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Do IT this week: Layering
Massillon's defense strong. Bulldogs turn ball over 3 times, don't finish drives
By Jim Isabella
Special to the Beacon Journal
Published on Sunday, Nov 22, 2009
Massillon coach Jason Hall wanted his defense to make Canton McKinley a one-dimensional offense.
That is exactly what the Tigers and defensive back Tyler Miller did in defeating the Bulldogs 10-7 in the Division I regional final Saturday night at InfoCision Stadium on the University of Akron campus before a reported crowd of 13,121.
Massillon will play in the Division I state semifinal against Glenville, a 28-27 winner over Solon, 7 p.m. Saturday night again at InfoCision.
It has been defense that has put the Tigers into the state's final four, which is what the 119th meeting between the teams boiled down to. Miller's interception, his second of the game, at the Massillon 2-yard line with 33 seconds left stopped a frantic rally by McKinley trying for the winning touchdown instead of setting up a tying field goal on a third-and-5 at the Tigers 17.
''We wanted to stop [Bryce] Wilder and make their quarterback [Kyle Ohradzansky] beat us. He is capable of doing that, but we wanted to stop Wilder,'' Hall said.
The Bulldogs looked like they were doomed as the Tigers took nearly seven minutes off the clock and drove to the McKinley 6-yard line, but as senior quarterback Robert Patridge was heading into the end zone, he fumbled at the 1 and it went out of the end zone for a touchback.
Then Ohradzansky hit two passes, scrambled 16 yards and Wilder broke off a 19-yard run to the Massillon 22 before the interception.
The Tigers got on the scoreboard on their second possession of the game, a masterful mix of run and pass. The 10-play, 69 drive was capped by a 1-yard run by Jake Reiman, set up by two bubble screens from Partridge to junior wide receiver Justin Olack covering 18 and 16 yards, respectively.
Massillon had a chance to go up by two scores on its third possession, which covered 47 yards on 11 plays. Tiger kicker Jeremy Geier's kick from 34 yards away on the right hash mark hit the left upright and bounced away.
However, Geier got another chance and he hit the 21-yard kick for a 10-0 lead with 4:04 left in the first half to finish a 40-yard, 9-play drive.
McKinley was in deep trouble, as Massillon had run 35 plays to just 16 for the Bulldogs and had just 33 offensive yards to the Tigers' 186.
The Bulldogs finally responded with a 63-yard, 14-play drive with clutch play from Ohradzansky. The junior quarterback scrambled three times, twice on fourth downs to keep the drive alive, ending it with an 8-yard pass to wide open Angelo Powell in the left side of the end zone and James Forsythe's point after kick with just eight seconds left in the first half to cut the Massillon lead to 10-7.
It was the end of a five-game winning streak the Bulldogs had pulled off after a stunning loss to North Canton Hoover in Week 8. It also was painful, as the Bulldogs turned the ball over three times.
''Happy and sad are emotions that are fleeting. Pride and disappointment last a long time,'' McKinley coach Ron Johnson said. ''Tonight we did things that we had not done the last few weeks: turn the ball over and not finish drives.''
Massillon coach Jason Hall wanted his defense to make Canton McKinley a one-dimensional offense.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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N. Canton, Oh
Posted 06:54 AM, 11/22/2009
Yeah!!!! Go Tigers!!!!
Akron, OH
Posted 11:24 AM, 11/22/2009
Here's hoping that the classy coach prevails next week. Show these win-at-all-costs guys how it's done, Ted Sr.
N. Canton, Oh
Posted 11:57 AM, 11/24/2009
Awesome Game!!!! Lets go this week TIG-ERS!!!!!
WE ARE MASSILLON!
