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Welcome Home - Victory Bell 2012

2012 Stark County H.S. Football Hall of Fame

VOTE FOR MASSILLON TIGERS

Travis McGuire
Justin Zwick
Shawn Crable

CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE


Drop off a print ballot (it will appear in The Repository) at The Rep's front desk during normal business hours.
• Mail your print ballot to PREPHOF, 500 Market Ave. S, Canton, OH 44702.
Photocopies of the print ballot will not be accepted. Votes must be received no later than Nov. 28 at noon.

2012 Stark County Player of the Year: Kyle Kempt

 

 Todd Porter

Todd.Porter@cantonrep.com

Updated: Wednesday, November 21, 2012

 

Massillon quarterback Kyle Kempt. REPOSITORY MICHAEL S. BALASH

 

To understand the beautiful mind, and to appreciate the work ethic of the kid quarterback, you have to understand his genes. You have to

understand not just where his old man came from, but how he fought his way out.

And when you do, then you’ll know why Kyle Kempt kept getting back up after being knocked down. Then you’ll know why he worked harder when his confidence was rocked. Respect isn’t given. It’s earned. Nothing has ever been given to Massillon’s senior quarterback.

Kempt will leave as Washington High School’s most prolific passer after a high school career that started in Oregon and ended in Massillon, a place he wondered about as a middle school player 2,300 miles away. His 3,056 yards this season set a Massillon record. In three seasons as a Tiger, Kempt threw for 6,034 career yards, also a school record and 47 yards shy of Stark County’s all-time mark.

Read the rest of the story here: http://fridaynightohio.com/news/2012-stark-county-player-year-kyle-kempt

DOWN AND OUT: Massillon's season concludes in a startling avalanche of mistakes

By Keno Sultan

MANSFIELD—Massillon landed an early bomb in two plays that stunned the two-time defending Region 2 champion Toledo Whitmer Panthers when Kyle Kempt was on target with a 54-yard touchdown pass to Gareon Conley to set the tone early for the Tigers.

Toledo Whitmer only got off the canvas and responded in a resounding manner.

Fueled by a Marcus Whitfield dropped punt that was recovered in the end zone by Keith Howell for a touchdown along with a chain reaction of dropped touchdown passes by receivers in the end zone along with an assortment of personal fouls and warnings including the inability to contain quarterback Nick Holley and the Panthers running game, Massillon's season came to a grisly end in front of 12,000 fans in the form of an unforgiving 49-16 loss in the Division I, Region 3 championship contest at Arlin Field in Mansfield.

For the Tigers, this may have been their best and one shot to return to the Division I championship game. And it only hurts worse in the fact that their longtime nemesis and defending Division I champion Cleveland St. Ignatius was topped by Mentor, who will challenge the Panthers in next Saturday's Division I state semifinals.

It marked Whitmer's third straight triumph over Massillon as they kept their flawless record in tact at 13-0 while Massillon saw a season with high hopes conclude at 11-2. When asked if his team was irascible at the fact they trailed early in the contest, first-year Panthers boss Jerry Bell did not buy that his team was irritated being behind early.

15 weeks We're not finished!!!

http://youtu.be/4oS21w_ohMA

Tiger fans REPRESENT tonight for these kids!!!!

2012 NEO Inland All-District Team

The 2012 Associated Press Ohio Northeast Inland All-District

 

DIVISION I

First Team

OFFENSE: Ends_Alex Alders, Macedonia Nordonia, 6-1, 185, soph.; Austin Feinberg, North Canton Hoover, 6-0, 172, sr.; Jeff Richardson, Canton McKinley, 5-9, 145, sr.; Gareon Conley, Massillon Washington, 6-2, 175, sr. Linemen_Nathaniel Devers, Massillon Washington, 6-5, 273, jr.; Jason Idoine, Hudson, 6-4, 235, sr.; Cameron Bell, Macedonia Nordonia, 6-7, 330, soph. Quarterbacks_Dom Iero, North Canton Hoover, 6-0, 175, sr.; Kyle Kempt, Massillon Washington, 6-5, 200, sr.; Eric Glover-Williams, Canton McKinley, 5-10, 155, soph.; Matt Futkos, Austintown Fitch, 5-11, 192, sr. Backs_LeShun Daniels, Warren Harding, 6-0, 220, sr.; Sam Woods, North Canton Hoover, 6-0, 180, sr. Kicker_Pierce Royster, Hudson, 5-10, 165, jr.

DEFENSE: Linemen_Patrick Benson, Canton GlenOak, 6-2, 215, sr.; Antoine Miles, Canton McKinley, 6-3, 250, sr.; Billy Price, Austintown Fitch, 6-4, 312, sr.; Adam Coberly, Hudson, 6-2, 210, sr.; Cameron Dial, Twinsburg, 6-2, 225, jr. Linebackers_Kentrell Taylor, Massillon Washington, 6-1, 225, sr.; Troy Lowe, Canton McKinley, 5-11, 225, sr.; Tre'Vontae Jackson, Canton McKinley, 6-1, 210, sr.; Charlie Dear, Massillon Jackson, 6-0, 210, sr.; Raymond Wesley, Canton GlenOak, 6-0, 210, sr.; Justin Babos, Boardman, 6-2, 230, sr.; Ben Gedeon, Hudson, 6-2, 220, sr.; Nick Winkler, Wadsworth, 5-9, 168, jr. Backs_Luke Grandjean, North Canton Hoover, 6-3, 170, jr.; Devon Allen, Massillon Perry, 6-0, 210, sr.; Keith Lawrence, Austintown Fitch, 5-10, 150, sr.; Jalyn Powell, Warren Harding, 6-2, 190, sr. Punter_Tyler Alders, Macedonia Nordonia, 6-2, 205, sr.

Offensive player of the year: Dom Iero, North Canton Hoover.

Defensive player of the year: Billy Price, Austintown Fitch.

Coach of the year: Steve Arnold, Warren Harding.

What am I?? TIG or ERS???

At the Booster Club meeting tonight we again were reminded by Coach Hall how much the players, coaches, etc. feed off of the TIG>>>  ERS>>>  chant.  When it is in unison and organized like it was against McK in week 10 it can be a huge up lifting for our players.

So, in an effort of support for our hard working Massillon Tiger Cheerleaders I have constructed a map as a guide for Saturday's game to make sure that we are UNITED, LOUD and PROUD.

Please feel free to share this with your friends and family who are attending and plan on not coming home with a voice. 

So WHAT AM I???

Massillon will be the HOME team so we will be seated on the HOME side of the field.  Please note the arrangement of the field in the picture and where you will be seated at the game.  All seats are general admisson so take note of where you are relative to our handy little map.

WHBC All County Team 2012

WHBC All County Class of 2012

2012 ALL COUNTY TEAM: DEFENSE
DL ANTOINE MILES MCKINLEY 6’3 250 SR
DL TYLER BOWMAN NORTHWEST 6’3 250 SR
DL ANDREW ONABIYI LAKE 6’3 250 SR
DL PATRICK BENSON GLENOAK 6’2 210 SR
DL JO JO TAYSE PERRY 6’0 225 SR
LB KENTRELL TAYLOR MASSILLON 6’1 225 SR
LB SAM GROFF SANDY VALLEY 6’2 195 SR
LB CHARLIE DEAR JACKSON 5’11 205 SR
LB CORY STUFFELBEAM CENTRAL CATHOLIC 6’2 210 SR
LB TROY LOWE MCKINLEY 5’10 220 SR
DB GAREON CONLEY MASSILLON 6’2 175 SR
DB JOSIAH MOORE ST. THOMAS 5’7 165 SR
DB DYMONTE THOMAS MARLINGTON 6’1 190 SR
DB KYLE CRITES LAKE 5’11 170 SR
DB ERIC GLOVER-WILLIAMS MCKINLEY 5’9 160 SO
P DOM IERO HOOVER 5’11 180 SR

2012 ALL COUNTY TEAM: OFFENSE
TE JOEL RICH ST. THOMAS 6’4 230 SR
WR NOAH MALLEN MINERVA 6’2 185 SR
WR JEFF RICHARDSON MCKINLEY 5’10 155 SR
WR AUSTIN FEINBERG HOOVER 6’1 180 SR
OT JIM HAMMENTREE HOOVER 6’2 260 SR
OT CHASE LASH MASSILLON 6’4 290 JR
OG NATHANIEL DEVERS MASSILLON 6’4 280 JR
OG TIM MOODY CENTRAL CATHOLIC 6’3 235 SR
C MASON BUTLER MINERVA 6’3 285 JR
QB KYLE KEMPT MASSILLON 6’5 215 SR
RB BRYAN WILKINS ST. THOMAS 6’1 195 SR
RB JOSH KENNY CANTON SOUTH 6’1 230 SR
RB MATT BLASIOLE LAKE 5’10 185 JR
RB RYNE MOORE MASSILLON 5’8 180 SR
K ANDREW DAVID MASSILLON 5’9 160 SO

Tiger Legacy - Opening November 18th 2012

The Massillon Museum is having the opening for the Tiger Legacy Project photo exhibit this Sunday, November 18th from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.

The Massillon Museum, in partnership with Kent State University, is proud to introduce “Tiger Legacy” a community storytelling project that depicts culture of high school football through the spirit, passion, dedication and tradition of one the most storied programs in the United States: The Massillon Tigers.

 http://www.tigerlegacy.net/

Booster Club Busses to Mansfield

The Booster Club is once again chartering a bus to Mansfield for the playoff game against Toledo Whitmer Saturday night @7pm.

The bus will leave from Town Plaza at 4pm. The cost of the bus ticket is $25 and does not include game ticket.

Bus tickets can be purchased throughout the week at Kellers Office Furniture or by calling Bill Brown at 330-704-2548.

Go Tigers! Beat Whitmer!

Massillon vs. Toledo Whitmer - PLAYOFF TICKET INFORMATION

The next playoff game will be Saturday, Nov. 17^th at 7:00 pm

at Mansfield’s Arlin Field

All tickets will be general admission - $7.00 each – cash only

TICKET OFFICE HOURS FOR THE WEEK:

MONDAY – No ticket sales

TUESDAY – 7:30 am – 7:00 pm at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Ticket Office: 

Team/Band/Cheerleader Parents, Season Ticket Holders,                                                                                             & MCS Staff Season Ticket Holders only (Must show orange playoff card)

WEDNESDAY – 7:30 am – 7:00 pm at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Ticket Office:

Public Sales

THURSDAY – 7:30 am – 3:00 pm at WHS Ticket Office:

Public Sales

FRIDAY – 7:30 am – 1:00 pm at WHS Ticket Office:

Public Sales

COMMENTARY: No excuses...Massillon is the better team

By Keno Sultan

KENT—On May 15, 2004, Antonio Tarver said 16 words that were directed toward his Florida boxing rival, WBC light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. with referee Jay Nady standing between both gentlemen

“Yes I have a question. You got any excuses tonight Roy? You got any excuses tonight?”

The same question might as well be directed toward Canton McKinley.

Ok, it may be understandable that the Bulldogs may have gotten a case of stage fright in their 37-29 loss to Massillon and were a sickened team poisoned by a 24-0 malady like a virus entering the human body in the first half. It may also be understandable that the Bulldogs were not at full strength on that week 10 afternoon at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.

Tonight at Dix Stadium in Kent, a knowledgeable formality was palpable on the confines of the campus of Kent State University. The Massillon Tigers are better than the Canton McKinley Bulldogs. And if anyone is looking for an excuse to why the Bulldogs are hibernating till the summer, keep them in your pocket because the Tigers do not want to hear the excuses. No instant replay needed. Simply put, Massillon is the better of the two teams especially in the playoffs, where they have terminated Canton McKinley's season an astonishing five out of six times.

TERRIFIC TIMES TWO! MASSILLON TERMINATES RIVAL TO ADVANCE TO REGIONAL FINAL

KENT—The Massillon Tigers do not accept excuses or do they want to hear them. And Canton McKinley will have none to offer after tonight.

For the fifth time in six attempts, the Tigers found real estate against their rival in the playoffs. And this time, they left no doubt as to who the better team is between them and the Bulldogs in front of a large crowd at Dix Stadium on the campus of Kent State University.

Powered by the bulk of their feared rushing attack with Ryne Moore churning up yardage against the vicious Bulldogs defense with the help of the massive offensive line in the form of 227 yards on 37 carries and on the strength of two Kyle Kempt touchdown passes, Massillon sent Canton McKinley into hibernation until summer a 28-19 triumph to advance to next Saturday's Division I region 2 final for the first time since the 2009 season against Toledo Whitmer, the defending two-time regional champion who defeated Hudson in the other semifinal 33-28 at a place to be determined.

Tigers head coach Jason Hall joined former Massillon head coaches Leo Strang and Rick Shepas to defeat the Bulldogs twice in the same season but for Hall, he is 2-0 against Canton McKinley in the playoffs.

“Our kids kept fighting and fighting. We're a good team,” he said. “It's not easy beating a team twice and playing them twice in the same season. Our kids were focused. Now we have to get ready and have a good week of practice this week.”

Ryne Moore scored two touchdowns spanning one and two yards while Kyle Kempt added touchdown passes of nine yards to Beau Huffman and 48 yards to Gareon Conley for the 11-1 Tigers. The 7-3 Bulldogs were paced by Eric Glover-Williams three touchdowns, a 34-yard pass to Terrance Burt and two one-yard touchdown runs.

 

They don't respect YOU! It is time they DO!

A picture of the class of Canton McKinley fans.  Posted from their Facebook page CantonMcKinley.com

 

Make Every Minute Count

 

 

 

COMMENTARY: Hall's take charge attitude engulfs the Tigers family

By Keno Sultan

MASSILLON—Three years ago, Massillon Tigers fans were being disrespected before a regional final.

What transpired before the Tigers Division I, Region 2 final against Canton McKinley was a vista to always be planted in the minds of Massillon fans.

Hall witnessed what was occurring. In an immediate response to the misconduct that a number of Canton McKinley fans were showing to Massillon before the game, Hall immediately accosted then-Bulldogs field admiral Ron Johnson and had words for him. Though no one knows what was said between the two, it was around the lines of Hall charismatically admonishing Johnson to tell Bulldogs fans to stop with the disrespecting of his team's fans.

Bearing witness to this even if it be for my benefit or detriment, it set a tone that was palpable on the Tigers sideline and cheering section at InfoCision Stadium in Akron. Massillon accomplished what only Mike Currence, Rick Shepas, and Tom Stacy were able to execute: shelving the season of Canton McKinley in the playoffs. In 2009, Hall joined these coaches in that fraternity as his defense, emaciated for most of the second half blocked a Bulldogs field goal and intercepted two passes in the end zone, one near the end of the game to lock down a 10-7 triumph to avenge a 35-21 regular season loss at Fawcett Stadium.

 

Hall however has a chance to accomplish what only Leo Strang and Shepas perfected: defeating Canton McKinley twice in a single season. And with the charismatic fire he has inoculated into his battalion, you cannot count out the possibility of that happening.

Massillon vs. McKinley II - Playoff Ticket and Location Info

Massillon vs. McKinley II - Saturday November 10, 2012 @ Kent State University DIX STADIUM


Ticket Office Hours for the week:

ALL TICKETS GENERAL ADMISSION - $7 each - CASH ONLY

Monday - No Ticket Sales

Tuesday - 7:30am - 7:00pm at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Ticket Office: Team/Band/Cheerleader Parents, Season Ticket Holders & Massillon City Schools Staff Season Ticket Holders ONLY
YOU MUST HAVE YOUR ORANGE PLAYOFF CARD

Wednesday - 7:30am -7:00pm at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Ticket Office - PUBLIC SALES

Thursday - 7:30am -7:00pm at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium Ticket Office - PUBLIC SALES

Friday - 7:30am - 7:00pm at Washington High School Ticket Office - PUBLIC SALES

Please direct any questions to:

Ticket Office Supervisor: Michelle Wolfe
Phone 330-830-3901, ext. 51116
FAX (330) 830-2359
Email mwolfe@massillon.sparcc.org

UNDEFEATED AT HOME! Massillon records first undefeated season at home since 2009, turns sights toward Canton McKinley

By Keno Sultan

 

MASSILLON—Jason Hall has never wielded a sword or an ax in his life but he knows how to concoct undefeated magic in a non-medieval society.

 

The fifth-year field wizard of the Massillon Tigers was in his second year atop the Tigers program in 2009 when his second installment of his team completed an undefeated season by downing North Canton Hoover and two-time Mr. Football winner Erick Mydell Howard 17-10 in a first round playoff game.

 

Once again, the Tigers kept Paul Brown Tiger Stadium neat and tidy against their first-round Division I, Region 2 opponent in the Nordonia Knights.

 

 

Massillon stormed out to a swift 14-0 lead and overcame an interception returned for a touchdown and dropped the guillotine on the visitors by virtue of a 49-27 scoring edge the rest of the way for a 63-34 execution of the 8-3 Knights and complete an 8-0 record at home for the second time in three years under Hall's guidance and ran their winning streak to nine while improving to 10-1 on the season.

 

Up next for the Tigers is a familiar acquaintance eight miles to the east. At press time, Canton McKinley shipwrecked the season of North Canton Hoover 36-29 to set up the 123^rd meeting between the two rivals in a regional semifinal at a place to be determined next Saturday at 7 p.m. It will be a rematch of the week 10 confrontation seized by the Tigers 37-29. Only this time, one team will take one step toward a Division I state title while the other will not see the field again until next August.

 

“We will have our players enjoy this win for 24 hours and then we will start preparing for Canton McKinley. Both teams know what the other is capable of doing,” Hall said of the impending matchup with the 8-2 Bulldogs. “It should be a great game.”

 

Nordonia won the toss but deferred to the second half, which ended up being an egregious gamble. All it took was two plays for the hosts to find the end zone when University of Cincinnati recruit Kyle Kempt connected on a 57-yard pass to junior Marcus Whitfield and then to senior Gareon Conley on a 28-yard touchdown pass and with only 22 seconds completed, Massillon led 7-0. The Tigers third possession was even grander following the recovery of a Knights fumble when in four plays, Ryne Moore scored on a one-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead.

 

“We'll take the ball. That is our mindset. We'll take our chances and we played well,” Hall said.

 

Nordonia had one foot already in the grave and the Tigers were ready to bury their foes and throw the earth on their grave the ground when a bizarre change of events happened. A Kempt pass for Beau Huffman was intercepted by cornerback Nick Rezek, who returned the theft of the pass for a 64-yard touchdown, giving the Knights new momentum as they trailed by seven midway through the first quarter.

 

It only made the Tigers viscerally angry. Massillon shrugged off the turnover as if it were a fly in the air with a 10-play drive highlighted by two Knights personal fouls on late hits and left the Knights gasping for air when Moore scored his second of three touchdowns with a five-yard run to re-extend Massillon's advantage to 14 at 21-7 with 2:17 left in the first quarter.

 

That marked the commencing of the elimination of the Knights.

 

“When that happened, we were upset about it. Rezec made a good break on the ball. We just shrugged it off and wanted to go back down and score,” Kempt said.

 

“We had a pass returned for six points and we still responded with a score of our own,” Hall said.

 

Massillon used a 28-7 second quarter to effectively vanquish the Knights. Conley scored two touchdowns on a reverse to begin the second quarter and a one-yard touchdown catch sandwiched between a 16-yard touchdown catch from Marcus Whitfield and another five-yard touchdown run by Moore.

 

Kempt was 11 of 18 for 243 yards and three touchdowns against one interception and Moore rushed 19 times for 102 yards. The Tigers defense was every bit as carnivorous in forcing three turnovers in the form of recovered Nordonia fumbles.

 

“I thought our kids played well for the most part. Our kids came out ready to play and our defense played really well tonight. We got to play a lot of the younger kids,” Hall said before getting emotional. “We told the seniors that this was their last game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium and you will remember the first time you took this field and the last time you take this field. This night was about our seniors.”

 

Tyler Alders of Nordonia completed 19 passes on 32 attempts for 202 yards and two touchdowns (one rushing) against one interception, coming from Massillon's Dillon Cowan. Jordan Nobles rushed 21 times for 107 yards for the Knights, who ended their season 8-3.

 

“I know Nordonia kids. They are tough kids and they fought to the end,” said Hall, who coached one year at the school.

 

For the Tigers, they have the makings of a team that can mount a serious threat toward winning their first state playoff title. This is a team at the start of the season that drew comparisons to the 2009 team that reached the Division I state semifinals.

 

When asked if this feeling was more gratifying than accomplishing an undefeated home season three years ago, Hall politely deferred the question.

 

“We're still on a journey. This team is still a progress. We have heard all the comparisons to our team and that 2009 team,” he said. “This is still the 2012 Massillon Tigers.”

 

Jason Hall has never wielded a sword or an ax in his life but for the second time in four years, he devised the concoction that allowed his Tigers to display their wizardry in the translation of an undefeated season at home and a second tilt with Canton McKinley.

 

 

PLAY OF THE GAME: Kempt's 28-yard touchdown pass to Conley

 

MASSILLON—Blitz Kyle Kempt at your own volition. However if they score, it's a conviction scored for the offensive jury of 11 Tigers with Kempt as the judge.

 

He is used to beating blitzes and he did so once again on the Tigers opening possession finding Gareon Conley for a 28-yard touchdown and a tone-setting 7-0 lead 22 seconds into their Division I, Region 2 quarterfinal and the eventual dismissal of the Nordonia Knights.

 

Conley could not help but admire his teammate's ability to decipher blitzes and render them ineffective as he has accomplished throughout the season.

 

“It was a fade corner and the cornerback bit on it. It was a TD pass right where it needed to be,” Conley said. “Kyle has been playing effectively well and we both complement each other. I really like playing with him.”

 

Blitz Kyle Kempt at your own volition but know every touchdown thrown by Kempt is a guilty verdict for defenses who are unsuccessful.

 

 

 

 

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