. They have a defense that will make life treacherous for opponents. They have a special teams unit immensely experienced. And it is a team that has been territorially built for the last five years in a construction zone ready to be unveiled Thursday night against Akron Buchtel. This is a team that has a chance to unleash a wrecking ball on teams and make a serious playoff push for the first time since 2009.

The Tigers have razed last season's 7-3 record that concluded minus a playoff appearance. Massillon has 14 seniors that the program will lean on in times that are venerable and times that are adversarial. There are six captains who will be the gentlemen that will guide the ark through the high water and waves of the season. And then there is head coach Jason Hall, who has ascended to be a winner as a head coach following a poignant career as a linebacker for Mount Union College in the form that he was a three-time Division III champion linebacker under the revered instruction of head coach Larry Kehres, who is a carpenter of erecting wins and national championships.

The goals of any player who aspires to be a Tiger are to finish the season flawless. Massillon has not punctuated a regular season ending in a zero since 1999 when they turned Fawcett Stadium into their celebratory headquarters by abrogating Canton McKinley's top-ranking in the state with a second-half rout enough to make someone wish Freddy Krueger was absent from their dreams. The 2012 Tigers have the highest chance out of Hall's five years to finish a regular season with 10 victories.

After commencing the season with an exam against Akron Buchtel, the Tigers will travel on rocky terrain with road trips to GlenOak, Maumee, and then welcome back Perry to the schedule for the first time since 2000. Massillon has their final six games in the stadium named after their revered coach. In the case the Tigers were to defeat Steubenville, it will set up the Tigers for what may be a track to an undefeated season as Akron Firestone, Austintown-Fitch, Pauline Johnson (Canada) and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary all invade Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and then concluding with the 122^nd confrontation against Canton McKinley, a team trying to find themselves under first-year chief Todd Filtz after the inane termination of former head coach Ron Johnson

Having said this, this season is solely up to the Tigers and none other than the Massillon Washington Tigers. They have went through offseason workouts, two-a-day practices, and three scrimmages. They have also experienced the pageantry of what comes with the Kickoff Rally on the confines of the Massillon Municipal Government Annex building. What these men instill into this season will define the seniors for the duration of their careers and be a tone-setter for the rest of the players from the freshman to the juniors.

The “Massillon, Ohio, Home of the Tigers” flags are flying on the campus of Massillon Washington High School. Another 36-week school year commences next Monday. And Thursday night will start the 122^nd campaign of Massillon Tigers football.

The preseason is over. Now let the battles begin.

TICKET ANNOUNCEMENT: Glenoak PRE-Ordered Tickets

From the Massillon Ticket Office:

ATTENTION:
If you pre-ordered tickets for the game @ Glenoak you will need to pick up your tickets at the Massillon Ticket office.  THEY WILL NOT BE MAILED.

There are two options to pick up your PRE ORDERED tickets.
1. Pick up at Massillon Ticket office at WHS starting Wednesday 8-22-12
2. Pick up at PBTS Ticket office the night of the Akron Buchtel game AFTER the 2nd Quarter.

Any questions please call the Ticket Office @ 330-830-3901, ext. 51116

Massillon kickoff rally attracts teeming Tigers fans

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—Rallies at the Massillon Municipal Government Annex never become ancient artifacts. They continue to churn out crowd after crowd on a yearly basis.

Whether it is the tiger growl contest, or Fred Berens singing the Massillon Washington alma mater, the band entertaining the crowd along with players and coaches having fun, the memories continue to ascend.

Tonight within the scope of downtown Massillon, the 122^nd edition of the Tigers was welcomed to the annual kickoff rally that featured the voice of the Tigers, Walt Bronczek, ESPN 990's Ray Jeske, Massillon mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry, along with other speakers as the fans took in the fabulous pageantry that defines camaraderie before the commencement of the season.

For Bronczek, this is nothing new to the father of two. Starting his 34^th year as the public address announcer inside Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, he takes venerable pride in the fact that the city of Massillon is vocal about the support of the team and it is not just a one-season basis either.

Massillon football is a 365 days-a-year holiday.

“You know, Massillon football is a family. Every fall, the family comes together every year to kick off the season and get behind the players wearing the orange and black,” he said. “The city of Massillon is a unifying force. It is a force that is for the good and we are very happy with the attendance of this event every year.”

Widely known for his trademark “Heeeeeeeeeeeere's the Tigers” introduction, he has witnessed many players and coaches running through the hoop designed by the Tigers cheerleaders before each home contest.

This season will be one of interest for the heralded veteran. His son, John Henry Bronczek, a sophomore will be running out with the team this year. For Walt, he remembers seeing his son imitate coming out with the team and his dad using his trademark line. Now Walt gets a chance to capture a vista of that moment Thursday night against Akron Buchtel.

“I remember John Henry when he was five, he would pick up a newspaper and run through it and pretend he was running out with the Tigers. Now this is his time to get to do that,” Walt beamed. “I love just how this rally brings Massillon together.

Former Massillon football standout players Andrew Dailey and Tuffy Woods have experienced the glitz and glamour of the kickoff rally under former head coaches Tom Stacy and Rick Shepas respectively.

Woods competed from 2000-2003 while Dailey was a competitor from 2002-2005. Dailey was a member of the revered 2005 team that amassed a school record 13 victories and came within a touchdown of crumbling top-ranked Cincinnati St. Xavier in the Division I state championship.

Though the Tigers dropped a funereal 24-17 decision to the powerful Bombers who had to sweat out what was supposed to be a tailor-made triumph for them, the eldest son of Ted and Natalie Dailey recalled memories of his kickoff rally experience and the 2005 team that was every bit as forceful as advertised.

“The community showed us a lot of support that year. They were our friends and our family. It is the memories of the Massillon family that took us to the 15^th week of that season,” Andrew said. “It has always been full every year and it is the right way to kickoff a season.”

Dailey also has a brother who will be playing for the Tigers. Alex Dailey was just a young cub in the making when his older brother was on the field executing assignments. Now he will have his chance to accomplish that much to Andrew's delight.

“Alex has the heart to play for Massillon. He has what it takes to line up for the Tigers and he will play his hardest,” he said.

“I'll tell you what. I'm excited to be at this rally and it is a right way to start the year. Hopefully this team will have an offense and defense that will be devastating on the field this year,” Woods said. “Massillon to me will always be number one. Win or lose, Massillon always.”

As the game against Akron Buchtel is rapidly formulating on the radar, the team knows that the fun and games will soon cease and it will be time for them to concentrate on a Griffins team that is 2-8 against Massillon since the series resumed in 1999.

Gina Smith, a Massillon native and a graduate of the class of 1998 takes pride in what the 2012 Tigers are capable of accomplishing. She is vividly aware of the ardent excitement that comes with seasons like this and she knows that Massillon not only want to rectify the ending of this past season but also make a deep run that may take them to Fawcett Stadium for a potential shot at a Division I state championship.

As a senior member of the Massillon Tigers swing band, she was a senior when Massillon's 1997 season came to a close with a 27-14 loss to Canton McKinley. She hopes she has a grander return to Fawcett Stadium in 15 weeks but only time will tell if that will come to fruition.

“I really hope we can go all the way. Nothing else can compare to Massillon football. A lot of kids grow up seeing this and they want to be part of this moment and a state title,” she said.

Massillon's senior class were sophomores two years ago when they commenced their season against Akron Buchtel. The Griffins swooped down and left a rancid smell in the form of a 29-13 win at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium that led to the first of two straight seven-win seasons for the Tigers.

For head coach Jason Hall, he is well aware of that. But at the same time, he felt no pressure of taking a high profile job like the Massillon position. When asked if there is anytime he feels pressure as the patriarch and athletic director of a program like the Tigers, he was quick to point out that he doesn't feel any and doesn't expect his players to. And much of that has to do with them being a more relaxed team as his tenure has progressed.

And that goes a long way into how the team will perform through their calm resolve. And that product is the one expected to take the field against the Griffins Thursday night.

“I don't get as nervous about games as you think. This is what makes Massillon go. A community like Massillon that gets behind their team is committed to football on Friday nights,” he said. “A team like us, we are bonded together and we like to have fun. And we want them to have fun and enjoy themselves. On December 19^th, it was our 24 seniors who set the tone in the weight room and our captains saw to that. They did everything as a group and they stuck together as a group.”

Rallies at the Massillon Municipal Government Annex never become ancient artifacts. The memories are pristine relics inherited from one family to another and will always remain passed down to family generations to come.

GETTING TO KNOW: Walt Bronczek

Name: Walt Bronczek.
Position: Massillon public address announcer.
Years in position: 34.
About Massillon Tigers football: It is pride, passion and good things.
Favorite Tigers game: Oh my gosh, the 100^th game vs. Canton McKinley.
Pre-game routine: Two days before a game, I ask an opposing coach for a roster and make sure to get the pronunciations for a player's name right.
One thing no one ever knew about you: I used to eat ice cream every night.
RANDOM ONE LINERS
Massillon, Ohio: City of champions.
Massillon football: Tradition.
Kickoff rally: Starts it all.
Touchdown: Tigers.
Greatness: Passion.
Victory: Sweet.
Defeat: Agony.
Advice for anyone who wants to be a Massillon Tiger: Show that you have an interest in it and invest in it.

2012 Game 1 Preview: Massillon Tigers vs. Akron Buchtel Griffins

Next Massillon Tiger Game: August 23th 2012 - 7:30 PM - Paul Brown Tiger Stadium

vs.

Next Game: 2012 vs. Akron Buchtel

Last Game: Massillon (7-3) lost to Canton McKinley (8-2) 20-23 - GAME STATS

Check Computer Point Standings @ http://www.joeeitel.com/hsfoot/2012region_2.html
avaialable following week 1 completion

Know Your Opponent  - Game #1

Opponent: Akron Buchtel Griffins - (0-0)

Head Coach: Ricky Powers

School: Public

League: Akron City Series - OHSAA DIII Region 9
State Championships: (2) 1987, 1988
State Runner-Up: (3) 1995, 1996, 2010

2011 Record: 6-4

Last Meeting vs. Massillon: Massillon 31 Akron Buchtel 6

Total Record vs. Massillon: Massillon leads series 10-2
Total Scoring: Massillon 372 Akron Buchtel 187
Avg. Score/meeting: Massillon 31 Akron Buchtel 15.5

Key Players to Watch: QB Chris Davis #8, WR Elijah Bell #1 (4yr Starter)

Notes:
Akron Buchtel won the Akron City Series in 2011

Akron Buchtel 2011 Schedule:

@Massillon

@Lakewood St. Edward

@Solon

@Akron Firestone

Akron Garfield

Akron East

@Akron Ellet

Akron North

@Akron Kenmore
@Steubenville

VIDEO

Highlights from the 2011 contest vs. Massillon


Elijah Bell #1 Scouting Video


Chris Davis #8 Scouting Video

2012 Kick Off Rally

The 2012 Massillon Tiger Football Kick Off Rally will be held on August 20th, 2012 at 6:30pm.  All are invited to attend this fun free event in Duncan Plaza.  Following the event the Massillon Museum will provide Tiger Stripe Ice Cream and they will also unveill a new exhibit dedicated to Obie the Tiger.

Bring your family and friends and help us kick off the 2012 season.  See Coach Hall, 2012 Massillon Tigers, Cheerleaders and the newest addition to the Obie family. GO TIGERS!!

Massillon flies over Titans in 24-6 shellacking

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—Kyle Kempt has been through two straight offensive coordinators since his sophomore year as quarterback of the Massillon Tigers.

Now with his third offensive coordinator, he looks poised to reward the faith and trust that head coach Jason Hall has instilled in him along with offensive coordinator and St. Thomas Aquinas graduate Badre Bardawil. And Massillon is determined to fly.

And at the end of the day in game like conditions, Massillon fans departed Paul Brown Tiger Stadium seraphically impressed by the University of Cincinnati recruit as he connected for three touchdown passes to senior receivers Gareon Conley and Brody Tonn spanning 62 and 22 yards respectively and one more to Marcus Whitfield that trekked 31 yards and the Tigers flew early and often to a 24-6 win over the Titans in game-like conditions. What was another aesthetic sight also was the fact that the hosts did not turn the ball over and also recorded a blocked punt for their special teams.

Kyle Kempt drops back and looks for a receiver at Friday's scrimmage
against Lorain.  The Tigers won the scimmage in one half of game
conditions 24-6

For Kempt, he has battled through the trials and tribulations of being the quarterback of this storied program that commenced prep competition in 1894. After learning his lessons as a sophomore and junior, he finally has a grasp on the reins of the Tigers offense much to the pristine delight of Hall.

When asked if the Tigers offensive showing was reminiscent of the 2009 team that averaged 25.7 points with Robert Partridge as quarterback, Hall concurred but also acknowledged that assessment will be time-consuming over the duration of the 2012 campaign while praising his quarterback.

“Yes. Kyle is like a lot of our kids. He put on a lot of muscle weight. Kyle works just as hard as any football player I have had so. He is prepared and mentally focused. He wants to be a special football player for us,” he said. “He will stand in there and deliver the ball and now going into his third year, you can tell by the way he commands the offense. So we are playing like we expect to play.”

Defensively the Tigers were parsimonious and unrelenting as their defensive performance also matched the intensity of their offense, especially in the red zone. The Titans discovered real estate inside the Massillon five-yard line multiple times but only had one score to show for their effort.

Although Steve Kovacs was the defensive coordinator in 2009, Luke Durbin has a group of players that are adept at taking away an opposing team's running game. That will be an inoculating factor to the success of the defense that provided vistas of that state semifinal team that yielded 17.7 points over the course of 14 games three seasons ago.

And with Durbin having a year of experience under his belt and being a former tight ends coach under Tom Stacy and coaching against former defensive line coach Brian Pachis in practices dating back to 2007, he is adeptly prepared to put his defense in a position to bring opposing offenses to a pause.

“Time will tell if our defense was like our 2009 defense. They did make some good plays tonight,” Hall said. “I hope we do play sound defense like that team.”

Truly the major factor to the coaching staff was the addition of Bardawil. An offensive mastermind, Bardawil is a coach who favors an up-tempo offense that does not allow defenses time to get set in their formation that is nearly identical to the run-and-boot offense that Stacy ran for three years as Massillon's admiral from 2005 to 2007.

And in bearing witness to the truth for the Tigers benefit, Hall is ecstatic about Bardawil's presence.

“We have a lot of different tempos. He puts us in the best position to be successful and allows us to play a lot of kids. It's a fun offense and it's good to see our kids having fun because a lot of guys can touch the ball. Like everyone on our staff, Badre is a football gentleman 24/7,” he said.

In two weeks, 72 lights inside Paul Brown Tiger Stadium will shine down on another season when the Griffins from Akron Buchtel High School invade the stadium. Last season, the Tigers wore down the Akron City Series visitors who are two years removed from competing in the Division III state title game in the same facility they lost last season by a final score of 31-6.

The offense is just about in season form but Hall expects to do more fine-tuning and then commence preparations for the challenge of the Griffins and their head coach Ricky Powers, a former standout running back at his alma mater and the University of Michigan.

Only 13 days remain before the season opener.

“We're taking the right steps and we want to make corrections where they need to be made. Once we do that, I think we will be ready for our opener,” Hall attested.

Massillon fans departed Paul Brown Tiger Stadium seraphically impressed by what they saw of the Tigers in their second scrimmage. Whether the Tigers will shine like a white seraph comeAugust 23rd will all hinge if the offense and defense remain in the form displayed against the Titans.

Massillon relishes heavy expectations

Massillon relishes heavy expectations going into 2012 season

By Keno Sultan

CANTON—1:13 remained on the clock and the Massillon Tigers were one defensive stop from a fourth straight return to the OHSAA Division I playoffs and the Victory Bell being annexed from Fawcett Stadium back to the city of Massillon on the strength of an Alex Winters 43-yard touchdown scamper that left Tigers fans feeling euphoric as they assumed a 20-16 lead.

One minute and 13 seconds later, the season was dismissed by virtue of an unlikely Canton McKinley come-from-behind 23-20 victory and the Tigers parted ways on the 2011 season on a two-game losing streak and a second straight seven win season.

Massillon has had nine months to stew over the bitterness of their setback. And now with a new look team and a newly hired offensive mastermind along with vast experience, anything short of a season over seven victories along with beating their archrival Bulldogs including a return to the playoffs will be hotly unacceptable.

“We have 85 players in grades 10 through 12 and 46 freshmen. We were not happy with our season last year ending 7-3, so our kids were not happy and our town was not happy and our kids have shown that by coming in and working out in the mornings and the summer. It's been a tight group,” fifth-year Massillon head coach and former Mount Union College three-time All-American linebacker Jason Hall said to a sturdy crowd at the 33^rd annual high school football preview at St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church inside the cozy confines of the Alex D. Krassas Events Center.

The Tigers this year are a team that will have a knowledgeable grip on what is expected from them on both sides of the ball. New Tigers offensive coordinator Badre Bardawil brings a quick-setting offense that can score points and not allow defenses time to prepare while defensive coordinator Luke Durbin will have a strong defense at his arsenal as he begins his second-year in the position after two successful years as a defensive coordinator at Lake under his father, longtime head coach Jeff Durbin.

Massillon will commence the season Thursday night August 23^rd against an Akron Buchtel team who will be two years removed from competing for a Division III state championship and then they are on the road for the next three weeks against GlenOak, Maumee, and Perry before finishing the season with six straight home contests at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium starting with Steubenville in the fifth week of the season and concluding with the 122^nd meeting against Canton McKinley.

Massillon arrives into the season with two players already committed to their respective colleges with three-year starting quarterback Kyle Kempt verbally committing to Cincinnati and cornerback Gareon Conley making a verbal commitment to Michigan while Kentrell Taylor continues to attract the attention of other schools that are vying for his services. That is an asset for the Tigers but Hall attests games are won by a team, not by individuals.

“We can have a couple good players but you must have a team to play,” Hall explained.

For his fifth installment of the 122^nd Massillon team, Hall will be counting on 14 seniors to lay down the groundwork for this season. They are a team whom Hall has familiarized himself four years ago when they were competing for Massillon Middle School. Senior leadership is an imperative factor to the success and longevity of a team as the season progresses and Hall believes he has the gentlemen to lead the team back to the playoffs after a one-year hiatus.

“Those are the guys that started the offseason and set the tone for the Massillon Tigers this year. We have coaches guiding these men to be outstanding student-athletes,” he said. “We are looking forward to the season.”

Last season, all it took was 1:13 for the 121^st season of Massillon Tigers football to conclude minus a trip to the playoffs. Now the Tigers are primed to make a convincing roar and return to the playoffs after having nine months to stew over departing Fawcett Stadium without a playoff-clinching victory.

New Uniforms - 2012 Home Orange/Orange

Here is a look at the new Massillon Tiger uniforms.

Orange Jersey, Black numbers outlined in white.  Massillon across the chest, Nike logo white under coller.  TV numbers on lower shoulders.  No sleeves trim or coller trim.

Pants solid orange with Nike logo white on Right Front Hip. TIGERS vertically printed down the right side of the pants. Nothing on the left side of pants.

Massillon Tiger Gear 2012 by NIKE

BSN Sports presents 2012 Massillon Tiger gear by NIKE.  This is the first step in many cool things coming in the near future for our Massillon Tigers.  Get your Tiger gear TODAY.

This online store will accept orders until August 15th.  Your order will be shipped directly to the address of your choosing 2 weeks after the closing of the intial order process (Aug. 15th).

Click on the link below to see the flyer.
Massillon Tiger Gear 2012 from Nike

All gear you see here will be available at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium on game nights along with some new items for later in the season.
Keep in mind that the Tigers are on the road 3 out of the first 4 weeks so your opportunity to by this gear in person will be signifigantly delayed.

Click on thet link below to order online
ORDER 2012 Massillon Tiger Gear from NIKE

Access Code: tigers2RY

For additional questions regarding Massillon Tiger Gear from BSN Sports please contact.

Todd Northrop
tnorthrop@bsnsports.com


Thanks to BSN Sports for their efforts and support of Massillon Tiger athletics.

Go Tigers!!