DB135
10-12-2008, 07:23 AM
http://www.tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/512167.html?nav=5024
Massillon takes care of Harding, 30-7
By MIKE MCLAIN Tribune Chronicle POSTED: October 12, 2008
WARREN - On paper it seemed like an even contest.
On the playing field it wasn't that close.
Warren G. Harding and Massillon Washington had identical 4-3 records entering a game Saturday at Mollenkopf Stadium. Among losses for both teams were identical 49-7 defeats to Cleveland St. Ignatius.
Yet when the final whistle sounded, Massillon headed home with a convincing 30-7 win. The outcome was never in doubt after the Tigers opened a 17-0 halftime lead.
"I feel like I did against Ursuline," Harding coach DJ Dota said in reference to the Raiders' 33-7 loss to the Irish. "It was the type of game where we made mistakes at critical times. We moved the ball fairly well, but we didn't come away with points like we should have."
The Tigers received a big game from senior running back JT Turner, who gained 212 yards on 21 carries and scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal the win.
The Raiders weren't able to match the Tigers' ground game. While Massillon churned out 233 rushing yards, Harding managed just 42. The Raiders' only touchdown came on a 25-yard pass from Aunre Davis to Sergio Allen in the fourth quarter.
The win was the first at Mollenkopf Stadium in the last 22 years for the Tigers. Massillon is 1-4 here since the '86 season.
"You have to come and show up, just like you would at home," Tigers coach Jason Hall said. "I thought our kids did a good job of that."
The Tigers took a 3-0 lead on a 30-yard field goal by Jeremy Geier in the first quarter. Momentum tilted heavily towards the Tigers later in the first period when Bo Grunder picked up a punt that had almost rolled to a stop and ran 62 yards for a touchdown. Geier's point-after kick gave the Tigers a 10-0 lead.
"You have to be a smart player," Hall said. "I think he (Grunder) saw he had an opportunity, and he took it. When I talked to him, I told him that it could have been a negative, too. You just have to be smart. Knowing what Bo Grunder means to our team, you saw he's electric. He makes big plays on both sides of the ball."
Grunder's return had to be difficult to watch from the Harding sideline.
"Our guys were waiting for it to be downed, and the kid kind of picked it up as we were going down," Dota said. "I'd have to see it on film to know exactly what happened."
That one play wasn't the difference in the outcome. The Tigers had a 387-201 advantage in total yards. Many of Harding's yards came when it was forced to pass in the second half.
"Offensively we had our shots," Dota said. "We moved the ball and then we stalled out when we needed to capitalize. We had times in the first half when we could hav e drove down and put points on the board, but we came up short."
Turner proved to be a big advantage for the Tigers. He showed speed and an ability to read the blocking and make proper decisions.
"He was a guy all week we said we couldn't give him any air," Dota said. "If we gave him space, he would cause problems. He's a really good football player."
The Tigers followed Grunder's punt return with an 8-yard touchdown run by quarterback Robert Partridge to take a 17-point halftime lead.
Davis' touchdown pass to Allen came after a scoreless third quarter. The Tigers scored four plays later on a 2-yard run by Turner. Grunder took a Partridge pass 58 yards one play before the touchdown.
Turner added the final touchdown on a 38-yard run.
Harding returns to action Friday at home against Youngstown East.
Akr. Ellet 50, Akr. North 14
Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 24, Tiffin Calvert 13
Bowerston Conotton Valley 54, Strasburg-Franklin 25
Cin. St. Xavier 13, Lakewood St. Edward 3
Cle. JFK 34, Cle. Lincoln W. 0
Cle. St. Ignatius 50, Cin. La Salle 0
Cols. St. Charles 31, Steubenville Cath. Cent. 20
Day. Chaminade-Julienne 14, Day. Carroll 13
Day. Dunbar 21, Cin. Taft 14
E. Cle. Shaw 42, Lorain Southview 12
Euclid 24, Shaker Hts. 21
Garfield Hts. Trinity 33, Cle. Cent. Cath. 12
Hudson WRA 34, North Shore Country Day, Ill. 6
Hunting Valley University 28, Warren JFK 17
Lima Cent. Cath. 31, Bluffton 0
Linsly, W.Va. 40, Lore City Buckeye Trail 0
Massillon Washington 30, Warren Harding 7
Parma Normandy 35, Lyndhurst Brush 14
Parma Padua 35, Cle. VASJ 7
Tol. Start 42, Tol. Libbey 0
Warren De La Salle, Mich. 17, Cols. Watterson 13
Youngs. Christian 28, Southington Chalker 14
Youngs. Mooney 33, Akr. SVSM 7
Zanesville Rosecrans 46, Bellaire St. John 7
Massillon takes care of Harding, 30-7
By MIKE MCLAIN Tribune Chronicle POSTED: October 12, 2008
WARREN - On paper it seemed like an even contest.
On the playing field it wasn't that close.
Warren G. Harding and Massillon Washington had identical 4-3 records entering a game Saturday at Mollenkopf Stadium. Among losses for both teams were identical 49-7 defeats to Cleveland St. Ignatius.
Yet when the final whistle sounded, Massillon headed home with a convincing 30-7 win. The outcome was never in doubt after the Tigers opened a 17-0 halftime lead.
"I feel like I did against Ursuline," Harding coach DJ Dota said in reference to the Raiders' 33-7 loss to the Irish. "It was the type of game where we made mistakes at critical times. We moved the ball fairly well, but we didn't come away with points like we should have."
The Tigers received a big game from senior running back JT Turner, who gained 212 yards on 21 carries and scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal the win.
The Raiders weren't able to match the Tigers' ground game. While Massillon churned out 233 rushing yards, Harding managed just 42. The Raiders' only touchdown came on a 25-yard pass from Aunre Davis to Sergio Allen in the fourth quarter.
The win was the first at Mollenkopf Stadium in the last 22 years for the Tigers. Massillon is 1-4 here since the '86 season.
"You have to come and show up, just like you would at home," Tigers coach Jason Hall said. "I thought our kids did a good job of that."
The Tigers took a 3-0 lead on a 30-yard field goal by Jeremy Geier in the first quarter. Momentum tilted heavily towards the Tigers later in the first period when Bo Grunder picked up a punt that had almost rolled to a stop and ran 62 yards for a touchdown. Geier's point-after kick gave the Tigers a 10-0 lead.
"You have to be a smart player," Hall said. "I think he (Grunder) saw he had an opportunity, and he took it. When I talked to him, I told him that it could have been a negative, too. You just have to be smart. Knowing what Bo Grunder means to our team, you saw he's electric. He makes big plays on both sides of the ball."
Grunder's return had to be difficult to watch from the Harding sideline.
"Our guys were waiting for it to be downed, and the kid kind of picked it up as we were going down," Dota said. "I'd have to see it on film to know exactly what happened."
That one play wasn't the difference in the outcome. The Tigers had a 387-201 advantage in total yards. Many of Harding's yards came when it was forced to pass in the second half.
"Offensively we had our shots," Dota said. "We moved the ball and then we stalled out when we needed to capitalize. We had times in the first half when we could hav e drove down and put points on the board, but we came up short."
Turner proved to be a big advantage for the Tigers. He showed speed and an ability to read the blocking and make proper decisions.
"He was a guy all week we said we couldn't give him any air," Dota said. "If we gave him space, he would cause problems. He's a really good football player."
The Tigers followed Grunder's punt return with an 8-yard touchdown run by quarterback Robert Partridge to take a 17-point halftime lead.
Davis' touchdown pass to Allen came after a scoreless third quarter. The Tigers scored four plays later on a 2-yard run by Turner. Grunder took a Partridge pass 58 yards one play before the touchdown.
Turner added the final touchdown on a 38-yard run.
Harding returns to action Friday at home against Youngstown East.
Akr. Ellet 50, Akr. North 14
Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 24, Tiffin Calvert 13
Bowerston Conotton Valley 54, Strasburg-Franklin 25
Cin. St. Xavier 13, Lakewood St. Edward 3
Cle. JFK 34, Cle. Lincoln W. 0
Cle. St. Ignatius 50, Cin. La Salle 0
Cols. St. Charles 31, Steubenville Cath. Cent. 20
Day. Chaminade-Julienne 14, Day. Carroll 13
Day. Dunbar 21, Cin. Taft 14
E. Cle. Shaw 42, Lorain Southview 12
Euclid 24, Shaker Hts. 21
Garfield Hts. Trinity 33, Cle. Cent. Cath. 12
Hudson WRA 34, North Shore Country Day, Ill. 6
Hunting Valley University 28, Warren JFK 17
Lima Cent. Cath. 31, Bluffton 0
Linsly, W.Va. 40, Lore City Buckeye Trail 0
Massillon Washington 30, Warren Harding 7
Parma Normandy 35, Lyndhurst Brush 14
Parma Padua 35, Cle. VASJ 7
Tol. Start 42, Tol. Libbey 0
Warren De La Salle, Mich. 17, Cols. Watterson 13
Youngs. Christian 28, Southington Chalker 14
Youngs. Mooney 33, Akr. SVSM 7
Zanesville Rosecrans 46, Bellaire St. John 7