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| (Rotary Club of Canton) |
By Gene Simmons
Week 10 of high school football has arrived; most teams rival week before heading into the postseason. One particular matchup is the 2024 edition of 'The War of 1894' taking place in Massillon, Ohio, home of the Massillon Washington Tigers, inside the historic Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
The rivalry started in 1894, with Massillon leading the series record 76-53-5 and winning the last eight meetings and nine in the last 10 years.
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| (Gene Simmons ~ Ohsfbmedia.com file photo) |
Nate Moore will lead the Tigers into battle with a series record of 8-1; his only loss came in 2015 (first year as head coach) against then head coach for Canton Mckinley, Dan Reardon, who is now the head football coach of Youngstown Ursuline.
Moore coming in with a 7-2 record on the season, playing pretty much a national schedule, seeing teams from New Jersey, Maryland, and Texas, and playing a historic game in Oregon speaks volumes about where he has taken the program since his arrival.
Bulldog alum and Head Coach Antonio Hall will lead the Bulldogs for a 4th consecutive season, going winless in the prior three contests. Hall, who is no stranger to this rivalry, was a starter on the Bulldog 1997 USA Today National Championship team and OHSAA State Champion under then coach Thom McDaniels.
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| (Gene Simmons ~ Ohsfbmedia.com file photo) |
What's at stake
For Massillon a win or loss will not affect their position as they have clinched a top 8 seed in Division II Region 7 albeit secured home field advantage for the playoffs.
The Bulldogs have also clinched a top 8 seed in the playoff picture coming out of Division I Region I, giving them home field, but a tough loss in week 9 to Jackson that would have given them the Federal League title outright leaving them with a 6-3 record heading into the biggest game in the nation.
Both teams will want to win The 'Victory' Bell a historic part of the longtime rivalry that holds a high significance between both teams and community.
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| (Massillontigers.com) |
Key players
Massillon has a loaded offense under Alex Wood who oversees the coordinator and quarterback coaching duties who has put out 318 points of scoring with help from the defense to make them a threat every time they have a possession.
Running back Ja'Meir Gamble has been a total nightmare for opposing defenses racking up 9 touchdowns in the last two games. Senior quarterback Jalen Slaughter, senior wide receiver Braylyn Toles and senior wide receiver Jacques Carter have been a bright spot, adding all purpose athlete Tyler Hackenbracht he simply does it all.
Defensively no one can overlook number 45 on the defensive line, Michael Wright Jr. and senior Nolan Davenport who causes a ton of havoc with their disruptive playing style, junior De'Mari Clemons, and junior Lennox Lemon have been special on the backend of the defense.
For Mckinley, who is very talented in most of their skill positions, led by senior running back Nino Hill, when he touches the ball things happen more often than not, the same for senior wide receiver Keith Quincy, things happen when he can get the ball. DeeJay Britt a junior wide receiver has a huge upside can be lethal catching the long ball.
On the defensive side of the ball for the pups senior DL Dior Garner has been very consistent with his play even moving to the offensive line to help protect senior quarterback Kam Montgomery. Damere McClellan a junior defensive back is a ball hawk and has a very high ceiling, whose big brother senior linebacker Dante McClellan, and senior K'Vuone McNeal has been a bright spot over the course of the season.
It will all be decided on Saturday at 2 p.m. for the 135th meeting of the two storied programs.
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